Isaiah chapter nine, verse number six. This time of year, I was ready to preach on the, I'll be honest, I was ready to preach on the shepherds this morning, and I felt led to, and so I have the shepherds. And tonight I might combine the shepherds and the birth of Jesus, because we do have our play this evening. But this is another verse inside of the Christmas story. And the prophet Isaiah here has penned these words. It says, 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, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And as I started to read that verse, and as that verse was just mulling over in my head, I couldn't help but think that the Savior that has come, when you read this verse, you find some great truths in this verse. And you find at the end of it, it says the Prince of Peace. Now, I know I preached a message a few weeks ago on peace. But I'll be honest, I got stuck at two words, Counselor and Prince of Peace. If I had a title for this morning's message for the next few minutes, it would simply be entitled, The One Who Can Fix the Brokenness. The One Who Can Fix the Brokenness. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray right now that you would empty me. Lord, that you would speak through me and that I would say only what you would have me to say. Lord, we need you this morning. Lord, I need you. Oh, Lord, I need you. Lord, be with the message. In your name we pray. Amen. I'm looking forward to tonight's play. I'm looking forward to Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus and I'm looking forward to the angels that will be a part of it. And of course we know that the shepherds were in the field watching and waiting for this Messiah. And one fun fact that I was reading about, and I don't know if it's ever occurred to y'all, but the shepherds were and could have been in the same fields as Boaz right outside of Bethlehem. And that spoke to me, and here's the reason why. Because you see the story of Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, who takes a young girl that her world is flipped upside down, and he brings her in and says, you can take the handfuls on purpose that my people will leave. And then as he redeems Ruth, he marries her and then of course Ruth has Obed and Obed has Jesse and Jesse of course has David and then as you think in those same fields where the family line is those same fields where David watched his flock just outside of Bethlehem there and as he was in those probably those same fields and and the caves that they would often hide into this and to take protection from the elements and the weather but When the angel appeared and and so I'll probably get into a little bit about that tonight, but it's just amazing It says for unto us a child is born In the book of Luke chapter two, it says that his, that son is born in that place called Bethlehem. And again, of Micah chapter five, verse two, you see that he was born in Bethlehem, Ephrata, a small place, not even a blimp on the map, but that's where the savior of the world was born. But the book of Isaiah says, for unto us, a child is born, Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful. Then it says his name shall be called Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Yesterday, I was bummed, not gonna lie. I really wanted to be here. I really wanted to have the play. I really wanted the neighborhood to be here. I really wanted to be able to talk about that Jesus. The wise men said they came to worship him. I wanted to be in the place where Jesus was born and you see Mary and Joseph and the shepherds come in and then they go out and start proclaiming that the savior of the world is born. But I went up to my room, Sarah's not feeling well. And she's got that garbage that's going around, it's real bad. This morning she couldn't even, I don't think she slept hardly at all last night, but she couldn't hear out of one of her ears. And I think it was almost like she was going blind a little bit and couldn't see very well. I don't know all of what was going on. And she even had a horrible fever. She almost woke me up to take her to the emergency room in the middle of the night. She managed through it, and I hope she's all right now. I texted her and haven't gotten an answer, so hopefully she's passed out, being able to sleep. But she called me in the room yesterday, and she was asking questions. And we were having one of those conversations. You know one of those conversations that just, it's not a surface conversation, but it just goes a little bit deeper. And she was talking about how there's so many people, especially of my generation, my age group, there's a lot of hurt. There's a lot of things that have happened to a lot of people, right, wrong, or indifferent, and they're honestly and really walking around really broken. Now, I realize that we're all broken people. And I realize that we're all broken and we are in need of a savior. And that savior is not only that child that was born, but this verse says that his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. As we were talking about how to fix some of the brokenness last night and yesterday afternoon, And really, it was a heavy conversation. My mind went to this verse, and I know it's great, because it's a Christmas verse. It's telling us who the Messiah is, and who he's going to be, and where he's going to be born. And Isaiah, of course, 53 writes how he dies for us. But it says in this verse, he's got