The Second Sunday after Christmas – Pr. Anderson sermon
Isaiah 42:1-9 “I am the LORD, that is My Name, My Glory I give to no Other”
January 4, 2026 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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Gracious God and Father, in sincere humility we praise the wisdom of Your ways and with a child’s confidence yield ourselves to Your fatherly guidance; hold us by Your right hand, guide us with Your counsel, and afterward receive us to glory; for the sake of Your dear Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, now and forever. Amen. (The Lutheran Liturgy, companion altar book for The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 66)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 42nd chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called You in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and keep You; I will give You as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, whose name reminds us of His service and glory, glory that can only come from God, glory He can only have because He is God, dear fellow redeemed:
When we think of the occupation of servants, our minds can go to the TV shows we have watched where someone who is super rich is able to have people who will take care of their needs. We may think about shows where we see royalty who have an army of servants. And I’m sure the thoughts in our heads have been like how wonderful it would be if someone could wash our dishes, prepare our food, drive us around, and so on. While we may think this is great, we go into the New Year hearing how we all have this vocation of a servant. Scripture points out to us in many places the service we are to give to God. A service, we know we have failed in so many ways. In this Christmas and New Year season, this service is reignited because we are witnessing the undeserved service that comes to us from our God. Service that is found in His very name. God says through the Prophet Isaiah, “I am the LORD; that is My name; My Glory I give to no other.”
As we go into the New Year, there are great blessings to find renewal in God and service, and this is where it begins. It begins with His name. By admitting that He is the Lord, it means that we will proclaim that He created everything. That He is our Almighty judge and ruler of all and He continues to do His gracious work. This admittance is an admittance of service to something greater than what the world has to offer and the world does not agree with this notion. The world wants to see our worldly service for the world and ourselves, not to an almighty creator. The world doesn’t realize that the Lord will bring people into His service whether they realize it or not. And they aren’t always believers. Isaiah points out, the Lord has many servants, from Israel, and the one to come, Cyrus the Great. But a special servant will come after them all. “Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for His law.” Rule will come as the Word continues to go out.
And as we see from the text, this is not a scary ruler. God delights in this servant who will serve Him. As we look at all of the servants whom God has called into His service, we know they all had their flaws. With this special servant, Isaiah puts out a series of songs because of how special this servant is. This is the first song. It comes off the heels of Isaiah informing the people how God will be with them even when His people will continue to chase after foreign gods. Foreign gods who don’t and will never have the great glory God has. Isaiah iterates His power, Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD. The world searches for ways to write off God with the creation of the world. God challenges this by daring us to imagine everything we see being done by wood and stone.
While the false gods of the world can’t begin to do any creating, this creating goes hand in hand with what this special servant is capable of. Already in the first song of the servant, this special servant has God’s features. God says He will do so well. This is great because though God has called His people into His service, His people do not follow through. And His servants should follow through, look what He does for His people. I have called You in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and keep You; I will give You as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. As we see how God works to protect us, it should keep us inspired to serve Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds. We know this is what we want to do, but we also know our struggles with this service. As God calls us, the world calls us as well, getting us to turn our service to God, into service for ourselves. Sometimes we are aware of it and sometimes we aren’t. And as the world points out the judgement from God, God reveals this servant is not aggressive with His work.
This is the exact opposite of what is expected of Him. There are some who want aggressiveness because that means God will not show love to those we deem our enemies. There are some who say that if the servant comes with aggression, then it disproves that He is loving. The servant isn’t aggressive and does reveal the love of God because God reveals our aggression against Him. And this aggression can come by not taking His name seriously. He says, I am the LORD; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. In our sinfulness, we fail at serving Him perfectly. In our sinfulness, we can put our trust in the world and not in the God who wants to and promises to help us. In our sinfulness, we don’t deserve His glory. Glory, the perfect Servant has, revealing how close He is to the name of God. For in the name of the Lord, the Servant has His name. And this begotten Servant would reveal God’s protection found in His name and how He answers the call to serve even at a young age. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2:15b).
A small child was protected for our protection. A child foretold long ago who would come and be a great and humble servant. With the pronouncement of the servant songs, “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” God was revealing more about His wonderful salvation for His people through this perfect servant. A prophecy fulfilled as Matthew records, Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope” (Matthew 12:15-21).
Not only do you have your hope in Him, For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory (2 Corinthians 1:20). This song and all of the other servant songs are about this special servant. Jesus is the servant born to fulfill them. He is chosen, He doesn’t break, and He brings forth justice because of His holy name. And as the Father protected Him in His youth until the appointed time, He protects you. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes up on you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:12-14). He knows what you face to serve Him. The world will try to discredit you. The world will try to get you to serve yourself. Jesus continues serving the Father, even in His youth when He had to flee.
He would face perilous dangers and even grow up to go one on one against the devil in the wilderness. He was able to do this as the Father was with Him as He was more than true Man, He was true God. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). By coming down from heaven, He would care for you and establish His gracious Word for you to hear. And in this gracious Word for you to hear, you confess how He carries you through this life because of what He did in His life. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) In His name, being the Lord, He has all the glory. Glory, He bestows on you because of His death for you. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name (1 Peter 4:16).
With the strength of His holy name, your strength is renewed in the New Year to tell others about His wonderful name. You see the courage that springs forward from Scripture with the examples of the apostles who shared the Name. You see it in the account of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and one of the servant songs. So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30) Scripture points you from one part to another, connecting the dots of the Savior promised and then fulfilled in Christ. All of this, done in service for you. Your service will not be easy. And while it will be difficult, the service of Christ counts as yours. The world will try to continue to get you to apply your service to yourselves. It will be a daily struggle, but in your struggle to serve Christ and His Word, it is this same Word that will keep you going. In Jesus’ name, whose name is disregarded by the world, and in love covers you with His glory forever. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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