Bible Text: Isai\u00adah 9:5 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Aben\u00adt\u00fc\u00fcr Geb\u00e4t | On behalf of God, he points to the birth of an unpre\u00adce\u00adden\u00adted, powerful ruler. Isai\u00adah descri\u00adbes him with four win\u00adso\u00adme names. A Mes\u00adsiah who also fits 1:1 into our pre\u00adsent darkness.<\/p>\n
Christ\u00admas is a uni\u00adque fes\u00adti\u00adval of lights! The lights that shi\u00adne in gar\u00addens and on bal\u00adco\u00adnies are impres\u00adsi\u00adve; but with sleighs, reinde\u00ader and Sami lice, they have very litt\u00adle to do with Beth\u00adle\u00adhem. In Bett\u00adwil, we always dri\u00adve past a house with a gar\u00adden that has been trans\u00adfor\u00admed into a world of lights. You auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly put on the bra\u00adkes to be able to mar\u00advel as long as pos\u00adsi\u00adble as you dri\u00adve past. When our son visi\u00adted Cham, we noti\u00adced a block of flats whe\u00adre the resi\u00addents had agreed with each other how to illu\u00admi\u00adna\u00adte and deco\u00adra\u00adte their bal\u00adco\u00adnies uni\u00adform\u00adly. It looks fan\u00adta\u00adsti\u00adcal\u00adly beautiful\u2026 God gave Moses a pray\u00ader for the priests to bless the peo\u00adp\u00adle with, say\u00ading, \u00abSo let them put my name on the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes that I may bless them.\u00bb I will pray for you now and put the names of Isaiah\u2019s pro\u00admi\u00adse on you: (Won\u00adderful Coun\u00adsell\u00ador, Strong God, Ever\u00adlas\u00adting Father, Prin\u00adce of Peace) \u00abThe LORD<\/span> bless you and keep you; the LORD<\/span> make his face to shi\u00adne upon you and be gra\u00adcious to you; the LORD<\/span> lift up his coun\u00adten\u00adan\u00adce upon you and give you peace\u00bb (Deu\u00adte\u00adro\u00adno\u00admy 6:24\u201326 ).<\/p>\n Ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group or for per\u00adso\u00adnal reflection<\/p>\n \tWhich of the 4 names is clo\u00adsest to you from your expe\u00adri\u00adence with Jesus? Bible Text: Isai\u00adah 9:5 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Aben\u00adt\u00fc\u00fcr Geb\u00e4t | On behalf of God, he points to the birth of an unpre\u00adce\u00adden\u00adted, powerful ruler. Isai\u00adah descri\u00adbes him with four win\u00adso\u00adme names. A Mes\u00adsiah who fits 1:1 also into our pre\u00adsent dark\u00adness. Christ\u00admas is a uni\u00adque fes\u00adti\u00adval of lights! What all the\u00adre is in gardens\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[35],"wpfc_sermon_series":[47],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-bernhard-hohl","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-abentueuer-gebaet","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-1928","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nI think peo\u00adp\u00adle love this becau\u00adse the time over the New Year is the dar\u00adkest sea\u00adson of the calen\u00addar \u2013 along\u00adside the dark\u00adness on the world stage, in poli\u00adtics, eco\u00adno\u00admics and in bro\u00adken inter\u00adper\u00adso\u00adnal relationships.
\nIsai\u00adah, a pro\u00adphet of the dar\u00adkest hour
\nWe are lis\u00adtening today to a Mes\u00adsiah pro\u00admi\u00adse of the pro\u00adphet Isai\u00adah. At that time, the histo\u00adry of God\u2019s peo\u00adp\u00adle was also very dark. This is expres\u00adsed, for exam\u00adp\u00adle, in ver\u00adse 1 of chap\u00adter 9: \u00abFor the peo\u00adp\u00adle who live in dark\u00adness see a bright light. And over the peo\u00adp\u00adle in a land overs\u00adha\u00addowed by death a bright light shi\u00adnes\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 9:1, NL<\/span>). What was the cau\u00adse of the dark\u00adness at that time?
