The Twin Steeples Podcast

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” 

Sermon - May 18, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on May 18, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

John 21:20-25

 

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?" 24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

 

Theme: Comparison Is the Thief of Joy
1. God Gives a Variety of Blessings
2. True Joy Come from Following Christ

Hymn 196 - I Am Content! My Jesus Liveth Still

We continue in our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus again this weekend. One of the hymns we will be singing this weekend is a German hymn from the 1700's written by Johann Moller. 

This hymn weaves in many New Testament Bible passages and does a beautiful job of showing us what the resurrection of Jesus actually means for us. As we saw two weeks ago, this hymn also begins and ends each verse with the emphatic declaration: "I am content!" 

The death and resurrection of Jesus is able to give us greater contentment than the knowledge that He cares for our physical needs. He cares even more about our spiritual needs. To guarantee this Jesus "fulfilled the law of God for me" (v.1). In addition to His perfect life, Jesus also paid our sin debt through His own death on Calvary's cross. Then He rose from the dead, bringing death into subjection to Him and releasing believers from its power. 

Jesus is my Lord and is a good and gracious leader and ruler who desires and accomplishing "my soul's release" (v.3), and promises to bring us to Heaven. He is also the Light of the World, which offers sinners "sweet comfort, hope and peace" (v.4).

Finally we return to the topic of death. Through His own death, Jesus has sanctified death and the grave of His saints, and in the resurrection from the dead will destroy the power of death over His redeemed children. In the resurrection from death "we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Yes, "I am content!" The resurrection of Jesus gives the greatest hope and peace!   

Join us in our study of this hymn and as we join to sing this hymn in our worship this weekend. Christ's resurrection gives us the greatest contentment of all! 

May 14, 2025

• Devotion
  • Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

 

• Announcements
  
  • Sunday School and Bible Class
  • Board of Elders
  • Church Choir
  • Men's Breakfast
  • Graduation Service
  • Ladies Bible Study
  • Anchored in Hope
  • Recessed Voters' Meeting
  • Women's Study Guild
  • Rummage Sale
  • Memorial Day Service
  • Ascension Day Service
  • Delegates' Conference
  • Mission Festival

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Jim Lien
  • Lilia Howley
  • Mark Stelter
  • Family of Nila Strege
  • Family of Mary Schierenbeck
  • Christian Parents
  • Mission in Congo

 

• Common Christian Q &A: Why is the Bible not organized chronologically?

 

• Hymn: LSB 854 “Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go”