A Goverment We Can Trust

In a few days, we're going to begin a new year with a lot of new faces, new voices leading our government.

But for many years, no matter who is in the White House or which party controls Congress,

most Americans are very pessimistic about our government.

It seems that the words of former President Ronald Reagan, words he said 30 years ago,

it seems that it becomes more accurate with each passing year.

You remember them.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are,

I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Those words are probably true about every government in the world.

But the Bible tells us about a future government that God's people will not fear.

That we will not fear.

Because it will be the government of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The future government over which Jesus will rule.

The future government over which He will preside is a part of the Christmas story that sometimes gets overlooked.

But it's a part of the angel's message to Mary.

The angel told her that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of God's Son.

Look at what was said.

The angel said,

Now that statement was really compiled from several Old Testament prophecies.

where God had promised He was going to send His Messiah.

One of the more well-known prophecies,

one that's very familiar to us at Christmas time,

is Isaiah chapter 9, verses 6 and 7.

Isaiah 9:6

That's sort of been our unofficial theme for Christmas this year.

I started,

I preached one message on it.

The children's choir,

we have sung about certain aspects of this.

Let's read it one more time.

Isaiah chapter 9, verses 6 and 7.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and of peace,

there will be no end.

on the throne of David,

and over His kingdom,

to establish it,

and to uphold it with justice,

and with righteousness,

from this time forth,

and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts

will do this.

The baby whose birth we celebrate

this morning

is no ordinary baby.

He is King Jesus,

the Son of God,

who will one day return to this world

and rule over an eternal government,

a government that we can have

absolute confidence in

and never fear,

never distrust

because of who leads it.

Just think,

one day we can trust our government

because King Jesus

will rule over it completely.

Look at this phrase from Isaiah.

The government shall be upon His shoulder.

One commentator said

this may refer to how a king

would sometimes wear a golden chain

around his neck

that hung down

and rested on his shoulder,

symbolizing his authority.

When Jesus returns to this world,

He is not going to come

as He did the first time,

as a vulnerable baby.

He's going to come

in power,

in authority,

as the Almighty Son of God

and the sovereign ruler

of this world.

His rule will be characterized

by peace,

not war,

justice,

not favoritism,

and righteousness,

never corruption.

That leads us to another reason

why we'll be able to trust

this government,

the government of Jesus.

King Jesus will rule over it

with the highest character.

Look at the phrase again from Isaiah.

To establish it

and to uphold it

with justice

and with righteousness.

We live in a day

where the character of leaders,

it seems,

just doesn't matter.

It's been that way

for quite some time.

But deep down,

we know better.

And deep down,

we really want better.

And the day will come

when we will get better

because we're going to get

a perfect leader.

We're going to get a leader

that we can trust

because of who He is

and because of what He does.

Look back,

if you've got your Bible open,

in Isaiah,

Isaiah 9:6

chapter 9,

verse 6,

at the names

or the titles

that Isaiah prophesied

would be given to Jesus.

Think about what,

think about the person Jesus is

as well as

the power that He has

using these names.

As wonderful counselor,

He guides us

with perfect wisdom.

We can count on that.

As mighty God,

He protects us

with His sovereign power.

As everlasting Father,

He cares for us

with unending love.

Then as Prince of Peace,

He provides us

with peace with God

and the peace of God.

which we looked at

last night.

It will not be difficult

for us to trust

the government

of King Jesus

because we will have

absolute confidence

in Him,

in who He is,

His character,

in what He has done

and is doing

because He is

God Almighty,

God in the flesh.

One day,

we will be able

to trust our government

and never have to worry

about it changing

because King Jesus

will rule over it

forever.

Look at one more phrase.

Of the increase

of His government

and of peace,

there will be

no end.

His government

will always be growing

and expanding,

but not like

the federal government

of the United States

that's always growing,

that's always expanding

its bureaucracy.

This government,

the government

of King Jesus,

will always be in the,

be growing in the positive qualities

of this King,

growing in the positive qualities

of peace,

of justice,

of righteousness.

What Ronald Reagan

said 30 years ago,

he said it,

there was truth,

but it was intended

to be funny,

a lot of humor,

but if you stop

and think about it,

there's too much truth

in this statement.

The nine most terrifying words

in the English language

are,

I'm from the government

and I'm here to help.

But the words of Jesus,

none of them

are ever scary.

They're comforting.

For an example,

in John 10,

Jesus said,

I came that they

may have life

and have it

abundantly.

Now,

I must add

that those words

are only comforting

to those

who trust Jesus

as their Savior

and have already

submitted

to Him

as their King.

If you don't know

Jesus as your Savior

and as your King,

I want to encourage you

to turn to Him

right now.

There is no better day

than Christmas Day

for you to admit

to God

that you are in need

of the Savior

that He sent.

Turn from your sin.

Change your mind.

Stop living

for yourself.

Ask God

to help you.

Put your faith,

your confidence,

your absolute trust

in Jesus Christ

that when He died

on the cross,

He paid the penalty

for your sins.

He did everything

necessary

for you to be

forgiven by God,

to be made

a child of God.

So call upon Him

to save you.

now,

this Christmas Day.

I want to conclude

with the Christmas story

summarized in one verse.

For God so loved

the world,

He gave His only Son

that whoever believes

in Him

will not perish

but will have

eternal life.

And if you trust Him

or you will trust Him,

there's no greater

confidence,

no greater comfort

that you'll ever experience.

King Jesus,

we have confidence

in Him.

We always can.

Let's bow together

and thank Him

for that now.

Dear God,

thank you so much

for sending

your Son

into this world

to save us,

to make us

right with you,

to make us

your children.

Thank you, Father,

that through faith

in Jesus

we can be confident

that our sins

are forgiven,

that you are

our Heavenly Father,

that you will

enable us

to experience

peace with you

now

and for all

eternity.

We,

your children,

thank you

and praise you

for this

greatest

of all time

gifts.

the gift

of eternal life

in Jesus.

And Father,

we who are Christians,

we pray

right now

and ask that

you would move

in the life

of

everyone in this room

who's not a Christian

to draw them

to faith in Jesus

and that today,

Christmas Day,

2016,

will be their day

of salvation.

In Jesus' name

we pray.

Amen.