Isa 9:6+7, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. 
	This week the world celebrates, at least nominally, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The story of His glorious birth will be recounted in word and song throughout the churches and the homes around the globe. Many, thankfully, will know the reality of the love of God that was set in motion with the human birth of the Son of God. However, that will not always mean that there is deepening understanding of the whole purpose of what God set into place with His so great love. Jesus is the gift of God to all who will believe. 
This belief is not just in His birth, but in the whole reality of why He came to this earth as a man. He took upon Himself the manifest physical limitations of humanity, but without the sinful nature with which we are encumbered. He lived a perfect and holy life and was crucified for being that unwaveringly and faultless and brilliant light to this world of what God had always purposed for mankind. In His death, He became our very sin, nailed to the cross of shame and guilt and the horrid curse of death. All this, He willingly bore in order to show us that He loved us and wanted to make the way for our redemption back to the heart of God. 
Then, He was gloriously resurrected from that despicable death. As well, He raised us up with Himself into the heavenlies, to live forevermore in the proper and designed placement as the very Children of God. That is what we believe, when we truly know the reality of what His birth means in our lives.
That is the fullness of what this passage in Isaiah puts before us. Accordingly, it would be appropriate and wonderful to spend a few moments, this morning, reading together some of the scriptures which give evidence to how the Lord has brought the promises that were spelled out by the Prophet Isaiah into place. This is for our benefit and our uplifting and our need to give God all our thanks and appreciation and honor as we joyously commemorate and celebrate the accomplished promise of God in Jesus Christ.
These passages may not be the usual ones read at this time of year, but they should be. They reveal so very much of the grandeur and the awesome power of God in action through the beneficent giving of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 
As Jesus revealed the truth of Himself to His disciples and now to us in His Glorious Word, let us recount the manifested work that was invested in this child that was born unto us, so given by the Father. Please open to Luke 24:13-27, where we find the resurrected Lord Jesus walking with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:13-27, And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were conversing with each other about all these things which had taken place. And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad. And one of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. "But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. "And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see." And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 
    	Please notice that Jesus began with Moses and all the prophets. The reality is that when we come into a living relationship with the resurrected Jesus Christ, all of scripture serves to reveal Him. As is so evident in our corporate readings of the Bible, as we have read through the entire New Testament and now the Pentateuch, Jesus is everywhere within it. He is prophesied, as in our morning’s passage by each of the books of the prophets of old. 
One cannot read the Word of God without coming across Jesus in passage after passage, because that is the whole point and purpose of scripture. It reveals the Word from the beginning of creation through each life of those who will but see and believe upon Him.
	As Jesus states so vibrantly in John 16:28-33, all that is needed to overcome the trials and the tribulations and the hatred and the anger and the hopelessness of this world, lost in sin and trespass, is found in Him. 
John 16:28-33, "I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father." His disciples said, "Lo, now You are speaking plainly, and are not using a figure of speech. "Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? "Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." 
Jesus is the source and essence of our peace and our hope and He is our salvation! He has overcome everything of this age which tries to enslave and discourage and humiliate us into cowering and whimpering defeatists. As our morning’s passage declares …There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore.
    	Now please open to the Book of Acts. We will read several passages, beginning with Chapter 1, verses 3-9. Again, we have the reality proclaimed by Jesus Himself that He is the One Who now reigns. He bestows upon those, who believe in His death and resurrection, everything that is needed to be the vibrant testimony of His everlasting life to all in this age. His is the kingdom and the glory and the honor now and evermore. …And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
	Acts 1:3-9, To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 
    	Then in Acts 2:14-36, we have the witness of the Apostle Peter after the Holy Spirit had descended upon the Apostles. They were testifying with power and with grace and with the authority of Christ to the fact that Jesus was both Savior and Lord. They were doing so in all the languages of those who were gathered together there in Jerusalem. These men were the messengers of the Living Gospel of Jesus Christ, as ambassadors of His eternal kingdom. 
	Herein, once more, the whole of the scriptural promise of God, as detailed throughout the prophets of old was laid before the mass of people gathered to hear. It was in order to show how God had manifested, in the gift of His Only Begotten Son, everything that had been promised throughout His Word, including those of Isaiah.
	Acts 2:14-36, But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words. "For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: 'And it shall be in the last days,' God says, 'That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy. 'And I will grant wonders in the sky above, And signs on the earth beneath, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 'The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. 'And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. "And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. "For David says of Him, 'I was always beholding the Lord in my presence; For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 'Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will abide in hope; Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay. 'Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou wilt make me full of gladness with Thy presence.' "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. "And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."' "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified."     
	Another who declared with all the power of heaven, the glorious truth of Christ, as detailed in the beloved scripture of God, as set forth by the prophets, was the Apostle Paul. In Acts 13:22-39, we have the account of how Paul preached the truth that Jesus was the child so given by God as detailed in Isaiah by Whom …There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
	Acts 13:22-39, "And after He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' "From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. "And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' "Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out. "For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. "And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. "And when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. "But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm,' Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee.' "And as for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' "Therefore He also says in another Psalm, 'Thou wilt not allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.' "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.     
	The Apostle not only used the basis of the Holy Scripture for the Children of Israel’s benefit, but also for the sake of those Gentiles who were now brought into the family of God through their trust and belief in Jesus. The Scriptural basis, given to the Nation of Israel, is as well our basis of belief and our security of all the promises of God in our inclusion into the salvation through Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God. 
One example of this is found in Rom 1:1-7, as Paul so encouraged the church in Rome. Rom 1:1-7, Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
    	And finally, for this morning is the passage written by Paul to the church in Galatia. Gal 3:24-4:6. Herein, the Apostle details exactly how God ordered everything to bring salvation to those Whom He so loved. The Father, through the perfect sacrifice of the Son, has brought all who will believe on Jesus, into His family without any distinction or segregation. …The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
	Gal 3:24-4:6, Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So be it!
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Amen. 

We pray that every family of the Lord will be that shining witness of what is the truth of Christmas for all those who are so in need of a living relationship with the Lord God Almighty. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, was sent to this earth as a baby as the solitary means to flawlessly show forth the singular love of God. 
This birth was in order that the perfect man, born of a virgin, would take our sins to the cross and die our death. Then, in the glorious power of His resurrection, He raised up together all who will but believe upon Him. As Jesus is now seated in glory as Lord of all creation, so will we, who know Him and cherish Him and serve Him, be brought into that Holy place to give Him all the eternal glory as His very own beloved. That is the reason that we celebrate and that is why all our gatherings need to proclaim this truth now and evermore.

This morning’s benediction is our morning’s passage, Isa 9:6+7, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Amen.