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THE GOOD NAME OF OUR SAVIOUR
PART 1-WONDERFUL
PROVERBS 22:1; ISAIAH 9:6
Introduction
Tell me what do you think of when you hear these names?:
Jezebel (wicked)
Delilah (harlot, deceiver, gold digger)
Judas (betrayer)
Adolph Hitler (mass murdering dictator)
Charles Manson (a crazed brainwashing killer)
Timothy McVeigh (OK City bomber)
Osama Bin Laden (Terrorist)
How about these names?:
Enoch (walked with God; translated)
Noah (walked with God; the ark; but also – he got drunk)
Moses (deliverer of God’s people)
David (shepherd, giant killer, king, man after God’s own heart; but also murderer; adulterer)
Barnabas (missionary, son of consolation; a giver)
Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches”
Ecclesiastes 7:1, “A good name is better than precious ointment”
We know that the apostle Paul was known as Saul before his conversion, but changed his name not long after entering into the ministry. We are not told why, but I believe that quite possibly it could have been because he wanted to be removed from what his name represented to many. (i.e. Saul the persecutor)
Now it’s really not the name itself that matters, is it? It is what we make of the name! The name Paul is no better than the name Saul, but it is the reputation that goes with that name.
We usually don’t hear of folks naming their girls Jezebel do we?
(Although, I heard some radio personality named Delilah the other day.)
And even though back in the days of Christ, Judas was a rather popular name, but we don’t hear of many boys being named Judas today.
That’s because of the reputation attached to those who bore those names!
We rarely hear the name Adolph because of the reputation that goes with that name. There was a TV special one time where they were interviewing members of the Hitler family. Many of them lived in the U.S. but they changed their name and very few people ever knew who they were.
Now they didn’t commit the crimes that Adolph Hitler committed, but the name Hitler has a extremely negative stigmatism attached to it.
So how does one get a good name? Large Corporations spend billions of dollars building and trying to maintain a good name. They want us to trust them enough to buy their products.
If they are proven to be untrustworthy they lose business and billions of dollars because they have developed a bad name or bad reputation.
Some have been hurt because someone else hurt their name. (i.e. Tylenol)
Some have been hurt because of what those in leadership did. (i.e. Enron)
Now, for a person to get a good name, they must prove themselves to be persons of character, they must develop a good reputation, and they must be trustworthy.
Our name becomes associated with who we are. (i.e. the people we become.)
We as Christians have taken the name of Christ, that’s why it’s so important that we be very careful how we live. We need to do everything we can to have a good testimony because we are ambassadors for Christ.
We represent the King of kings and Lord of lords, so it is of utmost necessity that we be men and women of good character!
For the most part, a person’s reputation is based on their character. A person’s character is based on their conduct and their speech.
Christ said, that people are known by their fruits. Matthew 7:17-18–“. . .every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”
The questions for us today then are:
What kind of fruit are we producing in our life?
Does our name bring us shame or does it bring us honor?
Does our name shame our family or bring them honor?
Even more importantly does our name honor or dishonor God?
The world may say that character doesn’t matter, but it does!
But I don’t want to talk about our name today, but rather the name of our LORD!
Turn to Isaiah 9:6
Over the next couple of weeks, I want to share with you some names of our Lord Jesus Christ and their significance.
I . THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS PERSONAGE.
..."Wonderful"...
II. THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS PROFESSION.
..."Counsellor"...
III. THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS POWER.
..."The mighty God"...
IV. THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS PERMANENCE.
..."everlasting Father"...
V. THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS PREEMINENCE.
..."The Prince of Peace"...
Today I want us to look at:
THE NAME THAT DESCRIBES HIS PERSONAGE–WONDERFUL!
"His name shall be called Wonderful"...
The word translated “Wonderful” means “miracle” and comes from a root word that means to separate or to distinguish and to be great, difficult, full of wonder!
It is a word that is used to describe that which is otherwise indescribable or that which leaves you in awe!
How fitting that this word is used to describe our Lord Jesus Christ and is even one of His names according to our text here in Isaiah!