five names. But that one counselor stood out to me. I'm not against counselors. I'm not against people trying to help. I think it's very wise that we all have someone that we can talk to, that we can unload on, that we can get some help, that we can get what we need. And I'll be honest, it's one that we often wanna talk to someone who is not attached to us because we can feel free to speak about certain things or talk about our past. Because I guess in here I could ask a question, who has ever messed up? I would venture that everyone's hand would go up. Who has ever done something that they have regretted? My hand would go up and I'm sure that many of your hands would go up. How many of us have done something that's disappointed someone or even hurt somebody and didn't care how we even spoke And the truth of the matter is we would like to think that a lot of days we're okay from it. But there's a lot of days, I don't know about for you, but Satan often tries to remind me of my past. And I'm so thankful that I have a counselor in him. I'm thankful that I have someone that I can go to and say, God, I've really, Satan's really beaten me up. Like I said, I'm not against other people getting counsel. But I think one way that we can fix our broken vessels, which he uses, I'm so thankful for that. But this verse here says he's just more than a child that's born, he's more than a son that's given, and the government, it rests on his shoulders. But not only is he wonderful, but he's a counselor, which means he's wonderful in his counseling. If you go to Isaiah chapter 29, there's a verse there at the end. Let's read that verse. That verse says in verse 29, this also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. We often carry around weights and struggles and baggage and disappointments and failures. And he says here in Isaiah chapter nine and Isaiah chapter 28, he says, Hey, I'm wonderful in my counseling. I'm excellent in my thanking. He says in Jeremiah 1.5, he said, before you were formed in the belly, I knew thee. He tells us in Psalm 139 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and he cares about us at every step of the way, and he says, why don't you always come to me for your counsel? What's keeping you from coming to me for your help? David said in the book of Psalms, where does my help comes from? My help comes from the Lord, the one who created heaven and earth. And he says in this verse, he said, Isaiah wrote it of me. He says that I'm a counselor. And then he ends the verse with, he's the Prince of Peace, capital P, capital P, which means he is the one that has the peace. He is not only just the, and I, not only just like, just a passing thought, but it says here's, he's the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He says, hey, we struggle, but we, we carry it. We let it beat us up. We let Satan tell us that we're not worthy. You know how many times I feel unworthy to be doing what I'm doing today? I was telling Brother Tim last night, we decided to venture out to head to Bernard's. And I was telling him, I said, I said, man, I think I have a verse, a message. And I said, then the whole thing flipped upside down on me. And I said, you know what? I said, there's days I don't feel worthy to be doing what I'm doing, but by the grace of God, I am what I am because he has made me who I am. He doesn't see my faults and failures in my past. That's Satan, the accuser of the brethren, trying to bring it up and to make me feel less than what I am. But in the eyes of Jesus, I am his chosen one. I am his love. I am the one that he came and redeemed. And I have to push those thoughts through. Philippians chapter four, what sort of things are good, right, holy, just. There be any virtue. If there be any of these things, think on these things. fix my thinking but so many times or sometimes it seems like Satan just jumps on my back and makes me try to feel like I am the scum of the earth. And as we were riding to Menards last night, I said, I read the Bible and I find great comfort in reading the Bible. I told Sarah that. But here's why I feel great comfort. Out of all our Bible characters, out of all our Bible stories, And all the people that played, or all the people that were, not that played, we'll play some of the people tonight, but you only read of a couple that would be stellar standouts, not Stella, but stellar standouts. And that would be Daniel and Joseph, right? And maybe the three Hebrew boys. But when you look through the pages and you read And you read the story of Noah after the world was crazy. And then the things that happened right after the flood, you see that God used him, continued to use him. You see Abraham, Abraham and Sarah, oh my soul, you talk about a crazy group. You talk about, you see Lot and his daughters and the family line that came through Lot's daughters. And you would think, how could that be? And then you think of Isaac and Jacob, and then you think of all the wives, and then you have the 12 tribes, and we mentioned last week so many of those tribes. Jacob says, Reuben, you're my firstborn, you're my legacy, you're my strength. But he said, you're not gonna amount to many things. But we see story after story, and it doesn't just stop. You see David and his faults, you see Solomon and all of his faults, and then you continue to read, and then you get into the New Testament, and then you find what almost seems like a bunch of misfits to society. Where he takes 12 of them, ordains 12, one being a devil, still blows my mind. But he decides to take all of these disciples and to flip the world upside down and to push forward and to have the gospel where we have it today. I find great strength and comfort in knowing that he used a lot of people who were broken. And I'm not saying that Joseph and Daniel were sinless and perfect. They had their faults too, it's not recorded. But a lot of other things and a lot of other people are recorded. I think of Job as well, Job would probably qualify in the top list. But even Job talked about that potter's will. how God is the potter and we're just clay in his hands and sometimes he has to break us and remold us and shape us and the book of Psalms talks about how he has to continue to purify us and to scrape off the impurities and trying to make us and continue to to work us now he has created us he has saved us But that doesn't, it's not where it stops. We are continually working out our salvation. Don't get scared of that line. We are saved, but the Bible tells us afterwards to work out your salvation means you're supposed to be practicing what you preach. So I'm thankful that we have a counselor. The everlasting God. the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. We find peace through the Prince of Peace. We find rest in the Messiah. We find comfort in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one that can make it all work. together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We don't always understand or know what his purpose is for each and every one of us, but can I encourage you, part of knowing his purpose is being in his book. And when you get in his book and you have a relationship with him and you start to tell him and you start to talk to him and you start to explain and you start to ask him. See, he's that counselor that says, don't sheepishly walk into my place. Come boldly. We would do a lot better as Christians as a whole if we came boldly to the counselor. and says, hey, I need your help in this area. Satan is really playing in my brains in this area. He's really messing with my mind in this area. Paul spoke about it so eloquently in Romans 5, 6, and 7, and then again in 1 and 2 Corinthians, he talked about it, and in Thessalonians, and he had verses like bringing into captivity every thought that exalted itself against God. Getting those thoughts, grabbing them and throwing them into the garbage as soon as they come in is as soon as you flush them out. But we gloss over this verse, I think, sometimes, because we do know that Jesus is wonderful. We do know that he is the counselor, the everlasting father, the mighty God, the prince of peace, but can I encourage you when you come across these verses like this, like it hit me yesterday, that you realize the only thing that's gonna fix the brokenness is our Lord Jesus Christ. The only one that can mend it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Like I said, I'm okay with people going and talking to other people, but please don't let that be a substitute for you not talking to the Lord God Almighty who says he is the counselor. Yeah, we're all human, right? I'm human, you're human. Did you know we only tell people what we want them to know about us? We only tell people what we want them and how we want them to perceive us. Did you know Jesus is one that you can tell everything to? He already knows it, he already sees it. But I think sometimes he wants it to utter off our lips to him. Did you know, in my position, people come to me all the time. It's crazy. I sometimes walk away with extra burdens on my back that, and I'm okay with it, I signed up for the job. And I'm fine with it, but I've learned that even when people come and talk, they don't share everything. They only wanna tell you what they wanna tell you. They never truly get to the complete root of the issue, whatever the issue is. They don't always get to the very end of it, because then that means that they're completely vulnerable. Do you know the one that can take all of our vulnerabilities? His name is Counselor, capital C. You know the one that can take all those failures? Counselor, capital C. I think we miss as Christians as a whole, going to the counselor. When's the last time? When's the last time you truly went to the counselor and just got it all out? You know that struggle you're carrying right now? What keeps you from going to the Prince of Peace? Is it that fear? Let's be honest. He sees and knows it all. Is it that fear that you would think, God, this is how you're really going to see me? He already does. The Bible says the heart is deceitful above all thing and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Jesus. Are you telling me, pastor, that I could be completely open and honest with Jesus? Yes. Are you telling me that Jesus is the one that can fix a lot of issues? I would argue he could fix all issues. The question that we have to ponder today is, am I going to the counselor for the advice? Counselors are not free. They cost money. Jesus Christ lays down his life for us and says, come freely. All ye that are laden with burdens, come to me. All of you that have those anxieties or cares, give them to me. All of your fears, bring them to me. All of your failures, bring them to me. All of your shortcomings, bring them to me. So as I was trying to get ready for church yesterday, didn't happen and as I was turning to get ready for Sunday, Christmas first pops into my head. It says that he is a wonderful counselor. He is wonderful in his counsel. He knows. then he's the Prince of Peace, which means he's the one that can bring peace unlike anyone else, unlike anything else, unlike anything that we would turn to to try to find peace. He says, it's right here. He says, I've got what you need. And I have it abundantly. But the only thing that keeps us from peace and letting the devil always play inside of our head is it's us. It's me, it's me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. That's what my motto should be. Here's a song that I listen to, and this is the one I was telling you about, Miss Rhonda. I need to have Jasmine get the music. The song is entitled, God Uses Broken People and Hurting People to Build His Church. I listen to that song oftentimes on repeat because I can't believe that he allows us to be a body of believers here. But one thing for certain is we're all broken in one way or another. Sometimes we feel like we're the only ones that can carry that. And I'm here to tell you, give it to Jesus. Let him be the capital C Counselor. Because he's the one that brings that peace. But that song says God builds churches with broken people, with hurting people, with searching people. He's the one that makes that vessel usable. Let's decide today, church, during this Christmas season, to be able to look at a verse like that. For unto us a child is born. I'm so thankful that Jesus Christ is born for unto us a son is given. That son was given to us for eternal life, eternity with him. He was not giving for anyone else except for us. And the Bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, who this one. And we do know that the government shall be upon his shoulder. I look forward to the day where he comes back and he really rules and reigns. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. From everlasting to everlasting. You know how long everlasting is? Everlasting. It just is. The Prince of Peace. He brings that peace. We have access to that peace. We have freedom in that peace. We have acceptance in that peace. Sometimes we'd need to take and unbox some of the crazy stuff we've pushed aside and go to the counselor for some true healing. And I believe that's where as a church, we're all hurting today. Sarah said sometimes it's like you just have to rip that scab off. And that scab, you might say, but that scab's been there for 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 years. But it's always been festering you, it's always been haunting you, it's always been on your back, but you've never really taken off and let the balm of our Lord Jesus Christ get in there and bring some true healing, bring some true peace. Jasmine, if you'll come to the piano, where are you at today? With our heads bowed and our eyes closed. Are you broken in an area today? Are you turning to everything else except Him for that? Is there something that has happened in one way or another in your past and you just, you're struggling to get past it in one way or another? Have you went to that dark part of your heart and said, God, I know you know about this, but I just, I can't, but I'm going to trust you and I'm going to pull it out. Like I said, to start, I believe there's many in my generation and you see it. You see it on social media platforms. You see the whole gamut. But I do believe the root of the problem for many of them, they haven't unboxed that hurt that they put away or that disappointment So they're stuck in a cycle of, I'm good for a day or two, I'm good for a week, I'm good for a month, and then it hits me out of nowhere and cripples me. I see it every time I close my eyes. God says, don't let it be that way, bring it to me. He says, give it to me. Peace I leave with you, he says. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. He says, give me that peace. Maybe you're broken today because of some unforgiveness. Maybe forgiveness is an issue. Maybe you forgive, but then you pick it back up You forgive and pick it back up and forgive and pick it back up. There's many areas that we can just go to Him and say, please help us. You are the counselor. You're wonderful in your counsel and you're excellent in it. Heavenly Father, Lord, as she continues to play, Lord, help us to surrender all to you. Lord, all the brokenness that only you can fix. Lord, I'm so thankful that you use sinful creatures that you have redeemed and that you see as holy and complete. I'm so thankful that we get to be the clay in your hands, that you mold us and make us the way that we should be. But Lord, help us to give you the brokenness. Help us to give you the ugliness. Help us to give you the craziness. Help us give you the things that cripple us. Lord, because you're the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. I pray that you'd be with us, Lord, this afternoon. Lord, be with the young people as they come at 3.30, as they have their dress rehearsal. as they run through their program one more time, and then as they have the program at 6 p.m. Lord, I pray that you would just meet with us. Be with those that are in attendance tonight. Lord, if there is anyone that will not be saved, Lord, pray that they would know you before they leave. Lord, thank you for being good to us, Lord. Thank you for giving us a wonderful day. Help us give us safety as we travel about. Help us to stay careful. We ask all these things in your name, amen.