0:00 One, welcome to Maranatha Bible Church on this glorious resurrection Sunday. He is risen. He is risen indeed. Folks, I wanna welcome you to this Lord's Day service. Church family, welcome.
0:21 Friends and guests from across the country, we are so glad that you are here with us to celebrate and the ex and to exalt the risen King of Kings and Lord of Lords with us this afternoon. As we begin our service, I would like to read from Romans chapter 10 verses nine through 13. And may the words of God fan the flame of affection in your heart today as we prepare to worship him. Paul says to the church in Rome, Romans chapter 10 starting at verse nine, because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your hearts that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified.
1:12 And with the mouth, one confesses and is saved. For the scripture says, everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same lord is lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
1:34 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Church, this is our confession. Jesus Christ is Lord. And today of all days, I I wanna remind you that what we do here, we do not do an isolation. We are part of the global body of Christ.
1:53 So we join with our brothers and sisters in Africa. We join with those in the underground church in The Middle East, imprisoned in China, in Korea, in the in the jungles of South American and Indonesia. We join with our brothers and sisters across this world and we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And today, if you do not have that personal relationship with Jesus, if you do not know, if you have not experienced the saving work of the cross, may today be the day of your salvation. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
2:41 May that be you this afternoon. Church, will you please stand with me? Father, we thank you. Lord, we come before you with hearts filled with gratitude, overflowing with thanksgiving as we celebrate this resurrection day, as we join with the global church and say that Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
3:10 Father, we thank you for the reconciliation work that Christ did on cross, but Lord, we thank you that the cross is empty. Lord, we thank you that the tomb is empty and that our Lord and savior is right now interceding on our behalf with you. Lord, we celebrate Christ today. May our hearts as one exalts Christ today. Lord, I pray for everyone here.
3:37 May we join in saying, Lord, we incline our hearts to your testimonies. Help us in that to see and savor Jesus Christ through the words that are proclaimed in your gospels, in your word, in the scripture. And Lord, I pray for all of us that you open our eyes to behold wondrous things out of your word. May you unite our hearts to fear your name. And Lord, may you satisfy our souls with more of you.
4:04 In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Church, will you join us in singing together?
8:32 Stand with us as we sing.
22:17 Well, I've been asked to ask you if you could generously if you can squeeze in just a little bit. If you look around, we have a very packed place today, which we are so grateful for, that on a Sunday afternoon, we can come and fill this place with our praises unto the living Christ. So thank you. If you can squeeze in a little bit just so others who are standing in the back can sit, that is a great thing you can do for us. Well, it's my chance to say Christ is risen.
22:45 He is risen indeed. Amen. He is. Welcome you specifically to this local body called Maranatha Bible Church. We're grateful again that you can join us.
22:57 For the members, welcome. For the visitors, welcome. We're so blessed that we can do this, on this day. And just a few announcements. Nothing too much before we continue to sing.
23:07 This is not obviously the only time that we meet. We meet also on Wednesdays at 07:00 to pray as a church. And so if you would want to join us to pray specifically, and you're saying, well, what does that look like? It looks like people praying. We pray here in the sanctuary.
23:21 There's, little of anything else that happens starting at 07:00, and we lift our voices, and we ask God to help us in various ways. And last week was very special because, we we had so many people give in reports. And if you if you can't make it on Wednesdays, but you have a prayer request, you can go on our website and submit a prayer request. And we take those seriously, and we bring them before the people who are here, and we lift up those requests before the Lord. And, much of our time last week was doing just that, just reading people's needs and bringing them before the throne of grace, and it was such a touching time.
23:52 And so that happens every Wednesday. Not just on Wednesdays do we meet, but on Fridays as well. We go through the old Testament, and we are in the book of first Kings, and we do that every single Friday at 07:00 in the sanctuary as well. And as you know, we're here every Sunday at 01:00, and we're hoping that in God's perfect timing, we would, have different service times, specifically on Sunday as we are looking for a new building. And so we're in a season now where God has brought growth to this place, and it's a challenging thing, but it's an exciting thing at the same time.
24:21 And so in this next in this next few eleven months, actually, we just finished our first month of this campaign. We are raising funds for a new place. If it's on your heart to do that, you are more than welcome to give at any time. And the instructions are there behind me, and they are also on our website. And this is something that you, will do in partnership with what God is doing here, and we believe God will come through.
24:42 We believe he's been with us these past two years. We believe that he's been with us through the expression of this local church that's hosted us with Christ our savior. And, we know that God is going to, continue to be with us moving forward. Good. And we're so thankful for all those who have given already.
25:00 And at this time, we're going to continue in our worship in giving, if the ushers can come and help with with that, as I make some additional comments, for the coming weeks. Really, there isn't much happening. It's been a very eventful past few months, but there is a couple things to, keep in mind. If you desire to be baptized in water, if you have come to the point in your walk with the Lord where you you know you have to obey the Lord in this regard because it is an act of obedience, we have already had people come up to us in the past few weeks saying, when is the next baptism service? And nothing is set in stone, yeah, in terms of dates.
25:33 But if you desire to be baptized, this is the time to approach any of the elders, and we will keep you in mind. And then we will, in the next coming weeks, give you the exact date where this will take place and when it will take place, and we're hoping to do it, very soon. So if your heart is stirred, if you've been praying about this, if the Lord's been convicting you about this, then please, approach any one of the pastors and say, I really want this. I really wanna do this, and we will keep you posted. We'll announce it anyway, but just for us to make a mental note of what to expect in our next baptism service.
26:05 And apart from that, you can join us in any any of our extra events that happen here, and, you can go on our website on the news and events page, and we try to update that as much as possible for what's going to happen in the coming weeks, including youth services and monthly Arabic fellowship meetings, as well as additional men's breakfast or women's breakfast. So just go on our website. It's very easy, and just look at that, events page, and you'll find everything that you need to find concerning what we're doing here. You know, the Bible tells us that the truth of the resurrection is not just this new testament idea, but has been predicted, has been foretold, has been prophesied for thousands of years. And so we have every right to go to the old testament, to the Hebrew scriptures, and expect to find evidence of this thing called the resurrection.
26:53 The resurrection of the Messiah, the resurrection of those who put their faith in the Messiah. And what came to mind this morning about a particular mention of the resurrection is in a unlikely book in the bible. It is one of the saddest books, the the most, challenging books in terms of how God relates to men and how man should view God and his sovereignty. It's in the book of Job. And I wanna read to you something from Job's life and his words at this particular time of his life in Job chapter 19, where it says in verse 13 as he describes the pain that he was he was experiencing from all fronts, whether that be physical pain, the pain of the loss of loved ones, the pain of the loss of your livelihood.
27:38 And at this point, he's expressing the destitution of his relational life. And so he cries out, and the holy spirit moves him with these words, and it's penned for us to look at, but it's in this context where truth of the resurrection arises. He says in Job nineteen thirteen, he has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me. My relatives have failed me. My close friends have forgotten me.
28:08 The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger. I have become a foreigner in their eyes. I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer. I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy. My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother.
28:27 Even young children despise me. When I rise, they talk against me. All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. And he goes on to say, my bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Have mercy on me.
28:49 Have mercy on me, oh you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me. And in the midst of all this despair and darkness and destitution, something springs springs forward in the heart and the mind of this precious saint. And he exclaims in verse 25 of the same chapter, for I know that my redeemer lives. And at the last, he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh, I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another.
29:30 My heart faints within me. Do you see that? This burst of hope and so much hopelessness, drowning in this fear and anxiety and suffering. He's able to catch a breath by reflecting on a truth. Listen to this.
29:46 Job was a companion of of Abraham. He lived at that time. And yet by the spirit, he was able to see something, a truth that one, his redeemer lives, and two, that he also will live after he does die, and he will behold him with his very eyes. You see, because Jesus Christ rose from the grave, it secures your future if you put your faith in him. As we sang it, his resurrection becomes ours.
30:12 He is the first fruits of what's to come. In the same way that he conquered the grave and will never taste death again, you also, if you put your trust in him, will never taste death ever for eternity, and your eyes will behold the prize of what eternal life is all about. The treasure of heaven will be the redeemer before you, enjoying his presence, receiving his love, singing his praises, and being with those who also, while on earth, put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's what you take from this. There are many implications of the resurrection.
30:42 Here's a very practical one. If you but believe and you continue to rehearse this truth, it can rescue you from so much now. Today, it can rescue you from so much if you but believe that he is alive, that he is for you, and one day, he's gonna take you home with him. That's why we're here because we believe that truth. Amen?
31:02 And so pray with me that this truth today would not only save the one who is a stranger to this truth, but would give you, the believer, a fresh hope, a fresh hope in knowing that your redeemer lives. It is our deep desire, Lord, that by your spirit, you would help us help us not be distracted. Help us not be caught up in the mechanics of a yearly festive time in the church. But, Lord, we pray. We've been praying for this, and we pray for it once more that your resurrection power would be known in this service.
31:35 Resurrection hope. Resurrection life. We ask, Lord, that as we continue to sing your praises and unfold your word that there would be testimonies this day of the living Christ rescuing, saving, redeeming, and imparting the graces that we so need. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
31:53 Amen. Let's stand together and continue to sing his praises.
33:49 Condemnation. You have won. You have won. Oh, god of our exodus, great was the joy of Israel's sons when Egypt died upon the shore. Far greater the joy when the redeemer's foe lay crushed in dust.
40:12 Jesus strides forth as the victor, conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might. He burst the bonds of death, tramples the powers of darkness down, and lives forever. He, our gracious surety, apprehended for payment of our death, comes forth from the prison house of the grave free and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death. Show us here in the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted, that the claims of justice are satisfied, that the devil's scepter is shivered, that his wrongful throne is leveled. Give us the assurance that in Christ we died, in him we rose, in his life we live, in his victory we triumph, In his ascension we shall be glorified.
40:58 Adorable redeemer, thou who was lifted up upon a cross, art ascended to highest heaven. Thou who as man of sorrows was kept crowned with thorns, art now as Lord of life wreath with glory. Once no shame more deep than thine, no agony more bitter, no death more cruel. Now, no exaltation more high, no life more glorious, no advocate more effective. Thou art in the triumph car leading captive thine enemies behind thee.
41:30 What more could be done than thou has done? Thy death is our life. Thy resurrection is our peace. Thy ascension our hope. Thy prayers our comfort.
42:20 In Acts chapter one verse three, we are told that the Lord Jesus presented himself alive to his disciples after his sufferings by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And it is generally agreed upon that before his ascension and after his resurrection, during that period of time, Jesus made at least 10 appearances to his own. And one of the most detailed accounts of these astonishing visitations of the post resurrected Christ is exclusively found in the twenty fourth chapter of the gospel of Luke. And I invite you to turn there with me because there are many things that make this scene so incredibly special. Apart from providing historical eyewitness evidence of the death conquering Christ, It displays to us the weaknesses of those who have once followed him, the wrestlings of their faith, and yet at the same time, the deep love and care that the resurrected Christ shows them.
43:36 And And if he shows it to them, he will surely give it to us. Listen. We all believe here, I hope, that Jesus Christ has risen. But do you know the risen Christ in the way that the scriptures reveal him? What do you know about him?
43:54 What do you know about what he is willing to offer you? What do you know about how he longs for you to relate to him? What do you know about his character? Not just before the cross, not just on the cross, but after the cross, after the grave. And it is my prayer and mission this afternoon in a brief way for you and I to confirm the character of our living savior in this text.
