This weekend we take a break from the season of the church year to reflect on the rich instruction that we find on the doctrine of the Lord's Supper in one of our Communion hymns.

The doctrine of the Lord's Supper is a very important and serious doctrine. The proper understanding and use of it has great implications in a Christian's life. Paul says:

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

The hymn we are studying this weekend is 305 in The Lutheran Hymnal: "Soul, Adorn Thyself with Gladness." This hymn was written by a Lutheran laymen in the 1600's, who studied law, but also was concerned about the study of Christian doctrine and used his gifts to write many hymns reflecting on those Christian doctrines.

In this hymn he reflects on the joy that is ours in being able to receive the Lord's Supper. He reminds us what it is that we are receiving here: A precious treasure from God that cannot be purchased with any thing on this earth. Only His blood could win it, and He offers it to us by His grace.

He also correctly teaches the doctrine of Christ's real presence, that Jesus tells us that we receive His very body and blood, with the bread and the wine of the Lord's Supper. The elements of bread and wine do not merely symbolize His body and blood, Jesus says: "This IS my body... this is my blood of the new covenant" (Matthew 26:26-28).

While our reason cannot comprehend this truth, it does not change Jesus' clear words and Paul's warning.

May the LORD lead us to a deep yearning and hunger for this Sacrament because of the promises of Jesus to sinners such as us. We should take our preparation for the Lord's Supper seriously, we should treat it with the respect that it is due, but we should also receive it with absolute joy and with the confidence that forgiveness, life and salvation are mine in and through it!

LORD, bless our mediation on Your promises and gifts in this sacrament and receive them eagerly, often, and with great joy!

Devotion

• Romans 1:1-4

Announcements

• Whitewater Youth Camp
• Church Board Reorganization Meeting
• Outreach Committee Meeting
• Ladies' Auxiliary
• Board of Education
• Church Choir
• Men's Breakfast
• No Ladies Bible Study
• Virtual Women’s Retreat Watch Party
• Weekend Worship
  • Bible Class - Death and Resurrection of Jesus
  • Sunday School - Joseph Makes Himself Known
• Installation of Church Officers and Board Members
• Recessed Voters' Meeting
• Veteran's Memorial Bridge Closing
• Ash Wednesday - February 18

Prayer List

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Becky
• Phyllis Brandt
• Mary Schweim
• ERC Work
• CLC Mission in Philippines

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 347 “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”

Devotion

• Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

Announcements

• Annual Voters' Meeting Recap
• Women's Book Club
• Church Choir
• Men's Breakfast
• Whitewater Youth Camp
• No Ladies Bible Study
• Weekend Worship
  • Bible Class - The Ministry of Jesus
  • Sunday School - Joseph’s Brothers come to Egypt and Joseph Tests His Brothers
• Installation of Church Officers and Board Members
• Veteran's Memorial Bridge Closing
• Recessed Voters' Meeting
• Ash Wednesday - February 18

Prayer List

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Becky
• Phyllis Brandt
• Whitewater Camp
• Alice Naumann Family
• Christian Persecution
• Political Unrest
• CLC Mission in Pakistan
• New Board Members

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 283 “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on January 18, 2026. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

Sermon Text: John 1:43-51 (NKJV)

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Theme: Prove It!

1. The Invitation: “Come and See” 2. The Affirmation: “I Saw You” 3. The Future Vision: “You Shall See”

As we continue in the Epiphany season we move to another theme in this season and that is Jesus' invitation to the world to come to Him. Just as the Wise Men were "invited" to come and see and worship Jesus, so this invitation is for all people. This weekend we will hear and read examples of that invitation which Jesus offers to the world of sinners.

The hymn we are studying this weekend is 277 in The Lutheran Hymnal: "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say." This hymn was written by a Scottish pastor, Horatius Bonar, who was compelled to write hymns that children could understand. You will see in this hymn a very simple style and simple concepts drawn from three different statements and invitations of Jesus:

• Matthew 11:28 - “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The first verse is based on Jesus' invitation in Matthew, for rest which only He can give.

• John 4:14 - “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The second verse is based on Jesus' words to the Woman of Samaria about the Life that He alone offers through His Word.

• John 8:12 - Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

The third verse is based on the words of Jesus in John 8 about the Light that He brings to the dark world because of sin and death.

Each of these invitations is followed by the Christian's response to that invitation, by God's grace, and describes what we receive from Him as a result of His life and death for us, and the gifts He offers us in His Word and Sacrament.

Lord, lead us to listen to and respond to Your invitation of Grace, that we might receive Your rich blessings!

May the LORD bless your reflection on this truth this weekend.

Devotion

• Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Announcements

• Special Voters' Meeting
• Board of Deacons Meeting
• Church Choir
• Church Council
• Men's Breakfast
• Ladies Bible Study
• Weekend Worship
  • Bible Class - The Birth of Jesus
  • Sunday School - Joseph Becomes Ruler of Egypt
• Annual Voters' Meetings
• Whitewater Youth Camp

Prayer List

• Pastor John Hein
• Pastor Tim Wheaton
• Jim Lien
• Becky
• Eunice Mutzke
• Naumann Family
• Christian Persecution
• Political Unrest
• Men and Women Leaders at Immanuel
• CLC Mission in Myanmar

Hymn of the Day

• TLH 596 “This Body in the Grave We Lay”

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on January 11, 2026. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (NKJV)

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Theme: It's not the Container, it's the Contents!

On January 6th the church celebrates Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation or revelation, and looks at how Jesus was revealed as the worlds Savior. That begins with the revelation to the Wise Men through a star God sent to announce Him and to guide the Wise Men to Him.

This weekend we will be studying that revelation, both to the Wise Men and to us. We are studying hymn 718 in the Worship Supplement or 130 in The Lutheran Hymnal: O Jesus, King of Glory. This hymn was written by Lutheran Pastor, Martin Behm about two generations after Martin Luther.

The hymn recounts the Biblical account of the Wise Men, and connect them to us today.

There are several themes in this hymn that are worth paying attention to. First, note the emphasis on Jesus as King and the Kingdom that He opens to us. But Jesus is unlike and more than just any earthly King. The Wise Men came looking for "the King of the Jews" but knew that Jesus was also the King of all Kings. The gifts they brought reveal they understood He was a King (gold), that He was true God (frankincense) and that He would die (myrrh). We find this theme in all five verses which we will be studying.

The second theme revolves around the star. God used a star to reveal that the Savior had been born, but also used it to direct the Wise Men to the very place where Jesus was. Behm reveals that, like the Wise Men, God has revealed this truth to us as well. Not by a physical star or light in the sky, but by the light of His revealed Word. God's Word is given to reveal Jesus as King and Savior, and guide us to believe in Him, and worship Him as our Savior. Make use of that Star, just as the faithful Wise Men did!

The hymn includes a prayer to Jesus to guard, guide us in our lives, until we are finally called into that eternal Kingdom of glory, to be with our King of Glory for eternity.

Wise Men still seek Jesus, though His Word and Sacrament, and worship Him as King and Savior.

May the LORD bless your worship of Jesus the King of Glory, this weekend!