What's in Jesus names?

December 24, 2011 Christmas Eve Isaiah 6:9 Year B (not lectionary) Do ants have ears? A grandmother and her three year old grandson were talking about things that grandmothers and three year old grand sons talk about… Grandma – do ants have ears? Grandma wanting to sound like the expert on all things, yet having no idea responds – why do you have something to tell them? She goes on to tell him that ants are very small. You would almost have to look at an ant in a microscope to see an ant head to see if an ant had ears. She suggest to her grandson that perhaps he should ask his dad to look up on the internet whether ants have ears or not. The grand son continues that would not be necessary. Since the ants were ants and he was a human, if they did have ears they probably wouldn’t listen to him anyway. The only way to communicate with the ants and talk to them is to become an ant. That is the only way they would truly listen to him. God wants us to listen to who God is That must be how God feels about us – God knows that we were created with ears, but we don’t take the time to listen. God is continually speaking to us, guiding us in life, giving us the answers that we seek - and for some reason we don’t hear God at all. The only way to truly communicate with us, is to be one of us Tonight is more than the birthday of Jesus Christ Tonight is so much more than the birthday of Jesus Christ. It is so much more than the birth of a baby boy – on any given day there are 10,657 babies born just here in America. Tonight is so much more that even the story of Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus in a Manger surrounded by angels and shepherds. The human events of the story are wonderful and important. But the point of the story – is the incarnation. God heard our cries and our pain, and God came to dwell amongst us. To live with us, to be a part of our lives, to reminds us that there is so much to all of then what meets the eye. There is so much to the story of Jesus. There is so much more to the story of salvation then the story of Christmas eve. But this is where we begin the story of Emmanuel - God with us. Characteristics of God in names The prophecy of Isaiah – in Isaiah 8:8 says that a child shall be born and his name shall be Emmanuel – God with us. I have been paying attention to all of the names in the bible that end in el – Michael, Gabriel, Israel, Ezekiel. Each one is a characteristic that is bought into the world in the presence of the person the name is given too. Each is a unique gift of God. Michael – one who is like God, Gabriel – God is my strength, Israel – one who struggles with God and lives, Ezekiel – God strengthens. Emmanuel – god with us. The names of Jesus Mary and Joseph named their baby yeshua – meaning God will save his people. We call him Jesus. But jesus was no ordinary baby, and he did not have no ordinary relationship with God. how could you choose any one name, one characteristic that would emanate in that child the fullness of God. Of the spirit of life itself, in all of its slendor, its glory, it wonder? It is estimated that the Lord Jesus has been given over 700 names and titles in the bible. The names of the messiah Isaiah 9:6 tells us four of those characteristics. Four names that are very important to us: wonderful counselor, mighty god, everlasting father, prince of peace. All very strange names for a child. Studies show that in todays world – a child given a strange name is 4 times more likely to be a juvenile delinquent. Wonderful is a very strange name to give a child. Especially the name wonderful counselor. But when we think about the characteristics necessary to be the lord of all lords and the king of all kings, and the man of all persons. The healers of all ills, the solver of all problems, the provider of all needs, the messiah of all times. Wonderful counselor, everlasting father, prince of peace. He would need to be someone who is able to communicate to anyone, who is able to say all things to a all people, able to step in the middle of any situation and make it right – he would need to be a wonderful counselor - someone able to understand anything and give an answer. He would need to have strength, he would need to be able to win any battle, and to be strong enough not to be intimidated by struggle – he would need to be mighty God. He would need to be not just the father of our family, but of our families. Ipads, rockin elmos, and American girl dolls go out of style – but the gifts of Jesus Christ last forever – he is everlasting father. In order to control our world, he would have to be more than just a nice person. I have had to learn the hard way that with some people – being committed to living peacefully with people who have no intention of living with you is just not enough. You cant be a name of peace, but a prince of peace. Isaiah 9:6 says for unto us a child has been born for us, a son given to us, authority rests upon his shoulders – he is our messiah, our savior. A job only given to Jesus Christ, only to be carried out by the very power of God. the names given to the baby Jesus are more than characteristics of God. they are God’s pledge to not only be with us but to help through the darkness of life. They are our hope, our life, our inheritance. They are the light of the world. If you read our scriptures for this season, luke, john and Isaiah – they all agree on one thing. The messiah is our light, not just our light but the light of the world. John says that the light shines in the darkness and the light cannot extinguish. The light comes from a wonderful, might and everlasting source – from God. Redemption is realizing that a part of God is inside of you I have heard it said that when each of us is born, a part of god is born in each us. The fullness of God is born in the messiah. But for each of us, we receive a part of God’s heart, soul and mind in our bodies and our lives. And that we should spend our lives loving God with all of our hearts mind and soul – so that that little light inside of us can shine as it is intended. Our redemption in the world is dependent on letting God’s light in our lives and making a determination not so much to shine, as to be used by God. Our redemption is to live up to the characteristics of our name in God. Our strength, our joy, our struggles, our witness are all a reflection of the messiah – the Christ, our lord and savior jesus Christ. Galations 3:26-28 says that we too have been given a name- in Christ, we are the children of God. We are the presence of god – Emmanuel – as long as we reflect the light of Christ that we come tonight to recognize. Reflection on what the night means for us and the world Tonight I want us to reflect on the true presence of God in this room, in this world and this moment. Christmas comes to the world, at this moment – when we can stop preparing, stop shopping, stop getting ready. And be still and listen. Listen and truly hear what a wonderful god we serve. Where we can stop giving and learn to receive receive a merry Christmas, a savior has come, God is present can you feel his presence? God is speaking to you through the night, are you listening? Listen and reflect on the meaning of this night….