This Advent, I am doing a series of messages on the titles given to the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6.  “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; & the government shall be upon his shoulder & his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

We looked at Jesus being our “wonderful counselor” last Sunday.  There is wonder in His name and wisdom in His name, as He serves as our advisor AND our advocate.  The title today is “mighty God.”  This title tells us two important things about Christ.  First, He was and is, God.  He is fully God.  He is the God who has no beginning or end; who existed from eternity past and will exist into eternity future.  And notice, He is the “mighty” God.  At Christmas, we are drawn to the manger and the sight of the baby Jesus.  But our Lord is much more than a baby. 

We often think of God the Father as the forceful, strong part of the Godhead.  And we think of Jesus as the kind, gentle, compassionate One—our good shepherd.  And we think of the Holy Spirit as the mystical, mysterious one—our counselor and guide.  However, each Person of the Godhead is all of those things.  God the Father IS loving and caring.  Jesus Christ is powerful and mighty.  They are all One in being and essence. 

Scripture gives some broad affirmations of God’s unlimited power.  Jer. 32:17 “Ah, Lord God!  It is you who has made the heavens & the earth by your great power & by your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too hard for you!”  Dan. 4:35 (NIV) “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases.”  1 Chron. 29:11 “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness & the power & the glory & the victory & the majesty, for all that is in the heavens & in the earth is yours.  Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, & you are exalted as head above all.”

Hear the theme:  “Nothing is too hard for you.”  “You do whatever you please.”  “You are exalted as head above all.”  In other words, God’s power is unlimited.  When you want to do something, you just do it.  There is no force that can resist you or no enemy that can stand in your way.  You are sovereign over all.  Now these are written about God the Father, but the same holds true for God the Son.    He also possesses unlimited power and sovereignty, because He is fully God.

Jesus tells us in the Great Commission that “all authority in heaven & earth” has been given to Him. (Matt. 28:18)  Jesus has all power!  Have you ever been picked on?  Have you ever become a bully’s target?  Kind of like the kid in the movie “Christmas Story,” who is attacked by the neighborhood bully?  Wouldn’t it be great to have your own personal bodyguard?  Someone to protect you?  We have One—our Mighty God!

I’m afraid that some of us have traded the real Jesus of the Bible for a teddy bear, cute and fuzzy, but powerless.  We have thrust God out of His seat and replaced Him with some inferior, beaten down, politically correct, all-affirming God of love.  But Isaiah tells us that the Messiah will be called the “Mighty God.” 

Does anyone here need a mighty God in their corner today?  Anyone here facing a mess, maybe one you’ve made yourself or another made for you and you need a mighty God?  A circumstance-changing God?  An overcoming God? 

We need to be reminded that this Child would be called God.  In addition, He would be called MIGHTY—the One who causes things to change.  When we face impossible situations, we have laid claim to a Savior who is both the Creator of all things and is also one who is the Provider of overcoming power.  That is one of the reasons that the people of Jesus’ day had Him killed, because He claimed to be God and He backed it up with mighty power.

1. Jesus, the Mighty God, is Limitless.

Mark 5 tells the story of a desperate dad who forsakes his pride and high societal standing to bow before Jesus and plead with Him to heal his near-death daughter.

Jesus agrees but on the way, everything goes wrong.  They are delayed by a sick woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed.  Then the father, Jairus,  is approached by a servant who tells him that they are too late—the girl has died.  Jesus told him, “Ignore this news and just believe.”  When they get to the house, it is already filled with mourners who are wailing and crying.  Jesus says, “The child is not dead but sleeping.”  And the people laugh at Jesus.  However, Jesus takes the girl by the hand, speaks a few words and she is alive again.  Lungs that had no air filled up and a heart that was still began beating again.  HE IS A MIGHTY GOD!

Our lives are often filled with limitations and roadblocks.  We’re told that, medically speaking, this can’t get any better.  Financially we’re told that we can’t do this or that.  Like Jairus, I often live by self-imposed limitations of what I know, by my strength, education, finances and general resources.  But, Jesus, the Mighty God, knows nothing of limitations.  It doesn’t matter that people laughed.  It doesn’t matter that they said that the child was dead.  It doesn’t matter that a father’s faith may be wavering.  It doesn’t matter that they say that this can’t happen, because the Mighty God transcends all things.  As we read in this morning’s call to worship, we have a God who works and there is “none who can deliver” from His hand or even think to turn back His plans.   Secondly…

2. Jesus, the Mighty God, Cannot Be Held by Our Rules.

In  Acts 3:13-15, Peter says, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over & denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.  But you denied the Holy & Righteous One, & asked for a murderer to be granted to you, & you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead.  To this we are witnesses.” 

Jesus, our mighty God, defies everything that is supposed to happen.  Folks conspired against Him and made up all this stuff to get rid of Him and then they kill Him.  They thought they were finished with Him—another trouble maker out of the way.  But God stepped in and turned everything upside down and superseded their plans with His plan.

We call that resurrection power and that is what the mighty God is all about.  He is all about taking the most difficult thing—that situation that we say is unchangeable—and then He does something amazing with it.  Jesus Christ is NOT the subject to the rules, to men or courts or crosses or nails or the natural law.  Nothing could hold Jesus, not even death and a rock rolled over the entrance to His tomb.

3. Jesus, the Mighty God, Owns Satan.

In Luke 11:20-22, Jesus says, “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him & overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted & divides his spoil.”  Jesus is speaking of Satan being the strong man.  He is big, bad and tough, but Jesus has more muscle. 

Satan threw his best shots at Jesus and never could win.  He threw disease at Jesus and we’re told that by His stripes we are healed.  He threw temptation at Jesus, but He said, “Not my will but my Father’s will be done.”  He threw hatred at Jesus but He said, “Father, forgive them…”  He threw storms at Jesus and He said, “Peace be still.”  He threw death at Jesus and Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth!”  Jesus Christ is the Over Comer.  Whatever Satan may have, Jesus has more.

Remember when Jesus stood before Pilate in John 19 and Pilate demanded, “Don’t you know that I have the power the release you or to crucify you?”  And Jesus said, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been give you from above.”  Romans 8 tells us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We serve a mighty God!

4. Jesus, the Mighty God, Even Owns Death.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, & the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’  O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?  The sting of death is sin & the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is a bee buzzing around this room today, but we don’t need to fear because the stinger has been removed.  He (death) may be a pest but he cannot hurt you.  I’ve stood by the grave of many believers and thought to myself, “Death, is this all you can do?  Where is your power, because this person is in heaven!  Satan, you lost!”  We serve a mighty God.

I read the following excerpt to you about ten or twelve years ago. It’s from a sermon by a black pastor, the late Dr. S.M. Lockridge, who served the Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego, California.  He delivered this in 1976.  “My King was born Mighty God.  He’s the Mighty God of righteousness.  He’s the King of the ages.  He’s the Mighty God of Heaven and He’s the King of glory.  He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords.  Do you know Him?  He is the Mighty God of limitless love.  He knows no end to His supply.  No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.  Our King is strong.  Jesus, the King, is so knowledgeable, that there is nothing hidden from Him.  He’s the centerpiece of civilization.  He stands alone in Himself.  He’s unique—unparalleled—unprecedented.  I’m talking about Jesus, the Mighty God.  He’s the miracle of the age.  He supplies strength for the weak.  He’s available for the tempted and the tried.  He sympathizes and He saves.  He’s Mighty God and He guides.  He heals the sick; He cleanses the lepers; He forgives sinners; He discharged debtors; He delivers the captives; He defends the feeble; He blesses the young; He serves the unfortunate; He regards the aged and he rewards the diligent.  He’s the Master of the mighty.  He’s the Captain of the conquerors.  He’s the Head of the heroes.  He’s the Leader of the legislatures.  He’s the Overseer of the over comers.  He’s the Governor of governors.  He’s the Prince of princes.  He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.  He’s the Mighty God!  He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible.  He’s irresistible.  The heavens of heavens cannot contain Him.  You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands.  You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.  The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him but they found out that they couldn’t stop Him.  Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.  The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree about Him.  Herod couldn’t kill Him.  Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him.  That’s my King.  He always has been and He always will be.  I’m talking about the fact that He has no predecessor and he’ll have no successor.  There’s nobody before Him & there will be nobody after Him.  You cannot impeach Him and He’s not going to resign.  That’s my King.  He’s the Mighty God.”

