The Mighty God

Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 has been our text for these evening hours. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.

And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. We've been discussing the fact that when the government of our lives is on his shoulder, then he is to us and he does for us all that we need. He takes care of the dullness of life because his name is Wonderful.

He takes care of the decisions of life because his name is Counselor. And he takes care of the demands of life because his name is the Mighty God. We're living in a tremendous age of power.

I can recall a picture in our history book when I was in about fifth or sixth grade. I used to sit and look at this picture. It was one of the few pictures in the book that was multicolored.

And whenever the teacher was boring, which was often, I used to sit and look at this picture because it showed a train, a rapidly moving train. We don't have many like that today, but it was one of these cross-country kind of things going across the prairie. And next to the train on a horse was a man riding the horse.

And then somehow the artist got a river into the picture. And here was a great dam across a river. And you could just see the power being generated by the hydroelectric plant.

And also it was a boat in the river. How he ever got to that dam, I don't know. But I didn't stay in that class long enough to find out.

And then overhead was one of these, this was back in the dark age, was one of these gigantic two-motored things flying up there, you know. And the idea of this beautiful picture was power. We're living in an age of power.

Why a student today who looked at a picture like that would laugh out loud. Because our young people, our little kids have sat in front of TV sets and watched rockets go off. We have watched people walk on the moon.

We have seen them launch satellites out there. Just magnificent. We're living in a tremendous age of power.

And yet have you ever seen so much weakness? Nations are too weak to be able to get along with each other. Husbands and wives are too weak to be able to build a home. Suicide is now the number two cause of death for young people between 15 and 25, 30.

There are people in the city of Chicago who are too weak to say no to a bottle, a needle. We're living in a tremendous age of physical power and a tremendous age of moral and spiritual weakness. And I'm sure each of us has areas of weakness that we have to contend with.

If the truth were known about each of us, we'd have to say, yes, there's an area in my life where there's not much power. I'm strong in this area and I'm pretty strong in that area. But when it comes to this particular thing, I'm weak.

All of us have to agree with what the Lord said in the garden when he found his disciples sleeping, washed in prey. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. When it comes to doing something wicked, the flesh is strong.

When it comes to doing something righteous, the flesh is weak. Now, the demands of life these days are tremendously great. There used to be a time when life was a little more leisurely.

There weren't quite so many decisions to make. There weren't so many pressures against us, but that time is gone. Remember the story of Daniel Boone, who was sitting on the front porch of his cabin down in Kentucky, and some people went by on the little road that went through the forest, and he called out and said, where are you living? And they called back and said, about 70 miles away.

And he turned to his wife and said, they're getting too close, woman, we're moving. Seventy miles away. Wise.

Today they live on your front porch. The walls, they're right through the wall, there they are. Tremendous demands upon life.

I suppose when Sunday night rolls around in the city of Shoshanna, there are multitudes of people who say, oh my, one more week. Friday evening rolls around, thank goodness I've got two days just to catch up with myself. The demands of life.

Now for the Christian, Jesus Christ is the answer to the demands of life, because he is the mighty God. This name, the mighty God, teaches us three very important lessons about the Lord Jesus, and I'll share them with you tonight. Lesson number one, Jesus Christ is God.

I recall a man coming to my front door many years ago before I was married. I was a student at seminary, and he knocked on the door, and I could instantly tell from the literature he was holding that he belonged to a certain cult. And so I just let him in, and I met him at the door, and he said, like a good, I said, no, I'm not interested.

He said, why? I said, because Jesus Christ is my Savior, and he is God. Oh no, said the man, he's the Son of God, but he's not God. I said, I'm sorry, he's God.

He said, oh, where's that if it's in the Bible? I said, it's not in the Greek. And of course at that time I was studying Greek at the seminary, and I had him. And so I just reached over and got my Greek New Testament, and I said, well here, show me where it isn't.

And of course he became quite flabbergasted, and that was the end of the conversation. But you see, Jesus Christ claims to be God. You see, if he's not God, we're a bunch of fools.

If he's not God, Dick Shiel ought to set up an office down on LaSalle Street someplace, and make money hand over foot instead of going to Ethiopia. If Jesus Christ is not God, let's just sell this building for a dirigible hanger or something, and stop wasting our time worshiping. If Jesus Christ is not God, we're a bunch of fools.

But Jesus Christ is God. You see, he's called here the mighty God. Now if you just turn the page to chapter 10 of the book of Isaiah, and look at verses 20 and 21, you'll find an interesting thing.

And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him who smote them, but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. In truth, the remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. Now the mighty God of verse 21 is the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in verse 20.

In other words, if Jesus Christ is the mighty God, then he is the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. But when you turn over to the Gospel of John, you'll find the Lord Jesus clearly affirming his deity. Now you're going to run across people who will deny the deity of Christ.

He's a good man, he's a great teacher, but he's not God. You better have these verses ready to show them that he is God. John chapter 5, in verse 23.

Jesus says this, that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father who hath sent him. If I stood up next Sunday morning and said, dear people, I want you to honor me the way you honor God, you'd say something has happened to our pastor, he's blown a fuse someplace, because he's not God.

Now they knew what he was talking about. He said, I want you to honor me the way you honor God. I am God.

Over in John chapter 10, our Lord makes a second statement. Of course, the Gospel of John is filled with them, verse 30. I and my Father are one.

Now they got the point, because in verse 31 they took up stones to stone him. For blasphemy, because he says it, they say in verse 33, that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Now these people who say Jesus never claimed to be God, what do you do with John chapter 10? Verses 30 through 33.

I and my Father are one. They pick up stones, you're blaspheming, you're making yourself to be God. He said, that's right, that's exactly what I am.

Over in John chapter 12, verse 44. Jesus cried out and said, he that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. When you believe on me, you're believing on God.

And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. When you look at me, you're looking at God. Now nobody else can make that statement.

Moses couldn't make that statement. Isaiah couldn't make it. But Jesus said.

Of course, the climax is in verse 9 of chapter 14. Have I been such a long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then, so is the Father.

Jesus Christ is God. He claimed to be God. Without any apology.

And he risked his life to make that claim. Now others affirm that Jesus Christ is God. For example, you're in John 14, just turn over to John chapter 20.

Thomas, you will recall, missed the first resurrection appearance of our Lord to the apostles. But he did come to the second meeting. And in verse 27 of John chapter 20, Jesus showed him his hand, his side.

And he said, Be not faithless, but believe him. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. When Jesus said in fact, Thomas, you're confused.

You're making a mistake. He accepted that. Now, if Thomas had said that to Peter, they would have said, Thomas, you're mistaken.

But he says to Jesus, My Lord and my God. Then Jesus accepted that. That's amazing.

Over in Romans chapter 9. The apostle Paul affirms the deity of Christ. Romans chapter 9. Sometimes these cultists say to us, Well, there are no verses in the Bible that call Jesus God. Well, look at Romans chapter 9 and verse 5. Paul is describing the privileges that Israel has.

And he says, Whose are the fathers? And of whom as concerning the flesh, the human nature, Christ came, who is over all God. Blessed forever. Amen.

Now, the only way the cultist has to get around this is to have his own translation. Not only does he have an English translation of Christ, but he has a Greek version that he plays with. But it's rather clear that Jesus Christ is called God.

When you turn the page over to Titus. When Paul wrote to Titus, who was ministering there in Crete. Chapter 2 and verse 13.

Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, there's nothing wrong with our just reversing these words. Looking for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, the great God and our Savior.

Here he called Jesus God. The verse I showed my friend that came to the front door before he vanished into the next door neighbor's house is Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8. He said, You show me one verse in the Bible where it claims that Jesus is God. In Hebrews 1 verse 8. But unto the Son he saith, By Rome, O God, is forever and ever.

How about 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us. Through the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And the Greek language, the little word and.

Create a letter, K-A-I-5. Means connecting things that are equal. We baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Why? Because the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are equal. Through the righteousness of God, even our Savior, Jesus Christ. First John chapter 5. Verse 20.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God. And eternal life.

Now here are a half a dozen verses that make it rather clear that Jesus Christ is God. Which leads me to say this, if he is God, what are you doing with him? Tonight you don't have to make one single decision about Napoleon. He's dead.

