Isaiah 9:2-7 page 1

Last Sunday night at Christ The King we had the annual joint confirmation service for all the Anglican-Methodist churches in Chatham. As usual the Bishop of Rochester took part in the service. Before he and the Methodist minister jointly lay hands on the candidates for confirmation, he likes to say a special personal prayer for each person, based on the meaning of their Christian name.

Unfortunately it doesn't always go to plan. This year he said to man, "Your name is Norman. That means, 'one who comes from the north'. Do you come from the north?"

"No," said Norman, in his best Chatham accent.

It was more embarrassing last year. Apart from telling a girl that her name Rebecca meant 'cattle-stall' (he dug himself out of a hole by referring to where Jesus was laid after his birth) he came to a twelve-year-old lad, where he came badly unstuck.

"Your name is Jamie," said the bishop. "I expect your name is really James."

"No," said Jamie emphatically, "I was born Jamie, I was christened Jamie, and I'm fed up with people wanting to call me James!"

Names. Names are important in the Christmas story. Not only do we find this when Mary and Joseph are instructed by the angel to name their forthcoming arrival Jesus, we find it also in the prophecy of Isaiah that we heard in the first reading of this carol service.

'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 Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'
(Isaiah 9:6)

Four names for the promised Messiah: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

To understand them, we need to recognise one important fact about the naming of a child. When parents name a child, that name sometimes reflects the parents' character and aspirations. So when my parents gave me the name David, they did so knowing it meant 'beloved', and it reminds me even to this day of their character: that they love me.

So it is when the Messiah is called 'Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace'. These names say something about the God who sends him.

Bearing that in mind, let's look at these names and see how the coming of Jesus shows us the God who sends him.

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Copyright © David D Faulkner, 2006 except where other sources are attributed or noted as inspiration.