Wonderful Counselor

Today’s service marks the beginning of the Advent season, a time when the church focuses on the expectation of the coming Messiah, now fulfilled through the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ! It is a time of anticipation as we wait for Christmas morning when we celebrate that God Himself took on human form: Being born as a helpless baby in a manger. 

The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “coming.” The celebration of Advent began during the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul. It was a season set aside for preparation before the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany. But now, in modern times, the season of Advent has come to include the four Sundays that lead up to Christmas morning. And although we aren’t preparing for baptism, we are preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!

This Advent season we’ll focus on the prophecy found in Isaiah 9:6 concerning four names given to describe the promised Jewish Messiah: Wonderful Counselor / The Mighty God / The Everlasting Father / The Prince of Peace. Through this Advent Series we’ll look to answer a couple of important questions: What do these names teach us about the ministry and work of our Lord Jesus Christ? What do they mean for our relationship with Him? 

Today we will study the name Wonderful Counselor. As we contemplate all that this beautiful name means to us, we’ll uncover an amazing truth: If you have committed yourself to Jesus, He has committed Himself to you. Nothing can separate us from the love of God through faith in Jesus Christ!