Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

What’s in a name? Isaiah 9:1-7 His Name Is… Sermon #1 Walking through Chinatown, a tourist is fascinated with all the Chinese restaurants, shops, signs and banners. He turns a corner and sees a building with the sign, "Hans Olaffsen's Laundry." "Hans Olaffsen?", he muses. "How in the world does that fit in here in Chinatown?" So he walks into the shop and sees an old Chinese gentleman behind the counter. The tourist asks, "How did this place get a name like "Hans Olaffsen's Laundry?" The old man answers, "Is name of owner." The tourist asks, "Well, who and where is the owner?"  "Me is right here," replies the old man. "You? How did you ever get a name like Hans Olaffsen?" "Is simple," says the old man. "Many, many year ago when come to this country, was stand in line at Documentation Center. Man in front was big blonde Swede. Lady look at him and go, "What your name?" He say, "Hans Olaffsen." Then she look at me and go, 'What your name?'" "I say, Sem Ting."   You probably don’t know what an aptronym is. An aptronym is a compound word consisting of the adjective “apt” meaning aptitude and the Greek word for name. An aptronym then is when someone’s name and occupation line up perfectly, when what they’re called describes what they do. Here are some examples: *Dr. Bowser Veterinarian       *Roy Grout Bricklayer * Dr. Whack Chiropractor      *Dan Druff Barber *Dr. Pullen Dentist                 *Otto Nogo Mechanic *Dr. Smiley Orthodontist        *Sonia Shears Hairdresser *Dr. Whitehead Dermatologist           *Dr. Smellsey Podiatrist.   Many parents spend significant time trying to decide what to name their children. Why is that? Because we know that a name is more than just what someone goes by. One psychologist studied the names of 15,000 juvenile delinquents and discovered that those with odd or embarrassing names were in trouble four times as much as the others. Names make a difference.  Some of us are very strategic and specific when it comes to the giving of names, but have you ever stopped to realize how important names are to God?   This morning we’re starting a new series, His Name Is. Over the course of the next few weeks we’re going to zero in on specific names given to Jesus, 700 years before He was even born! There are over 100 names in the Bible associated with Jesus and numerous others that are given to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. It’s been said that “Every name He bears is a blessing He shares.” Why does God have so many names?   Missionary E.A. Ruskin was once asked this very question by the people of Congo (now Zaire). This is how he answered their inquiry: “The beauty and the fullness and the magnificence of His matchless person cannot be expressed by just one name.” Each name unlocks an aspect of His attributes and a portion of His personality.   Please turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 9:1-7 (p. 849). Look again at verse 6. “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” During the coming weeks we’ll be looking at the significance of each of these names. Next Sunday with our Children’s Christmas program, we’ll jump ahead into the New Testament and look briefly at His name, Jesus, but then will return to Isaiah the following weeks. This morning we want to lay a foundation, a theology of name, maybe name-ology. If you’re taking notes then… 1. Names have always had significance but even more so in the Bible world. What's in a Name? Juliet asked Romeo that question and answered it herself, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.” Names are very important. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”   Sometimes we name our children after a family relative to honor them. Sometimes we reject a name simply because we once knew someone we didn’t like by that name. But in the Bible world we encounter a very different culture. The culture of the Jews was such that names were of incredible importance. A name carried more than your identity, it said something about who you were, or what your God was like, or how you were expected to live.   Names were not always given to a child at birth, in fact it was not entirely unusual for a child to go for many years without a permanent name. In Scripture we even see that God changes the names of certain characters to better define who they were or who they would become. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham; Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. In both the Old and New Testaments names were used to reflect personal experience or express or influence character:   The name Jacob Gen. 25:26 says, “After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.” Jacob means supplanter.” He was named that because though the second of twin brothers, he would overtake his brother, Esau, in position and significance. This was foreshadowed during his birth, and became reality as Jacob stole both the blessing and the birthright from his firstborn brother.   The name Naomi Ruth 1:20-21 “‘Don’t call me Naomi,’” she told them. ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’” The name Naomi means delightful one. Upon her return from the land of Moab, however, Naomi changed her name to Mara which means bitter. Why? Because in Moab she had suffered the bitter loss of a husband, two sons, and a daughter-in-law.   The name Samuel 1 Samuel 1:20, “So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the LORD for him.’” In the opening chapter of 1 Samuel, a godly woman named Hannah, in extreme anguish of heart, prayed intensely for God to give a life to her barren womb and bless her with a son. She promised to commit that son to the work of God among His people Israel. God graciously granted her request and gave her a son, who would be the final judge of Israel. He would also anoint Israel's first two kings, Saul and David. The name she gave to that son was Samuel, which means "heard of God," because God had heard and granted her request.   The name Barnabas Acts 4:36, “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement).” In the early church we find a man named Joseph, who was so active in caring for people and encouraging others that he received a new name-a nickname. That name was Barnabas, which means "son of consolation" or "son of encouragement." Names are very important to the people of the Bible. 2. The most significant name of all time is the name of Jesus. Nowhere is this more significant than in the one who, according to the New Testament, has a name that means "Savior." Next week we’ll be focusing briefly on Matthew 1:21. Here we read the words attributed to an angelic messenger speaking to Joseph, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.” The name Jesus means "Yahweh our Savior." It’s the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua, Yeshua, or Hoshea. While others wore these names in honor of God, Jesus bore His name as an expression of the Savior-God that the New Testament says He was.   Whether or not we have accepted the claims of the New Testament regarding Christ, it's important for us to see that the Scriptures honor the name Jesus for several reasons. According to them…   It’s the name by which we must be saved. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).   It’s the name that is to set the tone for everything the believer does. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).   It’s the name at which, one day in the future, every knee will bow. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).   It’s just as clear, however, that from the time of Jesus' birth until now, many have missed or dismissed the significance of His name. In the days of His childhood, His neighbors knew Him as the son of Joseph the carpenter. In our generation many of our neighbors and co-workers know Jesus only as an expression of anger, alarm, or profanity. Many more have only a casual understanding of the scores of additional names given to Him in the Bible.   During the next few weeks as we study these powerful and significant names from Isaiah that are used in anticipation of a coming Messiah more than 600 years before the birth of Jesus, please keep in mind that while others use aliases to hide their true identity, the Scriptures use many names for Christ to help us get to know Him. By discovering that He is a person of many names, we will be led deeper into an understanding of who He is and why He deserves our trust. But let’s return to Isaiah 9 and the original context of this prophecy and promise.   a) Jesus’ original birth announcement was made in the midst of grief and gloom. Turn back to Isaiah 9:1. Zebulun and Naphtali are tribes from the north of Israel, making up the land of Galilee. For many years the people knew only grief because of the onslaught of enemies unleashed by the Almighty as a result of their sins. Isaiah tells of a time in the future where gloom will be replaced with gladness in Galilee. The genealogies in Matthew and Luke prove that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. This verse teaches that Geography is also important because Jesus will bring joy to Galilee when He takes up residence there.   Don’t miss this about Christmas. Christmas was, and is, birthed in the middle of great grief. While the angels were proclaiming “peace on earth,” Herod was preparing to annihilate infants; while Mary was worshipping, other mothers were weeping for their children (Matthew 2:18). Christmas joy is best understood when the junk of life is all around us; gladness comes when we’re grieving. Is that where you’re at today? It’s okay if you are.   Then verse 2 describes how the birth of Christ will bring brightness to a dark world, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” In referring to Himself in John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that man can understand. In Isaiah 9:4, we read that the enemies of Israel had burdened the people with “bars across their shoulders.” When the light of life comes, the heavy yoke will be shattered. Instead of wiping us out, Jesus says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” In the place of burdens, God wants to give us blessings.   b) The prophecy sets forth the indescribable uniqueness of Jesus. Look at verse 6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…” Notice that both His humanity and deity are described. We see attributes of God and characteristics of man. “For to us a child is born.” This describes his birth as a baby. “To us a son is given.” Jesus is God’s Son given as a gift.   The child was birthed in Bethlehem and the gift of the eternal Son is given to us. As Ravi Zacharias has said, “The Son wasn’t born, the Son eternally existed; the child was born, the Son was given.”   On top of that, the “government will be upon His shoulders.” This means that all the expectations of the throne of King David are fulfilled in Christ (2 Sam. 7:13-16). The baby bundled in the straw holds the universe together. The one nestled on Mary’s shoulders, bears everything on His shoulders. He is redeemer and ruler of all.   Part of the reason we’ve been inoculated by the incarnation and even bored with the baby is because we focus only on the infant Jesus. He is far more than that as we will see in these titles. The phrase “and He will be called” means “He will justly bear this name.” 3. The name of Jesus is a predicated name. Jesus was named 700 years before He was born. These names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, give us hope this Christmas. Jesus is profound, powerful, personal, and peaceful. The good news is that we can experience all of this right now. The even better news is that there’s more to come! We’re just getting a small taste today but all of these titles will be fully realized when He returns to rule and reign over all the earth. Look at Isaiah 9:7: “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” Luke picks up on this in 1:32-33 as he describes the future role of King Jesus: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.”   