Welcome to the For the Gospel Podcast, where we provide sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Costi Hinn, and I want to welcome those of you listening via podcast or watching this on our YouTube channel. In this third episode of our Christmas series, I want to help answer the question: what does the birth of Jesus mean for you? That's an important question. I know that's not always where we want to start when we're studying the Bible, like, oh, what does this say about me? And what is this to me? And you can get down some difficult rabbit trails of interpretation when you make everything about you and read yourself into the text. But when it comes to Christmas, there is an aspect of this that is about us believers. We are the focus of redemption. Christ gets all the glory, but we get all the joy. The beauty and the hope of Christmas does center on your life in that you're the impact zone. You're the epicenter. And so we want to talk about that. It's important to be encouraging and thoughtful and mindful of that. So I want to do that in this episode. In the first two, we talked about the four reasons Jesus was born and why Mary had to be a virgin. If you haven't listened to those or watched them, I would recommend you go back and maybe this week, those are your listening as you head into this episode as well, moving closer to Christmas Day. I want to close by reflecting on what the birth of Christ means for us. And to do that, I want you to turn in your Bible if you're watching or following along to Isaiah chapter nine. We're going to be in verses six to seven in this incredible passage. It's a prophetic passage. And if you don't have a Bible, or if you are driving or working out or running or cleaning your house, whatever you're doing, uh, you can listen along and I'll have the passages put up on the screen as well. Let me read the text to you, and then we'll jump into some background. Isaiah chapter 9, verses 6 to 7 says, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Verse 7: There will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. The background to these words can be summarized in one word, and maybe, just maybe, this word relates to Christmas more than any other time of year, despair. A lot of people experience despair. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean materially or physically, but spiritually and mentally, in their heart, in their mind, the way they think, the way they feel, despair. Christmas can be a reminder that after filling up on all of the material things of this world, we are still empty if we do not have the hope of Jesus Christ. The year was 739 BC, and Isaiah started prophesying to the nation of Judah because they had turned their backs on God. So a little different than maybe what we would apply in our modern-day Christmas despair is the despair of the nation of Judah in those days because they had ignored God's commands, they were prideful, they refused to love each other, there was injustice everywhere. Maybe it's not unlike our world today. Yet they kept acting like they were followers of God. They were even still offering sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. They were hypocrites. And Isaiah prophesied of God's judgment upon them, but even in the midst of judgment, with despair overshadowing the nation, Isaiah doesn't just prophesy of doom and gloom, but of destiny. Not just bad news, but good news. Yahweh being the name of God, God was not just going to leave them in their despair, but he sent his prophet to tell them about the hope of salvation that was going to come. If they would turn away from their sinful rebellion and they would turn once again to Yahweh, they could all declare what Isaiah 12, verse 2 declares, which is, Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength, and song he has become my salvation. That particular salvation, spoken of so often in the book of Isaiah, would come through a baby. And that's where we pick it up in verse six, where it says, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest upon his shoulders. This baby being quote unquote born to us and then quote given to us is referring to the Jewish people and their historical lineage. So we wouldn't necessarily right away think, well, to us, to me, here in America or in Mexico or Canada or Africa, wherever you are. Earlier in Isaiah's prophecy, the same child is mentioned when God says, Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call him or name him Emmanuel. That's Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14. Emmanuel means God with us, giving another clue to the special nature of this child. And so at that time, this is going to be a great encouragement for the nation of Judah as they think a Messiah is coming. They're looking, they're waiting, they're hopeful, and they're needy. The government will rest upon his shoulders. What does that line mean? It's the significant picture of this child being the king one day, and the burden of leadership being upon his capable shoulders. Perhaps the word picture gives the original audience a sense of relief as they imagine all of their burdens, all of their oppression, their despair, and their hopelessness being lifted off their shoulders as this king places all of those burdens on his. Isaiah then lists four names that he will be called. They are titles and they represent his character and his actions as their king. And now I hope these will speak to you. This child will first be number one, wonderful counselor. Wonderful speaks to the miraculous wonders he will perform, and the way that people will be in awe of him. Counselor speaks to his wisdom, which is above all wisdom, and his counsel that far exceeds all counsel. Isaiah chapter eleven, verses one to two says of this child, then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. This child, Jesus, will know and reveal wisdom and counsel that will save sinners and set the captives free. That was incredible news to the nation of Judah in their despair, and it still rings true as incredible news for you and I today. Number two, mighty God, not just wonderful counselor, but mighty God. This means there will be no other one like him. While others have been called mighty, including King David. None have ever been called mighty God except for this child. Up to this point, they would have considered Abraham and Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David as mighty. But this one, oh, he would be even more special than them. He's the hero beyond all heroes, the mightiest over all who are mighty, and he's called that word, God. This marks a significant revelation. This is not only a human child, he would also be divine. And that is who Jesus is, the Messiah, not only to Israel, but now not just to Jew, but to Gentile, divine, almighty God. Number three, he's called eternal Father. Being eternal, his birth would mark the moment that God became flesh and dwelt among us. Through this one, God would make himself known and revealed in a way that was never experienced before. The word father speaks to the care and concern and love and protection and nurture and discipline and leadership that he would bring, like a faithful father ought to, but this the father above all fathers, in contrast to their wicked lineage of kings, since the time of Solomon, hundreds of wives, all the mistakes, kingdoms being divided, false gods. You have to think for a moment of that original audience receiving this prophecy and the mess they were sitting in as a result of failed fathers, meaning spiritual leaders. Now there would be a king, an eternal father, who was wise and he would not abandon them. He would not lead them astray. He would not divide the kingdom and bring destruction. He would unite it and bring healing and peace, which leads us to the fourth title, Prince of Peace. And I wonder what kind of peace you think of when you think of peace. I know we all have a context and different situations. Maybe it's peace in family relationships, maybe peace for the nations who are at war. Maybe it's peace right now as drones fly around the U.S. and everyone's wondering what in the world is going on, peace in our political, uh, what I would call this kind of no man's land awkward stage between two administrations, uh, where you feel vulnerable. Maybe peace between churches, peace between people, peace just from all the anxiety in your life. All of these, while important, and God does care about them, they're not forms of peace that are related to the peace being spoken of in this as a primary focus of the peace. First, it's peace in the heart. It's peace for the sinner with God. Secondarily from that, oh, all these other forms of peace. Peace in your relationships, sure. Why? Because two hearts have been united to God and two sinners are now reconciled to God. Peace in the heart spiritually will flow out to peace with people relationally. Oh, peace between nations, not until all bow to Christ as King. Peace in our world, peace from anxiety, certainly possible, but only in so far as people's hearts are turned to Christ and reconciled to God, peace first for salvation, and then peace in every other way. That only comes through this prince. And the term prince is the idea of administering that peace that ends war on conflict. The people of Judah were enemies with their God. They had stirred up his anger, much like we have even today. They've turned from him, and their sin had brought conflict between them and God. And sin, even still today, is man's greatest problem, for which the Prince of Peace, this minister of peace, is going to come and bring between God and man once more. Isaiah chapter 53, verses 1 to 6 describes how this child would grow up to provide that peace. And I want to turn over there right now. And if you have your Bible, go ahead and join me. And if not, we're almost there, and I'll read this to you. But Isaiah chapter 53, verses 1 to 6. Listen to these words that describe how this child would grow up to provide peace. It is in the most counterintuitive way through suffering. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up like before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground. He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him. He was nor appearance that we should be attracted to him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried, yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities, the chastening for our well being fell upon him, and by his scourgings we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. This child would grow up to fulfill his title, Prince of Peace, because he would pay the penalty for sin. He would pay the penalty and in that absorb the wrath of God through death on a cross, being pierced for their wrongdoings, our wrongdoings, taking the punishment that would result in peace. The people of Judah suffering in despair as a result of their own doing could receive undeserved grace, blessing, peace, and all of the wonderful blessings that are attached to salvation because of this child. Today we know this child is Jesus. He is and was the Messiah, whom they called Emmanuel, God with us, because 700 years later, as the first Christmas drew near, the angel declared to Joseph, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Now all of this took place, the Bible says, to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet. Here it is, behold the virgin shall be with child, they shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which translated means God with us. Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, to die for our sins, because the penalty for sin, according to God's standard, is death, came, took on the form of man, lived a perfect life, took the wrath of God as punishment for sin on our behalf. He came and died to give us life. He was the long-awaited Savior and hope, not only for the Jews back then, but for all, even now, still, who would turn away from their sin and rebellion and turn to God. He offers peace not merely for some earthly relationship, not merely in the realm of politics, not merely for your worries about tomorrow, but for your greatest problem and mine, sin. Sin separates you and I from God. Sin is any action, any thought or any belief that misses the mark that God has set, and it's a part of our nature. A lifestyle of sin without repentance puts us on a collision course with God's righteous judgment. And Jesus is God's gift so that you would not experience that judgment and the finality of his condemnation. Jesus is God's offer of peace. And Christmas for all the good things that it brings to our lives is about the greatest thing that to believe in Christ who came to earth for salvation, you receive the gift of that salvation. For some of us, I think we lose sight of what matters most because we get so caught up in the chaos of the season, we get obsessed with our stuff, we get so distracted, or you eye roll because, oh, here's another Christmas message about how it's all about Jesus. Oh, please, I've heard it all before. No, would you this year go back to first love and that foundation of what it's all about and live in that? It's not just some cliche Christian tradition, it's not just some spiritualism that rains on your materialistic parade. No, it's all about Jesus. It always will be about Jesus. And I think sometimes we get miserable and we lose the hope of Christmas because we have been so weighed down by all of those things that we're not experiencing the freedom and the liberty of walking with the Lord in the way he's called us to. Christmas is about getting our eyes off of things and about treasuring Christ as the gift. Christmas is about laying down your heavy burdens, laying down your sins and obsessions, and taking up his perfect peace. Christmas is when we are again reminded of what the prophets told Israel and Judah and what the angels declared to the shepherds in Luke chapter two, verses ten to fifteen. Just let these words wash over you as we get so close to the big day. Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you. You'll find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. When the angels had gone away from them and into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. Is Jesus the only source of your joy and hope and peace this Christmas? I pray he is. And like the shepherds, is your response to the message and the announcement of glory to God and the highest peace on earth. Is that the cause of your worship? I pray that this Christmas you have been and will continue to be filled with hope and joy and peace because Christ is your greatest gift. I want to say a special Merry Christmas to those of you who are so frequently listening and watching and sharing and supporting. You really are our for the gospel family and our friends, and so thank you. I hope this year has been a fruitful one for you in a number of different ways, whether that be through trials growing you, or the Lord blessing you in unique or remarkable ways. I most of all pray that your testimony has been all the more made clear for Christ, that your witness is loud and bold and joyful and impacting people around you. I pray that our ministry continues to stir you up to live for the gospel. We have more episodes to come as the year winds down. And then in the new year, I'm excited to kick off a brand new series for you all. Our ministry purpose is to provide sound doctrine for everyday people. So we're going to keep on doing that. And we are so thankful for your giving and your support this year. You have blown this ministry away. We're able to go into 2025 so strong and with a huge initiative that's launching on January 3rd that I can say nothing about yet because we're going to show, not tell. But wait until you see what God has done through your support and what our faithful team has been dreaming up and working on to advance the gospel in ways that I can honestly say have not been utilized really before by resource ministries. Thank you. We are 100% donor supported, and all that we're able to do is because of you. To learn more about our ministry or to become a monthly gospel patron or give an end-of-year gift to support what we're doing here, you can go to forthegospel.org. If you're registered for our event with Vodibacum or the women's event with Ali Batsucki on February 22nd, I think that one is. And then Vodhi is February 1st. If I got the dates wrong, check for thegospel.org. It's all on there. Uh Vodi is for everyone. Men, women, ring your teenagers. That'll be here in Phoenix, and then Ali is women only. We are so excited to see you, to meet you, and to strengthen you in those sessions. I'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.