We are on week two of our series on the Names of Jesus.
What’s in a name? Names have meanings. Take the name Sherry, it means “darling”, “beloved”, or “dearest”.
The name Richard means “brave ruler” or “strong king”.
The name Stephanie means “crown”, “wreath”, or “garland”.
The Bible is full of names, and those names are full of meaning. In the Bible, a person’s name had great significance. It reflected that person’s character.
Take the name Abraham, it means “father of a nation”. Or the name Moses, which means “to draw out of water”.
The name Hannah means “favor” or “grace”.
Today we are going to dive into the name of Jesus, ‘Wonderful Counselor’. This name refers to Him as a divine guide with extraordinary wisdom and insight.
Jesus, as our Wonderful Counselor, not only gives us wise counsel, He also has the power to resolve, and grace to help us.
As wonderful counselor, He does not just give counsel, He pours in the power for a successful resolution to your problems.
There are numerous stories throughout the Gospels that demonstrate Jesus’ ability to provide wise guidance and comfort to the people.
EVERY instance, ALWAYS showing Jesus offering counsel or teaching, as a reflection of the title: Wonderful Counselor.
For example, in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, John 4:7-30, Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor provides wise counsel and comfort to the ‘Woman at the Well’. He helped her to face her past and trade her shame for salvation.
In this story, we see the protagonist going from ‘miserable’ to ‘missionary’ as she scurries from the well anxiously desiring to share her good news of Jesus with others.
By studying the names of Jesus, we get to know Him better.
Each name of Jesus recorded in the Bible is a way through which we see Him more clearly and know Him better.
And knowing Him better is essential so we can reflect His character to the world around us.
Please turn to Isaiah 9:6, and it will also be on the screen,
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Let us pray together:
“Dear God, may we hear from Your Word today. Wonderful Counselor, Jesus, You are the answer. You knew us while forming us in our mother’s womb. You know every detail about us, our fears, our struggles, and our successes. Lord, You know us and exactly where we are. You love us without judging. Father, please speak to us today. Give us Your wise counsel. Renew us, and give us hope, as there are folks in this room who are weary. Lord, we extol You oh LORD!!! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.”
Short back ground of the book of Isaiah. In Chapter 6, Isaiah answers the call and he is commissioned as a prophet.
God tells Isaiah to go and speak to Judah’s king Ahaz, who is terrified about an impending invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah promises this invasion will not happen. Instead, both nations will soon be destroyed.
In the midst of the darkness, Isaiah prophesized that God would send the ‘Wonderful Counselor’ to save His people.
The ‘Wonderful Counselor’ will come as a baby to a virgin.
Isaiah is proclaiming the message of HOPE through the name “Wonderful Counselor”. The birth of baby Jesus fulfilled God’s promise.
The word “Wonderful” in the English language means ‘exciting wonder’.
But do we really use the word to describe ‘exciting wonder’?
We often use wonderful like this:
- It was a wonderful party.
- The meal was wonderful.
- You did a wonderful job.
It appears that in many cases, perhaps the word ‘wonderful’ has lost its’ power of excitement.
Matthew Henry, best known for his six-volume biblical commentary ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments’, said when explaining the name of Jesus as Wonderful Counselor,
“Justly is He called wonderful, for He is both God and man. His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints; in His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension, He was wonderful. A constant series of wonders attended Him and, without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness concerning Him.”
The awe of wonder and the word Wonderful.
The Hebrew word for ‘Wonderful’ is pele (peh’-leh) which expresses the “wonder”, the divine intervention or miraculous events that reveal God’s power and majesty:
“Who is like thee, O Lord, among the gods, little ‘g’ god?”
In ancient Israelite culture, wonders and miracles were seen as direct manifestations of God’s presence and power.
The Israelites believed that God performed these acts to demonstrate His sovereignty, to deliver His people, and to affirm His covenant with them.
The concept of “pele”(peh’-leh) is deeply rooted in the understanding that God is actively involved in the world and that His actions transcend beyond human understanding.
Jesus is our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. He is the WONDER of Christmas.
The word “Counselor” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary says a Counselor is a person who gives advice or counseling.
Several examples:
- A school counselor. They are there to help students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being within a school setting.
- A lawyer is a counselor. They are a licensed professional who advises and represents others in legal matters.
- A marriage counselor. Marriage is not something that should be entered into lightly so prior to Thomas and I getting married, we met together with Pastor Kerry Willis for premarital counseling.
- Pastor Kerry helped us identify our strengths as a couple and also growth opportunities.
- Pastor Kerry provided counsel to assist us with overcoming conflict, otherwise known as the ‘crazy cycle’. To this day, we both know that when we are in the midst of a difficult conversation; that one of us has to be the grown-up and stop talking, even sometimes walking away, and allowing a cool down period so we can discuss things with a level head.
