Emmanuel: Experiencing the Gift of Jesus This Christmas

In this Advent season, we are exploring the profound hope that Christmas brings, focusing on the person of Jesus Christ. This journey began with understanding the prophecies about Christ before His arrival and His divine nature as described in John 1. Today, we delve into the humanity of Jesus, emphasizing His role as Emmanuel, God with us, who came to rescue and save us from sin. We explore the significance of names, particularly those associated with Jesus, as they reveal His character and mission.

Isaiah 9:6 provides us with four names that describe Jesus: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Each name offers a unique insight into His nature. As the Wonderful Counselor, Jesus possesses wisdom and authority beyond our comprehension, guiding us with unmatched insight. His role as Mighty God highlights His power, evident in His miraculous works and words, and ultimately in His resurrection. The title Everlasting Father speaks to His eternal care and provision, akin to a father who never tires. Lastly, as the Prince of Peace, Jesus reconciles us with God, offering a peace that surpasses all understanding.

These names not only help us understand who Jesus is but also invite us to experience His grace and goodness in our lives. The ultimate question is whether we have received the greatest gift of all—Jesus Himself. To truly know Him as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, we must first accept Him as our Savior and Lord. This Christmas, may we see Jesus more clearly and experience His transformative power in our lives.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Wonderful Counselor**: Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, possessing wisdom and authority beyond our comprehension. His guidance is available to us at all times, inviting us to seek His counsel in every aspect of our lives. We should never hesitate to reach out to Him, trusting in His unmatched wisdom and power. [14:23]

2. **Mighty God**: Jesus, as Mighty God, demonstrates His power through miraculous works and words. His strength is evident in His resurrection and His ultimate return. This power assures us that He is capable of overcoming any challenge we face, providing us with hope and confidence. [18:10]

3. **Everlasting Father**: Jesus is our Everlasting Father, offering eternal care and provision. Unlike earthly fathers who may tire, Jesus never does. We can rely on His constant presence and protection, knowing that He is always there to support and guide us. [23:10]

4. **Prince of Peace**: As the Prince of Peace, Jesus reconciles us with God, offering a peace that transcends circumstances. This peace is both with God, through the forgiveness of sins, and of God, providing comfort and assurance in life's challenges. [26:33]

5. **Receiving the Gift of Jesus**: The greatest gift we can receive is Jesus Himself. To experience His wisdom, power, care, and peace, we must first accept Him as our Savior and Lord. This decision transforms our lives, allowing us to fully embrace the hope and joy of Christmas. [31:18]

**Youtube Chapters:**

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:00] - Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
[03:30] - Advent Series Overview
[04:37] - Significance of Names
[06:06] - Isaiah's Prophecy
[08:23] - Wonderful Counselor
[11:06] - Mighty God
[14:23] - Wisdom and Authority
[15:19] - Miraculous Works and Words
[18:10] - Everlasting Father
[20:47] - Eternal Care and Provision
[23:10] - Prince of Peace
[24:42] - Peace with God and of God
[26:33] - Peace Beyond Understanding
[29:40] - Receiving Jesus
[31:18] - Invitation to Respond

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
- Isaiah 9:6-7

**Observation Questions:**
1. What are the four names given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, and what do they signify about His character? [06:06]
2. How does the sermon describe the significance of names, particularly in the context of Jesus? [04:37]
3. What examples from the sermon illustrate Jesus as the "Wonderful Counselor"? [08:23]
4. How does the sermon explain the concept of Jesus as "Mighty God"? [15:19]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. In what ways does the title "Wonderful Counselor" reflect Jesus' wisdom and authority, and how is this relevant to believers today? [12:54]
2. How does the sermon connect Jesus' role as "Mighty God" to His miraculous works and words? [15:19]
3. What does it mean for Jesus to be the "Everlasting Father," and how does this title provide comfort to believers? [20:47]
4. How does the sermon explain the peace that Jesus, as the "Prince of Peace," brings to believers? [24:42]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a time when you needed guidance. How can you seek Jesus as your "Wonderful Counselor" in similar situations moving forward? [14:23]
2. What challenges are you currently facing that require the strength of Jesus as "Mighty God"? How can you rely on His power in these situations? [18:10]
3. In what ways can you experience and share the eternal care of Jesus as your "Everlasting Father" with others in your life? [20:47]
4. How can you cultivate the peace of Jesus, the "Prince of Peace," in your daily life, especially during times of stress or conflict? [26:33]
5. Have you fully received the gift of Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If not, what steps can you take to explore this decision further? [31:18]
6. Consider the significance of names in your own life. How does understanding the names of Jesus deepen your relationship with Him? [04:37]
7. How can you share the hope and joy of Christmas, as described in the sermon, with someone who may not yet know Jesus? [29:40]

Day 1: Seeking Divine Wisdom
Jesus, as our Wonderful Counselor, offers wisdom and guidance that surpasses human understanding. His counsel is always available, inviting us to seek His insight in every aspect of our lives. In a world filled with confusion and uncertainty, His wisdom provides clarity and direction. By turning to Jesus, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence, knowing that His guidance is rooted in love and truth. His authority is unmatched, and He desires to lead us on a path of righteousness and peace. [14:23]

"For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity." (Proverbs 2:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need Jesus' wisdom today? How can you intentionally seek His counsel in this situation?


Day 2: Embracing Divine Power
As Mighty God, Jesus demonstrates His power through miraculous works and His resurrection. This power assures us that He is capable of overcoming any challenge we face. His strength is not just a historical fact but a present reality that provides us with hope and confidence. By trusting in His power, we can face life's difficulties with assurance, knowing that He is with us and for us. His ultimate return will reveal His power in its fullness, but even now, we can experience His might in our daily lives. [18:10]

"Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17, ESV)

Reflection: What is a current challenge you are facing that seems insurmountable? How can you rely on Jesus' power to help you overcome it?


Day 3: Resting in Eternal Care
Jesus, as our Everlasting Father, offers eternal care and provision. Unlike earthly fathers who may tire, Jesus never does. His constant presence and protection are assured, providing us with a sense of security and peace. In a world where relationships can be fleeting and unreliable, His love remains steadfast and unchanging. We can rely on Him to support and guide us through every season of life, knowing that His care is both personal and eternal. [23:10]

"Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save." (Isaiah 46:4, ESV)

Reflection: How can you rest in the assurance of Jesus' eternal care today? What steps can you take to trust Him more fully in your daily life?


Day 4: Experiencing True Peace
As the Prince of Peace, Jesus reconciles us with God, offering a peace that transcends circumstances. This peace is both with God, through the forgiveness of sins, and of God, providing comfort and assurance in life's challenges. In a world filled with turmoil and unrest, His peace is a precious gift that calms our hearts and minds. By embracing His peace, we can navigate life's storms with a sense of calm and assurance, knowing that He is in control. [26:33]

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need Jesus' peace? How can you invite Him to bring His peace into this situation today?


Day 5: Receiving the Greatest Gift
The greatest gift we can receive is Jesus Himself. To experience His wisdom, power, care, and peace, we must first accept Him as our Savior and Lord. This decision transforms our lives, allowing us to fully embrace the hope and joy of Christmas. By receiving Jesus, we open our hearts to His transformative power, experiencing the fullness of His love and grace. This Christmas, may we see Jesus more clearly and experience His presence in a deeper way. [31:18]

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12, ESV)

Reflection: Have you fully received Jesus as your Savior and Lord? What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with Him and experience His transformative power in your life?

Right, good to see you guys. If you've never been introduced, my name is Connor Bales, and it's my joy to serve as the pastor here at the North Campus of our church. I'm just delighted to have you in worship.

So grateful for our friend Charles Billingsley leading us this morning. Y'all pray for Charles. We are hoping he learns to use that gift at some point, you know what I mean? What a voice, what a gift. We are blessed indeed.

I want to just echo what Tasha mentioned a moment ago with the welcome and encourage all of you to make your plans for our Christmas Eve candlelight services. These are my favorite services of our year, for sure. It's the only service of the year that my entire family gets to come and be a part of the service together. It is just so special for the Bales. I know it is significant for so many of you.

And I want to encourage you not only to make your plans but to start thinking about inviting your neighbors and your family members that live locally or maybe in town, and just start thinking about how you're going to be ready to celebrate. We start at noon and go through all afternoon. Every hour and a half, we'll have an additional service. So please make your plans now to join us for what is going to be one of the most significant services of our calendar year.

We are in the middle of the Advent calendar. This is our Advent series, the Hope of Christmas. We began this a few weeks ago talking about a hope before, talking about the Christ before He showed up on the scene, and all the prophecies that talked about the person and coming of Jesus.

Then we talked last Sunday about the hope from above, specifically studying the divinity of Jesus out of John chapter 1. John gives us, right at the introduction of his gospel, seven characteristics of the Christ child that help us to understand that Jesus is God in the flesh, God who came to dwell among us.

Specifically, we talked about that Jesus is eternal, that he is the creator, that he is divine, that he is life, he is light, he is the victor, and ultimately he is Emmanuel, which means God is with us.

And we're seeking this Advent season to try to gain a fuller picture, if you will, like a 360-degree perspective on the person of the Christ at Christmas. We want to gain the fullest, clearest understanding this Christmas season because the hope of our heart is that this will be the first time that we're going to be able to see Jesus.

That this would be the most significant, spiritually significant Christmas in all of our lives. That we would see Jesus most clearly this Christmas season and experience his grace and his goodness as we enjoy his gifts, perhaps unlike we've ever done before.

And so today, beyond seeing his divinity as we did last Sunday, today we're going to talk about his humanity. That this is, in fact, God with us, Emmanuel. That God has put on human flesh and he's entered into our world for the purposes of rescuing and saving us from our sin.

In particular, the way we're going to study this morning is by looking at some of the names that are associated with Jesus. These are descriptors, ways in which the Bible tells us we can identify more about the character and the nature, ultimately the person and the work, of Jesus who God sent to save.

And we would agree that names are significant. Names matter. Often a name can tell us a great deal about how we should understand someone or something. In the Bales family, we are blessed with five children. And of my five children, their names are all special and beautiful and significant in their own unique ways.

Mary and I decided to utilize family names for our children. So Coleman, my son, is a surname. Catherine is Mary's middle name. Elizabeth is one of my grandmothers. And Hannah is after an aunt.

And so we have all these significant family names until God blessed us with our fifth, Campbell. And we were tired, and I was inspired by a can of soup. I mean, I'm serious. You know what I mean? I was just tired. But four out of five isn't bad, and you get into the Hall of Fame for that.

But names are significant. They're significant for us. I love seeing the way young couples that are blessed with family go about choosing names. And the Bible says they're significant for our understanding of the Christ child.

In Isaiah chapter 9, if you have your Bibles, that's where I'm going to direct you to this morning. Go to the Old Testament prophet of Isaiah. Because in chapter 9, the prophet tells us that there is coming a rescue from God in the form of a child to be born.

And here is how we are to understand or identify the nature and the character of that rescue in the person of Jesus Christ. In Isaiah chapter 9, really the context is, this is a prophet. A prophet is an Old Testament mouthpiece for God.

So someone that God had raised up to speak God's truth to God's people. And as Isaiah is prophesying to God's people, Israel is the primary place where he directs his people to God.

And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet. And he's a prophet.

And the reason it is so necessary for the Jewish people in the nation of Israel to hear this rebuke often that came from the prophet Isaiah is because there are people divided.

So the affections of their heart, the allegiances of their souls are somewhat fractured. It's divided because they have allowed the worship of pagan gods from neighboring nations to infiltrate into their own measure and form of worship.

And so they are worshiping God, Yahweh, and also worshiping pagan gods alongside him. And we know that God has no rival. And anytime a person who belongs to God has this conflict of idolatry where someone or something is competing with God to sit on the throne of our soul, then we are going to suffer inevitable consequences because God has no rival.

And so Isaiah is God's man raised up, and he is telling these people, hey, stop worshiping and chasing after other things and trying to make those things equivalent with God. And I would say it's as prevalent a message for us today.

Anytime you find someone whose heart is divided, whose allegiances and whose affections are trying to be shared between God and anyone or anything less than him, you're going to have your world turned upside down because God has no rival.

And so Isaiah says, in light of this, you are a people in rebellion. You're going to suffer the consequences of your rebellion, and God is going to ultimately send you a rescue.

And Isaiah 9 is the prophetic message of the coming Christ child. Start with me in verse number six, Isaiah chapter nine, starting in verse six. If you're there, say, "I got it."

"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.

Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."

There's so much to a name. And the names that are given here as identifiers, as descriptors of the coming Christ are important for us to see and understand if we're going to gain the fullest picture of Jesus.

So the first name is Wonderful Counselor. Jesus is Wonderful Counselor. In the original Hebrew, that word for wonderful can literally be translated as incomprehensible. It is beyond our understanding.

It's actually found one other place in the Old Testament. In Judges chapter 13, the Bible records a conversation that scholars tell us was a theophany. This was an Old Testament appearance of God in the flesh.

And the angel of God showing up, God in the flesh, has a conversation with a man named Samson's father. Some of you remember Samson with the long hair and he got tripped up by his relationship with Delilah.

And so Samson's father has a conversation with an angel of God. And in this conversation, he wants to know, hey, what do I call you? Here's what the Bible says. Judges 13:18, "The Lord said to him, 'Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful? It is beyond your comprehension. It is too great for you to understand.'"

And this makes sense to assign wonderful, beyond comprehension, incomprehensible with Jesus because so much about Jesus is difficult for us to grasp.

Like think about his conception, that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit's overshadowing, a virgin named Mary. How about his birth? That it just so happened that history orchestrated that a census should be taken, and this young engaged couple would leave their hometown of Nazareth and make their way to their town of origin known as Bethlehem at the particular time when the Christ was going to be born, except that that's exactly what thousands of years before the prophecies had said would take place.

It's beyond comprehension. Think about his miracles when Jesus shows up on the scene. The very first miracle he performs is at a wedding ceremony when he turns water into wine.

Think about the authority of his teaching that many times Jesus would teach. The Bible says in the synagogues was such an authority that even though it ruffled the feathers of the ruling religious elite, they didn't know how to respond because he taught as one who had an authority beyond their comprehension.

Think about his perfect sinless life. It was never said about Jesus like might be said about you and me. Nobody's ever reminiscing and saying, "You remember that time when Jesus was a junior in high school?"

And some of them boys spray painted on the backside of the concession stand. I'm not saying that happened. I'm saying, I'm just saying what if, but nobody said that about Jesus because his sinless perfect life was beyond our comprehension.

How about his sacrificial death? No one volunteers to say, "I'll take their place so they can have mine." And how about his victory in resurrection that Jesus Christ has conquered sin, death, hell, and the grave? He is alive. It is beyond comprehension.

So wonderful, incomprehensible seems appropriate. But then he says he's Wonderful Counselor. The word counselor there in the original language identifies a person of both extraordinary wisdom and power.

Think about King Solomon, the wisest person of authority who ever lived. Jesus is the ultimate wise counselor. His wisdom is referenced throughout the scriptures.

In fact, in the Gospel of John, John talks about his wisdom showing up. He talks about his wisdom showing up. He talks about his wisdom showing up and that Jesus knew people with a wisdom at their core.

He says, "In John 2:24-25, Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them because he knew all people and he needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."

Paul writes and he tells the Colossian church that Jesus has this wisdom and this power in such a way that it's almost like he's hidden all the mysteries of God.

It says specifically, "I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those that lay out to see you and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

So Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. And when the Bible says that he's the Wonderful Counselor with a wisdom and an authority and a power that is beyond our comprehension, it makes perfect sense for us to understand that embodied in the fullness of Christ, he has unmatched wisdom and unmatched authority.

He is the one who works in power and beyond our comprehension or in a way in which we cannot fully appreciate or understand, which is why it is so important that we recognize this is the God whom we have access to.

I don't know how many of you remember the television show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? But it was a television show that was basically trivia, and there was multiple choice.

And when a contestant moved through the questions, then they got progressively more difficult. And then as they got closer to earning that million-dollar prize, they had one option if they found themselves stuck not knowing the answer.

And that option was to phone a friend. And there were a couple of great moments in that television series when someone would get to a place where they were stuck, and maybe they're really getting close to the million-dollar question, and they would phone a friend live on television and they would ask that friend that question that they themselves could not and did not have the answer for.

And there were a couple of great moments when that friend would say, "Man, I have no idea." You know what I mean? Those are the best moments, you know, because you kind of like that moment of tension and awkwardness and then they're just left stuck with a guess.

Listen, fam, Jesus is Wonderful Counselor, a counselor of wisdom and authority and power beyond our comprehension. So why would we not phone that friend?

Why would we ever hesitate to reach out and to ask? Why would we ever take the posture of, "I don't want to bother him with that. I don't want to ask him that. I'm not going to annoy him with this."

Why do we ask so many other things? Why do we Google so much other stuff and yet we don't go to our knees and talk to the Wonderful Counselor who is available?

He is available to us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is waiting for our call. He is the Wonderful Counselor.

Beyond that, he is Mighty God. What a great term. This term is interesting because unlike the other three identifiers given to the person of Christ—Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace—those are identifiers that have been also associated with ancient Jewish people.

But this Mighty God is most closely associated in the scriptures with ancient military leaders. So this speaks about a power and a rule that Jesus himself brings because as the Mighty God, he rules as the leader of heaven's armies like no other king who has ever been.

In fact, in Deuteronomy chapter 10, the Bible speaks about Jesus in these terms. It says, "For the Lord your God is a God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who is not partial and takes no bribe."

What a great description of his power. And again, think with me, the pure power of Jesus as Mighty God shows up in primary ways. One was through his miraculous works.

You want to talk about power? Just one story in the New Testament tells us that a woman with a 12-year bleeding disorder who had exhausted her family's resources trying to find a cure for her disease, that she has such faith, she just gets near enough to touch Jesus' clothing.

And the Bible says power goes out from him and she is instantly healed. That's miraculous power. That is a Mighty God.

But how about through his miraculous words? Y'all remember the story of the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee and Jesus is asleep in the belly of the boat?

And all of a sudden, a storm kicked up. The disciples are taking on water and the waves are getting too much, and they're afraid they're going to crash and ultimately drown.

So they go down, they wake Jesus from his nap, and Jesus comes up. And in my mind's eye, all he said is, "Hey, wind, knock it off." And the storm immediately stops.

That's power that by his word, Jesus makes the wind and the waves obey, right? This is the Mighty God.

The Bible says then in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 30, his power is on full display when he returns. "Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

I would say our Mighty God is most clearly seen as strong in his return because of his resurrection. Like in John chapter 10 and verse 18, the Bible says that Jesus had the power to lay his life down, but he had the power to take it up again. Like that's strength.

And here's why this matters so much, because I don't know how many of you grew up singing the children's song, "Jesus Loves Me."

"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong," right?

Now here's the thing. That is a beautiful children's song that instills a truth about this Mighty God. But as I mentioned last Sunday, we cannot perceive that the baby in the manger is weakness, but rather it's humility, strength that is under control.

Because Jesus is the Mighty God. And the evidence of his strength is that he is the God who conquered sin, death, hell, and the grave, and he died.

And the evidence that he is Mighty God, he is the one who came the first time as the sacrificial lamb. He comes again as the lion of the tribe of Judah.

And so he is coming to rule and to reign and to usher in his kingdom in which you and I will live. He is the Mighty God.

Jesus is not only Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God, but he is Everlasting Father. Everlasting Father. This can literally be translated as the Father of Eternity.

In fact, in the original Hebrew, the word there for everlasting means in perpetuity or something without an end. And so Jesus as the Messiah, as the Savior, is described as the Everlasting Father.

It's best understood as Jesus being the Savior who is the father to a nation or the father to a people. And let's also understand what this is not saying.

This is not saying that Jesus really is the Father. There are some false religions who have attempted to argue that Isaiah 9:6 is proof texting a unity of God arguing against the Trinity of God.

But that's not Isaiah's point at all. He is not saying Jesus is the replacement of our Heavenly Father. What he is doing is describing the way in which we can understand Jesus like a dad who has no end, like a dad who has no quit.

And as every good father does, Jesus protects and provides specifically for those whom God has sent him to redeem. So Jesus as the Messiah, as our Savior, he most obviously protects and provides for us through his salvation.

And that work is everlasting. You know, every good dad tries to protect and provide for their kids. I was blessed with a great dad.

And when I was in high school, I was obsessed with basketball. And many evenings, late at night, after my dad had worked a really long, hard day, and we had had family dinner, then I would want to go work out and would want to go shoot jump shots.

And my dad, I could talk him into going with me, and we would go to a local park there in Coppell, and my dad would rebound and feed me the basketball for hours until eventually he would go, "Connor, I am so tired."

But he was a good dad who wanted to provide for me. My son Coleman is 18 years old. He's a competitive golfer.

And there are a couple of golf tournaments now that I am allowed to caddy for him. And that's really all there is. And so the rest of the time, I'm just cheering and encouraging from the sides.

But there's one tournament in particular that he played last summer. It's three days. It's 54 holes. And you have to walk all 18 every day.

And so I am grabbing his bag and schlepping his clubs and trying to help him as we walk this golf course last summer. And on one day, we had a thunderstorm and we were out at the furthest point away on the golf course.

So we got totally caught in the rain. And listen, after day two, I am exhausted, worn out, but I tried to provide.

And so when you and I have had these fractional moments with our fallen, imperfect, earthly dads, and they have been really, really sweet with their protection and their provision, it is the smallest glimpse of the way in which we understand the relationship with our heavenly father, most clearly visible in his son, Jesus Christ, only where we get tired and eventually we say, "Son, I'm just all worn out."

Our heavenly father never tires. Jesus never tires. Wears out. And so we can count on him and we can rest in him and we can trust in him because he is the Everlasting Father.

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. And then Prince of Peace. By holding the title of Prince, that would be a title reserved for royalty only.

So it speaks to this royal authority that the prophet is assigning to the Christ. And then the word peace itself that Jesus gives and that said is he is the Prince of Peace.

It's understood to be this all-encompassing type of peace. So we understand this peace that Jesus ushers in as the Prince of our peace accomplishes two things.

One, it brings us the peace with God. You recognize that your sin separates you from God. And that separation has caused us to be at enmity with God.

So there is this division that exists. And it's only because of the sacrifice of Jesus that that peace is then ushered in. And that relationship that was divided is now ultimately in Christ Jesus restored.

The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. In Romans chapter five, in verse one, the Bible says, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," which means that if you are not in Christ, you do not have peace with God.

There's still a separation that exists. Our sin separates us, but through Jesus and his sacrifice in our place, taking the punishment for our sin, we now have been reconciled and have peace with God.

But it's an all-encompassing peace. So beyond just the peace with God that forgives our sins, we have the peace of God.

This is the transcendent peace that describes no matter what we're going through, what we've been in, or what we find ourselves trying to climb over, whatever difficulty life may bring, there's a peace that's available to us.

In fact, Jesus himself explained this gift of peace that he brings. He said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. So let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

The Apostle Paul says this is a peace that carries a promise. I quote this to people often when we're having counseling conversations or moments of specific prayer because Paul tells the Philippian church not to be anxious, not anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition.

That word for petition is supplication. It's the asking of God for something. And it says that not to be anxious, but in everything by prayer and petition, make your requests known to God and the peace of God.

Now watch, which surpasses all understanding. Doesn't that sound like it's wonderful peace? Doesn't that sound like it's a peace that is beyond comprehension?

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. And here's the promise. "We'll guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus."

And so we have a peace with God because Jesus died so that we might experience the forgiveness of our sin. But we can also have the peace of God so that even when we find ourselves in the most difficult moments of our lives, we know that Jesus is standing beside us.

And see, there are some of you who are here this morning, and certainly some of you who are tuning in online. And this is not a season of peace for you.

Everything that's going on feels like the opposite of peace. But the promise of God in Jesus is that because he gives us peace with God, we can then know we have the peace of God, and that transcends whatever it is.

It's peace with a promise we find ourselves having to go through. And ultimately, to know the most about this Christ at Christmas, we can get a lot from seeing him described as a Wonderful Counselor and a lot from seeing him described as a Mighty God and a lot of understanding about his power from seeing him described as an Everlasting Father and a lot of his grace as seeing Jesus described to us as the Prince of Peace.

But ultimately, nothing tells us more than the simplicity of the name which was given to him when he was born.

See, the Bible records this powerful moment when this young husband-to-be has an encounter with an angel, and this young man named Joseph was told that his fiancée was going to be found with child and that this was a surprise.

This was a supernatural work of God, and despite your not understanding exactly how it could happen and whether or not you should quietly divorce her and try to pursue a new life in a new way, this angel of God says, "No, there's a divine purpose that God is orchestrating through your family, and it will culminate in the birth of your son."

And pay attention to what the angel says he is to be named. The Bible says in Matthew 1, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sin.'"

