Working Preacher's Sermon Brainwave

Join Profs. Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they explore the lectionary readings for the First Sunday of Christmas on December 28, 2025.

⏰Timecodes⏰ 00:00 Introduction to the Christmas Podcast 01:06 Exploring the Texts for the First Sunday of Christmas 03:06 The Character of Herod and His Role in the Christmas Story 06:00 The Threat of Jesus to Tyranny and Power 09:08 God's Subversive Action in the Christmas Narrative 11:49 The Tragedy of Innocent Lives in the Christmas Story 15:06 Connecting the Texts: Matthew, Isaiah, and Hebrews 17:47 Conclusion and Reflections on the Christmas Message

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ABOUT SERMON BRAINWAVE: Sermon Brainwave is a production of Luther Seminary's Working Preacher, which has been providing trusted biblical interpretation and preaching inspiration since 2007.

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Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for this Third Sunday of Advent episode as they explore John the Baptist's profound question from prison: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" (Matthew 11:2-11)

The hosts examine John's struggle with doubt and disappointment while imprisoned by Herod Antipas, offering a deeply human perspective on faith when reality doesn't match expectations. They explore how Jesus responds not with rebuke but with evidence of the kingdom unfolding: the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised.

Karoline suggests building a sermon around John's central question, exploring themes of expectation, waiting, and what we're actually looking forward to in Jesus' coming. Matt highlights how Jesus' answer reveals kingdom work happening one person at a time rather than through dramatic displays of power, connecting this back to the vision of the Sermon on the Mount from just four chapters earlier.

The conversation delves into the meaning of "blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me" and discusses how this might be a subtle correction to John's expectations about the pacing and style of messianic work. The hosts emphasize the importance of "go and tell what you hear and see" as an Advent practice of noticing where God is already at work.

The James reading introduces patience as a necessary Advent practice, though the hosts humorously acknowledge how difficult it is to hear "just be patient" when you're suffering or waiting for change. They explore the tension between John's radical immediacy and James' call to patient endurance.