The Twin Steeples Podcast

Hymn 308 - Invited, Lord, By Boundless Grace

This weekend we come to the end of the Easter Season. We will also be celebrating the Lord's Supper in our service this weekend. As we do so, we will consider a communion hymn instead of an Easter hymn.

There are several words that we associate with the Lord's Supper. We call it a Sacrament, which is a holy act, instituted by Christ, has an earthly element connected to God's Word, and imparts a blessing from God, namely forgiveness of sin, life and salvation. We also refer to it as Holy Communion based on Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. Lutherans teach the Real Presence of the Lord's Supper, in contrast to the Roman Catholic teaching of Transubstantiation or the Reformed view of Representation. This is the clear teaching of Scripture based on 1 Corinthians 11:23-27, where Paul says that we receive Christ's body and His blood, but also receive with our mouths the earthly elements of bread and wine.

This hymn highlights several important truths about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. First, it reinforces what the Sacrament is. The hymnwriter states: "As Host You spread no common food, here is Your body and Your blood" (verse 1), but also "this bread and cup my lips have pressed" (verse 2). This is the Real Presence.

He also tells us that the Lord's Supper is not an action of man, but of God. We receive the blessings that God gives in this Sacrament. "Where pardon, peace, and life are spent" and "You bless, and my soul is blessed" (verse 2). This blessing from God motivates us and strengthens us for lives of service to Him. "Now let me as Your guest depart... a new life may my offering be" (verse 3).

Our prayer is that God would work in us through His word and sacrament to keep us in the faith until He returns on the last day, when we "as Your heavenly guest, in anthems praise You with the blessed" (verse 4).

This hymn serves to remind us about why we come to the Lord's Table. It teaches us what it is. It assures us of what God offers through it. As such it encourages us to come to the Lord's Supper and receive His blessing for our eternal blessing.

May the LORD bless your worship this weekend, as well as Your reception of His precious sacrament!

 

he Lord's Day is a term found in Revelation, which referred to Sunday. The early Christians called the first day of the week the Lord's Day, because it was on that day that the Lord had risen from the dead. He was the victor! It was now HIS day!

This hymn by Julia Elliott does several creative things. First it uses the Biblical idea of light vs. darkness in each of the verses, tying this concept to three different historical events: The creation of Light, the resurrection of Jesus, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. With each verse she focuses on a different person of the Triune God. And in each verse she points out that we pray that our Triune God would continue His work of bringing light into our dark lives and world through the Gospel. 

Ephesians 5:13-17 serves as part of the basis for this beautiful hymn. There Paul writes: "But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."  

Join us in our study of this hymn and its writer, and as we learn more about the Scriptural foundation and meaning of our hymns so that our use of them would be more beneficial as we gather in worship and use this hymn of praise.

May the LORD bless you as He enlightens you through His word this weekend!

May 28, 2025

• Devotion
  • Ecclesiastes 3:10-15

 

• Announcements
  
  • No Sunday School and Bible Class
  • Sunday Service at 9:00am
  • Rummage Sale
  • Memorial Day Service
  • Ladies' Auxiliary
  • Evening Ambassadors
  • Ascension Day Service
  • Men's Breakfast
  • Ladies Bible Study
  • Congregational Meeting
  • Midweek Bible Study starts next Thursday
  • Delegates' Conference
  • Mission Festival

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Jim Lien
  • Agnes Kopp
  • Ethan Kranz
  • Mark Stelter
  • Mark Schweim
  • Marilyn Timm
  • Professor Joel Gullerud
  • Members at a Distance
  • Mission in Nepal

 

• Common Christian Q &A: Does the Bible approve of slavery?

 

• Hymn: TLH 514 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” 

Sermon - May 25, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on May 25, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

1 John 5:11-15 

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Theme: The Testimony of God Verifies the Truth of the Resurrection
1. A Testimony Verifying Life In His Son 
2. A Testimony Which Gives Confidence in Prayer 

Hymn 194 - Abide with Us, the Day is Waning

The fifth weekend after Easter is known as "Rogate Sunday." Rogate is the Latin word for "prayer." There is a connection between prayer and the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Jesus tells us to pray to the Father "in His name" and other passages of Scripture speak of praying "in the name of Jesus." But what value is prayer "in the name of Jesus" if He is dead? Prayer is only valuable if Jesus is living, interceding on our behalf before the Throne of God. So there is a rich connection between prayer and the celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

This weekend we will be singing a meaningful hymn of Norwegian heritage written by Caspar Boye and based on the resurrection appearance of Jesus to the two men who were walking to the town of Emmaus on the day of Christ's resurrection. The theme of the hymn is taken from their request (prayer) of Jesus: "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." (Luke 24:29)

This hymn highlights the power and value of prayer throughout. We ask: "Incline Thine ear, Thou King of Grace" (v.1). We acknowledge "In prayer devout, before Thee bending" (v.2). We recall "When Thou didst pray: 'Thy will be done'" (v.3). And we pray: "Abide with us" (v.3,4). 

As we have before we focus on the topic of death. Paul declares: "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26) He then continues: "So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54) Thanks be to God!

Savior, strengthen us through the burdens of this sinful world with the confidence in Your victory and in the knowledge that because You live, our prayers in Your name are powerful and effective! Help us to make better use of this precious gift and privilege!

Join us this weekend as we rejoice in these rich blessings of God's grace in Christ! 

May 21, 2025

• Devotion
  • Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

 

• Announcements
  
  • No Sunday School and Bible Class
  • Sunday Service at 9:00am
  • Graduation
  • Thank you to Brandan Heinze
  • Voter's Meeting
  • Women's Study Guild
  • Rummage Sale
  • Church Choir
  • Men's Breakfast
  • Ladies Bible Study
  • Anchored in Hope
  • Memorial Day Service
  • Ascension Day Service
  • Congregational Meetings
  • Delegates' Conference
  • Mission Festival

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Jim Lien
  • Agnes Kopp
  • Mark Stelter
  • Mark Schweim
  • Family of Mary Schierenbeck
  • Expansion Relocation Committee and Comparison Committee
  • Mission in Liberia

 

• Common Christian Q &A: What did they do with offerings in the Old Testament?

 

• Hymn: TLH 521 “What God Ordains Is Always Good”