"The Mighty God"
Colossians 1:1-18; Isaiah 9:6
INTRO: In this second title given to our LORD Jesus we see the magnificence of His person. The first title in Isaiah 9:6 tells us that He is the “wonderful Counselor.” The word "wonderful" meaning "distinguished, extraordinary, and marvelous," and "Counselor" meaning "one who gives advice or counsel with wisdom, reflection, and skill." Our LORD Jesus is the only one in this universe who needs no counsel Himself. Romans 11:34 says, "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Our wonderful counselor can best be summed up in the words of Paul in Colossians 2:2b-3, "Christ…in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
But the attributes and character of our LORD would be incomplete without the second title given Him: “The Mighty God." What good would it be to serve a God who could not offer strength and help in time of need or who could not fulfill His own plans and purposes? When Jesus was born in that stable in Bethlehem; not only was the world given a Wonderful Counselor, but also a Mighty God who could fulfill all His purposes! The title "Mighty God" implies that He is the Strong One, the Mighty One, and the Omnipotent One! The word "mighty" means "a valiant man, a champion." The Psalmist asks, "Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah." (Psalm 24:8, 10). He is our Champion, our Valiant one, and our Victor! That babe born in that manger that night was not a weak, helpless, hopeless one, but the "Mighty God". When we celebrate Christmas we are not worshiping a helpless infant born in a manger [but] we're celebrating the birth of one who came into this world to die for our sins and is risen and exalted and who has all power in heaven and in earth! The essential message of the title "Mighty God" is of power, strength, and victory!
THUS THIS PROPHETIC NAME OF THE COMING SAVIOR REVEALS:
(1) CHRIST’S POWER AS CREATOR
John 1:1-3—“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him; and without him was
not any thing made that was made.”
Colossians 1:16—“For by him were all things created, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him.”
A. HIS POWER CREATED. John 1:3 declares, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” The universe is not self-produced. Scientists through biological research have failed to show that a single particle of matter can reproduce itself into visibility and movement. In fact, the more that men try to disprove the creation; the more they prove its reality! The act of creation is a person act; and divine order can be seen in creation that demands an Absolute Being as the cause of all things (Psalms 19:1; Romans 1:20).
ILLUS: Sir Isaac Newton had a perfectly scaled down replica of the
then known solar system built for his studies. A large golden
ball represented the sun at the center, and the known planets
revolved around it through a series of cogs, belts, and rods. It
was an incredible machine. One day while Newton was
studying his model, an agnostic friend stopped by for a visit.
The man marveled at the machinery and asked, “Who made
this exquisite thing?" Without looking up, Newton replied,
“Nobody." “Nobody?” his friend asked. “That's right," said
Newton, "all of these balls and cogs and belts and gears just
happened to come together, and wonder of wonders, by chance
they began revolving in their set orbits with perfect timing..”
The message was clear (Raymond McHenry. The Best of In
Other Words. pp. 62-63).
As we examine the glory of the heavens and the handiwork of the earth, as we examine the universe through the telescope and the minuteness of that same universe through a microscope, we have to stand back with adoration and declare the mighty God! "The author of Hebrews says it is "through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God” (Hebrews 11:3). When the truth of John 3 becomes a vivid reality, the truth of Genesis 1 and 2 will no longer constitute a problem."--G. Aiken Taylor (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring
Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 51).
B. HIS POWER CONFIRMS. Paul said in Colossians 1:16—“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” Christ’s power not only created all things but His power in creation confirms His deity. In creation God manifested Himself through the Son of God! This visible universe is a manifestation of God through the Son. The writer of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 11:3—“ Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” THE WORD is the power that gives all things existence that exist. (B. W. Johnson. The People’s New Testament).
ILLUS: The famous English deist, Anthony Collins of the 17th century,
met a plain countryman one day while out walking. He asked
him where he was going. “To Church, sir.” “What are you
going to do there?" "To worship God." "Is your God a great or a
little God?" "He is both, sir." "How can He be both?" "He is so
great, sir, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him; and
so little he can dwell in my heart." Collins later declared that
this simple answer from the countryman had more effect upon
his mind than all the volumes which learned doctors had
written against him. This simple countryman had... the right
concept of God, the God of the Bible, who is the creator of all
things and yet indwells the heart of his believing creatures in
the person of Jesus Christ (Stephen F. Olford. The Pulpit And
The Christian Calendar: Volume 2. pp. 103-104).
(2) CHRIST’S POWER AS SUSTAINER
Hebrews 1:3—“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of
his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down
on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
Colossians 1:17—“And he is before all things, and by him all things
consist."
A. AN IRREPUTABLE FACT. The Scripture tells us that not only did God's Son create all things, but that He also "upholds” all things. All things were created by the word of His power and these things are also sustained by this same power! The word "uphold" in Hebrews 1:3 in the Greek means "to bear and to carry." The word "consist" used in Colossians 1:3 in the Greek means "to stand," and could be translated, "by Him all things stand together."
ILLUS: A guide took a group of people through an atomic laboratory and explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving electric particles. The tourists studies models of molecules and were amazed to learn the matter is made up primarily of space. During the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it together?" For that, the guide had no answer. But the Child of God has the answer, Jesus Christ! Because "He is before all things," he can hold all things together (Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Volume 2. p. 116).
Materialists tell us that the natural laws-gravity, relativity, etc-sustain the power of this world. But these laws have not even the power to sustain one atom. The secret behind the power is Almighty God! As we watch leaves float on the breeze, or a blade of grass stand erect, we must attribute it all to the Almighty God, who by His Son, created all things and sustains all things!
B. AN INCREDIBLE FOCUS. One of the hardest things for us to accept as Christians is that Jesus cares about all details of our lives even the minutest details. What a staggering thought: that the babe born in the manger in Bethlehem created and also sustains all that we see! And if, He can sustain all that we see-the universe, stars, planets, grass, leaves-surely He can sustain us by HIS GRACE! The hymn- writer said it this way:
HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hiseyeis.htm
“If God can plan a universe and spin earth's globe in place, Direct its
path, control its course with regal rule and grace, He's surely planned
a path of life so man won't be alone! Yes, He directs and charts life's
course across the vast unknown" --Jack M. Scharn (Albert M. Wells,
Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 59).
As Christmas draws nearer, let us remember how much Christ, Our
Savior cares for us (Psalm 121:1-2). The hymn-writer wrote:
"No one ever cared for me like Jesus, there's no other friend as kind as He. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me Oh, how much He cares for me!"
(3) CHRIST’S POWER TO REDEEM
Isaiah 49:26b—“I the LORD, am thy Savior, and thy Redeemer, the
mighty One of Jacob"
Galatians 4:4-5—“But when the fulness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To
redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons."
As we think of the saving activity of the mighty Son of God, we are
impressed with seven aspects of His redeeming work:
A. Christ's Power To Come To Earth. Isaiah the prophet tells us in our
text, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be
called…The mighty God…" (Isaiah 9:6). Our Redeemer's coming was a
unique one. He had a sinless and supernatural birth. He was born of a
virgin named Mary, but He was begotten of the Holy Spirit! In Luke
1:35 we read, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called the Son of God.” Jesus was born by the natural
process of human birth, but His conception was of the Holy Spirit. The
life of the holy pre-existent Son was brought together with the seed of
woman and the Mighty Son of God was born into our world.
Not to believe in the Virgin birth of our Redeemer and LORD is to rob
Him of His sinless life and saving ability. “If Jesus Christ were not
virgin born, then of course, He had a human father, If He had a human
father, then He inherited the nature of that father; as that father had a
nature of sin, then He inherited his nature of sin; then Jesus Himself
needed a Savior from sin. Deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ and you
paralyze the whole scheme of redemption by Jesus Christ." I. M.
Haldeman (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary &
Classical. p. 101).
B. Christ's Power To Live On Earth. John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” In
Romans 1:4 Paul speaking of Christ wrote, "…declared to be the Son of
God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead." And in Hebrews 7:26 we read, “For such an high priest
became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and
made higher than the heavens." Our LORD Jesus manifested Himself as
the Mighty God by the spirit of holiness with which he lived in a sinful
world. Although He was in this world, He was not of this world. He was
the friend of publicans and sinners, yet no partaker of their sins.
Throughout His entire life He was characterized by the spirit of
holiness! He left for us an example of what it means to live godly in a
wicked and evil world! Peter speaking of Him in 1 Peter 2:22-23 wrote,
“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.”
C. Christ's Power To Speak On Earth. We read in Mark 1:22—“And they
were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had
authority, and not as the scribes" Throughout the Gospels we read