WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:06.120 This week, Tuesday, Thursday. See, it's gone. 00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:13.339 Pastor Brian went and took his ordained bishop's 00:00:13.339 --> 00:00:23.120 exam and passed. Yes. So, very, very proud of 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:29.260 him. Exceeded and done really well. He'll be 00:00:29.260 --> 00:00:31.199 getting that in the mail before too long. When 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:33.899 he does, I will just present it to him all formal 00:00:33.899 --> 00:00:37.820 like. Amen. Congratulations, brother. Love you, 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:48.079 man. Hallelujah. That's a big ordeal to get that. 00:00:49.340 --> 00:00:56.929 It's a big exam. I enjoy. I got to go down while 00:00:56.929 --> 00:01:02.250 he was taking the exam. I just kind of go in 00:01:02.250 --> 00:01:05.890 and do what I want to do when I go down. I know 00:01:05.890 --> 00:01:07.950 where the coffee pot's at at the state office, 00:01:08.010 --> 00:01:11.290 so I went in to get me a cup of coffee. I know 00:01:11.290 --> 00:01:13.730 the tension in the room. If you've ever sat at 00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:16.409 the table, you know what they're dealing with. 00:01:16.909 --> 00:01:21.189 And so I just give them some great advice. When 00:01:21.189 --> 00:01:27.420 in doubt, go with C. Seemed to let a little air, 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:29.239 you know, a little tension out of the air. I 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:32.439 said, just go with sea. It worked for me. Look 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:38.599 where I'm at today. Amen. I'm just outside the 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:42.420 shadow of the holy city. So no telling where 00:01:42.420 --> 00:01:46.560 they could be one day. Just multiple choice, 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:51.340 go with sea. I think he did better than go with 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:56.219 sea. Amen. The Lord is good. So good to have 00:01:56.219 --> 00:02:02.060 with us this morning our superintendent from 00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:05.859 West Africa and Europe, I believe. Our English 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:08.060 -speaking church is there. Did I get that right, 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.560 Brother Mills? Bishop Joseph Panetti. I hope 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:18.159 I pronounced it. Krenzel. Krenzel. I'll get it. 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:21.569 I'm sorry. I'm terrible with them. Bishop. It 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:23.590 is an honor to have you with us today. Thank 00:02:23.590 --> 00:02:25.469 you so much for being at Hopewell. Would you 00:02:25.469 --> 00:02:31.849 make them welcome this morning? Bishop Joseph 00:02:31.849 --> 00:02:34.430 Princell, it's good to have them. If you have 00:02:34.430 --> 00:02:36.669 your Bibles, be looking with me to Luke's Gospel 00:02:36.669 --> 00:02:44.810 24. Luke's Gospel 24. Bishop, you'll have to 00:02:44.810 --> 00:02:50.990 pardon me. I've never been very... Good with 00:02:50.990 --> 00:02:54.689 dignitaries. But I am honored that you're in 00:02:54.689 --> 00:02:56.710 the house of the Lord with us today. Thank you 00:02:56.710 --> 00:02:59.870 so much. And we try to partner with them some 00:02:59.870 --> 00:03:06.509 and do some work for the kingdom. Amen? My heart's 00:03:06.509 --> 00:03:11.150 kindly churning this morning. In our opening 00:03:11.150 --> 00:03:13.550 prayer, I want you to remember a couple of special 00:03:13.550 --> 00:03:16.590 requests after I read the text and we say our 00:03:16.590 --> 00:03:18.530 prayer over the word. I want you to pray for 00:03:18.530 --> 00:03:22.090 some of our church family. Remember Brother Steve 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:26.210 and Sister Cindy. As Brother Steve, his father 00:03:26.210 --> 00:03:28.909 passed away this week, and they're probably currently 00:03:28.909 --> 00:03:31.789 right now visiting, getting the arrangements 00:03:31.789 --> 00:03:34.530 all set. So I told him we would definitely lift 00:03:34.530 --> 00:03:37.590 them up in prayer. Remember Brother Tony. They 00:03:37.590 --> 00:03:40.849 buried his brother this week, so his heart's 00:03:40.849 --> 00:03:43.129 heavy today. But in the house of the Lord, amen. 00:03:44.629 --> 00:03:49.129 And remember, thank you. I like that. Sister 00:03:49.129 --> 00:03:52.370 Terry Stutz is in the emergency room this morning. 00:03:52.490 --> 00:03:55.870 Got that text from Sister Jackie. And I just 00:03:55.870 --> 00:03:59.409 want to remember those in prayer. We have others 00:03:59.409 --> 00:04:01.270 who are sick and in need. Remember Brother Ron? 00:04:02.490 --> 00:04:05.289 The pneumonia is out of the lung, he told me. 00:04:05.330 --> 00:04:07.909 So he's still got some other things going on. 00:04:07.990 --> 00:04:10.550 So let's remember him, that the Lord would raise 00:04:10.550 --> 00:04:13.009 him up. I believe the Lord is able to do that. 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:19.819 Don't you? Amen. Luke's Gospel. Chapter 24, let's 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:27.800 pick up at about verse 13. And behold, two of 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:31.420 them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, 00:04:31.459 --> 00:04:35.680 which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs, 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.420 which is about seven and a half miles. They talked 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:42.699 together of all these things which had happened. 00:04:44.009 --> 00:04:47.050 And it came to pass that while they communed 00:04:47.050 --> 00:04:51.850 together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near 00:04:51.850 --> 00:04:58.189 and went with them. But their eyes were holdent 00:04:58.189 --> 00:05:02.310 or closed or clouded, and that they should not 00:05:02.310 --> 00:05:06.689 know him. And he said to them, What manner of 00:05:06.689 --> 00:05:10.129 communications are these that you have one to 00:05:10.129 --> 00:05:16.889 another? As you walk and are sad. And one of 00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:20.810 them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said 00:05:20.810 --> 00:05:24.470 unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, 00:05:24.810 --> 00:05:27.149 and hast not known the things which are come 00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:30.569 to pass there in these days? And he said unto 00:05:30.569 --> 00:05:35.389 them, What things? Don't you just love the Lord? 00:05:36.529 --> 00:05:38.949 In other words, he'd be like little Willis back 00:05:38.949 --> 00:05:42.420 in the day. What you talking about? You know, 00:05:42.459 --> 00:05:45.300 what you talking about, Willis? And they said 00:05:45.300 --> 00:05:48.720 unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:50.819 was a prophet, and see, they were already off. 00:05:55.740 --> 00:05:58.759 Mighty in deed and word before God and all the 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:01.519 people. And now the chief priests and our rulers 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.800 delivered him to be condemned to death and have 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:08.860 crucified him. But we trusted, did they really, 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:13.089 that it had been he which should, Redeem Israel. 00:06:13.370 --> 00:06:16.730 And beside all this, today is the third day since 00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:20.730 these things were done. Yea, and certain women 00:06:20.730 --> 00:06:25.110 also of our company made us astonished, which 00:06:25.110 --> 00:06:27.750 were early at the sepulcher. And when they found 00:06:27.750 --> 00:06:31.189 not his body, they came saying that they had 00:06:31.189 --> 00:06:35.029 also seen a vision of angels which said that 00:06:35.029 --> 00:06:38.730 he was alive. And certain of them which were 00:06:38.730 --> 00:06:42.860 with us. went to the sepulcher and found it even 00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:47.600 so as the women had said, but him they saw not. 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:53.939 Then he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart 00:06:53.939 --> 00:06:56.680 to believe all that the prophets have spoken, 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.600 ought not Christ to have suffered these things 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:05.689 and to enter into his glory? And beginning at 00:07:05.689 --> 00:07:09.069 Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto 00:07:09.069 --> 00:07:12.509 them and all the scriptures the things concerning 00:07:12.509 --> 00:07:15.949 himself. And they drew nigh unto the village 00:07:15.949 --> 00:07:19.829 whither they went, and he made as though he would 00:07:19.829 --> 00:07:22.810 have gone further, but they constrained him, 00:07:22.889 --> 00:07:26.240 saying, Abide with us. For it is toward evening, 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.399 and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry 00:07:29.399 --> 00:07:32.339 with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at 00:07:32.339 --> 00:07:34.939 meat with them, he took bread and blessed it. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:36.500 There's something about blessing that bread. 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:41.980 Break and gave to them. And their eyes were opened. 00:07:42.939 --> 00:07:47.639 And they knew him. And he vanished out of their 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:52.019 sight. And they said one to another, did not 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:57.660 our heart. Burn within us. While he talked with 00:07:57.660 --> 00:08:03.079 us by the way. And while he opened to us the 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:08.819 scriptures. Simple thought this morning. I'm 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:10.480 going to preach as the Lord will help me just 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:15.680 on burning hearts. Burning hearts. Don't forget 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:17.459 our church family. Let's pray for them as we 00:08:17.459 --> 00:08:19.920 ask the Lord to have his way in this service 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:21.699 today. Father, we truly love you and thank you 00:08:21.699 --> 00:08:23.790 again. Lord, for those that we've brought before 00:08:23.790 --> 00:08:27.389 you in a petition needing healing today. Lord, 00:08:27.470 --> 00:08:30.149 not just healing of flesh, but healing of heart. 00:08:30.250 --> 00:08:32.350 Lord, they need the comfort. And according to 00:08:32.350 --> 00:08:35.230 your word, you will comfort those who mourn because 00:08:35.230 --> 00:08:38.309 you are our comforter. And I ask, Father God, 00:08:38.409 --> 00:08:41.210 in the name of Jesus, Lord, let that sweet, wonder 00:08:41.210 --> 00:08:44.070 -working power of the Holy Ghost be upon them 00:08:44.070 --> 00:08:47.409 today to comfort them. Raise up the sick and 00:08:47.409 --> 00:08:49.909 afflicted. Lord, do great and mighty things in 00:08:49.909 --> 00:08:52.740 their bodies. that we too may glorify of you 00:08:52.740 --> 00:08:56.320 and tell others who you are and what you have 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.759 done. Now in our hearing, the bread of life has 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:00.960 been broken, which is your word, and I ask God 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.659 now that you speak to every heart and every mind. 00:09:03.740 --> 00:09:07.179 Lord, help me preach that which is glorifying 00:09:07.179 --> 00:09:11.200 and edifying to you and enriching to the body. 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:13.720 We'll be quick to praise you in all things. In 00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:16.500 Christ's loving name, and the church said, amen. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:26.399 Burning hearts. Without a doubt, probably everyone 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:32.539 in this room is somewhat concerned about the 00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:40.700 future. And most of our existences today, everything 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:42.600 that we do, everything that you'll do in the 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:46.779 morning, everything that you strive to do tomorrow 00:09:46.779 --> 00:09:52.029 will be about Tuesday. It'll be about Wednesday. 00:09:53.169 --> 00:10:00.690 It'll be about our future. Try as we want, confess 00:10:00.690 --> 00:10:04.509 as we like. We can talk about living from day 00:10:04.509 --> 00:10:08.509 to day or just sing them old one day at a time 00:10:08.509 --> 00:10:13.009 sweet Jesus songs. But our mind's more about 00:10:13.009 --> 00:10:18.070 not just one day. Our focus is about the future. 00:10:19.370 --> 00:10:21.629 Because not a one of us in here is thinking tomorrow 00:10:21.629 --> 00:10:26.990 is going to be the last day. We're focusing on 00:10:26.990 --> 00:10:33.490 our future. What does our future hold? In our 00:10:33.490 --> 00:10:38.250 text this morning, we read two men who had very 00:10:38.250 --> 00:10:42.009 quickly abandoned the hope of their future. Very 00:10:42.009 --> 00:10:45.529 quickly, they abandoned the hope of their future. 00:10:46.730 --> 00:10:50.769 And the expectancy that they had. This text talks 00:10:50.769 --> 00:10:56.129 to us a little bit about despair. It shows how 00:10:56.129 --> 00:11:02.809 quickly one's heart can fall flat. It shows how 00:11:02.809 --> 00:11:06.350 quickly we can go from the mountaintop to the 00:11:06.350 --> 00:11:10.330 valley. It shows how quickly we can go from hope 00:11:10.330 --> 00:11:15.490 to hopeless. The same day. It's the same day. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.460 As the resurrection. The very same day. It ain't 00:11:19.460 --> 00:11:22.779 even got dark yet. It's still just after the 00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:24.940 morning. They had just hung around long enough 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:29.679 to hear the report that he's gone. He's not there. 00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:32.460 Kindly makes me wonder about these two individuals. 00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:35.299 Why, when the report was given, they must have 00:11:35.299 --> 00:11:37.960 been close enough to hear. that he's gone, he's 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:41.019 not there. We've seen angels. They said he's 00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:45.360 alive. And Peter and John, they get, they run. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:48.519 Why did this, Cleopas and his buddy, why did 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:53.259 they not follow in the crowd? And then we hear 00:11:53.259 --> 00:11:57.559 their confession that, well, we trusted that 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:00.799 he was the one. Oh, really? They didn't trust 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:03.000 enough to go find out if what he had said of 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:06.649 himself was actually true. When the report came 00:12:06.649 --> 00:12:10.870 in, such stress overwhelmed them and their hearts 00:12:10.870 --> 00:12:16.690 sunk so deeply. Well, he's not there. He said 00:12:16.690 --> 00:12:20.529 he wasn't going to be there. He promised and 00:12:20.529 --> 00:12:23.649 told him that he would arise on the third day. 00:12:23.789 --> 00:12:27.169 But yet we have these disciples who abandoned 00:12:27.169 --> 00:12:32.470 their hope so quickly and fell in distress so 00:12:32.470 --> 00:12:36.850 desperately. It was so immediate for them. They 00:12:36.850 --> 00:12:40.730 could not see past the morning. They could not 00:12:40.730 --> 00:12:44.529 see past the report. They could not focus beyond 00:12:44.529 --> 00:12:48.929 their despair. They could not move past the shattered 00:12:48.929 --> 00:12:52.490 hope that had just fell before them, and they're 00:12:52.490 --> 00:12:55.679 on their way out of town. And as they're making 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:58.320 their way out of town, they have abandoned the 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.679 future that they could see that had been promised 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.860 to them. There's something about us today as 00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:08.139 we're walking out the future that we want and 00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:11.200 long and desire and that we are planning for. 00:13:11.419 --> 00:13:14.399 But we also must understand that the future hope 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.720 of the believer is not in this world alone. Hallelujah. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:21.240 And we cannot allow the shattering things of 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:24.159 life when it comes against us to get in. such 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.120 state of despair because some things don't go 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:30.039 the way that we plan for them to go. But they 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:33.320 are going in accordance to the will and the plan 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:36.480 of God. You have to know that things do not happen 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:39.700 in our life by accident because the good steps, 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:42.700 the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:45.360 If the Lord goes before you, then he's preparing 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:49.059 the way as you come. Nothing catches him by surprise. 00:13:49.299 --> 00:13:52.840 So why should we fall into such a sudden shattered 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:56.720 state of despair because life has been unexpectedly 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.120 changed from the future and the hope that we 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:03.100 had for it. Because I know this, if I know anything, 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:06.519 that the God of heaven still sits firmly upon 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:09.440 the throne of glory. He's still seated. He's 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.240 still established. He's still high. He's still 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:15.799 lifted up. And no matter how low or despair may 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:18.840 try to come into my life, I have to resist despair 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.860 and allow the hope that I placed in him and the 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:25.049 trust. that is in him, instill me one more time 00:14:25.049 --> 00:14:29.850 that I not be as these two. They walked the road 00:14:29.850 --> 00:14:32.389 talking about the events, and the scripture said 00:14:32.389 --> 00:14:36.730 they were sad. I'm here to tell somebody this 00:14:36.730 --> 00:14:40.580 morning, get happy. Why? Because you are not 00:14:40.580 --> 00:14:43.340 walking the road and the pathway of life alone. 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:47.539 Hallelujah. Why? Because Jesus promised you that 00:14:47.539 --> 00:14:50.200 he would never leave you, nor would he ever forsake 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.620 you. And as he walked with them in the shattering 00:14:52.620 --> 00:14:54.879 of their dreams and hopes, he's walking with 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:57.539 you when yours gets shattered and despair sets 00:14:57.539 --> 00:15:00.820 in on your life. My God, he's walking with you 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:03.559 every single day. When disappointment comes, 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:06.720 when disarray happens, hold on to your faith. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.179 Don't get sad. The psalmist declared, I will 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:13.600 lift up mine eyes unto the hills from which cometh 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:22.019 my help. My help comes from the Lord. The future. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.759 You realize around the world globally that the 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:29.820 future is a multi -million, billion dollar affair? 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.879 Stock markets rise and fall. on the expectation 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:41.740 of the futures of stocks and bonds and trades 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:47.919 and goods, right? How quickly can oil go up? 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:55.240 Drop one bomb, and it goes from $70 to $120 a 00:15:55.240 --> 00:16:02.799 barrel, and nothing has changed. Stocks rise. 00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:07.289 Futures are forecasted. People live and die. 00:16:08.649 --> 00:16:11.490 Go back to 29 in the crash in the fall. People 00:16:11.490 --> 00:16:14.830 were jumping out windows in New York City. Why? 00:16:14.970 --> 00:16:17.610 Because the future was shattered in front of 00:16:17.610 --> 00:16:21.809 them. Right before their very eyes, wealth gone. 00:16:23.250 --> 00:16:26.309 But we don't put our hope and our trust in wealth 00:16:26.309 --> 00:16:30.419 alone. We put our trust and our hope in Christ 00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:34.279 alone. And the crucified one to be who had declared 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:37.820 it and so be is raised from the dead. And so 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:41.000 despair should not overwhelm us. Don't be sad 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:43.639 today because life isn't turning out the way 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.940 that you thought it was going to turn out. But 00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:48.100 look for the alternative. What is the alternative? 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:51.200 He that walks with you and talks with you is 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:54.600 the hope that you have. Amen? In this life and 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:57.139 the life to come. It's the hope of the future. 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:00.460 eternal glory of living with him forever and 00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:03.950 ever. Even though life turns and everything falls 00:17:03.950 --> 00:17:06.630 and everything may shatter, there's still hope, 00:17:06.630 --> 00:17:09.390 and the hope that we have rests and resides in 00:17:09.390 --> 00:17:11.829 Christ and Christ alone. When you think about 00:17:11.829 --> 00:17:14.569 all the ships and the seas of life that sail, 00:17:14.589 --> 00:17:18.069 there's one ship that remains firm and steady. 