magi – From the Pulpit

Posted on January 4, 2026 by pastorkevinjud

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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;

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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 January 5, 2025 by pastorkevinjud

Arise, shine for your light has come

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BULLETIN

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Epiphany 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
January 5, 2025
Is. 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

Sermons online:

Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com click “sermons”\
Text:                           pastorjud.org
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Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

Today we celebrate Epiphany one day early. Epiphany, on January 6, commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem and marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas.

There are three mysteries in the story of the Magi. First, what was the star? What was this star which guided the Magi to Bethlehem? There are several theories to explain the star of Bethlehem as a natural phenomenon. Some people say that the star was a comet or meteor, because the text implies movement. Matthew 2:9 (ESV) 9 … And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.” But as a meteor or comet, this does not make any sense because this is not how comets and meteors behave. They move quickly and do not stop over a place on earth.

Perhaps one of the best theories is that of Johann Kepler, a seventeenth-century German astronomer. Kepler was a Lutheran, who once studied to be a pastor. In his work as an astronomer, Kepler found evidence to promote the ideas of Nicholas Copernicus, who proposed the earth, the moon and other planets revolve around the sun, not the sun, the moon and the planets revolving around the earth. Regarding the star of Bethlehem, Kepler proposed that it was an alignment of Jupiter and Saturn in the year of Jesus’ birth, to form a bright light in the heavens. According to the symbolism of the ancient Middle East, Jupiter, the greatest of the planets, was the king of the planets. Saturn was linked with the Jews. Therefore, the alignment indicated the birth of the promised King of the Jews, that is, the Messiah.

Another alternative is that the star was indeed a miracle of God. God can use natural phenomena, but He can also suspend natural laws. What we do know from God’s Holy Scripture is that there was a star that guided the Magi to Jesus.

The second mystery is the Magi, the Wise Men. Who were they? What were they? Only the Gospel according to St. Matthew speaks of the Magi. Matthew 2:1 (ESV) 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem…” In Christmas illustrations, there are always three Magi, because there were three gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh, but in the text we do not find a specific number. The word, “magician”, is from the root of this word, Magi, which came to mean wise man. The Magi were a caste of priests in Persia and Mesopotamia who were also students of the stars and medicine. In time they became advisors to the kings of Persia and Mesopotamia, the countries to the east of Israel in the areas known today as Iran and Iraq.

We find the word for Magi in the second chapter of the book of the prophet Daniel. After Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the king made him governor of the whole province of Babylon, and prince of the governors over all the wise men; the magi of Babylon. Because of Daniel and the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, the Magi may have known something of the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, and therefore, traveled to Bethlehem to worship the Christ Child.

The Baby Jesus Himself is the third mystery in the story. The Magi found Him in a house in Bethlehem sometime after His birth. Contrary to many nativity scenes the Magi almost certainly did not arrive to worship the infant Jesus the same night as the shepherds. A choir of angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger is the sign for the shepherds, while the star was the sign for the Magi. The trip of the Magi to Bethlehem may have lasted more than a year.

The Magi came first to Jerusalem, where they asked, Matthew 2:2 (ESV) 2 …“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.”

Going to Jerusalem to ask about the new king was not a particularly wise move because there was already a king in Jerusalem; Herod the Great. Matthew 2:3-8 (ESV) 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

But, this was, of course, a lie; Herod had no intention to worship the Christ Child. His plan was to kill Jesus to protect his throne. The Magi did not return to Herod because they were warned by an angel and this made Herod furious. Herod knew that Bethlehem was the town where the Child Jesus was born, but he did not know which child…in which house. Therefore, Herod ordered the slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem two years of age and younger. We remember this event each year on December 28, the Day of the Slaughter of the Holy Innocents.

The greatest mystery in this account of the Magi, and the greatest mystery of all is the Child who avoided King Herod’s sword. He is the Word made flesh that lived among us. As St. John says in his Gospel, John 1:1-3 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:14 (ESV) 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Word was made flesh, born of the Virgin Mary. He grew up as the son of Mary and Joseph. He was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist and began His public ministry; teaching and healing and driving out demons. He sacrificed Himself on the cross and was resurrected the third day. We are all sinners and cannot justify ourselves before God, but we have the promise of eternal life because of Jesus Christ; the Word made flesh.

How was the eternal Son of God made flesh? We do not understand this mystery. The greatest mystery is also the most precious gift for us.

When the Magi found Jesus they offered Him gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. The value of gold is obvious. It was a gift fit for a king. Incense was burned for its fragrance in the presence of a king, also in the temple in the worship of God. So, the incense was a gift for a king, also for a priest. We believe in Jesus as King of kings and our great High Priest in heaven, the only Mediator between God and men. Myrrh was used as oil to anoint kings, prophets and priests, also to prepare dead bodies for burial. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial after His crucifixion. Myrrh from the Magi is a glimpse forward to the cross and tomb.

The most precious gift of all is the Child Jesus Himself who brings to you God’s forgiveness and eternal life. Not only just for you, but for all people.

Epiphany means manifestation; the manifestation of God in Christ. The visit of the Magi was the first manifestation of the Savior to all nations. The Magi were foreigners; Gentiles; they were not men of Israel. We see with the Magi that the Savior’s promise is for all nations.

Jesus came first to the Jews, according to the promise that God made to Abraham and the patriarchs. But after his resurrection, He sent his church to proclaim the gospel to all parts of the world. St. Paul says in our epistle, Ephesians 3:6-10 (ESV) 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

The manifold wisdom of God in Christ Jesus has been made known to us Gentiles and like all those who have received new life in baptism, we are the church. As the Church, we bring this wisdom of God in Christ to others. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we talk with our family and neighbors about the great mysteries of Christ and all He has done for us. This baby in Bethlehem, worshipped by the Magi, hunted by the King, is the Word made flesh. He is God incarnate who has come to be the sacrificial Lamb to take away the sins of the world. He is the one who sets you free from your sins. Jesus is the greatest mystery; the greatest gift of all. He is God in flesh made manifest to the world; beginning with the mysterious Magi from the East and continuing today, here and throughout this nation and the world. Amen.