\nHis\u00adto\u00adri\u00adcal insertion
\nIsai\u00adah was a pro\u00adphet in the sou\u00adthern king\u00addom of Judah during the reign of the two kings Ahaz and Heze\u00adki\u00adah. The\u00adse two kings from the same fami\u00adly beha\u00adved as dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly as light and dark\u00adness. No king of God\u2019s peo\u00adp\u00adle could be more god\u00adless than Ahaz. In his 16-year reign, he mana\u00adged to put God com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly on the side\u00adlines in the lives of his peo\u00adp\u00adle. He had idols cast and set up num\u00ade\u00adrous idol altars in all the cities and on the hills. He sacri\u00adfi\u00adced to the god Moloch, with child sacri\u00adfices that he bur\u00adned; and made his sons walk through the fire. He inci\u00adted the peo\u00adp\u00adle to live a ruthl\u00adess, vicious life. He des\u00adtroy\u00aded all the uten\u00adsils in the house of God and clo\u00adsed the door of the temp\u00adle. Finis\u00adhed, finis\u00adhed, finis\u00adhed \u2013 with this God and all worship!
\nThat Ahaz clo\u00adsed the temp\u00adle and put God out\u00adside the door is like our dark\u00adness today. How many peo\u00adp\u00adle clo\u00adsed their hearts to ever\u00ady\u00adthing divi\u00adne and put God out\u00adside the door! Ahaz did it so bad\u00adly that even the god\u00adless King Pekah of the nor\u00adt\u00adhern king\u00addom of Isra\u00adel had enough. He went against Judah in a fra\u00adtri\u00adci\u00addal war and in a sin\u00adgle day 120,000 Judeans fell, kil\u00adled by their brot\u00adher peo\u00adp\u00adle! (to be read in 2 Chro\u00adnic\u00adles 28). Now we under\u00adstand bet\u00adter the words of Isai\u00adah: \u00ab\u2026over the peo\u00adp\u00adle in a land overs\u00adha\u00addowed by death shi\u00adnes a bright light!\u00bb
\nIsn\u2019t it ama\u00adzing that Isai\u00adah recei\u00adved this pro\u00adphe\u00adcy from God >700 years befo\u00adre the main event in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem! And it remain\u00aded unf\u00ador\u00adgot\u00adten and expec\u00adtant\u00adly remem\u00adbe\u00adred for all the\u00adse cen\u00adtu\u00adries. As with most long-term pro\u00admi\u00adses of the pro\u00adphe\u00adts, the\u00adre were also pre-ful\u00adfill\u00adments with rulers on the thro\u00adne of David. Start\u00ading alre\u00ada\u00addy with a son of the ter\u00adri\u00adble King Ahaz, Heze\u00adki\u00adah. Heze\u00adki\u00adah was the extre\u00adme oppo\u00adsi\u00adte of his father Ahaz. The Bible says of him: \u00abHe did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David\u00bb (2 Chro\u00adnic\u00adles 29:2).
\nFirst, he reopens the temp\u00adle and calls the priests and Levi\u00adtes to wor\u00adship again. The Temp\u00adle is rede\u00addi\u00adca\u00adted to God. Heze\u00adki\u00adah invi\u00adtes all Isra\u00adel and Judah to Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem to cele\u00adbra\u00adte the Pas\u00adso\u00adver tog\u00ade\u00adther again (what a ges\u00adtu\u00adre of recon\u00adci\u00adlia\u00adti\u00adon!). Heze\u00adki\u00adah calls all the peo\u00adp\u00adle to rep\u00aden\u00adtance and con\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adon. This feast of con\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adon is pro\u00adper\u00adly cele\u00adbra\u00adted with lots of songs and music of prai\u00adse. Sin\u00adce one week is too short for them, they imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly add ano\u00adther week of celebration.
\nHeze\u00adki\u00adah rigo\u00adrous\u00adly cle\u00adared up the idol altars and idol sta\u00adtu\u00ades. We read about him: \u00abHe clung to the Lord and did not turn away from him and kept his com\u00admandments. [\u2026] And the Lord was with him, and all that he under\u00adtook he suc\u00adcee\u00added\u00bb (2 Kings 18:6\u20137; LU<\/span>). That was Christ\u00admas back then! Today, for the 4th of Advent, I read an Isai\u00adah pro\u00admi\u00adse from the 9th chapter.
\nOn the ser\u00admon text
\nIsai\u00adah 9:5: \u00abFor unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. On his should\u00aders rests domi\u00adni\u00adon. He is cal\u00adled Won\u00adderful Coun\u00adsell\u00ador, Strong God, Ever\u00adlas\u00adting Father, Prin\u00adce of Peace.\u00bb A birth is actual\u00adly not\u00adhing spe\u00adcial. On that night in Beth\u00adle\u00adhem, many more child\u00adren were born all over the earth. But here we are not tal\u00adking about an ordi\u00adna\u00adry child, but the Son of God. This child was not con\u00adcei\u00adved by man and woman, but by God hims\u00adelf through the Holy Spi\u00adrit. God sends his Son to this earth to save us!
\nOn his should\u00aders rests the dominion.
\nNor\u00admal\u00adly one car\u00adri\u00ades hea\u00advy bur\u00addens on one\u2019s should\u00aders. Jesus car\u00adri\u00aded the hea\u00advy bur\u00adden of death on the cross and yet was Lord of lords! When it says here that the lord\u00adship rests on his should\u00aders, I think rather of a distinc\u00adtion. Jesus says of hims\u00adelf: \u00abAll aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty in hea\u00adven and on earth has been given to me\u00bb (Matthew 28:18). Sure\u00adly this means that the\u00adre has never been a grea\u00adter or more powerful ruler and the\u00adre will never be a grea\u00adter one until all time to come! Every year, Christ\u00admas time is a remin\u00adder for us of the grea\u00adtest Christ\u00admas gift a human being can ever recei\u00adve. For Chris\u00adti\u00adans, it is the remin\u00adder: As a child of God, I belong to the most powerful ruler in this world.
\nDo you have a lot on your mind at the moment that is depri\u00adving you of sleep? Are you anxious and worried about the 2019 ahead of you? Remem\u00adber: You are not alo\u00adne; the grea\u00adtest of this world, Jesus, is and remains clo\u00adse to you; and in the hand of the grea\u00adtest you are well off, no mat\u00adter what else may hap\u00adpen and what else may come our way! David sings in a hymn of prai\u00adse: \u00abYour king\u00addom is an ever\u00adlas\u00adting king\u00addom; your domi\u00adni\u00adon endu\u00adres now and in all gene\u00adra\u00adti\u00adons to come\u00bb (Psalm 145:13; NG\u00dc<\/span>). We may hold this as plain text and bold\u00adly pro\u00adcla\u00adim it in this world! All domi\u00adni\u00adon rests on the should\u00aders of Jesus\u2026!
\nA ruler with many names
\nNow the Mes\u00adsiah is still descri\u00adbed with meaningful names: \u00abWon\u00adderful Coun\u00adsell\u00ador, Strong God, Ever\u00adlas\u00adting Father, Prin\u00adce of Peace.\u00bb
\nIt is cal\u00adled: Won\u00adderful Counsellor
\nThis does not mean that Jesus is a mira\u00adcle bag, but a tru\u00adly won\u00adderful coun\u00adsell\u00ador! His wis\u00addom is extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry, it cau\u00adses ama\u00adze\u00adment. His thoughts and his will can inspi\u00adre us! Coun\u00adsell\u00ador was a job in tho\u00adse days. Every king had his advi\u00adsors. They were cal\u00adled in when dif\u00adfi\u00adcult decis\u00adi\u00adons had to be made or some\u00adthing had to be plan\u00adned! What if, for exam\u00adp\u00adle, French Pre\u00adsi\u00addent Macron and his cabi\u00adnet had this won\u00adderful coun\u00adsell\u00ador Jesus at their side! Or Kim Jong Un in North Korea, Pre\u00adsi\u00addent Erdo\u00adgan and Pre\u00adsi\u00addent Trump. Actual\u00adly, I wish this bril\u00adli\u00adant coun\u00adsell\u00ador on ever\u00adyo\u00adne, inclu\u00adding our Fede\u00adral Coun\u00adcil\u00adlors, inde\u00aded the who\u00adle Fede\u00adral Assembly!
\nAnd in Jesus you have this won\u00adderful advi\u00adsor at your side! How do you expe\u00adri\u00adence him \u2013 or do you pre\u00adfer to be your own advi\u00adsor? It is not so easy to under\u00adstand Him! If you ask Jesus for advice, you have to take time to lis\u00adten to him! His ans\u00adwers are not to be cal\u00adled up by mobi\u00adle pho\u00adne! Ask Jesus to speak into your ever\u00ady\u00adday life, into your world of thoughts, into your reflec\u00adtions. Tell him you want to lis\u00adten to him. Or ask for God\u2019s ans\u00adwer tog\u00ade\u00adther with a belie\u00adving friend!
\nIt is cal\u00adled: strong God.
\nIn other trans\u00adla\u00adti\u00adons it means \u00abGod-hero\u00bb, or \u00abmigh\u00adty God\u00bb! El is a gene\u00adral term for God. And it ama\u00adzes me that God uses a term for this mes\u00adsa\u00adge that is misu\u00ads\u00aded by many for other gods. I have the impres\u00adsi\u00adon that God deli\u00adbera\u00adte\u00adly intro\u00addu\u00adces hims\u00adelf here, as a stark con\u00adtrast to humans or gods, with God smi\u00adling. \u00abWhat litt\u00adle ger\u00adne\u00adgross they all are!\u00bb You can only say to that, \u00abYes, you alo\u00adne are God and I am your creature\u00bb.
\nAfter the pro\u00adphet Dani\u00adel was res\u00adcued from the lions\u00bb den, King Dari\u00adus had the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing mes\u00adsa\u00adge pro\u00adclai\u00admed throug\u00adhout the land: \u00abThis is my com\u00admand, that throug\u00adhout all my king\u00addom the God of Dani\u00adel is to be feared and rever\u00aded. For he is a living God who abides fore\u00adver, and his king\u00addom is ever\u00adlas\u00adting, and his domi\u00adni\u00adon has no end. He is a Saviour and a Hel\u00adper of trou\u00adble, and he does signs and won\u00adders in hea\u00adven and on earth\u00bb (Dani\u00adel 6:27\u201328, LU<\/span>). If a king of that time could under\u00adstand our gre\u00adat God, then this should also be pos\u00adsi\u00adble today with the rulers of this world! Let us pray for this!
\nHis name is: Eter\u00adnal Father.
\nThe term father is beco\u00adming more and more of a pro\u00adble\u00adma\u00adtic term in our world! A voice from the inter\u00adnet: \u00abI have been in two rela\u00adti\u00adonships (8 years and 5 years long). My daugh\u00adter cal\u00adled both part\u00adners dad\u00addy and they trea\u00adted her like their own child. My daugh\u00adter does not know her bio\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal father. When they sepa\u00adra\u00adted from me, both part\u00adners also bro\u00adke off cont\u00adact with the child.\u00bb Poor child, does\u00adn\u2019t know her real dad\u00addy; was allo\u00adwed to say dad\u00addy to two men, but now they are gone! Our hea\u00adven\u00adly Father is etern\u00adal\u00adly my hea\u00adven\u00adly Father! You can rely on this Father. He pro\u00advi\u00addes for us sus\u00adtain\u00adab\u00adly, emo\u00adtio\u00adnal\u00adly, spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly and practically!
