Unto Us

Turn with me to the Book of Isaiah, often called the Old Testament Gospel of Christ. If you’re looking for it, go to the middle of your Bible to Psalms, the Hebrew Hymnbook. From Psalms go to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, ISAIAH. While you’re turning there, I want to talk about the state of our world in 2020.

If I remember 2020 for anything, it will not be for the Coronavirus (a world-wide pandemic), nor for who won or lost the Presidency. What will make 2020 stand out in my mind is the incredible divisiveness and pettiness that I have seen from all of America.

I am told a local Church near us had a “split” the other day over the wearing of “masks”. That’s foolish. How are you going to explain that to Jesus on judgment day? (And yes, even Christians will be judged).

People are fighting about masks. They are fighting about politics. They are tattling on one another at the bequest of the state. I have read of people turning in other people to law enforcement because they had “too many” over for a family Thanksgiving meal. The Bible teaches us that we are to love God and love our neighbor. The Apostle Paul settled an argument over what could and could not be eaten at a Church supper by saying:

“If what I eat offends my brother in Christ, I will eat no flesh while the world stands. I do not want to hurt my brother!”
(my paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 8:13)

The arguments and division do not come from God.
They come from the devil and the darkness.
It hurts my heart when I see us in such confusion!

1 Corinthians 14:33 God is NOT the Author of Confusion,
but of Peace

Where confusion is, God is not. The Prophet Daniel – the man responsible for training the Magi (Wise Men) who went out to find the baby Jesus – prayed a great prayer. In that prayer he told God:

Daniel 9:7-9 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day … 8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

Beloved, our Lord Jesus said “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

We need to re-center ourselves – to get back to Christ.
Our communities need Christ.
Our Churches need Christ.

I asked God what I should preach this week, and as I prayed the content of Isaiah 9:6 came to my heart:

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Let’s break this down, and apply it to our hearts.

Unto US A Child Is Born

In the first thirteen words of our text, the phrase “unto US” is repeated twice. What is this season we call “Christmas” about? It is what God did for US. He did not do it just for the Jew, nor for just one nation. The Apostle said:

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

God came in to humanity as a Jew, a Jew born of a virgin. But God did not come into humanity as a Jew just for the Jews. God came into humanity for the Jews FIRST because God keeps His promises.

God keeps His promises!

God promised King David – a Jew – that the Messiah would come from his lineage. Why? Because one day David was praying, thanking God for all the things that the Lord had blessed him with.

Have YOU thanked God for that which He has blessed YOU with today?

As David thanked God, he realized that he had a fine home, a palace to live in with Bathsheba his wife. And yet God had no home to stay in. David got under conviction. He told Nathan the Prophet, “I have a nice home. But God’s Ark – that which represents His Throne – it’s housed in a tent!” Nathan told David, “Follow your heart, for God is with you” (2 Samuel 7:1-3). That night God sent Nathan back to David, telling him:

2 Samuel 7:5 Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

God never asked for a house. But He loved David for what was in his heart, and promised him:

2 Samuel 7:12-14 … I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son.

With those words God promised that He would send His Son through the line of David, a Jew. Jesus was born a Jew because David was a Jew, and God promised David an eternal Son and an eternal Throne. Unto us a child is born means that God will keep His promise to David. But Unto us a child is born does not mean that God just keeps His promises to the Jews. God keeps His promises to everyone.

We All Come From The Same Stock.

Before there were ever Jews, God made our first parents, Adam and Eve. God made Adam and Eve – the prototype human – after His image. The Bible says:

Genesis 1:27 … God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

This is God’s design. People ask me, “Were Adam and Eve white, black, red, or yellow?” And my reply is, YES! Adam and Eve had the ability – based upon Divine Design – to be any color, and any skin and hair type. God made humanity with skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce a pigment called MELANIN. As one source notes, “The difference in skin color between lightly and darkly pigmented individuals is due to their level of melanocyte activity; it is not due to the number of melanocytes in their skin”.

We do not know what color our first parents, Adam and Eve, were. We do know that God told Adam and Eve to multiply, and fill the earth. Man began disobeying God early on, and settled in the land of Shinar (Genesis 11:1-9). Because they would not voluntarily do as God commanded, God confounded their language, that they would not understand one another’s speech. This caused humanity to spread.

When we speak of human melanin and what we call “race” – God does not even use that word in the Bible. Not for people. I looked it up. The word “race” is found four times in the King James, and each time it is used for running, not for color. When the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel at Athens, he said “of our God …

Acts 17:24-26 … God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth

Racism is evil. Racism in any form is evil. The God Who, in love, made Adam and Eve in His image. We are all offspring of that prototype. We are all of one blood. Though our disobedience at Babel scattered us, we are all of one race. We are the HUMAN race. Unto US a child is born.

Jesus died for the US. He died for the white, the black, the red, the yellow. Jesus Christ – Eternal God – would become humanity so that He could redeem humanity. Beloved, we are all born into this life sinners, corrupted because of our first parents. The Apostle Paul, himself a Jew, said:

Romans 3:9-12 What then? are we {Jews} better than {the Gentiles}? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 as it is written, {here the Apostle quotes Psalm 53:1-3 & 14:1-3}There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Racism is foolish because it assumes a particular outward color of a person determines their standing with God. God says, NO! You ALL are far from Me.

Romans 3:23 All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

It was Babel and the Divine Design of the human body that caused people to scatter, and colors to begin to change. Disobedience to God brought confusion and death over all the world. Yet God promised that “unto US a Child is born”.

The devil brought and brings division. God the Father sent His Son to bring us together. The Apostle Paul, addressing racist and godless tendencies in the Church at Corinth, said:

2 Corinthians 5:14-19 the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:

I have read this text many times, but only today has it jumped out like a cobra after a meal! Christ Jesus – that Child born in Bethlehem – died for ALL. He did not die just for people like me, but for ALL people. Once you grasp that, the Apostle says, you are NOT to live for yourself, but for HIM Who died for all. That person you see, whether they be like you or not, Jesus Christ died for him. The Apostle said, and I paraphrase him:

“Because Jesus died for ALL, we who are Christians know no one AFTER THE FLESH”.

The color of a person should mean nothing at all to the right minded Christian. God loved that person of whatever color enough to shed His Son’s blood for him, as well as for you and I. The Apostle goes on to say:

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

What matters – or should matter – to the Church of Christ is whether or not a person is IN CHRIST – not what color of skin that person has. Unto US a Child is born.

Unto US A Son Is Given

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …

The Child was BORN, but the SON was GIVEN. The Son of God was never born, but He Himself is eternal God, ever living, never ceasing. The Apostle John said of the Son of God:

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus Christ – the Eternal Word of God – WAS GOD. He was in the beginning with God. How much so? The Apostle says, ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM. Jesus Christ is Creator God. We are told in:

Colossians 1:15-17 {Jesus Christ} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

It was Jesus Christ Who walked in the Garden of Eden. It was Jesus Christ Who formed Adam from the dust of the ground, and Eve from Adam’s rib. It was Jesus Christ Who walked in Eden that horrible day that Adam ate that which was forbidden. It was Jesus Christ Who cried out, “Adam, where are you?” It was Jesus Christ Who told the serpent of his future destruction, saying:

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

It is Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, who was GIVEN to cover the sins of all who will receive Him. It is this Jesus of Whom we are told:

Hebrews 1:1-6 God … 2 hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by {Jesus} also {God} made the worlds; 3 {Jesus} being the brightness of {God’s} glory, and the express image of {God’s} person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 … 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

When the Child was born, the Angel told Mary:

Luke 1:35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

This was God keeping His promise, the one made to the serpent in Genesis 3:15. Isaiah foretold this “seed of the woman” by saying:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name {God with us}.

God would come to be with us through Mary. The Son of God is eternal, and has always been. But the Child born of that virgin Mary, God incarnate, is the Child born. The Son was given so that He might redeem His fallen world, the world hijacked by satan. But the Child was born to show the love that God has for every person. The Child was born so that God Himself could intervene in the confusion, and bring us back to Himself.

When the Son of God was born through Mary, He was born as the Son of Man to make payment for our sins. Born a Jew, He died for all. The horror of racism is that it covers up the great love and truth of the Gospel. God’s Son humbled Himself.

