The Twin Steeples Podcast

January 15, 2025

• Devotion
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

 

• Announcements
  • Sunday School and Bible Class
  • ERC Meeting
  • Church Council
  • Voters Meeting - January 20 - 7pm
  • Outdoor Adventure Day
  • Whitewater Retreat
  • College Bible Study

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Jim Lien
  • Margaret Fraze
  • Dan Hanel
  • Rebecca Schaller
  • Lilia Howley
  • Jeff Strand
  • Scott Osbourne
  • Eli Baumann
  • Shut-ins
  • Mission in Bangladesh

 

• Hymn 604 “Great God, What do I See and Hear?”

Hymn 126 - Arise and Shine in Splendor

On January 6 the church has celebrated Epiphany, which brings the Christmas season to a close. Epiphany has been called "Christmas for the Gentiles" since the theme of Epiphany is about the Gospel (and salvation) being intended for all people. We see this in the account of the visit of the Wise Men, which is usually the Gospel reading for the festival of Epiphany. This week we study the Epiphany hymn "Arise and Shine in Splendor" (Hymn 126 in The Lutheran Hymnal), written by Martin Opitz in the seventeenth century. Martin was born and educated in Germany and was a professor of philosophy and literature. This is the only hymn in our hymnal that was written by him.  

You might notice something strange about this hymn. Although this is an Epiphany hymn which is about the revelation of God's glory in the person of Jesus, the name "Jesus" is not mentioned once in this hymn. Nor will you find the term Christ, Savior or any other familiar description for Jesus. The reason for this is that the hymn is based on Isaiah 60:1-6 which states: "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising."

This hymn is written from the perspective of an Old Testament believer. The Old Testament believers would not have known the name "Jesus." This hymn is about the general work of the LORD (the Triune God) to shine the LIGHT of salvation in a world that was dying in DARKNESS. The language of this hymn is colorful and brings out the Biblical contrast between light and darkness and God's love of all people and desire that ALL people come to faith and are saved from sin and death. 

This hymn is not as Christological as many of our other hymns, but uses descriptive language to describe how God has given us all a natural knowledge that He exists, so that we might seek and find the true God in His revealed Word. It also reminds us of the joy that is ours when we come to know Jesus as our Savior. People of all "nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues" (Revelation 7:10) will be brought to faith and share in the Savior's joys in heaven. Thanks be to God!

Join us as we study this hymn about God's desire to save all people, Jew and Gentile alike, and the joy that is ours when we are brought into His Light of salvation!

January 8, 2025

• Devotion
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4

 

• Announcements
  • Sunday School and Bible Class
  • College Bible Study
  • Church Council
  • Voters Meeting - January 20 - 7pm

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Margaret Fraze
  • Families who have lost loved ones this past year
  • Mission Helper Trip to Nepal

 

• Common Christian Q&A 
  • Isn't Christmas based on a pagan holiday? 

 

• Hymn 417 “How Can I Thank Thee, Lord”

Hymn 371 - Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness

This week we study the hymn "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" (Hymn 371 in The Lutheran Hymnal), written by Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf in 1739. While Zinzendorf was a prolific hymn writer, penning over 2,000 hymns, we only have two of his hymns in The Lutheran Hymnal (this hymn and hymn 410). This is by far the greatest hymn that he wrote.

In this hymn, Zinzendorf points us to the all-sufficient work of Jesus which is for ALL people. This hymn originally had 33 verses, and was cut down to 24 verses when it was translated into English by John Wesley. The seven verses that we have in our hymnal are theologically rich presentations on the Atonement of Jesus for sinners, and the doctrine of Universal Justification (God declared all people not guilty through the work of Jesus). This doctrine of Universal Justification is in contrast to the false teaching of Limited Atonement, which teaches that Jesus only died for the sins of SOME people, not ALL people. The Apostle Paul clearly teaches Universal Justification writing: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19 see also 2 Peter 2:1). 

Throughout this hymn Zinzendorf points the sinner not to him or herself, but to Jesus, about whom Peter proclaims: "you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1:18-21). Thanks be to God!

May the LORD bless your worship this weekend!

January 2, 2025

• Devotion
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28

 

• Announcements
  • Sunday School and Bible Class
  • Communion this Weekend
  • School Resumes
  • Outreach Committee Meeting

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Family of Marlene Hanel
  • Margaret Fraze
  • CLC Leaders
  • Mission in India

 

• Hymn 460 "Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone”