HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Mystery of all mysteries, wonder of all wonders, Jesus is born of human flesh, and he dwells among us. Emmanuel has come. Isaiah 7, verse 14. Emmanuel has come, Emmanuel has come. Jesus leaves heaven. The Father had a divine timetable. The Father had a definite plan.

Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, the divine son of God is conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. And this virgin bears a son and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.

God in Christ is tabernacled in human flesh. God in Christ is not far away. God in Christ is with us. He knows our joys, he knows our sorrows, he knows our happiness, he knows our disappointment. He knows our triumphs and defeats, he knows our highs and lows. Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 puts it so well.

Isaiah 9, verse 6. Notice it here: 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 Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government, there'll be no end. Notice unto us is a child born. Who is he born to? Who is Jesus given to? Unto us! He is your savior, he is my savior. Unto what's that next word? Unto us!

A son is given, heaven gave its best gift. The government shall be upon his shoulders. What's all that about? Although he's the son of God, he's also the sovereign ruler of the universe. This world and its affairs are in his hands. He is in charge, although evil men make sinful choices and wreak havoc. Although at times all nature is out of control. Although nations battle and pandemics rage, he is still sovereign.

He'll accomplish his plan for this world. Having confidence in this sovereign God makes all the difference in your life. He's guiding the destinies of the world, and if you let him, he's guiding the destinies of your life. That brings enormous peace to our hearts. It's a great stress reliever to know that the government is upon his shoulders. What's that mean? He is the ruler yet, he is the divine sovereign yet, he is the one that sits on the throne of the universe yet. And he's the big God who guides the planets, guides the stars, and he can guide every single one of our lives.

Notice: for unto us a child is born, he's born unto us. Unto us a son is given, the government's upon his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful. What does that word wonderful mean? He's full of wonders. He's full of wonder, he's going to surprise you. He's full of wonders. This son that is tabernacled in human flesh for you, this Christ that wants you to have the best in life, he is full of wonders for you.

His name shall be called Counselor. A lot of times people come to me and say, "Pastor Mark, can you give me a little counsel here or there?" Sometimes I wonder about if I'm wise enough to do that. It's a blessing to get counsel from other people, but I'll tell you one thing: it's a blessing to get counsel from Jesus. Jesus is a wonderful counselor.

I've had so many times in my life where I've been in dilemmas, more dilemmas than you would know. And the wonderful counselor has given me guidance. I think of some of those specific experiences. On one occasion, I was having evangelistic meetings in Sweden, in Stockholm, preaching in a large auditorium in Stockholm.

I was working as the ministerial secretary of the Trans-European Division at the time. We had 19 countries, and I was responsible for pastors in those countries, so we had to fly a lot. The president of that division's name was Jan Paulsen, who later became president of the General Conference.

He said to me, "Look Mark, we're having a meeting in Croatia, that is in former Yugoslavia." And he said, "You really need to be there on Tuesday." He said, "Whatever you do, I have to have you there on Tuesday because Elder Neal Wilson, who was the General Conference President, the father of the current president, he's going to be there and you have to give a report on the ministerial work in our division. So don't miss the meeting." He said, "Preach on your Sunday night and then come." I said, "Sure."

So I figured out how I could get there, and it was going to be tough because, of course, at that time Yugoslavia was communist, and Croatia and Serbia both were very communist. I figured, okay, this is the only thing I can do. After I preach on Sunday night, the meeting will get over at nine o'clock. There's a train that goes from Stockholm to Copenhagen. I can take that train. I'll take an overnight train, try to sleep on the train.

So I got down to the train station about 10:30 and got on the train. It was a horrible night. I couldn't sleep at all. I didn't sleep most of the night, and the train took me to Copenhagen in Denmark. So I came to Denmark, and I was half tired, got to the Copenhagen airport. I was going to fly to Vienna and take a flight from Vienna to Zagreb, which is the capital of Croatia.

So I get to Vienna, I'm half tired, knowing that I have to be in this meeting. It's now Monday afternoon, and I'm running through the airport because I had a tight connection. I look up at the board, and it says: Airport in Zagreb fogged in, flight canceled.

And I am there in the Vienna airport on a Monday afternoon, knowing I have to be at my meeting early Tuesday. And I'm thinking, oh no, there's no way. I mean, it's impossible. And I just went by a little corner and I prayed, "Now Lord, I need your wisdom. You are the almighty counselor. You need to help me, Lord, because I've got to be at that meeting. I don't know what to do. I can't get there flying."

And all of a sudden, I got this impression: Go into the bookstore. I said, "Bookstore? What am I going to go read a book?" My wife knows I love books, but this was not the time or the place. Go into a bookstore. So I went into the bookstore, and the first thing I saw was a book of maps. So I picked up the map book, and I figured something out. This is what I figured out: that Austria borders Yugoslavia, it borders Croatia.

And I remembered in my mind that our school at Maruševac was about 50 miles from the border. And I said, "I know what I'm going to do. If I can catch a flight to this particular town that I see on the map, I'm going to walk across that border under communism. I'm going across, I'm going to get at that meeting."

So I ran back out, I saw on the board: 30 minutes, a flight's leaving. And I'm saying, "Lord, you're my wonderful counselor on this one. You've got to get me there, Lord, you're my wonderful counselor." So I bought a ticket, flew to this place, and I said to the cab driver, "Take me to the border." He said, "I can't take you all the way, but I'll take you partway. You've got to walk the rest."

Well, I had been in Yugoslavia many times, and I knew a little bit about the political and the sociological and the religious dynamics. And I didn't have a visa, incidentally, but I knew that there would be a guard station at the border. I also knew that in Serbia, at the airport, they could stamp my visa. So I was counting on it that they could give me a visa, and I was counting that in Croatia and Zagreb they could give me a visa.

I got to the border walking, a young communist guard is standing there and other soldiers. And I said, "I need to go over there." He kind of looked, he says, "Passport." I gave him my passport. "No visa. No visa. No go. No visa." I said, "Lord, you're my wonderful counselor, what did you get me into here?" Now I had called my office in England, I said, "Look, I'm walking across that border. When I get across," I called them from the airport, I said, "When I get across, I need a car there to take me immediately to that meeting."

And so I said to the guard, "Passport." "No visa. No visa." Now I knew in those days that Yugoslavia was in five republics, and I knew that Serbia was Orthodox and Croatia was Catholic, and they had this big head. And I just kept praying, "Lord, you've got to get me through this. You impressed me to look at that map, you've got to get me through this. You're my counselor, I have nobody to talk to."

And the Lord impressed me with something. I opened my passport and I said, "Serbia, visa at the airport. Serbia very, very good. Croatia, no visa here. Croatia as good as Serbia." He stamped my passport, he said, "You go." So I went. God is a wonderful counselor.

You are going to find yourself at times like I did in that experience with no human counsel that can solve your problem. But what does our text say? He is a what? Let's look at our text again. Isaiah 9, verse 6: for unto us Christ, a child is born, unto us a son is given. Jesus is given to you. Absorb everything that he is to you. Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder. His name will be called what? Wonderful. He will do wonders for you. Counselor, he's your counselor.

And here's the good news: the one who is wonderful, the one who is your counselor is the what of the next two words? What is he? He is the Mighty God! We have a counselor who's the Mighty God. We have a counselor, he's the Mighty God. He's the everlasting Father. He's the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government, there will be no end. Jesus is a wonderful counselor. He's the Mighty God who gives power to his children to carry out his counsel. He has the characteristics of the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and he'll bring peace to our hearts. He has a divine timetable; he's always on time.

Guest (Female): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: He has a determined plan; he sent his son. A definite plan, he sent his son into the world. God will not be late with his second coming, and God has a definite plan. But he has a determined purpose. We find it in Galatians 4, verse 4. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law.

Now what is God's determined purpose? Verse 5: to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons. God's determined purpose in coming to this world was to redeem us. The longing of his heart is that we will be with him forever. The ransom price has been paid, his sacrifice is complete. We are his children adopted into the family of God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

There is nothing more important to God than getting us home. There's nothing more important to God than getting us home. His advent has been delayed, but he's never late. He invites us to be faithful while we wait. Although the promise tarries, just as the first coming of Christ was on time, his second coming will be on time. He's always on time; his promises never fail.

In Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 3, we read about the promises of God. This promise in the book of Habakkuk relates to the second coming of Christ. Habakkuk chapter 2, you're looking there at verse 3: for the vision is yet for an appointed time. The vision of his coming, the vision of his return. At the end, it will speak and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it shall surely come; it will not tarry.

That's the New King James Version. Listen to the contemporary English version of this one. Here's the contemporary English version of Habakkuk 2, verse 3: At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting; it'll happen.

The fullness of time has come. Strife in our cities, rising crime and violence, natural disasters, the threat of nuclear conflagration, a sagging economy, moral decay, and a host of other social and economic and political problems indicate the fullness of time has come. Environmental problems, ecological problems, our planet rapidly deteriorating indicate the fullness of time has come. Global pandemics that have confounded even the wisest scientific minds indicate the fullness of time has come.

The global uncertainty of our times indicates the fullness of time has come. The rapid spread of the gospel, as we mentioned through internet, social media, television, radio, printed page, missionaries going around the world indicate the fullness of time has come. The Christ who came once as a babe in Bethlehem's manger has a determined purpose. The reason he came once was so he could come twice.

The reason he came the first time was so he could come the second time. The reason he came to die on a cross was so he could come and reign as a king. The reason he came to bring salvation to your heart is not to leave you in a world of sin, suffering, heartache, and death, but it's to bring you home.

He came once to redeem humanity, now he's coming to claim his purchased possession. He came once to our earthly planet, now he's coming to take us to his heavenly home. The entire purpose of the plan of salvation is to get us home. This world with its sickness, suffering, and death is not our home. The victory has been won, Satan is a defeated foe and he knows it. So he's fighting with all of his might to take everybody down in destruction with him.

