HE SHALL BE CALLED - PT. 2: MIGHTY GOD (ISAIAH 9:2,6) 2023_12_03

Dec 04, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: The promised child is God, our mighty Savior.

The people of Judah faced an unavoidable darkness and Isaiah announces that into that bleakness a light has come: a child born, a son given, whose titles declare more than royal power—they declare divine rescue; this baby is not another mortal monarch but the mighty God who enters history to fix what mere humans cannot. [07:02]

Isaiah 9:2, 6 (ESV)
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.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Reflection: When the "avalanche" of your life feels uncontrollable, name one problem you have tried to fix on your own and, right now, pray a one-sentence prayer handing that specific thing to Jesus (for example, “Jesus, I trust you with my marriage/job/health—help me”). Then text one trusted Christian and ask them to pray for you about that exact issue today.

Day 2: Darkness reveals humanity’s need for God’s intervention.

When people look toward the earth they see distress, gloom, and thick darkness that cannot be outrun or fixed by human schemes; the only true hope in those moments is a God who enters the trouble himself rather than another mortal to rearrange the seats of power. [13:25]

Isaiah 8:22 (ESV)
They look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Reflection: Identify one situation where you habitually try to control the outcome (a family problem, a financial worry, or health anxiety). Today, stop strategizing for 10 minutes, pray aloud, “Lord, I cannot fix this—please intervene,” and then call or message one Christian friend and ask them to pray with you about that specific situation before the end of the day.

Day 3: There is one God; humans cannot be divine.

The daily Shema anchored Israel in the truth that Yahweh alone is God, so for the prophet to call a newborn “God” confronts every human tendency to deify kings, leaders, or idols; the point is clear—what the world needs is not another human leader but the one true God who rescues. [09:32]

Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV)
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Reflection: What idol have you been treating like God—money, pleasure, approval, or political power? Tonight, choose one concrete action to dethrone it (for example: set a giving goal, fast from a pleasure for 24 hours, delete or limit an app, or stop following certain political feeds) and pray, “Lord, help me to trust you alone,” before you go to bed.

Day 4: God’s acts display his supremacy over false gods.

The plagues on Egypt show that God’s judgment was not merely political power against Pharaoh but a direct confrontation with the supposed gods of the nations—when the Nile turned to blood and darkness fell, God was demonstrating that he alone is mighty and true while idols are powerless. [17:42]

Exodus 7:14–24 (ESV)
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.
15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water; stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent.
16 And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But behold, until now you have not listened.
17 Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned into blood.
18 The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will abhor to drink water from the Nile.”’ ”
19 And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ”
20 Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.
21 The fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.
22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.
24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

Reflection: Name one “false god” in your life (money, success, comfort, approval). Today, take one symbolic step to submit that area to the Lord—give a portion away, fast from a favorite pleasure for 24 hours, or remove a temptation—and pray, asking God to show his power and lordship over that area in the coming week.

Day 5: Christ’s resurrection proves his victory over death.

The empty tomb and Jesus’ rising on the third day are the decisive historical proof that the one born into history was not merely human but the mighty God who defeated death; that resurrection explains how a small, powerless people could be empowered to spread the good news across centuries. [22:30]

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (ESV)
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Reflection: Identify one place in your life that feels dead right now—a relationship, a dream, or a habit—and choose one concrete faith-step tonight (send a reconciling message, make a call, sign up for a recovery group, or confess and ask for accountability). Pray specifically for Christ’s resurrection power to bring life into that exact place and take that first step before tomorrow.

Sermon Summary

Advent means arrival, and our hearts lean forward to the One who has come and will come again. We opened Isaiah 9 and listened to a people trapped in darkness, unable to outrun what was bearing down on them. Their question feels familiar: What do you do when you cannot avoid what’s coming? Into that fear, God promises a child with divine titles—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It matters that the title says God, and it matters that it says Mighty. The world does not need another clever human; it needs God Himself. The brokenness in us and around us will not be healed by elections, strategies, or alliances. We need Someone not like us to deal with what we have made.

Ancient Israel knew that every clash of nations was a clash of gods. Scripture is full of scenes where the living God shames pretenders—Hopi bleeding in a blood-red Nile, Ra silenced under darkness, Baal mute before fire. The question has never changed: which god will we trust? We may not bow to Baal, but we quietly trust money, pleasure, and political power. We print “In God We Trust” while whispering about the “almighty dollar.” We confess Jesus, then live for dopamine, or pledge functional allegiance to donkeys and elephants.

Is Jesus really the Mighty God? History says yes. Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome rose and fell; their gods are museum pieces. But the tomb of Jesus is empty, and the powerless church He birthed grew under persecution. Time itself centers on His advent. Cities and cultures bear the marks of men and women whose lives He remade. And the cross—an instrument of death—became the most recognized sign of life and hope in the world because He rose and did not die again.

