Christmas Never Ends! Luke2:22-40
December 28, 2025
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
The First Sunday After Christmas 28-December-2025 Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40 Sermon Theme: “Christmas Never Ends!” I. Infant Jesus Comes Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! (Vs.22-26) II. The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Saves Sinners Through the Cross. (Vs.27-35) III. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. (Vs.36-40) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
The First Sunday After Christmas 28-December-2025
Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40
Sermon Theme: “Christmas Never Ends!” I. Infant Jesus Comes Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! (Vs.22-26) II. The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Saves Sinners Through the Cross. (Vs.27-35) III. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. (Vs.36-40) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Mat 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. (17) Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: (18) "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, LAMENTATION, WEEPING, AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN, REFUSING TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE." On the fourth day of Christmas the Church celebrates The Holy Innocents first to be martyred after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Wicked King Herod the Great would not tolerate any to dethrone him. Death was his answer. A world held captive by the devil and his lies always thinks death is the answer. We murdered over 70 million unborn babies in our nation since 1973. Death was the answer to unwanted children. Illinois passed right to die legislation just the other month. The right to die soon becomes the obligation for the elderly, depressed, or those struggling with any pain to choose death. Canada candy coats its 2017 extermination policy calling it MAID - Medical Assistance In Dying. It’s MAID program is now responsible for one in four death’s in its shrinking provinces. Now it is expanding its programs to allow children, without their parent’s knowledge or consent, to be murdered by medicine. Anti-Christian manmade religions always promote death calling it empowerment and a right.
Death is the wages of sin, not a right. Death doesn’t solve our problems. Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, We stand before our Creator upon death. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
The second day of Christmas the Church remembered St. Stephen martyred by the Jewish council in Jerusalem for preaching Jesus. He was the first to be martyred after Jesus’ ascension and enthronement at the Father’s right hand. The church fathers wrote, “Yesterday Christ was born in the world, so that today Stephen would be born in heaven.” This is the fruit of Jesus’ incarnation and birth. Because Jesus is born for us, Stephen sees an open heaven and the glory of God as he dies. Our Lord Jesus loved Stephen in life, in death, and after death.
The third day of Christmas the Church commemorated St. John the apostle and evangelist. John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, did not forsake his Master on the cross. John boldly confessed the truth of the God/Man Jesus in the face of false gnostic teachers. He was exiled to Patmos for preaching the truth of the Gospel. He lived to a very old age and died at Ephesus around 100AD.
We learn during these first three days of Christmas that Satan, the evil world, and our fallen flesh have been defeated. They cannot extinguish the Light of Life born in our flesh that first Christmas eve. Rejoice: "Christmas Never Ends!" I. Infant Jesus Comes Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! (Vs.22-26) II. The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Saves Sinners Through the Cross. (Vs.27-35) III. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. (Vs.36-40)
I. Our historical narrative this morning begins forty days after Jesus birth in Bethlehem. It is celebrated by the Church on February 2nd - The purification of Mary and the Presentation of the Lord. Listen(vs.22-24) Jesus places Himself under God’s Law from the moment of His conception. So deep was our inherited depravity from Adam that to rescue us from our sin. Jesus had to be conceived without sin FOR US! Original sin isn’t a blemish, it has corrupted us to our very sin-darkened soul. He takes our sin upon Himself from the moment of conception to cover our sinful conception and corruption from Adam. Natural man will scoff at this truth. The depth of human depravity and evil can only be understood in the light of the Holy Bible.
The Virgin Mary a sinner needed to be purified forty days after giving birth to her Redeemer. Joseph and her bring infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. She needs the sacrifice to be declared pure. In their poverty they only can afford two turtle doves. Baby Jesus is the first born of Mary. All first born males belonged to the Lord God since the Passover in Egypt. First born sons had to be redeemed, bought back from God by sacrifice, to remind the children of Israel the cost of their redemption from 430 years of slavery.
God the Holy Spirit teaches us of the everlasting Gift of Christmas through the pen of St. Paul, Gal 4:4-5 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. The Redeemer is redeemed FOR YOU! The Lawgiver makes Himself fully subject to the Law that justice be fully satisfied and you saved!
Listen! (Vs.25-26) Simeon is often pictured as an old man in priestly garb, but our text only indicates that he was just and devout. He clung to the Word of God and the promise of the Messiah as his only hope. Learn from Simeon to cling to the Holy Bible and wait for the Holy Spirit to console you in life and facing death by fixing your eyes on the Lord’s Christ - Jesus! We don’t find Jesus. He finds us where He has promised to be in His Church swaddled in His Word and Sacraments.
II. Infant Jesus can only coo and cry at forty days old, but His flesh and blood are the salvation of sinful dying mankind! (Vs.27-28) Simeon comes into God’s House by the Holy Spirit. God’s Word calls him to joyfully go into the house of the Lord every Sabbath.
Entering the Temple just devout Simeon sees the Child Jesus in the arms of His parents. He cannot contain his joy. He asks if he can hold the Child. Taking Jesus up in his arms he sings (vs.29-32) What joy we’d have to be in Simeon’s shoes. To hold Jesus’ flesh and blood in our hands. Looking at Him to rejoice - for now we can die in peace - there is no doubt our Savior is with us. He alone is God’s Salvation. He is our Light as we struggle through the valley of the shadow of death. If only we could be like Simeon - they we could rejoice!
Simeon now hands the Child Jesus back. ( vs.32-35) To the marveling couple he turns to Mary and tells her of the cross to come. Jesus is destined for the fall and rising of many. The prideful will fall. The humble sinners will be raised. He will be a sign raised up on the Tree that many will scoff at, but Mary will grieve as she sees her Son suffer and die for our sins. A mother feels the pain and suffering of her children. When the soldier’s spear pierces our Lord’s side to verify His death - her soul is pierced also.
To stand with Mary looking only to her Crucified Son as our Salvation. If only we could be like her at the foot of His cross! You are! Hear the Holy Spirit! 1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. At the Lord’s Supper you proclaim His death - that He died FOR YOU! He paid your debt and hell in full! He pours out His blood to give you a new clean living heart.
At His feast you celebrate Christmas with Simeon under the Cross - Jesus promises “This is My Body” “This is My Blood.” - you hold the full flesh and blood of Jesus in bread and wine. Feasting on cross won - empty tomb certified forgiveness, life, and salvation - you join Simeon singing the “Nunc Dimittis”... “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace.” Death no longer can hold you - for Jesus is your Life and Light!
III. Christmas never ends. The joy of Christmas isn’t only for little children. It is especially for the aged. We wrongly imagine that congregations are dying if they are filled with the elderly - they are not - it is the life and light of Jesus’ redemption that sustains congregations making them truly young again! (Vs.36-37)
Anna was old. She was versed in the Old Testament Scriptures teaching them to the women who gathered in the Temple. She had been married for seven years. Her husband died. Now she served the Lord and her community as a widow for about 84 years. She could’ve been nearly a hundred years old. Her joy and vitality was found by being in God’s Word and gathering in God’s House to fast and pray for her people and the promise of Christ’s coming. She enters the Temple and sees her prayers answered (vs.38) The Lord is in His Temple. Christ Jesus the Infant has come to buy us back from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. She cannot but tell all that the Savior of the world is here!
Learn from Anna - never stop fasting and praying for the lost, the straying, the congregation. Never stop entering the Lord’s House - for Jesus draws near to you here! God Himself is present to comfort you with His redemption. He breathes out His Holy Spirit upon you that you may grow up into spiritual manhood. (Vs.39-40) Luke fasts forward to the couple returning from Egypt to Nazareth. There Jesus grows up as any boy does. He learns to toddle, walk, talk, listen. Joseph grounds his family in God’s Word at home and in their local synagogue. There Jesus becomes strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and God’s grace is upon Him.
Jesus is the only Source of everlasting wisdom, grace, and hope. Make every day at your home a Christmas - open the gift of the Word made Flesh dwelling among us - read the Holy Bible to your family, pray with them, sing the great hymns like Simeon’s. Bring your children to Church and teach them to listen, sing hymns, and be fed on Jesus in His Word, hymns, sermons, and liturgy of the Church.
Those who follow Jesus are hated by the world. Death, execution, isolation is how the devil through the sinful world and our fallen flesh seeks to silence Christmas. It has tried but always fails -“Christmas Never Ends!” Infant Jesus Cames Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Today still Saves Sinners Through His Cross. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. For YOU! For All! Amen.
Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40
Sermon Theme: “Christmas Never Ends!” I. Infant Jesus Comes Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! (Vs.22-26) II. The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Saves Sinners Through the Cross. (Vs.27-35) III. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. (Vs.36-40) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Mat 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. (17) Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: (18) "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, LAMENTATION, WEEPING, AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN, REFUSING TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE." On the fourth day of Christmas the Church celebrates The Holy Innocents first to be martyred after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Wicked King Herod the Great would not tolerate any to dethrone him. Death was his answer. A world held captive by the devil and his lies always thinks death is the answer. We murdered over 70 million unborn babies in our nation since 1973. Death was the answer to unwanted children. Illinois passed right to die legislation just the other month. The right to die soon becomes the obligation for the elderly, depressed, or those struggling with any pain to choose death. Canada candy coats its 2017 extermination policy calling it MAID - Medical Assistance In Dying. It’s MAID program is now responsible for one in four death’s in its shrinking provinces. Now it is expanding its programs to allow children, without their parent’s knowledge or consent, to be murdered by medicine. Anti-Christian manmade religions always promote death calling it empowerment and a right.
Death is the wages of sin, not a right. Death doesn’t solve our problems. Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, We stand before our Creator upon death. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
The second day of Christmas the Church remembered St. Stephen martyred by the Jewish council in Jerusalem for preaching Jesus. He was the first to be martyred after Jesus’ ascension and enthronement at the Father’s right hand. The church fathers wrote, “Yesterday Christ was born in the world, so that today Stephen would be born in heaven.” This is the fruit of Jesus’ incarnation and birth. Because Jesus is born for us, Stephen sees an open heaven and the glory of God as he dies. Our Lord Jesus loved Stephen in life, in death, and after death.
The third day of Christmas the Church commemorated St. John the apostle and evangelist. John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, did not forsake his Master on the cross. John boldly confessed the truth of the God/Man Jesus in the face of false gnostic teachers. He was exiled to Patmos for preaching the truth of the Gospel. He lived to a very old age and died at Ephesus around 100AD.
We learn during these first three days of Christmas that Satan, the evil world, and our fallen flesh have been defeated. They cannot extinguish the Light of Life born in our flesh that first Christmas eve. Rejoice: "Christmas Never Ends!" I. Infant Jesus Comes Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! (Vs.22-26) II. The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Saves Sinners Through the Cross. (Vs.27-35) III. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. (Vs.36-40)
I. Our historical narrative this morning begins forty days after Jesus birth in Bethlehem. It is celebrated by the Church on February 2nd - The purification of Mary and the Presentation of the Lord. Listen(vs.22-24) Jesus places Himself under God’s Law from the moment of His conception. So deep was our inherited depravity from Adam that to rescue us from our sin. Jesus had to be conceived without sin FOR US! Original sin isn’t a blemish, it has corrupted us to our very sin-darkened soul. He takes our sin upon Himself from the moment of conception to cover our sinful conception and corruption from Adam. Natural man will scoff at this truth. The depth of human depravity and evil can only be understood in the light of the Holy Bible.
The Virgin Mary a sinner needed to be purified forty days after giving birth to her Redeemer. Joseph and her bring infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. She needs the sacrifice to be declared pure. In their poverty they only can afford two turtle doves. Baby Jesus is the first born of Mary. All first born males belonged to the Lord God since the Passover in Egypt. First born sons had to be redeemed, bought back from God by sacrifice, to remind the children of Israel the cost of their redemption from 430 years of slavery.
God the Holy Spirit teaches us of the everlasting Gift of Christmas through the pen of St. Paul, Gal 4:4-5 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. The Redeemer is redeemed FOR YOU! The Lawgiver makes Himself fully subject to the Law that justice be fully satisfied and you saved!
Listen! (Vs.25-26) Simeon is often pictured as an old man in priestly garb, but our text only indicates that he was just and devout. He clung to the Word of God and the promise of the Messiah as his only hope. Learn from Simeon to cling to the Holy Bible and wait for the Holy Spirit to console you in life and facing death by fixing your eyes on the Lord’s Christ - Jesus! We don’t find Jesus. He finds us where He has promised to be in His Church swaddled in His Word and Sacraments.