00:17:18.329 --> 00:17:21.849 Yes, it's worn. Yes, it's tattered. My God, but 00:17:21.849 --> 00:17:24.089 it's going to go forward, and it's going to be 00:17:24.089 --> 00:17:26.890 continued on because there is no destruction 00:17:26.890 --> 00:17:30.230 for the church of the living God, the promise 00:17:30.230 --> 00:17:32.670 that we have. I know the world looks like it's 00:17:32.670 --> 00:17:35.309 closing in on the church, but I'm here to declare 00:17:35.309 --> 00:17:37.869 today, don't be sad about the condition of the 00:17:37.869 --> 00:17:40.349 church. There's a purging going on. There's a 00:17:40.349 --> 00:17:42.869 cleansing going on. There's a purifying going 00:17:42.869 --> 00:17:45.890 on. I'm here to tell you that the ones who are 00:17:45.890 --> 00:17:48.289 going to be remaining are the remnant that is 00:17:48.289 --> 00:17:51.109 coming after. At some point in this thing, you've 00:17:51.109 --> 00:17:53.470 got to realize that everybody you know who claims 00:17:53.470 --> 00:17:56.730 isn't going because there's one way. He is the 00:17:56.730 --> 00:17:59.670 truth. There's one way. He is the life, and he 00:17:59.670 --> 00:18:01.559 is the only. Only one that's going to get you 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.519 in this garbage that's going on globally. That 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:07.539 if it's declaring a religion declares love, then 00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:10.420 ultimately love will get you there. No, love 00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:13.720 alone won't get you there. Christ alone will 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:16.359 get you into the hope of the existence of eternal 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.460 future with Jesus Christ. There is a home. There 00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:23.079 is a place. But he is the one. Don't be so sad. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:27.039 It's heartbreaking. It's devastating to know 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.859 and to think. That everybody who claims Christ 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:38.700 will not be in heaven. I just don't believe that. 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:40.980 I can't help you there. I'm sorry whether you 00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:44.079 believe it or not. It's still true. Why? Because 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:49.240 Jesus said so. And he's truth. And he made that 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.099 declaration. He talked about a broad way that 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:53.799 leads to death and destruction. He talked about 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:55.799 a narrow way that leads to life everlasting. 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:59.140 And he said, be many that find the other, but 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:03.339 there'll be few. It's very heart -rending to 00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:06.400 know that you may hear those words of the Lord 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.920 himself. Depart from me, you worker of iniquity, 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:13.859 for I never knew you. Now that would be a sad 00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:19.759 day. But to abandon all hope and reality and 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:23.240 trust in God simply because life shatters. Can 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:27.920 I tell you life is fragile? Life is very fragile. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.960 A material world that you and I live in is very 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:35.079 fragile. And it don't take but a small pebble 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.799 from the enemy to see it shattered before your 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:41.950 very eyes. But the materialism of this world 00:19:41.950 --> 00:19:44.349 is not the hope that you and I possess and the 00:19:44.349 --> 00:19:46.910 hope that you and I have. That hope that we have 00:19:46.910 --> 00:19:49.569 is in Christ and in Christ alone. I know I'm 00:19:49.569 --> 00:19:51.509 sounding like a broken record this morning, but 00:19:51.509 --> 00:19:54.190 somebody needs to hear today. You may be sad. 00:19:54.329 --> 00:19:57.930 You may be shattered. You may be living disillusioned 00:19:57.930 --> 00:20:00.430 and in despair. But don't give up hope today 00:20:00.430 --> 00:20:03.289 because you are not hopeless. As they walked 00:20:03.289 --> 00:20:06.190 by the road, he walked with them. And I'm here 00:20:06.190 --> 00:20:09.150 to declare to you today, he's still with you. 00:20:12.350 --> 00:20:17.069 That journey of despair. Walking away from Jerusalem. 00:20:22.130 --> 00:20:27.069 Abandoning hope so quickly. I mean, it's the 00:20:27.069 --> 00:20:29.549 same day. The women hadn't been back long. They 00:20:29.549 --> 00:20:31.549 probably headed toward Emmaus when Peter and 00:20:31.549 --> 00:20:45.119 them headed toward the tomb. And then as they 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:49.700 are walking, talking sadly amongst themselves, 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:52.740 the Lord appears to walk with them. I mean, it'd 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:54.619 be like one of those things, oh, hey, I didn't 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:57.720 see you. Where'd you come from? He showed up 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:02.779 like he left, all of a sudden like. Do you not 00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:04.720 know that's how he shows up in your dilemma and 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:09.980 despair? And then what he'd tell you is this, 00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:12.579 well, I've been here the whole time. You just 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:16.180 haven't noticed. We can get so caught up in our 00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:18.279 despair. We can get so caught up in the sadness 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.259 and our dilemmas of life that we don't even notice 00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:23.460 that he's never left, but yet he's always been 00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:26.220 right there. He's been with us. He's been talking. 00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:29.500 He's there hearing everything. And as they talked, 00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:31.259 they said, well, what do you mean what things? 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:33.359 Where you been? Are you just now getting into 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:40.619 town? Oh, boy. Tell you how suddenly your despair 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:42.940 can be turned around and how quickly it can be 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:45.819 a positive thing for your life. Despair can turn 00:21:45.819 --> 00:21:49.299 to positiveness. Because in the middle of this 00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:51.160 conversation, as they're going, they're walking 00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:54.319 the way, when the word of God begins to be revealed 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:57.319 into your life, when revelation begins to come 00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:59.519 into your life, there's hope begin to renew. 00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:03.119 Amen. There's a replenishing of your hope as 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:06.539 the Word of God. He began to talk to them starting 00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:09.259 at Moses. He could have started at the beginning, 00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:12.079 but he started with Moses. Why? It's just a few 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:14.000 miles down the road. He didn't have time to cover 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.839 it all. He just had to pick up where he could 00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:19.819 get it in. So let's just start with Moses. You 00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:23.420 haven't even believed what your prophets told 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:26.339 you. They said there would be one raised up just 00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:30.160 like Moses. Why? Because Moses was your deliverer. 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:32.440 You know that God spared him out of the Nile. 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.559 You know this and you know that. You know everything 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:36.660 there is to know about Moses. Well, when you 00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:39.519 look at me, I'm better than Moses. Moses was 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:43.059 sent to you in my likeness, not me in his. Hallelujah. 00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:45.720 And when you begin to hear, and he begins to 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:48.650 break it down. Could you not hear him as he begins 00:22:48.650 --> 00:22:51.490 to march him through the Isaiah, the eagle -eyed 00:22:51.490 --> 00:22:53.390 prophet? When do you begin to tell him there's 00:22:53.390 --> 00:22:56.250 a son going to be born? I'm him. That's me. That's 00:22:56.250 --> 00:23:00.089 me. What's your name? Emmanuel Jesus. I am the 00:23:00.089 --> 00:23:06.990 Christ. So he just begins, that's me. Prince 00:23:06.990 --> 00:23:10.549 of Peace, that's me. He began to break it down 00:23:10.549 --> 00:23:15.019 and to show them. To reveal the words of the 00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:18.259 prophets to them as they're walking toward their 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:20.720 destination. Hear the revelation of the word 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:23.859 of God as it will enter into your life. He's 00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:26.400 got an answer for every dilemma. He's got hope 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:29.539 for every project or point of despair. When life 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:31.960 shatters, they may not have been able to put 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:34.619 Humpty Dumpty back together again because there's 00:23:34.619 --> 00:23:37.099 no hope in all the king's men. But I'm telling 00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:41.000 you, the king, he is able to pick up every broken, 00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:44.400 shattered piece of life. and to still renew hope. 00:23:51.339 --> 00:24:00.599 Ah. They're about to get it. Oh, but we trusted 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:04.119 that it had been he which should have redeemed 00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:08.160 Israel. They hadn't gotten it at that point yet. 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:13.849 He didn't come just to redeem Israel. He come 00:24:13.849 --> 00:24:19.509 to redeem creation. He come to redeem all of 00:24:19.509 --> 00:24:24.569 us. Now, I know he was sent to Israel first, 00:24:24.690 --> 00:24:28.589 but they rejected him. They didn't accept him 00:24:28.589 --> 00:24:32.869 as their Lord. Sound to me like these two disciples 00:24:32.869 --> 00:24:34.970 were like some of the others. They wanted free 00:24:34.970 --> 00:24:37.730 from Rome, not free from themselves and the bondage 00:24:37.730 --> 00:24:41.230 of sin. They wanted free to be able to do what 00:24:41.230 --> 00:24:45.509 they wanted to do. But that's not why he came. 00:24:47.329 --> 00:24:49.769 And he began to explain that to them as who he 00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:51.809 is and what he is and what he's meant to them. 00:24:53.829 --> 00:24:55.609 When they found not his body, they came saying 00:24:55.609 --> 00:24:58.349 that they had also seen a vision of angels. And 00:24:58.349 --> 00:25:00.250 certain of them which were with us went to the, 00:25:00.329 --> 00:25:03.470 certain of them that were with us went to the 00:25:03.470 --> 00:25:05.650 sepulcher. And found it was even as the women 00:25:05.650 --> 00:25:08.529 had said, that him they saw not. Then he said 00:25:08.529 --> 00:25:15.369 to them, oh fools and slow of heart. Slow of 00:25:15.369 --> 00:25:22.670 heart to believe. Is that you? Are you being 00:25:22.670 --> 00:25:27.230 slow at heart to believe? What are you saying, 00:25:27.230 --> 00:25:32.690 pastor? Are you sad in your journey today? We're 00:25:32.690 --> 00:25:38.309 2 ,000 plus years past the resurrection. We could 00:25:38.309 --> 00:25:41.650 stop now and pick up after the resurrection. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.160 If we took a small journey through the book of 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:48.819 Acts alone and all the great and mighty things 00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:52.500 that they did in and through his name being empowered 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:59.119 by the Holy Ghost to pick up to where we are 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:03.180 now. Are you slow of heart to believe that he's 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:08.579 able to enter into your situation too? Do you 00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:12.319 not trust him enough? Do you not have hope in 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:19.500 him to know that he is able? We could go all 00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:22.240 the way back to Moses and we can see how he fulfills 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:28.400 it all. We can see how he is the one. But yet, 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:33.940 are we still slow to believe? Are we still overwhelmed 00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:42.589 in our despair? In our own self -pity? Regnet 00:26:42.589 --> 00:26:53.130 euphemism says, hike your breeches up. Huh? Pick 00:26:53.130 --> 00:26:55.970 your lip up, quit stepping on it as you go about 00:26:55.970 --> 00:27:03.319 your way. At some point in this existence, You 00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:05.819 should realize that this really isn't about you. 00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:11.759 And until you realize it's not about you, but 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:15.460 he who wants and desires to live in you and through 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:22.420 you, then hope looks bright when everything's 00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:28.039 shattered around your feet. Then and then alone 00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:31.500 can you be like an old Job, though he slay me. 00:27:33.069 --> 00:27:37.230 Yet will I trust him. It's only then that you 00:27:37.230 --> 00:27:42.190 quit worrying about your spilt milk. Your job. 00:27:45.150 --> 00:27:47.410 I've walked off more than most people have lost 00:27:47.410 --> 00:27:54.750 in a short career time. I'd bad do that. Y 'all 00:27:54.750 --> 00:27:56.529 remember when I told you when I was a sinner, 00:27:56.589 --> 00:27:59.490 most of you wouldn't like me. I was a sinner 00:27:59.490 --> 00:28:01.130 when I was in the public world life, and they 00:28:01.130 --> 00:28:05.160 didn't like me. When you threaten your foreman 00:28:05.160 --> 00:28:08.720 with a ball -peen hammer, that doesn't get you 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:11.940 a lot of likes. That was back before likes and 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:16.740 friend requests and all that stuff. It's like, 00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:25.640 stay away from him, he's nuts. But the reality 00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:30.160 was, I'd have wore him out with it before I was 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:37.269 redeemed. Don't bother me. I'm doing my job. 00:28:41.509 --> 00:28:45.089 What's that song? Well, I'm so glad he found 00:28:45.089 --> 00:28:50.650 me. Love he bound me, arms all around me. I'm 00:28:50.650 --> 00:28:56.309 glad he found me and saved me. But how quickly 00:28:56.309 --> 00:28:59.829 do we get our hopes wrapped up in all of this 00:28:59.829 --> 00:29:02.869 stuff of the world? And when it falls out from 00:29:02.869 --> 00:29:10.519 under us, Despair strikes in. We lose hope. Like 00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:14.259 he ain't right there with you. It's sort of like 00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:16.839 the disciples with Jesus in the boat and a little 00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:20.259 storm comes up. Oh, master, master, don't you 00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:23.819 care that we perish? We're going down and you're 00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:34.500 asleep on the boat. We're sinking. Boys. the 00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:44.720 master of the sea. Peace, be still. Look, he 00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:47.160 resides in the bosom of your heart. You're not 00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:53.779 going down. Why? Because he sits on the crest 00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:57.539 of every issue of life and he instills hope in 00:29:57.539 --> 00:30:02.059 every dilemma. Don't let despair shatter your 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:21.680 dreams and your hopes. was forgotten. Oh fools 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:24.380 and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets 00:30:24.380 --> 00:30:27.680 have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:31.559 these things and to enter into his glory. Beginning 00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:36.460 at Moses expounded them all the scripture to 00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:38.240 things concerning himself and they drew nigh 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:41.660 to the village where they went and where they 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:48.450 were headed. It was late in the evening. And 00:30:48.450 --> 00:30:50.490 he went as though he was going to go on, and 00:30:50.490 --> 00:30:52.470 they constrained him. What's that mean? Hey, 00:30:52.609 --> 00:30:55.569 we'll buy you a fish and some bread. Just stick 00:30:55.569 --> 00:30:57.869 around here with us. It's awful late. It's been 00:30:57.869 --> 00:31:02.390 a hard day. They took it hard. Just stay with 00:31:02.390 --> 00:31:07.289 us. Tarry with us. Let's eat together. So he 00:31:07.289 --> 00:31:09.950 goes in, enters into their situation with them. 00:31:11.509 --> 00:31:17.049 Sits down and breaks the bread. Now look here. 00:31:18.549 --> 00:31:22.630 Anytime you see the Lord break bread, a miracle 00:31:22.630 --> 00:31:27.049 happens. He took those five loaves and them little 00:31:27.049 --> 00:31:29.109 fishes and when he broke the bread and blessed 00:31:29.109 --> 00:31:32.769 it, looked up to heaven and he blessed it. Then 00:31:32.769 --> 00:31:35.289 they fed all those thousands and they picked 00:31:35.289 --> 00:31:38.990 up them 12 basketfuls left over when he broke 00:31:38.990 --> 00:31:41.660 the bread and blessed it. The next we see him 00:31:41.660 --> 00:31:43.960 in the upper room, evidently just about four 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:48.059 days prior to this event. He breaks the bread 00:31:48.059 --> 00:31:52.519 and says to them, this is my body. Take you eat 00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:54.720 and eat you all of it. Eat it all, don't waste 00:31:54.720 --> 00:32:03.140 a crumb. Now we see him at the roadside inn at 00:32:03.140 --> 00:32:07.099 Emmaus. And he breaks bread and their eyes are 00:32:07.099 --> 00:32:16.180 suddenly opened. And they get so excited when 00:32:16.180 --> 00:32:21.819 they realize it's the Lord with them. They just 00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:23.900 walked about a three and a half, four hour journey 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:25.839 depending on who they ran into on the road and 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:27.660 how many times they stopped and how involved 00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:32.259 they were in their conversation. They probably 00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:34.000 just sounded to me like they just kindly strolled 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:44.180 toward Emmaus. But they get so excited after 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:47.859 this revelation and he vanishes. They look at 00:32:47.859 --> 00:32:54.259 each other and say, my, how our heart burned 00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:59.079 within us along the way. Now, you got to catch 00:32:59.079 --> 00:33:03.319 that. Isn't that what it says? And they said, 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:05.420 one to another did not our hearts burn within 00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:13.009 us while he talked with us by the way. And while 00:33:13.009 --> 00:33:16.589 he talked with us by the way and while he opened 00:33:16.589 --> 00:33:21.990 to us the scriptures. And then they immediately 00:33:21.990 --> 00:33:27.450 turn right back around and head back to Jerusalem. 00:33:30.789 --> 00:33:34.150 And one of the hardest things for a man to admit, 00:33:34.250 --> 00:33:38.809 these two admitted with joy. They found the disciples. 00:33:39.430 --> 00:33:43.130 They run into the room and they said, The women 00:33:43.130 --> 00:33:51.589 were right. Come on, ladies. One of you should 00:33:51.589 --> 00:33:54.009 have just left running back out the door, out 00:33:54.009 --> 00:34:03.329 down the highway. A man confessed. The women 00:34:03.329 --> 00:34:11.469 were right. He walked with us. He's alive. Now. 00:34:12.679 --> 00:34:16.119 Just as quickly as you can go from hope to despair, 00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:20.579 look how quick hope comes back in again. Can 00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:22.920 I tell you something? They wonder and they argue 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:25.679 and debate the authenticity of the resurrection 00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:35.199 of the Christ. But how many of you believe that 00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:44.489 Peter, who quit so early along the way, who cursed 00:34:44.489 --> 00:34:48.429 and denied the Lord, had the Lord not risen, 00:34:48.510 --> 00:34:50.670 do you actually think he would have succumbed 00:34:50.670 --> 00:34:52.530 to being crucified and then request to be done 00:34:52.530 --> 00:34:56.369 so upside down? Because he didn't feel worthy 00:34:56.369 --> 00:35:00.110 to be crucified upright like Jesus. Do you actually 00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:04.869 think that redneck fisherman, do you actually 00:35:04.869 --> 00:35:09.489 think that loudmouth, quick -tempered, would 00:35:09.489 --> 00:35:12.530 have stuck out the journey had he not literally 00:35:12.530 --> 00:35:15.360 seen, The risen Lord, I don't believe so for 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:18.539 one minute. He would have backed out in a heartbeat. 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:21.960 He wouldn't have went as far as he did. He would 00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:24.960 not have done all the things, but he saw the 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:30.579 Lord. They said, well, they slipped in there 00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:32.619 and stole the body. No, the seal was still on 00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:34.380 there the next morning because if you'll read 00:35:34.380 --> 00:35:37.780 the text, the soldiers were still there. They 00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:45.110 had to bribe them. You think James and the others? 00:35:46.010 --> 00:35:50.010 Do you think John, had the Lord not been risen 00:35:50.010 --> 00:35:52.590 from the dead, do you think the apostle John 00:35:52.590 --> 00:36:01.449 would have survived being bold and old? No. They 00:36:01.449 --> 00:36:03.929 all would have never made it as far as they did. 00:36:05.130 --> 00:36:07.369 The proof was in the power of the resurrection 00:36:07.369 --> 00:36:10.690 and the hope that was stilled in them. Their 00:36:10.690 --> 00:36:15.860 despair left. Their despair gone. Do you think 00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:20.679 the Apostle Paul, an apostle out of his time, 00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:26.300 who was already famous for dragging Christians 00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:32.099 to prison and death, do you think that old man 00:36:32.099 --> 00:36:34.880 would have changed his way of doing things if 00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:37.199 he had not seen the light that we sung about 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:42.199 earlier on that Damascus road? No. think he would 00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:45.119 endure all that he endured without seeing the 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:52.780 resurrected Lord? No. Well what has all that 00:36:52.780 --> 00:36:55.500 got to do with me? The scriptures proclaim to 00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:59.059 you don't lose your hope. There are testimonies, 00:36:59.059 --> 00:37:01.940 there's eyewitnesses that he is alive and by 00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:04.380 virtue of his living it means the reality of 00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:11.139 the promises are going to come to pass. May our 00:37:11.139 --> 00:37:17.440 hearts burn again. May the hearts of the church 00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:22.360 begin to burn again. We need to have them. Look. 00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:30.619 If your heart doesn't burn for Christ, when you 00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:34.760 hear his word, I'm telling you, I'm nuts on the 00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:37.320 inside right now. I know it's not coming out, 00:37:37.380 --> 00:37:39.400 but I'm telling you the way this is coming in. 00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:42.860 I'm just all, I've been all out of shape. Double 00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:44.980 what you and I experienced in euphoria yesterday 00:37:44.980 --> 00:37:59.880 morning. Jesus is alive. And in the despair of 00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:06.440 this life, it literally does not matter what 00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:13.019 the report comes in. How devastating it can be. 00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:15.860 And let me tell you, we all know, we've all had 00:38:15.860 --> 00:38:19.500 those experiences. When they come in, the feather 00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:24.199 feels like a sledgehammer. And we get disconfitted 00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:29.880 very quickly when life turns. And despair can 00:38:29.880 --> 00:38:32.760 overwhelm us very quickly. But don't live in 00:38:32.760 --> 00:38:35.869 that despair this morning. Don't live in that 00:38:35.869 --> 00:38:38.590 despair. Don't tread out that despair. Why? Because 00:38:38.590 --> 00:38:43.329 Jesus Christ is alive and well. And if your heart 00:38:43.329 --> 00:38:46.730 doesn't burn with a passion to see him and to 00:38:46.730 --> 00:38:49.429 be with him, I'm here to tell you I'm challenging 00:38:49.429 --> 00:38:52.309 your life and relationship with him right now. 00:38:52.409 --> 00:38:55.789 If your heart doesn't burn within you when you 00:38:55.789 --> 00:38:59.269 hear the name of Jesus, lift it up. If something 00:38:59.269 --> 00:39:02.559 don't stir. in you, I challenge you to find a 00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:05.480 place and pray until your heart gets warm again, 00:39:05.739 --> 00:39:10.300 until it begins to flame up again. Why? Because 00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:13.079 you've grown cold and you've lost your first 00:39:13.079 --> 00:39:20.239 love. You've left it aside. Let me tell you how 00:39:20.239 --> 00:39:27.639 deep the struggle is. John Wesley and his conversion 00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:32.579 confession. Said he believed that he knew Christ. 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:40.900 But on May 24, 1738, at Aldersgate Street in 00:39:40.900 --> 00:39:44.900 London, John Wesley said this. He felt his heart 00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:51.219 strangely warmed within him while hearing a reading 00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:55.500 of Martin Luther's preface of the book of Romans. 00:39:55.800 --> 00:39:59.800 And as he's sitting in this service, There was 00:39:59.800 --> 00:40:03.599 this confirmation that happened to him. His heart 00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:06.440 was warmed. And I'm not talking about the heat. 00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:08.739 I'm not talking about those things. It was an 00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:12.699 internal warming. His heart was overwhelmed with 00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:15.380 the presence of Christ. And you and I both know 00:40:15.380 --> 00:40:18.000 what happened after that. He began to shake and 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:21.639 turn a society upside down. Why? Because of a 00:40:21.639 --> 00:40:24.780 confirmation of a transformation that had taken 00:40:24.780 --> 00:40:27.300 place in his life. And I'm challenging you today, 00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:30.500 if your heart doesn't strangely burn and is warm 00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:34.619 within you, know the Savior. Renew your relationship. 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:41.079 Don't let despair and tragedy overwhelm you and 00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:43.800 take you from the hope that you have of the eternity 00:40:43.800 --> 00:40:47.840 that you're expecting to live with him. The future 00:40:47.840 --> 00:40:51.780 matters. Yes, it does. But the reality of the 00:40:51.780 --> 00:40:55.920 moment, you cannot forfeit your future by allowing 00:40:55.920 --> 00:41:01.400 the reality of the moment to displace your hope 00:41:01.400 --> 00:41:15.260 and faith. Life is hard. Life is fragile. And 00:41:15.260 --> 00:41:21.079 it's true. There's only two certainties within 00:41:21.079 --> 00:41:24.480 this continent for most people. The certainty 00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:33.440 of death and taxes. You've got to face them both. 00:41:40.039 --> 00:41:45.619 But you can face Uncle Sam and get on a payment 00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:53.340 plan. But you can't face eternity with a low 00:41:53.340 --> 00:41:58.539 monthly installment. It's appointed unto man 00:41:58.539 --> 00:42:07.460 once to die and then to face the judgment. Pastor, 00:42:07.579 --> 00:42:09.840 you're taking a shift. I'm taking a shift because 00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:15.460 playtime's over, folks. We don't have time to 00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:20.139 play games. Our hearts must burn within us. If 00:42:20.139 --> 00:42:23.179 God is God, then whatever shatters around us, 00:42:23.219 --> 00:42:27.280 He is able to sustain us in the fall of the pieces. 00:42:29.380 --> 00:42:35.469 And He is God, by the way. And one thing I've 00:42:35.469 --> 00:42:38.150 found about broken things, you can't do anything 00:42:38.150 --> 00:42:41.590 about it until they stop bouncing on the floor. 00:42:44.909 --> 00:42:49.630 Then best case scenario, you find all of the 00:42:49.630 --> 00:42:54.230 pieces. My mind just flashed. You stand. I'm 00:42:54.230 --> 00:42:59.110 closing. I'm closing. My mind just went to a 00:42:59.110 --> 00:43:05.090 figurine down in my office on my shelf. It's 00:43:05.090 --> 00:43:12.250 one of those big old ceramic eagles. My mom got 00:43:12.250 --> 00:43:15.190 me that thing because I was putting eagles in 00:43:15.190 --> 00:43:18.389 my office at one time. She found this thing. 00:43:18.449 --> 00:43:21.789 It's a pretty good size. It's ceramic. Got it 00:43:21.789 --> 00:43:28.389 for me for Christmas. We got back home from Christmas. 00:43:28.789 --> 00:43:31.949 Still had all the kids and all the stuff to unload, 00:43:32.170 --> 00:43:36.420 you know. And so I had an arm full, and in one 00:43:36.420 --> 00:43:41.739 hand I had the ceramic eagle. You got it, bad 00:43:41.739 --> 00:43:49.679 mistake. He shattered all over the concrete front 00:43:49.679 --> 00:43:56.860 porch. And you know you try to catch what you 00:43:56.860 --> 00:44:01.760 can. And when I just shared that with you just 00:44:01.760 --> 00:44:04.300 a moment ago about... You can't do anything about 00:44:04.300 --> 00:44:09.179 it until the pieces stop bouncing. How many of 00:44:09.179 --> 00:44:11.500 you have ever dropped and broken something that 00:44:11.500 --> 00:44:16.719 you really cherished? Tell me if you had the 00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:19.239 same experience that I had that night. Front 00:44:19.239 --> 00:44:22.619 porch light's on. It's about 12. We drove three 00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:27.340 hours to get home after all that. And I'm standing 00:44:27.340 --> 00:44:31.840 there, and I got all this other stuff. And I 00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:37.179 focused as best I could to see every piece as 00:44:37.179 --> 00:44:41.380 it was settling. Think about when you dropped 00:44:41.380 --> 00:44:46.039 whatever you dropped. Don't you find yourself 00:44:46.039 --> 00:44:48.500 just really focusing on the spot where it hit? 00:44:50.079 --> 00:44:53.280 So vividly standing right here, I almost got 00:44:53.280 --> 00:45:00.039 a cold chill. I remember seeing it and... focusing 00:45:00.039 --> 00:45:06.119 to try to find every piece. Well, you can ease 00:45:06.119 --> 00:45:10.579 down there one day and look. If I'm not mistaken, 00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:13.780 he's a two -clawed eagle on one foot. I can't 00:45:13.780 --> 00:45:15.719 remember if I found all three toes or not, but 00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:19.320 there's gaps in his wing. I couldn't find them 00:45:19.320 --> 00:45:22.260 all. Tried the best I could. I couldn't get all 00:45:22.260 --> 00:45:25.920 the pieces, but I got enough to superglue it 00:45:25.920 --> 00:45:32.699 back together. I don't know if I've told mother 00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:36.320 that story yet or not and probably won't. She's 00:45:36.320 --> 00:45:41.579 82 and don't need to suffer or get aggravated 00:45:41.579 --> 00:45:48.780 at me for being clumsy. Life's that way, people. 00:45:53.099 --> 00:45:58.219 Without doubt, something you cherish is going 00:45:58.219 --> 00:46:04.539 to slip. It's going to fall. It's going to shatter. 00:46:07.239 --> 00:46:14.119 Maybe our health. Hello? I'm feeling the effects 00:46:14.119 --> 00:46:17.119 of two pretty ground -thumping experiences yesterday, 00:46:17.159 --> 00:46:26.280 this morning. It's going to fall. But let me 00:46:26.280 --> 00:46:29.019 encourage you today. Do not allow despair to 00:46:29.019 --> 00:46:40.940 set in. Okay? Don't... Don't let other people's 00:46:40.940 --> 00:46:47.159 opinions... My Lord, I'm feeling this one now. 00:46:49.800 --> 00:46:52.659 Don't let what other people say concerning you 00:46:52.659 --> 00:46:56.219 and about you and about your broken pieces keep 00:46:56.219 --> 00:47:00.840 you from gathering up everything you can. Pick 00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:04.599 up everything of it you can find. And when you 00:47:04.599 --> 00:47:09.000 stand up with it, don't be sad like these boys. 00:47:10.159 --> 00:47:12.719 They were so sad that they couldn't even recognize 00:47:12.719 --> 00:47:18.699 the Lord was walking with them. I said, man, 00:47:18.699 --> 00:47:21.280 are you crazy? Where have you been the last few 00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:24.920 days? I could see the Lord saying, well, I was 00:47:24.920 --> 00:47:30.059 just kind of hanging around yesterday. He knew 00:47:30.059 --> 00:47:33.659 exactly. He knew why their hearts were broken. 00:47:35.139 --> 00:47:37.360 And you know what I like about this story? They 00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:40.260 didn't go with the others to the tomb. They didn't 00:47:40.260 --> 00:47:41.739 follow along with everybody. They said, well, 00:47:41.860 --> 00:47:44.440 they got back, and that's what they said. It 00:47:44.440 --> 00:47:59.000 was true. We're going to Emmaus. But I'm glad 00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:03.599 the Lord enters into our brokenness. Don't you? 00:48:05.820 --> 00:48:08.619 Aren't you glad that he shows up in your despair? 00:48:10.300 --> 00:48:15.360 Because, again, life's super fragile. And whether 00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:17.800 we like to admit it or not, even on our exterior, 00:48:17.940 --> 00:48:20.159 we like to put up a good show, you're fragile 00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:28.469 too. We're fragile. But Jesus loves you. Heads 00:48:28.469 --> 00:48:41.829 bowed. Father, I love you today. Lord, I hope 00:48:41.829 --> 00:48:46.829 this has been pleasing to you. I truly have felt 00:48:46.829 --> 00:48:51.969 your grace going out today. Lord, there's some 00:48:51.969 --> 00:48:54.610 broken and shattered folk in the house today. 00:48:55.690 --> 00:48:59.550 Maybe even a backslider here that they're not 00:48:59.550 --> 00:49:04.230 walking with you at all. And should you come 00:49:04.230 --> 00:49:11.289 today, they'll be left behind. Should they die 00:49:11.289 --> 00:49:18.710 today, hell will be their eternal home. So, Father, 00:49:18.750 --> 00:49:23.280 I just... Pray that you'd allow the Holy Ghost 00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:25.400 to begin to speak to hearts and minds in this 00:49:25.400 --> 00:49:30.599 room. As we just have a real moment together. 00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:38.219 Folks, I'm just going to be real with you today. 00:49:39.079 --> 00:49:42.460 If your heart's not warm with Jesus, that means 00:49:42.460 --> 00:49:49.360 it's cold. And a cold or even a lukewarm heart's 00:49:49.360 --> 00:49:56.969 going to be spewed out. My challenge to you today 00:49:56.969 --> 00:50:07.630 is this. Repent and feel that warming surge of 00:50:07.630 --> 00:50:14.889 forgiveness and love flow into your life. You've 00:50:14.889 --> 00:50:19.289 been fooling around, messing around, and got 00:50:19.289 --> 00:50:25.619 some pet sin going on. Repent. For the wages 00:50:25.619 --> 00:50:32.559 of sin is death. And without holiness, no man 00:50:32.559 --> 00:50:36.460 will see the Lord. There has to be a separation 00:50:36.460 --> 00:50:43.920 from you and your sin. Repent. Say, Pastor, I 00:50:43.920 --> 00:50:49.519 hadn't quite heard you like this. Well, I don't 00:50:49.519 --> 00:50:51.260 want to see you die and go to a devil's hell. 00:50:51.679 --> 00:50:54.619 That's not my heart's goal in life. That's not 00:50:54.619 --> 00:50:57.000 the hope that I have for your future. My hope 00:50:57.000 --> 00:51:00.039 for your future is to join me in heaven. I've 00:51:00.039 --> 00:51:09.019 made up my mind. I stay by the fount forever, 00:51:09.239 --> 00:51:15.019 and every day I repent. I try to walk in the 00:51:15.019 --> 00:51:17.719 cleansing blood of Jesus every single day of 00:51:17.719 --> 00:51:28.320 my life. If despair has set in, if life has dropped 00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:31.800 you, or maybe you've dropped life and it's shattered 00:51:31.800 --> 00:51:37.360 around your feet, the Lord here would encourage 00:51:37.360 --> 00:51:44.119 you today with his word to let you know he's 00:51:44.119 --> 00:51:51.179 walking with you. He is your hope. With that, 00:51:51.199 --> 00:51:52.679 I give you an invitation. Does anybody need? 00:51:53.350 --> 00:51:54.809 Something from the Lord this morning. If you 00:51:54.809 --> 00:51:56.010 do, I want you to make your way forward.