44:22 And what you will discover, I hope and pray in this, is that you will see the supernatural courage and comfort that the Lord longs to impart into you in the way that he did to these disciples to whom he appeared. And the way that we're going to do that is quite simple. I want you and I to look at five observations about the resurrected Lord and one of his first appearances that you and I should not just reflect on as a historical thing, but something that you and I can apply today and trust that we can relate to as believers in Christ now. And so we will not read everything in its entirety, but we will take it bit by bit. And the first thing that we will observe here is found in verse 13 of Luke chapter twenty four four down to verse 16.
45:18 We read that very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. The first thing that you and I should learn about the resurrected Lord from this is that the resurrected Lord is humble, and he is drawn to the lowly.
45:57 So what do we have here as the opening scene of this text? It's very simple. You have two disciples. Their identities are not yet disclosed. They're making their way toward Emmaus after the Passover celebration.
46:11 And as they traverse on that dusty road, we are told that Jesus suddenly appears and he draws near to them. But interestingly, he does not reveal his identity. In a supernatural way, he veils himself in a manner so that they could not recognize him. That's what we have up to this point, and it seems straightforward. But if you stare at it long enough, I'm sure you'll not catch some glimpses, some sparkles of gems that are hidden in these introductory verses.
46:41 Let me show you one. Notice the first three words of verse 13. That very day. What very day? The very same day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
46:54 That's what we see here in the beginning of the chapter where we read about Mary Magdalene and the other woman coming to the tomb only to find it empty. And so this is the same context that we have here. We have Jesus Christ appearing on the very same the very same day that he conquered the grave. And already there do you have a heart stirring insight about the heart of Christ concerning his people. You see, these two commuters were not just idly traveling by.
47:25 They were disillusioned. They were dejected. As you're about to discover, these two here had their messianic hopes dashed because this Jesus of Nazareth, just a few days before, was killed by the religious leaders. And so here they are with heavy hearts dragging their feet with the weight of that thought that everything that they saw, everything that they witnessed, every sign that pointed to prophecy being fulfilled, the anointed one finally arriving has been taken from them. And so as they walk along, this is when Jesus Christ appears.
48:02 You gotta think about it. The very same day that Christ defeated death, the very same day that through his resurrection demonstrated God's approval of his atoning work, he draws himself to hurting followers without delay. That's one of the first things that Jesus does. This is the impression that you are to have about the resurrected Lord. One of the first things, one of the first glimpses that you are to have about Christ after he comes out of the tomb is that he's drawn to the brokenhearted.
48:35 He's drawn to those who have had their faith receiving a a blow causing them to doubt and to wonder and to be confused. And which disciples did he give such special attention to? Did he come to Peter and John? Did he come to Andrew? Did he come to Thomas or Philip?
48:55 No. No. No. We come to this text and we realize that there are two disciples and one of them according to verse 18, if you look with me, then one of them named Cleopas. Who's Cleopas exactly?
49:11 Who is he? He's only mentioned here in all of the Bible. He's definitely not one of the 11, And his companion as well, who is he? Because there's two of them. Right?
49:22 Well, we know for certain that he's not one of the apostles either. How do we know that? Well, scroll down to verse 33 of the same chapter and what do we see? And they rose, this couple, this pair, and they rose the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and they found the 11. And those who are with them gathered together.
49:42 So you have these two disciples. They are followers of Jesus Christ, but they're not part of the inner 12. They're not close companions to Christ. Some would say that they are part of the 70. We're not told with certainty.
49:56 And that is precisely what makes this passage so stirring. Right? Because Christ was eager to treat the wounds and make one of his first appearances to unknown men. You would think that the priority of such a privilege would belong to the famous ones, the powerful ones, the wealthy ones. But no.
50:18 What do you see here? You see Christ appearing to lowly anonymous men. You and I are the ones who overlook those who are in obscurity. You and I are the ones who are prone to appreciate those who take center stage in the Christian world. But Jesus is not like you and me.
50:40 Jesus Christ does not discriminate. Christ here comes and he considers two men with their identities not very much known and yet he manifest himself to them. Because Christ takes into consideration one factor to bring about his manifestations in this way. He looks for those who simply adore him. Is that not what he said in John fourteen twenty one?
51:11 That he who has my commandments and obeys them loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my father, and I myself will manifest myself to him. And so you have the Lord Jesus Christ here coming close and near and giving one of the greatest honors to two anonymous or half anonymous individuals. I take comfort in that truth about the resurrected Lord. He is not impressed by what we're impressed by. He is not stimulated to show support to that which we are willing to show our support to and for.
51:49 Christ is willing to come to those. Christ is willing to draw near to you, precious saint, if your heart but loves him. How do we know that these men love Jesus? Well, we're told here about the subject of their conversation on this long journey. Verse 13 tells us that they were headed towards Emmaus, a seven mile journey.
52:08 Verse 14 says, and they were talking with each other about all these things. About all these things that had happened during the Passover celebration concerning the person of Jesus Christ. And I can tell you this with great confidence that they were not giving general commentary about the news headlines. This news, what they had seen, what they had heard disturbed them. It touched them.
52:32 Why? Because Christ was the object of their hope and adoration. No doubt. And so here they are discussing these things from the soul. You know, let me say this as a side note.
52:45 I hope you have friends in life where you can take long journeys with and effortlessly talk about the things of God. Do you have such friends? I hope you have such friends. If not, ask the resurrected Christ for such friends. There's great comfort and joy in such friendships, but that is not the main point.
53:04 What we see here is that Christ comes near to them, and he gives us privilege to unexpected fellows. The resurrected Lord here is willing to draw to you, stranger. You may not be praised. You may not be appreciated. You may not be known.
53:22 You may not have impressive accolades, but here we see that the living Jesus Christ is willing to have fellowship with you. That's the first point. But the second one is how the Lord interacts with these individuals, which is the second point about our observations. Number two, the resurrected Lord not only is humble and is drawn to the brokenhearted, but he charges us. The resurrected Lord charges you and I to know his word.
53:57 Look here at verse 17 with me. And he said to them, what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still looking sad. Then one of them named Cleopas answered him, are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? And he said to them, what things?
54:23 And they said to him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes. And besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some woman from our company amazed us.
54:50 They were at the tomb early in the morning. And when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had seen even seen in a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said, but him they did not see. So you have Jesus here interestingly asking questions to these traveling companions, but why? Does he not know all things?
55:18 Yes. He does know all things. And because he is the all knowing one, he knows perfectly how to transmit the truth most effectively. And so we ask questions. We've seen him doing this even during his earthly life because questions have a way of encouraging self examination.
55:36 Questions have a way of probing the honest heart to articulate what they do know and to admit what they don't know, thus providing a clear diagnosis of their need. And this is what Christ is essentially doing. He's asking these questions to see where they are at, where are they coming from, what's the reason for their heavy faces. And it's because of their heavy hearts, and it's because of something deeper than that. So the chief speaker of the two Cleopas, he accurately explains the events that took place just a few days ago.
56:06 But what was inaccurate was his personal interpretation of it. Because in verse 21, we read that he shares how they had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. And then on top of that, he goes on to honestly admit that a group from their own, these women went to the tomb, found it vacant, came back, and other disciples investigated the scene and confirmed it, namely Peter and John. And so as they open up about this, we learn something because Jesus is ready to gently rebuke them. And what we see about Cleopas and his friend is very simple.
56:45 It's something that is unfortunately too true among followers of Jesus Christ today. Not only how we can hear the truth and fail to understand it, but how we can hear clear, presentable, digestible truth and refuse to be convinced of it. Because these two admitted that they received trustworthy eyewitness accounts from more than one source that should have caused them to at least make a serious investigation for themselves. Instead, they are wallowing in their despair. Instead, they are walking in disbelief.
57:29 And it's a picture of how believers can be so slow, not just to comprehend what God's word has to say, but be actually convinced about what God has to say. How many life altering wonderful truths are presented in houses of God week after week only for people to walk out of places like this. Being able to retell the points of the preacher, but still not believing it themselves. Still leaving their hearts unchanged and unmoved by the truths that they sat under. And so we see here that Jesus is ready to confront this.
58:06 These two could could give exactly what they heard and still be downcast as they're discussing it. But the source is deeper. The source is deeper than them just being skeptical about what their
58:18 to say about that friends have to say about that morning. And Jesus touches on the source of their sadness. And as a source of much sadness amongst professing Christians as well. Notice what he says here in verse 25. And he said to them, oh, foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?
58:52 Notice what Jesus didn't say. He didn't say, oh, foolish ones and slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken. You have to read your bible slowly and carefully. He said, oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all all that the prophets have spoken. There's a big difference.
59:12 All that the prophets have spoken. This is the root problem. This is exactly the diagnosis that Jesus makes concerning their disbelief. They believe what the prophets had to say, obviously. For them to have hope in Jesus, for them to have these anticipations means that they were familiar with what was to come, what was promised, what was foretold that there would be one son of David who would come.
59:35 He would rescue, he would rule, and he would reign forever. He would conquer the enemies of this people. He would rescue them from poverty and bring a prosperity that would pale in comparison in terms of Solomon's prosperity. And yet here, Jesus still rebukes them for their lack of understanding because what? Because they believe what the prophets had to say, but not what all the prophets had to say.
1:00:02 They were selective, negligent maybe, or perhaps willfully denying. Denying what? What the prophets had to say about the Messiah suffering. About how there would be a Messiah. Yes.
1:00:17 And he would come and he would die. And as Isaiah says, he would die not just a random death, not a martyr's death, but a purposeful death that would redeem people. Not from political oppression merely, but from spiritual. Spiritual bondage. How did you miss it?
1:00:34 Well, are we not prone to gravitate towards the things that we like in the bible ourselves? Are not the most popular ministries today doing just that week after week? Skipping over the things that might offend, skipping over the things that might cause us to examine ourselves, skipping over the things that give a complete picture of the reality of what Christ is all about, what it means to follow him? That's exactly what these people were suffering from, and not just this couple, but most of the people of Israel at this time. Christ highlights the fact that they had an incomplete view of who Jesus is and what he would accomplish.
1:01:10 And this is something that you and I have to consider. Here's the profound lesson from this truth that there is no doubt, absolutely no doubt, that in most cases, you and I will invite much confusion, much frustration, a variety of maladies of the soul because of one failure, failing to consider all that God has to say in his word. Not knowing and holding to all the scriptures have to say is is is a dangerous thing. For one, it is absolutely dangerous for the person who needs to be saved, saved from the wrath of God, saved from hell. If you cut out things from the word of God, you're playing a dangerous game with people's eternal destination.
1:01:56 And not only is it a danger for those who need to hear the complete truth so that they can have a true salvation, it's a danger for the saved, for being saved from unnecessary sorrows in their lives. And that's the thing. We see that the great physician here reveals the problem. He comes to their rescue, and he says, you too are the way you are. You know why you're sad?
1:02:19 Do you know why you're sour? It's because you have not considered the complete revelation of God's word. You have not taken him at what he has said. And can I lovingly ask you a question this afternoon? I know perhaps you were not expected to be confronted and challenged on a resurrection Sunday meeting, but this is what we find in the text.
1:02:39 Could it be a possibility that some of the weaknesses that you are enduring and cannot shake off is a result of your weak relationship with the Bible. Consider that. Is it possible that your inability to overcome, whether it's a mindset, whether it's pain, whatever the case may be. And I wanna be I don't wanna be overly simplistic here, but this is true. Could it be that this is the fruit of a frail and weak relationship with what God has already said.
1:03:17 What God has given to us to know everything that we need to know for life and godliness in him. You know, there are many lovely, lovely, kind Christians, but I have to admit, among those lovely, kind, generous, charitable Christians, some are not solid in their faith. They're not solid. They don't have a grasp on this. Not saying that they have to be theologian or PhDs.
1:03:46 There are PhDs who don't even know their Bibles. But to have a familiarity with God's voice in this word, So many. And you know what happens to them? They're so easily tossed by popular opinions. They're so easily confused by trending narratives.
1:04:03 They're so easily captivated by the newest teaching that is not true teaching. And why? Because they're not solid. They've not considered all that God has to say. And you see rightly dividing the word of truth has major imp implications, and you see it even here.
1:04:20 And here's what the resurrected Lord wants you to know on resurrection Sunday in 2024. You ready? With all the craziness that's going on, maybe the craziness in your life is enough. Here's the resurrected Lord. Know my word.
1:04:35 Know my word. And that's not the only lesson though because we come to the third lesson about the resurrected Lord. One of the first things that he wants us to know because this is one of his first appearances. The resurrected Lord longs to be sought after. Look at verse 28 with me.
1:04:56 Verse 27 says, and beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. So you know how Jesus wants to heal these bewildered saints? He begins to do bible study with them. That's what he does. So this is if you look at it from a pastoral perspective, right, these disciples, they're downcast, they're sad, they came into church that day, and they just they're confused.
1:05:25 And here's Jesus, the shepherd saying, foolish ones. Come here. Let me tell you what you need to know. And he goes to the law, and he goes to the Psalms, and he goes to the prophets, and he gives them the truth, and it begins to heal them as we're about to find out. So think about this now.
1:05:43 For the seven mile journey, Jesus not not on pews. I know they're wooden, but they're walking on their feet, and he is now having an Old Testament bible study with them. Wouldn't you like to be there? I would like to have been there. Why it's not in the bible?
1:05:59 I'm gonna ask when we get there. What did he disclose? What did he break open? What what kind of connections did he make? And I have a feeling as we're about to find out that they didn't even feel the time.
1:06:12 They didn't consider their surroundings. They were just so caught up in this moment because the word is explaining the word. And here they are now walking, and now the seven mile journey felt like seven minutes because we read in verse 28, so they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther. So there's the sign, Emmaus, few steps away.
1:06:41 And the Lord now is walking with these two and their jaws are just, they're not even saying anything, they're just listening to everything that's coming out of his mouth. Just jewels, nuggets, everything. And then the Lord looks at them and he just keeps going. And earlier, they stood still because they were sad, but now they're standing still and and they're worried now because like, woah woah woah where is he going? Where is he going?
1:07:05 Some accuse Jesus here of being deceptive. He he's not. He's doing what he was doing earlier by asking questions. He's drawing something out of them. You see, the Lord here appears as a stranger.
1:07:20 They don't know him. They just met on this journey, and and Christ is not gonna impose himself to come over. And so he awaits their invitation. He does this to provoke to see if they are willing to have him stay the night. And so as he's ready to make his way, and I am fully convinced that if they didn't invite him, then he would've just moved on.
1:07:40 He's done this before in the gospels, has he not? And so he's ready to do just that, and something happens. Look at verse 29, but they urged him strongly, saying, stay with us for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent. This is more the language here is is denoting more than just cultural familiar hospitality of this time. They're desperate for him to stay.
1:08:09 They urged him strong. Why do you think that is? Do you think they were worried about him? Do you think it's because they thought he had nowhere to go? No.
1:08:16 He he made himself look like he was going somewhere with a desired destination. It's because they wanted more of what he had to say. And Christ here is willing. He's willing to give that. But here's what we learn from this portion of scripture, the resurrected Christ delights being sought after by his own.
1:08:39 There are moments in the gospels and there are moments in your life that you can testify about, I'm sure, where Christ and his goodness extends and manifest his mercy when you did not even ask for it. Right? You didn't entreat him and he showed up. Right? Yes.
1:08:54 But let me tell you this. According to the authority of God's word, according to studying the character of Christ, there will always be a level of intimacy and revelation that you will never unlock unless you seek him. Some people are contend just to float in life and for God to do what he wants to do whenever he wants to do it, and I'll just mind my own business. I won't bother him. And yes, I trust in his providential goodness.
1:09:25 That's all fine, but there is something that you can know that requires you in treating him. The resurrected Christ longs to be sought after. Don't you see that? One of the first things that we see in his first one of his first appearances is, here he is walking along pretending to move forward and you have these two saying, no no no no no no. Please stay with us.
1:09:51 He finds pleasure in that. He's not aggressive in how he relates to us. So once they drew near to Emmaus, the Lord wanted to see if they wanted more or if they were content with what they received. They received a lot, did they not? But the Lord here at this point wants to see if they're willing, if they're thirsting, if they're yearning for even more.
1:10:17 And here what we see is that he comes with them. It says, so he went to stay with them. Here's the truth. God will always give more to those who ask for more. Always.
1:10:29 And the reason why you're stuck where you're at, in great part, is because somewhere along the road, you were content in your communion with Christ and what you know about Christ. And nothing has changed much because of one thing, I'm sure. You haven't stopped to say, please, I want more. I need more. The resurrected Christ, the third point is that he longs to be sought after.
1:10:58 But we come to the fourth point. So Jesus comes after and follows them, and he arrives in one of their homes. And we read in verse 30, so when he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he vanished from their sight. There are so many pause worthy moments in this story.
1:11:30 So many. So Christ is a stranger at this point. Right? And these two say, come. Please come.
1:11:39 And they were not hungry for physical bread. They were hungry for spiritual food. Listen. A true born again believer can testify of this word feeding them. Is that not true that before you were saved, you can sit in a setting like this and you could care less what the man on the pulpit was saying.