Nobody can ask you to make a decision about Lord Nelson. He's dead. But you've got to do something with Jesus Christ because he's alive and he's gone.

Now, if you're not a Christian. You better receive Jesus Christ and say, my Lord and my God. If we are Christians, we better say, my Lord and my God.

If Jesus Christ is God, then what he says to us, we have to obey. There's a second lesson from this name. He's called the mighty God.

Jesus Christ is God. Secondly, Jesus Christ is the mighty God. In Psalm 115, a psalmist was being tortured by the heathen.

Some Egyptian or Greek came to Jerusalem and said, where's your God? You know, down in Athens, we have gods all over the place. Every street corner we have gods. Down in Egypt, we have thousands of gods.

Beetles and bats and birds. We have all sorts of them. Where's your God? And he answers and says, our God is in the heavens.

He hath done whatsoever he would. Then the Jew, who believes in the true and living God, looks at the idols of the heathen. And he says, you know, they have eyes, but they see not.

They have ears, but they hear not. They have noses, but they smell not. And they have mouths, but they speak not.

They have hands, but they handle not. They have feet, but they walk not. And those that worship them are just like them, dead.

But our God is not this way. Our God is the mighty God. Jesus Christ is God, and Jesus Christ is the mighty God.

Now, need I remind this congregation of the power of Jesus Christ? Think of his power in creation. All things were made by him. You know, I have a hard time making anything.

You know this. I've told you many times how helpless I am when it comes to anything that has to do with handicrafts. I couldn't put a model airplane together, if it's true.

And yet here is Jesus Christ, who merely speaks the words, let there be life in his life. All things were made by him. He's the mighty God who made everything in creation.

And by the way, he keeps it together. Paul says over in Colossians chapter 1, By him were all things created, and by him all things hold together. Jesus Christ is the cohesive creator of the universe, and he keeps everything together.

He can keep our lives together. He can keep our homes together. I think of the power of Jesus Christ in history.

Not just in creation, but in history. You know, many people are going to be quoting from Micah this coming Christmas season. Would you look at Micah chapter 5? That's that little verse, verse 2, that tells us about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

Micah 5, 2, But thou, Beth, or him, Jephthah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, That is to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been of old from everlasting. He came down and told Abraham that Sarah was going to have a baby boy. He came down and said to Joshua, You're going to conquer Jericho.

He came down to Gideon and said, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. As you read the Old Testament scriptures, when you read history, You see Jesus Christ, the mighty God. That's why I enjoy reading Old Testament history.

It shows me how powerful his arm is. I think of Jesus Christ and his power when he was here on earth. How he touched the blind eyes and they could see.

How he walked into the funeral procession and said, Young man, arise. How he stepped before the grave of a man who had been dead for four days and said, Lazarus, come forth. His power when he was here on earth.

His greatest demonstration of power was his resurrection. No man taketh my life from me. You aren't going to murder me.

I have the authority to lay down my life. And I have the authority to take it up again. And he did.

Death could not hold her. Pray Jesus, my Savior. He tore the bars away.

Jesus, my Lord. His power in his resurrection. In his ascension.

Colossians indicates in chapter two, That when Jesus ascended up to heaven, The hosts of hell did everything they could to restrain him. And yet he stripped off all principalities and powers. Just like a man would take off his coat.

And he ascended to heaven and now he sits upon the throne of power. And the greatest power in the universe today is the power of Jesus Christ. Issuing from the heavenly throne of God.

He is the mighty God. Which leads us to our third lesson. This might is available to us today.

Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And so whatever he is, is given to us when we trust him.

This might is available to us today. Now I want to show you one of the most amazing prayers in the Bible. Turn to Colossians chapter one.

This is one of the most astounding things anywhere in the word of God. And I am not given to that kind of language. Colossians chapter one, verse nine.

Paul is praying for these Christians. And this is what he says. For this cause we also since the day we heard it.

Do not cease to pray for you. And to desire that he might be filled with the knowledge of his will. In all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

There is nothing difficult about that. He is praying that we might know God's will. That he might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

No problem there. The will of God leads to a pleasing walk with God. Being fruitful in every good work.

No problem there. As you know the will of God. And as you walk with God.

You work for God. And increasing in the knowledge of God. Now here is the amazing statement.