That is the God of the Manger!  Our MIGHTY GOD!  Ephesians 1:22-23 tells us that “God placed all things under his feet & appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Jesus’ power is absolute and comprehensive.  It includes everything from global weather systems, to political movements around the world, to the growth and decline of cultures—all the way down to my relationship with my wife and sons.

I want us to close, not only thinking about Christ’s global power, but on His power in our lives.  His power is available to us.  That power that brought the world into existence and conquered death and brought Christ up from the dead—that same power is available to us.  Rom. 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy & peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”   The Spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit—is a spirit of power, giving us the power to love—the power to forgive—the power to trust and the power to persevere.

When we become Christians, God enters our lives but He doesn’t become our “co-pilot.”  He comes in as CEO.  When He starts working in your life, how do you respond?  Do you say, “Lord, do with me whatever You want?”  Or do you say, “Jesus, no offense, but I would appreciate it if You would leave?”  When God enters our lives, He doesn’t always follow our plan.  You may say, “God, I want you to help me trust people more.”  And God may say, “I’ll help you, but first you need to look at your critical, judgmental spirit.”  And you say, “Now wait a minute.  I like my critical, judgmental spirit.  It makes me feel good to look down on other people.”  And God responds and says, “Well, I wasn’t really asking permission.”  If you follow Him, He will take you on a journey toward greater holiness and obedience and ultimately, greater joy and peace.  But it will not necessarily be the journey that you had planned nor the route you had mapped out.  When you invite God into your life, sometimes it is a bit scary.  Or a lot scary.  Sometimes it’s painful.  At times we don’t understand what God may be doing.  In the midst of it all, God’s power is changing us and God is working in our lives to make us more like Christ. 

In The Silver Chair, one of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, a girl named Jill walks into an opening in the forest.  She is very thirsty and not far away she sees a stream of cool, clear water.  But instead of rushing toward it to drink, she hesitates in fear, because lying on the ground next to the stream is a huge lion.  It’s Aslan, who is the Christ figure in the Chronicles.  Hear the exchange between Aslan and Jill:  “Are you thirsty?” said the lion.  “I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.  “Then drink,” said the Lion.  “May I—could I—would you mind going away while I drink?” said Jill.  The lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl.  And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.  The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.  “Will you promise not to do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.  “I make no promise,” said the Lion.  Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.  “Do you eat little girls?” she said.  “I have swallowed up girls and boys, men and women, kings and emperors, cities and realms, “said the Lion.  It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, not as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry.  It just said it.  Jill said, “I dare not come and drink.”  “Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.  “Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer.  “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”  The Lion said, “There is no other stream.”

Jesus Christ IS the way, the truth and the life.  There is no other stream.  There is no other source of life and there is no other way to God than through Him.  When we give ourselves to Him, He makes no promise not to “do things” to us.  But He will soothe our thirst.  He is not a tame lion.  We cannot control Him, but He is good—very good.  And He can be trusted.  “For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given.  And the government shall be upon his shoulder & his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God…”  We love to ooh and ahh over babies.  And Christmas is the time we stand at the manger and coo at the newborn baby Jesus.  But He was born to be, among other things, OUR MIGHTY GOD.  Please grasp that this holiday season!  Jesus Christ is certainly more than a baby.  Let’s pray.