So when the avalanche of life comes—and it will—don’t look for a way around; look for the One who can carry you through. Christmas is not sentimentality. It is defiance against the darkness: God has come near, and He is able. Ask: What god am I really trusting? Money can’t hold you. Pleasure won’t steady you. Power won’t save you. The Mighty God can—and He invites you to take His hand today.

Key Takeaways

1. We need more than human leaders Human skill and new strategies cannot heal what is fundamentally broken in the human heart. Swapping one ruler for another just rearranges the furniture in a burning house. Isaiah points us to Someone unlike us—God Himself—who alone can bear the weight we cannot. Trust moves from personalities to the Person who is strong enough to save. [14:24]
2. Jesus defeats every rival power Scripture shows God dismantling the claims of false gods, from Egypt’s idols to Baal on Carmel. The resurrection is the decisive triumph—Rome crucified Him, yet He walked out alive, ending the reign of death over those who belong to Him. Your fiercest enemies—sin, shame, death—have already met their match. Live as if that victory is true, because it is. [22:30]
3. Expose modern idols of trust Our gods have new names: the almighty dollar, dopamine, and partisan power. They promise control, relief, and identity, but they cannot hold when the ground shakes. Honest confession loosens their grip and re-centers our loyalty on Jesus, who gives peace and power without enslaving our souls. [19:46]
4. History bears witness to His might Empires fade; His name endures. Calendars, city names, global celebrations, and the world’s most recognized symbol all testify that Jesus has outlasted His rivals and remade the world. If the record of history leans this hard toward Him, your present and future are safe leaning on Him, too. [24:28]
5. Bring your avalanche to Jesus Some crises cannot be dodged; they must be endured with Someone stronger than the slide. Isaiah calls Him a dawning light because He meets us inside the darkness, not just beyond it. Reach for His hand, confess where you’ve trusted lesser gods, and walk forward in the strength only the Mighty God can give. [28:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:36] - Advent candle lighting
[03:43] - Isaiah 9: Setting the scene
[05:12] - Avalanche illustration of fear
[06:35] - The child with divine titles
[08:30] - Why “Mighty God” matters
[11:02] - Judah’s crisis and Ahaz’s choice
[14:24] - Mere mortals can’t fix this
[17:42] - Yahweh dethrones Egypt’s idols
[19:46] - Money, pleasure, politics as idols
[22:30] - Resurrection and the fall of Rome
[24:28] - History and names testify to Jesus
[28:29] - When life’s avalanche hits, trust Him
[29:41] - Prayer and invitation
[31:26] - Amen

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Isaiah 9:2, 6
2 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.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Observation questions (3–4)

What does Isaiah 9:2 say about the people’s situation and how does the image of “a great light” function as an answer to that situation? [07:02]
List each title given in Isaiah 9:6. What concrete role or expectation does each title create for the one who is coming? [07:32]
In the sermon the political crisis facing Judah was described in some detail. What were the nations and options involved (Israel, Syria, Assyria, King Ahaz), and what choice did Ahaz make? [11:50]
Which Old Testament incidents did the preacher use to show how Yahweh defeats rival gods (examples: the plagues in Egypt, Elijah vs. Baal, David vs. Goliath)? How do those stories function as proof that God is “mighty”? [17:25]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

How does the ancient context of many competing gods sharpen the meaning of the title “Mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6? What did that claim do for Isaiah’s original hearers that “a new king” would not do? [14:40]
The sermon argued that human solutions (new leaders, strategies, alliances) cannot fix what is fundamentally broken. If that is true, what does it imply about the role of Christian leadership and the limits of politics or policy in addressing deep moral/spiritual problems? [14:24]
The preacher pointed to the empty tomb and the spread of the early church as historical evidence for Jesus’ might. How should the historical trajectory of empires and the resurrection influence a person’s confidence in trusting Jesus now? [22:30]
The sermon named contemporary “gods” (money, pleasure/dopamine, partisan power). In what ways do these modern idols promise what only God can give, and why are they ultimately inadequate? [19:46]

Application questions (5–7)

