The Twin Steeples Podcast

Hymn 136 - Angels from the Realms of Glory

The Christmas Season is twelve days long (the "12 days of Christmas), going from December 25th to January 6th which is Epiphany. The hymn that we are studying today bridges both of those Christian festivals nicely. In the famous hymn by James Montgomery, "Angels from the Realms of Glory" we review the Christmas account of the angels and shepherds from Luke 2, as well are the Epiphany account of the wise men from Matthew chapter 2. This hymn even brings in the account of Jesus' presentation in the temple 40 days after His birth, and the joyful response of the faithful believers Simeon and Anna (the Presentation of Jesus is celebrated on February 5th).

This hymn successively incorporates all creatures – the angels (verse 1), the shepherds (verse 2), the wise men (verse 3), believers (verse 4), and all people (verse 5 - not in our hymnal) – in the call to “come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King!” The text was originally in five stanzas, although many hymnals now delete the fifth stanza which is a wonderful review of why Christmas was so important. The missing fifth stanza is:

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence;
Mercy calls you, break your chains;
Come and worship, Come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.

Come and Worship! Worship the one who has come for you, to fulfill divine justice through His life and death and brought you salvation! Join the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and the saints of the past and the saints who are your fellow believers, in worshipping Him! Worship Christ, the New-born King!

December 24, 2025

Devotion

• 2 Corinthians 8:9

 

Announcements

• 5th-8th Christmas Party
• Ladies Ugly Sweater Party
• Christmas Break
• Church Board Updates
• No Men’s Breakfast
• Ladies Bible Study 
• Egon Mutzke Victory Service
• Weekend Worship
  • No Bible Class or Sunday School this weekend
• Gym Floor Refinishing
• New Year's Eve Service
• New Year's Day Service
• Upcoming Voters' Meetings

 

Prayer List 

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Becky
• Mutzke Family
• Bob Heller
• School Teachers and Helpers
• Three Full-Time Missionaries

 

Common Christian Q&A

• Is there a natural explanation to the Christmas Star?

 

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 96 TLH "Oh, Rejoice, Ye Christians, Loudly"

Sermon - December 21, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on December 21, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

Sermon Text: Matthew 1:19-25 (NKJV)

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

Theme: O Come, O Immanuel

Repost: Hymn 75 - Ye Sons of Men, Oh Hearken

This weekend we come to the last Sunday in Advent, which is a time of reflection on our sin and our need for a Savior. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for the Savior through a preaching of "repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:4), so we also prepare through repentance over our sin.

In the hymn "Ye Sons of Men, Oh, Hearken" we are reminded of the need for sinners to receive forgiveness through the work of Jesus. Without Jesus there can be no forgiveness, no hope of eternal life. God desires the salvation of every sinner, which is why He planned salvation through the incarnation and death of His own Son. He also sends His Spirit to work in our hearts to prepare us for receiving that gift, through true understanding of our sin, sorrow over it, and faith in Jesus' work for us. Through His Law and Gospel, this important work of preparation is carried out. "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:6).

With Valentinus Thilo, we join in praying:

"Prepare my heart, Lord Jesus,
Turn not from me aside, 
And grant that I receive Thee
This blessed Advent-tide.
From stall and manger low
Come Thou to dwell within me;
Loud praises will I sing Thee
And forth Thy glory show."

May the LORD prepare each of us through true repentance and faith in Jesus during this Advent season and always, and enable us to thank Him through the loud praises we offer Him in our worship and with our lives!

December 17, 2025

Devotion

• Ecclesiastes 10:16-20

 

Announcements

• Church Council
• ERC Presentation
• Kiwanis Lights
• Advent Service
• Ladies Auxiliary
• Board of Deacons
• Board of Elders
• Church Choir
• Men’s Breakfast
• Ladies Bible Study 
• 5th - 8th Christmas Party
• Weekend Worship
• Ladies Ugly Sweater Party
• Christmas Eve Practices
• Christmas Eve Children's Service
• Christmas Day Service

 

Prayer List 

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Becky
• Erin Breegeman
• Bob Heller
• Pastor Naumann's Call to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Phoenix, AZ
• High School Social Studies Teacher Ben Hanel
• 7th-8th Grade Teacher Julie Busch
• Mission in DR Congo CCLC and ECLSAFA

 

Common Christian Q&A

• If everyone in the world came from Adam and Eve then why are their people of different colors and ethnicities?

 

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 580 “To Thee, Our God, We Fly”