“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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
- Introduction:
- It is no secret that the human race is in constant search of counsel. Psychiatrist, Physiologist, marriage counselors, Astrologist, Spiritualist and a variety of other listeners are doing a booming business.
- The Bible tells us “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the Multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Prov. 11: 14).
- God provides excellent counsel (Prov. 22:20), but all too often people opt for the counsel of the wicked (Prov. 12:5).
- Jesus Christ, the Wonderful Counsellor, provides excellent advice to the subjects that are the most addressed, even today!
- I. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
- A. Family problems
- Jesus recognized that people would have family problems –
- He even indicated that some of these problems would be a result of Christ’s rule in a person’s life.
- Jesus also was keenly aware of the divorce problem (Matt. 19:1-9), and went immediately to the root of it by describing it as selfishness.
- The word hardness indicates a spiritual problem (See Mk. 16:14; 3:5).
- Jesus not only went right to the root of the problem but provided solutions.
- 1. He indicated the children would need extra help (Matt. 19:13-15).
- 2. He stated that mutual honor was necessary (Matt. 19:19).
- Jesus recognized that people would have family problems –
- B. Other Personal Relationship
- 1. Jesus gave up all His rights to come to earth to die for sinners.
- 2. This is applied to the church age saint in (Rom. 12:10-21).
- A. Family problems
- II. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Jesus gave sound principles for finances.
- A. Do not let money rule your life (Matt. 19:16-26).
- B. Be accountable and responsible for all that you do have (Luke 19:12-27).
- C. Trust God for your provisions (Matt. 6:30).
- Jesus gave sound principles for finances.
- III. HOW TO KNOW THE WELL OF GOD
- Jesus seemed to spend more time concentrating on doing the already revealed will of God than worrying about the yet unrevealed (Matt. 22:36-40).
- A. Jesus said the will of God was to do good (Lk. 635; Acts 10:38).
- B. The will of God is to be obedient ‘in the day to day things (Matt. 21:28-32).
- Jesus seemed to spend more time concentrating on doing the already revealed will of God than worrying about the yet unrevealed (Matt. 22:36-40).
- IV. STRUGGLES OF THE FLESH
- Jesus was not nearly as condemning as some Christians are concerning struggles of the flesh, and yet He was very demanding when it came to repentance (Jn. 8:1-11).
- Jesus’ solutions are:
- A. Stay in the Word (John 8:31).
- B. Set spiritual goals (Matt. 6:33)
- C. Remove yourself from evil influences (Matt. 15:14; 16:11,12).
- WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR:
- He is a Wonderful, Counsellor.
- Justly is He called Wonderful, for He is both God and man.
- His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints; in His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, He was wonderful.
- A constant series of wonders attended Him, and without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness concerning Him.
- He is the Counsellor, for He was intimately acquainted with the counsels of God from eternity, and He gives counsel to the children of men, in which He consults our welfare.
- It is by Him that God has given us counsel.
- He is made of God to us wisdom. He spoke of His own authority:
- “Verily, I say unto you.”
- Other teachers explained the law; He is the lawgiver.
- Others drew more or less pure waters from cisterns:
- He is in Himself a well of water, from which all may draw.
- He alone is sufficient for us.
- He not only speaks the truth, which needs no other confirmation than His own lips, but He is the truth.
- We may canvass other men’s teachings and distinguish their insight from their errors; we have but to accept His.
- The world outgrows all others; it can only grow up toward the fullness of His.
- Us and all the ages He teaches with authority, and the guarantee for the truth of His teaching is Himself “Verily, verily, I say unto you.”
- No other man has a right to say that to me.
- But Christ dominates the race, and the strong Son of God is the world’s teacher.