The Twin Steeples Podcast

Sermon - April 26, 2026

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on April 26, 2026. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:26-31 (NKJV)

Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Theme: The LORD is the Strength of the Weak and Weary 

Hymn 784 - Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me

This weekend is Confirmation Sunday as we continue the Christian practice of almost 2,000 years, of receiving people who have been instructed in the truths of the Christian faith into communicant fellowship of the Church by profession of that faith. 

The young people who will be making a public profession of their faith this weekend chose the following hymn as their Confirmation hymn. Hymn 784 in the Worship Supplement was written by Julia von Hausmann, and is entitled: "Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me." It is certainly appropriate for that setting, and also serves as a reminder of how appropriate it is for each of us in our lives of faith. 

One of the incredible aspects of the choice of this hymn is how well it incorporates all four of the confirmation passages for our confirmands. Those passages are:

• Psalm 23 - The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
• Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
• Romans 15:13 - Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Proverbs 3:5-7 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 

Thanks be to the LORD, who makes these promises to these young people and as He continues to fulfill the promises that He has made to each of us through the work of Jesus!

April 22, 2026

Devotion

• Romans 3:19-26

 

Announcements

• Quarterly Voters' Meeting
• Women's Study Guild
• Church Choir
• Men's Breakfast
• Ladies' Bible Study
• Cemetery Clean Up 
• Weekend Worship Services
  • Confirmation Sunday
  • No Bible Class
  • Sunday School - Jesus Calms the Storm
• Board of Education
• Ladies' Auxiliary

 

Prayer List 

• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Lynette Roehl
• Becky
• Mark Geiger
• Steve Groth
• Merl
• Encouraging others at Immanuel
• Senior Class Trip
• Missionary Ohlmann

 

Common Christian Q&A

• How were the books of the Bible selected? And why were some books left out?

 

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 375 “If Thy Beloved Son, O God” 

Sermon - April 19, 2026

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on April 19, 2026. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

 

Sermon Text: Micah 7:14-20 (NKJV)

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old. 15 "As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders." 16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf. 17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, And shall fear because of You. 18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. 20 You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old.

 

Theme: The LORD Shepherds His People

1. With Power and Strength
2. With Compassion and Mercy

Hymn 783 - Jesus, Shepherd of the Sheep

This weekend is the Second Sunday after Easter, which is known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." There are some beautiful and rich connections to Jesus the Good Shepherd and the Season of Easter. For example Jesus says: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:11-18) 

During Lent we focused on the willingness of Jesus to "lay down His life" for His sheep. During Easter we focus on His power to "take it again." He is risen! He has power over sin, death and even Satan himself. With that confidence in Jesus' victory and power we proclaim “none can take us from Your hand” (783:2).

This hymn, which was written by Irish Presbyterian, Henry Cooke, also emphasizes that we are saved by God's grace, not our own doing. The phrases "By Your life salvation wrought" (v.3) and "Father, draw us to Your Son" (v.4) especially emphasize God's grace which saves us. We are the sheep of His pasture. It is His love, His power that redeems and calls us, and which protects us. Thanks be to our Good Shepherd!

May the LORD bless your worship this weekend, as we rejoice in the life that is ours because of Jesus, our Good Shepherd!