When we take time to ponder on the Personage of Jesus Christ, it truly should cause great amazement and wonder our minds and heart!
Truly, the Lord Jesus Christ is someone who is FULL of wonder!
We could never exhaust the wealth of truths that rest in the magnificent person called the Lord Jesus Christ.
I could preach every day, all day, and would never run out of things to say about this one who is truly Wonderful above all that has ever been called or ever will be called wonderful!
Jesus Christ should never be boring, or dull to us! If He is, it is because our minds have been distracted from the reality of his personage!
As we read and study all of what the Bible says about Jesus our hearts should be full of wonder because He is Wonderful!
I. JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS PERSONAGE!
Jesus is very God!
Isaiah 9:6–“His name shall be called. . .the mighty God. . .”
I’m not going to belabor this point because we will cover it extensively when we get to His name being “The Mighty God.”
But the very fact that He is “The Mighty God” makes his name full of wonder.
John 1:1–“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14–“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
II. JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS PROPHECIES!
A. Christ Is The Promised Seed In The Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:15–"And 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."
B. All Throughout Scripture He Is Spoken Of And Typified!
Luke 24:25-27–"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
C.The Old Testament Contains 332 Distinct Prophecies Which Were Literally Fulfilled In Christ!
(According to Canon Liddon)
1. Some Related To His Birth.
2. Some Related To His Life And Ministry.
3. Some Related To His Death And Burial.
4. Some Related To His Resurrection And Ascension.
5. Plus There Are Some Yet To Be Fulfilled That Relate To His Second Coming!
D.The Great Wonder Is–They Were All Fulfilled In One Person–Jesus Christ!
One cannot deny the wonder of the Person of Jesus Christ seeing that all these prophecies came true to the letter in His life!
E.We Who Are Saved Should Never Grow Tired Of Seeing The Lord Jesus Pointed To Throughout The Whole Bible!
May God help us to not miss out on the Old Testament Scriptures – they all paint a marvelous picture of God's Son, that were fulfilled in that one solitary life!
III. JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS INCARNATION!
John 1:14–“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
No other birth has caused such wonder as the birth of Christ!
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 Immanuel.”
A. He Was Not Born With The High And Mighty, But With The Poor And Lowly In a Tiny Village Called Bethlehem.
1. He was not born in a palace or in a fine home!
But rather He was born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes (strips of cloth) and placed in a manger (animal feeding trough.)
2. After His birth, He had a group of smelly Shepherds come see Him.
3. How truly wonderful that this marvelous one arrived in such plain wrappings in the presence of such common people.
B. He Was Born NOT By Genetic Engineering, But By God’s Engineering Through The Virgin Birth!
The Virgin Birth was a miracle! It is too awesome for us to understand or figure out!
To this day, you have to have TWO sets of 23 chromosomes to make a human being – one from a momma and one from a daddy.
Today doctors are still trying to mess around with the fertilization process trying to get it to where there doesn’t have to be a daddy.
1) They have gotten it to work with a few species, but not with humans yet!
2) Where they have gotten it to work, they can only make females in mammals – never males!
3) The virgin birth of a Son is an impossible wonder!
C. He Was Born A King At His Birth!
He did not become a King when He grew up like normal princes and kings, He was born King!
Matthew 2:2–“Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”
He is truly the King of kings and Lord of lords!
D. He Was Born A Lamb At His Birth!
From the time of His birth, Jesus was here for only one purpose –to save us from our sins as the one final Holy Lamb sacrificed in our place.
How fitting it was for this Lamb to be born in a stable!
JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS PERSONAGE. . .HIS PROPHECIES. . .HIS BIRTH. . .
IV. JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS LIFE!
A. He Is Wonderful In That He Lived! (And He Lives!)
Jesus is a historical person. You will find Him mentioned in books of history other than just the Bible!
B. He Is Wonderful In That He Cared! (And He Cares!)
1. He cared about a short tax collector named Zaccheus in a Sycamore tree.
2. He cared Jairus and his little girl who was sick and died, so he raised her from the dead.
3. He cared about a widow woman as she was burying her only son–so He raised that young man back to life for his mom's sake.
4. He cared about lepers–He even touched them to heal them.
5. He cared about children–He rebuked His disciples for not allowing them access to Him!
6.He cared about an adulterous woman of Samaria He met at a well.
7. He cared about the multitudes who followed Him.
8. He cared about and cares about others!
9. He cares about you!
C. He Is Wonderful In That He Fulfilled His Purpose!
He lived on this earth for 33 ½ long years.
1. He could have left at any time.
2. He could have even come down off the cross.
3. He could have sought revenge for all the injustice showed Him.
4. But He didn't! Praise God – Jesus stayed all they way until He was able to say, “It is finished!” as he bowed His head in death for us!
The Life of Christ is THE greatest life ever lived, and is the only one truly worth learning from and emulating!
All of the greatest of humanity is but dung compared to Christ!
V. JESUS IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE.
2 Corinthians 5:14–"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:"
A. People Could Tell That Jesus Loved Them!
Every person He touched knew of His love for them!
His disciples knew of His love! Others throughout history who have come to Him knew of His love!
If you will come to Him today you can know of His love!
B. The Love Of Christ Is The Secret To A Heart Full Of Joy!
1. Could I tell you today that you are loved by Christ?
2. If you have never known the love of Christ for you, then you don't knowwhat true love is – not at all!
C. Every Word Of The Gospels Is Permeated With His Love!
D. Everything Jesus Did Was Out Of His Great Love For Us!
1. He Left Heaven!
2. He Humbled Himself!
3. He Took Our Place!
4. He Arose Again!
His wondrous love amazes me! It overwhelms me!
Does it you?
VI. JESUS WAS WONDERFUL IN HIS DEATH!
A. Only Jesus Could Take Death And Be Wonderful In It!
B. No One Killed Him Apart From His Allowing It!
John 10:17-18–"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."
C.He Wilfully, Carefully, And Specifically Did Some Things For Us In His Death:
1.He became sin for us – He never sinned at all, yet took the guilt of our sin!
2. He was punished in our place – we should have gone to hell!
3. He bore the punishment – He did not reject it like all of us would have!
4. He died for the very ones who were trying to kill Him!
5. He was doing just what Isaiah 53 said would happen!
D.All Those Around The Cross Stood Amazed At The Events Of That Day!
Matthew 27:54–"Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
E.What Looked Like Such A Disaster And Defeat, Was Actually A Wonderful Victory For Us!
Colossians 2:13-15–"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
F.His Death Was Wonderful In That It Did Not End With The Grave, But With The Resurrection!
G. To This Very Day, The Greatest Thing To Preach About, To Ponder, And To Rejoice In, Is The Death Burial, And Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Because Of Just How Truly Wonderful It Is!
VII. JESUS IS WONDERFUL IN HEAVEN RIGHT NOW!
Colossians 3:1–"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
Jesus is very busy in heaven!
A. He Is Reigning!
He is in control– Will you let Him lead your life? He knows what is right for you!
B. He Is Inviting!
Let Him save your soul today! There is no one who wants you saved more than Christ Jesus! There is no one who wants your family born again more than Jesus!
C. He Is Saving!
No one else can save– not Mary, or the saints, or the Church.
D. He Is Preparing!
John 14:2c–"I go to prepare a place for you."
E. He Is Interceding!
Romans 8:34–"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
Hebrews 7:25–"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Aren't you glad Jesus is wonderful still to this day – He never changes!
VIII. JESUS WILL BE WONDERFUL IN THE FUTURE!
Jesus Is Infinite – Without Limit!
So, He will never stop amazing us– nine hundred trillion years into eternity– and we will still be amazed! I can't wait to see Him, can you!
Conclusion
Do you know this wonderful person called Jesus?
If not, you can know Him in an intimate personal way today!
If you already know Jesus as your Saviour, have you lost the wonder of who He really is? Or do you need to recapture the wonder today!
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!