2009 12 20
Government and Peace
Isaiah 9:6-7
Reverend Anthony R. Locke
December 20th, 2009
at First Presbyterian Church of Tucker
December 14th, 2011
As Printed in the ARP Magazine – December 2011
Isaiah 9:6-7 English Standard Version
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.[1]
Ronald Reagan once joked that “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I am from the government and I’m here to help.’ ”
Washington’s short lived solutions for small town problems erode liberty, foster codependency and diminish self-reliance. The solution is often worse than the problem.
Our nation is quickly learning that big government can’t bring peace to the world. Every American President for the last fifty years has worked to bring peace to Palestine, North Korea and Cuba, but to no avail.
World peace won’t be created by the D.C. establishment or the United Nation.
We need someone who isn’t tainted by the political machine, by money and the poison of bitter partisanship. We need a Savior.
And ever since our moral failure in the Garden of Eden, God has been promising just such a person. What will God’s nominee look like?
God’s nominee has no scandal waiting to burst out onto the front page and ruin Him. He is morally fit for the task.
God has chosen a commoner. He will be a a blue-collar worker and a plain spoken guy.
And this average looking Joe will make good. He comes to us from humble beginnings, but rises to the pinnacle of power and influence.
And He will bring radical change to the government. He will transform all social structures and bring lasting peace to the world.
And God the Father has given us His name. His name is Wonderful.
We might call Him Mr. Wonderful. He is hope. He is change that we can believe in. He is the desire of the nations.
And His name is Counselor. He has the necessary insights into world affairs and the human condition.
Only God’s man will be able to see a path out of the mess we are in. He can communicate the road map to sustainable prosperity.
And His name is Mighty God. Lots of political leaders have ascribed the activities of deity to themselves. Meer mortals have assumed that they could lower the sea levels, end world hunger and stop wars by the power of their personality. Only a man with a god complex could ascribe such powers to himself.
God’s man also ascribes to Himself these powers. And He is not self-deceived.
And the ultimate insight into this person’s character, is that God’s man is Himself equal to the name Everlasting Father.
And this person who is God will also be a man. He is one of us. Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
This Son of Man has absolute moral perfection. He is perfect humanity. He is the sinless Son of God.
And God the Father will place on God the Son, our Savior, the full responsibility of government.
And His government will be big. It will be what Ronald Reagan joked that he feared. Bigger and bigger government. Of the increase of his government there shall be no end.
Every day the Kingdom of God gets bigger and bigger. Every day the expanse of His power grows. You might say that Jesus doesn’t believe in limited government.
But alongside His power is everlasting peace. Mercy and Justice kiss in Jesus.
Jesus has high aspirations. He desires to sit in the seat of absolute power and rule with an everlasting dominance. He has aspirations to reorder the universe as it was before sin and before the rebellion.
Jesus comes to reorder the world with true judgment and justice from henceforth and forever more. He will lift the social welfare for every one. The rising tide will lift all boats. Everyone will see the glory of our blessed leader and be blessed.
These future events will happen according to the predetermined will of God. You could say that God is excited to make these prophesies a reality. He is passionate about the glory of Jesus being displayed before all nations. God is filled with zeal to lift up Jesus and draw the world to Himself. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Are you filled with zeal for Christmas this year? God is passionate about the Christmas season. We join with the passion and zeal of God when we celebrate the glory of His Son, our Savior, born in a manger on Christmas morn.
And as we submit to His governance in our life, we embrace more than just His leadership, we invite His peace to enter our soul.
Are you seeking peace this season? Are you seeking to lift the social welfare of your neighbor and your family? Then consider celebrating the big government of Jesus Christ. Open your heart to the hope His birth brings. Submit to the changes He has planned for your life.
The government of Jesus does more than instill hope, Jesus will save your soul.
