Unto Us: The Child & the Son

How many fathers out there would be shocked to find out that your children aren’t actually your biological children? Back in the day we had Maury Povich – “the test confirms, you are not the father…” Now, we have the show, “Paternity Court” where people’s whole lives are turned upside down by the phrase, “you are not the father.

There was man named Joseph…

Matthew 1:18-19 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Then an angel shows up to explain all this to Joseph. Then instructs him to take Jesus as his own, even though he is not the biological father. God can really write a prophetic script.

We orphaned ourselves from God because of our sin and rebellion. We chose satan, sin, and the world to be our father. God then came to fallen imperfect people and called Joseph to adopt Jesus as his Son, to raise Him so that Father God could reclaim His children through the death of Jesus, and we are now brought near by the blood of Jesus and by the Spirit of adoption.

We divorced Him as Father, so He sent His Son to be adopted by a man, so He could redeem them by His blood, and to be adopted by His Spirit back into the family.

Joseph chose to be a father to Jesus who would later redeem him and adopt him as a son of God.

The Son of Man came so that we could be sons and daughters of God.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah prophesied about the Son of God being born over 700 years before it happened. This gives us some amazing insights into the nature of God.

1. Unto Us
God did not have to come to us. He chose to. He didn’t have to be born, to live, and to be tortured and executed on a cross made from trees He created, by the very people that He came to redeem.

Matthew 4:16 (quoting Isaiah 9:2) The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.

We chose our sin and to turn away from God and He could have just left us there. He could have just killed everyone in the flood and be done with it. But He didn’t. He came unto us. Even tonight He comes to us to give us another chance to repent and to choose life to give us a hope and a future.

He is not just God, He is your God. He is not just Savior and redeemer, but the Lover of Your soul.

The miracle of this Christmas season is not the presents, the lights, or the food. It’s Jesus. That God so loved you that he gave His Son to save us from our sin and the sentence of death. He is God, but He was sent, not to a throne or to thwart a rebellion, but unto us. To you and me.

John 17:20-21 I do not pray for these [disciples] alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

April 5, 2006 He came to me…

2. A Child is Born
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…

A child was born. God came, not as a powerful self-sufficient being, but as a baby. He chose to become vulnerable and trusted mortal, finite, fallen human hands to protect feed and raise Him. Jesus came as a baby. The infinite God who created and transcends, both time and space, chose to be born at a specific time, over 2,000 years ago in the midst cultural and political upheaval.

He also was born in a specific place – not Jerusalem the capitol city, but Bethlehem. A little no nothing town with immense prophetic significance. It is where Rachel, the favored wife of Jacob, died. It is also where the events of Ruth played out. Ruth was redeemed by Boaz just as we are redeemed by Christ. Their son was Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David who would become the greatest king of Israel and a prophetic picture of Jesus who is not only a king, but the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Beth Lahem – house of bread. God was building his house or family or church by sending the Bread of Life. The house of God body was like broken bread that was blessed and multiplied so we can now find our home in Him.

The child was born to redeem all of humanity in all its stages and experiences.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

He also had to learn how to handle His emotions. He experienced anger, sadness, frustration, joy, and every other thing that we as humans feel, yet without sin. He did not give in to negative feelings, nor did He overindulge in the positive.

Jesus led a perfect life through every stage of growth and development. He went through the terrible two’s played with other children His age and probably even scraped His knee a few times. He faced sexual temptation as a part of being human but was never enticed. He even struggled with adolescence and the temptation to be independent – “I must be about My Father’s business.” But He submitted to His earthly parents, and is why His Heavenly Father said at His baptism in

Matthew 3:17 This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus was successful and pleasing to the Father in every area and stage of life. His process gives me hope for my process.

Philippians 1:6 He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 3:18 We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

I’m not perfect, I’m in a process. The Holy Spirit is still working on me.

Romans 8:9 refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ which means that He empowers us to live in a way that is pleasing to the Father as well.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

When I gave my life to the Lord, He taught me how to be a child of God. That my sins were forgiven, that there are consequences to sin, that My Heavenly Father really does love me. But He didn’t stop there, He continues to work in my life and transforming my heart and mind, redeeming me back into who He made me to be. To walk in the Love of the Father.

Not only was a child born, but…
3. A Son is Given

Isaiah 9:6 …His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The child, Jesus, was born and came into being at a certain place and time, but the Son of God, the Christ, has always existed. The child had a start date but the Son is eternal.

Hebrews 5:8 He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

He had to learn to submit, to obey

Why is this important to us? Because “Unto us a Son was given.” He made a way to the Father through the cross, but He showed us how to live through His life. He now gives us His Holy Spirit to enable us to know the heart, mind, and will of the Father, and to empower us to live in a way that pleases Him and reflects His nature.

The Holy Spirit of God grows us from being needy, selfish children, into being productive, pleasing, and powerful sons and daughters of God.

I used to lie, be deceitful, and embellish stories that made me look better. I was immensely insecure because of the things I had been through, how others treated me, and because I had no idea who I was or what my purpose was. God helped me to stop lying, then deceiving, and then exaggerating. I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone or measure up to other people’s standards because I was His son and that was enough.

1 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

When I was lying about my weaknesses, it gave god no room for glory in my life. When I began to be honest with myself, with God, and then with others, the façade was removed, and God started showing His glory in my life in spite of my weaknesses. I am not the strongest, the best, the most articulate, I fail, I stutter, I get nervous, and sometimes say the wrong thing, but if I stay yielded to God, His grace is sufficient and my weaknesses actually become a platform for His strength.

Moses, God doesn’t care about whether or not you stutter, the power is in the message not in the messenger or the delivery.

Every great man or woman of God has great weaknesses and God still used them powerfully.
Paul had an eye disease, Peter was a loud mouth, Abraham was a liar, Jacob was a deceiver, Gideon was afraid and hiding, Deborah, Katherine Kuhlman, and Amie Simple McPherson were women. St. Patrick and Harriet Tubman were slaves. Smith Wigglesworth was uneducated, William Booth was poor, William Seymore was blind, David was the runt of the family, and Jesus was born in a hick town.

In Season 3 of The Chosen, Jesus is sending out His disciples two-by-two. Then Little James comes and has a sidebar conversation with Jesus.

It doesn’t matter what your weaknesses or short-comings are. Unto us a child was born and unto us the Son was given that He can heal, transform and redeem any sin, any brokenness, and any weakness. He is able to show His strength in our weaknesses, even the ones He doesn’t heal or remove.

Being a son or daughter of God is trusting God enough to go where He sends you and do what He is calling you to do even if you are not ready, don’t feel equipped, or have limitations.

He told us that this life would be difficult, but that He would be with us through it all.

John 16:33 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

God came unto us. The child was born to give us hope for our growth in our every-day real-world lives.

The Son was given so that we could walk in the love truth and power of God. So we can find our identity and purpose in Him and have the power to walk it out.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you’ve done or how much time you’ve wasted. The only thing that matters is what are you going to do with the time you have left. Are you going to ask Jesus to forgive your sin? Are you willing to turn from your sin to God? Are you willing to let God adopt you and father you into maturity and into your purpose?

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

For you, and unto you a child was born and the Son was given, so that by the spirit of adoption we can now cry out to God, “Abba Father” daddy God.

If you need prayer the alter is open and I will pray with you.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” ’