1:12:00 But when you came to know Christ, something came alive in you where these are no longer just words, they're life. And I'm not saying every single day there's gonna be some powerful experience that you have as you come to the word, as you hear the word. I'm not saying that, but you can testify and say, I know what it's like for this word to cause my heart to come alive. And I know what it's like. I can tell you there are moments though my flesh sometimes gets the best of me.
1:12:25 I can tell you about my life that this word is my food. And when I read it something happens to me. When I hear it, it washes over me. And these disciples show show exactly what it means to be a follower of Christ. The word does something in your life.
1:12:40 If it does if the Bible doesn't do anything for you or to you, you gotta ask some serious questions, my friend. But these men here who are once dry, depressed perhaps, are now coming to life. So they say Jesus comes. So Jesus comes and here's what's so strange. Read again very carefully verse 30.
1:13:01 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. That's strange. Do you know why that's strange? Because that's something that the host would do. Jesus is the visitor.
1:13:16 Jesus is the guest, but Jesus now is assuming the host. Is this not a faint hint to you and I that the one who is truly the master of our homes and the provider of our daily provisions is Christ? Yes. He He's the one who orchestrates the providential joys that you enjoy every single day, and he shows us by example what we should do even if we just have mere bread at our table. He blessed it.
1:13:46 So he assumes the role of the head of this moment, of this house and they're just going along with it. Something is something is changing in the atmosphere. Something begins to dawn on them now. Like, this person is no ordinary guy. He's not just a skillful expositor of the word.
1:14:07 They let him do it, and they're just hanging by every word. And now something happens in this setting. Right? This is not a communion meal because there's no cup here if you notice. Some would say that this is the ordinance of the Lord's supper that's being practiced.
1:14:23 That is not the case. This is a common meal. Just a regular fellowship time over food. And so here's Christ and he is sharing this food. He is blessing this food.
1:14:35 He is hosting the people who actually live in this house. And it's at this time though as regular as his meal was, it's in this setting where their eyes are open and they realize this is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. How? Why at this time? Why at this time?
1:14:53 And it's not very complicated. I think Luke gives us wording in this text that should give us a little nudge to consider a possible a possible reason why it began to now dawn on them. This this is not just anybody random. Look again here in verse 30. It says, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them.
1:15:17 A very detailed description of how Christ is handling this food, is it not? He took it. He blessed it. He broke it, and he gave it to them. And perhaps that slow reading is meant to draw your attention to the one who is touching and handling and distributing this food.
1:15:37 He took it. He blessed it. He broke it. He gave it. Where do your eyes go when somebody takes something, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it?
1:15:48 And what made those hands so special at this time? This is not ex this is not explicitly stated, but it's a it's a it's a wonderful thought to consider that as Luke now is describing what Christ is doing with this bread in this in that confined space. There's no movement going on. There's no out outside external distractions. Here they are calm in the evening, close and near, and here's Christ taking, blessing, breaking, giving.
1:16:17 And it's at that time they see Christ and he vanishes. Why? Again, I I pausing. I'm saying, why did he go further? Why did he ask questions earlier?
1:16:30 And now here he is, he he reveals himself. Right? In in a flash of a moment, what a rush that must have been. Can you imagine that? It's Christ and he's gone.
1:16:41 Lord, why? You could've you could've paused and waited a little bit and explained it's me. He disappears right before them. And I believe one of the reasons why is what they do after this as you're about to find out. After a long journey coming from Jerusalem going back home to Emmaus, they realize this is Christ and they can't fathom sleeping that night.
1:17:06 We read later on that very same hour, they get up, they make the way all the way back to Jerusalem to testify he is alive. Here's the truth. When your eyes really open to the truth and the reality that Christ is alive, you're gonna tell other people about it. Isn't that what you experienced when you got saved? Yes.
1:17:26 Do you remember that? Right? Nothing and no one can keep you from talking about Jesus. You found any opportunity you could. The grocery store in line, the doctor visit, family gatherings.
1:17:40 You could care less. You wanted to tell people because something happened. You've seen him. A miracle took place in your life where now you realize he's not just a historical figure. He's not just the subject of people's hopes, a crutch in life.
1:17:55 No. No. No. No. He's the resurrected Lord of glory.
1:17:58 And I know that my redeemer lives, and he redeemed me. And so there's this urgency that comes. Right? There's this fire in your belly. And that's what we see with these men here.
1:18:08 In fact, Jesus, I'm sure, removed themselves so that they can get going on that. He didn't want them to linger. He needed them to get going. That's exactly what they do. And we see here that before these men even make their way back to Jerusalem, they can't help but stop, look at each other and make this comment.
1:18:25 Here's the comment that they make. It's a very famous passage of scripture, one of my favorite concerning the word of God. And their eyes were opened, verse 31, and they recognized him and he vanished from their sight. Verse 32. They said to each other, did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?
1:18:51 Here's the fourth point about the resurrected Lord. One of the first things you should know about the resurrected Lord and one of his first appearances is this. The resurrected Lord wants you to know that his word is sufficient. So they make the connection. Cleopas says, hey, didn't our hearts burn within us while this man how now we know to be Christ was discussing the scriptures with us?
1:19:17 Notice it wasn't the near presence of Christ. It wasn't his majesty necessarily. He veiled himself. He didn't come dazzling. He didn't come with with heavenly glow.
1:19:26 He came as a stranger. So they testified that it wasn't the brilliance of his resurrected state that caused their hearts to burn within them when they walk with them. Do you see how they ended that statement? When he opened to us the scriptures. When he opened to us the scriptures.
1:19:48 And the truth about this is that it is a testimony of the power of the word of God. Do you want your spirit is your spirit in need to soar again? Are you a person here who needs his affections to be heavenward once more? Do you need the heat of holiness to burn up the cobwebs of sin that have collected and coated your heart? Learn from these men.
1:20:18 You don't need a physical manifestation of Jesus Christ. All you need is his word. His word. That's what these men reveal. That's what the Holy Spirit wants you to know.