Jesus humbled Himself in Bethlehem, being born in a manger.
Jesus humbled Himself in family, being raised in Nazareth.
Jesus humbled Himself as He walked the earth. He had no home.
Just as God has no house, Jesus refused to buy property.
He wanted to save a people to Himself.
The Son of God humbled Himself to the Cross.

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When we receive the Son of God as Lord and Savior, we ourselves become children of God, all equal in standing. Though receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will not change my skin color, it should change how I regard other people’s skin color. Though receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will not change my Divinely Designed sexuality, it should change how I regard the opposite sex. The Apostle declared:

Galatians 3:26-29 ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior gives us power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name (John 1:12). There are no second class citizens in the Heaven that our God occupies. There are no second class Christians in the Kingdom of God. All people have value, a value not derived by skin color, but by faith in Jesus.

Jesus Christ came into the world to tear down the walls that people build around themselves because of sin and racism.

Ephesians 2:14 … {Jesus} is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

By being born and going to Calvary, Jesus tore down the barriers between us and God, and between us and others. We who are saved are to be “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). Born again by faith in Christ, the Christian views the world with different eyes. All that we see have the potential to be son of God. All.

The Government Shall Be Upon His Shoulder

When a person is saved, that person receives Jesus not only as SAVIOR, but also as LORD. “The government shall be upon His shoulder”. Jesus is my King. Jesus is my Lord. Do not believe that you can be saved by faith in a half- Jesus. A half- Jesus will not save a whole, broken you. We are told in:

Hebrews 3:6 Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

When Jesus walked the earth, He had no house, He was as God in the Old Testament. He ascended unto Heaven, but has a house now upon this earth. That “house” is you, dear Christian. Christ is in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). A.W. Tozer wrote in his devotional:

“No Christian believer should ever forget what the Bible says about the Person and the offices of the eternal Son, the Christ of God. “God hath made this same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Jesus means Savior; Lord means Sovereign; Christ means Anointed One. The apostle Peter did not proclaim Jesus only as Savior; he preached to them Jesus as Lord and Christ and Savior, never dividing His Person or His offices. Remember, also, the declaration of Paul: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, thou shalt be saved.” Three times in the passage to the Roman Christians telling how to be saved, Paul calls Jesus “Lord.” He says that faith in the Lord Jesus plus confession of that faith to the world brings salvation to us!”

The government is on His shoulders. Let me ask you:

Have you been hurt by racism, thoughtless people, ungodly actions?

Turn it over to Jesus!

After noting that the government is on His shoulder (Jesus is in charge of His people), this Child Born and Son Given is given FOUR titles:

Wonderful Counselor (there is no comma in the Hebrew)
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace

FOUR is the number of REST in the Bible. The fourth commandment is to remember a day of rest. Have you been hurt by racism, favoritism, meanness? Tell it to Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor. Share the burden with Him Who loves you so. Do not seek vengeance – seek to be like a Child of God. Jesus was hurt by ungodly people, and yet turned the other cheek. Jesus commands us:

Matthew 5:44-45 I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Have you been denigrated? Devalued? Share the hurt with your Jesus. Give it to the Mighty God that He is. Let God fight your battles – you live for Him. You need not avenge yourselves. Hasn’t Jesus promised:

Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Do good to those who do bad to you. Overcome evil not with more evil. Fire does not fight fire, but makes the blaze larger. I was often curious about the “heaping burning coals of fire on the enemy’s head” statement. In ancient times people used small, portable stoves to cook their meals. When the coals went out, they would carry the stove to a friends house, usually carrying the stove on their heads. A friend would given them a “heaping portion” of lit coals to carry home on their heads.

Do good, Beloved, when evil is done to you.

Let us live for Him Who gave so much for us. If you have seen Christ, you have seen the Everlasting Father. If you possess Christ, then you possess the Prince of Peace. Let us not play the devil’s game, burning our families, our communities, our churches, and our country down. If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, every day is another day headed home. If you do not know Him as Lord and Savior, He bids you come to Him today. He came for you! Will you go with our Jesus? May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit this very day. Amen and Amen.