Sermon December 27-28, 2025 1st Sunday after Christmas

Title: Out of Egypt the Christ comes!
Text: Matt. 2:13-23

Facebook live: Out of Egypt the Christ comes!

14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Blessed first Sunday after Christmas!
The Lord is come!
I hope the Christmas joy continues for you now and far into the New Year!

But in our text for today the joy of the birth of Jesus quickly changes in the Gospel of Matthew, from his humble birth and kingly gifts brought by those visitors from the east to a warning to go!

13 Now when [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

For you and me it is like to tornado siren blowing a warning to take cover and move to a safer place. Or for those in the path of a hurricane to get in your car and head out to a place far removed from the threat.

Jesus is on the move and the work of the devil continues and quickly out of the gate.

It seems that they had just arrived in Bethlehem and just as quickly, evil rears it’s ugly head. But in our lesson today we will also see the father’s protection for his son, and also for all that he will redeem now and into this uncertain New Year and future we are about to enter into.

We’ve all celebrated birth of children.

Many have attended baby showers, and the joy of birthdays we also know with the blessings of life celebrated year after year.

So, it seems fitting that the Lord, through St. Matthew, tells of the Wise Men, their visit, and Herod’s concern for their inquiry:

2 [as they ask] “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.”

Herod wants to know:
Who is this King?
Where is this King?
When you find him, come and let me know?

As the prophet foretold, this King would come from Bethlehem,

for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people, Israel.’ Mic 5:2

So, it was hoped by Herod that they would find Jesus and return to tell him.

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

So, today we are going to talk of our Heavenly Father’s protection.
The coming of the Christ had been foretold. The word of God had pointed to it in many and various ways by the prophets. Heb 1

Now the Christ was here! The Lord’s gracious promise had been fulfilled!

But the work of redemption would continue through the trials and temptations of this sin filled world for Jesus, and for we who have been brought to faith and have been called to live out our faith life as God our heavenly Father directs and enables.

We don’t know how long Herod waited after the wise men’s departure, but God by an angel of the Lord, appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying:

“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Herod’s intent was clear. The wadges of sin is death and death and would descend from the hand of Herod to kill the hope eternal. But God had prophesied through the Prophete Hosea.

“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

So, what does this have to do with you and me and the New Year we are about to enter?

Well, the Lord’s protection remains for you and me and all of his children as well as our epistle for today reminds us.

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Each time we come to the end of one year and the beginning of another, we have our questions and uncertainties.

Will it be better?
Will I have greater blessings or greater problems?

Let me share some thoughts from one writer’s point of view of a New Year as he pondered it on New Year’s Eve:

“This past year, this year of years, how shall it tell upon my whole life!

All has gone well in a worldly point of view, how is it in a spiritual? My God how?

I fear I have lost ground.

I fear I have had less of the spirit of piety this year than during the last; yet God’s goodness has been given more than usually to me this year. How ungrateful! What a poor return!

One year ago I had myself under a tolerable discipline [and yet] the many secret determinations to pursue a straightforward course of industry, diligence, virtue … how few of them have I kept. I am almost weary of making resolutions, and feel more like giving myself [over] to circumstances.”

Those words written on December 31, 1843 are excerpted from the book

Forgotten Valor – the Memoirs, Journals, and; Civil War Letters of Orlando B. Willcox.

This was a book edited by a seminary classmate Robert Scott.

While General Willcox’s sentiments still sound very contemporary for a journal entry written 182 years ago; the tone seems to reflect the wisdom of a veteran of many New Year’s Eves, rather than the 20 year old officer fresh out of West Pointe, that Willcox was at the time of the writing.

His thoughts and his concerns mirror maybe yours and mine as we enter a New Year, with new resolutions and new uncertainty for our lives and for our church in the times we live.

What lies ahead in 2026?

As the Lord’s children, we can rest in his word and work and protection?

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” …

23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

By the protection of our loving God;
The Christ was not abandoned in Egypt.
Joseph listened and heeded the word of the Lord.
Prophases have been fulfilled.

We may feel uncertain at times for what lies ahead and is to come. There is much that we can’t control but we can rest in a Lord who controls all things and uses even that which sets us back and gives us pause to bring about the joy and glory to come.

Where is your Egypt where the Lord protected you?
Where has he brought you for the purpose of fulfilling his will in and through you?
Where might God use you in the future?

General Willcox used these words to describe his hope for his 21st year looking optimistically at the New Year ahead:

“Oh how can I but feel that God has been with me!

How can I but determine again and; again, that I will begin the New Year with a renewed heart, and lead a new and better life.

But how weak am I, how incapable of carrying out such plans!

Help me, oh you who have sustained me, that I may make a good improvement of the New Year. Not by living entirely to myself, but by preparing both mind & body for serving you as circumstances require.”

His hope was fixed on Christ and our hope should be as well as we keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus. Then step in faith towards the new and uncertain future that has many opportunities, challenges successes and failures ahead knowing that the Lord’s protection and forgiveness is your now and forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen