Jesus is the Wonderful Counsellor

Isaiah 9:6

The stores are getting ready for Christmas and New Years. There are only four weeks left until Christmas. We want to look at Jesus and try to understand more about him. The stories in the Bible are not just something man has made up. The stories in the Bible can be shown from history to be true. Many years before they actually happened certain events were predicted. We want to study Isaiah 9:6 and seek the qualities of Jesus and how he can help us.

Isaiah wrote about a coming child who would be given certain titles or names. Isaiah tells us that the child was to born. Then he says a son was given to us. When we read the story of the birth of Jesus we see that this description fits him well. Jesus was a gift given to redeem man from his sin but as God He did not come down directly but He was born as a child and lived a life like you and I but with the supernatural power of God.

Jews recognized this passage to be a prophetic word from God and spoke about the coming Saviour. (Messiah) The Jews had difficulty with this prophesy. When Jesus came they thought that he was to be a ruler. This verse tells us that the government was to be His responsibility. Jesus was not the son of a king but the adopted child of a carpenter. When Jesus came they thought that the messiah would deliver them from all their political enemies but Jesus did not do it the first time. The second time Jesus is coming he will set up a kingdom and rule this world and set up a kingdom of peace.

Jesus was given four titles. Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Today we will only look at the concept of the Wonderful Counsellor.

In the original language it separates these two words meaning that this child would be Wonderful and He would be a Counsellor. It uses the term "wonderful" as a noun and not just an adjective. In the Japanese Bible the term Wonderful is translated as an adjective. I looked in several translations and each has a different word for the word "wonderful". This is an indication that this word is rather difficult to interpret. In the Japanese Kougotai Translation we have the word "reimyou naru gishi". In the Modern translation we have the term "odorokubeki shidousha". In the living Bible we have "subarashii jogensha". In the Shinkaiyaku we have the word "fushigina jogensha". These words give us a picture of someone who is very great and can to mighty things.

When Jesus was born, the shepherds went and saw Jesus and told everyone. When the people heard the shepherd's report they were all amazed that the news that they had heard. (Lk 2:18) We are not very often filled with wonder today. There are many things which are truly exciting and surprising happening every second within us. We don't have to look any farther than our

own bodies to be filled with amazement. The fact that we can see and store up millions of pictures in our mind is truly amazing. The fact that God could come down to earth and be born as a child is so difficult to understand that many people cannot believe it. Yes, it is something to wonder at.

Jesus who came as a child was a wonderful counsellor. A counsellor is one who gives help and advice. The Psalmist wrote very comforting words in Psalm 73:23-26. Let's read that together. "Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And being with You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Asaph wrote that God guided him with His counsel. That counsel is found in the Bible.

Jesus became the greatest counsellor for the disciples. When many turned away from Jesus he asked his disciples what they would do. They replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68) Where do you turn when things are difficult? Do you try to find an answer by yourself? Do you go to your friends or family? Why not turn to God who has given us the Holy Spirit as a counsellor and also the Bible as a guide to life.

When we become Christians, God doesn't leave us to do what we think is OK. He gives us the Holy Spirit who lives in our soul and guides us with the words of Jesus. God shows his love to us in that he always will help his children. He has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. Those are truly wonderful promises even when we sometimes go our own way. James 1 tells us that if we lack wisdom He will give us wisdom. I have claimed that promise many times and I will continue to ask God for guidance because I still have much to learn. As a counsellor Jesus knows how to guide us best. He does not just leave us to wander. He teaches us the path we need to follow if we want to have an abundant life.

Jesus faced the same problems and temptations as we face but He was able to overcome them while problems and temptations often overcome us. Hebrews 2:17,18 "And it was necessary for Jesus to be like us, his brothers, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God . . . For since He Himself has now been through suffering and temptation, He knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and He is wonderfully able to help us." We need to ask him for his counsel and he will guide us.

God's counsel is often just the opposite of that we would receive from other people. God tells us to love when others would tell us to hate and reject people who hurt us. Jesus told his followers to turn the other cheek instead of hitting others back. Is 55: 8,9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." We still have much to learn. We need the counsellor. We need to have Jesus teaching us and guiding us.

Is He your guide? Do you depend on Him for every problem? Why not? Is it because we are proud and think we are too good for Jesus? Or perhaps we think that because we are so bad He will never want to help us. Both of these opinions are very wrong!

Jesus counsels us though the word of God. Ps. 119:24 "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." We do not have to learn the hard way by personal experience if we learn our lessons from others and the stories of people in the Bible. The Bible is a book which shows man as he is - both good and bad. When we are obedient to what is written in the Bible we find that we can enjoy the abundant life which Jesus promised to all his followers. David praised the God by saying, "Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word." Following God's ways are not an option which we can follow if we feel like or reject if we don't like them. They must be followed without question if we would experience the full riches of God.

God does not just implant every truth into our minds when we become Christians. We must study the Word of God to gain this wisdom. In Proverbs wisdom calls us to come and learn. Proverbs 8:14 God says, "Counsel and sound judgement are mine; I have understanding and power." These things come from God through faith in Jesus Christ. If we desire guidance and counsel we must put our faith in Jesus and recognize that he is the wonderful counsellor. Why not ask him to be your counsellor today and turn your life over to him to guide and rule. Let us listen to the voice of God and say as Samuel did, " Speak Lord for your servant hears." Let us listen to the counsellor who knows us and worship Him alone in this busy but joyous time of year.