For Many Years, Oh God of Grace!

"The purpose of this congregation is to share the true Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, throughout our membership, our communities and the world."

 

Zion is....a congregation of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The LCMS was chartered in 1847 and Zion joined Synod in 1880. 

Zion was chartered in 1873 and is one of the oldest continuous congregations of the LCMS between here and the west coast. 

Zion is....a Christ centered, Bible believing congregation. Based on the tenets of the Lutheran Reformation - Grace Alone, Faith Alone and Scripture Alone - Zion's focus is always the blood that Christ has shed for us.

Zion is....a congregation committed to Christian education and youth. Even before having their first pastor, classes were being held in a sod cabin.

Zion is....a rural congregation with great diversity. Locally, Zion draws members from Aurora, Bradshaw, Hampton, Henderson,  Hordville, Grand Island, Marquette, Polk, Sutton and York. The diversity of the congregation is reflected in the occupational pursuits of Zion's members.

Zion is....a mission minded church having shared members to start Immanuel, Polk: Salem and St. Peter, Hampton; and having helped St. Paul, Central City. Mission starts were considered in Bradshaw and Sutton. Currently Zion is sponsoring a preaching station in Aurora. Mission groups at Zion have been active in Gospel outreach and support as well as social ministry.

                                                                                 

                                                                                                                     

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE UNALTERED AUGSBURG CONFESSION 1873-2016

SPANNING THREE CENTURIES IN MISSION AND MINISTRY

PEOPLE OF

CHRIST

WITH A MESSAGE

OF

HOPE

 

 

Date: March 13, 2024, Lent 5 Midweek Service
Text: John 17:8a, 9, 14a, 17
Title: “Disciples and the Word”
Introduction: “2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”
(Philippians 1:2). Amen. The text for the Lent 5 Midweek Service is taken from our Gospel
reading, “8a [Jesus said] “I have given [My disciples] the words that you gave me, and they
have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you…9 I am praying
for them…for they are yours…14a I have given them your word…17 Sanctify them in the
truth; your word is truth.”
After Jesus’ departs the upper room with Peter, James, and John, He travels to the
Garden of Gethsemane on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. Jesus’ time had come to complete
His work of salvation and return to His Father in heaven. These words in our text are part of
what is known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer—the last long prayer that He said with His disciples
before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot in Gethsemane.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples: As He prays, Jesus’ thoughts turn to His followers,
whom He loves so dearly and is about to leave. He entrusts them into the Father’s hands. Up to
this point in His ministry, Jesus has guarded them. For the past three years, the disciples have
been with Jesus continually. They have heard all his preaching and teaching and they have
witnessed all the miracles Jesus has performed. But now that He is returning to the Father, the
Holy Spirit will keep them faithful and safe in the truth.
But where will the disciples find that safety? In God’s Word! The disciples could
depend on Jesus’ Word, which was also the Father’s Word. The disciples had Jesus teach them
God’s Word for about three years, which was more intensive than any formal education they
could’ve received. But Jesus also taught them so they could teach us—so that they could hand on
2
what they learned from Him. This occurred in both the form of the New Testament they wrote
and in the everyday life of the Church. They helped explain, “This is how Jesus wants us to do
things” as the baby Chrisian church got going in the First Century.
Through that Word Jesus taught the disciples, they were separated from this
unbelieving world and consecrated to God. As followers of God’s Word, however, the disciples
were hated by the unbelieving world. They were not part of the world any longer, just as Jesus
was not part of the world. When Jesus was on trial in the following days, Pontius Pilate asked
Jesus, “33b Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 19:33b) “36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not
of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I
might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 19:36)
Jesus did not pray for God to take the disciples out of the world and keep them safe.
They had work to do for God following Jesus’ departure 40 days after His resurrection. He
prayed that God might keep them safe for the evil one and his ways, as we hear in 1 John 5,
“18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was
born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18) In carrying on
their mission from God, the disciples would face fierce, hellish opposition. While in this world,
they could expect no less opposition than Jesus had encountered when they were with Him.
This Great Treasure: As the result of their work, we now have this great treasure of
God’s own Word, in our possession today. We have it in printed form, in many different easy to
read translations. We have it as audio files to listen to while we’re driving and in online formats
to read on your phone, tablet, laptop, or PC on your desk. We can hear God speaking to us any
time we want—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  More importantly, we can grow closer to God and come to know Him intimately as our
own dear Father. God makes Himself available to us in His Word. What Jesus is to the Father,
His disciples today are to Jesus. The Father sent His Son into the world. Now the Son sends His
disciples into the world. Jesus consecrated Himself to win our salvation so we might be
consecrated in His truth. What could possibly be better than getting to know our Lord Jesus
Christ, who died for us and rose again, because He loves us so much? Absolutely nothing in this
world, we live in but are not part of!
Conclusion: Please join me as we close in prayer this evening, “O God, You make the
minds of Your disciples to be of one will. Grant that we, as Your faithful disciples today, may
love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of
this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” And
all God’s beloved disciples said, Amen.
“7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Amen.