I love the last phrase of Isaiah 9:7, “The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” The word “zeal” means “intense desire.” Isaiah 59:17 says that God has “wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.” God is greatly desirous of seeing His plan of redemption accomplished in your life. He has always been zealous for a remnant to take Him at His word (Isaiah 26:11). Once we express our faith by accepting what He has done, His zeal is unleashed to accomplish salvation.   We see this in Isaiah 37:32: “For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” This phrase “Lord Almighty” means the “Lord of Armies.” God has at least three kinds of armies at His disposal. He uses national armies like the Babylonians to accomplish His purposes, He enlists the stars of creation to do His bidding, and He drafts the angelic hosts to do His work. He unleashes all of His passionate zeal and all of His resources to bring to completion all of His purposes. Here’s something really cool. God used all three of these armies to put His plan into affect on that first Christmas. * He mobilized the Roman government to call for a census so that Jesus could be birthed in Bethlehem. * He caused the star in heaven to burn bright enough to get the attention of astrologists living hundreds of miles away in another country. * He unleashed an army of angels to announce the good news of the Savior’s birth to some anonymous shepherds.   My friend, do you realize that God is exceedingly zealous for you? He loves you beyond what you can even begin to fathom. He has arranged all the details of His intricate plan to deliver you and me from the bondage of sin and He is offering us His profound counsel, His powerful character, His personal comfort, and His peaceful countenance. Conclusion: Have you experienced these expressions of Immanuel? Do you know these names of the Nativity personally?   What a marvelous world it will be when Jesus Christ returns to take “the government upon His shoulder!” But must we wait until then before we can enjoy his reign? Absolutely not! You and I can turn the government of our lives over to Him today! When we do, all that is expressed in His names will become real in our own daily experience—Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace.   His name is Wonderful. This takes care of the dullness of life. We no longer need to live on the cheap substitutes of the world in order to have excitement and enjoyment. Jesus Christ makes everything wonderful.   His name is Counselor. This takes care of the decisions of life. We no longer will be baffled by the problems of life, wondering what step to take next. With Jesus Christ as our Counselor, we will have the wisdom that we need to make the right decisions.   His name is The Mighty God. This takes care of the demands of life and life is demanding! Sometimes we feel like giving up; but through Jesus Christ, we can have the strength that we need to continue-and to conquer.   His name is The Everlasting Father. This takes care of the dimensions of life. We can become a part of eternity! A whole new dimension of living can be ours through Jesus Christ, when the government of our life is on his shoulder.   His name is The Prince of Peace. This takes care of the disturbances of life. How we long for lasting peace within! What we would not give for the secret of poise and confidence in a threatening world! The answer is-Jesus Christ. He’s The Prince of Peace and when He controls the government of your life, He gives you peace.   Friend, it’s not enough to trust Jesus Christ as Savior from sin, although that is certainly the beginning of His reign in our lives. We must also surrender our all to Him and let him be the Lord of our lives. We must, by faith, place the government of our lives upon His shoulder. For you, individually, it means surrendering your body to Him “a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1), so that He can walk in your body and work through your body to accomplish His purposes on earth.   It also means yielding your mind and learning His truth from His Word. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2a). It also means giving Him your will, “…Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:2b).   Finally, it means giving Him your whole heart, your love. “If you love Me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). When the Lord Jesus has your body, mind, will, and heart, He can reign supreme in your life. The government will be on his shoulder and all that He is will be shared with you. You will experience what it means to have Him governing your life as the One Who is Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace.   Friend, right now, by faith, put the government of your life in His hands and on His shoulder. You see, as we move among people from every strata of society, we become increasingly aware of one thing. It’s the boss, the manager, the Master in people's lives who makes the difference all the difference in their lives. The bottom line question is: Who’s your king? Who’s the boss of your life? Who’s in the driver’s seat? All of us have someone there. It is only though, that as Jesus is there that our lives experience joy and contentment and make sense. So what’s the name of the king of your life? Is it King Jesus?