WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.150 Well, if you're open to the book of Isaiah, I'm going to give a little bit of a backdrop. 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:10.620 And so for the next couple of weeks leading up into Christmas, we're going to be focused on just one verse of the Bible and the application that it makes throughout 00:00:10.620 --> 00:00:12.020 all of Scripture for us. 00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:17.140 And that verse comes in Isaiah chapter nine and verse six. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:24.920 And it's particularly important to us as body of believers today, because this text in general deals with the idea of 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:27.910 the Messiah coming at the time that we celebrate, which is Christmas. 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:29.780 If it's the 25th, I don't know, right? 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.120 But it's the time that we celebrate and the Messiah who is to come. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:40.400 And the promise of that delivery of a future Messiah begins in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, in chapter three. 00:00:41.800 --> 00:00:48.920 And the particulars of his arrival are given throughout Scripture to the point that even in the life of Isaiah, Isaiah gets very 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.340 specific in the coming of Jesus and what it is to look like, and even to the point of his death. 00:00:53.580 --> 00:00:56.530 Isaiah 53 is very descriptive in that. 00:00:56.820 --> 00:01:04.180 And the interesting thing about the book of Isaiah is Isaiah is written over 700 years before Jesus comes on the scene, and we have copies 00:01:04.180 --> 00:01:08.410 of the book of Isaiah that date hundreds of years before Jesus arrives. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:11.180 And you probably heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 00:01:13.660 --> 00:01:20.840 Isaiah begins his prophecy and he's called in the Bible the major of the major prophets, meaning this the reason he's called a major 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:24.720 prophets, not because he's so good at being a prophet, but because he was very wordy. 00:01:26.540 --> 00:01:28.560 Your Old Testament when you look at your Old Testament. 00:01:28.960 --> 00:01:35.960 The latter half of the Old Testament is broken down into five major prophets and 12 minor prophets. 00:01:36.100 --> 00:01:43.360 If you ever study your Bible, you'll understand as you read it that you'll read some of the history in one book and go on and read that same 00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:44.560 event later in another book. 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:47.680 And it's because your Bible's not put together in a chronological order. 00:01:47.860 --> 00:01:50.360 It's put together according to literary genre. 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:58.660 And the last 17 books of your Old Testament are the prophetic books in Isaiah being the 00:01:58.720 --> 00:02:05.920 major prophet to kick off the prophetic books, the five major prophets are the five longer prophets in the beginning, and the 12 minor 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:07.320 prophets are the books that are smaller. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:09.720 Those guys are men of few words, right? 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.680 The ones you probably read before you read the bigger ones makes you feel good. 00:02:13.980 --> 00:02:14.470 I'll write a book. 00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:17.140 But Isaiah. 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:22.180 Writes his prophecy hundreds of years before Jesus and the. 00:02:22.440 --> 00:02:29.620 The significant point into the writing of Isaiah comes to captivate our minds when we when we realize the time 00:02:29.620 --> 00:02:32.900 period in which Isaiah is writing this portion of Scripture. 00:02:34.760 --> 00:02:38.260 Isaiah is writing about the middle of the eighth century BC. 00:02:39.660 --> 00:02:42.180 And Israel is at a place in their history where they've become weak. 00:02:44.180 --> 00:02:48.460 The people of God have strayed from the Word of God. 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:51.800 And rather than pursue after God, they're pursuing after men. 00:02:53.480 --> 00:03:00.480 And the nation of Israel, rather than looking back to God for their strength, began to look to outside sources to help them in their moments of 00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:00.840 need. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:08.440 Trusting in other nations in their weakness, to supply them with what they needed as a people rather than looking to God in Isaiah, 00:03:08.720 --> 00:03:15.130 looks upon the nation of Israel and uses his text as a form of encouragement to them. 00:03:16.880 --> 00:03:22.920 The climate of Israel is weak in its spiritual relationship to God. 00:03:23.060 --> 00:03:30.540 Matter of fact, when you open the book of Isaiah and you read very early on in the chapters of Isaiah, Isaiah begins to share with the nation 00:03:30.540 --> 00:03:35.490 of Israel that the northern kingdom, the northern tribes of Israel, are about to go into captivity. 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:43.880 The northern tribes of Israel had partnered with Syria to become a more powerful place, and the Assyrians are about 00:03:43.980 --> 00:03:48.340 to get angry with the northern tribes of Israel and lead them into captivity. 00:03:48.720 --> 00:03:52.860 And Isaiah four warns and predicts the captivity of the northern tribes of Israel. 00:03:54.260 --> 00:04:01.560 To this point in the nation of Israel, there had been a civil war that had existed, dividing ten tribes in the north and two tribes in the south. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:08.740 And when you read about it in the text of Scripture, it often refers to the northern tribes as the tribes of Ephraim or Israel, and the southern two tribes as the 00:04:08.900 --> 00:04:09.760 tribe of Judah. 00:04:11.160 --> 00:04:18.380 And Isaiah, particularly in his prophecy that he gives in this book he's given to the southern tribes of Judah, saying, listen, we are 00:04:18.380 --> 00:04:20.420 still a people that need to pursue God. 00:04:20.420 --> 00:04:27.580 And what's about to happen to the northern tribes is a warning to us that we need to look to Christ for our strength, or we need to look to look to God 00:04:27.580 --> 00:04:30.680 for our strength rather than to look to man. 00:04:32.460 --> 00:04:34.110 Israel had become a weak nation. 00:04:36.180 --> 00:04:40.640 Isaiah desired for them to find themselves merry in their relationship with God. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:48.800 And if we're being honest in Isaiah chapter nine and verse six, really to have a merry Christmas based on what God was about to 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:49.400 do. 