Unto Us A Child Is Born

Unto Us A Child is Born (Isaiah 9 : 6 ) Introduction: We don’t understand the worth of a gift, unless we understand the context in which it is given [Exam: Widow’s Mite). Context: The Lord rebukes the king of Israel for his idolatry and reliance on the king of Assyria. Ahaz rejoices in the coming judgment on these two peoples, so the Lord tells Him that Assyria will engulf him. Darkness they wanted, darkness they’ll have. There will be no hope for them in heaven or earth, only greater darkness. This darkness is indefinite for sinners. It is intensified by the invasion from Assyria. But for the people of God and the nation, God is sending His 1ight . He will break the heavy yoke of slavery to sin and destroy the accoutrements of war. And He is doing all this through the birth of a Child. Theme: And what I want you to see this morning as you consider what you as Christians celebrate at Christmas is the glory of this Christ whom the Father gave to you to be your Redeemer from the depths of your sin and to be your glorious King who will reign over you forever. .

I.

Christ is the Son of God and the Son of David.

(For a Child

w i l l be born t o us, a son w i l l be given t o us.)

A.

The Names Attributed to Him Declare His Divine Nature. 1.

The darkness dispelled by a Child who will govern. a. Early revealed Messiah would be the Son of God. b. God calls Him His Son in Ps. 2:7f ”Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” c. Isaiah calls His name Immanuel [Is. 7:14). d. Here Isaiah attributes to the Messiah Divine names. e. Names indicate character, essence, or nature.

2. A Wonder. a. Ps. 78:12 ”He wrought wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.” b. The name of the angel of Yahweh [Jud. 13:18). c. Indicates divine nature, incomprehensible to men. d. At first, we are confronted with one who is God. 3.

Counselor. a. By virtue of the Spirit of counsel upon Him [11:2). b. He is full of wisdom and counsel for His people. c. To sit upon the throne of David as the Messianic King requires wisdom such as no man possesses. d. Wisdom and the ability to give counsel are necessary for a king. Micah 4:9 ”Now, why do you cry out loudly?

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e.

Is there no king among you, or has your counselor perished, that agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?” No need for earthly counselors; He perfectly wise.

4. Migh y God. f? throughout Isaiah refers to God [cf. 10:21). a.

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b.

Name shall be called

kf? On!&

(7:14; cf. Col. 2 : 9 )

c. He is the hero who overcomes evil. (il

(iil

d.

e.

”In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of Good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 1633333. Our hero who rescues us from the darkness.

Isaiah not understand full import. (il 2 Pet. 1: 21: ”For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (iil OT indication of plurality in the Godhead. In eternity, God exists as three persons. (il (iil

2nd person distinguished by eternal generation The Father is the eternal Father.

f. Earlier we noted importance that He be God. (il If not, then He may save one, but no more. (iil If not, then worship a creature; idolatry. (iiil He is the eternal God, worthy of all praise, whose merit sufficient to save all who trust. 6. Father of Eternity. a. He is the One who is a Father eternally. b. He is a Father to His people even from eternity

(i.e. One who the faithful, tender, wise, guardian and provider for His people even in eternity.) c. Ps. 103:13 ”Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” 7. Prince of Peace. a. He is the bringer of peace to His people. b. He will exalt the government of David into an eternal rule of peace [Keil 252-53). c. He does not bring peace to the nations. (il From nations which reject Messiah, peace taken. (iil But His kingdom is one of peace which His people partake of [cf. Rom. 14:17 ”For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.1. d. Brings peace by removing destroyer of peace, sin. ”Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” [Rom. 5:11.

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B.

Christ is the Son of David. 1.

He is One with Us According to His Manhood. a. Remember, peace comes because of a Child born. b. Fitting that the eternal Son be born a man. (il Jesus born of a virgin [Matt. 1: 18; Gal. 4: 4 ) . (iil God the Father is the father of the baby c.

The eternal God takes upon Himself a human nature. (il (iil (iiil (ivl

d.

Not take a human person [Adoptionism). Divine person is the person of the God-man. Unites with fertilized egg, develops, is born. Christ’s human nature is born.

Becomes one with us in all respects, except without sin. (il

(iil

Must (a) (bl (cl

be man to pay man’s debt. Remember, man owed the debt not God. Infinite sin requires infinite payment. Becomes man to be our sin-bearer.

Must be sinless, else cannot pay.

e. Yet becomes sin that we might become righteous of God in Him ( 2 Cor. 5 : 2 0 ) . (il (iil

This eternal and infinitely glorious God became a man for us. Because of great love of God for His people.

2. He is born in a specific line, the line of David.

a. Necessary that Messiah be a man for our redemption. b. Also that He be in line of David to be heir to Davidic throne. 2 Sam. 7:8-17. God’s promise to David. This is fulfilled in Christ. [Acts 2:22-36). Isaiah 2 2 : 2 2 ”And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (ivl Messiah’s reign a continuation of David’s kingdom. (a) David’s rule temporary, Messiah’s eternal. (bl They both ruled over the same kingdom.

(il (iil (iiil

11.

Christ Shall Rule Forever on the Throne of David.

(The

government shall rest on H i s shoulders.) A.

The Government Shall Rest On His Shoulders. 1. The government is a kingdom of grace, but also in

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widest extent the kingdom of nature and power. a.

b.

Because of Christ’s obedience unto death, God has exalted Him. (il ( ii 1 <Eph. 1 : 19b-23> All authority given to Christ [Matt. 28:18-20)

2. To His dominion and and to peace there will be no end.

a. Usually a kingdom is increased through war. Messiah’s reign will be one of peace. c. It is a kingdom which grows by the gracious working of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men through the preaching of the gospel [Young 343).

b.

3.

This is the mediatorial reign of Christ. a. He is the King and we are His subjects God rules through Him.

b.

B.

He Will Rule in Righteousness Forever. 1. Christ as God has always reigned. 2. But as our Mediator, began to reign at the ascension. 3. Actually, the kingdom came with the King.

a.

b.

4.

Dan. 2:44: ”And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” Luke 1: 32, 33: ”He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.”

Christ brings the final stage of the promised kingdom. a. This is not a kingdom which is yet future. b. Messiah is now reigning on David’s throne. c. It will endure forever, not merely 1000 years.

5. You and I are the subjects of this great King.

a. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. b. He has translated us into His own glorious kingdom. c. And we shall rule and reign with Him forever. 6. God accomplished this by His great zeal.

a. b.

The zeal which He has for His own honor. The love which He has for His elect.

Conclusion: Yes, the Assyrian threat loomed on the horizon which

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threatened to bring an end to the Davidic throne, but the zeal which God has for His own honor and His love for His elect brought about the kingdom Of the Messiah which shall endure throughout all time. For unto us a Child is born, and that Child is Jesus. He is the One who is one with God and one with us. He is the true King and Shepherd of His people Israel and in Him alone is to be found the peace that man needs (Young 346). And s o , as we think about the context in which God has sent His only begotten Son to be our Redeemer from sin, let us offer up to Him everlasting praise for our deliverance and rescue from certain destruction. Amen. Let us pray.