\nMatthew 7:11 says: \u00abIf you then, who are evil, have the under\u00adstan\u00adding neces\u00adsa\u00adry to give good things to your child\u00adren, how much more will your Father in hea\u00adven give good things to tho\u00adse who ask him?\u00bb Let us ask him, after all \u2013 trus\u00adtingly, as Jesus taught us this year. \u00abYou shall pray thus: Our Father in hea\u00adven!\u00bb (Matthew 6:9; NG\u00dc<\/span>). In the year that is coming to an end, we have been inten\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly occu\u00adp\u00adied with the Our Father pray\u00ader and it is not by chan\u00adce that alre\u00ada\u00addy in the ear\u00adly 2nd cen\u00adtu\u00adry the ear\u00adly church added to this pray\u00ader of Jesus the con\u00adclu\u00adsi\u00adon that we know: \u00abFor thi\u00adne is the king\u00addom, and the power, and the glo\u00adry, for ever and ever!\u00bb
\nHis name is: Prin\u00adce of Peace.
\nPrin\u00adce \u2013 that is a ruler, a supre\u00adme, a lea\u00adder. Peace is a mat\u00adter for the boss! Jesus makes peace bet\u00adween peo\u00adp\u00adle and God and among peo\u00adp\u00adle. It is about peace = shalom, which means sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon, well-being and \u00abhaving enough\u00bb. We do not have this shalom in our\u00adsel\u00adves and we can\u00adnot pass on shalom from our\u00adsel\u00adves. From child\u00adhood we are peo\u00adp\u00adle who never have enough; we are always con\u00adcer\u00adned first with our own well-being and not that of others. If you are rest\u00adless and dis\u00adcon\u00adten\u00adted; if you are con\u00adstant\u00adly sni\u00adping and resen\u00adting others, God\u2019s peace has not fil\u00adled you. I think of the powerful sce\u00adnes from the Christ\u00admas play last Sun\u00adday! First Jesus wants to show you what is wrong, then for\u00adgi\u00adve you and then give you new hope for a life of peace. In Beth\u00adle\u00adhem the angels sang: \u00abGlo\u00adry and honour to God in the hig\u00adhest, and peace on earth to tho\u00adse on whom his good plea\u00adsu\u00adre rests\u00bb (Luke 2:14; NG\u00dc<\/span>). God is the pea\u00adce\u00adma\u00adker and wants to give us peace! Only then can we be pea\u00adce\u00adma\u00adkers! Do not enter the New Year in stri\u00adfe! You still have more than a who\u00adle week to make peace and a who\u00adle year to grow in peace.<\/p>\n
\n \tWhich one is the fur\u00adthest away?
\n \tHow are you doing with lis\u00adtening to Jesus\u00bb advice? What trou\u00adbles you the most? Do you want to rai\u00adse this inse\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty among your friends?
\n \tAre the\u00adre any in your per\u00adso\u00adnal \u00abimpos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties\u00bb that you have never ent\u00adrus\u00adted to Jesus, to whom all aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty has been given in hea\u00adven and on earth?
\n \tHow did Jesus descri\u00adbe the fat\u00adher\u00adly natu\u00adre of God? Does our hea\u00adven\u00adly Father also have a mother\u00adly side? (For ques\u00adti\u00adon 2, read Isai\u00adah 42:14; Isai\u00adah 46:3\u20134; Isai\u00adah 49:15; Isai\u00adah 66,(9-)13; Job 38:8).
\n \tWhat is the grea\u00adtest ene\u00admy of peace in the inter\u00adper\u00adso\u00adnal sphere?
\n \tTry to explain the jux\u00adta\u00adpo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon of Matthew 10:34 and John 14:27.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"