+ Advent Midweek 1 – December 4th, 2024 +
His Name Shall Be Called: “Wonderful Counselor”
Psalm 119:129–136; antiphon: v. 129
Isaiah 9:1–2, 6–7; Romans 11:32–36; Matthew 7:24–29
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Milton, WA
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Because of his famous song and famous clothing, Johnny Cash became known as “The Man in Black”. Because he went almost everywhere with his dog, named the Duke, John Wayne’s title “the Duke” quickly stuck with him. Because of his acting career, Ronald Reagan was known as “The Gipper”. And because of his stone-like muscles, famous wrestler and actor, Dwayne Johnson, became known as “the Rock”.
Names and titles – even nicknames – can tell you a lot about the person. Who they are. What they do. No doubt you have some or know someone who does.
The Scriptures are no different. God’s word is full of names, titles, and even nicknames of sorts. So, when the angel came to Joseph as he was about to break off his marriage plans with Mary (who had been found with child), it’s no surprise that the angel dropped a few important names and titles in his message. Jesus’ names and titles of tell us a lot about who he is. What he came to do…not just for Joseph and Mary. But for you.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The name Jesus is a Hebrew name and it means “God saves”—a fitting name for the Son of God who took on human flesh so that He could save us from our sin by dying on the cross in our place of punishment.
But Matthew’s Gospel isn’t done dropping names and titles on us. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name “Immanuel” (which means, God with us)’” (1:22–23).
Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah – who lived about 800 years before Jesus was born – and who also gives us a whole list of names and titles for Jesus, the Messiah. He’s the Suffering Servant. He’s the child born of the Virgin. Jesus is Immanuel foretold by Isaiah and born of Mary.
Immanuel is a Hebrew name, and it means God with us. And that name tells us a lot about the kind of Savior Jesus is and what he came to do. He is God with us…in this fallen world. God with us…in our humanity. God with us…in our weakness. God with us…in our loneliness. God with us…bearing our sin. God with us…in his word and water and body and blood.
And that’s just one name and title that Isaiah gives us for Jesus. And like God’s grace, Isaiah’s titles or names for Jesus have a way of abounding and giving more.
In Isaiah 9 we hear… “In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” Isaiah is here pointing us ahead to the time when Jesus would be born and eventually begin His ministry in Galilee, among other places. And then come those famous verses that have been sung in hope and joy ever since they were first spoken and written.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . and His name shall be called . . .Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Not only is Jesus “Immanuel” – God with us. But his titles and names – just like his love and mercy – abound. But admittedly, the title “Wonderful Counselor” sounds a little strange for a child. What kind of wisdom and counsel could an infant have to give?
It didn’t take long for Mary and Joseph – and the rabbis in the temple one day – to realize that God’s wisdom can come wrapped in small packages, even in a 12 year old boy. Later in Luke 2 we’re told that Jesus was in Jerusalem with his family, but stayed behind. And when he was found he was teaching the temple teachers. And Luke also tells us that everyone who heard Jesus was amazed as his understanding and his answers.
Years later, when Jesus began His public ministry, people were once again amazed at His counsel. After Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, Matthew records that “The crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28–29).
So is that it? Jesus is a wonderful counselor simply by sharing some words of wisdom and some sage advice? To be sure, Jesus brings wisdom. Speaks wisdom. He counsels in God’s word as he teaches. After all, he is God’s wisdom incarnate. And yet, Jesus’ words and wisdom are deeper than a well of wisdom, and his words are
He not only speaks God’s word. He is God’s word in the flesh come to save us. Someone greater than all of Solomon’s wisdom is here – the one who gave Solomon such wisdom in the first place. And now he has come not only to teach and counsel and give a deeper understanding of God’s word. He speaks God’s word and is God’s word, for he is the word made flesh. And he brings more than wisdom. His word heals. His word gives life. His word forgives you. His word comforts you. His word consoles you and brings you peace. His word counsels you in the way of true and wonderful comfort…in his cross and resurrection.
Jesus brings the wonderful counsel we need in his word, and he is the Wonderful Counselor for us. For we are sinners and, as such, are often led astray by the cunning counsel of the evil one and the seemingly good advice of our old Adam, who only thinks about the titles and names of “Me, Myself, and I”.
This is why God sent Isaiah to his people. To lead them back from their wandering away. “Those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up” (v. 16).
This is why Jesus has so many names and titles. They all tell us something about who he is and what he came to do to rescue us from our foolishness and sin and death.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (v. 2).
The words and wisdom of God in saving us, the Wonderful Counselor himself, is already at work in the words of Isaiah. Later in his book, in chapter 53, we hear another name and title of Jesus, the Suffering Servant.
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. . . . Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, My servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (vv. 4–6, 10–12)
This is the wonderful counsel of the Wonderful Counselor – his cross to save you. His power made perfect in weakness. His humility to give you his holiness. His life laid down to raise you from the dead. There’s nothing more wonderful than this counsel of good news in Jesus, our Immanuel. God with us on the cross, bearing our sin. God with us in the grave dying our death. God with us in the resurrection, giving us a foretaste of the feast to come.
Jesus is the wonderful counselor who loves you so much that he is born in what looks to the world like utter folly – born of a Virgin, in a feeding trough in the country village of Bethlehem. And yet, it’s wonderful!
Jesus is the wonderful counselor who died a shameful death in humility and darkness for you. And yet, it’s wonderful. Jesus is the wonderful counselor who was buried in the tomb and rested for three days. And this too, is wonderful. A wonderful salvation. A wonderful rescue from death. A wonderful resurrection. In Jesus you have a Savior, Redeemer, and a Wonderful Counselor.
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard and keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus to life everlasting. Amen.
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