- Pastor Kerry asked us great questions to help us better understand our expectations about marriage, and to address our differences. For those of you who know us, you know we are totally opposites in our personalities.
- God knew what He was doing when He put us together.
There are many different types of counselors: mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, grief counselors, and so many more.
Each play a vital role in addressing specific challenges that individuals face.
In the Bible, Jesus is our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR!
My desire is for you to know Jesus as your Wonderful Counselor.
He cares about you!
He is your ultimate source of wisdom and guidance for whatever you are facing. He will listen, provide comfort, and direction in all situations.
He fully knows you and He loves you unconditionally.
When referring to the Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew verb for ‘Counselor’ is
Yaats (yah-ats’).
“Yaats”(yah-ats’) means to advise or counsel. It is used in the context of providing guidance, making decisions, or offering wisdom.
In the biblical context, “yaats” (yah-ats’) is frequently associated with wise and godly counsel, as well as the decisions of leaders and prophets.
In the Bible, the role of a counselor was significant, as it could influence the direction of a nation or the outcome of a situation.
Pele (peh’-leh) Yaats (yah-ats’)…WONDERFUL COUNSELOR!!! The Promised one!
I have two personal stories of the Wonderful Counselor in my life. If I had the time, I could share for hours about the Wonderful Counselor speaking to me.
Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor used Opal Rush in my life. I met Opal when I started attending the Tampa Church of God in 1988.
I was 25 years old and ‘Life was all about me!’ I was selfish AND I was always looking for the next high or the next party. I had many vices in my life BEFORE Jesus.
There were several precious women at the Tampa Church who were wonderful Christian counselors, for the Lord, to me.
For 7 years, almost every Sunday, I drove Opal ‘to’ and ‘from’ church. Opal’s heart was to reach the inner city people for Jesus.
My total drive time with Opal was one hour each week. We talked about a lot in an hour. These drives were a blessing, even in the midst of city traffic.
Opal had been a hair dresser, and Mr. Rush, prior to his death was a barber.
Opal shared fond stories of their life. They experienced many hard times, and God always provided.
She loved to tell me the story about the time when Montgomery Ward threatened to repossess their refrigerator because they were behind on their payments.
She told me she trusted God to provide, and He did. She would tell me over and over about God’s faithfulness. Opal would always say “You can’t out give God!”
At 89 years old, she decided to take her life savings and pay off the mortgage on the Tampa Church building. She didn’t want money to be spent on the mortgage payment. She wanted the church gifts to go towards Outreach to reach the lost in the city.
At 38 years old, I couldn’t understand someone having such faith, that Opal would give her life savings, to pay off the mortgage on the church building.
Opal Rush was a true woman of god. Through her loving counsel, week-after-week, she taught me God’s faithfulness, and she taught me “generosity”. Opal also taught me to tithe.
Advance forward: I moved home in 1999 under a clear directive from the Wonderful Counselor to move home and “TAKE CARE OF YOUR MOTHER” however, at the time, mom was happily married and nothing was wrong with mom’s health.
The Wonderful Counselor knew the future. He called me home and I obeyed.
I moved home in June 1999. In October 1999, I remember seeing mom and Earl walk into the sanctuary of the Harrisonburg Church of the Nazarene, and I began to cry. Mom had never attended church with me. It was a major God moment in my life.
What an amazing journey, walking with mom and Earl, and leading them to Christ. Mom got saved, and immediately the Wonderful Counselor began to transform her heart.
Mom started smoking cigarettes when it was considered glamorous. All the movie stars in the movies smoked. It was the thing to do. Mom smoked one pack a day. God took cigarettes away from mom.
Earl died in 2008. Immediately following Earl’s death, mom’s health problems began. The last 13 years of her life she suffered with COPD, Congestive Heart failure, A Fib, Aflutter, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. The last 6 years of mom’s life she was blind.
Although mom accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, somewhere following her first visit to the church in 2019, she had not yet fully surrendered her heart to Jesus.
Ms. Evelyn was a beautiful lady. The Wonderful Counselor helped mom to realize that appearance was important, but it was okay if she wore her natural hair color instead of a wig.
He gently helped mom to let go of her pride. He helped her to know it was okay if she needed to wear a gown to a doctor’s appointment rather than getting fully dressed up.
Even when mom was feeling her worse, she glowed with God’s love and she managed to tell people how God was seeing her through the dark days.
The Wonderful Counselor used me to stretch mom.
Through His POWER living in me, mom became interested in the lives of the ladies I was ministering to at the jail. Mom began to pray for them and ask about how they were doing.
This was a heart change from the mother I knew growing up. Prior years, growing up, and even as I was an adult, mom had been judgmental of people, failing to see the best of others.
Certainly this is not a message on tithing, but I MUST share that the Wonderful Counselor changed mom’s attitude about generosity.
Mom grew up during the days of the depression. Her parents were extremely poor. Mom learned at a young age to work hard and to hold on to what you have.
Often I would talk to mom about the importance of tithing.
It didn’t matter what I would say, she would always tell me…“It is none of your business what I do with my money. God doesn’t expect me to give a dime because I don’t have any money to give.”
Mom was afraid of running out of money to care for herself. She was a widow with major health concerns. She truly didn’t think that God expected her to give.
I would share about the story of the ‘Widows mite’ in the Bible and it didn’t appear to phase her.
When mom came home from the hospital in December 2019, I remember our conversation well.
We both agreed that it was a miracle that she was home, as she had been in the hospital for 2 months, and many of those days were in critical care with the doctors saying they didn’t expect her to make it home.
I asked mom if she wanted to bless God because He had truly extended her life.
I remember her response well. This time when I approached the topic of “Tithing” mom’s spirit was kind and gentle. She wanted to know what amount that I thought she should give. We talked through it and she committed to tithing monthly.
Mom began to tell others, “You can’t out give God.”
WOW! VERY familiar words to me that were once taught to me by the Wonderful Counselor using Opal Rush in Tampa, FL.
Once mom allowed the Wonderful Counselor to have His way in her life, she gave, and she would often tell others that it was the best decision she had ever made besides asking Jesus to come live in her heart.
The Wonderful Counselor used me in mom’s life. He aided mom and she was robust in her proclamation of the Good News of Jesus!
Jesus is the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR! He is qualified!
STOP and think about His name.
What is so miraculous about the name WONDERFUL COUNSELOR?
Why follow this counselor?
Who is he?
WELL…He is fully God and fully human. No one knows you like Jesus.
Three points to help you have a greater understanding of the name ‘WONDERFUL COUNSELOR’ and why that name is true for Jesus.
Point 1: The Wonderful Counselor is our source of Hope and renewal.
- By the indwelling of the Wonderful Counselor, we receive refreshment flowing forth within us that provides energy and satisfaction.
- Through Jesus, we can find hope for the future, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Hebrews 4:14-15 says, 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. The Wonderful Counselor is our source of Hope and renewal.
Point 2: He is available. He is always present.
- Whatever hour of the day or night, He is present.
- You don’t have to schedule an appointment to meet with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit, the wonderful counselor knows us completely. He leads us perfectly and is with us forever.
He is our comforter and counselor. Jesus ascended to heaven. He promised to never leave us, and what He meant was that the Holy Spirit will be with us forever.
John 14:16-17, says, 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Point 3: The Wonderful Counselor empowers those who are available.
- He sanctifies you from sin. He helps you leave behind the old self, becoming less of who we are and more like Jesus.
- He empowers all believers to witness to others for the cause of Christ.
Acts 1:8, 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What does this mean for you this Christmas?
The Advent Season is a time to stop and reflect on the hope, peace, love and joy of Jesus.
Please bow your heads in a spirit of prayer. God’s Word calls everyone to respond.
Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor. For many living in the 21st century, “Christmas has become dangerously familiar.”
Is that true for you? (Pause)
Are you experiencing the ‘Wonder of Christmas’ OR is it the ‘Same old routine”?
Will you allow Jesus to counsel every area of your life?
Jesus is our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. He is the WONDER of Christmas.
Many in our world today are walking in darkness. The pressure, stress, loneliness, and strife in our world can leave you longing for hope and guidance.
Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor, born as a baby, who became man so we could have a relationship with God.
This Christmas, you can experience Him in a deeper way. Invite Him to be your Wonderful Counselor in every area of your life and ask Him to give you His WISDOM, HOPE and HIS POWER!
Today, if you want to respond by saying “Lord, I want You to be my Wonderful Counselor in every area of my life. I want Your POWER to live my life totally surrendered to Your will. ”
This prayer is for the first-time believer, and it is for EVERY believer in this room, including me.
Every day, I want the POWER of the Wonderful Counselor to give me His wisdom, Hope and power to be the person He is calling me to be.
Do you want Jesus to be your Wonderful Counselor in every area of your life?
Whether this season is filled with joy or challenges, prayer opens our hearts to receive God’s peace and guidance.
Jesus is extraordinary, marvelous, and beyond our human understanding.
Let us pray:
God, we pray that this season we are filled with peace, joy, and generosity as we share Your love with those around us. You are the Wonderful Counselor. You are our source of Hope and Renewal. You are present always. Please draw me, draw us closer to You. Remind us of the true meaning of Christmas and help me and everyone here to allow You to be Lord of every area of our life. Empower me to love others well, and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. More of You, and less of me. Here I am Lord, use me. Help me to be available to You. I need You Lord. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.