Unto Us (North OC)

Marcel Hall: What, I mean, are you ready for Christmas?

I'm not really referring to gifts, meals, and parties, but are you ready

to celebrate the miracle of Jesus birth?

Because I knew I was asked a question similar about a week or two ago and

they said, Hey, what's going on?

How you feeling about Christmas?

And I was like, they were like, on a scale of one to 10 and the group was

like eight and nine, I feel insecure.

I'm like, I'm nowhere near eight to nine.

I'm at like a four or five right now.

There's just a lot going on, and so the idea of celebrating Jesus really

has been foreign until really getting prepared for the sermon here today.

So God has been ministering to me as I've been able to look at these things

here because Christmas, as we all know, is what the celebration of Jesus' birth.

And we can become so familiar with it, and we know there's a risk, there's

always a danger of us focusing on everything else but Jesus' birth.

We can focus in on the gifts, we can focus in on what we are receiving.

We can focusing on getting a place ready or having to travel

and all these different things.

And none of those are bad, but the idea of what the season is

about can become a little bit faded and and fade into a distant.

Recognition.

Are you with me here?

I know that's how I can be unless I intentionally focus

in Why are we gathering?

I know I'm gonna get some good grub and in fact I have to cook.

My mom makes me cook on Christmas.

I get out there.

We have a tradition.

I barbecue on Christmas day.

Now we're not talking steak brother can't do that.

We're talking about some ribs down so we get down.

Y'all might be having some Turkey and some ham.

Hallelujah for you.

Okay?

But in my household, right?

I'm out there on, it doesn't matter.

One time it was raining at Christmas and I thought, mom, I don't have to do this.

And she was like, boy, get out there.

And thankfully there was a little covering and I was out there with a jacket on

trying to barbecue the only foolish person outside on that Christmas day.

You know what I'm saying?

But Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, and it's important for

us to take a moment, especially as we go into the next week here, to have a moment

where we really appreciate all that is.

In the Christmas, not story, but in the reality of Christmas that we live in, it's

the time in which Divine took on flesh.

Heaven entered earth.

Eternity stepped into time.

Christmas is not just the birth of a child.

It is the arrival of a king and a kingdom that has been inaugurated.

And so right now we're gonna take some time to look at a familiar passage, but

we're going to have an opportunity to prepare our hearts to truly celebrate

not just the birth of a child.

But the arrival of the King of Kings Church.

Are you with me this morning?

Let's go ahead.

Let's go to the father in prayer.

Father, we come to you, grateful, humbled, excited, needing you and your

presence, needing your word to guide us, to stir our hearts, to remember

all that we have in Christ and all that we have in Christ came through.

Christmas, the day in which Jesus was born, the king arrived.

Father, allow us to put to the side anything that would

distract us from hearing your spirit's voice in our ear today.

Allow us to draw nearer to you and walk away with a greater appreciation and

a conviction to live in the reality that Christmas we pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

Uh, before we get into this, uh, my wife was actually gonna come up

and she's gonna help me here today.

Uh, she's gonna be sharing some things as we go ahead and, uh,

look into the scriptures there.

So, uh, let you know.

Let's give a, a quick love to my wife, Karina Hall right now.

Amen.

All right.

We're gonna go on over to Isaiah chapter nine.

We're not gonna look at the King James version.

We're gonna go to Isaiah chapter nine, and for those of us we are very

familiar, but some of us we don't know.

There's actually several prophecies about Jesus' birth and Isaiah in which

we'll look at the book of Isaiah.

He was a prophet.

What's a prophet Basically means to speak the word of God.

And so sometimes prophets would have a divine inspiration and

directional what to tell God's people.

And there would be something which we would call prophecy, which is a prediction

of something that was going to happen.

And the cool thing is that God always comes through with his prophecies.

He always comes through on his promises and the predictions, the

prophecies if you will get fulfilled.

And sometimes there's a dual prophecy, meaning it's for the immediate audience,

but also for the future audience being me and you and the generations.

After us.

And so the context and the background here for Isaiah Chapter nine, God's

people had been a kingdom, but yet they had some division, some strife,

and it splits into two kingdoms.

Most of us know that there's a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom.

The northern kingdom was the kingdom of Israel.

The southern kingdom is the kingdom of.

And the northern kingdom had really a lot of bad kings.

They got into a lot of adultery, so they would worship foreign gods or gods that

were images that they crafted themselves.

And so they were unfaithful to God.

And so God kept warning them and warning them, but they refused

to repent and be faithful to God.

So he allowed the Assyrian empire to come until a siege to their kingdom.

And so this is the context.

In which Isaiah writes this prophecy, the Northern Kingdom has been seized.

They haven't been fully conquered yet by the Syrian empire, but

the Southern Kingdom is in fear and also their king Ahaz.

He's been making some poor choices and he is actually been rebelling against God.

And so both kingdoms are in a bad spot spiritually.

Are you with me, church?

So again, this is really cool and important.

When you see the context of this passage that you are very familiar with, you may

be seeing in videos or little, you know, uh, uh, scripture postings or whatnot.

It allows us to appreciate this prophecy, not only for them, but

also how it applies to you and me.

So in Isaiah chapter nine, in this time of darkness, oppression and

hopelessness, God promises hope.

God promises that a light is going to break into the darkness.

Isaiah chapter nine, verse one.

The title of the message today is Unto Us.

Unto Us.

Let's go to Isaiah chapter nine verse one.

Brother and sisters, are you still with me?

All right, let's go.

Isaiah chapter nine, verse one.

It says, nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress.

In the past, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali

or Naphtali, but in the future, he will honor Galilee of the nations.

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, the people walking in darkness

has seen a great light on those living in the land of deep darkness.

A light has dawned, in Matthew, he actually quotes this passage when

Jesus starts his ministry in Galilee.

So we're able to connect dots and understand that this

prophecy applied not only.

This prophecy.

All right.

That was strange.

Wasn't that?

That was kind of wild.

I was like, Karina, what did you do back there?

All right.

This prophecy applied to Jesus in the New Testament.

Is it still doing something?

Sorry man, I, you know, I've been working out again.

You know what I'm saying?

All right.

I really have.

That's not a joke.

Y'all laughing at a brother.

Now, I haven't been doing much, you know what I'm saying?

But I have been working out.

All right, here we go.

Alright, so.

Let's continue with the verse here.

In verse three, it says, you have enlarged the nation and increased their joy.

They rejoice before you as a people.

Rejoice at the harvest as warriors.

Rejoice when dividing the plunder.

Amen.

For as in the day of Midian's defeat, that's a reference.

Do you remember in the book of Judges, Gideon and God using Gideon to deliver

his people from the Midianites?

He says, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them.

The bar across their shoulder, the rod of their oppressor.

Every Warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled

in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

But here we go for to us.

A child is born to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders

and he will be called Wonderful counselor.

Mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end.

He will reign on Davis throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding

it with justice and righteousness.

From that time on and forever, the zeal of the Lord Almighty

will accomplish this again.

We see the people are actually in a moment of darkness, and what does God provide?

He says There is going to be light that breaks through the darkness.

And we know that this wasn't a promise that was just for them.

It was a promise for all of God's people afterwards, because when the

Messiah would come, this would be fulfilled and it would be completely

fulfilled when the Messiah returns.

But as prophecy reveals the power and the significance of Christmas.

The power and the significance of the birth of Jesus, the power and the

significance of the arrival of the king who is inaugurating his kingdom.

So let's break this down some.

In verse six, he says to us, A child is born, a son is given.

This really highlights the scholarly term or a technical term.

Any of us are familiar with it.

The incarnation.

And the incarnation means God in the flesh.

And we see this in this passage that Jesus was fully human and fully divine 'cause he

is a son that was born but yet a son that was given two things that the same time.

And I love the way it was said this, the child was born in time

but the son was given from eternity.

So we get a chance to see the awe of Jesus.

Yes.

He was born as a human, fully taking on flesh.

However, he was given to mankind because he already existed.

And then it goes on and it says the government will be on his shoulders,

a kingdom he will establish in the kingdom in which he will reign and rule.

And then it goes on, and now it starts to give us a description of King Jesus

and gives us titles and names in which he can be referred to as, but really more

describing his character and his actions.

And we will see how that applies to us today as citizens in.

Jesus's kingdom.

And so we start off here where he says he will be called, wonderful counselor.

Wonderful.

Another word is extraordinary.

It's the closest, this Hebrew word, the closest word to what you get,

uh, what we would call supernatural.

And so it's saying that this counselor will be at supernatural

wisdom, a divine wisdom.

And so we see in Jesus that God's wisdom is revealed and seen.

In Jesus and because Jesus came, that wisdom is now available to us.

Jesus is the wonderful counselor to us.

I don't know about you, but I need some good counseling in

my life and I don't want this average Joe counselor in my life.

But we have Jesus who has come and he is the wonderful, the

supernatural, the extraordinary counselor for those who would be

his royal subjects in his kingdom.

He is a counselor for our life.

When we are uncertain, overwhelmed, don't know which way to turn, we seek direction.

And counsel from the King of King.

So Christmas means we are never alone in our uncertainty.

Karina's gonna share something

Karina Hall: So I think when I think of Jesus as a wonderful

counselor, I think about wisdom, uh, having wisdom in my life.

