PUNCTUATION

I know, I know, but I think Pastor Larry opened his Bible to the wrong page.  It is getting close to Easter and he read Isaiah 9:6.

“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.”

We all love this scripture because it describes Jesus.

            Wonderful                   Mighty            Everlasting                  Prince

            Counselor                    God                 Father                          Peace

What comfort to say Jesus is wonderful, mighty, everlasting and a Prince.  He is my Counselor, God, Father, and my Peace.  Then, just like the voice on as seen on TV, he said, “But wait.”  (Now he might not have used those exact words but that is what my mind heard.)  Wait for what?  I know this passage.  It is not confusing and what does it have to do with the quickly approaching Easter?

Well, doesn’t that beat all!  He pointed out that we should read this passage carefully and notice the commas.  Or lack of commas. 

No commas?  What difference could four commas make? Actually…a lot.

He is not Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty, God, Everlasting, Father, Prince, and Peace.  Think about that freshman English class. 

Wonderful, Mighty, Everlasting, and Prince are adjectives.  Counselor, God, Father, and Peace are nouns.

Jesus is my Counselor.  And no run of the mill, just out of college, barely passed the last class Counselor.  Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor.  Wonderful!  Jesus’ counsel is marvelous, astonishing, admirable, dynamite, first-class, splendid, unsurpassed, and primo. 

Jesus is my God.  And not just any god that promises and cannot deliver or found at every tourist shop or fashioned after an earthly being god.  God is a Mighty God.  Mighty!  God’s might is powerful, cosmic, enormous, super, Brobdingnagian (look it up), and vast. 

Jesus is my Father.  And He will never leave me.  A Father who is Everlasting.  Everlasting!  Jesus, a Father who is eternal, enduring, indefinite, ageless, immortal, and perpetual. 

Jesus is my Peace.  And not the peace that comes through having money or having family and friends or no trials.  Jesus’ Peace is a Princely Peace.  It is royal, noble, has high standing, and is Kingly. 

Now I tell you, “But wait!”

Jesus is more than a Counselor.  He is a Wonderful Counselor.

Jesus is more than a God.  He is a Mighty God.

Jesus is more than a Father.  He is an Everlasting Father.

Jesus is more than Peace.  His is the Prince of Peace.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.     Luke 2:52

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”     Matthew 3:16-17

Pastor Larry did not open his Bible to the wrong page.  He opened his Bible to the exact correct page and the exact correct passage.  The baby grew up.  The baby became our Savior.  Became our Savior when he arose at Easter.