Love

Advent:  Love

(Isaiah 9:6)

Yearly Theme:  “Peace is…”

Series Title:  “Eternal Peace”

December 19^th, 2021

Something to think about:

1 John 4:7-8, 16b (NLT), ⁷  Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  8  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  …  God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

With this in mind this morning, Let’s take a look at a verse from Isaiah chapter 9 this morning and consider how “Love,” made a way where there really seemed to be no way in this broken world we live in:

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT),

⁶ For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.^[1]

We have come to understand that the child referenced in Isaiah’s writing was the Messiah, Jesus.  We also know that according to John’s letters to the Christian Church in the New Testament describe the very essence of Him as “love.”  With this in mind, it seems important to understand the basic principles that sets this “Child” apart from any other, and the qualities that characterize who He really is in detail.

Here’s the key point this morning…

Key Point:  “When love grows cold, the Everlasting Father is on His way.”

This child that is to be born, according to Isaiah, would have several characteristics that would set Him apart.  Let’s look at each of them this morning:

• Wonderful – of an extraordinary nature making it mysterious or difficult to comprehend.
• Counselor – someone who gives advice about problems.

• Mighty – having or showing great power in authority or military leadership.
• God – the supernatural being who originated and rules over the universe; the object of ancient Israelite worship.

• Everlasting – an indeterminate and unending time going on into the future.
• Father – a male parent; also used as a term of address to one’s father.

• Prince – representative of the king, official; commander; district leader; person of note, head, or first.
• Peace – prosperity, success; welfare, state of health; friendliness; deliverance, salvation. 

Something to take home:

Former president of World Vision W. Stanley Mooneyham, said that, “Love talked about can be easily turned aside, but love demonstrated is irresistible.”

The greatest love demonstrated in the world came from one child who was born to us, and who bore the load of the weight of the government on his shoulders.  Jesus would demonstrate the Father’s love for us in that while we were still sinners, He died for us.[2]  Jesus would also proclaim to His followers self-fulfilling words that “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”[3]

God’s promises are true, and His love even more so.  In light of this we must remember…

Key Point:  “When love grows cold, the Everlasting Father is on His way.”

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Is 9:6). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] Romans 5:8.

[3] John 15:13 (NLT).