I've entitled this message, The
Child Born, The Son Given. One of the things that I love
about Christmas is that men, whether they believe or not,
are made to at least think about the fact that one named Jesus
of Nazareth was born into this world, Jesus Christ. And to us, a child is born and
to us, a son is given. It is impossible to determine
what day it was upon which the Lord came into this planet. But he was born an exact calendar
date. And this is so significant that
our time is measured by before his birth and after his birth. Think of the significance of
this one every day before the day of his birth is called BC
before Christ. Every day after this day that
he was born is called A.D., Anno Domini, the year of our Lord. Time is measured before and after
the day of his birth. And to us, a child is born. unto us a son is given. Now notice in our text Isaiah
chapter 9 verse 6, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. The son was not born. That's
very significant. The son was not born. He has no birth date because
He is the Eternal Son. The Second Person of the Blessed
Trinity. Listen to this scripture from
John chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning was the Word. He didn't begin in the beginning.
He already was. In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was
with God. as a distinct person from God. And the word was God. The same was, that's his eternal
isness. The same was in the beginning
with God. He is called in the scripture,
the only begotten son. I think this is the way you say
it, the monogamous, the only begotten son. And this begetting
is not an event that took place that day in Psalm 110. God says with regarding to the
only begotten son, this is my son, this day. It's an eternal
day. It's an eternal begetting. This
day have I begotten thee. Now this begetting of the only
begotten Son is not, I repeat, an event of time. It's a fact. Irrespective of time, He, the
Son, is the sole representative of the being and the character
of him who gave him. God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son, unto us a son is given. This one is, and I love, you
know, I've been excited about trying to bring this message
because it's so glorifying to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is
the image of the invisible God. He is the brightness of God's
glory and the express image of his person. This one who is the
word, the eternal son given The Word was made flesh. That is the child that was born. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. Now, this one we're speaking
of, the child that was born on that particular day some 2,000
years ago, but the son who's given He's the eternal son of
God. He is also called in the scripture
in Revelation chapter 13, verse eight, the lamb slain, listen,
from the foundation of the world. Before the beginning. Before
the creation, Jesus Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. And for him to be slain in time,
he had to come to this planet as a man. The child born is the
eternal son who is given. The lamb slain from the foundation
of the world who came to this planet. to die on a cross. Would to God that you and I will
be enabled to see the glory of that. Now, how he would be born
was prophesied in the scripture. Isaiah 714, behold, a virgin
shall be with child. Do you believe in the virgin
birth of Christ? Of course I do. You see, if he
was not virgin born, that means he would be of the seed of Adam.
That means he'd be like me and you. He'd be a sinful man like
me and you, but he was born of the virgin. And the scripture
says his name should be called in that same passage, Emmanuel. We just heard that which being
interpreted is God. with us. Not God against us,
God with us. Where he would be born was prophesied
in Micah chapter 5 verse 2 in the town of Bethlehem. When he would be born was prophesied
in Daniel chapter 9 where we read of the 70 times 7, the 490
years from the time I'm writing, the Christ will be born. When
the men of the east came The wise men, it was because they
had read this prophecy. The time has come. Would you turn with me to Luke
chapter one? This is when the angel first
appeared to Mary. Probably a 16 year old girl,
a virgin. She had not known a man. And the angel appears to her
in verse 26, and in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was
sent from God into the city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin,
espoused, engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the house
of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came
unto her and said, hail thou art highly favored, much graced. is the word. The Lord is with
thee, blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him,
she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner
of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her,
fear not Mary, for thou has found favor with God. Thou hast found
grace with God, and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and
shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus, for
he shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest,
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father
David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and
of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the
angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel
answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore
also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called
the Son of God. The angel had not yet appeared
to Joseph. Turn with me to Matthew 1. Now,
can you imagine how Joseph must have felt when Mary came to him
and said, I'm with child of the Holy Ghost. You reckon he believed
her? Of course he didn't. Of course
he didn't. But now the angel appears to
him in Matthew chapter 1, beginning in verse 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was on this wise when as his mother Mary was a spouse to Joseph,
before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy
Ghost. Now he didn't believe it was
child with the Holy Ghost. He believed she'd been unfaithful
to him. Verse 19, then Joseph, her husband being a just man,
not willing to make Her public example was minded to put her
away privately to do abortion in a way which she wouldn't be
brought to shame. He was a good man, so to speak. He didn't want to put her to
an open shame because of this. But while he thought on these
things, trying to figure out what to do, behold, the angel
of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou
son of David, Fear not to take unto thee Mary for thy wife,
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his
people from their sins." What a glorious statement. Here's
why he came. He came to save. His people,
those the Father gave Him from before the foundation of the
world, His people. He came not to offer them salvation,
not to make them savable, not to give them the option of being
saved. He came to save His people from
their sins. And that's what I need saved
from, my sins. Now all this was done, verse
22, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
Isaiah 7 14, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is God with us than
Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord
had bidden him and he took unto him his wife and knew her not
till she had brought forth her firstborn son and he called his
name Jesus. Turn back to Luke 2, let's read
about his birth Verse one, and it came to pass
in those days, Luke two, verse one, and it came to pass in those
days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all
the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria and all went to be taxed,
everyone to his own city. Now this is under Roman rule.
Wherever you were born, you had to go back there and pay your
taxes. Now they were living in Nazareth
at the time, but now they have to go back to Bethlehem. Remember
Micah chapter five verse two said he would be born in Bethlehem. Verse four, and Joseph also went
up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth and to Judea and
to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was
the house and lineage of David to be taxed with Mary and his
His espoused wife being great with child, and so it was while
they were there, the days were accomplished that she should
be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, a stable,
with the smell of manure in the air." Don't you love the way
the son of God was born? How important was it to him to
be born as a human king? Not at all. He was born in a
stable, in a manger, because there was no room for him in
the inn. And they were in the same country shepherds, abiding
in the fields, keeping watch over the flocks by night, and
lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. I
would have been too. And the angel said unto them,
fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day
in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto
you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the
angel, A multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying
glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward
men. Now that's talking about peace
with God. I've heard people say, well, that's talking about they
wanted peace among men and goodwill. Well, that's talking about peace
with God and God's goodwill toward men that he would send a savior. Now, go back to Isaiah chapter
nine. This is the announcement of his
birth. We were told how he would be born as a virgin. We were
told when he would be born. We were told the purpose for
him being born. But now we have, in this passage
in Isaiah chapter nine, his birth announcement. Now look in verse
six. For unto us, A child is born. Who is the us? We can't know the meaning of
this passage of scripture if that is not determined. Who is
the us of which the prophet said unto us a child is born unto
us a son is given. Who is the us? If there is a place called hell
and there is, make no mistake about this. God is righteous. He will reward the righteous
and punish the wicked. And everybody deep down knows
that. If there is a place called hell,
and the people that are in that awful place are included in the
us, unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given, It
didn't do them any good at all, did it? It was meaningless to them. And
if you want to take that and carry it to its logical extent,
that means salvation is by works because. The difference between
the saved and the lost was not the child born and the son given,
but what they did, what one did that another did not do. That
is a message of salvation by works. Now, who is the us? If I said the elect, those given
to him by the father before time began, I'd be telling the truth. If I said those who believe and
repent, I'd be telling the truth. If I said all in that group who
call upon the name of the Lord, whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. If I said that is who is meant
by the us, that would be the truth. But here's the us I personally
like the best. 1 Timothy 1.15 gives us this
promise. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. Of whom Paul said, I am the chief. Who is the us? Sinners. Sinners. Are you a sinner? And I'm talking about in the
scriptural sense of the word, where you see that in and of yourself,
you are nothing but sin, period. Are you a sinner? You're included in that us. You can say unto us, A child
is born. Unto us, a son is given. That's the same us of which Paul
said, if God be for us, who can be against us? Unto us, a child
is born. Unto us, a son is given. The son given. became the child
that was born. Don't you love the way it's stated?
