Mighty God

I was in Bogota, Colombia for a few days this week, first time I´ve been to this country - I've visited quite a number of South American countries and I would say this one is a bit different.  It’s always a learning experience when you travel.  The city of Bogota has a very high elevation – 2,600 meters even higher than MX. That’s why for the past couple of days, my heartbeat was much faster.  The house and building structures are mostly made of bricks, the people are friendly but barely speaks English, even their Spanish is a bit different from Mexico or Peru.  For two full days, I probably had six meetings (with bankers, lawyers, our staff in Bogota and most of them met me for the first time although i have been communicating with them via email in the past) -- their first reaction was usually a surprise because they thought I was a woman because of my last name -  Carmen obviously is a very popular woman´s first name back there.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet."  - a quote from Romeo & Juliet, a play by William Shakespeare.

One of the most challenging tasks for would-be parents is to choose a name for their child.  You know, we really had a hard time choosing the name for our son --- Ram… Ramil.  It’s not easy to choose a name.  Probably some of your parents had a hard time.   And when they finally gave you the best name they can think of, we somehow replace it with a nickname --  Panfilo – became Jun.  Bonifacio – became Bon.  Josefina became Jojie.  Protacio became Tassy.   You know as a pastor, I am pretty good in remembering the names of people in the church.   But I am really bad in remembering faces – I’m one of those people who eyes are not keen enough to recognize faces quickly.   One time in Guildford Mall, I saw an old lady coming towards me, I thought she was Nanay Ising Franco and with all smiles I greeting her and said “Kumusta Po ‘Nay?” and she replied “mabuti naman” but when she went past me, I can hear her companion asking her “sino yun?”  and she said “ewan ko!”  So don’t feel bad if I ignored you in the Mall… chances are, I haven’t recognized you.

Names are very important to God.
• In Genesis 1, He gave names to His creation, like “day,” “night,” “sky,” “land,” etc.
• In Genesis 2, He gave the name “Adam” to the man He created and He asked him to give names to all living creatures as well – this includes Eve
• Throughout the Bible, He even  changed the names of different important people:  Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul

Names are very important to God because His relationship with us is personal.  He knows us intimately.
Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.”
Jesus Himself said that “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Jesus also said of a good shepherd, "The sheep hears his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name…." Then He told His disciples "I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and they know me."

The title of our message  is MIGHTY GOD.  This is the second part of our Christmas Sermon series (4 sermons starting last week culminating on our joint service).   By the way, just a quick note about the first name of the Messiah.  The King James Version of the Bible shows two names:  Wonderful, Counsellor.  While the more contemporary translations like the NIV, NLT shows it as Wonderful Counsellor as one.  Bible scholars believe that it is more correct to use Wonderful Counsellor as one name because it is consistent with the following names: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  All these names have two key words.

Please stand and we shall read once again from Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Let us pray:
Father God in heaven, we pray for your wisdom as we once again gather together and study your Word.  Your Words are lamp on feet and light to our paths.  May we live according to Your Words.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

Based on the verses we read, the Lord also gave through the prophet Isaiah some of the names of the coming Messiah and today like what I said earlier, we are going to discuss the  second one:  MIGHTY GOD!

We are all familiar with the Christmas story
 – with the shepherds, the angels, the wise men, Mary and Joseph and of course, the humble baby in a manger.
As a human baby, Jesus appeared ordinary and helpless as a child.
King Herod, knowing the prophecy was threatened by His birth…
He had to be protected by His parents especially when the mad King Herod ordered to kill all babies during His time.
He had to be brought by His parents to Egypt to protect him.

We love to tell and re-tell the Christmas Story.  We become too familiar with it.  We make Christmas plays, musicals, it was even made to a movie.  The story of the Nativity. Jesus Christ --  baby in a manger, receiving gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Angels and shepherds. Sometimes it becomes more like a story in children’s books.  Sometimes it becomes more like bed time story or a fairy tale like unicorns, pixie dusts and tinker bells.

I like how the gospel writer Luke puts it when Jesus was about to be crucified.  He said He could have called 12 legions of Angels to help him out.  Even the devil when he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness was challenging His power.  The sisters Mary and Martha was crying with Him and telling Him that if He was a bit early their brother Lazarus wouldnt have died.
Do we have any idea how powerful Jesus is?
When He said all power and authority under heaven and on earth was given to me -- do we really know what that means?
When the Apostle John said that in Him all things were created and all things were created by Him and He was with God from the beginning… do we really know what that means?
LESSON POINTS

Let us start with our first Lesson Point.

