Rev. Dr. Jonathan Blanke, Senior Pastor
Pastor’s Corner for January 11-17, 2026
A Little Bit of Easter Every Day
(Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6:1-4)
I don’t know about you, but a problem I face is that it’s so easy for me to relegate Holy Baptism to a rite of the church that’s over and done with and truly doesn’t matter for me TODAY. Jesus’ baptism is proof Jesus came to “fulfil all righteousness” by His obedience to the Father…obedience that would culminate in His death on a cross. It was all so that today and every day we might be called obedient children of the Father. We have been “baptized into [Jesus’] death” so that today and every day “we might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). Every day we have a clean slate! Every day Jesus’ triumph over sin and death is our triumph, too! Because of what was revealed on Jesus’ baptism day—and what was accomplished on ours—you can even say we enjoy a little bit of Easter every day.
We all know Jesus isn’t a Son of God the way you and I are God’s sons and daughters. One pastor I know put it like this: Jesus was the “genetic” Son of God (or think of it like we say in the Nicene Creed…that He is “one substance with the Father”) while you and I are “adopted” children of God. His baptism was not a time of change for Him. It was, instead, a day of REVELATION: A day the Father’s voice from heaven would say, “This is my beloved Son” (Matt 3:17)! Our baptism day—on the other hand—would be a day God would seal the promise of his adoption of us as His children. As unrighteous people, we are not worthy of another person’s love let alone the love of our heavenly Father. But baptism is the place where the Father’s word spoken over Jesus (“This is my beloved Son!”) reveals His claim on us as His very own dearly beloved children in Christ. As a father, I remember how dear it was to hold our son Joel on my shoulders or “wrestle” with him at the end of the day when I got home from work. I remember, when our daughter Sarah was just learning how to walk, holding her in my arms and dancing with her around the kitchen to a song she seemed to enjoy. Maybe one way or another, the world is telling you that you don’t measure up, that you’re not beautiful enough, not popular enough, not rich enough, not smart enough, or not athletic enough to be loved. That you’re not worthy to be called God’s child. But even the most tender…the most sacrificial love of a parent for his or her child here on earth pales in comparison with God’s love for us (and all the baptized)! In Holy Baptism, Jesus has fulfilled all righteousness. In our baptism, God grabbed hold of us and said, “This is my beloved son!” “This is my beloved daughter!” In Christ Jesus, nothing and no one can take that promise away from us.
Easter Sunday is still many days away on the calendar. But as you live out these early weeks of 2026 I invite you to see every day as a “little Easter,” because of Jesus. We consider ourselves dead to sin, and alive to God. After all, in Christ Jesus we have a heavenly Father who loves us with no strings attached…and will never let go.
Thank You
On behalf of all the Resurrection Lutheran Staff, I would like to offer up heartfelt thanks for the kindness and love of our congregation in the gifts we received at the end of the year. We are all so blessed to serve a community where we are loved and supported so faithfully! All the best to our beloved brothers and sisters in Jesus again in 2026…
Peace and joy,
Pastor Jonathan
Pastor Jonathan Blanke grew up in Richmond, Virginia. He received his Bachelor's degree from College of William and Mary in Virginia and attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned a Masters of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biblical Studies, Book of John. He served as a Vicar at Messiah Lutheran Church in Richardson, Texas.
The Blanke family lived in Japan while he served as pastor and missionary to Okinawa Lutheran Church and taught Biblical Studies at Japan Lutheran College in Tokyo.
Pastor Jonathan lived in southern Maryland from January 2014 to November 2019 and was thankful to have served as the Sole Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington Park, Maryland.
He and his wife, Juli, have two grown children. In his free time, Jonathan likes to travel, "play around" on the piano, and enjoy the outdoors.
Click HERE to view a brief video from Pastor Jonathan.