“The great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him.”
- C. S. Lewis – Mere Christianity
Power
Isaiah 9:6-7
[6] For to 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.
[7] 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.
As we approach Christmas we are walking through this Advent season (that means looking for Jesus’ return) we are looking at this famous passage in Isaiah that describes Jesus. These are Messianic titles for the one to come…Immanuel…God with us…Jesus
These are who he is and what he does.
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
Last week we learned about His peace (for the world and for us).
This week we are going to learn about His power – Mighty God
For the world
He is Mighty and Strong.
He created the universe out of nothing. – Genesis
He upholds the universe by His will. –
Hebrews 1:3
[3] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
The Old Testament is filled with God’s power.
Isaiah 40:10
[10] Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
The Psalms shout of his power.
The prophets fortel of his coming judgment.
Revelation describes destruction of the world as we know it and rebuilding of a new heavens and new earth.
Revelation 6:15-17
[15] Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, [16] calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, [17] for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Isaiah 2:19
[19] And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
and the holes of the ground,
from before the terror of the LORD,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to terrify the earth.
Philippians 2:9-11
[9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And that’s all wonderful and true. It should be both scary and wonderful for us regarding all the things to come. The Old Testament calls God’s return as the “great & terrible day of the Lord”
I understand that ….pastor….maybe not all of the details, but I understand that Jesus will return….I just don’t think of it every day or every week. It’s so big that I can’t always contemplate on it.
I get it and am that way too sometimes. Too much life and not a lot of time to contemplate eternity (though that is a good thing for us to do).
But God’s power wasn’t just then (at creation and then goes away and then comes again at His return)……it’s now! So…..What about now? How does “Mighty God” affect me now? That’s our topic.
So……For us today
Let’s look again to Jesus and His life.
Mark 4:35-41
[35] On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” [36] And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. [37] And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. [38] But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” [39] And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. [40] He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” [41] And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Explain what’s happening in the passage.
*Be still!!! = 1) to close the mouth with a muzzle, to muzzle 2) metaph. 2a) to stop the mouth, make speechless, reduce to silence 2b) to become speechless 3) to be kept in check
What’s going on here?
- Are you scared of what God won’t do? Or what He will do?
- Is our premise wrong? (Keller)
- Children act this way.
- We don’t have to.
- What does it take? For us to trust?
- NOTE: Jesus is not irritable …but here?
Did Jesus scare them because he is mean?
Does he hurt us because he’s a sociopath?
Did he allow us to get hurt because he doesn’t care?
Does he not answer your prayers because he doesn’t care?
Or can he not hear?
Or can he not do anything about it?
Or….is the premise….He’s good and loving and powerful and always looking out for me even when I’m walking the wrong path and he’s trying to help me get on the right one. And even though I don’t know the whole plan (and couldn’t understand it anyway)….that I should trust him to be in all things.
Think of it this way.
When your child asks you for ice cream sometimes you say yes. Why? It’s good and fun and they love it. Maybe they did something you wanted to reward them for?
Maybe you just want to do it because you love them.
What if they’re really sick and don’t need it? Sugar can impact your immune system. Milk can cause mucus.
If you said okay one day and no on another….does that mean that your premise has changed? What if your child gets mad because you don’t give them ice cream that day?
Is it because you don’t love them? Or is it because you know better and are looking out for them?
Their premise is wrong if they get mad. They only understand so much. They might think your love is less or your mad or you are being hateful or even indifferent.
In reality you love them enough to let them be frustrated with you even though you are innocent and your intentions are all the best for them.
Maybe we need the chair out again.
What would Jesus answer if you could ask Him?
Job started asking God a lot of questions.
The premise of how the disciples thought of Jesus was wrong.
They thought he was a miracle worker..they saw it.
He’d healed a man with a withered hand already.
He’d healed a paralytic already.
So they were fine with a miracle here and there.
They were fine with a nice guy.
They were fine with a good teacher.
They were fine with someone who would put the religious snobs in their place.
They got scared when they thought he didn’t care enough to save them. (Lack of faith)
They got scared when they saw how much power he really has.
But when it came to someone who could calm the storm. Control nature. Then….well…..maybe I feel fearful of who he really is.
Is that how you are?
We want a Mighty God when it comes to smiting the bad guys and cancer, but we don’t want a mighty God when it comes to knowing our every flaw. And not just knowing your every flaw….He is saying “John I know them and I’m here to help you change them”….not just the big sins that everybody sees, but the little sins you like to keep in your pocket.
Or maybe what if He’s so powerful and good that I should listen to Him on everything even if he calls me to the other side of the world?
Or maybe it’s that He just calls you to ask your neighbor to church?
Or maybe it’s that He just calls you to follow all of what He says and not just the things you like?
He’s powerful whether you confess it or not.
Mighty God.
Romans 1:16
[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.