How extensive is the mighty power of Christ?
Hebrews 1:3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.
John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made
Colossians 1:16-17 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Matthew 28:18 Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

With Christ, we are talking of a very extensive & infinite power.  His power has no boundaries.  Yes, when He was here on earth, there are things that He, upon His own volition, did not opt to know.  Like when is the day of His second coming… He said only the Father knows.  So maybe you will say ---  Jesus was not too powerful eh?  But no… Jesus opted not to exercise His divinity in certain occasions while He was here on earth in order to completely fulfil the purpose of the Father for Him to do.  It does not show limitation of His power.  It only shows His submissive heart to the will of the Father.  Jesus did not need to show off His power in order to redeem mankind from our sins!

They say the “proof of the pudding is in the eating.” A basketball player can tell his coach that he can be the best player of the game – but he needs to prove it first in order to convince his coach.
Anybody can say he’s a great singer but in order for us to believe that, we need to hear him sing first.
What is the evidence of Jesus’ power?

1. His power is evident in His teachings (Matt 7:29)
- We have read the Gospels.  We have read the Epistles.  Jesus taught us from the Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount, from the Upper Room.  Jesus was only twelve and He was already teaching in the synagogue.
2.  His power is evident in His miracles (Matt. 8:26)
- He turned water into wine.  He fed the multitude.  He made the lame walk.  He made the blind see. He walked on water. He calmed the sea.  He drove out demons. He raised up the dead.  He comforted the broken hearted.

3. His power is evident when He endured temptation.
-  Jesus was tempted and yet He did not sin.  How many of us fell into temptations several times?  Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness and yet He showed him his mighty power by being able resist the most alluring temptation ever presented to any man.
4. His power is evident when He suffered and died for our sins and resurrected on the 3rd day.
-  Jesus power was evident in His willingness to suffer for our sins, His willingness to die to pay the penalty of our sins.  His ability to conquer death by resurrecting on the third day.

- Jesus promises to redeem our sins and He did it. He died on the cross for me and you.
- Jesus promises eternal life and He has done it! He has done it for me, He has done it others… HE CAN SURELY DO IT FOR YOU!
- Jesus promises to be there for us, when we are weary and heavily laden… He wants us to come to Him. He will never leave nor forsake us.

The extent and evidence of the mighty power of Christ will not mean anything to us if we don’t experience that power ourselves.  We must experience that power because that power can change our lives.  This is the reason why our lesson points are three items.  It’s not one or the other.  It’s a package deal and the most important point is the last one.  We need to experience the power of Jesus in our lives.  This is the application part.

CONCLUSION

Church, Christ did not stay as a baby or as a young boy!  He is way far ahead of that notion that He was there, in that manger, helpless and humble and poor and powerless.  NO!  He is not just Santo Nino… He is the Mighty God.  He is the El Gibbor, He is Elohim Gibor, the one true Mighty God.
We need to understand the extent, see the evidence and personally experience His power!
Maybe for some of us, celebrating Christmas is just going through the motion.  Just getting by the holiday season.  In fact, some of us cannot even say “Merry Christmas” because we go by what most people say that we should be “politically correct” and not offensive to others.  Others are offended when we greet them Merry Christmas.  I am offended if you greet me Happy Holidays --- don't we both have the right to be offended and don't we both have the right to have our rights respected?   Christmas 2015 should mean a lot more for us, especially “us” who call ourselves Christians.  We should be confident enough to understand the extent of the power of Christ.  Our eyes should be clear enough to see the evidence of His power. And our hearts should be ready enough to personally experience the power of Jesus in our lives.

A rich young man once approached Jesus and asked Him… “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus replied to him and said “go and sell your possessions and give it to the poor and follow me.”  The rich young man was stunned!  He did not know how to respond.  He turned his back on Jesus and he was sad because he did not expect the response he got from Jesus.
He must have known miracles of Jesus and that was probably the reason why he was there.  He heard about it.  But he was not willing to experience the power of Christ behind those miracles.  He cannot give up whatever he has because maybe he was not truly convinced about the extent of Jesus power.

What about you?

Prayer

Wherever you are, whatever you situation you may be -- you need the love of Jesus in your life. Please say this prayer sincerely from your heart:  

Father God, I confess all my sins to you today.  Please forgive me.  Today, I open my heart to your Son Jesus Christ.  I accept Him in my life as my Savior and as my Lord.  May the Holy Spirit come to my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  In Jesus Name, I pray.    Amen.

