The Glorious Mysteries Of The Gospel Of Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about the incarnation of Christ?

The Bible reveals the incarnation of Christ as a profound mystery where God became man to redeem humanity. The mystery of the incarnation is revealed in passages like Isaiah 9:6, where it proclaims, 'For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.' This speaks to God's eternal plan of redemption through the miraculous union of divine and human natures in Christ. The Apostle Paul elucidates this mystery in 1 Timothy 3:16, stating, 'God was manifest in the flesh,' emphasizing that Jesus, fully God and fully man, reconciles us to the Father. The natural man cannot apprehend these truths, as they are spiritually discerned and revealed by the Holy Spirit, showcasing God's profound love and initiative in our salvation.

Q: How do we know the deity of Christ is true?

The deity of Christ is affirmed through Scripture, emphasizing His unique nature and works that only God could achieve. The deity of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith, supported by numerous scriptural references. In Isaiah 9:6, Christ is called 'Mighty God,' confirming His divine identity. The Gospels also affirm His deity, such as in John 10:30 where Jesus states, 'I and my Father are one.' This unity points to His eternal nature as God. Furthermore, His miraculous works, including raising the dead and forgiving sins, validate His divine authority. 1 John 2:23 emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging the Son to have the Father, highlighting that denying His deity results in a separation from God.

Q: Why is the resurrection important for Christians?

The resurrection is critical as it confirms Jesus' victory over sin and death, guaranteeing the eternal life of believers. Romans 10:9 highlights the importance of the resurrection by stating, 'If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.' The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, validating Jesus' claims to divinity and His work of atonement. It signifies the defeat of death (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) and assures believers of their own resurrection. Furthermore, in Romans 5:1, we are told that 'having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,' which is made possible through His resurrected life. Thus, the resurrection not only confirms Jesus as our Savior but also secures our redemption and hope of eternal life.

Entered into it. Isaiah 9. Isaiah 9. And let's read our verse for this evening. Isaiah 9 verse 6. For unto us, unto us. Talking about God's covenant people. Unto us, those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. A child is born. A special child is born. Unto us a Son is given. Now it's not saying the same thing. The child was born, but the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was given of God.

And the government shall be upon His shoulder. He rules and reigns over all things. In His name shall be called. Notice it's all capital letters, wonderful. He is a counselor. He is the mighty God. He's the everlasting, he's the everlasting father. He's a mighty God. And he's a Prince of Peace. He's the King of Peace, isn't he? The King of Peace.

So I'm entitling the message from verse six, The Mysteries of the Gospel Revealed Unto Us, in this verse. The things of the gospel are great mysteries that must be revealed unto us by the Spirit of God, by and from the Word of God alone. These things are hid from the wise and prudent, but revealed unto babes, even so father, for so it seems good in your sight. I like what the Lord asked Peter one day, Peter, whom do you say that I am? Peter answered, Thou art the Christ, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Our Lord said, you're a blessed man, you're a blessed man. Flesh and blood didn't reveal this unto you, but my Father, my Father has revealed that to you.

And it has to come that way because by nature we'll never understand the mysteries of the gospel. The natural man cannot receive the things of the kingdom of God. They're foolishest unto him, neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. Again, another reason why these things must be revealed unto us by the spirit of God from the word of God is a carnal minded enmity against God.

And we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is called The unspeakable gift of God. The unspeakable gift. We can't find words enough to express the gift of God, the wages of sin and death, but the gift of God is eternal life. It's unspeakable. Unspeakable. We can't plumb the depth of it. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom of God. How unsearchable are his ways and his judgment past finding out.

We have in the Lord Jesus Christ the unspeakable gift and the unsearchable riches. Unsearchable, untold riches we have in the blessed Savior. For he has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ. God who was rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us. Even when we were dead, dead in sin, he quickened us together with Christ Jesus.

The gospel is often called in scripture a mystery. A mystery is something that the natural man doesn't understand. But the gospel is called a mystery. Ephesians 5 verse 32, this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Or it talks about in Ephesians chapter five about Christ and his bride and how they're one in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he talks about that union of marriage, how the two shall become one. And he said, and this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and his church. We are his bride and we are one with him. What's true of the head, true of the body. We are one in Christ. Isn't that a mystery? That's a mystery.

And then in 1 Corinthians 2, Paul writes that we speak the wisdom of God in the mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. It's a mystery that God has ordained before the foundation of the world that's revealed in these last days. Especially when we think about the incarnation of God in human flesh, the incarnation of the Lord. And the Apostle Paul writes about it this way, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.

God was manifest in the flesh. Now, that's a mystery. We don't fully, and we can't fully comprehend all that, but we believe it because it's so. God Almighty, God who inhabits eternity, inhabited the body of a man. The word that was with God and was God, that same word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

That's a mystery, but it's so, isn't it? God has revealed those things unto us. The natural man won't receive those things, but those who believe the gospel, they've been taught of God. They've been taught of God. God became what He was not. He remained what He was, became what He was not. Flesh. A real man. A real man. He wearied in body. He hungered. He thirsted. He labored.

God was tempted at all point as we are yet without sin. He took upon him the form of a servant, but he never stopped being God. He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are great mysteries. Great mysteries. God Almighty, who inhabit eternity, inhabit a body of a man. It was tempted and tested in all points like a voyeur, yet without sin.

This is the one we're talking about here in verse six, Isaiah nine, verse six. He said, first of all, a child, a child is born. The Lord Jesus Christ had a body, a special body prepared for him. He says that, you remember, in Hebrews chapter 10, a body thou hast prepared me, a special body given of God. A child is born and a son's given, but this is not saying the same thing. A child was born, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, as we read there in Luke chapter two. Mary conceived in her womb by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, and that child was conceived of God, the only begotten well-beloved son.

We read that a moment ago. Don't turn, let me read it to you again. Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a son. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son, bear a son. And shall call his name Immanuel. You remember what Immanuel means? God with us. God with us.

So Mary conceived in her womb. Mary was a virgin. She never knew a man. She was engaged to Joseph. But when they came together, she was found with child. Conceived of God the Holy Spirit. It had to be that way. because he could not have the taint of Adam's guilt laid to his charge. A real man child, like any other child, was born. She conceived and carried that baby for nine months. And as we read in Luke 2, when it came time for her to give birth, she gave birth, just like any other woman would give birth to a firstborn son. A real man child, like any other child was born, but this was a special child that had no sin. He had not the guilt of Adam's transgression laid to His charge. It had to be that way. He could not be the spotless, undefiled Lamb of God if He had the guilt of Adam's sin laid upon Him. That's why we read in, and we're going to see this in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15, where He's called the seed of woman. Not the seed of man, but the seed of woman. Conceived by God, the Holy Spirit. He had no sin, knew no sin, and did no sin.

In the fullness of the time, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law. And think about this. God who made woman, you can read about that, we're gonna see it in Genesis chapter two in our study in Genesis. He took a rib out of Adam's side And he made a woman. God made a woman to help me for Adam. But think about this. He who made woman was born of a woman. Think about that. That's a mystery, isn't it? God who made the woman was born of a woman. So there's the first thing.

A child is born, but unto us the son is given. Now this is saying something different than the child was born. That's true, that was a fact. But God Almighty gave his only begotten well-beloved son as a sacrifice for our sin. Now that's love, isn't it? Here in his love, not that we love God, but he loved us. He sent his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. The son was given. Look what it says there. Unto us this son was given.

The jewel of heaven, the only begotten well-beloved son, God the son, was given for our sin as a sacrifice for sin. Now, no wonder the angel said, this is good news. This is good news. I tell you, here's good news too. sinners who need a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior. A son was given.

The Son of God, he was not made the Son of God, he's eternally the Son of God, and God the Son, God gave his only begotten well-beloved Son. You remember what the Lord said to, the angel of the Lord said to Mary, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. God the Son, the Son of God. The Lord Jesus Christ has to be both man and God in one blessed person. That's the mystery of his person. We believe this scripture, what it teaches about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You'll say, everybody believes that. No, they don't. No, they don't. I know one religious organization that thinks that Jesus was a brother of Satan. And I know another religious organization that believes and preaches that Jesus was a son, just like you and I are sons of God. That's not so. They don't believe in the deity of Christ.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is not God, we have no Savior. He's called God our Savior. This is very important. The Lord Jesus Christ has to be both man and God and one blessed person. The Son of Man, He's called in Scripture. The Son of Man, He's called the Son of God. He had to be the Son of Man and the Son of God in order to accomplish our salvation. Man alone cannot satisfy God. God alone can't suffer and die. But the God-Man did both. This is the mystery of the Gospel.

The God-Man did both for us. Now don't turn. Let me just read it to you. I've read this many times. And I think we recently considered this scripture. Behold, he said, I am the children which God hath given to me. That's from Isaiah 8, 18. We considered that last week.

For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them. who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Well, verily, he took not on him the nature of angels. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't redeem any fallen angels. He didn't take on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high preacher, and things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, for in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he's able to succor them that are tempted.

Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men. The Lord Jesus Christ is that high priest after the order of Melchizedek, special high priest to represent us. This is God, the Son, and the Son of God who's come to redeem us. So a child is born, right? The Son's given, given unto us. This is God's special Son. I read this years ago, and I can't remember where I read it, but I was going back over this again this afternoon, or rather this morning, and this statement just kind of popped up in my mind. But someone in the past said this, the Son of God became the Son of Man that sons of men might be made sons of God. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God. Behold, that's love, that we should be called the sons of God.

And then it says, the government, see that next line in verse six, the government's upon his shoulder. Now, what is the government? It's the rule and reign. the rule and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember he said, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth. He rules and reigns as a sovereign king over all things. Now notice for a minute, verse seven, it talks about his government here. We're under his government. Aren't you glad we're under his government? Now I know we have local government, we have state government, we have federal government. We have government, government, government, don't we?

They write rules and regulations and they think they have power and they think they have authority. You remember Pilate said to the Lord Jesus Christ, don't you know I have authority? I have power. The Lord said, you don't have any power over me except it is given of God.

But think about all the local, state, federal government is all under the rule and reign of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His government trumps everything, trumps every law. All government, all kings are subject under him. All presidents are subject under him.

Pride is such a horrible thing. I remember reading something years ago What talks about power corrupts? Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And that's what happens to most men when they get high position and authority and power. It just ruins them. The real person comes out who he is. But not so with God.

He has all power, all authority. He rules in absolute wisdom, righteousness, and power, and everything he does is right. It's good. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Yes, he will. Yes, he will. The government is upon his shoulders. He is the king of all the earth, but especially in regard to his spiritual kingdom. He's king in providence. He rules and reigns over all things. He's king in creation. We studied that, haven't we? God created all things by the word of his power, but he's king in salvation too. He said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, on whom I will all hearten. The kingdom and rule of his church rests upon his power, his authority, upon his shoulders rests our eternal salvation. It rests upon his faithfulness, not ours. Upon his sacrifice, not ours. Upon his atonement, not ours. Upon his work, not ours. Upon his merit, not ours.

Aren't you glad it's that way? It rests upon his shoulders. And think about this. How long has he been king? He's not king by some democratic process. He's king by God's eternal decree. He's always been king. You remember the wise men when they came seeking the king, they said, where is he that's going to be king someday? That's not what they said. Where is he that's born king? God said, I've set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. As a king, he has all power. He's always been king, lived as king, died as king, and he's coming back as king, isn't he?

Remember what Pilate wrote a lot of times in the Roman Empire when someone was crucified, and that was the Roman way of execution. They would, if that man was a robber or a thief or a murderer, they'd crucify him and they'd put a sign over his head that he was a thief, he was a murderer.

You remember what they wrote on the sign over the Lord Jesus Christ? They wrote it in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. Three languages. Why do you do that? This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. And the old Pharisees got mad. They don't say he is the King of Jews, right? And say that he said he was. Pilate said, no, what I've written, I've written. God's not going to change that, is he? He came as king. He was born king when he got here. He lived as king. He demonstrated that he's king over diseases, over the elements of the weather.

You remember that one time when they were out on the ship and he was over there sleeping and there was a storm raging and the waves were coming in and the ship was sinking? He's over there sleeping. Why is he sleeping? He was tired. He was a real man.

They went over where Peter nudged him and said, Lord, the boat's sinking, don't you care? And the Lord, do you remember what happened? The Lord stood up and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. I mean, it stopped raging, the momentum of that water and the wind, and it stopped. And it was a great calm, like a plate of glass. And those men said, what manner of man is this that even the wind and the seas obey this man?

You see, he was born as king. He was king before he got here, king of kings and lord of lords. Born as king, lived as king, died as king. He's coming back. He's going to come back. as king. And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

King of kings and Lord of lords, God said, I've set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Verse 7, again look at it, Isaiah 9, verse 7, of the increase of his government and peace, his government and peace, there shall be no end. This is an eternal kingdom. Upon the throne of David, God promised that Messiah would be at the house of David upon the throne. Our king sits upon the sovereign throne, upon his kingdom to order it, the decree of God, to establish it with judgment, with justice.

He's a just God and Savior. From henceforth, even forever, the zeal, I love this statement, the zeal of the Lord of hosts, he'll perform it. His purpose, he said, I've spoken it, I've purposed it, it will be done. He's performed all things for us, you remember? The increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end.

We study it in the book of Romans. He's called the God of peace. Remember Romans 15, 33? Romans 16, 20? He's the God of peace. This scripture I often quote from Hebrews 13, verse 20. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep to the blood of the everlasting covenant. We preach peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He's the King of Peace, King of Righteousness. And He performs all things for us. Now, let's go back to verse 6. So unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government on his shoulders.

In his name, his name, God's given him a name which is above every name, God is highly exalted and given him a name above every name, nor the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. His name shall be called, His name shall be called Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful. Call His name Jesus, call His name Emmanuel, Jesus, Savior, God with us, Emmanuel. Everything about His name, His person, and His redeeming work is wonderful, glorious, effectual, and powerful unto us.

In Psalm 107, this statement is repeated at least four times. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works toward the children of men. Everything about His person, It's wonderful, isn't it? Everything about his priestly work. It's wonderful seeing we have such a great high priest that has passed into the heavens, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This high priest didn't bring the typical animal sacrifice, did he? He brought his own blood. He obtained eternal redemption for us with his own blood. How He effectively put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself. You see, He's wonderful in all of His covenant love. He's wonderful in His person. He's wonderful in His covenant love toward us. He's loved us with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness does He draw us to Himself.

How about His mercy? His mercy is wonderful, is it not? It's new every morning. How about His grace? It's wonderful, isn't it? His love? His love is wonderful. Wonderful love. He loves the unlovely. It's all glorious, isn't it? Sovereign and wonderful. As the only mediator between God and man, the God-man, his mediation is wonderful.

He's the advocate. Well, he's a wonderful advocate. You remember 1 John 2? When you sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he ever lived to intercede for us. He's a wonderful mediator, a wonderful advocate, a wonderful intercessor. He's a wonderful Savior, isn't He? He really saved His people from their sin. And He still does, because He has. And He's our wonderful surety. He's the surety of the everlasting covenant. So you got the first name there? His name shall be called Wonderful.

I try to never use that word in regard to anything but him and the gospel. I use a different word. I won't say, well, this is a wonderful day. It is a day that the Lord had made, but I don't say, well, this is a wonderful this, a wonderful that, a wonderful meal. I appreciate my wife's cooking, I've enjoyed it for almost 54 years. But I don't, I tell her it's a delicious meal, it's a good meal, but I don't say wonderful because that's his name. You see what I'm getting at?

His name's wonderful. His name is wonderful. And then secondly, it says there his name is Counselor. Counselor. Counselor. It says in Isaiah 28, this also cometh from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful, and counsel, and excellent, and working. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only counselor we need. A lot of preachers make a big mistake trying to get into the counseling business. I'm not a counselor. I'm a preacher. I'll point you to him and his word. He's the counselor.

Look to him. We point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ for wisdom and learning in spiritual matters. He's the only one is able and willing to reveal the gospel to his people. He's the only one able and willing to save his people from their sins. Look to him. So I point you to the counselor, the Lord Jesus Christ, the wonderful counselor, none like him. Would you know the way of salvation? Well, it's found in Christ. Would you know the will and purpose of God? Well, it's found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Only in Him, He came to do the Father's will as the Counselor of God for us. Now watch this.

His name shall be called, He's the Wonderful Savior. We sing that sometimes, don't we? Don't we have a song in our book called Wonderful Savior? And then he's a counselor. He counsels us on salvation by his grace. He has all wisdom and power. We seek his counsel, don't we? We bow to his will, his word.

And then he's called the mighty God. The mighty God. In Isaiah 63, remember, he is the one that's called mighty to save. So He's a mighty God, always has been, always will be. He's Lord of heaven and earth. He is the mighty God. Every attribute of deity is found in Him because He's God. He is the almighty God. The disciples asked, what manner of man is this? He's the mighty God.

Who alone can raise the dead, give sight to the blind, make the leper clean, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean, the leper said. I will, be thou clean. Who alone could do that? None but the mighty God. Who can create this universe and this world? None but the mighty God.

He is mighty to save. Our God is mighty to save. He's the almighty God. Because He is God with all power, He's able to save to the uttermost. His gospel is called the power of God unto salvation because He is the almighty God. You can't preach Him too high. You can't give Him too much glory. He has all glory and all power in heaven and earth. So He is the wonderful, Mighty God, He's the Glorious Counselor, the Mighty God, He's the Everlasting Father.

How can He be the Son and the Father? The I and my Father are one. He's the Everlasting Father. Isaiah here is not confused about God. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, these three are one, remember? But in our covenant relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, He's called our Father. We are his covenant children. We had that Isaiah 8 verse 18 just across the page there. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Mount Zion. In that covenant relationship, he is our father, we are his children. He made us and adopted us as sons of God. He that hath the son hath the father, and the father and the son are one. Now let me read this to you. Now this is, don't turn, let me just read it to you.

In John 14, remember, Thomas said unto him, verse 5, Lord, we know not whether thou goest. How can we know the way? And the Lord Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man come unto the Father but by me. If you had known me, you should have known my Father also. From henceforth you know him and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and we'll be satisfied. What did the Lord say? Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. How sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The word that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself, but the Father which dwelleth in Me, and He doeth the works? Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. or else believe me, for my work's sake, I and my father, we are one."

You remember he said that in John, I'm going to go back to John chapter 10, I think he said that over here in John 10, didn't he? When the Jews picked up stones to stone him, John chapter 10, when the Jews picked up stones to stone him, he said, I and my father are one. Then they picked up stones and stones. How can you be a man and call yourself God? I and my Father, we are one. What's true of the Father is true of the Son. They're one. The eternal Godhead is one. I and the Father. You've seen me, you've seen the Father. Second John 1 verse 9, whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God, but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son.

Lastly, he's called here the Prince of Peace. He's the Prince of Peace, King of Righteousness and Prince of Peace. He's called The Prince of Peace. He made peace for us with His own blood, didn't He? Colossians 1, 18-20. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith, Romans 5, 1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace for us with His own blood. He reconciled us unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Look at verse six one more time. For unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given, the government on his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He's the King of Peace, isn't he?

The Glorious Mysteries Of The Gospel Of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the incarnation of Christ?

How do we know the deity of Christ is true?

Why is the resurrection important for Christians?

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The Glorious Mysteries Of The Gospel Of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the incarnation of Christ?

How do we know the deity of Christ is true?

Why is the resurrection important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Tom Harding

Comments

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