Christ and His Children

by Pastor Don Fortner

Sermon       #27
Series:      Isaiah
Title:       Christ and His Children
Text:        Isaiah 8:18
Subject:     Christ's Identification With His People
Date:        Sunday Evening - October 15, 1989

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There is no guess work involved in finding the proper interpretation of our text. This text is not talking about Isaiah and his two sons. And it is not talking about the prophet of God and his people. The text is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ and his children. The Holy Spirit tells us that the person speaking here is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine Savior (Heb. 2:11-13).

We interpret scripture accurately when we interpret scripture by scripture and interpret it in the light of its immediate context. I have shown you how that the Spirit of God declares our text to be the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at the context. This passage is full of Christ.

• v. 13 - Christ is the object of our faith.
• v. 14 - Christ is our refuge.
• v. 14-15 - Christ is a stone of stumblings to those who believe not.
• v. 16 - Christ commands His prophet to bind up his testimony and seal His law, His promises and His doctrine to His disciples.
• v. 17 - Having heard these things, Isaiah said, "I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him." He acted upon God's revelation. In the midst of great trial, he believed God. In the midst of great darkness, he walked in the light (See Isa. 7:14).

Then in verse 18, the Lord Jesus, to whom Isaiah looked, spoke. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion." I want, by the Spirit of God, to show you what this text says about Christ and His Children.

Proposition: Christ's relationship to and identification with God's elect is the source and cause of their eternal security and happiness.

Keep your Bible open on your lap. We will look at this rich text word by word and line by line.

I. "Behold, I and the Children."

Isaiah had said, "I will look for Him." And now the Lord Jesus encourages him to do just that. In the midst of great trials, discouragements, and disappointments, the Lord says, "Isaiah, ever keep your eyes upon me and upon my people. Let nothing turn you away from me. Let nothing turn you away from my people."

A. With these words our Savior compares His relationship to His church as that of a father to his children.

Is the Lord Jesus Christ our father? Yes, in a certain sense, he is. We must be careful here. We do not confuse the Persons of the Triune Godhead. There are three distinct Persons in the Holy Trinity (I John 5:7).

• The Father - The Son - The Holy Spirit.

And each of the Divine Persons is engaged in the operations of grace (Eph. 1:3-14).

• The Father planned our Salvation.
• The Son purchased our Salvation.
• The Holy Spirit procures our Salvation.

Yet, there is a sense in which the Lord Jesus Christ is our Father in the blessed economy of grace.

1. Christ is our Father inasmuch as he is our covenant head and we are His seed.

   Just as we speak of the first Adam as our father Adam, so we may rightfully speak of Christ, the second Adam, as our Father from whom all the blessings of grace and life come (Rom. 5:12, 18-19).
   

2. Christ is also called "the everlasting Father" (Isa. 9:6).
   • He is the Father of the Ages.
   • He is the Father of all Creation.
   • He is the Father of Eternity.
3. Christ is our Father because it is by His Word, His Doctrine, His Gospel that we are born of God (John 5:25).

   Just as a preacher is said to be the spiritual father of those who are conv erted by his instrumentality, Christ is the Father of all who are born again by the gospel of his grace.
   

   • Of Him the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
   • He who brings many sons to glory is their Father.
   • He who gives us life is our Father.
   • Christ Jesus is our Savior, our friend, our elder brother, our High Priest, our great prophet, our mighty King, and our everlasting Father.
4. This metaphor of Christ Jesus as our Father is full of comfort and instruction.

a. It means that we have our origin in Him.

Spurgeon said, "Apart from that matchless scheme of which Christ is the Sum and Substance, there had been no pardoned sinners, no believers, no children adopted into the family of God, no priests and kings to reign with Christ forever and ever."

Christ is the Rock from which we are hewn. He chose us. He created us. He redeemed us. He called us. He gave us life. He is the Vine. We are the branches.

b. As children bear likeness to their father God's saints are created new in the image of Christ.

• Regeneration (II Peter 1:4).
• Resurrection (I John 3:2).

c. As children are the responsibility of their father, the Lord Jesus Christ assumed all responsibility for God's elect.

When Jacob tended Laban's sheep, he was responsible for them. And our Savior looks upon his elect as a charge for which he alone is responsible - (John 10:16).

1. He assumed this responsibility in the covenant of grace.
2. He gave account for us before he left this world (John 17:9-13).
3. And he will render account to his Father in the last great day (I Cor. 15:28).

d. Children often cost their father great sorrow and grief - in this relation to Christ is our Father - (Lam. 1:12; Isa. 53:4-8).

e. Children are the objects of their father's peculiar love. But no father ever loved his children as Christ Jesus loves us - (I John 3:16).

f. As fathers take delight in their children, Christ delights in His people - (Pro. 8:31).

• In what we are by His grace.
• In what we do by His grace.
• In the prospects he has for us by His grace.

g. Once more, as children are the greatest treasures and riches of their father, Christ looks upon believing sinners as His greatest treasures - (Isa. 43:4-5).

• We are His jewels!
• We are the apple of His eye!
• We are the trophies of His grace!

B. But there is more here than a fatherly relationship. When the Lord Jesus says, "Behold, I and the children" - He is making a vow of ownership and union.

1. The Son of God owns us as his children.
2. Christ Jesus glories in us as his children.
3. He challenges all to inspect his children.

   Because we are washed in his blood, robed in his righteousness, and made complete in him, Christ is not ashamed to call us his own and to identify himself with us.
   

4. These words declare Christ's absolute, indestructible union with us - "I and the children". Christ and his people can never be separated!

C. If the Son of God so lovingly and graciously identifies himself with us, let us ever identify ourselves with Him.

1. Are we his treasure? Surely, he must be our treasure.
2. Does he delight in us? Let us delight in him.
3. Does Christ glory in us? Let us glory in him.
4. Does the Son of God call for all to behold us? Let us call upon all men to behold him.

II. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me."

Here is the distinguishing and effectual grace of God. Redeemed sinners, saved men and women, you and I who believe have been given to Christ by almighty grace (John 6:37-40).

• In election.
• As the reward of redemption.
• In regeneration.
• In the resurrection.

III. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel."

Notice, both Christ and his people are for signs and wonders. A. Christ himself is given for signs and wonders.

1. Christ is given for signs.
   • Of God's Love and Mercy.
   • Of Hope and Forgiveness.
   • Of God's Promise and Purpose.
2. Christ is given for wonders.
   • His Name.
   • His Person.
   • His Works.
   • His Exaltation.
   • His Gospel.
   • His Love.
   • His Intercession.
   • His Inheritance.

B. And every believing sinner is given for signs and wonders.

1. We are signs of -
   • Divine Faithfulness!
   • Immutable Love!
   • Indestructible Grace!
   • Abundant Mercy!
2. We are all wonders to behold.
   • To Ourselves.
   • To the Heavenly Angels.
   • To the World.
   • To Christ.

IV. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion."

Here our Savior shows us the original source and cause of all mercy and grace (I Cor. 4:7; I Cor. 1:30-31).

1. All grace comes from our God.
2. Our God is the Lord of Hosts.
3. The Lord of Hosts dwells in Zion - His Church.

Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net

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