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Part 2
by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction
Tom Shepard of Quiet Ministries has written,
The church is the world's largest support group. Every single person in this room this morning has problems. Turn to the person on your left and say, "You've got problems!" Turn to the person on your right and say, "You've got problems!" Now turn to God and say, "I've got problems!" There don't you feel better? We are all just fellow struggles trying to make it through and give God glory in the process. I've thought about buying a sign to hang over the front entrance that says, "No perfect people allowed". The church is to be a community where people can be open and honest about their struggles – where we can work together to overcome our problems.[i]
Our present sermon series is based on the following verse of Scripture from Isaiah.
(Isa 9:6 NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
If the church is "a community where people can be open and honest about their struggles—where we can work together to overcome our problems", then let it be known that unless Jesus is the Head of that community and provides His own presence, His own counsel, and accomplishes His own ends for the resolutions of our problems, then it will only be a pooling of our ignorance and we might as well just write to "Dear Abby."
As noted in the first part of the series, Jesus as the Wonderful Counselor is rightfully titled. His words to us as God's Wonderful Counselor are:
I. Come Unto Me, Mat 11:28-30
II. I Am Here for You, Mat 28:20
III. I Will Always Tell You the Truth, Mat 22:16
There are more reasons why we should turn to Jesus as God's provision for all our needs. The next reason Jesus might give for us to so is . . .
IV. I Really Want the Best for You
A. He is sincere about His love for us, John 13:1; 15:13; 19:17-18.
John 13:1 (NIV) 1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
He died for us.
B. He is sincere about His hope, John 6:37-40; 14:2-3.
John 6:37-40 (NIV) 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 14:2-3 (NIV) 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
He made plans for us.
C. He is sincere about His counsel to us, John 15:9-11.
John 15:9-11 (NIV) 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
He has given us the secret to joy.
V. I Know What Is Best for You
A. I know how to give you a full and abundant life, John 10:9-10
John 10:9-10 (NIV) 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
B. I know you need protection from the evil one, John 17:15, 20.
He prayed for our protection.
John 17:15 (NIV) 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one . . . 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
C. I know what you need and my counsel will always promote:
1. Purity in life
2. Consideration for others
3. Submission to the needs of others
4. Mercy toward others
5. Good deed toward others
6. Impartiality toward others
7. Honesty toward others
8. Peacemaking among one's self and others
How do I know that these are counseling objectives of Jesus?
James 3:17 indicates as much.
James 3:17 (NIV) 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace–loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
VI. Listen to Me!
Matthew 17:5-6 (NIV) 5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
A. Listen to My teaching, Mat 15:10-11
Matthew 15:10-11 (NIV) 10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"
1. Parables illustrate truth, Mat 13:34-35
Matthew 13:34-35 (NIV) 34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.
2. Principles supply patterns, Mat 18:15-17
Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV) 15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
3. Practices give insight, Mar 6:10-11
Mark 6:10-11 (NIV) 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."
4. Proof of discipleship is responding, John 10:27-29
John 10:27-29 (NIV) 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
B. Listen to My commands, Luke 11:27-28
It is the key to blessing from God.
Luke 11:27-28 (NIV) 27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
C. Listen to My warnings.
1. It will not be easy to be My disciple, John 16:2-4.
John 16:2-4 (NIV) 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.
2. It will require that you live "with eternity's values in view," Luke 12:4-5.
Luke 12:4-5 (NIV) 4"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
D. Listen to My promises.
1. I will provide a Comforter for you, John 14:16.
John 14:16 (NIV) 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
2. I will provide a solid foundation for your life, Luke 6:47-49.
Luke 6:47-49 (NIV) 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
3. I will provide eternal rewards for temporal losses for my sake,
Mark 10:29-30.
Mark 10:29-30 (NIV) 29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
The Mark 10 passage ought not to be understood as an excuse for ministers of the gospel to neglect their families for the sake of "serving the Lord." Rather, it is about choices that are forced upon one who is considering becoming a disciple of Christ but is met with opposition from family or friends, and threatened with loss of relationships, property, or inheritance. Consider John 9:19-22 and John 12:42-43.
John 9:19-22 (NIV) 19"Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" 20"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.
John 12:42-43 (NIV) 42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Summary: What makes Jesus such a Wonderful Counselor?
Previously we had learned that . . .
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.
We now add to the list . . .
4. He sincerely only wants the best for us.
5. He knows what is best for us.
6. He expects us to listen to Him.
