Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ ask their Saviour and Deliverer for many things to help, comfort and protect us from the troubles of life. However, sometimes our troubles bring us most good by exercising our faith and drawing us closer to the Lord. The Lord will rend the heavens and come down but it may not be in the way we desire or for the outcome that we ask.

God the Father has ‘made us meet’ to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints. Paul could not describe sovereign grace better. From eternal love, election, justification, calling, and all other graces, God supplies every requirement to fit His people for glory. Our Lord Jesus Christ has set us free from the power of sin and Satan. He has delivered us from the power of darkness. This liberating work of God will be the focus of our attention in the sermon tomorrow.

The Lord Jesus Christ was a victim in death but also a conqueror. In dying the Saviour entered the strong man’s house and spoiled His goods. He triumphed over sin, Satan, world, death, and the grave. He defeated every spiritual enemy of His and ours, especially the devil, who leads men captive at his will. Christ spoiled and triumphed over Satan, with principalities and powers, leading captivity captive. Though Satan bruised Christ’s heel, Christ crushed the serpent’s head.

Almighty God has placed watchmen upon the walls of Zion and preachers in the church of Jesus Christ. These watchmen and preachers defend and support the Lord's people by preaching the truths of God's word, the gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrines of free and sovereign grace.

When the Lord Jesus came into this world He told the people of Nazareth that He was the One of whom Isaiah wrote. The Lord Jesus has fulfilled all the promises Isaiah foretold He would. We are blessed with beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness in our Saviour.

If we take the opening words of this chapter as being spoken by God the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ in His mediatorial office then we can discern many times when the Lord did indeed Arise and Shine in the service of God and in obedience to His word.

Isaiah knew of the coming Redeemer. He knew a lot about the promised Messiah who is the Lord Jesus Christ. In this chapter the faithful prophet encouraged the remnant people of His age with views of the coming Messiah that described His successful work.

Isaiah speaks of the fastings of the Lord’s people as a picture of worship. The worship sought by the Lord is not exclusive, inward-looking and self-serving. It is to be manifested in outward acts of kindness to those in need. Evidence of grace in the lives of God’s people is to show mercy to others. The Lord Jesus Christ tells His church, ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’.

Sin is a disturbing, distressing and ultimately destroying enemy of men and women. There is no rest for the wicked, and no real peace in time or in eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ alone can supply the grace needed to bring peace into the lives of men and women because the Lord has made peace with God for all for whom He died. Christ inherited the people God chose for Himself in eternity. He shall gather them to Himself in time through the preaching of the gospel. He promises His elect, I will heal, I will guide, I will comfort, I will inspire, I will console.

God's blessings come to those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are united with our brothers and sisters in Christ and enabled to worship with joy and gratitude for all the Lord has done for us. We are blessed to be cared for, loved, accepted and protected by our Lord God.

The Lord Jesus Christ gained the Church of God for His prize upon His successful sacrifice. His Father gave Him the Bride whom He loved and for whom He had died. This fulfilled the covenant of grace, here called the sure mercies of David. It is God's good pleasure to gather His people to Christ, pardon and cleanse their sins in Christ's blood and give them the joy of victory as we journey to heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Husband of His Church and cherishes His Bride with everlasting love and everlasting kindness. He has promised never to leave us and to teach us personally of His grace and goodness.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the Representative of His church and Substitute for His people when He died on the cross. He suffered for our sins, justifies our souls and intercedes for us everlastingly before His Father. All we are and have is because of what He accomplished for us in His death.

The Lord's commands are His enablings and everything the Lord requires from His people He freely gives to them. Here the Lord tells His people to awake, put on strength, put on beautiful garments, break forth into joy, depart from false religion and behold the Lord Jesus Christ. And everything He asks of us, He provides for us.

The Lord Jesus Christ is near to those who fear God and seek for righteousness and salvation in Him. However, we still have many trials to experience, our cup of trembling, in this life. Nevertheless, The Lord's people will be successful and the gospel with be preached for the gathering in of the elect.

In His humanity the Lord Jesus was given skill, testimonies and promises by His Father. Here Isaiah tells God's people about some of the covenant gifts Christ received to fulfil His redemptive work.

In the covenant of grace our Lord Jesus Christ undertook to redeem His people from their sins. The Father undertook to uphold the GodMan and sustain Him in His task. The Holy Spirit promised to gather in every soul for whom Christ died.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of His people having shed His blood to bring us to God. He is also our Teacher and Leader, teaching us in the gospel and leading us as His little flock through the wilderness of the Life.

The Lord Jesus Christ will take vengeance on this present evil age just as God avenged His Old Testament people in Isaiah's day. Let the OT types be a warning to the world. For the sake of Christ's glory and the honour of His Bride the Lord will visit the iniquity of the anti-Christ powers of this world.

Our God is sovereign in all His ways. He does what pleases Him and His counsel will stand. Our blessed Saviour is faithful to keep, faithful to fulfil and faithful to save His church and people. Not one of His spiritual Israel will ever be lost or go uncared for and unprotected all the days of their lives.