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Part 1
by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction:
A. The Qualities of a Good Counselor
1. They are able to establish a relationship of understanding between themselves and their counselee.
2. They are ready to appropriately intervene when necessary for the good of the counselee.
3. They are able to help the counselee to change certain aspects of their feelings, thinking, and actions that have become destructive or harmful to them.
B. The Qualities of a "Wonderful Counselor"
Those may be the qualities of a "good" counselor, but what are the characteristics of a "Wonderful Counselor"? For such is one of the designations of Christ in
C. The Necessity of a "Wonderful Counselor".
Bruce Goettsche, pastor of Union Church in La Harpe, Illinois, has asked and offered an answer to the question, "Why do we need a Wonderful Counselor?[1]
· The world is often a confusing and overwhelming place. We need someone to help us get through the fog.
· We have a sin problem that we cannot handle by ourselves. We may try to be good but we fail. We need someone who can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We need someone who can lead us to salvation and new life.
· We yearn for a relationship with God. Some people don't realize it but they are searching for meaning and purpose in their life. They are seeking the Almighty. We need someone who can lead us to Him.
Jesus, as the Wonderful Counselor, invites us to experience the fullness of His compassionate wisdom
I. "Come Unto Me"
A. Come to Him when you are weary and burdened with life,
Philippians 4:12 (NIV) 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
B. Come. Be led by One Who walks with you through the burdens of life,
His counsel often comes in the form of commands, which, when obeyed, are not burdensome. In fact, they have the effect of relieving the burden that disobedience has placed upon us in its effects.
C. Come to one who will bring you rest by his gentle and humble ministry,
John 14:27 (NIV) 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
D. Come to the One who knows how much you can bear and will not ask you to bear more,
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
What is the value of knowing Someone Who stands ready to help us in our time of need?
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
II. I Am Here for You
A. He promised always to be here for us, Mat 28:20.
Matthew 28:20 (NIV) 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
B. He ministered in the spirit of "I'm here for you."
Mark 10:14 (NIV) 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
C. He thrived on the opportunity to meet the needs of those who sought Him.
Acts 10:37-38 (NIV) 37You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
D. He sought out those who needed Him and offered Himself to them.
Luke 19:10 (NIV) 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
What is the value of having constant access to such a Counselor?
Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) 24A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Jesus will stick with you through your struggles for the purpose of building you up rather than leading you to ruin.
III. I Will Always Tell You the Truth
A. This was the testimony of even His enemies, Mat 22:16.
Matthew 22:16 (
B. This was His practice even among His closest of friends, Mat 26:33-34.
Matthew 26:33-34 (NIV) 33Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." 34"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."
C. This was evident when He revealed to some their true motives,
John 6:26-27 (NIV) 26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
D. This was evident when He told people the truth about why they did not accept the teaching of God's Word,
John 8:34-36 (NIV) 34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
E. This was manifest by His grasp of the source of humanity's moral ills,
Mark 7:18-23 (NIV) 18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.") 20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
What is the value of knowing the truth about one's self?
If one listens to the truth that God tells us about ourselves in His Word then we will develop:
1. Wisdom
2. Discipline
3. Understanding
Summary: What makes Jesus such a Wonderful Counselor?
1. He is able to lighten and share our burdens.
2. He promises to always be here for us.
3. He will always tell us the truth about ourselves.
