14.12.08

Everlasting Father, Amen.

Today, Dr. Erik Thoennes, one of the teaching elders at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, CA, spoke about Jesus as the Everlasting Father. In "light" of the Christmas season the church is doing a four-part series based of off Isaiah 9:6-7:

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. "
In this morning's sermon, Dr. Thoennes encouraged the church in reminding us of Jesus' role as Everlasting Father in our lives. He talked about the context in which the prophet Isaiah spoke the prophetic words of Isaiah 9--it was during a time when God's people were in turmoil and in anguish due to the impending Assyrian invasion. Their rebellion and turning away from God has brought this disaster to them, but still, God promised them Hope:

"Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."
How amazing it is to have an everlasting Father who cares for us and that even our rebellion cannot keep Him from caring for us the way He intends to. He is a Father who is more than capable of taking care of us, unlike our earthly fathers, who are limited in there finite existence, who are bound to disappoint us because they are not perfect. But Jesus IS perfect and He has taken care of everything: He died for the sins of the world, so that we would be free from the law of sin and come to know God! And there is nothing that we go through, nothing that we need, no problem or pain that we experience that Jesus cannot meet or fulfill, or even, understand. He knows us. And the way He cares for us, may not always be what we expect or want. But to be able to trust in a God who is an everlasting Father, I mean, what is time to an everlasting God?

So, why be impatient? Why, Linell, why?

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