Pastoral Letter 144
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace, Hope, Peace, Joy and Love to you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
By God’s grace we have reached to the last week and the last Sunday of the year 2022 and this year Christmas coincides with the last Sunday. As we look back and reflect on yet another challenging year, we can only give thanks to God for being with us, helping us on the way and providing all our needs. He has kept us safe and blessed us in so many ways, for which we have to be grateful. Christ, our Saviour and the Light of the world has come to enlighten the dark world and our lives and give us hope, not only for this world and the life we have, but hope for a better life in eternity with Him in His everlasting Kingdom.
With these thoughts we prepare for our Christmas Eve Service to be held this evening at 7:00 pm on the Lawn and tomorrow for our Christmas Service. Next Sunday, 1 January 2023 we will have our first Sunday Service of the year. As we come to the end of the year and look forward for a New Year, let us be hopeful and trust God once again to lead us and be with us regardless of what may happen.
On Tuesday, I delivered a full carload of food and Christmas gifts to Exodus Foundation that we have collecting in the last several weeks, which was well received at the very busy centre in Ashfield preparing for Christmas celebrations. I met Rev. Bill Crews as I was unloading the gifts and he expressed his thanks and well wishes to us, for continuing faithfully to support the Foundation as much as we can. Thank you for your support and donations, which will make a difference to those who are less fortunate.
If you will not be able to join us for worship tomorrow, please light a candle and worship with us from home following the attached Order of Christmas Service. Our message for tomorrow is taken from Bible Study Fellowship devotional, “A Christmas Devotion” based on Isaiah 9:6-7 reflecting on the names given to Jesus. I wanted to share with you this BSF’s well-presented devotional.
Have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. May God’s blessing be with you and remain with you.
Be safe and well, continue to pray, remembering those who need care, support and love and let me know if any member of the congregation that you know of needs our help and prayers.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for the New Year to be a good year for all and ask God to be with us, as He was in the past.
- Pray for the 120,000 people of Artsakh as they face a humanitarian crisis, with the blockade continuing for the 13th day by Azerbaijan.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, the struggling and the stressed.
- Pray for those who are unwell and struggling with different kinds of medical issues.
- Pray for world peace and ask for God’s blessings.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Best Regards,
Krikor
MESSAGE
He will be Called
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 Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The words of Isaiah 9:6-7 are poetic and beautifully written. We repeat them in Christmas services, post them on social media, and sing them in worship to the One who inspired them.
But when was the last time we paused to reflect on these names of Jesus?
What do they tell us about the Saviour we worship?
We will explore the deeper meaning behind this beloved passage in this devotional, which could help us discover a renewed joy this Christmas season.
1. The Government will be on His Shoulders
What comes to mind when we picture a king? Do we see royal robes, a crown, or maybe a palace? While many nations still have monarchies, very few of us are governed by modern-day kings alone. But during the time of the prophet Isaiah, a king commanded absolute authority. Benevolent, compassionate and caring kings meant prosperity for the people. Harsh and cruel kings oppressed the poor and crushed the needy.
For generations, the people of Israel placed their hope in human rulers who led them down a dark path toward destruction. Into the people’s despair, God spoke these words, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulders …”
The people longed for a compassionate king, but God gave them something unimaginably greater. Setting His crown and royal robes aside, God Himself descended from heaven in the person of Jesus. Instead of ruling with an iron fist or as a distant king, Jesus entered as a servant leader, born to shoulder the people’s burdens.
Isaiah could have described Jesus as a King with “the government as His footstool.” Instead, we read “… the government will be on his shoulders.” Jesus chose to bear the weight of His authority, offering rest to a weary people.
Too often we choose to carry our own burdens. We find ourselves crushed under worry and anxiety. Isaiah reminds us that Jesus stands tall under the weight of the world. He is able to carry the loads of sin, sorrow, and suffering that threaten to crush us. And nothing is beneath His tender care.
What do we need to surrender to Jesus this Christmas?
What are we trying to control on we own?
2. Wonderful Counsellor
“And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor” (Is. 9. 6b)
The people of Israel and Judah suffered for generations under kings who refused to follow God’s direction. God sent prophet after prophet, but these kings relied on their own knowledge, seeking counsel from those who said what they wanted to hear. Isaiah’s listeners needed a Wonderful Counsellor, and so do we.
In point 1 we reflected on Jesus as a King who came to serve His people. Now, we discover who this King really is. In the Old Testament, names were used to define the individual they represented. In calling Jesus Wonderful Counsellor, Isaiah does more than assign an empty title; he reveals an important aspect of Christ’s identity.
When we hear the word “counsellor,” we may imagine a friend who shares good advice or someone with limited office hours who offers professional guidance. But Jesus is so much more. As the Wonderful Counsellor, His wisdom is beyond our comprehension. It is divine, eternal, limitless. His counsel offers more than helpful guidance, it holds the power to truly transform.
As Wonderful Counsellor, Jesus turned the world upside down. He traded a life of splendour to be born in a stable and exchanged His heavenly crown for one of thorns. For many, Jesus’ wisdom fell on deaf ears. But for those with ears to hear, He offers eternal life.
At its core, the Christmas story is a challenge to worldly thinking. Who would choose an insignificant town as the birthplace for a king? Or make a world-changing announcement to a field of nearby shepherds?
No earthly strategist would orchestrate the birth of a king this way. But God’s ways are not ours. “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:27, 30).
This Christmas, the world will offer plenty of advice. We will be tempted to strain for more friends, more things, more perfect moments. But the illusion of the world’s Christmas leaves us disappointed. We end up feeling empty when we put our faith in manufactured happiness.
How will the Wonderful Counsellor turn our Christmas upside down?
Maybe we will find the ability to forgive or the courage to share the gospel. Perhaps we will discover contentment in our circumstances or joy in the miraculous gift of His birth. Wherever we need wisdom this Christmas, Jesus stands ready for those who humbly seek Him.
3. Mighty God
“And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, …” (Isaiah 9:6b)
At Christmas, we celebrate a baby in a manger. We sing about a silent night when God quietly entered the world. All was calm, all was bright. When we picture this lowly birth in a little town of Bethlehem, the word “mighty” may not come to mind. Isaiah 9:6 reminds us that despite His simple beginnings, the infant Jesus was God in the flesh. He was present for the world’s creation; He was there for the parting of the Red Sea. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the Deliverer the Israelites longed to see.
Jesus was not forced to be “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). He willingly chose the cross. He alone could bear the weight of sin, conquer death, and extend forgiveness for eternity. In Jesus’ weakness, we find His strength. Through His lowly birth, we discover just how mighty our God truly is.
Today, Jesus extends His power to those who put their faith and trust in Him. Nothing is beyond the God who conquered Satan, sin, and death on the cross. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:37-39).
What are we facing this Christmas?
What feels too big to conquer on our own?
Where do we feel weak?
When we face trials and tribulations, our Mighty God displays His strength. He is the God who conquered armies and made a way in the wilderness. He is the One who healed the sick and raised the dead. This Christmas, we celebrate Jesus as the Mighty God who came to save the lost and set the captives free.
How will we rely on God’s might this Christmas?
4. Everlasting Father
“And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6b)
Throughout Scripture, we are familiar with the person of God as Father, but why would this name be used to describe the Son? In Isaiah 9, each name is carefully chosen to describe Jesus’ relationship to His people. We rely on Him as Wonderful Counsellor and Mighty God. Today, we discover that His love for us is deeper than a king to a subject; it is the unique bond of a father to a child.
For many of us, the word ‘father’ carries weight. Some experienced secure childhoods under a father who protected and loved those in his care. Others bear the scars of a father who failed to fill this role. In a world broken by sin, earthly fathers fall short. But Isaiah shows us that Jesus is not like any earthly father. His love is everlasting. He protects, cares, corrects, counsels, and comforts. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9).
Jesus came to bring more than comfort. Like only a true father would, He sacrificed everything for the redemption of His children. Offering His life to pay for the eternal death we deserved, Jesus secured our heavenly future.
Surrounded by sin and brokenness, we will face trials and struggles. The world will attempt to draw us away from the One who calls us His own. Jesus stands ready to guard and protect. When we fail or go astray, He pursues us and draws us back into the safety of His outstretched arms. This Everlasting Father shields us from defeat and despair. Through His Word, we hear His voice. Through the Holy Spirit, we feel His presence.
This Christmas, we can rest in the Everlasting Father’s gift of eternal security. We can also share the gift of this good news with others. As we gather with friends and family, consider who needs the hope of an Everlasting Father.
5. Prince of Peace
“And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6b)
As we complete our reflection on Isaiah 9:6, Jesus’ mission and heart for His people becomes clear. He is a King who bears the weight of our burdens, extends wisdom, exudes strength, and compassionately protects His people. In this final name, Prince of Peace, we discover the height of His ultimate authority and the depth of His sacrifice on the cross.
For Isaiah’s original listeners, the word ‘peace’ held layered significance. Spiralling toward war and destruction, Israel and Judah’s histories were marked by short seasons of harmony. Generations of kings rejected God’s Word, but God extended peace to those who listened. By the time Isaiah prophesied to the kings of Judah, chaos reigned. For a war-torn people, the Prince of Peace offered hope.
Today, we also long for peace. We try to balance chaos and minimize conflict, but the reality of a broken world seeps through. When we finally control one area of life, another quickly unravels. Even the promise of a Christmas season may be marked by conflict or strained relationships.
As Prince of Peace, Jesus offers an eternal solution. Born into the chaos of a fallen world, Jesus declared war on sin and death. Through His sacrifice and resurrection, He secured our victory—assurance of peace for eternity for all who call Him Lord. “’Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
As Christians, we are no longer slaves to the chaos of sin. We are ruled by the Prince of Peace. When worry and anxiety take our thoughts captive, we cling to the words of John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
This Christmas, we can enjoy the peace of Christ and share it with those around us. Through the power of the gospel, we can learn to be peacemakers. We can set our worries and anxieties aside, trusting in the One who purchased our peace.
Where do we need the peace of Christ this Christmas?
How can we extend this peace to others?
6. An Everlasting Kingdom
“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.” (Isaiah 9:7)
Take a moment to reflect on what we have learned about Jesus this week. What do these names mean to us?
• Wonderful Counsellor
• Mighty God
• Everlasting Father
• Prince of Peace
Separately, each element of Jesus’ character is worthy of praise. Collectively, they astonish. The greatest earthly leaders pale in comparison with the King described by Isaiah.
What would a kingdom under this King look like? Isaiah 9:7 gives us a glimpse.
Words like “peace,” “justice,” and “righteousness” fill us with hope.
Like Isaiah’s early listeners, we crave a world without war, poverty, sickness, and sin. We long for a day when the world will be new again.
What do we face this Christmas?
Do we grieve the loss of a loved one?
Are we struggling with finances?
Do we long for harmony in our family?
When the world threatens to steal our joy, Isaiah 9:7 promises that our hardships are only temporary. We look forward with expectation to an eternity without conflict or pain. One day our sorrows will fade, and our joy will be complete.
During Christmas, we get a glimpse of what Christ’s eternal kingdom will bring. We marvel at the beauty of decorations, enjoy the fellowship of family and friends, experience the generosity of giving and receiving gifts, and set aside time to worship our King.
But when the decorations are put away and our everyday rhythms return, the joy of Christmas can remain for those who look forward to Christ’s coming kingdom.
This Christmas, we can look beyond the lights and the laughter as we celebrate our Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
Amen!