Why is it that the devil is warring on our young people? Why is it that all this smut and trash is over the internet to capture our minds and deceive our souls? Why is it that he's influencing Hollywood with its lust, its robbery, its murder, its bloodshed? Why is it that many are captivated in this society with materialism and secularism? Why has the devil unleashed all the powers of hell on this generation? Because he knows that the fullness of time has come. Satan can study prophecy, he knows that we're on the verge of the kingdom of God.

Jesus has one plan, and that's to take us home. Christ has conquered, eternal life is ours, heaven is on the horizon, and soon we are going home. In December of 1945, the Second World War was over. Peace treaties had been signed, the victory had been won, but there were still 8 million sailors, marines, armies, service people still that hadn't been home.

And the United States government had been planning for the end of the war for many, many months. And they planned what they called Operation Magic Carpet. We have to get home our boys. We've got to bring them home, 8 million of them. And so 370 vessels, everything that floated, everything that could carry our soldiers home began evacuating them from the shores of England, began evacuating them from the Philippines and Japan. This great evacuation takes place.

The aircraft carrier Saratoga repatriated 29,204 soldiers. We were bringing back 435,000 military people a month. The Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary had been painted gray at the beginning of the war, and they were going across the Atlantic to bring back our soldiers. Now when these soldiers came home, the trains were jammed, but there was a motto: "Home Alive in '45. Home Alive in '45." We gotta get our soldiers home. The whole effort of the American government was to bring those soldiers back from the Second World War, home alive in '45.

And the song was, "We'll Be Home Before Christmas. We'll Be Home Before Christmas." And so many of them were brought home in December to Los Angeles, but they live in Chicago, they lived in New York City. How are they going to get home? They were going on the trains. Citizens who bought tickets on the train said, "Soldier, take my place. Soldier, take my place."

Very often those trains would not be able to get them home before Christmas. It would be Christmas Day, and they'd be some place in the Midwest, Iowa, not home to Chicago, not home to New York, not home to Boston. And the trains would be there. People would come down to the train, say, "Soldier," they never met these guys before, "come home with me." They'd bring them home for Christmas dinner. They would give them gifts.

There were taxi drivers in Los Angeles that said to soldiers, "Look soldier, you need a ride? I do. Where do you live? Chicago. Get in." And taxi drivers took these soldiers home because they were war-torn, they had come from the battle. And they took them, didn't charge them a thing except for the gas. One taxi driver took his people from Los Angeles to New York City, six soldiers. "I gotta get them home! I've gotta..." All of America, "We've got to get them home."

But yet there was one group that they hadn't got home in 1945. These were war brides. 70,000 war brides American soldiers had married, some of the English girls that looked quite nice to them, and they had married French. In 1946, the war brides began coming. And when these war brides began coming, they came into the New York harbor, there were bands that were playing. Can you just imagine these soldiers now getting their brides home? The greatest evacuation in history took place in the Second World War. 8 million brought home. They were brought home to joy, brought home to gladness, brought home to cheering, weary war-torn soldiers.

But that's not going to be the greatest evacuation of history. Jesus is not coming with 370 ships, he's coming with ten thousand times ten thousand angels. The greatest evacuation in history is yet to take place. Jesus is coming! All of heaven is excited, all of heaven is thrilled. Jesus is coming with his angels to take us home, and the golden gates of the gleaming city of God will be thrown over.

And Jesus will lead us before the angelic host, and he will say, "These are my people, welcome home." And the great banquet feast will take place, the marriage supper of the Lamb on that long table beyond what our eye can see. It will outshine any Christmas celebration. Jesus is coming! We will travel with him from planet to planet, from star to star. He's coming to take us home. The heavenly bridegroom is more excited than those bridegrooms that had married during the war those brides in a foreign land.

Jesus sees us weary, war-torn. The battle has been long. Some of the soldiers of Christ have been wounded, some of them have died in battle. It's been a bloody conflict, it's been a long conflict. But he's coming to take us home. And deep within our hearts, we long for home. Imprinted in our brains is the longing for home. His coming has been delayed, but the promise is sure. When the fullness of time has come, God again will send forth his son to take his children home.

And deep within my heart, I want to be ready, don't you? I don't want to miss the great, great homecoming. I want nothing in my life to be between me and the savior. Think of what it's going to be that day when we stream with him in dazzling glory through the cars of the sky, back from this war-torn weary world to be welcomed to the greatest celebration of the ages, the marriage supper of the Lamb. Do you want to go? You just raise your hand, say, "Lord, I want to go."

Oh my Father, you're coming soon. Time has gone on longer than we've expected, but you're coming. And we long for that day when you will come to take us home. Thank you, Jesus, that our hearts can anticipate that, that we can live in the excitement of the advent today, tomorrow, and then until you come. In Christ's name, Amen.

Guest (Female): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Money, materialism, position, fame, honor are not satisfying. They are temporary illusions. There is one thing that satisfies: coming to Jesus and knowing Jesus as that water of life.