My question for you and what has been on my heart all week long is whether or not you have received the greatest gift in all of human history, the gift of Jesus, because his purpose is singular.

He has come to save his people from their sins. And so for you to know Jesus as this Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God and an Everlasting Father and your Prince of Peace, you must first submit to him as your Savior and invite him into your life as your Lord.

And I just happen to believe that there are some of you who are here in the room this morning and you have never given your life to Jesus.

I mean, you've been around the things of God. You've spent a great deal of time, maybe even in church or with people who, you know, walk faithfully with him every single day.

But you yourself have never made a determination that you are going to ask Jesus personally, individually to save you from your sins. I'm telling you that God loves you so much that he sent his only son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.

And so if you will confess your need for Jesus, "Jesus, I'm a sinner. And I am choosing today to trust you as my Savior and I invite you into my life. Take it over. You are my Lord."

And if you pray that prayer and you mean that, the Bible says everyone who calls on him is saved and your eternity has forever been changed.

And so you'll start seeing that wise counselor working in ways that you don't fully understand, that Mighty God that we sang about since we were little kids, flexing through the miraculous works and by his miraculous word, that Everlasting Father.

So in all the ways our amazing earthly dads just sometimes tire out, our heavenly Father never does. And you'll see the Prince of Peace that because you have experienced the peace with God, you can now have the peace of God even if this is a season of chaos and anything but calm for you.

There are others of you here, and that is exactly where you find yourselves to be. It's just chaotic. And maybe you have a need in your life that you need to pray and ask God to provide some sense of supernatural peace so that you can endure.

If that's you today, just like those who prayed and asked Christ to save them, I'm going to invite you to come forward and to share with the ministers of our church about the need that you have in your life.

And we'll pray with you and for you, trusting that God will walk alongside you. And the scriptures are true when they say you will never be alone.

If you have decided that you want to make Prestonwood Church your home, man, we welcome you. And today is a great day for you to join our family of faith. That's what we are, by the way, we're a family.

And we would invite you to partner with us and run after as a part of our family everything that God seems to be entrusting to us.

And yet maybe some of you saw those courageous folks get in the baptistry. So God saved you at some point, but for whatever reason, you've never celebrated that salvation through believers' baptism.

Did you see the way the church responds? This is such an incredible thing. And if you have been inspired and encouraged by watching their testimony, is it possible somebody might be inspired and encouraged by watching yours?

But that happens through obedience when you decide that you want to be baptized because God has saved you. Jesus is the greatest gift God has ever given.

We're going to open some really amazing things in the next several weeks, and it's going to be a blast. But what a tragedy for us to fail to receive the gift of salvation that is available to every person who chooses to trust in Jesus Christ today.

I'm going to pray. When I say amen, we'll stand, we'll lift our voices in song, and you'll have an invitation to respond.

I do have a request. Let's try to minimize the movement in the room. This happens to be the most sensitive part of the service, and I want God's spirit to speak clearly to every person who feels compelled to respond and exercise faith.

Father, in Jesus' name, thank you for who you are and all that you've done. Father, I pray now as we enter into this time of invitation and worship response that those who are here today and need to exercise faith to believe in you for salvation, to provide peace in circumstance, whatever it is, God, to join in faith as a part of our family here at church or to be baptized in celebration of what you alone have done.

God, move in this place, move in our hearts. We ask it in Jesus' name, amen.

As you look up, would you stand up? Because we're going to lift our voices up and give God our praise.

Come to the altar. Who else? Come to the altar today.

Church family, I love you. And the invitation never closes at our church. So if you would like to have a quiet conversation with someone about a decision you've made, just come forward when we're dismissed in just a moment.

There'll be some ministry leaders here at the front of the room that would love to pray with or for you. Or if you want to have a conversation with staff or volunteer team, then we would love to connect with you right out in the middle of the atrium at Guest Central.

We can get you information about how to get into a life group or how to get more connected with our church because we believe that God has created us. We're connected and that we're better together.

And I do love you. And I'm grateful to God for each and every one of you.

And as we began last Sunday, we are going to continue our Christmas Advent tradition. And we are going to sing a Christmas hymn. This is Caleb's favorite thing that we are doing this Christmas season.

So let's lift our voices. Hark the Herald, newborn King. I saw some of you Scrooges not singing, but I love you anyway. Merry Christmas.