Works (Vol 4) - Newton - IX - Sermon IX (Characters and names of Messiah)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon IX (Characters and names of Messiah).

My summary
This week Newton preaches on '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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.' (Isa 9:6)

Newton discusses how this passage teaches us about the person, offices and glory of the Messiah.  We learn about:
(i) his incarnation;
(ii) his exaltation;
(iii) his names and characters (Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace).

What grabbed me Read Sermon IX (Characters and names of Messiah).
I enjoyed Newton's comments on the name, 'Everlasting Father': ' Further, he shall be called 'The Everlasting Father.' "He is not ashamed to call them brethren," having condescended to assume their human nature. But they are also his children. They are born into his family by the efficacy of his own word and Spirit. From him they derive their spiritual life, being united to him by faith, and receiving, from first to last, out of his fulness. And he is an 'Everlasting Father.' Our fathers, according to the flesh, are subject to death. But his relation to them subsists unchangeably, and, therefore, they cannot be destitute; and he is thus equally to them all. They live upon the earth, and are removed from it, in a long succession of ages ; but He is the Father of the everlasting age, 'the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' 'All generations shall call him blessed.' To him, therefore, the apostle teaches us to apply that sublime passage of the Psalmist, 'Thou, Lord, in the beginning, hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest; and they shall wax old as doth a garment ; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed ; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. ''

Jesus is our brother, but in another sense, our father too.

Next week's reading
Read Sermon X (The angel's message and song).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.