I’ve often wondered, what do those who have expressed disbelief in God and the divinity of Jesus Christ think of Christmas? In theory the day would be hollow, but in practice I see most people appreciate the day, the season, the celebration, the presents, the lights, the stories. I believe Christmas is a gift of God’s grace, even for those who do not believe. If the commercial aspects are what keeps Christmas alive for the nation, then I am thankful for the stores and the buying and exchanging of presents. The holiday lights.
The Christmas season is an opportunity for those who are wondering about the life of Jesus to reflect on issues of faith. Surely there are skeptics that wonder, consider, ponder Jesus Christ. Christmas is a gentle reminder to the nation that is embraced by the nation of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:10-11 we are told that a day is coming when “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.” Christmas is not a fulfillment of that coming day of world wide recognition, but perhaps it is the closest foreshadowing we have of that day in which all people will recognize the Lordship of Christ. There are those with even a mustard-seed size faith can genuinely consider the miraculous birth and the world changing impact made by the life of Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the difference maker. In the Isaiah passage, a prophecy given 100’s of years before that first Christmas day, four titles of Jesus are given. Each of these titles expresses a life changing aspect of how Jesus makes a difference. Today we focus on Everlasting Father. The difference Jesus makes is astounding. The everlasting father. Everlasting. One of the wonderful verses describing Jesus in the New Testament: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
I have an amazing watch. About six weeks ago, for about three days, when I picked up my watch in the morning from the nightstand, the illumination was faded, and I’d have to shake the watch and push the buttons to get the numbers where I could read them. I thought for sure the batteries were dying. I never changed the batteries, and now for the past few months everything is fine. The same thing happened about 2-3 years ago. Every few years it seems the battery threatens to die, but then it keeps on going, seemingly forever. My father died in April 1996. It was his watch. I bought a new band 8-10 years ago, unless I am forgetful, the battery has never been changed. Everlasting. Dependable. Count on it. The watch/battery, of course, is not even close to everlasting.
Jesus will be called the EVERLASTING father. Jesus is everlasting, not like this silly watch which is but a shadow of true everlasting. The world changes, but Christ remains the same. Jesus knows what was, what is, and what is to come. We, as humans, are wired for continuity, yet we live in a world of constant change, relations change, life situations change, our health changes, we are hit with surprises and crisis. Even good events can throw us like weddings, birth of babies.
Jesus Christ is everlasting. He is continuous. EVERLASTING is not only a matter of quantity, but also a matter of quality. His character is always the same, his compassion never fails, his love endures.
People are moody, some worse than others. but God isn’t. I get nervous when a person is moody, because you never know what you’ll find. Jesus Christ is consistent. People change over time, hopefully more of us learn and improve our basic character, but it’s still change. I have always been impressed by my ethics professor who said, “My wife has been married to four different men, and all of them are me!” referring to the transformation of his own life over time. Jesus is consistent. We need consistency. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.
One of the admirable group of people among us is the people of faith, married for a long time, one of the spouses dies, and the other goes on finding peace and satisfaction with another wonderful chapter of life. We have lots of people among us just like that. A long time spouse dies, the world, for them, is turned upside down instantly, yet their faith in Jesus Christ provides a continuity. He shall be called Everlasting Father. You face surgery, you face uncertainty, you are shocked, yet faith in Jesus Christ gives peace, because you know that while the world is uncertain, Jesus Christ is everlasting. Jesus, the Everlasting Father, makes a difference in daily living because of the continuity, which leads to confidence and assurance.
“Father” normally we don’t think of Jesus as Father, but here it is. Some people have a hard time believing in God/understanding God, because their own father was harsh. God often borrows titles from imperfect human relationships to give us greater understanding of the relationship he has with us. Look in the old testament and God did not want his people to come under authority of a king, but he allowed the government to be set up with a king, and in the latter stages of the Bible, Jesus is bestowed with the amazing title, King of Kings. “Father” is a very personal title, chosen deliberately by God. But not just any father, an everlasting father, consistent in his discipline, consistent in his love. As humans we know all too well the moodiness of some fathers, the inconsistency of parents, abandonment issues, the separation of death. But Jesus is not just any father, he is the EVERLASTING father, consistent. “father” is a great title, the difference maker, for like any father, you can go to him and test him. See if he is consistent. Test Jesus to see if he will abandon you.
A father is the one in authority, an authority who is supposed to love and care about those of whom he is a father. I am old enough now that I can truly say there are a few young people out there over the decades who have seen in me a bit of a father figure in their life, their own father was either gone or quite destructive, so I was adopted. It happens to youth pastors. It happens to any adult that is available to care about those that are younger. Young people will find you. And they will test you. Sometimes the rebellion is a test: will you love anyway? Sometimes young people need to find the limits of what is allowed: Standards are a good thing. Jesus is like a father, go to him and test him, will you be able to see in him the eternal qualities you will not find completely in any earthly father? “Father” may be an uncommon name we give Jesus, but what a great difference making name: go to Jesus as you go to a Father, and discover the difference he makes because of his EVERLASTING qualities.
