Over the past several weeks, we have been exploring the names of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. We looked at how Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and this week I have the opportunity to preach on “Everlasting Father.” We normally use the title “Father” in reference to God the Father, so why does the prophet Isaiah refer to Jesus the son as Father? It is important for us to understand that Isaiah is not saying Jesus is the same person as God the Father. As Christians we firmly believe that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are all three separate, distinct persons who exist eternally as one God, and this verse does not challenge or contradict our understanding of the trinity. Rather, as in all these names Isaiah is telling us what to expect of Jesus and what he will be and do. So, when Isaiah refers to Jesus as Father, he is describing the character and nature of Jesus.         

 In what way is the word “father” descriptive of Jesus’s character? First, he is our Provider. In Matthew 14, when Jesus’s disciples were stressing about how to feed a hungry large crowd, he miraculously turned 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish into enough food to feed over 5,000 men plus women and children. In a seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus provided. All were satisfied and they even had leftovers! Just as a Father provides for the needs of his family, Jesus provides for us. He doesn’t always provide what we necessarily want, but he provides what he knows we need. Second, he is our comforter. No Father likes to see their son or daughter in pain, and they will go to great lengths to comfort and console them when they are weary. In the same way, Jesus is our comforter. He weeps with us, mourns with us, strengthens us, and holds us tight. Third, Jesus is our teacher. Some of the greatest memories that I have with my father are of him teaching me how to do things, whether it was playing golf or doing home improvement projects. These always involved him showing me how to do something and then unleashing me to do it myself. This is exactly what Jesus did with his disciples, he showed them how to live the Christ life and lead others into it and then he unleashed them to carry out his mission. Last, Jesus is our Sacrificial lamb. Jesus has a fatherly, loving concern for his children, and this love took him to the cross, where he sacrificed his life for us in the greatest example of love ever shown, so that we can be forgiven and given eternal life.            

Jesus is also called “Father” because he reveals God the Father to us. In John chapter 14, as Jesus was having his farewell conversation in the upper room with his disciples, Phillip tells Jesus in vs. 8 “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” But Jesus responds by saying “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? Hebrews Chapter 1 verse 3 says that Jesus “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Jesus shows us what God is like, and everything we desire to know about God we find in the person of Jesus. He is the personal revelation and representation of God’s character. We can’t experience the love of the Father without first knowing and understanding the love of Christ, who is the only way to the Father.            

Our earthly fathers, even the best ones, are human beings and therefore will never be perfect, but Jesus is the everlasting father. His fatherhood is eternal, it has no beginning or end. It is unchanging, he never falters in his love for you and always remains the same. He reigns forever and ever and nothing will ever separate you from his fatherly love. In Jesus you have a father forever, one who will never fail.