Wonderful

Sermon 35

(Isa 9:6) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

He almost had it, the excitement grows, it almost came to him. He is trying to give us the name God will use when He becomes flesh. Although, Isaiah fails in his attempt to give us that name, he is able to give us some good stuff. For we can see Jesus in each one of these names. It is the first word in Isaiah’s roster of names that I will endeavor to explore in this dissertation.

That little word “wonderful” has been worn thread-bare these days. We speak of “a wonderful time,” “a wonderful book,” or “a wonderful person,” and apply the word to a thousand other things entirely unworthy of it.

Words that are analogous with wonderful are; Astonishment, Surprise, Shock, Amaze, Awe, Stupefaction (Stu’-pe-fac’-tion). And I would think the word that is better fitting here would be “awe.” Awe—-A mixed feeling of reverence, fear, and wonder.

I call you attention to the scriptural use of the word wonderful.

(Deu 28:59) “Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.”

(Jer 5:30) “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”

(Psa 119:129) “Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.”

(Mat 21:15) “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,”

I. HE WAS WONDERFUL IN THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY:

(Heb 1:1) “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,”

Prophecies: Given Fulfilled

Would be the seed of a woman, Ge. 3:15 Lu. 2:7
Promised to be the seed of Abraham, Ge. 18:18 Mt. 1:1
Promised to be the seed of Isaac, Ge. 17:19 Mt. 1:2
Will be of the tribe of Judah, Ge. 49:10 Mt. 1:2,3
To be birthed in Bethehem, Mi. 5:2 Mt. 2:1
The time of birth, Da. 9:25 Lu. 2:1,2
Would be born of a virgin, Is. 7:14 Mt. 1:18
Mary and Joseph’s flight into Egypt, Ho. 11:1 Mt. 2:14
His ministry in Galilee, Is. 9:1,2 Mt. 4:12-16
Jesus would be a Prophet, De. 18:15 Jn. 6:14
Jesus would be a Priest like Melchizedek, Ps. 110:4 He. 6:20
His rejection by the Jews, Is. 53:3 Jn. 1:11
His characteristics,(wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge) Is. 11:2 Lu. 2:52
His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Zec. 9:9 Jn. 12:13
He would be betrayed by a friend, Ps. 41:9 Mk. 14:10
The price He would be betrayed for, Zec. 11:12 Mt. 26:15
Money to be returned to buy potter’s field, Zec. 11:13 Mt. 27:6,7
Judas’ office to be taken by another, Ps. 109:7,8 Ac. 1:18
False witnesses accused Him, Ps. 27:12 Mt. 26:60
He would be silent when accused, Is. 53:7 Mt. 26:62
He would be smitten and spat upon, Is. 50:7 Mk. 14:65 He would be hated without a cause, Ps. 69:4 Jn. 15:23 He would suffer vicariously, Is. 53:4,5 Mt. 8:16 He would be crucified with sinners, Is. 53:12 Mt. 27:38
His hands and His feet would be pierced, Ps. 22:16 Jn. 20:27
He would be mocked and insulted, Ps. 22:6,8 Mt. 27:39,40
He would be given gall and vinegar, Ps. 69:21 Jn. 19:29
His side to be pierced, Zec. 12:10 Jn. 19:34
Soldiers would cast lots for His garment, Ps. 22:18 Mk. 15:24
There would be no bones broken, Ps.34:20 Jn. 19:33
He would be buried with the rich, Is. 53:9 Mt. 27:57
His resurrection, Ps. 16:10 Mt. 28:9
His ascension, Ps. 68:18 Lu. 24:50

And when Christ came He fulfilled, to the letter, all the predictions. If you don’t find any wonder in that then your wonder gear is broken.

II. HE WAS WONDERFUL IN HIS BIRTH:

Jesus was the earthly child of a Heavenly Father, and the Heavenly child of a earthly mother.

If men would have arranged His birth they might have chosen a palace, God chose a barn.

If men would have organized His birth, they might have prepared a royal crib, God prepared a feed trough.

If men would have ordered His birth, they might have provided silken robes, God provided swaddling clothes of a poor peasant woman.

If men would have decreed His birth, they might have selected choice perfumes and spices, but God chose the malodors of a stable where the animals were kelp.

Think of it! The Prince of Glory, the son of a carpenters wife.
The King of Kings, the child of a peasant woman.
The Majesty from on high, born to a virgin, an unwed mother.
The Lords of Lords, born in an obscure village called Bethlehem.

What a rebuke to our pride, that He who was so rich became so poor, when we that are so poor pretend to be so rich.

As a baby, our Lord was made known to the shepherds, who represented the working class, to the wise men, who represented the student class, to Simeon and to Anna, who represent the worshipping class, as a God to all.

Since that day He has been the crown of all Christian work, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29)

Since that day He has been the object of all Christian study, (Col. 2:3) “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Since that time He has been the motive of all true worship, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

At His birth the heaven’s brighten, Angels sang, and the world rejoiced. At His birth hell trembled, devils wept, and Satan lamented. His birth was a herald to lost man that there would be a way made. His birth was a messenger to every mother, that wept for rebellious children, that there was hope.

The name “Jesus” was a popular name in that day, but no person carried that name with such dignity as did Jesus of Nazareth. Since that time that name (Jesus) has been spoken more times that any ten names place together. That name has done more for the sin of this world than any other. That name has relieved more of man’s burdens that any other.

III. HE IS WONDERFUL IN HIS LIFE:

Heb. 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Consider the Christ of yesterday. Born in another man’s stable, buried in another man’s tomb; lived in a land about one forth the size of Illinois: In His public ministry He never traveled over one hundred miles from home; He wrote no books, trusted His truths with a few plain unpromising disciples, died the death of a criminal outside the city walls. Yet that life stands alone, towering high above all, the one perfect chapter in all the annals of human lives

He was never a hurry, for He was the “first and the last.” (Rev. 22:12)
He went hungry, yet He was the “bread of life.” (John 6:35)
He thirst, but he was the “water of life” (Rev. 21:6)
He was sinless, yet He came to save sinner’s (Matt. 18:11)
He was the Prince of Glory, but it was the common folk that heard Him gladly. (Mk. 12:37)
He could calm the sea, and He could bless little children. (Matt. 19:15)
He preached to multitudes and talked to one woman. (John 4:7)
He wrote no books, However He wrote in the sand. (John 8:11)
He founded no schools but the world’s elite said “never a man spake like this man.” (John 7:46)

He could stop funeral processions and raise the dead. His hand could touch a fevered brow and make the sick well again. He could go to the grave yard and the grave give back what it had taken away. Yes! Wonderful in His life.

IV. HE IS WONDERFUL IN HIS DEATH:

He was murdered outside Jerusalem, as though His blood would defile the streets, yet it is by His blood that we have forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:14)

Nature revolted, the sun wouldn’t shine, there was an earthquake. The veil in the temple was rent, Ten thousand Angels stood helplessly by waiting for a command to set Him free.

Even though it was sin that carried Him to the cross, while on the cross, He prayed for forgiveness for those that committed that sinister deed. While life was ebbing away from Him he forgave a most vile person that was also dying. That’s just the kind of man He was and the kind of life He lived.

Before He died, every type of humanity had passed by;
Ignorance–Roman soldiers, “forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Insolence– People passed by wagging their heads.
Irreverence–Taunted Him, “saved others, thyself thou cannot save.”
Indifference–People stood by beholding.
Vileness–cast lots
Shameless–Took his garment

But for them and I He died. When I think on these things it is too wonderful for me.

V. HE WAS WONDERFUL IN HIS RESURRECTION:

When they put Him in the tomb, Pilate gave orders, “Make it as sure as you can.” And they did. But up from the grave He arose.

The Roman government did it’s best, they but a seal on it. But up from the grave He arose.
Unbelief discredited it. But up from the grave He arose.

Death made as sure of it as possible. But up from the grave He arose. The devil and hell conspired together to keep Him. But up from the grave He arose. The corpse came back to out-live its pallbearers. Up from the grave He arose. I say all this about the past. But He is just as wonderful today as yesterday.

( End )