SERMON: From the Manger to the Mountain - Third Sunday after Epiphany (January 25, 2026)

The season of Epiphany frames a clear revelation: the light dawns where darkness seemed deepest. In a region long forgotten and scorned—Galilee, the borderlands of Israel—hope seemed extinguished by occupation, fear, and cultural compromise. Yet Scripture points to Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise: the Messiah arrives not in the seats of power but among the overlooked, and his presence becomes the dawning of a new day. This light is practical and invasive; it meets people in their need, calls them to repentance, and invites ordinary lives into extraordinary purpose.

Calling begins with a summons—Repent, for the kingdom is at hand—and continues with a personal demand: follow. Fishermen leave nets without contract or guarantee, illustrating that discipleship is rooted in trust, not in careful planning. That call is not a relic of the past but an ongoing reality marked by baptism. Baptism names and reshapes identity: those baptized are joined to Christ’s death and resurrection, claimed as God’s children, and sent out as disciples with a vocation that reshapes routine moments into the work of the kingdom.

Daily discipleship is rarely spectacular. It looks like patient parenting, measured words in a tense workplace, prayer for a difficult person, and choosing Scripture over distraction. These small practices are the channels through which the dawning light produces real transformation. Wherever Jesus goes, healing follows—of bodies, relationships, loneliness, and despair—and darkness recedes before that presence. The same kingdom power that broke into Galilee still breaks into hospital rooms, apartments, workplaces, and hearts.

Practically, the dawning light summons a twofold response: begin days anchored in God’s Word and be the light for someone else. Simple rhythms—turning first to Scripture rather than a glowing screen, and calling someone in a season of darkness—are concrete ways the community participates in the ongoing Epiphany. The invitation is urgent and hopeful: wake up, walk in the light, drop nets that tether to comfort, and move with purpose because the sun has risen and the kingdom is near.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Light dawns in places of darkness The Messiah does not first appear in centers of influence but among the overlooked; his arrival reframes cultural marginalization as the theater of God’s redeeming work. Where fear, exile, or quiet despair have settled, the presence of Christ begins a reversal that restores dignity and hope. This is a theological claim with pastoral consequence: God specializes in showing up where people have written themselves off. [05:55]
• 2. The light summons wholehearted discipleship Followership requires a decisive, disorienting response—abandoning safety and plans to trust Christ’s call—because the kingdom advances through surrendered lives, not cautious calculations. True discipleship reorders priorities so vocation, relationships, and daily habits serve the in-breaking reign of God. This call is both costly and liberating: it detaches identity from achievements and roots it in baptismal belonging. [07:08]
• 3. Baptism anchors a new identity Baptism is not merely remembrance but a present reality that unites believers to Christ’s death and resurrection, granting them an identity that precedes performance. That identity supplies courage to act faithfully in ordinary moments and grounds purpose when circumstances confuse. Living out baptism means daily embodying belonging first, then behavior. [11:03]
• 4. Begin with Scripture before phone Small surface changes—reaching first for the Word instead of a screen—reshape attention, affect, and imagination, producing mornings that move toward purpose rather than reactivity. Five minutes of Scripture recalibrates the heart, so choices throughout the day are informed by God’s kingdom rather than anxiety or rage. These tiny disciplines compound into powerful public witness. [18:00]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:11] - Epiphany: From the Manger to the Mountain
• [00:46] - The Light Dawns
• [01:37] - Galilee: Forgotten and Overlooked
• [03:40] - Isaiah’s Promise Fulfilled
• [04:41] - Jesus Begins in Galilee
• [07:08] - Repent: The Kingdom Is Near
• [09:47] - The Call to Follow
• [10:46] - Baptism and New Identity
• [12:37] - Daily, Ordinary Discipleship
• [13:52] - Healing and the Scattering Darkness
• [17:45] - Practical: Scripture Before Phone
• [19:49] - Practical: Be the Light to Others
• [21:15] - Closing Prayer

Bible reading

Matthew 4:12-23 (ESV)

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Observation questions

1. According to the text, why did Jesus begin his ministry in the region of Galilee? What Old Testament prophecy did this fulfill?
2. What were Jesus’ first spoken words as he began his public ministry? What reason did he give for this command? [07:08]
3. When Jesus called the first disciples, what was their immediate reaction? What specific things did they leave behind to follow him? [10:03]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus began his ministry not in the center of power (Jerusalem) but in Galilee, a place described as forgotten, overlooked, and dwelling in "deep darkness." [04:41] What does this choice reveal about the nature of God's kingdom and the kind of people he prioritizes?
2. The call to "Repent" is presented not as an angry demand, but as an invitation because the kingdom of heaven is finally "within reach." [07:08] How does understanding repentance as a response to good news, rather than a reaction to judgment, change its meaning for you?
3. The disciples dropped their nets "with no contract, no five year plan, no backup strategy." [10:03] What does their radical, trusting response teach us about the nature of following Jesus?
4. Baptism is described as giving us a new identity as a "disciple" and a "child of God." [11:24] How does remembering "I am baptized" [12:13] provide a foundation for your day that is different from trying to figure out who you are based on your performance or feelings?

Application questions

1. We all have our own "Galilee"—places in our lives that feel forgotten, hopeless, or stuck in a season of darkness. [01:02] Where is a "region of darkness" in your life, your family, or your work right now where you need to trust that the light of Jesus is dawning?
2. The disciples were called to drop their nets. What might be a "net" in your life—a comfort, a security, a plan, or even a relationship—that you sense God might be asking you to let go of in order to follow him more fully? [10:30]
3. Daily discipleship often looks like small, ordinary acts of faithfulness, like "being patient when your children are having a meltdown" or "praying for someone who really frustrates you." [13:14] What is one small, seemingly "boring" act of faithfulness you can commit to this week?
4. A simple, practical challenge was given: "Scripture before phone." [18:00] Honestly, what is the first thing you typically reach for in the morning? What is one practical change you could make this week to begin your day with the light of God's Word instead of the light of a screen?
5. We are called not only to receive the light but to "be the light to someone else." [19:49] Who is one person you know who is in a season of darkness? How can you be brave this week and call them to remind them that Jesus has not forgotten them?