He Is The Everlasting Father Text: Isaiah 9:6 Series: Who Is Jesus? (#3) Pastor Lyle L. Wahl December 17, 2017 Introduction. It is just over a week until Christmas. There already have been many Christmas activities and more are on the way. No one has to tell us that the Christmas season can be very busy, and also confusing. So this year we are trying to clear away some of the confusion about Christmas, specifically about who Jesus is. One mother writes about the Christmas when her daughter was four years old. She did her best to explain the truth about Jesus and also that the original Santa lived a long time ago and, yes, Jesus was born a long time ago too. She told her daughter that Christmas is about Jesus birth, but Santa brings presents if you re good. But Jesus loves you even if you re not good and He died for everyone s sins because we all sin, but you better not shout, you better not cry. Confusing? When they went to the annual sit on Santa s lap her daughter was not interested because, as she told her Mom, I don t want to sit on a fake Santa s lap! I m so sad the real Santa lived so long ago! Why did Santa die? Did Santa die on the cross for us? Is he alive again? Confusion! 1 As we try to sharpen our focus, clear up confusion and so truly honor Jesus Christ, we are looking at four descriptions of the Messiah, of Jesus Christ which we find in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6. So far we have looked at Jesus who is the Wonderful Counselor, and then the Mighty God. Today we are exploring the name, the reality that Jesus is the Everlasting Father. It goes without saying that this can be confusing.
Getting A Grip On The Terms. A good place to start, as it is sometimes said, is at the beginning. Here that means getting a grip on the terms in this description, this name of Jesus. Jesus Christ is Father? The Everlasting Father? You may be asking, How can God the Son be the Father? As well, those who have had unpleasant experiences with their fathers, may find this image more troubling and confusing than comforting. Whatever the reason, the confusion can also lead us to miss the main thrust of the descriptions by getting into details of positions of those who deny the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity. All of that is nothing new. Back in the second century a series of different views began to arise that denied the Trinity, that God is three persons in one, and denied either the true, full deity of Christ or His true, full humanity. Most of these ideas from the second century on to the present in false cults are the result, at least in part, of trying to fully understand something which is beyond our ability to fully understand. The key to understanding what God is telling us about Jesus Christ with this description of Everlasting Father is to realize that this is not a description of His relationship to the other members of the Trinity, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, but of His relationship to us. Let me say that again, this description of Everlasting Father is not a description of Christ s relationship to the other members of the Trinity, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, but of His relationship to us. Think of the seven great I Am statements of Jesus which we find in John s gospel: I am the bread of life. 2 I am the light of the world. 3 I am the door of the sheep. 4 I am the good shepherd. 5 I am the resurrection and the life. 6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. 7 I am the true vine. 8 2
Just as these seven statements tell us something of how Jesus, the I AM, God eternal, relates to us, so do the four descriptions we find here in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, including this one, Everlasting Father. Jesus is a Father to believers. Jesus Christ is Everlasting, or Eternal (NASB) Father. It is sometimes said that this phrase can be literally translated Father of Eternity. If so, it is saying He is the author, originator of eternity. While one could translate it that way, especially with our western language background, that is not the best sense. The language of the Old Testament does not have a richness of adjectives as English does, and so it uses words in combination to modify. Here the word everlasting or eternal modifies the word Father. So, everlasting or eternal describes what kind of Father Jesus Christ is: He always is, always will be a Father to His people. It is the same form as the first two names. Wonderful Counselor, where wonderful describes what kind of counselor Jesus is. Mighty God, where mighty describes what kind of God Jesus is. So here, Jesus is forever, is always relating to His people as Father. Not only does God the Father love us, so also Jesus Christ, God the Son will always relate to us with the qualities of a perfect, loving Father. It will never change. As the book of Hebrews tells us, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Getting A Grip On The Implications. What is Jesus Christ like as a Father? How does He relate to us? The story is told of a nine year-old boy who was very ill. After all the test results were in the family was told their son would die in just a short time. The father thought and thought about how to tell his young son, who had accepted Jesus as his Savior. Finally, he talked with him and told him that the doctors said he would live for only a few more days. Think about having that task. Then he asked, Are you afraid to meet Jesus? From the sadness and tears, the little boy managed a bit of a smile as he answered, No, not if He s like you, Dad! 10 Yes, our view of God s relationship to us is often measured by our own experience. Let s go beyond that to God s Word. Ultimately, the accurate balance is seen in the pages of the Bible in which God reveals Himself. Jesus is building on the Old Testament images of God as our Father. 3
Let s start with descriptions of God as our Father here in the book of Isaiah. The first five verses of chapter 11 tell us, There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist (verses 1-5). Let s just list some of the qualities of Christ here: wisdom and understanding; counsel and strength; knowledge; judging righteously, deciding fairly; righteousness and faithfulness as the foundation of His relationship to us. Isn t that great! That s how Jesus relates to us. Then we move ahead to chapter 63 verse 16. For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name (ESV). Next, chapter 68 verse 8. But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. This pictures not only God s greatness and power over us, but His care for us, to provide, enable, make and shape us. These statements describe not just God the Father but also God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 4
