Sermon #31                                                            Series:  Isaiah

 

          Title:       His Name Is Wonderful

          Text:       Isaiah 9:6

          Subject:  The Wonderfulness of Christ’s Person and Work

          Date:      Sunday Evening - December 10, 1989

          Tape #

 

          Introduction: 

 

          In this world we frequently give names and titles to people which they do not deserve.  We are all given to exaggeration.  When we want to honor someone, we usually overstate his honor.  And when we want to dishonor someone, we usually overstate his dishonor.  But when Isaiah declares of the Lord Jesus Christ, “His name shall be called Wonderful,” there is no exaggeration at all.  There is no flattery here.  There is no overstatement.  In fact, this name, Wonderful, great and honorable as it is, falls infinitely short of the glory which our Savior deserves.

 

          The word here translated “Wonderful,” might be translated, “Miraculous, Marvelous, or Distinguished.”  The Lord Jesus might well be called Miraculous, because everything about him and everything done by him is miraculous.  His name might well have been called Marvelous.  He is the Marvelous One of the Universe.  Angels and men marvel at him.  Heaven and hell marvel at him.  Christ is the marvel of time and eternity.  And Jesus Christ our Lord might well bear the name Distinguished, for there is none like him, none to be compared to him.  He is separate and distinguished from all others.  “Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into thy lips.”  Christ Jesus is the chief among ten thousand and altogether lovely.  But, for our meditation tonight, we will take the translation as it stands.  That will be enough.

 

          “His name shall be called Wonderful.”  The text looks into the future, even into eternity, and the prophet of God says not, His name was, or even his name is, but “His name shall be called Wonderful!”  It is at this time called Wonderful by all his believing people, and so it shall ever be.  As long as angels and men surround the throne of the Lamb in eternal glory, we shall unceasingly call the Son of God by his right and proper name, Wonderful, “His name shall be called Wonderful.”

 

Proposition: Christ is wonderful - Look at him at anytime, from any point of view, in any place, under any circumstances, and you will see that he bears this name well.  He is always wonderful.

 

Divisions:  Christ our Lord deserves to be called Wonderful.

 

1.   For All That He Has Been.

2.   For All That He Is.

3.   For All That He Shall Be.

4.   In All The Experiences Of My Soul.

 

I.      The Lord Jesus Christ is Wonderful FOR ALL THAT HE HAS BEEN.

 

          “His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2).  Christ is the eternal “I AM,” who is, who was, and who is to come.  No one will ever know the wonder of his Person and work who does not begin in eternity.

 

A.  Christ is wonderful in his eternal majesty (John 1:1-3).

B. Christ is wonderful in his everlasting suretyship (Heb. 7:22).

C. Christ is wonderful in his incarnation (Gal. 4:4-6).

D. Christ is wonderful in his life of obedience (Rom. 5:19).

E.  Christ is wonderful in his substitutionary death (II Cor. 5:21).

F.  Christ is wonderful in his glorious resurrection (Ps. 16:9-11).

G. Christ is wonderful in his exaltation as Lord (Ps. 24:1-10; Phil. 2:9-11).

 

II.   The Lord Jesus Christ is wonderful FOR ALL THAT HE IS.

 

          Behold the Lamb upon his throne!  In your mind’s eye, in your heart and soul, do you see him yonder in heaven?  Do you see the throne upon which he sits?  Do you see the angels bowing before him?  Can you hear the saints as they praise him (Rev. 5:9-14)?  Let me tell you a little bit about what Christ is.  He has been Wonderful.  But he is now Wonderful.  As I name his wonders, let your heart expand them.  Christ is …

 

A.  A Wonderful Forerunner (Heb. 6:20).

B. A Wonderful High Priest (Heb. 7:24-25).

C. A Wonderful Monarch (John 17:2).

D. A Wonderful Advocate (I John 2:1-2).

E.  A Wonderful Savior (Rom. 10:6-13).

 

III. The Lord Jesus Christ is wonderful FOR ALL THAT HE SHALL BE.

 

          There is a day coming when time shall be no more.  This world and all things in it shall be destroyed.  And all things shall be made new.  When Christ comes in his glory, when all things have been accomplished according to the will of God and eternity begins, Christ shall be Wonderful, forever Wonderful.  This the name by which he shall be called in eternity, Wonderful!

 

A.  Wonderful in His second coming - (Rev. 1:7).

B. Wonderful in the resurrection of the dead - (I Thess. 4:13-18).

C. Wonderful in judgment - (John 5:28; Acts 17:31; II Cor. 5:10).

D. Wonderful in the presentation of His bride - (Jude 24-25; I Cor. 15:28).

E.  Wonderful in eternal glory.

 

IV. Now, let me digress a little and speak from my own heart and soul and tell you that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior, is wonderful IN ALL THE EXPERIENCES OF MY SOUL - (Ps. 73:25-26; 34:1-7).

 

          My experience does not stand with the Word of God in authority.  But my soul’s experience may serve to illustrate what I have been trying to tell you from the Word of God - “His name is Wonderful!”

 

A.  When at first Christ spoke peace and pardon to my guilty soul, He was wonderful -

 

          Illustration:  Bro. Burk’s Testimony.

 

B. For twenty years now, Christ has been ever increasingly wonderful to my soul.

 

·        In Mercy.

·        In Forgiveness.

·        In Affliction.

·        In Faithfulness.

·        In Comfort.

·        In Keeping.

·        In Restoring.

 

C. I have no doubt that He shall yet show himself more wonderful.

 

Application: