• Thank you statements
• Introduction to a new discussion or topic
• Reference to Isaiah 42 and Matthew 12 as scriptural passages
• Main point: The love the Father has for his Son is the same love God has for all people
• Discussion of how this idea relates to the passage from Isaiah
• The servant of God will bring justice to the nations and not shout or cry out.
• God's servant will be faithful, gentle, and compassionate, never breaking bruised reeds or snuffing out smoldering wicks.
• God's relationship with his servant involves faithfulness, righteousness, and guidance.
• God calls the servant in righteousness and will take hold of their hand to make them a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.
• The servant's mission is to bring justice, free captives from prison, and release those sitting in darkness.
• The passage can be divided into two sections: describing the servant's character (1-4) and God's relationship with the servant (5-9).
• The servant is described as an individual who God upholds and delights in, giving them strength and good character.
• For Israelites from that time, this passage meant that their prayers for a Messiah had been answered, with the promise of justice and freedom from foreign powers.
• The Lord will pour out his spirit on his servant in Isaiah 42
• Similarities between Saul's anointing and Jesus' role as the servant of God
• The contrast between Saul's character and the characteristics of the servant described in Isaiah
• The servant's role is to bring justice, not to shout or cry out in anger
• The servant is careful to help the downtrodden, broken, and weak
• The servant will establish justice on the whole earth through faithfulness and teaching
• Israel's expectations of a warrior who would slaughter their oppressors were not unfounded but ultimately misguided
• The servant of God, a meek and humble Messiah, will bring justice to all nations.
• God describes himself as the Lord, the creator of the heavens and earth, who gives breath to every being and life to everything that walks.
• God's heart is for his people wherever they are found, and he intends to give them all justice through his servant.
• The Lord has called this servant in righteousness and will make him a covenant to the people, a light to the Gentiles, and one who opens eyes of the blind and frees captives.
• This servant is described in Isaiah as the one God loves, whom God has chosen and put his spirit on, to proclaim justice to the nations.
• The passage from Isaiah 42 is referenced as proof that Jesus is the Messiah
• Jesus' humility and meekness are highlighted through his actions of not seeking fame or prestige for himself
• Jesus' life and ministry are compared to the servant described in Isaiah 42, emphasizing his humility and obedience
• Jesus' knowledge of his true identity as God's son is discussed, and how he chose to live a humble life despite knowing who he truly was
• Connections between this passage and other events in Matthew, including Jesus' baptism and ministry, are explored
• John the Baptist preaches about repentance and the coming kingdom of heaven
• Jesus arrives to be baptized by John the Baptist
• Jesus is identified as God's chosen one through a declaration from God
• Similarities are found between the stories of King Saul in 1 Samuel, Isaiah, and Jesus in Matthew
• Jesus' baptism is followed by his temptation in the wilderness
• The temptations of Satan and Jesus' defense
• The connection between Saul's actions and Jesus' role as God's servant
• Isaiah 42:1-5 describing the characteristics of God's servant (Jesus)
• The identity of God's servant as both Jesus and God Himself
• Jesus' humility, meekness, and servanthood, including his willingness to die on a cross for humanity
• The scripture from Isaiah 42 and Romans 8 is discussed
• The Holy Spirit is said to make one a child of God, adopted into sonship
• As children of God, believers have the right to call God "Abba Father"
• Believers are heirs with Christ and co-heirs to the father's kingdom
• Through baptism and receiving the spirit, Christians gain a relationship with the father as Jesus has
• The love the father has for his son is also given to believers through unity with Christ and the Holy Spirit
• Believers have been sent on a mission to bring justice to all nations, just like Christ did
• The love of God is the same perfect and self-sacrificing love that has been present for eternity
• As co-heirs of Christ, believers are called to live as servants of the Lord God, bringing justice to the world like Christ
• Believers should not take advantage of their status as sons of God, but rather live with humility and a willingness to serve
• The same love that the Father has for the Son is also available to believers, empowering them to love others as Christ loves them
• Invocation and worship to the King
• Praise and honor given to Jesus
• The Lord's blessing and peace
• Christmas carols: "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Gloria in Excelsis Deo"
• Jubilee celebration
• Invitations to come and adore Christ the newborn King