II. Infant Jesus can only coo and cry at forty days old, but His flesh and blood are the salvation of sinful dying mankind! (Vs.27-28) Simeon comes into God’s House by the Holy Spirit. God’s Word calls him to joyfully go into the house of the Lord every Sabbath.
Entering the Temple just devout Simeon sees the Child Jesus in the arms of His parents. He cannot contain his joy. He asks if he can hold the Child. Taking Jesus up in his arms he sings (vs.29-32) What joy we’d have to be in Simeon’s shoes. To hold Jesus’ flesh and blood in our hands. Looking at Him to rejoice - for now we can die in peace - there is no doubt our Savior is with us. He alone is God’s Salvation. He is our Light as we struggle through the valley of the shadow of death. If only we could be like Simeon - they we could rejoice!
Simeon now hands the Child Jesus back. ( vs.32-35) To the marveling couple he turns to Mary and tells her of the cross to come. Jesus is destined for the fall and rising of many. The prideful will fall. The humble sinners will be raised. He will be a sign raised up on the Tree that many will scoff at, but Mary will grieve as she sees her Son suffer and die for our sins. A mother feels the pain and suffering of her children. When the soldier’s spear pierces our Lord’s side to verify His death - her soul is pierced also.
To stand with Mary looking only to her Crucified Son as our Salvation. If only we could be like her at the foot of His cross! You are! Hear the Holy Spirit! 1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. At the Lord’s Supper you proclaim His death - that He died FOR YOU! He paid your debt and hell in full! He pours out His blood to give you a new clean living heart.
At His feast you celebrate Christmas with Simeon under the Cross - Jesus promises “This is My Body” “This is My Blood.” - you hold the full flesh and blood of Jesus in bread and wine. Feasting on cross won - empty tomb certified forgiveness, life, and salvation - you join Simeon singing the “Nunc Dimittis”... “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace.” Death no longer can hold you - for Jesus is your Life and Light!
III. Christmas never ends. The joy of Christmas isn’t only for little children. It is especially for the aged. We wrongly imagine that congregations are dying if they are filled with the elderly - they are not - it is the life and light of Jesus’ redemption that sustains congregations making them truly young again! (Vs.36-37)
Anna was old. She was versed in the Old Testament Scriptures teaching them to the women who gathered in the Temple. She had been married for seven years. Her husband died. Now she served the Lord and her community as a widow for about 84 years. She could’ve been nearly a hundred years old. Her joy and vitality was found by being in God’s Word and gathering in God’s House to fast and pray for her people and the promise of Christ’s coming. She enters the Temple and sees her prayers answered (vs.38) The Lord is in His Temple. Christ Jesus the Infant has come to buy us back from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. She cannot but tell all that the Savior of the world is here!
Learn from Anna - never stop fasting and praying for the lost, the straying, the congregation. Never stop entering the Lord’s House - for Jesus draws near to you here! God Himself is present to comfort you with His redemption. He breathes out His Holy Spirit upon you that you may grow up into spiritual manhood. (Vs.39-40) Luke fasts forward to the couple returning from Egypt to Nazareth. There Jesus grows up as any boy does. He learns to toddle, walk, talk, listen. Joseph grounds his family in God’s Word at home and in their local synagogue. There Jesus becomes strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and God’s grace is upon Him.
Jesus is the only Source of everlasting wisdom, grace, and hope. Make every day at your home a Christmas - open the gift of the Word made Flesh dwelling among us - read the Holy Bible to your family, pray with them, sing the great hymns like Simeon’s. Bring your children to Church and teach them to listen, sing hymns, and be fed on Jesus in His Word, hymns, sermons, and liturgy of the Church.
Those who follow Jesus are hated by the world. Death, execution, isolation is how the devil through the sinful world and our fallen flesh seeks to silence Christmas. It has tried but always fails -“Christmas Never Ends!” Infant Jesus Cames Fulfilling The Law FOR YOU! The Flesh and Blood Of Jesus Today still Saves Sinners Through His Cross. Jesus Is The Only Source of Everlasting Wisdom, Grace, and Hope. For YOU! For All! Amen.
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