The son's given. The son wasn't born. The son's
eternal. This is speaking of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's God. He wasn't born. He's the eternal son. But the child is born. This speaks
of his perfect humanity, the two natures of Christ. Somebody says, isn't him being
born of a virgin just kind of religious superstition? Well,
you can call it that if you want, but it's absolutely necessary
for him to do anything for me. You see, if he was born of Adam,
he would have Adam's nature. He would have the sinful nature
of Adam and he couldn't do anything for me. He couldn't do anything
for you. But thank God he was born of a virgin. Is anything too hard for the
Lord? He was conceived of the Holy Ghost. That's who conceived
him. That's what the scripture says. The son given is the child
born. The 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." Now,
the son being given and the child being born tell us of the significance
and meaning of him being given and him being born. Now, the next thing our text
says with regard to this child born, and son given, look with
me in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, for unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given, and the government, and the government shall be upon
his shoulder. This is not talking about government
as we know it, How do we know government? Well, the first thing
we think of is a democracy, with an executive branch, the president,
the legislative branch, the Congress, the judicial branch, the Supreme
Court, with a balance of powers, so no one has too much power. With this government, there's
no balance of powers. He said, all power is given unto
me. He has all power. You know what that means? That
means right now, as you and I are thinking about this, we are in
his hand. Won't you accept Jesus as your
personal savior? not will He accept you. All power
is given unto Him because the government is upon His shoulder. We're not talking about an autocratic
government, a dictatorship. We're not talking about authoritarian
government. We're not talking about communists.
We're not talking about socialists. We're not talking about Martial
law, the word government in our text means the rule, the dominion. He has the government, all rule
and power on his shoulders. Psalm 115 3, where's your God,
David? Our God is in the heavens. He
hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. That's Jesus of Nazareth. The one who does whatsoever he
pleases to do. The absolute sovereignty of the
child born and the son given. Now here's what this means. When
the world was created, He willed it into existence. Here's what
this means about everything that's taking place right now in time. Everything that happens without
exception is his will being done. The government is upon his shoulders. Whatever's going through your
mind right now. I love thinking about this. There
might be somebody objecting to this. He's in control of that. Could be you're under his judgment
and he left you to yourself. Somebody else's rejoicing. Oh,
I'm glad he's that way. He's in control of that. He's
Lord. Salvation. is His will being
done. If you're saved, it's because
He willed it. Amen? You know that so, if you're
saved. He is the Lord. He doeth according to His will. Now, let's go on reading. Unto us a child is born, unto
us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders,
and His name His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the
Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. His name. Jesus. I love His name. I love to say
it. I love to think. I love the way it sounds. Jesus. Emmanuel, the Word, the Son of
David, the Son of Mary, the Son of God. The Lamb of God, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Messiah, the Christ, the I am,
the name he gave Moses from the bush, I am that I am. Jehovah Shama, the Lord is present. Jehovah Raha, the Lord is my
shepherd. Jehovah Nisi, the Lord, our banner. Jehovah Tzakinu, the Lord, our
righteousness, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide, Jehovah
Shalom, the Lord is peace, Jehovah Mechadishkim, the Lord who sanctifies. His name is wonderful. He's wonderful in his person. He's God. The God man, he's wonderful in
surety ship. When he stood before time began
and accepted me from his father and took complete responsibility
for my salvation. Everything God requires of me,
he looks to him for. He was wonderful in his conception.
Isn't it amazing to think of the eternal God going into a
womb and live there for nine months? And how wonderful he
is in his birth, as we just read. How wonderful he is in his life,
the perfect life of the man Christ Jesus. He kept God's law perfectly. How wonderful he is in his death.
The fact that he could die in the first place, the God man
die, how'd that happen? I don't know, but he did. And
he's wonderful in his death because of the accomplishments of his
death. By his death, he put away the sins of his people. They
are no more wonderful in his resurrection. He was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. When he
was raised from the dead, every believer was justified before
God, sinless, having never sinned. That's what justification means.
What about the sins I've committed? He put them away. If you're one
of his, they're gone. You stand before God without
guilt. Wonderful in his intercession
as he makes intercession for his people right now, praying
for me. Wonderful in his second return. When every eye is going
to see him, his name shall be called Wonderful. The next thing
he is called, his name shall be called Counselor, the Wonderful
Counselor. Now this is not Speaking of what
we think of when we think of a counselor or a therapist, human
counselors may give good advice. They may give bad advice, but
understand this, the Lord's not a counselor like that. He's not
a life coach. His counsel is his decree. My counsel shall stand and I
will do Oh, my pleasure. The scripture says he works all
things after the counsel of his own will. Now here, this child
who is born and this son who is given is the wonderful counselor. Look what it says next. That
means everything is his will being done. He is the counselor.
Look what it says next. His name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, the Mighty God. Jesus Christ is God Omnipotent.
Jesus Christ is God. He's not like God. No, He is
God. The mighty God. That holy thing that shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God, God our Savior. You see, we confess what Thomas
did when he bowed before Him and said, what? My Lord and my
God. Now, this is something that every
believer believes. They believe that Jesus Christ
is God. You know, even the thief believed
that. He hadn't been a believer very long when he was nailed
to that cross. And when he saw his other thief cursing Christ,
he said, don't you fear God? He knew that Jesus Christ was
God. Don't you fear God seeing you're in the same condemnation?
And we're getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing
amiss. Lord, he knew he was the Lord. Remember me when you come
in your kingdom. You're not going to fail. Whatever
you do is successful because you're God. Remember me when
you come into your kingdom. Look at our text once again.
His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father. Now here, Jesus Christ is called
by his name, the everlasting father. Now somebody says, explain
that to me. I can't do that. You just hear the word and bow.
Didn't he say, he that hath seen me hath seen the father. That's what the Lord said. He said, I and my father are
one. Should he be addressed as the
everlasting father? He's separate from the father,
a distinct person from the father. He's the son. I reckon he should,
but still, here's what it says. And this is the reverence we
have for him. He's equal to God because he
is God. And all we're ever going to see
of the Father is the Son. And then we read he shall be
called the Prince of Peace. That is why the angels Proclaim
glory to God in the highest on earth, peace, goodwill toward
men. God is called the God of peace.
And Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace. Now what's that mean? I mean, he's given all these
glorious titles, the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, and then the Prince of peace. peace. In Colossians chapter 1, verse
20, we read these words, speaking of this wonderful Counselor,
mighty God, everlasting Father, having made peace by the blood
of His cross. When Jesus Christ died, God was
at complete peace with everybody he died for. God was completely
satisfied with what he did on Calvary Street. He is the Prince
of Peace, having made peace through the blood of his cross. If you
go on a couple of verses down, here's what this peace is. Every
believer is presented because he's the Prince of Peace and
made peace. Every believer, Colossians 1.22, every believer is holy,
unblameable. and unreprovable in his sight. That's how he is the prince of
peace. He made my peace with God. Have you made your peace with
God? No, Christ made my peace with God. He is our peace. Romans 4 25 says he was delivered
for our offenses. That's why he died. He died for
sin. My sin was taken from me and
he bore it in his own body on the tree. That's why he died.
He wasn't a victim. He wasn't a martyr. He wasn't
simply leaving us a good example. He died as a sin atoning Savior. He can't fail. He was delivered
for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. If you're justified, that means
you're not guilty. If the judge says he's justified,
he's justified. You know what that means? He
didn't do it. He's not guilty. He's perfect
before me. Therefore, Having been justified,
by faith we have peace. Peace. That peace that passes
all understanding. That peace that can't even be
intellectually grasped. The peace of God that passes
all understanding. We have peace with God. through our Lord Jesus Christ. It's what Paul calls in Romans
chapter 15 verse 13, the joy and peace of believing. Believing the gospel. Now let's
briefly look at verse 17, verse 7 of Isaiah chapter 9. Of the increase of his government
And peace, there should be no end. You see,
this is a government, an absolute sovereign rule that will never
have an ending time. You know, empires have come and
gone over the centuries. They always have an end. This
one will too. If the Lord doesn't come back, somebody's going to
take the United States place. There's always an end of every
human government, of every human rule, but this government, there
will be no end. And there will be no end of his
peace. When time is no more, every believer will still have
the perfect peace of justification. Upon the throne of David and
upon his kingdom to order it. and to establish it with judgment
and justice from henceforth, even forever. And this is why
this is so sure. The zeal of the Lord of hosts
will perform this. He's the one doing this. That
is why it is so sure. Unto us a child is born. Unto
us a son is given. The government shall be upon
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
And listen to this, if you believe on him, I don't care who you
are, if you believe on him, you're saved. If you trust this one
described in this passage of scripture as your salvation,
you're saved. You're saved, you can't get any
more love, you can't get any more accepted, you can't get
any more perfect before God than you are in this one because of
his greatness. Now the Lord has given us beautiful
music to enjoy. I think we all enjoy and appreciate
beautiful music and the scriptures even speak of music in heaven
and instruments in heaven. The harpers harping with their
harps in John's vision in the book of Revelation. And I've
always enjoyed the scripture Isaiah 9, 6 that is sung to Handel's
Messiah. Unto us a child is born. And
before our closing hymn this morning, I've asked Drew to play
this song for us. Unto us a child is born. Unto
us a son is born.