I think about leadership.

And I think about guidance and when I know, uh, what I'm supposed to do, when

I have, um, when I feel like I have the answers, uh, I feel confident, I

feel comfortable, and I feel at peace.

It's a little bit like being a student for those who are students

and the teacher calls on you.

And you know the right answer, you know, you, you feel a sense of peace and a

sense of confidence to say the answer.

And that's what it's like to have a wonderful counselor by my side, is that

I can, , let worry and fear disappear and decrease and let confidence, and peace

increase, , because that is who Jesus is.

And so I can walk in confidence.

. Marcel Hall: Next up it says, mighty God.

Being powerful and divine God's power to deliver spiritually and physically

was encased in the body of Jesus.

His

power, the divine's power was encased in the body of Jesus.

I don't know about you, but that's crazy.

That's incredible.

I wish I could have been here and touched Jesus's flesh and said, whoa,

I touched the power of the living God.

He is mighty.

And, and again, Isaiah, he actually says in another prophecy, he says he's gonna

be called the Emmanuel God with us.

And so because Jesus came in the flesh, that power is not distant.

It is near.

Jesus is the strength that we need when we are weak and need help.

Jesus is there to empower us to overcome.

Christmas reminds us that God's power is not far, but it's close,

and that's God's power will deliver.

Karina Hall: Jesus as a mighty God for me calls me to humility.

Because it means that I am not in control.

I don't have all the answers, and that's okay.

That's good because Jesus does.

And when I think about Jesus as a mighty God, it, I don't, um,

I don't have to do everything.

I don't have to.

Know everything.

It, I, I can surrender to Jesus.

I can surrender to his leadership and his wisdom and his power, as opposed to trying

to do things on my own, as opposed to thinking that what my way is the best way.

I, you know, when things are around me, out of my control,

it's okay because I am not God.

And I think that is what it reminds me when I think about Jesus as.

Uh, mighty God is that I have to be humble.

I have to surrender to Jesus's Lordship

Marcel Hall: Goes on.

He says He is everlasting father.

It means Jesus' protector, provider, and faithful as a parent to their children.

You know, God's provision, protection, and faithfulness is embodied in Jesus.

The eternal God has made himself eternally accessible.

God's love is no longer mysterious, but is made visible in Christ.

And so Jesus is our everlasting protector and provider.

Not temporary, not just for the moments, but always present, never

ending, protecting, and providing what we need in every area of our

lives and in all aspects of our lives.

Whether the good or the hard in challenging times.

When we need comfort, when we feel vulnerable or afraid,

God's care is present.

So Christmas assures us that we are looked after.

Karina Hall: This is probably, my favorite I name for Jesus is to think

about him as an everlasting father.

I think about, . Him in the gospels when he talks about longing to , gather God's

people, like a hen gathers his chicks.

And that is the idea that I get as an everlasting father.

That's who Jesus is.

He wants to gather as close to him.

And so he's not just this provider, he is this provider, but he's

also this nurturer, he nurtures me as a parent does their child.

And I also, I've been reading Galatians and.

In Galatians three, it talks about how he was sent to specifically, uh,

make us his God's children so that we could be adopted as God's child.

And the idea of a parents sacrifice, parents sacrifice

so much for their kids, right?

I would gladly take the pain of any of my children and take

it upon myself if it means that they don't have to experience it.

And that's who Jesus is for us.

He wants to nurture us.

He wants to make those sacrifices.

He's willing to leave heaven so that we could have a chance to be

co-heirs with Christ so that we could have a chance to have eternal life.

And it's not, um, it gives me a sense of security to have this type of father that,

you know, I'm, I'm safe, I'm protected.

I'm, I'm good.

And also it gives me a joy.

You know, you think, you think about when, uh, a child is with their parents.

They're, they're joyful.

They're happy to have to be with their parent.

And I think that's who, that's who I can be when I have Jesus as my father.

I can be joyful.

I can be happy and at peace and secure in my relationship with him.

Marcel Hall: And it goes on and says he's the prince of peace.

The royalty who makes us whole calms our hearts and restores our

brokenness as citizens in his kingdom.

And because Jesus came, peace didn't remain a promise.

It entered the world.

That peace then can enter our hearts.

Jesus is the peace that you and I need.

When we are anxious, afraid, overwhelmed, stressed, the presence of Jesus

brings a divine peace to our souls.

So Christmas reminds us that the ultimate peace is found in God.

Karina Hall: When I think about Jesus as the prince of peace, I also

think about the, in verse five, uh, where it says, every Warrior's boot

used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for

burning, will be fueled for the fire.

And this idea that Jesus, there's no war with Jesus.

Like there's, there's no hatred, no bitterness.

