Unto Us a Child Is Born: Eternal Gifts

Merry Christmas. In a season where the enemy’s lies grow loud—“you’re unreachable,” “you’ll never change,” “this will never end”—we turned to Isaiah 9 and heard a better word. In the chaos of Isaiah’s day, God promised a dawn: the people walking in darkness would see a great light. That light took on a face in Bethlehem. Like Billy Graham lying on the hospital floor so a wounded Marine could see him, God lay Himself in a manger so wounded humanity could look Him in the eye. Christmas is not sentiment; it is God’s invasion into Satan’s domain, the beginning of a rescue that was planned before the foundation of the world.

Isaiah names the gifts that come with this Child: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These are not trinkets we might want, but provisions we actually need. In Jesus, we gain wisdom to answer life’s deepest questions, power to overcome what overwhelms us, a family that endures when earthly bonds fray, and peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances. God does not promise to remove all chaos yet, but He does promise to enter it with us. That’s the incarnation—God wading into our waters, prying our white-knuckled grip from the dock posts we cling to, and bringing us up for air.

But gifts must be received. Too many admire the wrapping—traditions, music, warm feelings—without opening the gift. I sat with a faithful man in hospice who believed Jesus was God, but had never received Him for himself. He did—just in time—and the difference is eternal. Don’t only believe about Jesus; receive Jesus. Come home if you’ve drifted. Step into the family you were made for. In a world where most gifts fade—eaten, broken, or shelved—there is one gift that lasts forever: salvation in Christ. Unto us a Child is born, and with Him come wisdom, power, belonging, and peace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s plan is an eternal rescue God’s timetable stretches beyond our horizon, which reframes our disappointments and delays. The first Christmas didn’t end chaos; it inaugurated a kingdom that will. Hope grows when we judge God’s goodness by His promises, not our present pace. Waiting, then, becomes trust in a Father whose plan predated the world. [39:46]
• 2. Receive the gift, don’t just admire it Admiring the wrapping—traditions, songs, even theological agreement—can mask an unopened heart. Receiving Christ is personal surrender, not mere assent. The difference is life from the inside out, not pressure from the outside in. Open what God has placed before you. [57:15]
• 3. Four Christmas gifts meet real needs Wonderful Counselor gives wisdom for life’s deepest questions; Mighty God supplies power where our willpower fails. Everlasting Father brings us into a family that can’t be taken away; Prince of Peace accompanies us in chaos we can’t avoid. These gifts are not seasonal; they’re sustaining. [44:41]
• 4. Peace is God’s presence in chaos Jesus does not promise to remove all trouble yet; He promises His companionship within it. Peace is not the absence of storms but the presence of the Prince within the boat. This peace passes understanding because it is anchored in a Person, not a circumstance. [52:10]
• 5. Belong to the family; live in community You were made for a family that endures beyond fragile human networks. Belonging grows as the church gets smaller within the big—serving teams, life groups, shared rhythms. Grace becomes tangible when names are known and burdens are carried together. [49:10]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [29:35] - God face-to-face in a manger
• [32:12] - Exposing the enemy’s holiday lies
• [34:52] - Isaiah’s world: chaos and idolatry
• [37:30] - Darkness is familiar; hope promised
• [39:46] - A Child is given; titles foretold
• [41:58] - The Father’s rescue mission unveiled
• [44:41] - Four gifts of Christmas introduced
• [47:29] - Mighty God: power to overcome
• [49:10] - Everlasting Father: belonging and community
• [52:10] - Prince of Peace in real chaos
• [54:49] - Recognize and receive the true Gift
• [59:57] - Hospice story: belief to receiving
• [64:41] - The only gift that lasts forever
• [71:18] - Invitation and prayer partners

1. In Isaiah 9:1-2, what is the darkness and despair like, and what does God promise to do about it?
2. Isaiah 9:6 gives four titles. What are they, and who are they given to?
3. Which specific “holiday lies” were named that many hear around Christmas? ([32:12])
4. What was said about peace and chaos—does Jesus remove all chaos now, or does He meet us within it? ([52:10])

1. If God’s plan is eternal and stretches beyond one generation, how should a believer interpret delays and disappointments in their own life? ([41:58])
2. “Wonderful Counselor” points to wisdom for life’s deepest questions. Why can’t human wisdom alone answer questions like “Who am I?” and “What am I for?” and how does Jesus uniquely answer them? ([47:29])
3. “Prince of Peace” was described as peace in the presence of chaos, not the absence of it. How does that redefine what a believer should expect in a crisis? ([52:10])
4. “Everlasting Father” brings believers into a durable family. What does that imply about moving from large gatherings to smaller communities where names are known and burdens are carried? ([49:10])

1. Name one lie you’ve been hearing lately that sounds like “you’re unreachable,” “you’ll never change,” or “this will never end.” What specific truth from Isaiah 9 will you speak back to it this week? Make it concrete. ([32:12])
2. Where do you feel most powerless right now—habits, relationships, health, work? What would it look like to ask the “Mighty God” to act, and what one step of obedience will you take alongside that prayer this week? ([47:29])
3. Think of one area of chaos you cannot avoid. How will you practice peace as the presence of Jesus within it this week? For example: a breath prayer for the moment, a verse to carry (Isaiah 9:6-7), or a person you will call when anxiety rises. ([52:10])
4. Receiving is different from admiring. What is one way you will personally receive Jesus’ leadership this week—repentance, a public step of faith, starting a baptism conversation, confession to a trusted friend, or a simple prayer of surrender? Set a time. ([57:15])
5. Belonging grows as the church gets smaller within the big. What specific step will move you from rows to circles—joining a life group, serving on a team, or inviting two people to your table? Put a date on your calendar. ([49:10])
6. The Father pries our white-knuckled grip from the “dock posts” we cling to. What post are you holding—control, fear, image, resentment? What would letting go look like this week, and who will check in on you? ([41:58])
7. Who in your life “admires the wrapping” of Christmas (traditions, music) but may not have opened the gift? How will you gently invite them to receive Christ and/or join you for a gathering? Make a simple plan and pray for them by name. ([54:49])