The Twin Steeples Podcast

Sermon - November 30, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on November 30, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 11:2 (NKJV)

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

Theme: O Come, O Wisdom

Hymn 75 - Ye Sons of Men, Oh, Hearken

This weekend we are entering a new church year with the season of Advent. Advent means "coming" and is a season of preparation for the celebration of the coming Savior at Christmas. It is also a time of reflection and repentance. 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!

Hymn 30 - Oh, that I had a Thousand Voices

Today we have a special Thanksgiving edition of our hymn series. Today we are studying a hymn by Lutheran Pastor, Johnann Mentzer. Mentzer was also familiar with suffering and tragedy. Yet, his faith in the true God led him to have great joy in the face of these tragedies and to reflect on the many ways in which God had blessed him in his life, and the many blessings he had to look forward to being fulfilled in the future. Originally this hymn included 15 stanzas, ten of which are included in our hymnal, but in two different hymns (TLH 30 and 243).  

This hymn of praise highlights the blessings which God has richly bestowed on us. Like the man delivered from evil spirits, we sing of the "great things God hath done for me."

All of creation declares God's praise. From the forest leaves, to the meadow grasses and flowers, as well as the animal creation of sea creatures, birds and land animals, they have been created "to show His praise alone,
 With me now make His glory known."

All of this moves the Christian, the one who has come to know God's love which is shown in all these ways, to "tell, while I am living,  Thy goodness forth with every breath And greet each morning with thanksgiving Until my heart is still in death." 

Join us for Thanksgiving worship as we sing our praises to the Triune God for all the great things He has done for us!

May the LORD bless your joyful worship in thankfulness for all He has done for you!

November 26, 2025

Devotion

• Psalm 100

Announcements

• Immanuel Service Organization (Wednesday 6-7:00pm)
• Drama Performances - Friday and Saturday
• Church Choir (Wednesday. 5:15pm)
• Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday 6pm)
• Pie Palooza (Wednesday 7pm)
• Thanksgiving Day (10am)
• NO Men’s Breakfast on Friday
• Ladies Bible Study (Friday 7:00 pm)
• Church Decorating (Saturday 9am)
• Weekend Service (First Sunday in Advent)
  • Advent - The Great “O” Antiphons
  • Bible Class: Moses review and 40 years in the wilderness
  • Sunday School: Joseph in Egypt
• Outreach meeting (Tuesday 7pm)
• Janitor position
• Kiwanis Volunteers
• School report

Prayer List

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Kathy Greve’s Sister Becky - Uterine Cancer
• Sharon Roubal
• Judy Mielke
• Elanie Carstensen
• Kathy Greve - Back Pain Issues

Prayer Highlight

• Church Leaders
  • Kevin Schrader (High School Science and Math)
  • Debra Mayhew (1st and 2nd Grade teacher)
• CLC Missions
  • Missionary Ohlmann
  • Nigeria (West Africa)

Hymn of the Day:

• TLH 36 “Now Thank we all our God”

Sermon - November 23, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on October 19, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

Sermon Text: Luke 13:24-30 (NKJV)

24  Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  25  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’  26  then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’  27  But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’  28  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  29  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  30  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.

Theme: Come Home Through the Narrow Gate