“And His name shall be called Wonderful …” Isaiah 9:6
For this next few moments, let’s consider Jesus. He is Wonderful. In Judges 13, when the angel of the covenant appeared to Manoah, Manoah asked Him, "What is Your name?" (BTW, the angel of the Lord was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ). The messenger replied, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is secret (literally, wonderful)." By this, the "Angel of the Lord" identifies Himself with the baby who was to be born to redeem.
"Wonderful" comes from the root word "wonder." It can also be translated as ‘amazing,’ ‘surprising,’ ‘astonishing’ or ‘awe-inspiring.’ Jesus is all these things! Does Jesus bring wonder to our lives? This Christmas season, may we find things wonderfully surprising, wonderfully strange and wonderfully astonishing in Him?
There has never been anyone as wonderful as Jesus. Think about it, He’s either wonderful or arrogant.
He came and pointed out our sins but acknowledged no sin of His own. Is that arrogant or wonderful?
He claimed to not only be sinless but also to be the Saviour from sin. That’s either arrogant or wonderful!
He came and told us we must repent but had no repentance of His own…that’s either arrogant or Wonderful.
He tells us that we are sick and that He is our physician….That’s either arrogant or Wonderful!
He tells us that we are His sheep and that He is our shepherd… That’s either arrogant or Wonderful!
What say you? Is He wonderful?
In the annals of human history, there never was anyone like Him, and there never will be. He is called wonderful simply because there is no better way to describe Him! Please make a point to tell your friends, that He is wonderful! Email it! Post it online. Let everyone know that, “He is wonderful!”
Notice in Scripture how we are called sheep (John 10:11-15). We are not called lions, we’re too weak for that name. We are not called serpents; they are wise, but sheep are dumb. He doesn’t call us dogs. If a dog gets lost, he often finds his way back home. A sheep can’t do that. Sheep are weak and stupid and lose their way. But we have a shepherd whose name is wonderful. He knows how to find us. He’s a shepherd who has a treasure house of wisdom and has all of the strength that we need.” He is wonderful!
The word ‘wonderful’ is sometimes translated "marvelous or miraculous." Spurgeon says, “Christ is the marvel of marvels, the miracle of miracles."His name shall be called Miraculous," for he is more than a man, he is God's highest miracle. "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh." His Name --Wonderful!
(Spurgeon: Sermon Number 214: His Name shall be called Wonderful)
Let’s face it, Jesus is Wonderful! He is wonderful in what He did, He is wonderful in what He is doing and wonderful in what he will yet do. It’s no wonder then that John Flavel wrote of Him;
Out of His agony comes our victory;
Out of His condemnation comes our justification;
Out of His pain comes our ease;
Out of His stripes comes our healing;
Out of His gall and vinegar comes our honey;
Out of His curse comes our blessing;
Out of His crown of thorns comes our crown of glory;
Out of His death comes our life!
John Flavel (1627-91).
He is Wonderful!
And that’s the Gospel Truth!