He really comes to bring peace, a, a, a peace that is in our hearts and.

It can be in our lives and in our relationships.

That's who he is.

He doesn't want there to be hatred.

He doesn't want there to be fighting.

He wants to bring us together.

Um, it with Jesus.

There is no Jew or gentile slave or free male or female.

We're all wanting Christ.

And that's the kind of, um, that's why he made the sacrifice

so that we could have peace.

Uh, he wants us to get rid of the bitterness and the hatred, and even

the war that takes place in my soul.

I can't control the war that takes place , in the world.

But I can take comfort in knowing that he gives me peace in my heart

and that there doesn't have to be war.

And so when I think about all these qualities of Jesus, all that He means

in my life, and that he can give me confidence, that he can give me

peace, that He can give me humility and joy, I also can feel a little

insecure because I don't always a hundred percent feel that every day.

I do have times where I'm anxious or I worry, or where I do struggle.

To get rid of bitterness or whatever it is that, that, maybe I'm battling.

But I know that because Jesus is a wonderful counselor, he is a mighty

God, he is an everlasting father.

He is a prince of peace, He's still those things even when I don't feel that.

Even when I don't, I don't, uh, feel his presence in my life.

That doesn't change who Jesus is.

It doesn't change that he is.

Still those things and those, um, and that he's accessible to me and that's something

that is also really comforting that he doesn't change or give up on me, but that

he will still be my wonderful counselor.

He will still be my mighty God, my everlasting father and my prince of peace.

When I'm ready and when I'm there.

Marcel Hall: Amen.

Amen.

Awesome.

Thank you, Karina.

We continue.

In verse seven, it says, of the greatness of his government and

peace, there will be no end.

His kingdom is eternal.

That means that citizens in God's kingdom, we have eternal life with the king.

Eternal life with the king, and it goes on in talking about El David's throne.

Uh, he will rule over, establish, and hold it with justice and righteousness.

This kingdom is not of military might but of righteousness and holiness,

meaning it will be a kingdom that is filled with godliness and judgment

and godly and holiness and behavior.

And so that means that all of us as citizens in God's kingdom, we need

to have godly and holy judgements.

We need to have godly and holy behavior because that's the kingdom in which we.

Get a chance to be in, not just for the now, but for all

of eternity, and I love this.

It says, the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this.

God's passion for his creation.

It says the zeal of the Lord, not the reluctance of God.

I guess I gotta do this for the people.

No, I want to do this and I'm gonna get over any hurdle that evil throws

in my way, that prevents my people from knowing how much I love them.

Yeah, the zeal of the Lord, the passion, the fire, that's what's in within God,

made sure that Christmas happened so that we can live in the reality of Christmas.

And so God zeal brought the birth of Jesus and it brought the arrival of the

King, and because of King Jesus came.

In the flesh.

And because he still reigns today, this is not past reigning.

This is a current reign.

That means his wisdom guides us.

His strength sustains us, his care surrounds us, and his peace steadies us.

And so this Christmas is a time and an opportunity in which we are

invited to stop, to look, to reflect.

And to wonder, and I wanna present this to you, and here's the question.

I believe for today and for this week, which name of Jesus do you

need to receive this Christmas

counselor?

If you are uncertain, mighty God.

If you're weary, everlasting.

Father, if you need comfort.

Or Prince of Be peace.

If you're anxious, reflect on it this week and ask Jesus for it.

Lord, help me experience this, not just to know it, not just to agree

with it, but to experience it today.

Christmas is not just a story we remember.

It's a reality we get a chance to live in.

The king has come and he is exactly who we need right now.

We're gonna take communion.

Communion.

We have the emblems that represent Jesus' sacrifice with his blood and his body that

was given so that again, we could have a relationship for eternity with the father.

Isaiah tells us that a child is born and a son is given.

Communion reminds us that the son who was given.

Gave himself fully for us.

Hebrews chapter two, verse 17.

It says, for this reason, he talking about Jesus had to be made like them fully human

in every way in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in

service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Jesus took on flesh so that he could give us life through the cross, and

Christmas made the cross possible.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you again for Jesus and the Christmas reality in which we get

a chance to live in Father without the Christmas reality and experience.

Father, there is no life, death and resurrection.

So we praise you for your zeal to accomplish what you said.

You would father, that you would've, a son that would be born and that

would be given so that your kingdom would reign for all eternity.

And thank you that we have that opportunity through your son Jesus.

Father, I pray that as we reflect today in this week, that we will receive

you as either wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father.

Or Prince of Peace, may we receive that today, and thank you for the cross

that allows us to have that confidence and assurance that it is not only

possible, but it is accessible when we ask and receive in Jesus' name.

Amen.