Unto Us a Child Is Given Print

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A child was born for us. Perhaps we have heard this so often it no longer strikes us a unusual or perhaps we are hearing it for the first time and it strikes us as absurd. The question that begs to be asked is: "Why would an all powerful God give us His son?"

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  1. To explain to the world who He was by being one of us. We call this incarnation.
    1. God became  a man so that following a man - something you are able to do - you might reach God, which was formerly impossible to you.  - St. Augustine
    2. With God words are not enough. Words alone can isolate or be distant like it was coming from some ivory tower. The Word was not enough so God became flesh.
    3. John 1:14 (Message Bible) The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
  2. To justly pay for our freedom. We call this atonement. Webster's dictionary defines it as making amends for a wrong or for an injury. The word atonement is simply a compound word formed from two words, at-one, so that we might say that atonement means at-one-ment. To be made one again.
    1. If a judge let a proven convicted criminal go free we would cry 'injustice'. If God let us go free after we have done wrong it would be unjust. In order to be just and merciful God sent His Son to pay for our freedom.
    2. Romans 5:8,9  (Message Bible)
      But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way.
    3. Luke 2:10,11
      Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
  3. To set up a spiritual government
    1. John 18:36,37
      Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
    2. Luke 17:21
      nor will they say,"'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed the kingdom of God is with you."
    3. Jesus lives up to the name of wonderful counselor.
      1. As a wonderful counselor Jesus is our advocate. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have and Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
      2. As a wonderful counselor Jesus understands. Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.
      3. As a wonderful counselor Jesus cares.
        1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.
    4. Jesus lives up to His name as mighty God.
      1. The name of Jesus rules supreme in the spiritual realm where we fight a spiritual war. 2 Corinthians 10:3 We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods.
      2. Colossians 2:15 In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.
    5. Jesus lives up to the name everlasting Father.
      1. 'Father' is not to be confused with God the Father, but instead refers to the enduring, compassionate, fatherly care of the Messiah to his people.
      2. Matthew 9:36 He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.
    6. Jesus live up to the name of Prince of Peace
      1. Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
      2. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.