Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
14205 Ida Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68142
Rev. Lance D. Berndt and Rev. Philip Hale
Church Office (402) 493-1744
Worship Services
Saturday 6:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:15 AM and Bible Study 9:30 AM
Welcome To Zion Lutheran Church
The Mission of Zion Lutheran Church is to reach out to the community as we embrace our fellow members, building on the strength of our heritage in the true Word of God. To this end, Zion's members see themselves as loving Christians called by God to serve Him according to His purpose.
You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. Heb. 12:22-23
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- Published: 07 August 2014
- Last Updated: 27 April 2017
Who Was Martin Luther? Part 4
This is part four of a series written by Rev. Donavon Riley that orginally appeared on the HIgher Things - Dare To be Lutheran website.
After four years at the university in Erfurt, Luther had become "magister atrium", which is what we know as a Master of Liberal Arts. He finished second amongst seventeen students who were candidates to receive a degree that year. By the time young Martin was prepared to test for his degree, he'd devoted four years of study primarily to the classic Greek philosopher, Aristotle and all his works on metaphysics, politics, ethics, and economics.
An exciting part of a student's education at that time happened during the last two years at university. Students learned how to interpret and debate important topics, usually from the works of Aristotle. They also were expected to devote more time to the "quadrivium"—music, arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy.
University was intense for any student. Administration and faculty set high expectations for learning and academic achievement. To make sure everyone was focused on their studies, students lived together in what we call "dorms" under strict supervision. Free time or taking a break from studies was not considered to be a part of a student's daily routine. In fact, university life was very much based on a monastic style of life.
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- Published: 23 July 2017
- Last Updated: 23 July 2017
Pastor's Pen 07/18/2017
“Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Work is hard. Living outside the Garden because of the Fall into sin. Thorns and thistles grow. Work is filled with the sweat of your brow. Peter has been out fishing all night with nothing to show for all his work. An empty boat and a heart filled with frustration.
Work is hard. Working as a parent. (Home.) Working in the Lord's Church. (Kingdom of God.) Working in your community. (Citizen.) Do not go it alone. If you do, the only thing you will find is sweat and frustration. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15)
Peter tried all he could to catch fish only to come up empty. The Lord Jesus proclaimed His Word. “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5) The Word of God gives what it says. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55)
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- Published: 19 July 2017
- Last Updated: 19 July 2017
Hong Kong VBS 2017
These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20
Nine youth and adults traveled to St. Matthews, a Lutheran elementary school in Hong Kong, to teach VBS. Praise be to God for the week at St. Mathews VBS!
Morning of Day 1 VBS at St. Matthews in Hong Kong
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- Published: 18 July 2017
- Last Updated: 18 July 2017
Steadfast Dads - Family Worship
This article by Pastor Rolf Preus originally appeared on the Steadfast Lutheran website on April 10, 2012
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
Bringing your children to church is your first duty. Bringing church to your children is your second duty. The Holy Christian Church is identified by her marks: the pure preaching of the gospel and the right ad-ministration of the sacraments of Christ. The church is where the gospel is proclaimed according to a pure understanding of it and where the sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution. We don’t identify the church by the faith of her individual members. That’s because God alone can see anyone’s faith. We identify the Christian Church by her marks.
What marks the church as the church marks the Christian home as well. We know that a home is a Christian home when the word of Christ marks it. There can be no hard and fast rules about family worship since every family is different and schedules vary from time to time and place to place. Stake out a time and jealously guard it. Then you will have time for family devotions.
The Christian father is the pastor of his own home. It is the father’s duty to lead the family in prayer. This is a simple, but profound, responsibility. Boys need to see their fathers exercise leadership in this area. This is how they learn that worship is a manly thing to do. Little boys are generally taught mostly by women in pub-lic and parochial schools, Sunday schools, and so forth. There is nothing wrong with that. But it is vital that a Christian father not abdicate his responsibility to teach God’s word personally to his children.
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- Published: 17 July 2017
- Last Updated: 20 July 2017
Two Kinds of Righteousness
This 1518 sermon by Martin Luther, full of Scriptural teaching, explains the two ways of justification or obtaining righteousness. The first is in oneself, being and doing good and holy works. The second is only revealed in the mystery of Christ's Gospel: the righteousness of Christ given by faith, so that we are deemed as holy and clean as Christ Himself in the Father's sight. This early writing establishes a clear distinction between internal righteousness (according to God's Law) and external righteousness (by grace through faith) that is fundamental to Lutheran identity.
SERMON ON TWO KINDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Brethren, “have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of god, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” [Phil. 2:5-6]
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- Published: 13 July 2017
- Last Updated: 15 July 2017
Why a Synod?
A Message from Pastor Hale
The question is not how to save our synod, but whether or not the very idea of a synod, united in doctrine, is outdated and irrelevant. We in the LCMS have the proud legacy of a synod with an administration, a bureaucracy, a logo, a headquarters, and various institutions. But what does it mean for a congregation to be a member of such a synod? What does this public fact confess about Christ?
It is easy enough to say: "I have my congregation, what of others." But the congregational principle of fellowship applies also to synod. There can be official members of the local church that do not attend, do not believe the doctrine preached there, and do not support God's work at that location. Membership implies fellowship — a unity in Christ's Word. It actually says something. When a member is clearly not in fellowship with the others, a contradiction exists. Membership cannot be a mere formality. Christianity is not a technicality. God's Word is proclaimed to create faith in Christ, who saved mankind from sin and opens heaven to sinners. Baptism is a precious gift that leads to unity in beliefs, not an excuse to ignore Christ and revel in sin. Fellowship implies unity in the Gospel which saves sinners. This is true at the congregational level as well as at the synodical level.
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- Published: 06 July 2017
- Last Updated: 07 July 2017
Praying for Zion Youth Trips
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. - John 8:31-32
Hong Kong: July 8-17
9 youth and adults will go teach VBS at a Lutheran elementary school, St. Matthews, in Hong Kong. Pray for safe travels and that God would use them to futher His kingdom.
Higher Things: July 24-28
19 youth and adults will travel to Valparaiso, Indiana, for a youth conference.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:16-17
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- Published: 05 July 2017
- Last Updated: 05 July 2017
Tour the Cradle of the Lutheran Reformation
The Luther Mile, Part 1, records a tour of historic Reformation sites in Wittenberg, Germany, as LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison provides informative anecdotes during a tour of historic Reformation sites at the cradle of the Lutheran Reformation – Lutherstadt, Wittenberg, in Germany.
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- Published: 02 July 2017
- Last Updated: 02 July 2017
Vacation Bible School 2017
During this summer's Zion Mighty Fortress VBS, children learned that in Jesus, the victory is won! They looked into the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and explored Bible accounts about God, our Mighty Fortress and sure defense, and the victory Jesus has won for us.
"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
A great big thank you goes out to everyone that helped make our Vacation Bible School a success this year.You are all amazing people! Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts and your lovefor the Lord with us!
Donations from the VBS went to Rev. David and Jennifer Preus, serving the Lord in the Dominican Republic. You can read more about the Preus family and their ministry here and here.
Photos and Podcasts are available by clicking the Read More button.
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- Published: 24 June 2017
- Last Updated: 08 July 2017
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