Identify one “lesser god” you most quietly trust (money, comfort, entertainment, political identity, approval, etc.). What is one specific, immediate step you will take this week to confess that trust and re-center your trust on Jesus? (Example: delete a shopping app, set a weekly Sabbath, unsubscribe from a news feed, tell a friend and ask them to pray.) [19:46]
Think of a current or likely “avalanche” in your life (health crisis, job loss, family breakdown, fear about the future). When that hits, what concrete first two actions will you take to “reach for His hand” (a Scripture to turn to, a person to call, a simple prayer to say)? Put these actions on your calendar now. [29:41]
When tempted to look for purely human fixes (vote for a different leader, pursue a new plan, chase a quick pleasure), what single question will you ask yourself to test where your ultimate trust lies? How will you make that question visible (note on phone, prayer card, accountability partner)? [14:24]
The sermon claimed the resurrection empowered small, fragile people to change the world. Name one practical way you can embody that resurrection-power this month (serve one marginalized neighbor, invite a skeptical friend to a low-pressure conversation about faith, volunteer with a ministry). When will you do it? [23:21]
If you do not yet know Jesus as the “Mighty God,” what concrete next step could you take in the next seven days to explore him (meet with a pastor, come to a beginners’ class, read the gospel of Mark for five days)? Who will you tell so someone can follow up with you? [30:01]
If you have drifted from trusting Jesus and recognize you’ve been leaning on other things, choose a concrete repentance plan: when will you confess this to God, who will you tell for accountability, and which spiritual habit will you start this week to help re-center your life (daily 10-minute prayer, Scripture reading schedule, weekly confession with a friend)? [30:36]

(End — no closing prayer included.)

Sermon Clips

“That's the question that Judah was asking. And that's the question I always ask when I come to the passage that we're looking at today in Isaiah chapter 9. By the way, for those of you who are going, what happened to the cameraman? Well, good news, he made it. All right. So there you go. But the question was with Isaiah chapter 9, no one knew for sure. Will we make it? The future was in doubt. The people of Judah were afraid. They could not avoid it. They could not outrun what was coming. They did not know what to do. And it was in that moment that the words of the prophet spoke of one who would come. And he was the only one who could fix what ailed them.”

“By the way, when we speak of Advent, the season of anticipation of the arrival of a noteworthy person, there are two Advents that the Christian considers. The first is the Advent of Christ's birth and his ascension. But the Christian during Christmas also begins to long and anticipate the second coming, the second Advent of Christ. And we say together, come quickly, Lord Jesus, because what ails the world is bigger than any of us have the ability to fix. We can't get around it. We can't avoid it. But you can get us through it.”

“The world did not need and does not need another king. We're all full up. We're not taking applications. Don't need another king, do we? The world does not need another king. The world does not need another monarch. The world does not need another prime minister. The world does not need another president. What our world desperately needs is God. And what is broken in the hearts of men cannot be fixed at the ballot box. It can only be fixed through the power of the mighty one himself, Jesus Christ.”

“Kings got us into this problem. Mere mortals caused the problems we're facing. Simply exchanging this mortal for that mortal isn't going to fix the problem, friends. What we need is someone who is not like us to deal with the problems that we have made. We don't need another man. Man, we need God. And not just any God. He says, we need a mighty God.”

“Every one of the conflicts you see in the Old Testament between Israel and the foreign powers, Judah and the foreign powers, is always a conflict between the gods. Whose God is mightiest? And friends, we still ask that question today, don't we? Now, we don't maybe call it by these names, but that is still the question that we are asking today. We have been, we are, and we will forever be asking this one very important question. What God will we trust? What God will you and I choose to trust?”

“Let me just prove it to you for a moment here. How many of you recognize this symbol right here? Any of you know what this is? Some of you, because of the economy, are going, no, I don't remember. What is that thing? I don't think I've seen them in a long time. That's what we call a dollar bill. Okay? Dollar bill. It used to be worth something. You know what this is? Well, in 1956, the United States put on the bill its new national motto, in God we what? Trust.”

“We'll say we trust God, but we talk about the almighty power of this piece of paper. Let me give you another one. How about these symbols right here? Some of us, we celebrate pleasure. That is what we celebrate in the God that we serve. So whether it is physical pleasure or living for the weekend, so many of us are just living for the next dopamine hit. The God of dopamine is what we live for.”

“Maybe we, some of us say Jesus is Lord, but if we're honest with ourselves, we actually worship at the idol of the donkey God or the elephant God. And we think that our deity will save us from what ails us. Friends, the question that they were facing back then is the same question we face this morning as we barrel towards Christmas Day. What God will you, what God will I trust? Because we always have a choice.”

“It's one thing to say that Jesus is the mighty God. In fact, that's what we're supposed to do because we're in church, right? Jesus is the mighty God. You got to say it if you're going to come in. Also, you got to wear matching socks, or so I've been told. And so we come in, Jesus is God. But do we actually have any proof of this, Josh? Why, yes, we do. Thank you for asking. Let me give you some evidence why he is not simply in name, but indeed the mighty God.”

