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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

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            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.