I. God’s Got a Plan 7:14 the Lord shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Gal 4:4 when the fullness’ of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law

II. The Plan is to Give us Light, Life, and a Leader 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined. 6 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 Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of 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.

III. God’s Plan Fulfills  His Promises 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD...11...the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria...12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel...15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea...smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people...as it was...came up out of the land of Egypt.

IV. Participation Requires Preparation 40:3 The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it. 10 GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm

V. God’s Servants Delight Him and Enlighten Others  42:1 my Servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 3...unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. 6 I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

VI. God’s Timing is Perfect 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound;.....2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

VII. Sin (Independence) Causes Separation 59:1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save...

 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

VIII. Sin Requires a Sacrificial Solution 53: 2...no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief...4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 8...who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 10...make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed...11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. If God always keeps His promises why do we experience doubt/delay? Why do we think His timing is sometimes off? Corrective?

2. How does God give “light”? Why do some stumble along in the dark rather than walk in the light?

3. How have you experienced the different aspects/ministries of Jesus in your life (Especially  #II. above)?

4. What keeps most people from being a servant in whom God delights? What/whom do we serve if not God?

5. Which aspects/actions of Christ’s character are emulable by us? Which could use a little development in your life?