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:54.020 Isaiah records in chapter seven and verse 14. 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:56.150 There's lots of wonderful chapters in the book of Isaiah. 00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:58.220 Isaiah chapter six, the calling of Isaiah. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:00.020 Isaiah chapter 14. 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:01.410 The description of Satan. 00:05:01.700 --> 00:05:02.720 Isaiah 53. 00:05:02.760 --> 00:05:04.380 The death of Christ on the cross. 00:05:04.380 --> 00:05:06.080 Isaiah 42 to 45. 00:05:06.080 --> 00:05:11.490 That includes the Grand Council of there only being one God, there only ever being one God who will ever exist. 00:05:11.860 --> 00:05:19.100 And in chapter seven, Isaiah begins to lay out for the people of Israel this hope that is coming to them for 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:23.160 the Messiah or through the Messiah that will lead the people in the nation of Israel. 00:05:24.340 --> 00:05:25.860 There was a reason to hope. 00:05:27.280 --> 00:05:34.300 The nation of Israel, feeling weak in that moment, asks Isaiah, give us what kind of sign could God give us to even indicate to 00:05:34.300 --> 00:05:37.020 us that we have any hope if we put our trust in him? 00:05:38.340 --> 00:05:40.240 He starts in chapter seven and verse 14. 00:05:41.020 --> 00:05:48.600 A virgin shall conceive, and she shall give birth, and he will be called Immanuel, which literally means God with 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:48.780 us. 00:05:50.340 --> 00:05:50.880 There is hope. 00:05:52.220 --> 00:05:54.050 Because there is a messiah who's coming. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:02.480 And he will redeem his people and set his leadership as the foundation to the world and govern all nations from the 00:06:02.520 --> 00:06:03.440 covenant people of Israel. 00:06:05.300 --> 00:06:12.440 Isaiah goes from chapter seven into chapter nine, explaining the joy of the Messiah who is to come, and in particular in chapter nine gets more focused 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:13.980 on what his arrival will do. 00:06:14.220 --> 00:06:20.040 And he gets to verse six and he gets and he comes to this pinnacle moment in describing what the Messiah will be like. 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:27.060 And he says in verse six, for a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will 00:06:27.060 --> 00:06:34.520 rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and the Prince of 00:06:34.520 --> 00:06:35.070 Peace. 00:06:37.860 --> 00:06:38.120 And quickly. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:45.880 This morning, I'm going to give us just a breakdown of what this passage means to the people in the time of Isaiah's life, and then we're going to make application 00:06:45.880 --> 00:06:46.680 for us. 00:06:46.940 --> 00:06:51.150 And what this means for the Christmas season for us as people who desire to pursue Christ. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:58.280 Isaiah says, and in this beginning chapter he says, for a child will be born to us. 00:06:59.200 --> 00:07:05.280 Literally, I identifying that this child will who will be born, is born from the covenant people, the nation of Israel. 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:07.840 If you're looking for the Messiah, he's coming from us. 00:07:07.960 --> 00:07:11.880 The nation of Israel is saying he will be born unto us. 00:07:11.980 --> 00:07:19.020 And the description given here is this incredible sight of this Messiah, and what he will do in the and the word choices and the imagery 00:07:19.080 --> 00:07:21.340 that Isaiah gives at the end of this passage. 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:25.040 And he and he goes on to say, A son will be given. 00:07:26.760 --> 00:07:33.880 Meaning while this child is born physically in the nation of Israel, at the same time, this son will be given from 00:07:33.880 --> 00:07:35.080 the father as a gift. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:44.320 In the New Testament, we we've gathered this terminology and come up with this hypostatic union of the coming of the Messiah, that Jesus 00:07:44.320 --> 00:07:48.100 in his arrival was both fully God and fully man. 00:07:48.100 --> 00:07:49.820 He was born as a child. 00:07:49.820 --> 00:07:52.040 He was given as a son from the father. 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:59.360 It tells us in John chapter three and verse 16, he is the only begotten of the father, which literally means of the only kind of 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:00.440 the only essence. 00:08:00.440 --> 00:08:07.520 When you look at Jesus, you see the makeup of the Father in him, because God's imprint is in 00:08:07.520 --> 00:08:08.580 him. 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.480 He is God. 00:08:11.900 --> 00:08:13.000 Isaiah tells us. 00:08:13.940 --> 00:08:16.540 He is both born and he is given. 00:08:17.380 --> 00:08:20.460 He is both humanity and he is both deity. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:23.140 Second Samuel. 00:08:23.140 --> 00:08:26.520 The promise to David was this your house to the king, David. 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:30.100 Your house and your kingdom shall endure before me forever. 00:08:30.100 --> 00:08:32.760 Your throne shall be established forever. 00:08:34.059 --> 00:08:40.640 The reason this promise could be given to David is one who would take the throne, whose reign would last for eternity. 00:08:42.140 --> 00:08:49.280 The humanity of the King would come through the throne of David, and the deity of the king would cause that kingdom to 00:08:49.280 --> 00:08:49.460 endure. 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:56.280 He even tells us in the book of Matthew concerning the birth or excuse me, the book of Luke concerning the birth of Jesus. 00:08:56.540 --> 00:08:59.730 It says he will be great and will be called the son of the Most High. 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:07.400 And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have 00:09:07.400 --> 00:09:09.400 no end. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.490 He is both humanity and he is both deity. 00:09:15.260 --> 00:09:22.800 The Bible goes on and describes a child will be born in Isaiah nine six, a son will be given and the government will rest upon 00:09:22.800 --> 00:09:23.780 his shoulders. 00:09:25.520 --> 00:09:33.320 The appropriate application of this text is specifically dealing with the reign of the Messiah, meaning 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:40.360 there is a promise in which Jesus will fulfill at his second coming, in which Christ will set up his throne and govern 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:41.500 and rule this world. 00:09:41.860 --> 00:09:44.800 When we think about leadership, we think about government. 00:09:44.940 --> 00:09:47.330 When we think about rulers, we look to Jesus. 00:09:47.420 --> 00:09:51.560 And he alone sets the precedent and dictates to this world the way it will be governed. 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:56.520 The application to the nation of Israel is in those moments as they feel weak. 00:09:57.680 --> 00:09:58.870 Jesus will come. 00:09:59.540 --> 00:10:00.580 In Jesus will reign. 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:05.270 From the nation of Israel will reign with him at the coming of this Messiah. 00:10:07.300 --> 00:10:14.130 To us today, the application can still be drawn that the government does indeed rest upon the shoulders of this king. 00:10:15.640 --> 00:10:20.850 In fact, Romans chapter 13 specifically declares to us. 00:10:21.380 --> 00:10:23.790 That Jesus is still in control. 00:10:25.180 --> 00:10:27.460 See today, though we don't see him raining. 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:34.840 God works particularly through the leadership of this world to determine and make sure that his plan 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:40.040 will become, will come to fruition through his reigning and governing of all people. 00:10:42.040 --> 00:10:42.580 Romans. 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:49.640 Chapter 13 even goes on and tells us that as the government looks like it's resting upon the shoulders of man, it's still resting in the arms 00:10:49.640 --> 00:10:50.740 of God. 00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:53.560 And God calls us to be people that pray for our leaders. 00:10:56.860 --> 00:11:01.490 Knowing that Jesus is still in control of government, though we don't particularly see him reigning. 00:11:01.640 --> 00:11:06.860 One day we will see him reigning in position as leader of all of the world. 00:11:08.980 --> 00:11:10.780 The reminder is this to us. 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:13.640 Jesus is still in control. 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:23.340 Well this morning, maybe the encouragement from this portion of the tax to us, as people would say this, rather than complain about your 00:11:23.400 --> 00:11:27.610 country or leaders, how about praying for your country and leaders? 00:11:29.780 --> 00:11:35.820 I'm one of nature that particularly believes this, that it doesn't matter who is in control. 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:39.080 We can't legislate change. 00:11:40.300 --> 00:11:45.420 Because the problem with the country rests in the people, and the problem with the people rests within their hearts. 00:11:47.520 --> 00:11:52.740 No matter what piece of legislation you pass, the power of prayer is by far more powerful. 00:11:54.780 --> 00:11:57.920 It penetrates the hearts of people by calling upon our Lord. 00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:03.380 The government rests upon his shoulders. 00:12:04.780 --> 00:12:06.260 And you know the king who is in charge. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:14.860 And God calls you to pray for those in leadership positions that God may intervene on our 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:14.960 behalf. 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:23.680 Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government rests upon his shoulders. 00:12:25.160 --> 00:12:32.380 And the text goes on further to say that if you have the right people in the right position, life tends to go the right 00:12:32.380 --> 00:12:32.680 way. 00:12:35.040 --> 00:12:36.820 And so he says this about Jesus. 00:12:37.260 --> 00:12:40.000 You as people, you need hope in this Messiah. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:47.260 And just so you understand how much hope he brings into your world, if you need direction, he's a wonderful 00:12:47.260 --> 00:12:48.010 counselor. 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:53.730 If you need power to protect you from those around you who might harm you, he is almighty. 00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:59.060 If you need someone to look after you forever, he is the Everlasting Father. 00:12:59.060 --> 00:13:04.680 If you need rest for your soul, he is the Prince of Peace. 00:13:05.920 --> 00:13:08.260 I love what Isaiah does in this portion. 00:13:09.940 --> 00:13:12.820 It's as if he goes through chapter seven, chapter eight, chapter nine. 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:16.600 He gives this description of what this Messiah is going to do in the nation of Israel. 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:18.590 And then he gets to this moment and he just says, you know what I'm going to do? 00:13:18.640 --> 00:13:25.640 I'm just going to say these powerful words, and I just want your soul to take rest in the thought of what Jesus is going 00:13:25.640 --> 00:13:26.140 to do in your life. 00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:31.070 So the nation of Israel to this point. 00:13:32.460 --> 00:13:38.090 If you read the first nine chapters of the Book of Isaiah, it tells us that they're not seeking after wisdom. 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:44.940 In fact, the wisdom of the nation of Israel that can be found in the nation of Israel is being ignored. 00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:47.360 They need wisdom. 00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:50.620 We need to know what to do. 00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:53.860 We need counseling in our lives. 00:13:54.020 --> 00:13:56.520 And so Jesus is that wonderful counselor. 00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:58.220 We need protected. 00:13:58.260 --> 00:14:01.100 We need to know everything is going to be all right. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.460 Jesus is the almighty God. 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:08.220 We need to know someone looks after us and that they can't. 00:14:08.400 --> 00:14:11.310 They're not just going to stop tomorrow, but that it's going to sustain forever. 00:14:12.280 --> 00:14:13.960 And Jesus is the eternal Father. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.620 I need rest for my soul in the midst of turmoil. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:22.440 And Jesus is that Prince of Peace. 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:32.080 Isaiah uses these powerful words to communicate to us this word, imagery of what the Messiah 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.290 will fulfill for us when he comes to this world. 00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:43.880 Jesus has called the Wonderful Counselor in this passage of Scripture, so that you and I can both recognize what is counsel is really 00:14:43.880 --> 00:14:43.980 worth. 00:14:46.180 --> 00:14:48.180 The Bible translates in the Hebrew language. 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:52.140 This wonderful counselor is also exceptional or distinguished. 00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:55.310 It means to us when Jesus speaks. 00:14:55.520 --> 00:15:00.080 If there's one place you should listen, it's when Christ has something to say. 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:07.650 It helps us to see the worth of who he is by recognizing his counsel. 00:15:09.160 --> 00:15:15.520 You know, when I first became a believer, there was this hunger in my life to get to know Jesus more. 00:15:17.640 --> 00:15:25.040 It was really it was strange for me because to that particular point of my life, I thought when it came to Jesus, it 00:15:25.040 --> 00:15:26.960 was just really about church and religion. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:33.220 And now all of a sudden I put my faith in Christ, and I just had this hunger to want to grow in my relationship with Christ. 00:15:33.280 --> 00:15:39.230 And so I started going to some people and I kept saying, I want to I want to know more about Jesus. 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.160 What do I do, man? 00:15:40.180 --> 00:15:41.360 I want to get closer to him. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.240 I mean, how does that happen in my life? 00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:45.500 And they said, you know what you're saying. 00:15:45.880 --> 00:15:46.780 There's a word for that. 00:15:47.560 --> 00:15:48.540 It's called disciple. 00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:50.480 Whoa. 00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:52.800 There's a word for what God's doing. 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:56.820 And there's a word for the way that I'm feeling on the inside is to be a disciple. 00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:01.620 And I remember the person that's explaining to me said, yeah, that's what he did with the 12 that followed them. 00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:02.850 They were they were called the disciples. 00:16:03.340 --> 00:16:06.360 I mean, that's what it means to follow after Christ. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:08.020 I'm thinking, that's cool, man. 00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:08.900 Jesus. 00:16:08.900 --> 00:16:11.530 The same thing that he's done in me, he's done in other people. 00:16:11.640 --> 00:16:15.730 There's like this, there's this hunger when you come to know him, to draw close to him. 00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:22.230 And I remember that individual handed me a book and it was called The Master Plan of Evangelism. 00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:23.700 It was a discipleship book. 00:16:24.040 --> 00:16:25.000 And I started reading it. 00:16:25.040 --> 00:16:30.940 I was thinking, yeah, this book is going to give me the answers of how to get closer to Christ and got to chapter one. 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:31.700 And do you know what it told me? 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.600 The number one rule. 00:16:33.800 --> 00:16:35.250 For being a good follower in Jesus. 00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:37.240 Being a disciple. 00:16:39.060 --> 00:16:39.860 Just being a good listener. 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:44.540 You don't take time to listen. 00:16:46.560 --> 00:16:48.440 You're never going to see the brilliance of his wonderful counsel. 00:16:51.260 --> 00:16:53.600 I think that's what Isaiah means in this passage of Scripture. 00:16:55.080 --> 00:17:02.460 And before Jesus can really begin to work in your life the way that Jesus desires to work in your life, you've got to calm 00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:05.720 and quiet yourself before him to hear what he even has to say. 00:17:08.540 --> 00:17:14.420 You think of people in our lives, they just fight Christ. 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:21.960 But just a quieter soul and recognize. 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:21.980 Because you need direction. 00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.050 Nation of Israel. 00:17:22.619 --> 00:17:29.960 You're so weak right now because you don't understand the brilliance of the counseling that Christ can 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:37.200 bring into your life, and he can't even begin to share what his plan is for your life, because you haven't even quieted your soul before him to 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:40.180 listen to what God has to say. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:44.630 Jesus desires to speak to you. 00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:47.160 That's the implication of the name. 00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:48.840 Isn't it wonderful, counselor? 00:17:48.840 --> 00:17:52.560 I mean, what kind of counselor would you be if you just sat silently all the time? 00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:57.400 Jesus desires to speak to you. 00:17:58.260 --> 00:18:04.900 And when he speaks, it's not just words like someone else would say hoping that they can fix the situation. 00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:07.240 His wisdom is exceptional. 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.540 His wisdom is distinguished. 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.580 It's wonderful. 00:18:10.580 --> 00:18:11.180 It's brilliant. 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:13.640 It's exactly what you need to hear. 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:19.310 Do you know there's a verse in the Bible for that approach to discipleship? 00:18:21.600 --> 00:18:22.660 James 119. 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:27.030 Let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:34.030 There was a point in my life where, I thought I had to get real spiritual in every text that I read. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.620 And so I remember I was on a Bible study with somebody and we were reading this thinking, man, what? 00:18:38.760 --> 00:18:40.190 What does this mean? 00:18:40.620 --> 00:18:43.330 You know, like Plato pondering it or whatever. 00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:51.630 And being from West Virginia, we have a real, blunt way to place some things sometimes and, 00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:55.720 and sometimes inappropriately. 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:57.740 But the person looks up to me and says this. 00:18:58.080 --> 00:19:00.760 He says, it's saying this, Nathaniel. 00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:01.720 Opinions. 00:19:02.360 --> 00:19:04.220 They're all like rear ends. 00:19:04.340 --> 00:19:05.900 Everyone has one and they stink. 00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:06.840 Right. 00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:14.580 And that's what James is saying in this passage of Scripture, what you have to say that you think is so important in light 00:19:14.580 --> 00:19:19.330 of what Christ has to tell you, it's far more important to listen to Jesus. 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:22.290 Well, sometimes you're prettier with your mouth closed. 00:19:24.290 --> 00:19:26.910 Most of the time, right? 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:30.980 We all have the right to have an opinion. 00:19:32.040 --> 00:19:33.000 Just keep it to yourself. 00:19:35.600 --> 00:19:37.620 And that's exactly what Israel needed to hear. 00:19:37.780 --> 00:19:44.420 Proverbs 18 says this A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinion. 00:19:46.660 --> 00:19:47.780 You know why I think this is important? 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:51.920 To recognize the identity of Jesus being a wonderful counselor this morning. 00:19:53.760 --> 00:19:56.000 This is simply give you a warning and say. 00:19:57.260 --> 00:19:57.860 I can be dangerous. 00:20:01.060 --> 00:20:04.420 I mean, if I don't say what Bible says, it is dangerous. 00:20:07.040 --> 00:20:10.840 Remember in the beginning of the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were tempted of the fruit? 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.320 Do you know what Satan said to them? 00:20:14.220 --> 00:20:15.540 Did God really say that? 00:20:17.020 --> 00:20:18.630 Surely God didn't say that. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:21.980 Either the fruit, surely he didn't say. 00:20:24.420 --> 00:20:28.940 Anytime we ever stray from the truth of what God desires to communicate to us, it's dangerous. 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:36.640 That's why this morning when we opened up Isaiah in the beginning of the text, I simply broke down what the text is saying. 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:37.730 The government's going to be on his shoulders. 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:42.520 It has a practical application to the nation of Israel when Jesus will reign, but still relevant to us today. 00:20:42.800 --> 00:20:46.620 You've got to see it in context before you begin to apply it to your own lives. 00:20:46.840 --> 00:20:48.920 Because if you don't, it's dangerous. 00:20:51.800 --> 00:20:54.620 When people give you their opinions and advice, it can be dangerous. 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:58.330 But when Jesus opens his mouth. 00:20:59.900 --> 00:21:00.840 It's wonderful. 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:02.280 Council. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.890 Councillors desire, and even counseling is for the ability to be heard. 00:21:10.340 --> 00:21:14.420 Counseling implies that God wants to communicate to you. 00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:22.460 And God desires for you to see the brilliance of what he has and the plan that he wants for your life. 00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.530 And it's wonderful. 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:34.500 Can I tell you this morning if your approach to Jesus in the past hasn't been an observation of a Jesus who was wonderful, maybe. 00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:38.100 Maybe someone has pushed you into a corner of pursuing a Christ. 00:21:38.280 --> 00:21:39.820 That may not be the biblical Jesus. 00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:48.340 Sometimes religion gets associated with Christ, and the Christ that comes out of religion just isn't that wonderful. 00:21:49.840 --> 00:21:52.360 Matter of fact, it's really not Christ centric at all. 00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:57.380 But to listen to Jesus and to spend time with his counsel, it makes it wonderful. 00:22:00.860 --> 00:22:03.220 Counseling implies that he desires to communicate and get this. 00:22:04.860 --> 00:22:08.100 I think we recognize this morning that we as people. 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.660 Like to communicate as well. 00:22:12.700 --> 00:22:14.340 And being made in his image. 00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:22.780 Just maybe, God had this crazy idea that this inner relationship would exist between humanity and God, where God would communicate 00:22:22.780 --> 00:22:24.040 his counsel. 00:22:24.040 --> 00:22:31.220 And knowing we're creatures of communication, we might in return communicate to his glory as its being made known through the wonderful counsel that he gives to 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:31.460 us. 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:33.370 It's a crazy concept, isn't it? 00:22:34.300 --> 00:22:39.640 God made you in his image as a creature who communicates because God is a creature who desires to communicate to you. 00:22:41.280 --> 00:22:46.040 God desires to share with you and have you respond to him. 00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:54.600 And so the practical question that you look at maybe in this text this morning would say you we would say to each other, well then how 00:22:54.600 --> 00:22:55.660 does that happen? 00:22:56.980 --> 00:23:03.780 Jesus being a wonderful counselor and me to experience that relationship with him, how exactly does that play out in life? 00:23:03.800 --> 00:23:10.220 And, this morning I could I could go into a gamut of ways for us just to understand and live in light of that relationship with Christ. 00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:11.960 But I'm I'm just going to focus on a few. 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:19.160 But I would say this before I share, no one wakes up in the morning and says, I cannot wait to 00:23:19.300 --> 00:23:21.620 do so many stupid things today, right? 00:23:22.780 --> 00:23:23.960 I would think we would agree with that. 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:27.400 I can't wait to live like an idiot, you know? 00:23:28.420 --> 00:23:29.540 Nobody wants to be a fool. 00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:31.790 That's Proverbs would say. 00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:39.940 And so our desire would be to live in light of good counsel, to reflect wisdom in our lives, and recognizing 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:43.360 that Jesus then brings forth that wisdom to us. 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:48.460 The question that we should carry is, how can we grab a hold of that wisdom? 00:23:50.060 --> 00:23:55.240 You think about that and the implications of your life personally, but not just your life alone. 00:23:55.320 --> 00:23:58.710 Because if you're a human being this morning, you have influence. 00:23:59.020 --> 00:23:59.660 I hope everyone is. 00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:02.240 You have influence in this world. 00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:10.440 You recognize that in your life you have relationships in which you can influence and 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:12.480 encourage in light of who Christ is. 00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:20.660 And so not only does it become important for you to understand God's wisdom in your own personal life, but the but the idea of carrying that wisdom into this world 00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:26.280 becomes significant and demonstrating God's glory, so that the rest of the world can grab hold of the wisdom of God. 00:24:27.800 --> 00:24:29.460 I heard somebody say once. 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:32.190 I want to be an encourager. 00:24:33.760 --> 00:24:35.880 And they were asking this older, wise man. 00:24:36.620 --> 00:24:37.320 He said, I want to be encourager. 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:40.840 And how do I know that someone needs to be encouraged? 00:24:42.080 --> 00:24:44.420 And the guy just looked back at his wisdom and said. 00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:46.100 If they're breathing. 00:24:49.330 --> 00:24:52.840 This wonderful council isn't just intended for you to sit on it. 00:24:54.560 --> 00:24:56.110 It's intended for the world to hear. 00:24:58.100 --> 00:25:04.560 The council in which Isaiah's promising to the people isn't just for one person in Israel, it's for the nation of Israel. 00:25:07.040 --> 00:25:08.250 How does God give us her wisdom? 00:25:10.040 --> 00:25:17.060 The answer is really simplistic in the Christian faith, and most of you could probably write all these down and be like, we're done with today, but I want to throw out some of these thoughts and some 00:25:17.320 --> 00:25:19.180 some new ideas and thinking to this. 00:25:19.560 --> 00:25:22.040 But some of the ways in which God communicates to us. 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:22.790 Are you ready for this? 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.810 Number one is this word. 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:29.740 You know the important thing about recognizing the Bible? 00:25:31.780 --> 00:25:34.740 Is that the beauty of the way God desires to communicate is one. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:40.710 He was able to write it down, which says to us as people, his truth is so timeless and perfect that it doesn't change. 00:25:42.340 --> 00:25:49.600 And the good part about it is when God desired to communicate it, he communicated it in such a way that he didn't wait for the individual just to 00:25:49.600 --> 00:25:56.660 be able to physically hear from God, but he communicated a central truth for the whole world so that all of us could look at 00:25:56.660 --> 00:26:02.320 it together, and then we could determine, based on our reaction to it, if we really got what the text was saying. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:03.460 Does that make sense? 00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:11.840 Jesus communicated in his word, the Bible, so that we as his church could have a self corrected method of understanding of whether or not 00:26:11.840 --> 00:26:15.300 the church has a concept of what Jesus desires for us to know. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:18.360 It's incredible the way that God would do that. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:26.960 Then God writes his timeless truth down so that when I go read the book of Ephesians and make application of life, and the church reads the book of Ephesians 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:33.840 and makes application life, the understanding of the book of Ephesians should be the same, because God's truth is timeless. 00:26:35.280 --> 00:26:42.320 It's a self corrective way for us as a body of believers to make sure we as people understand what God is really desiring 00:26:42.320 --> 00:26:43.620 to say to us. 00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:48.760 Second Timothy 316 even says this to us. 00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:52.660 I like thinking about the idea of Timothy in this passage of Scripture. 00:26:53.540 --> 00:26:58.020 Paul's writing his very last letter to Timothy, traveled all over the world with Timothy. 00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:00.080 Timothy planting these churches. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:07.180 Timothy is just a young guy who's become a pastor of this church, and I can see him just so nervous thinking, I can't wait till Paul comes back, because I don't know if I can do 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:07.480 this. 00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:09.620 You know, it's scaring me. 00:27:09.620 --> 00:27:12.000 All these people standing up on Sunday morning or whatever. 00:27:12.020 --> 00:27:17.860 I don't know what he thought, but he was a I just get this idea of timidness based on the way that Paul writes to Timothy. 00:27:19.560 --> 00:27:20.920 And then Paul writes this last letter. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.640 You sitting there reading it, thinking what? 00:27:26.620 --> 00:27:27.560 I'm on my own. 00:27:28.760 --> 00:27:29.790 How am I going to figure this out? 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:36.660 And within the letter, Paul writes this particular verse to Timothy and says this all scripture. 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:41.840 Is inspired or literally breathed out by God. 00:27:42.020 --> 00:27:47.080 And profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training and righteousness. 00:27:49.420 --> 00:27:51.580 And what Paul is saying to Timothy. 00:27:51.800 --> 00:27:53.660 Timothy, listen, the answers are right there. 00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:55.900 You don't need my wisdom. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.580 You need the Lord's. 00:27:58.300 --> 00:27:59.840 On the place that you get it is his word. 00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:02.000 And if you're serious about seeing the wonder of his counsel. 00:28:02.840 --> 00:28:03.730 And that's where you'll be. 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:10.360 Now, the interesting thing about the Bible, when you start to read it, is when you begin to read the Bible. 00:28:10.460 --> 00:28:12.140 At first you think that you're reading the Bible. 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:15.490 But what you begin to discover is that the Bible is really reading you. 00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:24.600 So I'm of the thought that when it comes to God's Word, that God's Word is what's inspired, not me. 00:28:24.860 --> 00:28:25.460 God's words. 00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.660 What changes hearts? 00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:27.620 It's not me. 00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:32.370 It's a spoken word is it's able to penetrate our lives. 00:28:34.060 --> 00:28:37.700 And so as you begin to read the Bible, the Bible really begins to read you. 00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:42.560 You know, when I first started reading God's Word to discover the wonderful counsel of his. 00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:45.780 And even today, there are passages that just blow my mind. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:48.160 How does that work? 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:51.180 I'm in the Old Testament right now that is NC 17. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:58.750 You know, David carrying around foreskin and stuff happening in Sodom and Gomorrah, two angels I don't even want to talk about. 00:28:59.220 --> 00:29:04.640 And the Song of Solomon, it's like, what does God want to put that in the bedroom and leave me out of this? 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:07.740 I mean, it's both. 00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.580 Thought provoking. 00:29:11.320 --> 00:29:11.740 Tough. 00:29:13.520 --> 00:29:14.680 Encouraging for your life. 00:29:16.300 --> 00:29:19.670 That was always the I grew up in sort of a religious type background. 00:29:19.840 --> 00:29:24.880 So when I first came into the Bible, I thought, I've got I've got to read this, to read it, to say I did it right. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.700 The Bible in a year, let's do it. 00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:29.580 It's New year, it's coming up. 00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:31.560 Who's with me? 00:29:32.370 --> 00:29:34.510 Okay, you'll tell off by Leviticus, right? 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:35.780 But. 00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:37.100 But that gumption. 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:38.040 You know, I got to say, I did. 00:29:38.040 --> 00:29:41.040 I got to get to heaven and tell God the achievement has been done, sir. 00:29:41.080 --> 00:29:43.220 You know, I've read through your word, man. 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:46.380 You know, I've noticed as I've gone through the Bible. 00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:49.600 Is it really God's purpose of writing the Bible? 00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:55.100 I think it's a good thing to get the Bible and read it for a year, but not to read it to say you read it. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:58.300 To read it, to spend time with the wonderful counselor. 00:30:01.100 --> 00:30:04.380 I used to look at those challenging passages and just blow right through them. 00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:04.580 Wow. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:05.080 That's not for me. 00:30:05.080 --> 00:30:05.980 It's for someone else more brilliant. 00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:07.040 Keep going, keep going. 00:30:07.340 --> 00:30:07.540 You know. 00:30:08.580 --> 00:30:10.490 You know, now, I've learned in my life to delight in those. 00:30:12.320 --> 00:30:16.770 Take time to say, if God's really communicated this, there's something important about it. 00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:23.270 And his camp in those moments, and just dive into that text and understand what God really wanted to say. 00:30:25.340 --> 00:30:30.600 Not only does God give you his word, but he's also giving you prayer. 00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:39.800 You think the way that the wonderful counselor communicates to you is the Word of God, and the way that you communicate back to the wonderful counselor is 00:30:39.800 --> 00:30:40.700 through prayer to God. 00:30:42.040 --> 00:30:47.420 You know, the prayer is important for the life of the believer because this is what it teaches us to stop. 00:30:49.800 --> 00:30:53.820 To stop and pause before God Almighty and to check yourself. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:58.330 The quiet your heart. 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:00.390 When it comes to God's wonderful counsel. 00:31:02.520 --> 00:31:05.960 There's no understanding of his wonderful counsel without quieting yourself. 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:10.220 And prayer gives the introduction to your spiritual life of pausing before his greatness. 00:31:12.040 --> 00:31:19.640 Do you know, I find out in my life when it comes to prayer, when I kneel down before God, or whatever posture I take laying on the floor, standing up, whatever. 00:31:21.100 --> 00:31:23.910 My initial thought is, now what am I going to talk about to God? 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:26.480 What does God even care about? 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:35.320 I love the way that John says it when it when he talks about prayer, he says in first John five, this is the confidence which we have before him, that if we 00:31:35.320 --> 00:31:39.340 ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:31:41.320 --> 00:31:45.800 Prayer is the avenue that sinks my heart to God. 00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:46.700 Do you see that in this text? 00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:50.640 Meaning my concerns I bring before the Lord? 00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:57.900 But what I'm really interested in when I come before God in prayer, is seeing this world the way that God desires to see this world, or the way that God does 00:31:57.900 --> 00:32:01.800 see this world, so that I can join in him in what he desires. 00:32:02.940 --> 00:32:05.720 I mean, prayer isn't about inviting God to do what you want. 00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:09.380 Prayer is about joining God in what he desires to do. 00:32:12.260 --> 00:32:16.860 And so we listen to God through His Word and we communicate back to God through prayer. 00:32:18.440 --> 00:32:19.980 The last thing I'll share is this. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:24.620 God has also given you his church. 00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:32.040 I shared briefly the importance of church as it relates to God communicating. 00:32:32.320 --> 00:32:34.200 We become a self-corrective environment. 00:32:34.280 --> 00:32:36.040 Meaning, when I read God's Word, you read God's Word. 00:32:36.260 --> 00:32:41.060 We can talk about it together to see if we're understanding what God really desired to communicate in the passage of Scripture. 00:32:41.100 --> 00:32:42.840 So no one in here goes crazy, right? 00:32:43.340 --> 00:32:46.040 Want everyone to be sound and godly thinking. 00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:52.380 But God also created his church as a place where the rubber meets the road. 00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:54.660 Meaning this. 00:32:55.380 --> 00:33:01.740 You shouldn't measure yourself by what you know, but rather by the practice of what you know. 00:33:03.820 --> 00:33:11.000 Jesus created his church as a place for us to come and demonstrate what the wonderful Counselor has said to us as people. 00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:17.740 Its meaning this is there a connection through what God has said to me being lived out in my life for him? 00:33:18.540 --> 00:33:19.670 Rubber meets the road. 00:33:21.080 --> 00:33:21.420 Am I demonstrating? 00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:24.080 Like I understand what Jesus had to say? 00:33:25.540 --> 00:33:30.140 It's not just words stuck in the air for my mind to comprehend, but for my heart to live. 00:33:31.760 --> 00:33:35.810 Matter of fact, in Jesus's last moments, last hours with the disciples, he said this. 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:44.000 By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another, meaning 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:47.480 church, the evidence of you understanding. 00:33:47.560 --> 00:33:54.680 If the counselor has spoken and you have listened and absorbed it into your life, is seen through the love that you demonstrate in 00:33:54.680 --> 00:33:58.140 this room this morning, and not just in this room, but outside of these walls. 00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:02.580 If you understand how wonderful the counsel of God is. 00:34:03.800 --> 00:34:06.420 That's something you proclaim throughout this earth. 00:34:08.020 --> 00:34:11.139 Jesus is a counselor because he desires to communicate. 00:34:12.040 --> 00:34:19.100 You know, I could say this morning, too, that Jesus desires for his church to be the place for us to demonstrate his love. 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:22.580 To demonstrate our understanding of what he communicates. 00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:24.980 And this is why I know Jesus built it. 00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:28.260 Jesus died for it, and Jesus blessed it. 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:31.820 This is his home where his family grows. 00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:40.880 This is the place where his wonderful counsel is made known, and not just made known, but demonstrated in this world. 00:34:41.600 --> 00:34:43.120 So let me give you two encouragements this morning. 00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:51.840 Before Isaiah could begin to even describe the rest of what God was about in the coming of this Messiah and 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:58.900 what he would demonstrate, he had to get the people to a place where they recognized that there is a need just to take your heart, pause, and listen to the wonderful counsel 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:00.340 of what Christ would bring. 00:35:02.620 --> 00:35:04.380 Two encouragements for you this morning. 00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:13.140 I think the reason that Isaiah had to share this about the Messiah wasn't because they didn't know that the Messiah was coming. 00:35:15.140 --> 00:35:17.600 It's just that they forgot just how wonderful this Messiah was. 00:35:20.140 --> 00:35:21.960 They had forgotten how wonderful his counsel was. 00:35:24.360 --> 00:35:30.670 The nation of Israel had walked away from God because they had forgotten just how good God had been to them. 00:35:32.180 --> 00:35:34.720 I mean, just like Adam, we could be questioning in our own lives. 00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:35.280 Did God? 00:35:35.640 --> 00:35:37.050 Did God really say that? 00:35:39.020 --> 00:35:46.260 Israel, speaking for the Isaiah, speaking for the nation of Israel, so that they won't forget the wonder of God and His counsel that he desires 00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:47.800 to bring for people. 00:35:51.060 --> 00:35:52.430 Point number one for you this morning. 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.520 Is this. 00:35:54.080 --> 00:35:57.560 Don't become distant from the wonderful counsel of God. 00:35:58.180 --> 00:36:05.340 Use this as an opportunity in the midst of the holiday season to say, hey, life is busy, but what Jesus has to say is far 00:36:05.340 --> 00:36:07.120 more important than anything else. 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:10.300 Don't become distant from the wonderful counsel of God. 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:19.620 I mean, if we were to trace the nation of Israel, of how they've got to the point that they are in which they're so weak and crying out for mercy 00:36:19.620 --> 00:36:26.840 and looking for other nations to supply their need above and beyond God, it's because somewhere along the way, they just started 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:29.860 to forget about their relationship with the Lord. 00:36:31.640 --> 00:36:34.520 Number two is this. 00:36:34.740 --> 00:36:36.490 I think we'll all agree with this morning. 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:41.640 We would say if Jesus is such a wonderful counselor, of course. 00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.400 Of course. 00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:43.420 We're not going to ignore that. 00:36:46.140 --> 00:36:48.910 But when I look at the text, I look at the history of Israel. 00:36:49.080 --> 00:36:56.240 I would say this I don't think their problem, and I don't think our problem is that we are trying to ignore 00:36:56.320 --> 00:36:56.800 Christ. 00:36:59.360 --> 00:36:59.700 Our problem. 00:37:01.120 --> 00:37:03.160 Is that we just don't plan to listen to him. 00:37:05.420 --> 00:37:06.510 See the subtle difference. 00:37:08.540 --> 00:37:11.080 None of us would look at Jesus and say, I hate you. 00:37:13.540 --> 00:37:15.580 None of us would look at Jesus and say, forget you. 00:37:19.260 --> 00:37:19.780 But I think. 00:37:21.080 --> 00:37:21.540 In our lives. 00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:24.080 We just don't take time to meet with them. 00:37:26.180 --> 00:37:28.100 See the council of his worth in us. 00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:32.450 We'll throw it on the back burner and just slowly forget. 00:37:34.300 --> 00:37:35.560 Us, the nation of Israel. 00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:37.400 And he said, hey, are you going to ignore God? 00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.940 They would say, no, no, of course not. 00:37:39.120 --> 00:37:39.920 We're going to ignore God. 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:42.100 But if we said, but are you spending time with him? 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:43.860 Oh. 00:37:46.100 --> 00:37:49.760 The point is this. 00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:52.160 Spend time. 00:37:54.100 --> 00:37:58.720 Stop ignoring the wonderful counsel of God and spend time. 00:38:00.020 --> 00:38:05.400 Doesn't matter how wonderful Jesus's council is, you think about when you come before a counselor. 00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:12.720 It doesn't matter how much you pay a counselor if you're not willing to listen, his counsel is worthless. 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:15.640 But if you listen to the right counselor. 00:38:18.020 --> 00:38:19.300 And his words are true. 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:24.120 The possibilities of what can happen in your life. 00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:26.740 Through him are endless. 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.290 Seek him in his face.