First Sunday after Christmas (2025)

“The Son Who Was Saved—for Us”

Matthew 2:13–23 First Sunday after Christmas

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christmas is barely over—and already the mood changes.

The shepherds have gone home. The angels are silent. The gifts are being put away. Thank you notes are almost written.

And suddenly, Matthew confronts us with a disturbing truth:

The world into which Jesus is born is not safe.

An angel wakes Joseph in the night with an urgent command: “Get up. Take the child and His mother and flee to Egypt.”

Not because Jesus has done anything wrong. Not because God has lost control. But because the Son of God has enemies.

I. The Son Is Threatened in a Hostile World

Herod hears the news of a newborn King—and he panics.

He does what sinners have always done when God threatens their self-made kingdoms: He tries to destroy the Son.

Herod is not interested in worship. He is interested in control.

And so God sends His angel—not to Herod, but to Joseph. Not to the palace, but to a carpenter. Not with trumpets, but with a dream.

“Get up. Take the child and His mother. Flee to Egypt.”

And Joseph obeys—immediately, quietly, faithfully.

Matthew keeps repeating the phrase: “the child and His mother.”

That repetition is intentional. It reminds us that the One being carried through the night, hidden in a foreign land, is no ordinary child. He is true man, utterly vulnerable—and at the same time true God, the eternal Son of the Father.

And then Matthew tells us why this happens:

“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

This is the first time in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus is explicitly called God’s Son.

But not only in the sense that He is divine.

Matthew is telling us something deeper: Jesus is Israel reduced to one. He is the faithful Son Israel never was.

Israel was called out of Egypt—and rebelled. Jesus is called out of Egypt—and obeys.

From the very beginning, the Son of God is already standing in the place of His people.

II. The World Strikes Back: The Cry of the Innocents

But Herod does not repent.

When he realizes he has been outwitted, his fear turns to rage. And his rage turns to bloodshed.

He orders the slaughter of every male child in Bethlehem two years old and under.

Matthew does not soften this. He does not explain it away. He does not rush past it.

Instead, he reaches for the language of lament:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

This is the cry of the Holy Innocents.

The Church has never forgotten them. And should not.

Luther said this reading should never disappear from public worship. Because it reminds us that Christ’s coming exposes the violence of sin, not just its sentimentality.

These children did not die because God wanted them dead. Matthew is careful not to say that.

They died because sin always lashes out against Christ—and when it cannot reach Him, it strikes others instead.

Rachel weeps. And we understand why.

Christmas does not deny sorrow. It dares to place Christ inside it.

III. The Son Is Preserved for a Greater Deliverance

And here is the strange, holy irony of the text:

The Son lives. The Innocents die.

Why?

Because the Son is being preserved—not from death forever—but for a greater death.

God brings Jesus out of Egypt. Herod dies. Another tyrant rises. And once again God warns Joseph.

So the Holy Family settles in Nazareth.

Not Jerusalem. Not Bethlehem. Nazareth.

A place of obscurity. A place of contempt.

Matthew tells us this fulfills what the prophets had spoken:

“He shall be called a Nazarene.”

In other words: He will be despised. Dismissed. Written off.

The Son of God grows up in a town no one expects anything from.

Why?

Because God’s salvation never comes the way sinners expect.

The Son is saved now so that—at the appointed time—He may not be saved later.

There will come a day when no angel intervenes. No dream warns. No escape route opens.

The Son who was carried into Egypt will one day carry a cross. The Son who escaped Herod’s sword will submit to Rome’s nails.

IV. From the True Son to Adopted Sons

And here the Gospel shines clearly.

The Holy Innocents died in the place of Christ.

But Christ will later die for them—and for us.

He lives so that He may die. He escapes death so that He may conquer it.

And because He is the faithful Son, our Epistle reading says something astonishing:

“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son… so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4)

The Son becomes a refugee—so that we might belong.

The Son enters danger—so that we might enter God’s family. The Son is preserved—so that we might be redeemed.

Even Rachel’s tears are not wasted.

Because the same God who allowed sorrow in Bethlehem has promised resurrection in Christ.

The Innocents are not lost. They are not forgotten. They are gathered—by the very Son Herod tried to destroy.

Conclusion

So Christmas does not end in silence or sorrow.

It ends in trust.

Trust that God keeps His promises—even when the night is dark. Trust that the Son of God reigns—even when kings rage. Trust that death does not have the final word—even over children, even over tears.

The Son was saved—for you. The Son was sent—for you. The Son was slain—for you.

And because of Him, you are no longer slaves—but sons.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayers of the Church

First Sunday after Christmas

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

For the Church

Gracious Father, You sent Your only-begotten Son into a world that did not receive Him, yet through Him You have made us Your children by grace. Preserve Your Church in the true confession that Jesus is Your Son, our Savior, who fulfills the Scriptures and reigns even when the world resists Him. Keep us steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and bold in love, trusting Your promises even in dark and dangerous times. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For pastors and church workers

Lord God, You protected Your Son through humble servants and quiet obedience. Sustain all pastors, missionaries, teachers, and church workers who proclaim Christ in a hostile world. Grant them faithfulness, courage, and compassion, that they may speak Your Word clearly and tenderly, pointing sinners to the Son who was saved for us and slain for us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For rulers and authorities

Heavenly Father, You alone establish true authority. Restrain all rulers who misuse power, act in fear, or govern by violence rather than justice. Grant wisdom to those in authority, that they may protect the innocent, defend life, and serve their people with humility. Turn hearts away from tyranny and toward Your righteous will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the innocent, the vulnerable, and the suffering

Merciful God, As Rachel wept for her children, we lament all suffering caused by sin—especially the suffering of children, the vulnerable, and those who have no voice. Remember before You the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem and all who suffer unjustly in our day. Comfort those who grieve, protect those in danger, and give hope to all who live under fear, loss, or sorrow. Remind us that Your Son has entered our suffering and will one day wipe away every tear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For families, homes, and those traveling

Lord of mercy, You preserved Your Son within a family, on the road, and in a foreign land. Watch over all families, especially those experiencing stress, grief, or division during this season. Protect those who travel, grant peace to homes, and strengthen parents and caregivers in their vocations of love. Let our households be places where Christ is trusted and honored. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the sick and those in need

Compassionate Father, Look with mercy on all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We especially pray for those who are ill, hospitalized, grieving, or facing uncertain futures. According to Your will, grant healing, relief, and strength. Above all, give them the comfort of knowing that Your Son has overcome sin, death, and the grave. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who will receive the Lord’s Supper

Lord Jesus Christ, As we come to Your holy Supper, grant us true repentance and steadfast faith in Your Word. Grant us to receive Your true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, the strengthening of faith, and the assurance of eternal life. Keep us mindful that this gift is received not by our worthiness, but by faith alone in Your saving promise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For ourselves as redeemed children of God

Faithful Father, You did not spare Your own Son but gave Him up for us all. Keep us mindful that we are no longer slaves, but sons and daughters through Christ. Help us live as Your redeemed people—trusting Your care, submitting to Christ’s reign, and bearing witness to His saving love in our daily vocations. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Closing

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.