The above article is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at WCCC Richmond during its service on  

Sunday, December 6, 2015

I apologize if there are grammatical and spelling errors. I also apologize if I have missed acknowledging or making proper references to my sources, if any.  as it is purely unintentional.

If you are looking for a church in British Columbia, Canada please visit our website at:

 www.wordchristiancommunity.com

Wonderful Counsellor

Names are very important to God
• In Genesis 1, He gave names to His creation, like “day,” “night,” “sky,” “land,” etc.
• In Genesis 2, He gave the name “Adam” to the man He created and He asked him to give names to all living creatures as well – this includes Eve
• Throughout the Bible, He even  changed the names of different important people:  Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul

Names are very important to God because His relationship with us is personal.  He knows us intimately. Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.”  Jesus Himself said that “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Jesus said of a good shepherd, "The sheep hears his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name…." Then He told His disciples "I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and they know me."

BACKGROUND

If you have a King James Bible, you would have noticed that the name Wonderful Counsellor has a comma in between which suggests two names but Biblical scholars mostly agree that based on the construction of the other names, ie.  Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace – these are all combination of two names so contemporary versions of the Bible presented it as “Wonderful Counsellor.”

Wonderful – Hebrew “pele” which means “beyond understanding” In Greek, it means “to separate, to distinguish, or to make great.”
It is applied usually to anything that is great or wonderful, like a miracle. Judges 13:18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”  The translation is “Why do you ask my name? seeing it is “beyond understanding.”   In verse 22, this angel of the Lord was called “God” by the father of Samson.  I understand you got quite an interesting discussion about the angel of the Lord in your ETS?  Like when it is referring to “God” and when it is referring to “angels.”  Well, if you ask me, it’s not about whether it’s uppercase or lowercase, study the context of the verse and you will know.
The coming Messiah is miraculous because Jesus is both God and man, hence He is referred to as, “Wonder-ful”
He is wonderful because He is different from the rest of us because He is God and He is also the same as the rest of us because He is man.
The “child is born” and “son is given” phrases denotes Jesus full humanity and full deity.
Child is born through Mary, in the line of David – obviously fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies.  It represents Jesus’ full humanity.  Son is given – John 3:16 right?  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have an everlasting life!
Some people would say that the “child” is Jesus and the “son” is Christ.  I don’t really support that line of thinking as it implies two personalities splitting the humanity and divinity of the Messiah.  That is not the right way of putting it.  Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man.  That’s it.
The name “Counsellor” associates and identifies Jesus directly to the 3rd person of the Trinity, i.e. the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, He promised His disciples that the Father will send Advocate, a Comforter, a Counsellor to remind them of things about Him.

POINTS TO PONDER
From His Name “Wonderful Counsellor” we can derive some important lessons in life or points to ponder.

How many miracles did Jesus perform?  Do you know?  Do I know?  No, I don’t!  The gospels record at least 37 detailed miracles of Jesus.  He turned water into wine.  He healed the sick.  He made the lame walk, the blind see.  He drove out demons.  He brought the dead to life.  He resurrected. But remember what the Apostle John said in John 21:25 --  “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
But you know what’s interesting?  Jesus is still carrying out miracles, signs and wonders even during our time today.  He is still performing miracles in my life, in your life and in the lives of all other people who have come to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Amen?

How many among you can claim that the Lord has done miracles in your life specifically?  I want you to raise your hand if Christ has done miracles in your life.  We are here in Canada, isn’t that a miracle? Some of you were sick before, but now you’re not, isn’t that a miracle?  Some of you were healthy before, now you’re sick BUT you are calling more to God now, you are closer to your family now that you are sick, you are reading the Bible now that you are sick, you are attending church more often now what you are sick – isn’t that a miracle?  Maybe once you’ve done what God wants you to do while you are sick, He will heal you – that’s another miracle.  You got a job, isn’t that a miracle? Amen?  You lost your job, isn’t that a miracle?
Well, look at it this way, now that you lost your job, you are calling more to God, you have more time for your family, you are reading the Bible more often, you are attending church regularly  – isn’t that a miracle?  Maybe once you’ve done what God wants you to do while you out of job, He will give you a job, far better that your previous one – that’s another miracle.

I got a Voltes V robot after 40 years, isn’t that a miracle?

In Matthew 11:28 – 30   Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Do you know why we can come to Christ when we have all these worries and problems and pains and burdens and sorrows --- all these things, He experienced Himself.  He knows what we’re going through.  He knows not just because He is God and He is all-knowing.  He knows not just because of that.  He knows because He experienced, first hand, having problems and pains and burdens and sorrows.  Usually, when somebody comes to you and needing comfort and you say “you know brother, I know what you’re going through…”  it means you have undergone a similar problem yourself, right?  That is why you have to be very careful when you say that line “I know what you’re going through…” Make sure you really know otherwise, you’re not helping.
But one thing I can guarantee you… Jesus knows what you’re going through.  He has been hurt, humiliated, He has been denied, He has been abandoned… He was physically tortured and He was even killed.  But what makes Him different, two things I can think of :  First, He suffered not because of His own wrong doing.  He suffered so He can redeem the sins of others.  Second, with all these sufferings, humiliation, torture, provocation – He did not sin.  In fact, He even prayed for those who persecuted Him.

A lot of times, our problems were caused by ourselves,  I’m not saying all the time… I’m saying a lot of times, we are the ones bringing ourselves to a difficult situation.  We made a hush-hush decision, we cheated, we cannot forgive, we eat the “bawal” na pagkain kaya tayo nagkasakit, puyat tayo ng puyat, we work three jobs, we save a lot of money, then we go on a cruise, we eat buffet three times a day – when we go back home, nagtataka pa tayo ba’t mataas ang cholesterol natin.  At work, we are too lazy then we wonder why… when there was a lay-off we are the first ones on the list.
A lot times, we are partly or fully responsible for it.  But Jesus comforts us in all these.  The Bible says “Romans 8:34 says “Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”   He does not only comforts us… He brings our concerns to God the Father Himself.  We don’t go through any other channel.  Jesus intercedes for us DIRECTLY to the Father.

One time I had a discussion with some of you in a Bible Study about the role of  Mary.  First and foremost, the role of Mary was to be the earthly mother of the Messiah.  It’s probably one of the most difficult roles ever to be assigned by God to a person.  This is the reason why we respect and we love the Mary and this is also the reason why she’s called BLESSED!
The sad thing is -- most of us have been told and taught when we were young that we can pray to the saints or to the Virgin Mary, and they can pray and intercede for us to God the Father. This practice certainly has no Biblical basis.   The Bible nowhere instructs believers in Christ to pray to anyone other than God. The Bible nowhere encourages, or even mentions, believers to ask individuals in heaven for their prayers.  Remember that only God is Omnipresent and Omnipotent and He alone can hear the simultaneous prayers of all people from all ages, all over the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in different languages.  Only God can listen to prayers.

There was a notion that the Virgin Mary or a saint, who is glorified in Heaven, has more "direct access" to God than we do. Therefore, if a saint delivers a prayer to God, it is more effective than us praying to God directly. This concept is unbiblical. Hebrews 4:16 tells us that we, believers here on earth, can "approach the throne of grace with confidence" and Jesus intercedes for us to God the Father.  Jesus said in John 14:6  - “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin.  When a believer accepts Jesus as His Lord and Savior, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit dwells in that person. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, when the person sins, the Holy Spirit is there to convict us.    Before we became Christians, most of us when we are able to take advantage of others, we’re happy.  Nakasingit sa linya (we’re able to overtake somebody in a long line)  Sumobra ang sukli (we get more change in a restaurant than what we should get).  Nakapulot ng wallet (we found a wallet with money).  Naka-kopya sa examination (we’re able to cheat in examination)  Nakatanggap ng lagay (we received a bribe)  Naka-tsansing (we took advantage of a female co-employee)… all these things, we say “wais to!”  Naisahan ko kayo!  (I was able to take advantage of you).  I’m so good!