Now let s briefly expand that view outward from Isaiah, the view and reality of God, of Jesus relating to you as your Father. Let me note just four points from Scripture here. First, Jesus as our Father loves us and has compassion on us. Psalm 103 verse 13 tells us, Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him (NASB). In his final words to the people of Israel before his death, Moses said to them, The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. 11 Those people had known only Moses as their leader. He was no longer going to be there, leading them. Moses reminded them that better than anything or anyone is God who Himself is love, safety, security for His people. And undergirding that are His everlasting arms. He will always be there for them. He will always be there for you. So it is with Jesus to you, if you have accepted Him as your Savior. His love and compassion for you will never cease. As noted last week, the prophet Jeremiah lived through atrocities so terrible we don t want to read some of the descriptions he gives to us. In that, out of that, he wrote under God s direction in Lamentations chapter 3, The LORD S lovingkindesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (22-23, NASB). The gospels tell us that when Jesus was here on earth and looked at the people with all their needs, distressed and weary, like sheep without a shepherd, that He felt compassion for them. 12 Yes, Jesus Christ is a Father to all who are His, and He is full of compassion and is merciful (NASB). 13 Aren t you glad He relates to you that way? Secondly, Jesus relates to us as our Father by protecting and keeping us. Fathers protect and keep their children. We do our best to do this. Psalm 23 is without doubt one of the most familiar passages of the Bible. In verse 4 King David testifies, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (NASB). And Jesus, the New Testament tells us, is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd for His flock, His people. 14 5
Expanding some of what that means, Jesus tells us in John chapter 10, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father s hand (verses 27-29). He protects and keeps us spiritually, but even more He keeps and protects us in every facet of our lives. He keeps us through all the trials and disasters, our failures and other s evil actions. He does not put an invisible protective shield around us to block out all the problems of this world, although sometimes we might wish He would. But He protects and keeps us from many which we never recognize, and keeps us through all of them until He calls us home. And then in heaven, He keeps us there with Himself in perfect fellowship and service forever. Thirdly, as our Father Jesus comforts and encourages us. We go back to Psalm 23 verse 4, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Jesus uses his power, His unlimited resources to comfort us. Here in Isaiah, in the prophecy about the Messiah, which Jesus read in the Nazareth synagogue and applied to Himself, it says that He will comfort all who mourn. 15 God is, 2 Corinthians chapter 1 tells us, the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions (verses 3-4, NASB). And how long does He do this, to what extent? The apostle Paul wrote, Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word 1. 6 Yes, Jesus relating to you as a Father comforts you, encourages you. Finally, Jesus strengthens you and provides for you. There are a number of verses in the book of Philippians which are very special to many believers. You may know two of them. Chapter 4 verse 13, Paul testifies, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Then, a few verses later, verse 19, And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. These are wonderful truths about our great and good God strengthening us and providing for us. 6
What about some specifics? some examples? Let me go back to one familiar example in the Bible, just one of many. Genesis chapter 22 opens by telling us that God tested Abraham. And what a difficult, almost unbelievable test of faith it was. God told him to take his only son, his son of promise and hope, and sacrifice him. When Abraham and Isaac came to the appointed place for the sacrifice, Isaac asked, Where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Abraham answered, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. God did provide the lamb. And so Abraham gave that place a new name. He renamed it The-Lord-Will-Provide to remind himself and everyone else that God gives strength to and provides for His people. Let me give you a suggestion. We are getting close to the end of the year. When you look back and see how God has strengthened you and provided for you, identify one or two specific examples. Label them with that name, God-Will-Provide. Remember, God has provided, is providing, will provide for me. Label them, remember them with God-Will- Provide. But you still may say, That was great for them, then. What about me, now? Think of just one specific promise of many that is very important for every one of us as believers. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13, No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. God is faithful always faithful to you. In His faithfulness God will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to endure relying on Him, even though you may doubt that at times. In His faithfulness God will make, will provide the way of escape, the way of looking to and trusting Him so that you can bear, endure, go through the temptation without giving in, without sin. These are just some of the ways Jesus Christ relates to you, if you are one of His, if you have accepted Him as your Savior. As a Father and immeasurably better than any human father could, He loves you and has compassion on you; in every situation, all the good, bad and ugly of your life. 7
He protects and keeps you throughout your whole course of life on earth, and then with Himself in heaven forever. He comforts and encourages you just when you need it, in exactly the best way. He strengthens you and provides for you. Conclusion. Jesus Christ, the One who is the Christmas story, is Everlasting Father to you. As we sum up, think about and respond to what we have seen here, focus on these verses, Psalm 25 verses 8-10, Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. God is good! He faithful. He is good and faithful to you, to me, to us. He is good today, every day. A gospel song sings, I know I don t surprise You You ve known me from the start My failures and successes Well, Lord, You ve seen them all With all my resolutions Still I stumble now and then But You remain just like You ve always been Faithful, unchangeable Ever present help when I m in need Counselor, Lord You are wonderful In a world lost in uncertainties I m sure You ll always be 8
An ever faithful Father An ever faithful Father to me. 17 Thank God, praise Him. Jesus Christ is an ever faithful Father to You. Go out of here today with confidence and joy that will dispel the chaos and confusion of the season, and all your life s seasons. Follow the direction God gives through King David in Psalm 34 verse 8, Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Let s begin that right now, in these next moments as each of us reflects and responds to God. 1 Mary Carver. Santa, Jesus & Christmas Confusion. <http://www.marycarver.com/2012/01/santa-jesus-christmasconfusion/>. 06 January 2012. Accessed 05 December 2017. 2 John 6:35. 3 John 8:12. 4 John 10:7. 5 John 10:11. 6 John 11:25. 7 John 14:6 8 John 15:11 9 Hebrews 13:8. 10 Old story. Original source not known. 11 Deuteronomy 33:27. 12 Matthew 9:36. 13 James 5:11, NASB. 14 John 10:11, 14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4. 15 Isaiah 61:2. 16 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17. 17 Janet Paschal. Faithful Father. 1994Word Music. 2017 Lyle L. Wahl Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 9
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 10