Advent 2018: Everlasting Father

Isaiah 9:6-7 

Over the past three weeks, we have been preparing for Christmas by looking at the prophecy from Isaiah 9:6-7. 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. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

We looked at Jesus’ role as the Wonderful Counselor who guides us to a good destination, just as a shepherd leads his flock beside still waters to green pastures. Last week we focused on Jesus’ role as Mighty God. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us! 

This leads us to today’s focus: Jesus is Everlasting Father. Since we already established that Jesus is Mighty God, then it’s not a long way to go to also understand what Jesus said in John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”

His audience understood fully what he was saying and they wanted to stone him to death for blasphemy! After all, if someone came in and told you that they were God in the flesh, what would you think?

John’s gospel is all about demonstrating that Jesus is God. His “I Am” statements show his character in a way that also explicitly uses God’s Name, Yahweh, I am. One of my favorite Bible passages is John 14:1-6, where Jesus is explaining to his disciples what’s going to happen, how he is going to prepare a place for them, and they know the way to where he is going. When Thomas says he doesn’t know, Jesus answers: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. He goes on to say this:  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

This is how Jesus fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah. Philip asks Jesus “show us the Father.” He does not get what Jesus is saying. I can imagine Jesus shaking his head. He has to be frustrated by this time.

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 

You want to see the Father? Look at Jesus. You will see exactly what the Father is like by looking at Jesus, because they are indeed One. 

At this point in my sermon preparation, I started thinking, “What is the difference between this week’s sermon and last week’s? Are they the same? Was Isaiah just saying Mighty God and Everlasting Father for poetic repetition?” I believe that the reason we see Isaiah prophesying “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father” is that there are different implications for these titles.

We saw in Job the questions that Mighty God asked Job: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the world? A Mighty God, all-powerful, has no need to interact with his creation. But Jesus is not only Mighty God; he is Everlasting Father. And because he is Everlasting Father, he continued in John 14:12-14, saying, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” 

This is significant because it demonstrates the relationship we have with him. He is our Father, and whatever we ask him in his name, for the glory of God, he will do it. Know that context is key — our Father wants to give us good gifts, and he won’t sell us short. He won’t give us bad gifts, even when we really want them. This is why we sometimes experience unanswered prayers or why we sometimes don’t get what we ask God for; he only wants the best for us and will not settle for less.

Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”