But when you become a Christian – you don’t feel good when you do those things even accidentally.  You get a guilty feeling.  It’s called “conviction” by the Holy Spirit of our sins.  If you want to be more visual about it – imagine the Holy Spirit inside you and you keep on feeding your body with SIN.  Obviously the Holy Spirit will find a way to REMIND you that you are not supposed to be doing those things anymore.  He will remind you that you are a new creation and the old has gone and the new has come.  He will convict you.  He will give you butterflies in your stomach.  He will probably even make you sick.  He will do everything so you will realize that you are committing a sin and HE does not like that.
Jesus Christ convicts us through the Holy Spirit.  But it doesn’t end there.  He doesn’t just convict us for the sake of convicting.  Jesus convicts us so we realize the need for repentance.  We realize the need to ask for forgiveness of our sins.
He promised us that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Amen?
WE can come to the Father, anytime, all it takes is a pure heart… and we can ask for forgiveness of our sins.  The Father will now look at us, not because we are cute and cuddly but because He sees the righteousness of Christ imputed upon us and He is willing to forgive.
Isn’t that amazing?  Jesus comforting us through the Holy Spirit and interceding for us to God the Father.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

The Bible tells us in John 14:26 that “Jesus ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. The Father sends the Holy Spirit in the Name of Jesus to continue His work here on Earth by teaching us and reminding us of everything about Him.”
If you want to be more technical about it, Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father so to say that Jesus is in our hearts and lives actually means that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer.  This is the reason why the promised Messiah is called WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR.  He lives in us and is able to comfort us because of the Holy Spirit.

A seal is something permanently embossed, as sign of an official and unbreakable endorsement.   The Holy Spirit is called “Advocate, Comforter, Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Consoler” in Greek, it’s “parakletos” which literally means “called to one's aid” like a legal adviser.  So to say that the Holy Spirit is just a force or power of God is to commit blasphemy against Him as it hits the very core of our faith declaration.   The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity.  Co-equal and Co-eternal with God the Father and the Son.

Church, Christmas is coming and we know what this occasion meant for most people… shopping! But of us who’s given the privilege to listen to God’s message this morning, let us try and do better this year.  Let’s get to know Jesus deeper, in His role as our Wonderful Counsellor.  Somebody who carries out miracles and signs and wonders.  Somebody who comforts us intimately and intercedes to the Father on our behalf. And Somebody who convicts us of our sins and  gives us the opportunity to come to the Father through Him.

There have been probably so many times and situation  when you hear someone say ‘I wish I knew someone who could tell me what I should do in this situation I am in.’ A follower of Jesus knows the exact Person to do this, Jesus himself. One of the blessings, indeed one of the greatest privileges, that a pardoned sinner is given is the presence of Jesus as his friend and guide, his shepherd to protect him from danger. How does counsel us?  I will leave you with three things on how our Wonderful Counsellor counsels us:

First, let us say that Jesus does not provide personal counsel to those who do not use the means he has provided. One of these means is the BIBLE and in it Jesus gives us all the information we need for every situation we will face in life. Sometimes the information will not contain all we want to know, but it will contain all that we need to know. The Bible tells us how to live, gives us guidelines regarding every area of life, and contains promises of God’s help. If we want to have the counsel of Jesus, we must read the Bible.

Second, Jesus expects his followers to use in order to discover his counsel is PRAYER. Prayer is like having an appointment with our counsellor, except with regard to meeting with Jesus we don’t have to join a queue and wait our turn. We have access to him at all times, and we can call on his help in every situation.

Third,    Jesus uses is counsel through his people. We are not the first to experience our situation and when we find ourselves in strange circumstances we should contact those who have been in similar situation. They will have learned something from Jesus during their times of trouble and confusion and can then share what they learned with others. They should be willing to share and the others should be willing to listen.

The Holy Spirit enables all these means for us to get the right kind of counsel from Jesus Christ.  He explains the Word to us, he enflames our prayers,  and He leads us to people  who can help us go through with our situation.  The only thing that hinders the work of the Spirit in our lives is sin because it grieves Him and we lose the sense of blessing that comes with the services of the wonderful Counsellor.

Of course, our wonderful Counsellor knows how to bring us back into a right spiritual relationship with him, and for that we should also be thankful.

God bless you.

Prayer

Wherever you are, whatever you situation you may be -- you need the love of Jesus in your life. Please say this prayer sincerely from your heart:  

Father God, I confess all my sins to you today.  Please forgive me.  Today, I open my heart to your Son Jesus Christ.  I accept Him in my life as my Savior and as my Lord.  May the Holy Spirit come to my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  In Jesus Name, I pray.    Amen.

The above article is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at WCCC Surrey during its service on  

Sunday, November 29, 2015

I apologize if there are grammatical and spelling errors. I also apologize if I have missed acknowledging or making proper references to my sources, if any.  as it is purely unintentional.

If you are looking for a church in British Columbia, Canada please visit our website at:

 www.wordchristiancommunity.com