Jesus Christ is consistent: He does what he says he will do, he is what he is, Christ’s CHARACTER does not change. Earlier we sung the Chris Tomlin song “Forever.” I know it's not considered a standard Christmas song, but it contains the Christmas message "Everlasting Father". he song praises God as our Eternal Father for His goodness, faithfulness, love, and mercy:
Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, Forever
From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
His mercy, His love, His grace, His forgiveness does not change – from the dawning of the day to the setting of the sun – His character does not change. From the beginning of time into eternity -Jesus’ character never alters. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.
An entire series could be developed on Jesus unchanging EVERLASTING Character, but to select one: Christ’s COMPASSION does not change. If we could develop the perfect father, I vote for compassion as a top priority. How many adults crave a father that was more compassionate? Young people that want the attention of a father. Somebody who understands, a father that is pleased and approves. A father that accepts unconditionally. Our earthly fathers fall short too often, but Jesus, the Everlasting Father, is full of compassion: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with COMPASSION for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 (NKJV)
“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with COMPASSION, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." Mark 1:40-41 (NKJV)
The end of the story of the prodigal son: “But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with COMPASSION. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (HCSB)
Compassion is Suffering with another; painful sympathy. Identification. Compassion, a mixture of passion, love and sorrow. Bianca and I watched a young man this week sitting at the bedside of his dying mother, compassion.
Like the leper, like the hungry, When Jesus sees us in our distress He has compassion on us. When He sees the mess we have made of our lives He is moved with compassion. When life has been hard - when we have been dealt a bad hand - when disaster after disaster follows us around like a puppy – when the whole world seems to be falling in around us - God is moved with compassion. The compassion of Jesus moves Him to rescue us. The compassion of Jesus moves Him to save us. The compassion of Jesus, the Everlasting Father, does not change.
We live in a world where we can get broken up, scratched up, dinged up. We get dents and bruises – sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally. We live in a world where we can get hurt. We can have broken bones, broken relationships, and broken hearts. That’s the world in which we live. I am glad that there is One who will have compassion for me. I am glad there is One who is moved because of my suffering. I am glad there is One who is moved with compassion because He loves me. That one is Jesus – our Eternal Father.
God has promised to commit Himself to us and that commitment never changes, his character never changes, his compassion – it is eternal. Look at what God says to you in Jeremiah chapter twenty nine: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out —plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)
Jesus is our Eternal Father. He is always there for you – He will not abandon you. His character does not change. His compassion does not change. His commitment to you does not change. Turn to Him. Go to him as a father, and discover his eternal unchanging character. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Father, makes all the difference. Amen.
Jesus Christ is the difference maker. In the Isaiah passage, a prophecy given 100’s of years before that first Christmas day, four titles of Jesus are given. Each of these titles expresses a life changing aspect of how Jesus makes a difference. Today we focus on Everlasting Father. The difference Jesus makes is astounding. The everlasting father. Everlasting. One of the wonderful verses describing Jesus in the New Testament: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
I have an amazing watch. About six weeks ago, for about three days, when I picked up my watch in the morning from the nightstand, the illumination was faded, and I’d have to shake the watch and push the buttons to get the numbers where I could read them. I thought for sure the batteries were dying. I never changed the batteries, and now for the past few months everything is fine. The same thing happened about 2-3 years ago. Every few years it seems the battery threatens to die, but then it keeps on going, seemingly forever. My father died in April 1996. It was his watch. I bought a new band 8-10 years ago, unless I am forgetful, the battery has never been changed. Everlasting. Dependable. Count on it. The watch/battery, of course, is not even close to everlasting.
Jesus will be called the EVERLASTING father. Jesus is everlasting, not like this silly watch which is but a shadow of true everlasting. The world changes, but Christ remains the same. Jesus knows what was, what is, and what is to come. We, as humans, are wired for continuity, yet we live in a world of constant change, relations change, life situations change, our health changes, we are hit with surprises and crisis. Even good events can throw us like weddings, birth of babies.
Jesus Christ is everlasting. He is continuous. EVERLASTING is not only a matter of quantity, but also a matter of quality. His character is always the same, his compassion never fails, his love endures.
People are moody, some worse than others. but God isn’t. I get nervous when a person is moody, because you never know what you’ll find. Jesus Christ is consistent. People change over time, hopefully more of us learn and improve our basic character, but it’s still change. I have always been impressed by my ethics professor who said, “My wife has been married to four different men, and all of them are me!” referring to the transformation of his own life over time. Jesus is consistent. We need consistency. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.
One of the admirable group of people among us is the people of faith, married for a long time, one of the spouses dies, and the other goes on finding peace and satisfaction with another wonderful chapter of life. We have lots of people among us just like that. A long time spouse dies, the world, for them, is turned upside down instantly, yet their faith in Jesus Christ provides a continuity. He shall be called Everlasting Father. You face surgery, you face uncertainty, you are shocked, yet faith in Jesus Christ gives peace, because you know that while the world is uncertain, Jesus Christ is everlasting. Jesus, the Everlasting Father, makes a difference in daily living because of the continuity, which leads to confidence and assurance.
“Father” normally we don’t think of Jesus as Father, but here it is. Some people have a hard time believing in God/understanding God, because their own father was harsh. God often borrows titles from imperfect human relationships to give us greater understanding of the relationship he has with us. Look in the old testament and God did not want his people to come under authority of a king, but he allowed the government to be set up with a king, and in the latter stages of the Bible, Jesus is bestowed with the amazing title, King of Kings. “Father” is a very personal title, chosen deliberately by God. But not just any father, an everlasting father, consistent in his discipline, consistent in his love. As humans we know all too well the moodiness of some fathers, the inconsistency of parents, abandonment issues, the separation of death. But Jesus is not just any father, he is the EVERLASTING father, consistent. “father” is a great title, the difference maker, for like any father, you can go to him and test him. See if he is consistent. Test Jesus to see if he will abandon you.
A father is the one in authority, an authority who is supposed to love and care about those of whom he is a father. I am old enough now that I can truly say there are a few young people out there over the decades who have seen in me a bit of a father figure in their life, their own father was either gone or quite destructive, so I was adopted. It happens to youth pastors. It happens to any adult that is available to care about those that are younger. Young people will find you. And they will test you. Sometimes the rebellion is a test: will you love anyway? Sometimes young people need to find the limits of what is allowed: Standards are a good thing. Jesus is like a father, go to him and test him, will you be able to see in him the eternal qualities you will not find completely in any earthly father? “Father” may be an uncommon name we give Jesus, but what a great difference making name: go to Jesus as you go to a Father, and discover the difference he makes because of his EVERLASTING qualities.
Jesus Christ is consistent: He does what he says he will do, he is what he is, Christ’s CHARACTER does not change. Earlier we sung the Chris Tomlin song “Forever.” I know it's not considered a standard Christmas song, but it contains the Christmas message "Everlasting Father". he song praises God as our Eternal Father for His goodness, faithfulness, love, and mercy:
Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, Forever
From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
His mercy, His love, His grace, His forgiveness does not change – from the dawning of the day to the setting of the sun – His character does not change. From the beginning of time into eternity -Jesus’ character never alters. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.
An entire series could be developed on Jesus unchanging EVERLASTING Character, but to select one: Christ’s COMPASSION does not change. If we could develop the perfect father, I vote for compassion as a top priority. How many adults crave a father that was more compassionate? Young people that want the attention of a father. Somebody who understands, a father that is pleased and approves. A father that accepts unconditionally. Our earthly fathers fall short too often, but Jesus, the Everlasting Father, is full of compassion: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with COMPASSION for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 (NKJV)
“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with COMPASSION, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." Mark 1:40-41 (NKJV)
The end of the story of the prodigal son: “But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with COMPASSION. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (HCSB)
Compassion is Suffering with another; painful sympathy. Identification. Compassion, a mixture of passion, love and sorrow. Bianca and I watched a young man this week sitting at the bedside of his dying mother, compassion.
Like the leper, like the hungry, When Jesus sees us in our distress He has compassion on us. When He sees the mess we have made of our lives He is moved with compassion. When life has been hard - when we have been dealt a bad hand - when disaster after disaster follows us around like a puppy – when the whole world seems to be falling in around us - God is moved with compassion. The compassion of Jesus moves Him to rescue us. The compassion of Jesus moves Him to save us. The compassion of Jesus, the Everlasting Father, does not change.
We live in a world where we can get broken up, scratched up, dinged up. We get dents and bruises – sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally. We live in a world where we can get hurt. We can have broken bones, broken relationships, and broken hearts. That’s the world in which we live. I am glad that there is One who will have compassion for me. I am glad there is One who is moved because of my suffering. I am glad there is One who is moved with compassion because He loves me. That one is Jesus – our Eternal Father.
God has promised to commit Himself to us and that commitment never changes, his character never changes, his compassion – it is eternal. Look at what God says to you in Jeremiah chapter twenty nine: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out —plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)
Jesus is our Eternal Father. He is always there for you – He will not abandon you. His character does not change. His compassion does not change. His commitment to you does not change. Turn to Him. Go to him as a father, and discover his eternal unchanging character. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Father, makes all the difference. Amen.
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