I am praying that you might be strengthened with all might. According to his glorious power. He is praying that you might be almighty.

Now someone stood up in the Wednesday night prayer meeting. And said oh God help me to be almighty. Somebody tapped him on the shoulder and said look we don't pray like that around here.

Paul did. Paul said I don't want you people at Colossae to receive a trickling of his power. I am praying that as you know his will.

And obey his walk. And do his work. You might be strengthened with all might.

I'm praying that he might make you almighty. Now we rebel at a statement like that. But we shouldn't.

We say well that's a bad translation. I wonder what it says in your period or in me. Well it's not a bad translation.

It's good theology. When you read your Bible you discover that God took a hold of weak people. And made them almighty.

Now it goes on to say. Strengthened with all might. According to his glorious power.

You see if you get the glory you get the power. If you get the glory you lose the power. Unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

This all mightiness is not that we might go out and knock people down. This all mightiness is available to us. To give us patience and longsuffering.

And joyfulness as we work for God. And walk with God and do the will of God. The transformation that took place when the Holy Spirit came upon the church was an amazing thing.

Just a few weeks before the apostle Peter had been fringing before the words of a little girl. Oh you're one of his disciples. I don't even know him.

And yet he stands before the people who crucified the Lord Jesus. And he says you denied the Holy One and the Just One. What had he done? Oh but now he was filled with power.

And they could see the difference. The problem today is that we have so depended upon our own strength and upon substitutes. That the world doesn't see any glorious power in us.

Now this power is available to us. We do not manufacture this power. He gives it to us.

And the tense of the verb here strengthened means constantly being strengthened. Not just for the crisis days. Not just when things are falling to pieces.

He tells us here that this power is available to us constantly. Every minute, every hour to give us what we need. Now the one book in the New Testament that emphasizes the almighty power of God more than any other is the book of Revelation.

In my first passage we had a member whom I thought was a great Christian. And she said to me one day whenever I get discouraged. You know what book I read? I thought she'd say the Psalms or John 14 or Romans.

I said no. She said Revelation. I said Revelation is a complicated book.

I know that because it's a great book. Because Revelation teaches me that no matter what happens God ends up on top. And so I took my concordance and took my Bible and lo and behold she was right.

Revelation chapter 1 verse 8. I am the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the ending. Who is and who was and who is to come.

The almighty. That's one of the great names of God in the book of Revelation. The almighty.

Here's the power of the Roman Empire but God's power is almighty. Here's the power of Satan but God's power is almighty. Here's the world system and the nations of the world gathered against God.

But God's power is almighty. Chapter 4 verse 8. And the four living creatures rest not day and night saying holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty. Those four living creatures represent God's creation.

And all of creation says he's almighty. Over in chapter 11 of the book of Revelation verse 17. The elders fall before God saying we give thanks oh Lord God almighty.

Who are and was and are to come. Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and has reigned. You see heaven's not worried about NATO.

Heaven's not worried about the economic situation. Because heaven looks upon the face of one who is almighty. Chapter 15 and verse 3 of the book of Revelation.

Here's the martyrs who got victory over the beast and they sing the song of Moses. The servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying great and marvelous are thy works. Lord God almighty.

Now you can praise it the rest of the way yourself. Over and over again in the book of Revelation you find God is the almighty one. Now why is this book written? To let people know who was suffering.

Don't worry. Don't give up. Don't lose your testimony.

Don't quit. This book was written to people who were going to be thrown to the land. This book was written from John the Apostle who was in exile out in the middle of nowhere.

On the Isle of Patna working in a salt mine. Here's an old man on a little island surrounded by the waters. And he can't look out and he won't look down and he won't look back.

Until he looks up. When he looks up he sees the Lord God almighty. And the amazing thing is this mic is available to us today.

We've been lingering in Ephesians in our Sunday morning services. But may I have you turn there to chapter 1. I preached on this but I'm going to mention it to you tonight as we close. Ephesians chapter 1. Paul prays for us.

Verse 18. The eyes of your heart being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe. According to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ. When he raised him from the dead.

And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion. And every name of his name.

Not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet. And gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

Which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all. And you. See in Paul wrote this.

There's no chapter division. He said what I'm saying about the church. I'm saying about you.

And you. All of this happened to you. Oh we run around on such low battery voltage.

We do. We come to church on Sunday and somebody whines us out. Get all wound up.

And we go through the Wednesday night. Come trudging in Wednesday night. And get wound up a little bit more.

God never meant it to be like that. Somebody here tonight is facing demands this next week. That are just.

Perhaps excruciating. You say preacher I can't go through it. By yourself you can't.

By myself I can. But God says to me. That there is available to me.

The almighty power of God. To give me patience. And fortitude.

And courage. And strength. To keep on going.

When you feel like quitting. I suppose the greatest. One of the greatest illustrations of this is.

Back in 2 Chronicles. Chapter 20. Oh how many times I found myself turning.

To Jehoshaphat's prayer. Back in 2 Chronicles chapter 20. The Moabites.

And the Ammonites. And the Edomites invade. And so the king Jehoshaphat.

Speaks to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 23 and 24. Calls a great big prayer meeting.

And the word of God comes. And says to him. Now look don't be afraid.

Verse 17. You shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves.

Stand you still. And see the salvation of the Lord. Oh Judah and Jerusalem.

Fear not. Nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them.

For the Lord. Will be with thee. And of course they praise the Lord.

And that's exactly what happened. God gave them the victory. He always gives us the victory.

When we do what they did. Verse 20. Believe in the Lord your God.

So shall you be established. Believe his prophets. So shall you prosper.

I've often quoted to myself. Verse 15. Thus saith the Lord unto you.

Be not afraid. Nor dismayed. By reason of this great multitude.

For the battle is not yours. But God. Verse 12.

You ever pray like this. For we have no might. Against this great company.

That cometh against us. Neither know we what to do. It's bad enough not to know what to do.

But they have no strength. To do it if you didn't know what to do. But notice how he closes.

Neither know we what to do. But our eyes. Are upon thee.

And God gave him great victory. There comes to our lives. Those occasions.

When. We just don't know what to do. There come to us those occasions.

When life is so difficult. We don't know where to turn. We don't have any power of our own.

And that's the time for us to turn. To the Lord who is the almighty. May I just ask you to look at one more verse.

And then we shall be on our way. Second Chronicles. Chapter 16.

Second Chronicles. Chapter 16. Better mark this verse in your Bible.

Second Chronicles. Chapter 16. And verse 9. For the eyes of the Lord.

Run to and fro. Throughout the whole earth. To show himself strong.

In the behalf of them. Whose heart is perfect. Toward him.

You see God is just looking for people. To whom he can entrust his power. Not for us to show off.

Not for us to gloat in some accomplishment. He's looking for someone with whom he can entrust his power. That he might get the glory.

There is no end to what God will do. For the person who lets him have the glory. I'm wondering if you and I are the kind of people.

That God can find. And to whom he can entrust. His power.

This almighty power is available to us. Isaiah makes an interesting statement. When he says in quietness.

And confidence shall be your strength. That word strength is the same as the word might. How do we get this might that God has for us? By running around being frantic.

Falling apart. No. In quietness.

And in confidence. Shall be your strength. The almighty power of God is shared with us.

When we get quiet before him. And we wait before him. And we open our lives to him.

Then the Holy Spirit of God. Can do the impossible. In us.

And for us. And for us. Jesus Christ is God.

Jesus Christ is the mighty God. And this might is available to us. For our everyday living this coming week.

Now will you draw upon that? Heavenly Father. We confess our weakness. We confess Father our sin of not drawing by faith upon your power.

Forgive us Lord when we have read the word of God and failed to claim it. Forgive us for sitting and licking our wounds and feeling sorry for ourselves. I pray that this coming week you will help us to face the battle.

And to realize that the almighty is at work in our lives. Oh God this is something that we can't manufacture. It's something we can't even fully understand.

But we do want to experience it. And I pray now you will help us by faith just to be the kind of people with whom you can infest your power. We know oh God you will not give your power to those who are careless.

Selfish. But you will grant your almighty power to those who will bring glory to your name. May this be our hearts desire.

I pray for any here tonight without the Savior. Who have never said my Lord and my God. That they might be so even here.

For Jesus' sake, Amen.