From the Pulpit

Posted on February 19, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

SERMON TEXT BELOW

Ash Wednesday 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 18, 2026
Genesis 3:1-24, 1 Cor. 15:20-26, Matthew 27:27-31

Sermons online:
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org
Audio:                        pastorjud.podbean.com
itunes:                        bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

What do you want to hear from the pastor? Encouragement? Reassurance? Godly guidance? You want a pastor’s words to be uplifting, and bring blessing. But that is not all that a pastor is supposed to speak…is it? A pastor is called to preach God’s Gospel — and — God’s Law. The law shows you your sin. The mirror of the law reveals you to be a sinner. It shows you that you are not good enough — you need a Savior. When the pastor speaks words of law it makes you hunger to hear the Good News of forgiveness of sins in Christ. It makes you want to hear your sin has been forgiven by the blood of Jesus. You want to hear good news and reassurance and blessing from the pastor, you also must hear God’s law to show your need for a Savior.

Today I did something to you that does not sound right. I spoke to you words of a curse and marked you for death. “Remember you are dust… and to dust you shall return.” This is God’s curse on Adam after the fall into sin. Genesis 3:17–19 (ESV) 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

God had given Adam a clear command, Genesis 2:16–17 (ESV) 16 …“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

God gave a clear command, but the devil deceived Eve through doubt and pride. Genesis 3:1–5 (ESV) 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Eve and Adam are deceived by the devil’s lies and trickery… and they eat of the tree… and death enters the world. Ever since that moment we have been in a battle …and death keeps winning. Today, I have spoken to you God’s curse and marked you for death with ashes representing the dust of the ground. “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” This is crushingly bad news…death is coming for you. Because of sin — you will die. As a child of Adam, death is your reality and you try to rebel against death. You try to come up with strategies for immortality. If I eat the right kinds of food. If I exercise. If I take careful precautions. If I follow all of the expert’s recommendations, maybe I can cheat death. Now, living a healthy lifestyle may add years to your life and life to your years, but it will not change the outcome. Still, people seek immortality in all the wrong places. How can I live forever? Ponce de Leon sought the fountain of youth. Rich people seek immortality through cryogenics, gene-editing and digital mind uploading. There are advertisements for miracle drinks and diets and pills that promise to cure all that ails you. You desperately want to believe that you will not die. But you know the truth.

In Hebrew the word for ground is adamah. God formed Adam from the dust of the adamah and Adam and all his descendants will return to the dust of the ground. The body that you so carefully feed and clothe and exercise and medicate and care for, will, one day, be laid in the ground to return to the ground. You are marked for death and this makes you thirst for eternal life.

“You are dust and to dust you shall return.” This is not a very uplifting message as you begin the season of Lent. I put God’s curse of Adam onto you and marked you for death with ashes… but in this curse and marking there is hope. The mark of the ashes is in the shape of the cross. In God’s curse of the serpent He gives the promise of redemption. Genesis 3:15 (ESV) 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The seed of the woman will have His heel bruised by the serpent, but the seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head. The Savior is coming. God will take on human flesh to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Adam is cursed with thorns and thistles. Jesus is crowned with thorns and enthroned on the altar of the cross. As you observe Jesus’ crucifixion, from all appearances, everything is going wrong. You watch Jesus’ lifeblood drip off His feet and stain the dust of the ground under the cross. You watch the light fade from His eyes until…“It is finished.” As Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea lay Jesus’ body in the grave you see that they take all the normal precautions to try to cover up the stench of decay. It looks like Satan has won. It seems Jesus is dust and is returning to dust.

Except… Jesus does not decay. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of King David in Psalm 16:10 (ESV) 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” Jesus’ body does not decompose. He rises from dead and appears to His followers and to hundreds of people for 40 days until He ascends into heaven.

Everyone can have immortality. Everyone can have eternal life — but so many are looking for it in all the wrong places. Eternal life is only found in Jesus. A week or so earlier, before raising Lazarus from the dead Jesus proclaims… John 11:25–26 (ESV) 25 … “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die…” Jesus is the resurrection for Himself, but also He is the resurrection for all who believe in Him. In Jesus, you will rise from the dead. In the creed you confess, “I look for the resurrection of the dead.”

Because Adam sinned, you are marked for death. Because Jesus died and rose again, you will be raised from the dead. St. Paul writes, 1 Corinthians 15:20–23 (ESV) 20 …Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”

We grieve that death came into the world through the sin of Adam and Eve. We rejoice that the Father gives the gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus delivers eternal life to you in the waters of baptism as you are adopted as a child of God and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus delivers eternal life to you in His words of absolution. He delivers eternal life to you through the Word of the Gospel. Jesus delivers eternal life to you in His body and blood in Holy Communion.

As you gather together as followers of Jesus, you need to hear words of law — words of condemnation — words of curse because of sin — words of death. These words humble you before God. They remind you that you are a sinner who will die because of sin. These words bring contrition — sadness over sin. Words of law bring repentance and confession. God’s law is needed, but the words of law and condemnation and sin and death are not the goal, just the preparation. They make you hunger for the Gospel and thirst for eternal life.

God’s law and the reality of death prepare you to hear the Good News that your sins are forgiven and you have the gift of eternal life. After hearing the law, the words of forgiveness and blessing and resurrection are sweet medicine. Sin and death will not win. You have victory in Christ. On the last day, your body will be raised from the dead and your soul will be reunited with your new, imperishable body. Clothed in the robe of Jesus’ righteousness, you will be in that number, when the saints go marching in. Death will not be victorious. You will rise from the dead.

St. Paul sums it up well. 1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (ESV) 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen.

Posted on February 15, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

Glorious Now, But Not Yet

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Daniel English
February 15, 2026
Sermon – Transfiguration
Exodus 24:8-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Luke 9:28-36;

Glorious Now, But Not Yet

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“If you could invite any three people, living or dead, to a dinner party, who would you pick?” This sort of personal hypothetical has been popular since parlor games in the Victorian Era, maybe before. In the 60’s television hosts David Frost and Barbara Walters brought it from print media into television. Your answer can show-off a little bit of your history prowess. Politicians and other prominent members of society reveal who their influences are, who they respect, or what people they find to be most important or interesting. Former President Barack Obama was asked this question during his book tour, and he said: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela. The tech billionaire Elon Musk, when asked in a recent interview answered: William Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, and Nikola Tesla. You can only imagine what kind of conversation these groups of three people from different times would say to one another after being ripped out of their historical context and placed at a dinner party with you.

Our Holy Gospel reading for today puts us in a situation similar to these hypothetical dinners. How about Moses, Elijah, and Jesus Christ? Today we hear about the Transfiguration of Our Lord, and it is one of the great mysterious events of the Bible. Jesus takes His inner circle: Peter, James, and John, up to a mountain top and is transfigured before their eyes. Matthew records that Jesus’ face “shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2). His clothes become dazzling white. And then another detail included in all three gospel accounts of the Transfiguration: Jesus is joined on top of the mount by Moses and Elijah.

Approximately 1,500 years before th birth of Christ, Moses led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt, he received the Law on top of Mount Sinai, and by the power of the Holy Spirit he wrote down the first 5 books of the Bible, known as “Torah” or “The Law.” When Moses died —just outside of the Promised Land— he was laid to rest by God Himself. Nobody but God knows where the body of Moses was buried.

Elijah, about 850 years before the birth of Christ, was fed by ravens in the wilderness (Elijah didn’t eat the ravens… but they were sent by God like an ancient meal delivery service to bring him bread and meat every morning and every evening). Elijah raised a widow’s son from the dead in Zarephath. Elijah confronted Ahab, the wicked King of Israel, and stood alone against 450 priests of Baal in a showdown that resulted in their slaughter. Elijah was one of the few men who never had to face death, his body was never found because God took him directly into heaven by a whirlwind.

Moses and Elijah are two of the most notable and powerful prophets of the Old Testament. Both of these men were extremely important to the bible-believing community, and at different times in history, both of these men heard God’s Word spoken to them directly on top of a mountain. Now they are on top of the Mount of Transfiguration having a conversation with Jesus. What are they talking about? Well we can do a whole lot more than just imagine it, thanks to Luke’s account! Luke tells us something neither Matthew nor Mark record:

“And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30-31). Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are speaking about Christ’s departure. What departure? The Greek can help us here because you know the word: ἔξοδος. The Greek word for “departure” is exodus. There isn’t a biblically literate, Greek-reading person in the Levant who could hear the word exodus without thinking about Moses leading the 12-mile train of Hebrews out of Egypt and slavery toward the Promised Land. Hopefully you think of that too, but this is Jesus’ exodus we’re talking about, not Moses’. The liberating work of God through Moses and the plagues which culminated in the Passover that spared God’s people from death and released them from the yoke of Egyptian slavery is nothing to us until it finds its fulfillment in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The ancient exodus from Egypt that Moses records in the Scriptures foreshadows our exodus —our departure— from sin death and the devil. Just as God with His mighty Right Hand delivers the Hebrews from their Egyptian taskmasters, so also God with His mighty Right Hand Man, Jesus Christ, delivers us from our cruel taskmaster, the devil, unto life everlasting. Moses is here representing the Law, and Elijah the prophets. Together they are witnesses to the fact that all the Law and all the Prophets are fulfilled in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. So Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are our special dinner guests, and they are in conversation about the mighty work of salvation that Jesus is about to accomplish. And He did accomplish it for us.

But for Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, these things have yet to be accomplished. Peter, James, and John see this amazing glimpse of the Glory of Our Lord, and they love it. Peter recognizes the men with Jesus and says, “Master, it is good that we are here” (Luke 9:33). He wants to make tents for all three and stay for a while. Peter is misguided. He says it is good to be here on this Mount of Transfiguration, but Jesus will show Him that what He is about to do is better and necessary. Peter doesn’t yet understand the theology of the cross. And so, the cloud descends, the Father declares from heaven, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him” (Luke 9:35)! Then the dazzling light of the Transfiguration fades, and Our Lord, glorious now, but also not yet, begins on the road to the cross because “suffering comes before glory” (Just Concordia Commentary p###). After Jesus descends the Mount of Transfiguration, He will “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). Jesus has begun to tell His disciples that He will go to Jerusalem where He “is about to be delivered into the hands of men” (Luke 9:44)… where He “must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). The Transfiguration is a point of transition between Christ’s ministry in Galilee and His journey to Jerusalem… His journey to the cross.

This is confusing to the disciples, even those in Jesus’ inner circle. Here on top of the mountain, Jesus is resplendent and glorious, and it’s heaven on earth. The disciples don’t understand that Jesus still has to suffer and die. We shouldn’t be too hard on Peter! If it weren’t for God’s revealed Word telling us that Peter didn’t know what he was saying, we would all nod in agreement. “Yes, it is good, Lord, to be here!” You might be tempted to review the list of Peter’s errors and scoff at him: “Foolhardy Peter, doubting the Lord’s instructions with the fishing net (Luke 5:5), taking his eyes of Jesus and sinking into the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:30), rebuking the Lord on the way to Jerusalem (Matthew 16:22), refusing to have his feet washed in the upper room (John 13:8)… even denying the Lord on the night of His crucifixion (Luke 22:54-62)…” It seems Peter is somewhat slow to understand.

But how do you respond when Jesus calls you away from present glory to suffering like His? Do you understand the theology of the cross? Christ says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Do you take up your cross daily, or do you despise it and chafe at the Lord’s authority? Christ says, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24). Do you willingly lose your life in Christ, or do you cling to your life and build it on your possessions or your career, or your family… almost anything else? Jesus’ movement from His Transfiguration, bright and glorious, to the dark and bloody cross is a holy example for you as you walk in the way from your baptism, the washing of regeneration, to your death. Through the water and the Word of your baptism you receive faith, the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, and all the wonderful gifts that Christ promises to His Church. You are joined to Christ and your sinful self is put to death… drowned, and you rise up to walk in the newness of life. But then… you go on to suffer.

Today little Euphemia [will be baptized / was baptized] and she [will be / is] clothed with the dazzling righteousness of Christ… today, it is good Lord, to be here! Euphemia [will be / is ] made glorious today… you all are made glorious in your baptism… but also… not yet. First, Euphemia, and all of us, will suffer. She will face temptation, heartbreak, grief, and sorrow. She will suffer under my flaws as a father, and she will battle against the devil, the sinful world, and her own sinful flesh. This is what Christ has called each and every single one of us to. It seems daunting, maybe you’re overwhelmed, but my brothers and sisters in Christ, take heart: Jesus Christ has overcome the devil, the sinful world, and your sinful flesh. Chrit does the battling for you, and He has won the victory. His suffering once for all earns mercies that are given to you anew every single morning. Because of Christ’s departure, we can depart this service and this life in peace. God’s Word has been fulfilled.

Today we say goodbye to our “Alleluias” until Easter. We change our paraments to purple, and then to black. Some of you fast also from meat or facebook or some other good gifts throughout Lent. We suffer a little bit to train ourselves when deeper suffering comes. But you must remember that your suffering is only for a time, and “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). In our baptism we are glorious with Christ now, but also not yet. For now we walk in danger and trials all the way, until that final day when He comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead, to make all things new, and to bring us into his heavenly kingdom where we will stand in the Glorious Light of Christ forever.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Posted on February 8, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

The World is a Better Place Because of You

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Epiphany 5 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 8, 2026
Isaiah 58:3-9a, 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, Matthew 5:13-20

Sermons online:
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org
Audio:                        pastorjud.podbean.com i
itunes:                        bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

If you are going to grill some steaks, how long can you let them sit outside on a table before getting them on the grill? Ten minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Two hours? What would happen if one of those steaks gets pushed off the table onto the ground and is forgotten for a couple of days? There are bacteria like salmonella and e coli and listeria already on the meat and if left unrefrigerated, the bacteria start to grow and in a couple of hours the meat is dangerous to eat. It will loses its color and starts to smell which attracts flies that lay eggs and soon maggots are hatching. The steak is now disgusting and rotten and ruined.

Before the advent of refrigeration, one way of preserving meat was with salt. Salt pulls moisture out of the meat and out of the bacteria, and the bacteria are unable to grow and the meat is preserved against rot.

This world in which you live is, in so many ways, rotten. Evil is already everywhere looking for the right conditions to grow. The world is filled with those who promote anger and hatred and violence and abuse and greed and neglect and hedonistic selfishness. People take God’s good gifts and twist them into evil.

Like beef sitting at room temperature, the devil just needs the right conditions for evil to start to grow. It can start small with a little conflict, a little anger, a little insult, a little greed, a little lust. Evil begins to grow, and once it takes hold, the scent attracts more evil that moves in to destroy, spiritually, mentally and physically. Left at room temperature the once good piece of meat becomes garbage. Left to let evil grow, a once good person is ruined.

There is an antidote to the rot of sin; it is the salt of God. The salt of God brings His love and forgiveness and dries up evil so the devil cannot get a foothold. This salt is so powerful that it does not only preserve against rot, but also reverse the effects, it heals and restores wholeness.

Where can you get this salt of God? Where can you get this powerful weapon against evil? Look in the mirror. Jesus says to the disciples — and to you… Matthew 5:13 (ESV) 13 “You are the salt of the earth…” You bring the love and forgiveness of God to those around you. Being the salt of the earth, your presence prevents rot. You bring healing and restoration to hurting people. You stop evil from advancing with the power of God’s love and forgiveness flowing through you. And not only are you the salt of the earth… Matthew 5:14 (ESV) 14 “You are the light of the world…” As a redeemed follower of Jesus, you fight rot and darkness.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus explains your status before God. You are poor in spirit. You have nothing to offer God in exchange for eternal life. You are spiritually bankrupt… and God blesses you beyond comprehension. You are in the Kingdom of heaven right now — and for eternity.

You are in the Kingdom of heaven but, for now, you still live in this world. You see the rot and the darkness in the world and in yourself — and you grieve over it – and you are blessed — you will be comforted. You know you are powerless; you know you are meek… and you are incredibly blessed by God. You will inherit the earth.

Jesus declares. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. If Jesus declares it, you should believe it. You are the antidote to rottenness in the world. You are the cure for darkness in the world. Your presence as a redeemed child of God makes the world a better place. Matthew 5:16 (ESV) 16 …let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Let you light shine by doing good deeds for others. Your good deeds may, at times, be big, audacious works to help others, but, more likely, your good works are your simple, daily, interactions with those around you. Your good deeds are you being salt and light to your parents, your children, your spouse, your coworkers, your classmates, the folks at the store, your neighbors, those you interact with on social media, and anyone else you come into contact with. You are salt and light to others in your life and you make the world a better place. You are salt and light in caring for others. You are salt and light as you live your ordinary life in an extraordinary way because Jesus has redeemed you and made you holy.

The Sermon on the Mount is radically counter cultural. Jesus cranks up the commandments so there is no doubt that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He calls for His followers, the salt and light of the world, to live profoundly different lives from what the devil, the world and your own sinful nature promote.

If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. If they sue you for your tunic, give them your cloak as well. If they force you to go one mile, go with them two. Matthew 5:44 (ESV) 44 … Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

When someone does you wrong you have the right to retaliate, but as salt and light you do not retaliate because Jesus did not exercise His right to get even with you. Instead of Jesus punishing you for your sin, He takes your sin to the cross, and gives you His perfection.

You are salt and light to the world by showing mercy to others like Jesus shows mercy to you. As salt and light you are a sponge for evil, you absorb the evil so it cannot grow. In this way, wherever you are, there is less evil and the world is less rotten and dark. Because of your presence, the world is a better place.

As salt and light you are pure in spirit – you are faithful to the true God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit – faithful to the Word of God. You reject false gods and false teachers, and you gently and patiently speak the truth in love about forgiveness coming only from Jesus on the cross. You call all to repent and follow Jesus. And the world is a better place.

Being salt and light you are a peacemaker. Salt and light brings the news that God and man are reconciled in Christ. Salt and light brings Good News to a world that does not know that it can be at peace with God. You have the peace that is beyond understanding and you bring this peace to people in a rotten, dark world — and the world is a better place.

As salt and light you do good works and people see God’s goodness in what you do. With this last big snowstorm many of you shoveled out your driveway, and then your elderly neighbor’s. You check on the vulnerable to make sure they are okay. You prepare meals for busy new parents. You give generously to support our Christian Service fund to help those in need of utility and rent payments to keep warm and safe. You are salt and light in so many different ways as you bring God’s forgiveness and love to the world. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

The frustrating thing is that you are salt and light living in a dark, rotten world, and you have a problem. You are a natural sinner and sin comes naturally. You are salt and light, but sometimes you act like you are not. You claim the name of Christian, but you act like rot and darkness. And God’s law convicts you and you grieve your sin.

When it happens. When you act like saltless salt — when you behave like a lamp covered by a basket – when you give in to your sinful desires, when are tempted to believe the devil who tells you that you are good enough, or you let the devil’s accusations take hold and you start to despair. When you find yourself not living as salt and light — and you will — over and over and over again… you learn — again — that you are, indeed — poor in spirit. You are an honest to goodness sinner. You really are in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself. You really are a sinner who needs Jesus…and Jesus blesses you with His righteousness, innocence and blessedness. Jesus cleanses you and declares you holy. Jesus rescues you and restores you to being salt and light.

The world is rotten. You are the salt of the earth. The world is dark. You are the light of the world. You make the world a better place. Amen.

Posted on February 1, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

Strengths and Weaknesses

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Epiphany 4 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 1, 2026
Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18:31, Matthew 5:1-12

Going to a job interview is stressful. They are going to ask you a lot of questions about your strengths and weaknesses and you want to answer honestly… but maybe not too honestly. When they ask about your weaknesses what do you say? I remember answering this question once, “I have trouble understanding why others don’t work as hard as I do.” Google advises… “choose a real but minor weakness, frame it positively by showing you’re actively improving…making sure it’s not a core skill for the job.”

Imagine for a moment you are at an interview for some kind of a reality show or something, but you are not sure exactly what. The interviewer asks you about your strengths and weaknesses. What do you answer for your strengths? I am smart. I am funny. I am organized. I can solve problems. I am artistic. I work hard. I am a good leader. I am a good communicator. I am good with money. I am well liked. What do you perhaps not say, but you hope they notice? I have a firm handshake. I am well dressed in expensive clothes and shoes.

How would you answer the question about your weaknesses? Maybe…I have difficulty delegating, or I have trouble saying, “No”?

Then you find out that the interview is with God for the reality of being adopted as His child. How do you answer God about your strengths and weaknesses? With God, your strengths can become vulnerabilities. The things that you think impress the world like money and power and fame and beauty and hard work and wisdom — do not impress God. These strengths can be vulnerabilities because it is so tempting to rely on them for your value. It is so tempting to fear, love and trust in your strengths rather than God. And so strengths become vulnerabilities.

For all of us there is the danger of trusting money. Godly stewardship of money is needed to not fall into the trap of loving money. We live in a land of great abundance in which our basic needs are well taken care of. By world standards we all have abundance. Do you see what you have and say, “Look what I have accomplished?” Better to look at what you have, and say, “God has given me great responsibility to manage what He has put in my care.” As a faithful steward of God’s creation you give regular, sacrificial, first-fruits offerings to acknowledge that all you have belongs to God and to prevent greed from getting a foothold.

Love of money is a spiritual danger that can be managed through faithful, generous stewardship. There is a more insidious strength that can become a vulnerability; wisdom. Being intelligent and well educated is viewed very favorably. It seems we are all very impressed by experts with lots of letters after their name. We listen when, “Experts say…” And there is nothing wrong with being smart and educated but there is a danger that you will fall for the devil’s enticement to believe that you are smarter than God. It worked with Eve and it can work with you.

When Paul is writing his first letter to the church in Corinth the Romans and Greeks had many deep thinkers and philosophers pontificating about the meaning of life. There were the Stoics that taught that virtue was the highest good and that living according to reason and nature brings happiness. There were the Epicureans who sought contentment and absence of pain. They believed the soul is material and mortal; just atoms that will disperse upon death. There were also the Sophists who were traveling philosophers who taught rhetoric and philosophy focusing on wit, eloquence and persuasion. They believed truth and morality were relative and not absolute. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross does not make sense to these wise men of Corinth. Paul calls them out for rejecting the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:20–21 (ESV) 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

The philosophies of our time are not so different and there is still the danger of rejecting anything about God that does not make sense to you. There is the lure to use your wisdom to explain away your sin rather than to repent. There is the pull to rewrite God’s Word so it is in line with your thinking. It is very popular in our age to believe you are smarter than God and elevate your intellect over Scripture.

When I got out of college I was pretty sure I knew what the Bible taught about different things because I was convinced that the Bible pretty much taught what I believe. Then I actually read the Bible and I had a startling discovery; there were teachings in the Bible that went against my personal beliefs. What should I do? I had to decide. Who is right? Me? Or God?

This is an ongoing temptation. I want to make God make sense to me. I had a bit of a crisis on my vicarage because I realized that I did not understand Holy Communion. How can the bread be the Body of Christ? How can the wine be the Blood of Christ? It does not make sense. Then I came to an epiphany. God does not have to make sense to me. It is true because Jesus said it is true. “Matthew 26:26–28 (ESV) 26 …“Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 …“Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” God does not need to make sense to me. It makes sense that God does not make sense because He is the creator and I am the creation.

The Lord declares in…Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV) 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, [declares the Lord]. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

In this world our default idea about receiving eternal life is too often the same as the rich young man in… Matthew 19:16 (ESV) 16 …“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” It is the wrong question. Jesus forgives — not because of anything in you — but because of Christ crucified for you. 1 Corinthians 1:22–25 (ESV) 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” God does not have to make sense.

Religious movements of many sorts reject the sufficiency of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness because they believe they need to do something to be a part of their own salvation. Church bodies reject infant baptism because it does not make sense to them that an infant can have faith. Churches reject the real presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus in, with and under the bread and the wine of Holy Communion for the forgiveness of sins because it does not make sense that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and on the altar at the same time.

We are tempted by the devil to use wisdom and cleverness and eloquent language to change the Word of God to fit our own desires and the understandings of the world. When the E.L.C.A. rejected that Jesus is the only way to salvation they claimed their new policy’s text “undergirds a posture of curiosity and humility” as the ELCA seeks to “learn from and engage” their inter-religious neighbors.” One delegate argued that Jesus said, John 14:6 (ESV) 6 …“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” To which a pastor responded, “Our God is big enough for our family to include all of these interfaith siblings. Our God is big enough to admit that we do not know everything there is to know.” The policy to reject Jesus as the only way to salvation was passed by a vote of over 97%.

Using the wisdom of the world, denominations have proudly endorsed clearly condemned sin because they reason that, “life is complicated,” and because of complications, sin must be okay. Abortion on demand is celebrated. Homosexuality and transgenderism is encouraged. They use pretty words like, “we need to engage in “serious moral deliberation,” or, “this doesn’t violate Jesus’ principal of unconditional love and forgiveness.” Or because, Genesis 1:27 (ESV) 27 …God created man in his own image…”. Using half a verse and some nice words they reject all scripture that does not fit their ideas. Indeed, God did create man in His own image in Genesis 1, and then Man fell into sin in Genesis 3. To rationalize sin by saying God made me in His image could be used for any sin. “I like to steal. God made me this way. Even though the 7th Commandment say, “You shall not steal,” it is okay. God made me in His image.” Those using this verse to support transgenderism generally don’t use the whole verse. Genesis 1:27 (ESV) 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

We too can fall under the temptation to use our wisdom to try to redefine and justify our sin. My refusal to forgive is just righteous anger. We are going to get married, so living together now is just fine. My hatred of others is because of my loyalty to God. My private lusts don’t hurt anyone. My anger is just who I am. My sin is okay — because I say it is okay.

Back to your interview with God. You are asked to list your strengths and weaknesses. What do you say? It really is not hard to answer. You already did – just 0this morning on your knees as we began the Divine Service. You confessed that you deserve punishment now and forever and you do not deserve to be forgiven. You confessed you need Jesus to be your Savior. You declared before God that you have no strengths, you cannot rely on yourself, you are weak, lowly, poor in spirit, hungering and thirsting for things to be right. You are spiritually bankrupt – and you are blessed by God now and for eternity. You are saved by the power and wisdom of God through Christ on the cross for you. In the waters of baptism, God washed you clean and adopted you as His beloved child — not because of your strengths — but because of His.

1 Corinthians 1:28–29 (ESV) 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

This flies in the face of the world’s understanding that you must rely on your own strengths. You want to think you can count on yourself, but you cannot. You rely on the Father’s gift of forgiveness in the blood of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 (ESV) 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

What are your strengths and weaknesses? Your strength is the word of the cross which is the power of God that overcomes your weakness. That is why we preach Christ crucified. Amen.

Posted on January 24, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

A Man Walked North Alone

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Epiphany 3 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
January 25, 2026
Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-25

One man is walking north along a road. What difference could He possibly make?

Years earlier we find that it is a time of deep darkness for the people living in Naphtali and Zebulun, two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Naphtali was one of the northern-most tribes and subject to being the first to be invaded and the last to be freed when an enemy attacked. Zebulun is a small territory just south of Naphtali and strategic because of the Via Maris, The Way of the Sea, which ran east west across Zebulun and North through Naphtali. This was an important trade road from near Cairo in Egypt all the way to Damascus.

Isaiah writes our Old Testament lesson during a very dark time for the northern tribes of Israel. They have been invaded and conquered by the Assyrians who brutally slaughtered many and rounded up and deported much of the population leaving only a remnant behind in the rubble ruled by the Assyrians.

It is a crushingly dark, difficult time…a time of deep darkness. The remnant of Zebulun and Naphtali are experiencing great bitterness and oppression as a conquered people losing their identity. Isaiah writes to them a message of great hope.

Isaiah 9:1 (ESV) 1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.”

The former times are what the people are experiencing when Isaiah writes this prophecy. These are times of anguish and being held in contempt, but the latter times, the times that are to come, will be glorious.

Isaiah 9:2 (ESV) 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

There will be great joy as at the harvest. Gladness and rejoicing as when dividing the spoils of victory. The yoke of burden, the rod of the oppressor will be broken as on the day of Midian.

The day of Midian recalls Gideon’s great victory over the huge army of the Midianites with Gideon’s 300 soldiers armed only with torches inside of jars and trumpets. God helps Gideon defeat the Midianites by throwing them into a panic in which they fought and killed one another.

Isaiah promises a great day like that day is coming. Our reading this morning ends with verse four. If we continue to verse 6 and 7 we hear a familiar promise. Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV) 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

This is quite the promise for the oppressed residents of the former areas of Zebulun and Naphtali and a little over seven hundred years later we see Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled.

What do the people imagine this glorious time will look like when they read this prophecy? Do they imagine a great army marching north to free them from oppression? The reference to the day of Midian should give a hint that God is not going to work the way people think He should work. Armies should not go to battle with only a few men armed with torches and trumpets. So…how will the new glorious day dawn?

The dawn of the glorious light begins in an unexpected way. King Herod Antipas arrests John the Baptist for warning the king that he cannot be with his brother’s wife. When Jesus learns of John’s arrest He withdraws from the area north of the Dead Sea where John had been baptizing and travels north to the east side of the Sea of Galilee thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus is the light of the world and the light walks into the land of deep darkness; a lone man heading north to Capernaum. When He gets to the Sea of Galilee He likely walks a ways on the Via Maris, the Way of the Sea, which turns north at Tiberius toward Capernaum and on to Damascus. It may not look like it, but the light has dawned. This man walking north on the road is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This is the King of Israel who will be King forever.

The King has come, but instead of heading for the palace in Jerusalem, Jesus is passing through the land of Zebulun heading to Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in what was the territory of Naphtali. Once in Capernaum Jesus preaches John the Baptist’s sermon. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Indeed the kingdom of heaven is at hand because the King has come. He begins to gather disciples, not from the religious leaders, but starting with fishermen brothers Andrew and Simon Peter, and James and John. He calls them from being fishers of fish to being fishers of men. The great light shines in the darkness as Jesus reveals who He is to all Galilee by… Matthew 4:23 (ESV) 23 …teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”

The light of glory has arrived, and the people flock to hear Jesus teach and to receive healing. Matthew 4:24–25 (ESV) 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.” Great crowds come and Jesus preaches to them the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of Jesus’ sermon… Matthew 7:28–29 (ESV) 28 …the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

Who is this who has authority to heal every disease and affliction? Who is this that has authority over demons? Who is this who has authority to give new teachings? Only God has that kind of authority. Jesus does not look like God, but He is God. He is the one come to save His people from their sins. And His people are not just Jews, but all people. This is clearly shown by beginning His ministry in Galilee of the nations; Galilee of the Gentiles.

Many believed in Jesus and followed Him, but others rejected Jesus because He was not the Messiah they expected. Even after Jesus is crucified and risen from the dead and ascended into heaven there is trouble caused by people seeking something more glorious, more exciting, more relevant than Jesus. They want something different…something better…something more flashy than God in flesh sacrificing Himself on the altar of the cross for the forgiveness of their sins.

Paul addresses this kind of trouble in our Epistle reading from 1 Corinthians. There are factions developing to follow different teachers and Paul warns that these teachers are not their savior. Do not follow a teacher…follow Christ. And then Paul describes what He was sent by Jesus to do as a traveling evangelist to the Gentiles. 1 Corinthians 1:17 (ESV) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” A good sermon should not impress with great eloquence, cleverness and poetry. A good sermon should bring you Christ, crucified for you.

As unlikely as it might seem to unbelievers, the power of your salvation is in the cross of Christ. To unbelievers, the cross makes no sense. How could this man — suffering and dying on a cruel, humiliating cross — accomplish anything? That is not how the world works. To the world, Jesus’ humble suffering and death is not glorious, but for you, who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, you know the truth. You know that Jesus is not just some man; He is God incarnate, God in flesh. You know Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You know that this one man walking alone on the road to Capernaum is light dawning on the land of darkness. You know He is the one sent by the Father to rescue all people from their sins.

Glory and victory can come in unexpected ways. Gideon defeats the Midianites with torches and trumpets. Walking into Galilee, Jesus is the glorious light to the Gentiles. Jesus’ blood shed on the cross saves you from your sins and gives you eternal life.

Life as a Christian can seem mundane and boring — just doing what you have been given to do and receiving God’s gifts over and over and over. The world too often is looking for earthly glory and excitement and entertainment which are all so fleetingly temporary and ultimately unsatisfying.

You live in a dark world but you are not alone. Jesus shines light in the darkness in quiet, simple ways. Even in your darkest days battling despair and disease and grief and oppression, Jesus’ promise to you in your baptism still remains true and brings you joy. You are a redeemed child of God. Even as you struggle with the darkness of sin and temptation trying snuff out your joy, Jesus is there, with you, giving you forgiveness that you do not deserve. As you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the light of Jesus’ glory comes to you in the simple, unexciting ways Jesus promised it would come; in His Word, in the waters of baptism, in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

In the depths of their darkness, the prophet Isaiah promised relief to the people of Galilee. Jesus comes for them. Jesus comes for you also. Even though you dwell in a land of deep darkness, on you the light of Christ shines. Amen.

Posted on January 18, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

The Lamb of God Who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit

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Epiphany 2 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
January 18, 2026
Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Cor. 1:1-9, John 1:29-42a

On that fateful Thursday, eating the Passover with His disciples, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit after He departs. John 15:26 (ESV) 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”

Jesus tells them He must go away and they will have sorrow because of it. John 16:7 (ESV) 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

The Holy Spirit will come to the disciples only after Jesus departs. Why is that? What is going on with the Holy Spirit? Why will He only come after Jesus leaves?

We get insight into this by going back to the beginning of the Gospel of John when Jesus arrives at the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist. John 1:29 (ESV) 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This is truly an astonishing title for someone. “The Lamb of God.” This brings up remembrance of the lambs whose blood was painted over the doors in Egypt to protect the children of Israel from the plague of the death of the first born. It brings to mind the lambs sacrificed at the Tabernacle and the Temple to purify these places of worship before God’s presence entered in. It reminds us of the lambs sacrificed at the Temple as sin offerings to God. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus is a sacrificial Lamb like no other. He is the perfect final offering as we read in… Hebrews 10:10 (ESV) 10 …we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is confirmed for John the Baptist because he was told by God that… John 1:33b (ESV) 33…‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’”

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world — and He baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

After His crucifixion and burial and resurrection, on the evening His resurrection day, He comes and stands among the disciples in a locked room and shows them His hands and His side and says to them… John 20:21–23 (ESV) 21 … “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus sends the disciples to continue what He began and He gives them the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. The words for spirit in Hebrew and Greek also mean breath or wind. The Spirit is the breath of God. As God breathed life into Adam, so Jesus breathes life into the disciples with the Holy Spirit. Jesus sends them out with authority to forgive and retain sins by the power of the Spirit. This is a private, preliminary bestowal of the Spirit, commissioning the disciples as apostles; sent ones, to bring the Good News of forgiveness of sins through the blood of the Lamb to the whole world. The powerful, public bestowal of the spirit comes 50 days later. Acts 2:1–6 (ESV) 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.”

The sound of this powerful bestowal of the Holy Spirit draws a crowd of thousands to hear the Word of God preached by the disciples who are empowered to speak many languages. Peter preaches a sermon which he concludes with this convicting statement. Acts 2:36 (ESV) 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

The crowd responds to Peter’s sermon. Acts 2:37–39 (ESV) 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

The apostles of Jesus have the Holy Spirit and the Spirit spreads to others. How does the Spirit spread? Through the Word of God and baptism. Repent, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The forgiveness of the Lamb of God is delivered to you in baptism and hearing the Good News. You are cleansed of your sin. Like the Tabernacle and the Temple purified by burnt offerings, your body is purified by the blood of the Lamb in order to receive the presence of God — the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, in baptism you are born from above by water and the spirit. As Jesus taught at the last supper, the Spirit will bear witness about Jesus. He points you to Jesus and gives you faith. As we read in… 1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV) 3 …no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit is a bit of a mystery because the Spirit does not amplify Himself. As Jesus teaches… John 16:13 (ESV) 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” The Spirit is not about self-promotion; rather He points you to Jesus.

You are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God who washes away all your sin. Jesus fills you with the Holy Spirit to make you holy and keep you in true faith unto eternal life. The Holy Spirit’s presence sanctifies you. He makes you pure and holy — righteous, innocent and blessed. God dwells in your purified body. The Spirit also sanctifies you each day to resist sin and temptation, to grow in faith and live a holy life according to God’s will. The Spirit fills you so the evil one cannot take up residence in you — he can only tempt you from outside. Resist the devil, the world and your own sinful nature and live as one enlivened by the Spirit. As Paul writes in… Ephesians 4:30–32 (ESV) 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

The Lamb of God was sacrificed on the altar of the cross to take away all your sin. Jesus transforms the Passover into the Lord’s Supper where He delivers to you the Body and Blood of the Lamb to continue to cleanse you of your sins and strengthen and preserve you in true faith. You live in the Kingdom of God under the New Testament, the New Covenant, in the blood of Jesus. You are, right now, a holy saint of God purified by the blood of the Lamb with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Like those in the church of Corinth in our Epistle reading, Paul could address you… 1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV) 2 To the church of God that is in [Hamilton], to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”

What a great blessing to live with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in this time between Jesus’ ascension and His return in glory. The Spirit is God’s deposit, His seal on you; guaranteeing you a place in the Heavenly City. The Spirit comforts you and guides you. He reveals and upholds the truth. The Spirit makes you a child of God and gives you wisdom.

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world — and who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. You have been purified by the blood of the Lamb and born again in water and the Spirit. Amen.

Posted on January 11, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

What is Jesus Doing with Sinners?

Francesco Trevisani: English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ

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The Baptism of Our Lord
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
January 11, 2026
Isaiah42:1-9, Romans 6:1-11, Matthew 3:13-17

Sometimes parents can get concerned if their children get together with those below their social class. In the early part of the 1900s there was a young lady whose father had made a fortune in meatpacking and retired at the age of 36. His daughter was raised in a life of luxury with servants to cook and clean and help with any menial tasks. At 19, this young lady fell in love with a 25-year-old, penniless army lieutenant. Her father was worried that this poor soldier was not good enough for his refined, high society daughter. He told her that if she married him she would not have daddy’s money as a safety net, and she would have to live in army housing and pinch pennies to make ends meet. She married him anyway and learned to cook and clean and stretch the budget. Her father did not want her to marry a man with no money because he believed that was beneath his daughter’s dignity. In this case, her father was wrong. It turned out that the young lieutenant, Dwight Eisenhower, eventually became a five star general and president of the United States. Mamie Eisenhower chose love for the poor soldier over money and a life of ease. Life was not easy, but it did bring her to the White House. Mamie’s father probably should not have been so worried, but it is common for parents to be concerned about their children getting together with those who might be a negative influence.

Did your parents ever warn you about playing with certain kids because they were afraid those kids might get you into trouble? I may have been the one the other parents warned about.

Did your parents ever encourage you to make friends with “good” kids instead of the “bad” kids? It is not a terrible idea. We live after the fall into sin and we are influenced by those around us. When students leave Immanuel to go on to high school I encourage them to pick new friends wisely so that their friends will help make them better people.

In our Gospel reading today we see a Son hanging out with those well below His social status. This Son is going around with troublemakers; lowlife riff-raff who struggle to do good. What is His Father going to think about that?

John the Baptist has been preaching in preparation for the Son’s arrival, Matthew 3:2 (ESV) 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And the people respond and come to John to confess their sins and be baptized with a baptism of repentance. There is a crowd of people down at the Jordan responding to John’s message of repentance. But, what kind of people are they who need to repent and confess? These are people who are not good enough. These are sinners who need to repent.

The Son is so much above sinners. John the Baptist describes Him as… Matthew 3:11 (ESV) 11 “…he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry….” John is not worthy to carry His footwear. The mighty, holy, King is coming to rule His Kingdom. Jesus arrives at the Jordan from Galilee. Jesus comes to John’s baptism of repentance. But this does not make any sense. Jesus is the holy, sinless, Son of God. He has nothing to confess. He does not need to repent.

What is going on here? What is Jesus doing? Jesus is standing with sinners and being baptized with a baptism of repentance — like a sinner. What does God, the Father, think about all this? Matthew 3:16–17 (ESV) 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus is hanging out with the riff-raff and His Father is well pleased. That is such great good news for you and me – the riff-raff. Jesus really has come to save sinners. He stands with sinners and is baptized with them. Jesus is not going to be led into trouble by others — He will forgive them and lead them out of trouble.

Jesus standing with sinners is unexpected because John had proclaimed that Jesus is coming in judgment. Matthew 3:10 (ESV) 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire… Matthew 3:12 (ESV) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Jesus has arrived, but where is the axe? Where is the winnowing fork? Where is the judgment? Instead Jesus is being baptized with the sinners. Jesus answers John’s objections… Matthew 3:15 (ESV) 15 … “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” “Let it be so now.” Judgment is not yet. It will come… but not yet. For now, Jesus is doing His righteous saving work. For now, Jesus has great mercy on sinners. Isaiah 42:3 (ESV) 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench…” Jesus is showing how He will reign as King. He will rule in humble, saving, service, culminating with being crowned with thorns and enthroned on the cruel cross at Golgotha. Jesus will live out what the angel told Joseph Jesus’ name meant… Matthew 1:21 (ESV) 21 … you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus later instructs us how to make followers of Jesus. Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) 18 … “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus stands with sinners. At His baptism He is literally standing with sinners at the Jordan River. As the whole nation of Israel reduced to one, Jesus fulfills God’s law and promises. He takes the place of sinners, and receives the baptism from John that the sinners received.

Now, it can be misinterpreted that because Jesus stands with sinners and is baptized with sinners and eats with sinners that He is promoting sin. People want to believe that because God loves all people that He endorses their sin. But this is completely against what we see here at the Jordan. Jesus stands with repentant sinners to pay the price of their sin with His own body and blood. Jesus does not promote sin; He sheds His blood to pay for sin to appease God’s wrath. Paul addresses this in our Epistle reading. Romans 6:1–2 (ESV) 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Jesus comes to save sinners. He comes to take your sin upon Himself and endure the wrath of God in your place. In your baptism you are connected to Jesus and His savings works. This is the Father’s plan.

This morning we get to (got to) witness a death and a resurrection…right here at the font. In the waters of baptism, little Johann Pirn will die (died) to sin and will be (was) raised to eternal life in Christ. Johann will be (was) given the gift of eternal life in Christ and his body will be (is now) a temple of the Holy Spirit. Johann will be (has been) declared righteous, innocent and blessed because of what Jesus has done for him. Jesus comes to save sinners including Johann and including you. Jesus stands with you.

Jesus stands with you even as you continue to struggle with sin and temptation. He stands with you as you once again repent of that same stupid sin. He takes your place and pays your price and gives you His perfection and holiness. You are connected directly to Jesus in your baptism. Through His Church, you stay connected to Jesus until you die. And then, when your spirit has gone to be with the Lord to wait for the Last Day, we will begin your funeral with these words. Romans 6:3–5 (ESV) 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

Unlike some parents, Jesus’ Father does not try to keep Him away from the lowly and troubled – indeed, that is who He has come to save. As followers of Jesus who are natural born sinners we need to beware of bad influences in life, but we cannot write people off because we think they are too sinful for Jesus. Jesus calls for all to repent and believe. Jesus does not come for those who believe they are good enough. Jesus does not come to encourage the high and mighty to be higher and mightier. Jesus comes to save sinners like you and me. So declare with confidence along with Johann, “God’s own child I gladly say it. I am baptized into Christ.” Amen.

Posted on January 4, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

Do Not Walk in Darkness

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Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Vicar Daniel English
January 4, 2026
Sermon – Epiphany of Our Lord
Isaiah 60:1–6; Ephesians 3:1–12; Matthew 2:1–12; Psalm 72:1–15;

Do Not Walk in Darkness

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). In the early chapters of John’s Gospel, Jesus is described as the light of men (John 1:4), the light that shines in the darkness (John 1:5), the true light which gives light to everyone (John 1:9). Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, blessed Epiphany!

What does “Epiphany” mean? It means manifestation or appearance… it means something is revealed or made known… something is made visible and now it can be seen. An “epiphany” might be the term you use to describe that moment when you finally realize something, or when you have a great idea. Literally, “epiphany” means to shine light upon. Light and darkness have a strong connection to meanings of good and evil or ignorance and knowing… it just makes sense to us. If someone says, “I’m being kept in the dark about that,” you know he doesn’t know much if anything about it. If someone says, “That was a dark movie,” you know that if you watch it you aren’t going to walk away feeling light and happy. A detective tries to “bring things to light” during the course of his criminal investigation… he discovers some new evidence that was previously unknown. An experience or conversation wherein we learn something new is “illuminating.” Maybe if you come to know or understand something you should have known or understood a long time ago, it finally “dawns” on you. This kind of symbolic understanding is natural to us, but it is also literal. When you’re in a dark room and can barely make out the various shapes in the corner, you can only discover the new location of the coffee table by stubbing your toe on it. But once the lights are on, you can see the room and all of its contents, you can get from one side to the other with ease. It’s not even noteworthy… No one is pleasantly surprised or proud of you when you get up and walk through a room with the lights on. By the grace of God, the lights have been on in the church for a very long time. The church has had the right confession of Jesus of Nazareth for nearly two millenia. “[He] is the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). “[You] believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is [your] Lord, who has redeemed [you], a lost and condemned person, purchased and won [you] from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that [you] may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. [You know that] [t]his is most certainly true” (Luther’s Small Catechism, Apostles’ Creed, Second Article). You know this because since the Epiphany of Our Lord, it has become clearer and clearer who Jesus is, what He has done, and for WHOM He has done it.

This is what Epiphany is about. It is about the movement from darkness into the light… from NOT knowing to knowing. The Wise Men, Gentiles from the East, following a star given to them as a sign from God, arrive at Jesus’ feet in order to worship Him. “God causing the star to shine was God announcing over the whole earth that the child born in Bethlehem was King not just of the Jews but of all” (Looking Forward to Sunday Morning by Carl C. Fickenscher II, p 37). We learn from Epiphany, as St. Paul clarifies in his letter to the Ephesians, that “the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Most if not all of us in this room are what you would call a “Gentile”… or even a “Barbarian.” We are not descended from Abraham. It was thought that the Gospel was only for the Jews. On Epiphany, I get to declare that the Gospel is for all people, and this is wonderful news. We Gentiles are not left to be condemned… to pay the wages of our sin. Instead, the God of all creation has redeemed us from death and the devil and hell.

It’s no accident that Epiphany, this season of enlightenment, comes to us not long after the shortest and coldest days of the year. Some of you wake up and drive to work while it is still dark outside, and then you make the commute home in darkness again. This message comes to us to wake us up from our slumber, to stop our fumbling around in the dark, and to make sure that we haven’t grown accustomed to the darkness. During Epiphany, Light shines in the darkness.

And what is that Light? For Isaiah the prophet, “the glory of the LORD” rises like the sun and brings the Light. Isaiah writes: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you” (Isaiah 60:1-2). For the shepherds tending their flocks by night, it was the glory of the Lord shone around them as the heavenly host erupted into joyous song to announce the birth of the Savior, Jesus (Luke 2:8-10). For the Wise Men from the East, it was the miraculous star in the sky that led them to the Christchild.

“[B]ehold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;” (Matthew 2:1b-3). Here there is a break from the pattern in the Scriptures that we have seen so far. In the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke, many people have heard about the coming of the Lord. The Virgin Mary (Luke 1:38, 46-55), Mary’s cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:42-43), John the unborn Baptist leaping in Elizabeth’s womb (Luke 1:41), Joseph who resolves to take Mary as his wife and to shield her from contempt and scorn (Matthew 1:24), the shepherds from the field who hear about Jesus from the angels then glorify and praise God after they find Him (Luke 2:20)… all of these received the news of the birth of Jesus with thanksgiving… and they were obedient to the commands of the Lord. This is the pattern. This is God’s desire. Herod, however, does not rejoice. Herod is troubled… and all of Jerusalem with him. Herod the Idumaean king of the Jews hears that someone who has the power to take away his throne, the actual King of the Jews, has been born. Herod knows that his claim to the throne is weak because he is not from the House of David… he isn’t even a Jew. Herod has heard the prophecies of old. What if they are true? Are they are actually being fulfilled? So he calls an assembly with all the chief priests and scribes of the people and demands that they tell him, “Where will the Christ be born” (Matthew 2:3-4)? Quoting from the prophet Micah, Herod’s chief priests and scribes answer, “Bethlehem.” In secret, Herod sends the Wise Men to Bethlehem to search out the Child and bring him word of His location (Matthew 2:7-8). The Wise Men intend to find the Child, Jesus, in order to give Him treasures, in order to bow down before Him and worship Him. Herod, on the other hand, intends to find the Child, Jesus, in order to put Him to death. The Wise Men succeed. “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way” (Matthew 2:11-12). Herod is enraged, and last week we read about the young boys whom Herod killed, the Holy Innocents, in His futile attempt to put Jesus to death before His time. These are two very different reactions to the Light.

Herod is arrogant… prideful… unrepentant… and unbelieving. He would rather kill the Lord than humble himself. If he accepted the reign of Christ, he would have to repent and live according to God’s Law. Instead of killing anyone who gets in his way, he would have to “help and support [his neighbor] in every physical need”. Instead of raising his sons to covet and lust after women, he would have to teach them to “lead a sexually pure and decent life in word and deed” and teach them that “husband and wife are to love and honor each other.” He would have to “fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

You see… having the Light of Christ shine on you can be a very painful thing. When Paul was on the road to Damascus, commissioned by the chief priests and given the authority to bind and kill Christians, he was encountered by the True Light. The Light, he says, shone brighter than the sun. The Light knocks him down to the ground and blinds him for three days, during which time he does not eat or drink (Acts 9:1-9, 26:12-18). Paul goes on to be sent by God to the Gentiles, “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus]” (Acts 26:18). Paul, all the Jews, all the Gentiles… all people are called to “repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance” (Acts 26:20). Notice that Paul continues in his repentance as he calls himself “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8) and he continues in suffering as a prisoner for Christ. Paul is the Lord’s chosen instrument to proclaim the name of Christ to the people, and the Lord shows Paul how much he must suffer for His name (Acts 9:15-16). Has Paul’s encounter with the True Light been comfortable?

The Light uncovers darkness, and when the light of God’s Word lays bare your utter inadequacy, the only path forward is to repent and bear fruits in keeping with repentance. This was too much for Herod. Herod would rather cling to his earthly throne and set himself up as an opponent to the almighty God. Herod refuses to walk in the light. Herod dies an enemy of Christ. He raises sons after him to be enemies of Christ. But you are not an enemy of Christ. You are baptized. You are a child of God. Christ is your brother. The Lamp of God’s Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105). As you are shown your sin, repent and be forgiven. Receive the Holy Spirit to amend your sinful life. Be the Light of Christ in your homes and at work, in your community or wherever you go. Husbands: Love your wives and live with them with understanding, honor them, sacrifice for them, and serve them as Christ does all these things for His Bride, the Church (1 Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5:25-30). Wives: Submit to your husbands as to the Lord as the Church submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-24). Parents: Love your children and raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Children: obey your parents (Ephesians 6:1). Work diligently in your calling and put on the whole armor of God, the armor of Light. Resist the devil and temptation and repent of your sins each and every day. You have the Light of Life, do not walk in darkness. Repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus, it is for all people… and that includes you!

In the Name of Jesus. Amen

Posted on December 28, 2025 by pastorkevinjud

Jesus Brings Violence

The Martyrdom of the Holy Innocents, Gustave Dore, 1868

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Christmas 1 2025 Holy Innocents
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
December 28, 2025
Isaiah 63:7-14, Galatians 4:4-7, Matthew 2:13-23

Christmas is such a wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ, in Bethlehem, which is announced by angels to nearby, lowly shepherds. Christmas is full of warm, sweet feelings of joy and togetherness. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king.” You gather with family and friends and enjoy food and fellowship and exchange gifts. As Andy Williams said in his song, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And then we get to December 28th and we are hit in the face with the dark side of Jesus’ arrival. Today we remember Herod the Great’s slaughter of the Holy Innocents; the baby boys of Bethlehem. Jesus’ birth brings awful, tragic violence. Jesus’ birth causes the devil great alarm and the devil tries to destroy Jesus using Herod as his instrument.

The devil knows that Jesus is coming and devil knows what this means for him and so as John relates in… Rev. 12:4b ESV the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.”

Jesus’ incarnation, His life, His death and His resurrection crush the head of the serpent and the Devil’s status in heaven changes as recorded in the continuing apocalyptic language of Revelation 12:7–9 (ESV) 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” The devil could not destroy Jesus because Jesus will die when His time has come.

John continues the Revelation 12:13-14, 17 ESV 13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time… 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

After the magi depart, God sends an angel to warn Joseph in a dream to immediately depart for Egypt. Shortly after, under orders from Herod, a band of armed soldiers invade Bethlehem going house to house brutally killing helpless children. Jesus is safe, but all the other baby boys two years old and younger in Bethlehem are killed in the Devil’s attempt to destroy the Christ, leaving behind weeping, and loud lamentation. This is such a disturbing account of raw, wicked violence and it comes so close on the heels of the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It is hard to fathom this kind of evil; killing babies to protect political power. Jesus’ time on earth is a dark and violent time.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the one who has come to bring peace between God and man, also causes violent reactions as the darkness tries to snuff out the light. Simeon warns Mary of this at the Temple. Luke 2:34–35 (ESV) 34 … “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And Jesus also warns of this, Matthew 10:34 (ESV) 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The devil’s opposition to Jesus and His followers brings death and destruction in the world.

It is a dark and violent world still today. The devil could not destroy Jesus so now he continues to make war on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. The devil promotes chaos and destruction. He brings war and famine and devastation. He brings violence and addiction and death. Watching the news you see death and destruction all around the world, and death and destruction close to home. You see how evil destroys — people and families and nations and churches. This past week, just before Christmas, a man speeding on River Road without any thought of the safety of others, crossed the center line and instantly killed a ten-year-old boy and his parents. Evil brings death and destruction.

Death came into the world through the lies of the devil in the Garden of Eden and the devil still loves death; he is the father of death. There are the crass violent deaths the devil promotes through crime and terrorism and warfare. But the devil also tries to package mass death to make it seem like loving care. We shudder to think of the slaughter of a couple of dozen innocent baby boys in Bethlehem, but we are told to call the slaughter of millions of unborn infants, “women’s healthcare,” and view it as a fundamental right. Instead of protecting the most vulnerable among us, tiny babies are sacrificed to the idol of sexual freedom. The elderly, the handicapped, the chronically ill and the mentally ill need care and protection but there is an increasing movement to allow doctors to end their lives — to put them out of their misery… like an animal. We are told to call these murders, “Medical Assistance in Dying.” In Canada close to 5% of all deaths are from the government killing the sick and infirm and depressed. This legalized murder is now allowed in 17 U.S. states with New York and Illinois being the most recent. The devil loves death and destruction especially cloaked in the guise of loving care. The devil wants you to embrace his godless infertility cult of death which is becoming quite popular with so many in our nation. The devil is out to destroy us.

Stay alert. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” As a follower of Jesus, the devil is coming after you, so know your enemy. How will the devil attack you?

The devil has many and various strategies. He deceived Eve by getting her to doubt God’s Word and tempting her to become like God. He will do the same to you. “Did God really say?”

The devil will tempt you to despair and destroy yourself by convincing you that your sins are too great and God will not forgive you; that the blood of Jesus is not powerful enough for your sins.

Or, the devil will convince you are doing just fine. You are good enough and you can rely on your good works. You do not need a Savior.

The devil will convince you that you have autonomy and rule yourself. You do not need Jesus as King.

The devil will convince you to judge your behavior not by the Word of God, but by your feelings, so you can decide what is sin and what is not.

The devil has ordained many wolves to stand in pulpits dressed like sheep to lead people away from the truth of God’s Word. Many will come to hear these wolves because… 2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV) 3 …people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions…” These wolves give up the preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins in the blood of Jesus, and instead are instruments of the devil, encouraging people to worship the idols of prosperity, sexual freedom, and friendship with the world.

The devil will attack faithful churches by encouraging followers of Jesus to fight with each other instead of staying on guard against Satan and his minions. Know your enemy. Know his strategies.

Jesus has defeated Satan and you belong to Jesus. So, know your enemy and never despair. Remember, you are baptized. Daily repent of your sins and follow Jesus. Jesus has marked you as His own in Holy Baptism and He feeds you with His Body and Blood in Holy Communion to strengthen you for the fight. Stay alert and know you are well-equipped for battle. Paul tells us in…Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV) 10 … be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Stand firm in Christ. You are safe from the Evil One. Despite the chaos of the devil’s death and destruction, in Christ you have victory over the evil one. You know his lies and his accusations. You have Jesus on your side and with Jesus you will win. You have the Holy Spirit in you so the devil cannot take control of you; all he can do is pick at you from outside and try to lure you away from Jesus and His Church. He can send those to harm your body but he cannot harm your soul. You are safe in the Kingdom of Heaven forever. You are safe for eternity in Jesus. Fear God, but do not fear the devil. Matthew 10:28 (ESV) 28 … do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Christmas is a wonderful celebration of the incarnation of the Son of God as that baby in Bethlehem, but even in those early days of Jesus’ life we get glimpses as to what is to come. Baby Jesus is wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger — very likely a stone manger with a hollowed out area for animal feed and water. Jesus lies on the stone wrapped in cloth. Thirty-three years later, six miles north, outside the walls of Jerusalem, Jesus’ dead body is taken down from the cross and is wrapped in cloths and laid on a stone slab in a tomb. The magi bring myrrh as one of their gifts to the newborn King of the Jews. When Jesus dies, Nicodemus brings 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes to use as they swaddle His body in linen cloths with the spices. Jesus’ birth points us to His plan for salvation.

The devil could not get Jesus and so he is going after you. Stay safe in Jesus. Despite the difficulties of this life, despite the devil’s plagues of death and destruction, you are eternally safe in Jesus and His Church. Christmas is a wonderful celebration, but remember, it is not a promise of an easy life. It is a promise of eternal life. Amen.

Posted on December 25, 2025 by pastorkevinjud

Jesus Christ, Our God and Savior

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Christmas Day
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Vicar Daniel English
December 25, 2025
Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-18, Psalm 2

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Jesus Christ – Our God and Savior

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christ, the Savior is born! Merry Christmas! Almost everything we know about the circumstances of Jesus’ birth comes from the Gospel accounts written by Matthew and Luke. Luke records how the birth of our Lord was announced to Mary by the Angel Gabriel. Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. […] The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God” (Luke 1:30-32a,35). Thanks to Luke, we know that Mary responds in faith… She has been called blessed among women by all generations ever since.

Matthew records how God turns Joseph’s doubt into faith by the power of His Word, how “[a]n angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:20b-21).

Luke tells us that the decree of the first Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, drove Joseph and the Virgin Mary with Child to take a trip to the town of Bethlehem in order to be counted for a census. The trip was late in Mary’s pregnancy, and during their stay, Mary gives birth to the Christ Child. An angel of the Lord announces the birth of Jesus to shepherds in a nearby field watching over their flocks, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10).

Because of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of Matthew and Luke, we know all this and more about the birth of Christ. From these narratives it is made clear that the birth of Jesus is “good news.” It is something that causes the angels—and the faithful—to rejoice, and it is something that fulfills many prophecies made in the Old Testament. From Matthew and Mark we know that Jesus is “great,” “holy,” “the Son of the Most High God.” We know that Jesus is “going to save His people from their sins.” We know that Jesus is the Savior.

In our Epistle lesson for today, we read the introduction to the book of Hebrews, and it characterizes the birth of Christ as the beginning of the end of an era of great seers, prophets, and signs. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but now He has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus Christ. Throughout Advent we have considered various types of Christ: the angels, Moses, Aaron, Melchizedek. The “types” we have discussed: prophets, priests, kings… they find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christ is greater! In order to fulfill all these things, He has to be born as a human baby.

This is the great mystery that we celebrate on Christmas. Christ is of one substance with God the Father, and He came down from heaven, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and He was made man (Nicene Creed). God takes on a human frame and dwells with us. Christ is our faithful Prophet, Christ is our great High Priest, and Christ is our Heavenly King… Christ is our God. This Infant Child wrapped in swaddling cloths laying in a manger, by this time on the first Christmas less than half a day old, is our God.

It makes sense, then, that the Gospel according to John begins the way it does. He doesn’t begin with the human birth of Christ like Matthew and Luke… or with the beginning of His earthly ministry like Mark, but he begins much, much earlier. “In the beginning…” (John 1:1). This isn’t Luke’s beginning during the reign of Caesar, or Matthew’s beginning during the time of patriarch Abraham, but THE beginning. The beginning of everything.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5). In these five, relatively short verses, John gives us enough to think about for the whole year, or even the rest of our lives! It takes 17 verses to explicitly say so, but John is talking about Jesus Christ.

This word teaches us a few things about Jesus. First, Jesus is the eternal God. Second, the only way that we really know or see God is through Jesus. And finally, Jesus the eternal God took on flesh and came into the world in order to bring light and life and salvation… to you.

We are created beings, and all we have known is this finite earthly life. It can be overwhelming to think that there was never a time when Jesus did not exist. Think about how quickly 2025 came and went… how the first outbreak of COVID was nearly 6 years ago… or Disney’s Frozen—that had everyone playing Let It Go on repeat— 12 years ago… iPhones came out 18 years ago… 9/11 was 25 years ago, Y2K was 26… the assassination of John F. Kennedy was 62 years ago… and the first color TV was sold in 1954… 71 years ago. Our life is but a breath, but God has existed from eternity, God is without beginning or end. Jesus was not created. “Jesus is begotten of His Father before all worlds. God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made” (Nicene Creed). Jesus was with God (and was God) at the beginning of time, and the world was created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

“[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” (Hebrews 1:3a). Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God. John the Baptist will describe Jesus as a light that enlightens everyone. For millenia, God’s people were fumbling around in the darkness of their own hearts until Jesus came and turned on the lights. By the light of Christ, we see the fullness of God’s love for us. By the light of Christ, we see the end of the Law is not to condemn us to death and hell, but for Christ to fulfill the Law and offer us full forgiveness. It is Christ who has revealed the Father to us, and He has shown us a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants to hear our prayers and promises to answer them. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it (John 3:17). As our Priest, Jesus made purification for sins, and now He reigns at the right hand of God as our King (Hebrews 1:3).

This is the mission that Jesus has completed. He was willingly born of the Virgin Mary, He humiliated Himself to become an embryo. He subjected Himself to the need for His mother’s care. Jesus was swaddled, nursed, raised, and taught. Eventually, Jesus… younger than most of us in this sanctuary… willingly gave Himself up to die. And by His death He defeated death. From the very beginning of time, Jesus knew that one day “He [would come] down from heaven and be incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and be made man” (Nicene Creed). This is the great gift that we celebrate on Christmas. Our God has come to us with healing on his wings. He brings forgiveness and eternal life. From the fullness of Jesus “we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17).

Our Lutheran Confessions speak about this mystery of Jesus Christ:

“[W]e believe, teach, and confess that Mary conceived and bore not a mere man and no more, but the true Son of God; therefore she also is rightly called and truly is the mother of God.
8. Hence we also believe, teach, and confess that it was not a mere man who suffered, died, was buried, descended to hell, arose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was raised to the majesty and almighty power of God for us, but a man whose human nature has such a profound [close], ineffable union and communion with the Son of God that it is [has become] one person with Him.
9. Therefore the Son of God truly suffered for us, however, according to the property of the human nature which He assumed into the unity of His divine person and made His own, so that He might be able to suffer and be our High Priest for our reconciliation with God, as it is written 1 Cor. 2:8: They have crucified the Lord of glory. And Acts 20:28: We are purchased with God’s blood” (Formula of Concord: Epitome, VIII.12-14).

Just as the angels spoke to Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds, “Fear Not”. The same can be said to you today. Fear not, Jesus has given to all who receive Him and believe in his name the right to become Children of God… and so you are.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Our God. Amen.