December 21, 2008

The Christ We Know
"Everlasting Father"

Know4.mp3
Pastor Wade Burleson
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Enid OK

At first reading of the text, one might think Isaiah has confused the names of Christ the Son with those names for God the Father. In prophesying the birth of Christ, Isaiah says that His name will be "Everlasting Father." In this name we see two things about Christ.

1. Jesus Christ has a unique nature.
   Jesus Christ is both God and man. He is the unique God-man. This is what is called "the two natures of Christ." No other human being will ever have this uniqueness. He is so fully human it is as if He were not God, and He is so fully God it is as if He were not human. He is both fully God and fully human -- the unique God-man.
   1. The serious error of some is to not see the full deity of Jesus.
      Jesus is God; for in Him "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9). There is only one God, not many gods, not three gods; there is only one God. "Hear O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4). It's interesting that LORD (Yahweh) is singular; God (Elohim) is plural; and the verb is is singular. It is like saying "we is one" and being correct because WE is one person -- God. God said at creation, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). Jesus is God. The Father is God. The Spirit is God. They is one God -- not you.
   2. The serious error of others is not to see the full humanness of Jesus.
      Jesus is fully human. He slept, He wept, He grew, He knew, He cried, He died. In all ways He was tempted as we are, yet He was without sin. He lived as a human was created to live. This is His uniqueness. Our God became human. In that humanness, Jesus felt our struggle, bore our sins, and conquered death. Jesus Christ died as our kinsman- redeemer. He died fully and completely human. The New Testament tells us that the Spirit of the risen Christ, the Spirit of God, resides within every believer to empower us to live as the people of God rather than as slaves to the value system of the world. This is the Trinity at work in us.
   
   
   
2. Jesus Christ shall eternally nurture.
   There are some who are not particularly cheered seeing Jesus as their eternal Father. But this name should cause you an incredible, undeniable joy when you know Christ.
   1. This means that Jesus is always looking out for you (Matthew 7:9-11).
      For I know the plans I have for you, plans not to harm you, but to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). Do you know Him this way?
   2. This means that Jesus is always being there for you.
      "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58). Are you lonely? I am here. Are you desperate? I am all-powerful. Are you lost? I am the light of the world. Are you hurt? I am the balm of Gilead. I am He. There is no problem too big He cannot solve it; there is no mountain too tall He cannot move it; there is no storm too dark He cannot calm it; there is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it. Do you know Jesus as your "Everlasting Father?"
   3. This means that Jesus is always restraining others for you.
      A calm confidence that the Mighty God is your Everlasting Father brings peace.