1:20:29 There are many people who think that they need some out of this world surprising spiritual kind of visitation in order for them to get going once more. You know what these men revealed? There's something supernatural about this book. You might say, well, I don't know. I mean, to be honest, I've come to this text many times before and it it hasn't done what it did to these men.
1:20:54 Here's the difference. Christ was the one who opened it up to them. You can't come to this book in your own flesh, in your own human wisdom. You need Christ's help. And here's the thing that's so brilliant about this truth.
1:21:08 Listen, this can change your Christian life and experience forever if you really grab it, if you really believe it. Listen to this. If you want your heart to come alive again, you have to have your mind enlightened by the truth. Some people have strange concepts about the spiritual walk, the spiritual experience, what it means to really be on fire for Jesus Christ. And they divorce study, and they divorce careful examination, and they divorce even the word of God from that experience being known.
1:21:40 They live for ecstatic supernatural manifestations merely and what you see here instead is that the word of God did the work in their hearts. Here's the thing I wanna tell you today. If you are yearning for deep spiritual stirrings, you cannot separate that from sincere and careful study. I was like, that's not very I thought that would be something more profound than that. It's it's it is profound.
1:22:08 It is profound. You know when Jesus in in verse 27, when he went to the law and he went to the prophets and he went to the Psalms, it says that he interpreted these things to them. That word interpreted is a very special word. It means and it denotes the discipline of coming to the text and sticking close to it, and then expounding and revealing what the text says. Does that sound familiar?
1:22:33 He took the text and he said, here's what this text means, and here's here's the substance of this scripture. Then he would go to another text, and then he would connect those texts. That's how Jesus taught the word. And what was the result of that? The hearts came alive.
1:22:49 Their hearts were burning with them. That's what we endeavor to do from this pulpit week after week. Take the Bible as we're doing now and taking it verse by verse and expounding it with the trust that your hearts will burn. It would burn even more perhaps than the preacher who has been his heart burning all week because of his own studies. The word of God is powerful.
1:23:08 It's sufficient. And this is what these men confess. Yes. The resurrected Christ was something that he needed to see to testify for the ages to come, but even in the midst of that, they said, when he opened to us the scriptures, oh, something happened to my soul. But that's not the final thing.
1:23:28 We could end here. We could end here, but these two made mention of something else that would be very regrettable for us to overlook. So they now leave. Right? They make that comment in verse 33, and they arose the same hour and returned to Jerusalem.
1:23:43 And they found the 11 and those who were with them gathered together saying, the Lord has risen indeed. Now they could have ended it there and it would have been fine and great, but they they whisper something else. The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. There's no ambiguity about which Simon we are speaking of here. This is Simon Peter.
1:24:10 And somewhere along this this visitation from the Lord, it was made known to them that this Jesus on the very same day that he rose from the grave. Yes, he appeared to the woman, he appeared to these two, but somewhere along that, he made a private visitation to Simon Peter. Now I must confess that to reconstruct the chronology of Jesus' post resurrection appearances is difficult to make with exact precision. You can have a general outline, no doubt, but exact precision is hard. At what point did Jesus appear to Simon?
1:24:47 We do not know. But one thing is for certain, it happened. Paul confirmed that in first Corinthians fifteen five where he said that the Lord appeared to Cephas then the 12. So here's the thing. I mean, we're ready to close here.
1:25:00 We talked about four things about what we should learn from the resurrected Lord. Here's the fifth thing. That the resurrected Lord is ready is ready to forgive and restore. He's ready to forgive and restore. He appeared to Simon.
1:25:25 Jesus, after exiting that tomb, thought it necessary to come to Simon Peter and to have a talk with him. The mere mention of this alone reveals the tenderness of the heart of Christ. For there could be no other reason for him to do this than to quickly relieve the distresses of the one apostle who denied him. I must find Peter. So he conquers the grave, and after conquering the grave, he makes it a priority to reassure Peter of his love for him.
1:26:08 You know what I thought about when I meditate on that? What did he say to comfort him? What presence did Peter feel when Jesus surprised him wherever he was at? What came over him? What was the demeanor of the resurrected Christ When Peter's eyes that were stained with tears, bloodshot red.
1:26:38 What did Peter see when Christ appeared? I wonder if Peter cried more tears in that moment than when he did the night he betrayed Jesus. Did Christ put his arm over his shoulder? Did Christ embrace him? What words were spoken over Peter?
1:27:03 And as one person said, there are moments with Jesus so intimate that they cannot be disclosed publicly, And that's what happens in this. All we're told is that Jesus appeared to Simon. But, oh, I took liberty to imagine what that meeting was like. Here's what I learned. The first day, out of those forty days, Jesus didn't wait a day for Peter to wallow in his shame.
1:27:36 You know what you and I would do if somebody offended us? You know what? I'll wait a week. Let them think about their actions. Let them think about what they did.
1:27:46 Let them sit there for a bit so that it really seeps in to realize that I'm worthy of your allegiance. I'm glad I'm not God. I'm glad you're not God either. Because here's what Christ do. On that day, he goes to Peter and he visits him.
1:28:06 We say, well, what about John 21 when he when he asked, do you love me more than these? That was his public confession. That was his public confession before others. And Peter had an issue even then where he went back to where he was not supposed to go, even after this. But here's Christ, the first day, coming to Peter.
1:28:26 And you know what Peter did in his sin? Peter did the one thing that Jesus says, if you do that, I will stand before my father and his angels, and I will deny you. Find another sin that one can commit that will receive such reprimand and shock at the judgment. That's what Peter did. Not once, three times.
1:28:48 Three times he denied his Lord. And Jesus, you deny me before men, on that final day, I'll deny you before all the hosts of heaven, the myriad of angels and my father. I'll say, I don't know this man and I'll cast you out. Jesus denied his Lord. So Peter denied his Lord Jesus.
1:29:03 And it's that man that Jesus says, I must find him. What did he say in Mark 16? The angel said, go and tell the disciples and Peter. And Peter. Because Peter didn't feel like a disciple.
1:29:18 How could I be numbered among these men who would be who would be trained to be apostles? I denied my Christ. And here's the final lesson on this resurrection Sunday that you should learn among many lessons. There's five in this chapter that I pulled out. I'm sure you can pull out many more.
1:29:32 Here's the final one. The resurrected Lord, then and now, is ready to forgive and restore you. Now. Now. Not tomorrow.
1:29:43 Not when you clean yourself up. Not when you patch up your life, and your spirituality, and your knowledge of the truth, and your behavior. And it's amazing. You think, is that is that really what people do? Yes.
1:29:58 People do that all the time. Saying, because I've talked to so many people when we talk about water baptism, for example. And and so many people have said, I I just need to get better before I get water baptized. You're not getting it. I I just need to be more serious with my walk with the Lord.
1:30:11 Okay. I get it. Be more serious, but do you understand what it means to be water baptized? You're identifying with his death, his burial, his resurrection. You're confessing, I'm not good enough.
1:30:21 So I have to identify with him. I have to hide in him. I must die with him so I can live with him. So don't tell me people don't struggle with this. They do struggle with this.
1:30:30 They're so hesitant to believe that he is ready to receive, ready to accept. Learn from this story that Jesus Christ appeared to the most unworthy out of all them. Before he reveals himself to the 11, he goes to the one who denied him. What do you think? To whip him up with more conviction?
1:30:51 No. To sue them with his mercy and grace. And I'm telling you today that this resurrected Lord, not only is our God unique in that he came into this world, died at death he didn't deserve, but conquered that grave for your life and mine. But this god is unlike any other god in that he is so quick to receive you when you repent and believe. So today, I wanna speak to two people in closing.
1:31:16 Thank you for your patience. Number one, for the person here who does not know Christ, I declare to you and I bear witness to the living Jesus Christ of Nazareth who is ready to cleanse you of all your sins no matter what you have done even if you have denied him. He is ready to receive you. Some might be hesitant in your confession. He will not be if it's genuine.
1:31:40 And I wanna speak to the person here who has known Jesus Christ, who has made great boast in Jesus Christ, who's even prayed to Jesus Christ and even premeditated that you would never do anything wrong. You would never commit such a sin. You would never backslide. I will never do that to you, Lord. I love you in the heat of a meeting, right?
1:31:57 In a conference when you first got saved, all those vows and all those promises and you barely made it this Sunday because you are in sin. And you're in a place that you never thought you would be, and you're doing things that you never thought you would do, and you're saying things and you're behaving in a way that's unbecoming of a true disciple. Like Peter, before servant girl and others, who not only deny Christ, he says he cursed. He cursed. Jesus Christ, the one that you love, you know about, you believed on, you made those promises to like he did, I'll never deny you.
1:32:36 These will, but not me. That Jesus Christ is ready to restore you, is ready to recover you, is ready to give you back what you gave up if you but trust in his love and mercy. I'm finished. Let's pray together and ask the Lord to make these things true in our hearts. Lord, we ask that as the hearts of these two on the road to Emmaus were burning in their bosoms, that the word today would burn in our hearts, and that, Lord, we would leave this place on a new journey, asking of you for more of your truth, asking of more of you in the word, asking for your help to understand what it is that you want us to know.
1:33:28 And, Lord, we thank you for that final thought, that final picture of the resurrected Christ on that day, the first day, visiting a man who deserved it the least. For those in here who are filled with shame, who are heavy because of recent things that they are ashamed of, may they be overcome by the resurrected love of Christ. Men cannot offer that. No preacher can communicate that in an experiential way. You must do it, Lord, and we beckon you to do it.
1:33:59 For the unbeliever here, may the things about Jesus Christ that they heard leave them undone and unable to ignore without making a choice whether they would receive you or reject you. But, Lord, we pray that by your help, they would receive you. And so, Lord, at this time now, we we sing your praises because of these truths about our resurrected Lord. In his name we pray, amen. Amen.
1:34:23 Let's stand and worship the Lord together. Lord, we ask that you would help us walk with the resurrected Lord. Help us know how to relate to him, to trust in him. Oh, Lord, we need your help in this. Lord, we thank you for your your mercy and your grace, your patience, and what you're willing to do for the least of us.
1:39:54 Oh, lord, help us adore you. Help our hearts burn again for you. Lord, on this resurrection Sunday, we pray for this, newfound passion and desire to get into the thing that you have given us, to know you, and that's your word. And may it do in us what it did in these men. We want burning hearts.
1:40:18 And, Lord, we just thank you for your forgiveness and your mercy. And, Lord, as we sang, heaven's gates are open wide. May the person who does not know you here run through those gates. May they fall at the foot of the cross, confess their sin, repent of it, and believe on you, and may they experience new life. Finally, Lord, for any person in here who who did not understand most of what was said, would you give them understanding?
1:40:44 Would they leave this place at least curious enough to say, I must know what I heard. I must discover. I must understand this. And would you guide them on that journey as you guide us on deeper findings of your truth? We thank you for this time, for your presence.
1:41:02 We bless you for it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen.
1:41:07 Amen. I know that it's unusual to have a Sunday service at 1PM, and I know that we end later than most churches, but something happened today that you cannot afford to miss out on. There has been a team working on lamb to eat, and a feast is awaiting you and I downstairs. So join us downstairs to eat and to fellowship with one another because we are the fellowship of those who have burning hearts, and Christ is alive, and we wanna recognize that. So come and join us.
1:41:41 God bless you if we don't see you. We'll see you next week, Lord willing. But please, meet us downstairs as we eat together and rejoice in this truth. God bless you now. Take care.
