Unto Us a Child
In the manual: Come, Follow Me lesson 52, “We Have Waited for Him, and He Will Save Us,” on Gospel Library
Today is Christmas. This lesson is short enough for a busy morning.
Start
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6).
Read Together
Isaiah wrote these words about seven hundred years before the birth in Bethlehem. Just before them, he promised that “the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2).
6For 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. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
What It Teaches
Isaiah gave the child a string of names. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Each one tells us something about who Jesus is.
He is Wonderful, because what he has done for us is more than we can understand. He is a Counsellor we can go to in prayer. He is the Prince of Peace, and “of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).
The baby laid in a manger is the mighty God, Jehovah of the Old Testament. Heavenly Father gave his Son to the world (John 3:16). The gifts we give today are small echoes of that gift.
Talk About It
Which of the Savior’s names in Isaiah 9:6 means the most to you today, and why?
Take to Church
Isaiah called the child Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Today we celebrate the birth of the gift God gave the whole world.