Wonderful Counselor

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Intro

Merry Christmas!
Talk about various Advent activities in our house
Advent at SBF is worth looking forward to as well
Next 4 weeks we will be unpacking the names of Jesus prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 (read now; include verse 7)
This morning we will explore Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor
What question are you asking?
Direction, relationship, matter of faith? Write it down! And keep it in mind.
But first, let’s study this passage in the proper context

The Birth of the King

When the Lord speaks through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 9, things are looking dark for Israel and Judah
Assyria (dominant world power) threatening to conquer
Already defeated the northern tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali (v. 1)
Would go on to conquer nation of Israel
Would threaten Judah and Jerusalem, but would not conquer (stopped by God at the gates)
Isaiah 9 is then a prophecy of hope for future deliverance
It is about light in the darkness (v. 2), the joy of God’s people (v. 3), the breaking of oppression (v. 4), establishing a time of peace (v. 5)
The key to this time of future deliverance is the Messiah, prophesied about in verses 6-7
In particular, this Messiah will be an eternal king
“The government shall be upon his shoulder,” “of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.”
Isaiah is speaking of the long-given promise for a descendant of David to establish this eternal kingship
“on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it”
Which is why Matthew begins his gospel showing proof that Jesus is a descendant of David
Fulfills Messianic expectations and fulfills this prophecy
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of this king
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (v. 6)
Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, and the eternal king from the line of David
So then, what type of king can bring this light to the darkness?
Isaiah helps paint this picture by declaring 4 names/titles for the king: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace
Pray

Counselor

Start with the noun first: Jesus is a counselor
“Counselor” was a close advisor to the king
Not just a listening ear, but someone active in giving advice and holding authority to help make decisions
Many kings rose and fell depending on the quality of their counselors… and if they listened to them at all
Talk about Rehoboam’s folly in 1 Kings 12:6-11.
Didn’t listen to wise counsel
Instead listened to those who were “yes men”
Lost the people (and half the kingdom) as a consequence
Of course, there is one noteable example where the king himself was the wisest (king and counselor): Reheboam’s father Solomon
Prayed for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9)
God also granted him riches, honour and a long life
This all came to pass
Solomon’s reign was the pinnacle of the nation of Israel:
Military prowess expanded the borders, great wealth became the envy of surround nations, all this led to incredible influence within the region
Yet Solomon was not the perfectly wise king
He failed to remain obedient at the end of his life and reign
Specifically by allowing false worship of other gods
This led to his downfall and the split of the nation during the time of his son (as we just learned)
Even the wisest king was not a wise enough… something, someONE more was needed

Wonderful

Jesus is not just a counselor as king, but a WONDERFUL counselor
Hebrew word for “wonderful” means “extraordinary, or hard to understand” (to describe God’s ways)
This is a close to a word for “supernatural” as we can get in Hebrew
The literal translation of the title would be “a wonder of a counselor”
A king so wise that it is hard to explain; otherworldly; supernatural
The main difference between Solomon and Jesus is that Solomon was GIVEN the wisdom of God; Jesus IS the wisdom of God
Flow of Scriptural thought -> Jesus IS the wisdom of God
Cf. Colossians 2:2-3.
Use illustration of donating blood - blood transfusions
Jesus is the wisdom of God, made flesh. The wisdom of God flows in His veins. He is a wonder of a counselor, able to bring wisdom to His people in a way never seen or experienced before

Wonderful Counselor

Who are you listening to?
Many sources of “truth” and “wisdom;” but we need to be discerning
Don’t think you can do it all on your own (we all need counsel)
Tell the story of needing to talk to my dad
Don’t fall into the trap of Reheboam (listening only to advice you want to hear)
Talk about avoiding “echo chambers”
Instead, it is Christ alone who offers the wisdom of God freely to those who will listen and obey
The wise counsel of Jesus is found in 3 ways:
The Word of God
Jesus is the wisdom of God; His teaching is recorded faithfully in Scripture… we must read!
Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
When Paul says “all Scripture,” he’s also referring to the OT (like Isaiah 9:6)
The Bible is full of God’s wisdom, and it reveals to us what the truth is (that can be applied to our lives)
Best used proactively, not just reactivley
Poke fun at “finger” method
The people of God
Cf. Proverbs 27:9.
God often uses other people around you to give you Christ-like counsel
Share how Trevor helped me discover my call to ministry
Must be others who also follow Jesus (the wisdom of God)
Must always be held up against the Word
The Spirit of God
John 14:25-26.
Helper = paraclete = Advocate, Comforter, Counselor
We have the Spirit of Jesus with us always; the most direct access to the Wonderful Counselor we could ever desire
Share strong caution given by the Spirit when talking to co-workers about j

Conclusion

What wisdom are seeking? What truth do you want to find? What decision is weighing on your heart and mind this holiday season?
Look back at what question you are asking
With this question, who are you listening to?
Today we celebrate that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor
He is THE wisdom of God; wisdom far beyond our understanding
He is the wisdom of God that dwelt among us; brought wisdom to our level
Jesus is able to give you wise counsel through His Word, His people and His Spirit
Where do you start? Just… ask
Pray
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