“It's a matter of historical record that Jesus was not born under Assyrian rule. Wait, Assyria, the nation that was threatening to destroy everyone? How did Jesus not be born under their rule? What happened to Assyria? Well, as it turns out, the Assyrian empire fell within 130 years of Isaiah's prophecy about this one who would be born, who would be the wonderful counselor and the mighty God. Assyria's gods are forgotten, but the mighty God lives.”

“Now, almost no one knows the names, let alone worships the gods of Babylon, of Persia, of the Medes, or the Greeks. But we do know the one name, don't we? And then centuries later, after 700 years from this moment of prophecy, Jesus was finally born into human history. And the question remained, is he really the mighty God? Can we trust him? After all, Jesus was born, not as a free man, but under the shadow of the Romans and their gods.”

“Rome crucified Jesus. So how could he be the mighty God? Because he did not stay in that grave, friends. On the third day, he walked forth, breaking the teeth of the dead. And yes, throwing his hand in victory in the face of all of the gods of Rome, including the gods of life and death. Our God, once again, proves that he is victorious. No matter what you may think of Jesus, it is a matter of historical record that Jesus' tomb was found empty.”

“They had no army, no political power, no advanced technology. How did this fledgling community make its way out of the first century? I'll tell you how. It's because they were empowered, not by a mere mortal, a mere child or king. They were empowered by the mighty God. He is the multiplying God who is embodied power, who then gives it to those who follow him.”

“The question I would ask you today, if you want proof of who Jesus is, ask yourself this question. Where's Rome? Where is Rome's gods? Gone. No one worships Jupiter, Neptune or Apollo. The only name worshiped today by more than 2 billion people is Jesus Christ, the mighty God.”

“See, Christmas is the defiant declaration that Jesus is the only one who can fix what ails this world, church. He is the one true God over creation and the one who entered creation to fix what was broken in creation.”

“This mighty God has so overwhelmed the world that you cannot look at a calendar without being reminded of him. If you travel to the north this morning into Minnesota, you will come to a town called St. Cloud. Question, why is there a St. Cloud? Because once upon a time there was a man named Clodalt, better known as Cloud, whose life was changed, not by a mere mortal, but by the mighty God Jesus Christ.”

“If you go west from us this morning to Texas and you come to a city called San Antonio, you say, why was there a San Antonio? Because once there was a man named Anthony who met the mighty God named Jesus Christ who so radically changed his life that when he got here, he affected such great change because of the power in him from Christ that a city is named after him.”

“If you keep going further west, all the way to the very west coast, you will come to another city, the capital of California. You want to know what the capital city is called? Sacramento. Why is there a Sacramento? Because years ago there was this mighty God in body form who had a meal with his friends the night before he died. He took bread and he took wine and he said this meal is to be a holy meal, a sacrament. Remember me.”

“If you zigzag across America, you will find name after name, place after place that bears the name of those who have been changed by the mighty God. And this time of year, his birth, it's the most recognized and celebrated day in the world. It is right now causing traffic jams all across our dear city. How does that happen 2,000 years around the world? I'll tell you why. Because there was a man who was more than a man.”

“That the words of the prophet came true. That God himself entered the story and said, you can't fix what's broken, but I can because I am the mighty God, he says.”

“The instrument on which he died that hangs behind me is the single most recognizable symbol around the world. It marks more graves and adorns more jewelry and art than any expression of any death in history. Why? Because unlike every other death in human history, Jesus rose from the grave and he did not die again. How? Because he is not just a man. He is the one that Messiah prophesied would come. He is the mighty God.”

“Assyria will fall. Babylon will fall. Rome will fall. Nazi Germany will fall. Communist Russia will fall. And long after America and every other nation is gone and forgotten, there will be one name who sits on the throne of eternity. His kingdom will come to no end. His name is Jesus Christ. He is the prophesied mighty one. The mighty God.”

“This is who you celebrate, friends. This time of year is not just about a baby. It's not about snacks. It's not about presents. It is about the promise that when you and I look at the avalanche of our lives and say, what do we do? He says, I'll take care of it.”

“See, Christmas is not just sentimental feel good. Let's just talk about the things that make us feel good but gloss over the problems. Friends, our world is facing serious problems. Some of you are saying this morning, it's not the world, Josh. It's my own family. I don't know what to do. It's my own heart. I don't know what to do. Here's the good news. Christmas, the one Isaiah prophesied would come is still here today and he wants to meet you today.”

“See, Christmas is one of these beautiful moments where we have the responsibility to evaluate, to ask at a soul level, seriously consider what God do I trust? Because there are so many gods who will say, just trust me. But friends, when the avalanche of life is coming down, it's not the dollar that will save you. It's not pleasure and it is not power. It is the mighty God himself.”

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