For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
We are continuing our examination of the four names of the Cosmic Christ Child, all of which were given from the inspired pen of the prophet Isaiah. Our focus this week is on the appellation “Mighty God.” On Monday we looked at the first half of His title–“Mighty.” Today we will briefly unpack the second half . . . God.
We need look no further than the ministry of our Lord Jesus, in both His message and His miracles, to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus truly is the fulfillment of the second part of the title “Mighty God.” We already saw several reasons to accept this truth when we looked at how Jesus fulfilled the title of Mighty, but there is even more proof that He was indeed God.
Jesus forgave sins – Before Jesus healed a paralyzed man, He first forgave his sins. The religious leaders who were present were outraged; they considred this blasephemy, because they knew that only God can forgive sins. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus uttered these profound words:
“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:9-12)
Jesus received worship – Receiving worship would be just as blasphemous as pronouncing forgiveness for sins . . . IF Jesus was not God. When Jesus appeared to the disciples one week after His resurrection, He showed Thomas the wounds on His hands, His feet, and in His side. Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus did not correct Thomas, just as He had not rebuked Peter when he stated, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). No, Jesus blessed Peter and told him that this knowledge had come as a gift from God the Father.
Jesus made several claims to be God – When speaking to the religious leaders at the temple, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Jesus told Philip that “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Time and time again, Jesus claimed equality with God His Father; the religious leaders knew it, and they sought all the more to kill Him, especially when Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). In saying He existed before Abraham, Jesus was identifying His divinity, and when He said “I am,” Jesus was applying to Himself God’s holy name that He had shared with Moses at the burning bush. The religious leaders were completely tipped over by this, and they immediately picked up stones to stone Him (John 8:59).
Both the words and the works of Jesus make it crystal clear that He was God incarnate – the eternal, self-existent, unchanging God of the universe. On Friday we will look at both parts of this name together.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 