Beloved, we take up once again this portion of God's word and our focus is trained once again on just what you have there recorded for us in the sixth verse. The names of the son that was given. The names of the child that was born. A friend, I know that these words are familiar to all of us. They're familiar to anyone who's been at any length of time in the church. But I want us to remember, friend, that these words are incredibly relevant. Of course, the theme is the Lord Jesus Christ, and so that theme is always the most relevant theme in any age in the church. There's a special relevance, friend, that I would argue from this text, and especially I'd argue it from the context. Here you have the theme of the Lord Jesus Christ him as he is offered to sinners, and he as he is redeemer, that is sufficient and victorious redeemer for his own. But described, friend, to a Christless generation, to a people whose religion was devoid of the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not devoid because the scriptures lacked it, but devoid of Christ because they refused him. Instead of the promises of the Messiah, the generation who first heard these words was a generation that said, we will take confederacies with other men, whether it be Assyria or Ephraim and Syria, those, those we will trust in. So they neglected, friend, the promise of Christ. Rather than resting upon Emmanuel, they rested upon men. It was a Christless religion. And friend, in our generation, I think I can say this without really fear of contradiction. In our generation, we see something very similar, don't we? Even within the church, friend, there are so many who think that really the church needs something other than Christ. Whether it be programs or whether it be, I don't know, another major music group movies, whatever have you. The church has now thrown herself into trusting in other means to prosper. And so rightfully, I believe many have said that, friend, what you and I see around us so often is a Christless Christianity. But I'd submit to you that there's a relevance in this text that goes even beyond that. And here, the prophet, as God's mouthpiece goes to a people, people who said that Christ is not sufficient for them, who said that the promise of Christ was not enough. And he describes this Christ to them to show his sufficiency, to show that he is in fact all that they need and all that they should crave. Beloved, this is a description of the Lord Jesus Christ that is calculated, tailored, for people who ask the question, is Christ sufficient for them? Is he enough? So beloved, this text is very relevant. It immediately asks of you and it asks of me, is he enough for you? Is he enough for us this evening? As the prophet does take up this theme, he does so, friend, by bringing to us the names of the Lord Jesus. And the names that he provides for us are five, not four. The text does naturally give us five names that scholars have argued at various times for others, other configurations. He gives us five names. And when the prophet tells us that he is called by these names, you are to understand that these are to be regarded as his names. This is who he is called. And we'll take up time, not at the present, but we'll take up time throughout our time this evening to look at each of these names and what they mean. What I want you to notice especially this evening, friend, is that the prophet's errand here, his purpose is to set before them the Lord Jesus Christ, his person, who he is in himself and who he is in the office of Redeemer. And so friend, you and I, we shouldn't divide these names as though they refer either to Christ as he is the divine son or Christ as he is in office as mediator. It's a false dichotomy. You and I are to understand that the prophet is setting before us Christ, Christ in his person. And so it includes both. And as we'll see in the time to come, all five of these names, they do have application both to who Christ is as God, the Son, and who he is as Redeemer and mediator for his people. And so I want us to begin there to recognize that these names do refer to Christ in both senses and should be taken so. Because this is friend Christ as he is given. This is Christ as he is given to the sinners described previously as a people who walked in darkness. This is Christ as he's offered to sinners in Isaiah's day and Christ as he's offered to us today. And beloved to Christ that is offered to us as a whole Christ. Christ who is indeed the divine son. and who is in office to save needy and lost sinners. This is Christ as he is offered. And this is the Christ who is obtained by believers as they look to him in faith. What you and I see in this text then is that Christ in his perfections is offered to sinners. Christ in his perfections is offered, yea, given to sinners. And what I want us to do is walk through, friend, all five of these names briefly with you to see how the prophet sets before us Christ in his glory, both as the divine son and as the mediator, Christ as he has given to sinners. And we begin, friend, with that first name, and that first name is wonderful. In the scriptures, you'll find this particular Hebrew word recur right throughout. But in every instance, without fail, the word refers only to the miraculous. In other words, friend, only to those extraordinary works of God, never to what you might call the extraordinary works of other men. In other words, friend, this could be translated simply, he is miraculous. But what you and I can't miss as we make that note is that here the prophet is not describing any particular work of Christ. He's saying that this is his name, meaning he is here describing the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is saying he is himself wonderful. A true synonym for this is that he's glorious, that he possesses none other than the glory of God. My friend, you and I, we ought to begin there and rightfully so, that here the prophet teaches us that the Lord Jesus Christ is intrinsically wonderful, wonderful in himself. If you recall in the book of Judges, when Manoah and his wife have a visitation from the angel of the Lord, The angel responds to Manoah when Manoah asks for his name thus. The angel says, why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret. The word secret there is exactly the same Hebrew word that's translated in our text as wonderful. The angel says to Manoah that his name is wonderful. As we recognize from that text that this was not a created being. that Manoah saw, but truly a pre-incarnate vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ there says that His name is wonderful. What does that mean? Friend, when we think of Christ being intrinsically glorious, we recognize that then He is essentially holy, essentially beautiful, essentially lovely, And friend, if we consider him as he possesses as one of the divine persons of the blessed and adorable Trinity, the full divine nature, then you recognize that he is in fact the definition of all of those things. He is the definition of holiness. He is the definition of beauty. He is the definition of loveliness. And he is so, friend, not because of any work that he performs, but he is so because of his person. And he is so from eternity. He is intrinsically wonderful. Samuel Rutherford long ago put it to us this way. He said, then when you and I, we reflect on anything that is beautiful, anything that is lovely in this world, anything that you regard as being holy, it's but a slight emanation, a passing shadow of what is in the Lord Jesus Christ eternally and infinitely. Friend, it's, It's not surprising then, is it, that the prophet begins by telling us that this one, his name is wonderful. He says, you do not know wonder. You do not know glory, you do not know beauty, you do not know loveliness, but apart from him. He is its definition and fullness. He is wonderful. But friend, as you read throughout the scriptures, you notice You notice that not only is the Lord God called glorious in himself, not only is the Lord Jesus called wonderful then in himself, but there's even a special sense in which he becomes wonderful for his people. Not that the Lord Jesus becomes something that he wasn't from eternity, but rather that his people now partake of that glory. that he becomes their glory. And you see this throughout the scripture. Let me just read you one example from the prophecy of Isaiah. There he says of the church, he says, the Lord of hosts will be for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty under the residue of his people. Friend, note what there the prophet says. He says that not only is Jehovah glorious in himself, but in a sense he becomes the glory of his own, of his people, the church. The scriptures bear this out in so many ways. You find, friend, over and over again, that the Lord God becomes the glory of his own. But what does that mean? What does that mean? Friend, in a biblical sense, there is no glory apart from righteousness. Men might imagine something of glory apart from a moral rectitude, that is to stand righteous before the bar of heaven, but the Bible knows nothing of that kind of glory. The only glory that the scriptures speak of is that glory that includes righteousness, a right standing before the thrice holy God. And so when you and I look at this text, friend, one of the ways in which we are to understand that Christ becomes glory for us is that his righteousness becomes ours before the bar of heaven. And therein lies true beauty before God. Therein lies true loveliness in heaven. So let me ask you as we leave this first name. Friend, do you feel your need for this Christ? Do you feel the ugliness of sin? Friend, do you feel the need that he would become your glory? Indeed, that he would become your righteousness. Jehovah Tzedkenu in the Hebrew, the Lord, our righteousness. Here the prophet says, if you find yourself so needy, here's a sufficient Christ who is wonderful in himself, who is beauty who is glory, who is holiness intrinsically, and who beautifies and makes holy all of those united to him. Secondly, we're told that his name is Counselor. Now in the scriptures, the word Counselor here always refers to an office, but particularly, friend, the idea of the Counselor here invokes that of wisdom. Not only are you in office, but the sense is that you are in office rightfully. You are possessed of wisdom and so able to counsel, able to lead those in a way that is wise. And again, we're told that the Lord Jesus, his name is wisdom, or counselor rather, that he is wisdom. When the scriptures present to us the wisdom of God, friend, it presents it to us as something that is in itself inscrutable, cannot be fathomed. So the apostle, all the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable his judgments and his ways past finding out. When you think of divine wisdom, then the scriptures urge you, friend, really to marvel, to say you come to a precipice and there is no way for you to go any further. Our finite capabilities simply cannot press beyond a certain point. The wisdom of God is a deep without a bottom. And yet, when the Son of God speaks, he says, I wisdom dwell with prudence. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom. I am understanding. He is the wisdom of God personified, says the scriptures. The apostle says this explicitly, whom he calls Christ, the wisdom of God. And yet beloved, as you read, as you continue in 1 Corinthians there, the apostle goes on to say that this Christ who of God is made unto us wisdom. Friend, he becomes wisdom for his people, as he is the church's great prophet, a great tutor. And as we've said over and over again in these past several months, friend, Christ holds that present office as counselor to his people, as the wisdom of God who instructs his own still in wisdom unto salvation. So says the apostle, to Ephesians who did not know Christ in His public ministry on earth. He says to them, He says explicitly, you have heard Him and have been taught by Him. Now friend, what does that mean? It means that in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the fulfillment of that promise from Psalm 25, that the Lord will teach sinners in the way. If you lack wisdom, says James, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and abradeth not, and it shall be given him. And friend, our text tells us that the source of that wisdom that is given is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is called Counselor. So friend, do you require wisdom this evening? Do you feel yourself, friend, perhaps in a dark place? You feel as though you need a steady and a sure guide. Here, the prophet tells us there is one called Counselor, who is in fact the wisdom of God, and by God's grace, made wisdom to his people. Thirdly, this Christ is also called Mighty God. In the Hebrew, it is El Gabor. And all that that means, friend, is translated literally, he is the victor God. Rightfully, you and I should understand that this portion of the prophecy invokes the omnipotence of Christ. It certainly does. It tells us that he partakes of divine omnipotence as he is the divine son, but it goes even a step beyond that. not just omnipotence in itself, but it shows us omnipotence in action. Namely, that this is the Christ who is victorious. This is the effect of his omnipotence, that he is the victor, God. In other words, friend, that it is in the Lord Jesus Christ, we see God's conquering power, his victory. Now beloved, as you look throughout the scriptures, you notice that this is a designation that is given to Christ in various ways. You find it in Psalm 89, where there God says, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. He's speaking of the covenant of redemption and he's saying there, I've laid all of this upon the shoulders of one who is able, one who is mighty, who is Gabor, the great one or the victor. And you see it even in the text that we read from Isaiah 41, Isaiah 42. Where there the Lord, he takes a survey of all of those, all of those false gods that the nations had and to which Israel and Judah were so tempted to turn. And then he even goes to men. And he says, can I find anyone who can counsel? Can I find anyone who can tell me things to come? Can I find anyone to do anything good? Can I find anyone, in other words, competent and able? I'm afraid you notice at the end of that 41st chapter, the answer is absolutely none. But then in the very next verse, Isaiah 42 in the first verse, the Lord God declares triumphantly, behold my servant. You could bring none to do this work. So behold mine. Behold he. who will not quench the smoking flax or break the bruised reed. You see this throughout the prophecy of Isaiah as well. We could exhaust our time this evening by looking at it. In Isaiah 63, he says the same. He says, I looked and there was none to help. And I wondered that there was none to uphold. Therefore, my own arm brought salvation unto me. And beloved, the apostle makes all of this quite explicit, doesn't he, in 1 Corinthians 15, where he says, after seeing that the Lord Jesus Christ has conquered death and the grave, he says, thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Friend, in him, we see the victory of God. Do you need him? this evening, friend. Do you feel yourself weak? Do you feel yourself unable to stand on your own? Do you feel as though you need a strong one to uphold you and to secure you? So the prophet tells you that there is a Christ who is called the mighty God, and he's offered to you freely this evening. to make his victory yours, to secure you for time and for eternity. He is there for you, there for the taking. Fourthly, friend, you notice that this Christ is also called the everlasting Father. And it's important that we begin in this moment, friend, to recognize that he is not simply telling us that this Christ is eternal in his person, It would be superfluous friend then to add the designation father. The senses friend, not that we're only speaking here of the eternity of the divine son, but we are speaking specifically of a particular relation that is everlastingly held by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a relation that is sustained through everlasting years. It is the relationship of a father. Now friend, as you and I think of this, and perhaps we don't think of this often, that Christ is so called, I want you to recognize that the scriptures do tell us how Christ can be called a father in his essence. That is, namely, as he is a creator. You remember whenever the apostles in Athens, He turns to the Athenians and he says of God, he says, we are also his offspring. He's speaking to Gentiles as well as to anyone else around there. And he says poignantly, we are all his offspring by virtue of being his creatures. There's a sense in which as creator, he is father. Creatures owe their being from him. And certainly they owe him the deference that they ought to as a father. and such a father. But friend, remember the words of the apostle as well. By Christ, we're all things created. And so friend, there is a sense of course, in which everlastingly, he is father to all of those that are creatures. They owe their being from him. But of course, Beloved, there's a special relationship between Christ and the believer that is certainly paternal. We see this throughout the scriptures as well. Friend, you remember in John 13, Christ referring to men who in an earthly sense, in terms of time, were no older than himself in terms of his incarnation. Yet he calls them little children, little children. Yet a little while I am with you. And this becomes even more specifically as we thought before. When there, Christ says, as the prophet reminds us in Hebrews 2.13, it is Christ who says, behold, I and the children which God hath given me. Beloved, our text tells us that through everlasting years, He bears that nurturing, that paternal relation to his children. Friend, do you need such nurturing this evening? Do you need, friend, one who will care for you and whose care will be unending, whose nurture will be ceaseless who will bear with you as children all of your days. Here is a Christ who is called everlasting father, who never forgets his relation or his ties to his own, who always recognizes his paternal duties to those who are called his children and will do so for everlasting years. But finally, Christian, and we close with this, he is called Prince of Peace. You perhaps remember that the name Solomon is very much rightfully translated as well, Prince or King of Peace. But this is a greater than Solomon. This is one who achieves and who secures peace really. He secures peace with God. The apostle writes, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is a Christ who rules in his people so as to make peace, even between men. So says the apostle, he says, he is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. Note that friend. Because he is the Prince of Peace, his people have peace one with another. He presides and he rules in a kingdom of peace, a peace that flows first of all, by reconciling us with God and making us a peaceable people ourselves. Friend, as we leave this text this evening, I think it's right that we begin just, that we end just as we begin. We need to recognize that this is a description of Christ for those who wonder, is he sufficient? Is he all that I need? Friend, do you find him so? Can the world offer you anything here? Is there something in the world that you crave that Christ cannot provide? Beloved in Isaiah's generation, The church answered emphatically, yes. So what of you? Is there something out there, friend, that will pull you away from him? For our comfort, friend, I want you to notice that in this text, you and I still are in that context of Christ offered, Christ as he is the child born unto us, as the son given to us. Friend, this is what is held out to you this evening. If the Lord God offered you millions of uncreated universes, it would still pale in comparison to what is offered to you now in this text. and it is yours for the taking. Sinning angels can never take him. They are never offered him, but you are. You are this evening. And so will you take him? Will you? And beloved, if you will, then you'll find that all of these relations indeed, they do stand. not just to the church corporate, but to every individual member of it. He, friend, becomes your glory. He becomes your tutor, and so your counselor. He has secured your victory. He is the one who always bears toward you that relation of a nurturing father. And he is the one who has secured peace with God and makes you more like himself. Friend, as we leave this text this evening, may it be that we hear what lies behind it. That is a reminder that, friend, the world offers you really nothing. It offers you nothing. What is offered to you this evening is the Lord Jesus Christ, a whole Christ. Life and death is before you, and so choose life. Amen.