December 28th, Sermon & Ministry Resources

"The Dark Side of Christmas" (Matthew 2:13-23)

Lectionary Readings — First Sunday after Christmas Day — December 28, 2025

Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23

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Call to Worship (based on Matthew 2:13-23)

Leader: We gather to worship God, who meets us in the midst of a troubled world.

People: We come seeking refuge and safety in God’s presence.

Leader: We remember that Jesus came into a world of violence and injustice, where the powerful threatened the vulnerable.

People: We remember that the holy family fled their homeland, seeking safety in a foreign land.

Leader: We acknowledge the suffering of innocents, and we do not forget those who weep for their children.

People: We lament with those who mourn and grieve.

Leader: Yet we worship the God who protects, who guides, and who does not abandon us in our darkest moments.

People: We worship the God who calls us out of danger and brings us home again.

Leader: Come, let us worship the God who is with us in exile and in homecoming, in sorrow and in hope.

People: Let us worship God, who knows our struggles and walks with us through them.

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Opening Prayer (based on Isaiah 63:7-9)

Let us pray:

Gracious God,

We gather today to remember and give thanks for your love and faithfulness to us. We recall the good things you have done in our lives and in the lives of those who came before us. You have shown us mercy time and time again, and your love for us has been constant.

You have called us your people, and you have been our Savior. When we have gone through difficult times, you have not stood at a distance. You have been present with us in our pain and struggle. You have sent help to us when we needed it most.

Out of your great love and compassion, you have lifted us up when we were weighed down. You have carried us when we could not carry ourselves. You continue to walk with us even now.

As we come before you this morning, help us to be honest about where we are—our joys and our burdens, our hopes and our fears. Open our hearts to hear your word and to experience your presence among us today.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who showed us the fullness of your love. Amen.

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[NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon]

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Sermon Outline: "THE DARK SIDE OF CHRISTMAS"

Based on Matthew 2:13-23

INTRODUCTION:

• The First Sunday after Christmas: the celebration continues

• But today’s text shatters our sentimental Christmas images

• No gentle manger scene—this is violence, terror, and refugees

• The “rest of the story” we often skip over

• The infant King immediately becomes a target

I. FLIGHT (vv. 13-15)

A. The Urgent Warning

B. Joseph’s Immediate Obedience

C. The Holy Family as Refugees

D. The Prophetic Fulfillment

II. FURY (vv. 16-18)

A. Herod’s Rage

B. The Horrific Order

C. The Scope of Suffering

D. The Prophetic Lament

E. The Reality of Evil at Christmas

III. FULFILLMENT (vv. 19-23)

A. The Death of the Tyrant

B. Joseph’s Continued Obedience

C. Divine Guidance to Nazareth

D. Final Prophetic Fulfillment

E. God’s Sovereignty Through It All

CONCLUSION:

The Hope Beyond Christmas

• The refugee child becomes the risen Lord

• The one hunted by Herod conquers death itself

Christmas begins the story that ends in resurrection

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Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers