Everlasting Father
We're listening to my friend Richard's song based on Isaiah 9:6-7, which goes like this:
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
The Eternal Nature of Christ
Isaiah states that this child to be born would become the Everlasting Father. Both of those words are deeply significant. Consider, firstly, the everlasting nature of Jesus. He was not just going to be another prophet who lived and died. He would be everlasting. Eternal! Because even though He would be brutally killed on a cross, He would be raised from the dead triumphantly – the grave would not be able to keep Him down. Hallelujah!
This is what made this child unique. It's what proves Christianity as the one true religion. All the other great religious figures stayed in their graves. But Christ lives on!
The Perfect Father-Heart of Jesus
Perhaps this Christmas we must not forget Easter. We must not forget that this baby who came into the world would live a wonderful life, die a horrible death, and then be raised to life again by the power of God. He is eternal.
But it's also that word Father that caught me. Jesus, indeed, was a Father-figure to His disciples wasn't He? They looked up to Him and emulated Him as much as they could. I often don't think about Jesus this way, because I tend to think of Him more as the Son of God than as a father Himself! But remember how He told His disciples that He loved them just as the Father loved Him. So, the love He received as the Son of God, He shared with His followers in a fatherly way. Beautiful.
I wonder, too, how much of a role Joseph played in teaching Jesus about the fatherly love of God. I believe that Jesus saw much of God in Joseph, the husband of Mary. Perhaps for those of us listening who are dads, or father-figures, we can be reminded this Christmas that if we want to be the best fathers, we must receive the fatherly love of God, and then emulate Jesus in the way we father.
This Christmas, friends, worship Jesus as not just the child in the manger, but as the eternal and everlasting God whom death could not beat; and as the loving Father you need most.
One day the Christmas lights and songs will be gone as you leave this world – but will you have placed your faith in the everlasting Father?
