WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:01.870 I'm going to be reading today out of the book 00:00:01.870 --> 00:00:11.710 of Luke, chapter 24, verse 13. And I invite you 00:00:11.710 --> 00:00:20.469 to read with me for a few passages today. Luke, 00:00:20.589 --> 00:00:25.410 chapter 24, verse 13. It says, Now behold, two 00:00:25.410 --> 00:00:28.289 of them were traveling that same day to a village. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:34.060 called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:39.140 And they talked together of all these things 00:00:39.140 --> 00:00:42.039 which had happened. And so it was, while they 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:48.539 conversed and reasoned, that Jesus himself drew 00:00:48.539 --> 00:00:55.820 near. Somebody say, he drew near. And went with 00:00:55.820 --> 00:01:02.780 them, but their eyes were restrained. But their 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:06.519 eyes were restrained, so they did not know him. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:12.120 Now, going ahead to verse 30. Now it came to 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:15.060 pass as he sat at the table with them that he 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:21.140 took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:27.239 to them. Then their eyes. Were opened. And they 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:32.060 knew him. And he vanished from their sight. And 00:01:32.060 --> 00:01:35.939 they said to one another. Did not our heart. 00:01:36.739 --> 00:01:41.519 Burn. You know that God can give you. Holy heartburn. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:46.099 I don't like the unholy heartburn. But I like 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:50.180 the holy kind. Hallelujah. Did not our heart 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:53.950 burn within us. While he talked. with us on the 00:01:53.950 --> 00:01:56.569 road and while he opened the scriptures to us 00:01:56.569 --> 00:02:00.310 so they rose up that very hour and returned to 00:02:00.310 --> 00:02:04.209 jerusalem and found the eleven and those who 00:02:04.209 --> 00:02:07.849 were with them gathered together saying the lord 00:02:07.849 --> 00:02:14.949 is risen indeed and has appeared to simon i came 00:02:14.949 --> 00:02:18.169 to preach today on this resurrection sunday the 00:02:18.169 --> 00:02:23.129 risen christ is closer than you think The risen 00:02:23.129 --> 00:02:27.789 Christ is, someone say he's closer. Say it again. 00:02:27.849 --> 00:02:32.250 He's closer than you think. Let us pray. Father, 00:02:32.349 --> 00:02:34.550 we love you today. We thank you for your presence 00:02:34.550 --> 00:02:38.150 that fills this place today, Lord. We have come 00:02:38.150 --> 00:02:40.430 with a made -up mind to give you all the honor 00:02:40.430 --> 00:02:43.870 and all the glory. You are alive, Jesus, and 00:02:43.870 --> 00:02:46.370 we feel you in this place, and we ask God that... 00:02:46.699 --> 00:02:49.199 from your word you would speak to us god anoint 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:52.020 our hearing to receive this message with gladness 00:02:52.020 --> 00:02:55.360 god i pray that no matter how close or far we 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.860 are from you today lord that each and every one 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:01.819 of us would receive something in order to recognize 00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:04.699 your plan your purpose your resurrection power 00:03:04.699 --> 00:03:07.800 in our life anoint my lips of clay put your word 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:10.740 in my mouth in the name of jesus everyone say 00:03:10.740 --> 00:03:14.120 amen You may be seated in the presence of God. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:16.180 I want to take just a few moments of your time 00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:20.879 today to look at this text. There are many windows, 00:03:20.979 --> 00:03:25.000 if you please, to view the resurrection story, 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:29.879 firsthand accounts that shape our personal beliefs 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:34.400 and convictions about Christ, such as the women 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:38.919 who saw the stone rolled away, Peter and John 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:44.159 who ran to the tomb, or even Thomas, who touched 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.800 his nail -scarred hands. But the account before 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:54.860 us today finds two despondent and depressed men 00:03:54.860 --> 00:04:02.400 walking home to the road to Emmaus. And it was 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:07.520 Sunday. This was the day that Jesus had promised 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:14.000 to rise again. This was the day that Jesus said. 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:17.259 He said, in three days, you will destroy this 00:04:17.259 --> 00:04:20.879 temple, but in three days, I will rise again. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:27.160 This was that day. And yet, these men are not 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:31.920 standing at the tomb in worship, nor are they 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:37.959 gathered with the disciples ready to strike a 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:41.720 party, a welcome home party for Jesus. They're 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:44.660 not doing those things. Instead, they are walking 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:51.579 away disillusioned and dismayed. They are walking 00:04:51.579 --> 00:04:56.720 away from Jerusalem, the very city where Jesus 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:02.620 had been crucified, buried, and now had risen. 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:07.120 And the thing that really strikes me from the 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.930 onset of this story in the gospels is how these 00:05:10.930 --> 00:05:17.250 men were already walking home in defeat in discouragement 00:05:17.250 --> 00:05:24.269 in dismay and yet christ had already risen but 00:05:24.269 --> 00:05:26.370 they couldn't see it someone say they couldn't 00:05:26.370 --> 00:05:31.290 see it they couldn't see it they couldn't believe 00:05:31.290 --> 00:05:35.970 it and in their pain they couldn't even recognize 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:44.040 that the risen Christ who came and walked beside 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:50.199 them. This text has always fascinated me, and 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:53.779 as I began to reflect, meditate, and prepare 00:05:53.779 --> 00:05:57.279 my heart for today, I began to think about all 00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:00.459 the different scenarios that we in our faith 00:06:00.459 --> 00:06:03.319 find ourselves in from time to time, wherever 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:05.620 you're at in your Christian walk, whether you're 00:06:05.620 --> 00:06:07.850 a seasoned saint, whether you've been baptized, 00:06:07.910 --> 00:06:11.269 filled with his spirit for many years, or a new 00:06:11.269 --> 00:06:14.750 convert, or yet to be converted, yet to be baptized, 00:06:14.870 --> 00:06:18.509 wherever you're at, the tension of Resurrection 00:06:18.509 --> 00:06:23.829 Sunday is this, that the tomb can be empty, the 00:06:23.829 --> 00:06:29.550 Savior can be alive, and yet we can still live 00:06:29.550 --> 00:06:35.709 as if he's gone and still miss his presence. 00:06:36.430 --> 00:06:41.310 his power, and his salvation. No matter how long 00:06:41.310 --> 00:06:43.569 you've walked with him, no matter how good you 00:06:43.569 --> 00:06:48.529 think you know him, you can still miss his resurrection 00:06:48.529 --> 00:06:53.350 power. Let me just lay this scene out before 00:06:53.350 --> 00:06:57.110 you today. There are many places that Jesus could 00:06:57.110 --> 00:07:00.009 have appeared after his resurrection. Think of 00:07:00.009 --> 00:07:04.810 all the places Jesus could have showed up. upon 00:07:04.810 --> 00:07:08.430 rising from the dead. Think of all the grand 00:07:08.430 --> 00:07:12.430 entrances he could have made in that moment. 00:07:13.209 --> 00:07:16.149 He could have appeared before the leaders of 00:07:16.149 --> 00:07:19.470 the Sanhedrin, which were all the Jewish, the 00:07:19.470 --> 00:07:23.350 elite class among the Jewish society. He could 00:07:23.350 --> 00:07:27.089 have appeared to Caesar in Rome and say, look, 00:07:27.310 --> 00:07:31.129 I'm still here. That would have been impressive. 00:07:31.689 --> 00:07:34.519 He could have went to the temple. presented himself 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:38.459 to all the priesthood and say, ha, you were wrong. 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:43.259 Look, just walked in and smiled at him. That 00:07:43.259 --> 00:07:44.779 would have sent a message, how many of you think, 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:51.300 huh? But interestingly enough, Jesus spent, if 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:54.470 you read, the moments after his resurrection, 00:07:54.709 --> 00:07:58.569 he spent a good portion of his resurrection day 00:07:58.569 --> 00:08:03.230 simply walking down a road with the two men in 00:08:03.230 --> 00:08:06.629 this passage. Of all the places Jesus could have 00:08:06.629 --> 00:08:10.529 appeared and spent a great deal of his time, 00:08:10.730 --> 00:08:13.089 precious time, because he wasn't going to be 00:08:13.089 --> 00:08:16.410 in the flesh on earth very long. So every hour, 00:08:16.509 --> 00:08:20.189 every minute, every day was precious. And so 00:08:20.189 --> 00:08:25.870 he spent precious time time on his agenda to 00:08:25.870 --> 00:08:30.589 walk with these two men on the road to Emmaus. 00:08:30.610 --> 00:08:33.090 And I believe that that says something profound 00:08:33.090 --> 00:08:37.870 about what Jesus came to do. Not only then, but 00:08:37.870 --> 00:08:42.429 here today. It says that Jesus wants to walk 00:08:42.429 --> 00:08:47.049 with us. Somebody give God some praise here today. 00:08:47.210 --> 00:08:52.019 Amen, somebody. I said he wants to walk with 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:56.399 us. And this is a very important point when we 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:59.840 think about what the risen Savior wants to do. 00:09:00.059 --> 00:09:03.279 What is his plan for our life? What is his purpose 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.960 for us today? Why am I even here this afternoon? 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:12.360 Number one, the risen Christ joins you on your 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:15.940 journey. Amen. In verse 15, it tells us this. 00:09:15.980 --> 00:09:19.360 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.000 that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.919 Again, these men weren't gathered at the tomb. 00:09:28.220 --> 00:09:31.080 These men weren't all huddled around fasting 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.600 and praying and reading scripture. These men 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:37.740 weren't doing all the kind of spiritual things 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:41.360 you think one ought to be doing with the expectation 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.620 of Christ's return or his resurrection. They 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:47.259 weren't even expecting a miracle at this point. 00:09:47.710 --> 00:09:51.570 They were at this point walking with their proverbial 00:09:51.570 --> 00:09:55.769 tail between their legs back home to Emmaus. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:58.500 They were walking home believing in their mind, 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:01.600 thinking that everything was up in smoke, that 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:05.139 this whole thing was just maybe one big misunderstanding, 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.919 that they had got it wrong, that they were processing 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:11.659 their disappointment, trying to make sense. I 00:10:11.659 --> 00:10:14.059 want you to understand the state of mind that 00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:16.879 these men were at today and where they were today 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:20.159 because it's going to help qualify and validate 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:24.259 where you and I might be today in our own faith 00:10:24.259 --> 00:10:26.470 because even if you fail, feel like spiritually 00:10:26.470 --> 00:10:29.029 you have it all together. I can assure you all 00:10:29.029 --> 00:10:31.509 have sin and fall short of the glory of God. 00:10:31.629 --> 00:10:34.590 And so until you have been perfected, then we 00:10:34.590 --> 00:10:37.429 are all in some ways working through our faith 00:10:37.429 --> 00:10:41.450 and navigating and trying to search and figure 00:10:41.450 --> 00:10:45.549 things out. Questions still remain unanswered 00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:49.549 and life still remains to be lived. And we are 00:10:49.549 --> 00:10:52.710 in a way like these men walking through our journey. 00:10:52.750 --> 00:10:56.000 And even like they, We could be walking in the 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:59.080 wrong direction. They were going the opposite 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.120 direction from where the presence of God was. 00:11:02.460 --> 00:11:06.200 They were even going closer to Jerusalem. They 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:08.620 didn't even go back to Calvary and just kind 00:11:08.620 --> 00:11:10.879 of, you know, kneel there and cry or something. 00:11:11.019 --> 00:11:12.940 They didn't go back to it. They were walking 00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:16.580 in the polar opposite direction from where Christ 00:11:16.580 --> 00:11:20.919 was. And yet, despite being in the wrong mindset, 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.100 despite having the wrong belief, despite... being 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:26.299 in the wrong spirit and in the wrong attitude 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:29.259 and even going in the wrong direction, Jesus 00:11:29.259 --> 00:11:33.320 comes alongside them and begins to walk. I just 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:35.960 want to take a brief moment and encourage somebody 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:38.820 here today and tell you that no matter what direction 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:41.879 you're going, no matter where your mind and where 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.139 your heart and where your spirit is at today, 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:48.700 God loves you so much that he will come down 00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:52.299 to wherever you are and walk with you so that 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:55.100 you might know. Him. Somebody ought to thank 00:11:55.100 --> 00:11:58.259 God because there was a day. Who's going to preach 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:01.340 with me here today? There was a day, maybe 10 00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:04.899 years ago, maybe 20, 30, 40 years ago, where 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:08.120 you were walking in one way, but God loves you 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:11.779 so much. For God so loved the world that He gave 00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:15.320 His only begotten. He came and walked beside 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:18.419 you and engaged with you. How many of you can 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:23.230 give God some praise today for that? I mean, 00:12:23.250 --> 00:12:25.389 he could have just gave up on you. Could he not 00:12:25.389 --> 00:12:29.389 have? He could have said, you know, it's not 00:12:29.389 --> 00:12:32.370 going to work out. I don't know. Maybe we'll 00:12:32.370 --> 00:12:34.889 try with the other disciple. God could have passed 00:12:34.889 --> 00:12:38.679 you by. But he came to where you were and he 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:41.120 walked beside you. And I'm so glad that Jesus 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.159 doesn't wait for me to have all of my issues 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:45.659 resolved. He doesn't wait for me to have everything 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.360 figured out. He doesn't wait for me to be, you 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:50.740 know, in a state of perfection before he comes 00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:53.779 and begins to walk with us. I just want to encourage 00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:56.000 you here on this. Is this all right? Can I do 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.539 this today? And just tell you that God will love 00:12:58.539 --> 00:13:00.240 you right where you are, my friend. Hallelujah. 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:02.860 Now, he doesn't want you to stay where you are, 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:05.320 but he'll start loving you right where you are. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.179 said he loved me first. Oh, how I love Jesus. 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:14.559 Oh, how I love Jesus. Because he first loved. 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:17.159 How many of you know he loves you first? How 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:19.179 many of you know he walked beside you first? 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.700 And these men were going in the wrong direction. 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:23.659 And they were talking about the wrong things. 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:26.360 And they had a backwards mindset about everything 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:29.139 that God was trying to do in that hour in the 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:32.500 world. And yet Jesus still came alongside them. 00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:35.750 Even when you're walking away. From what you 00:13:35.750 --> 00:13:37.730 thought God. Some of you that's exactly where 00:13:37.730 --> 00:13:39.830 you are today. You don't even have to say amen. 00:13:39.990 --> 00:13:41.389 You don't have to bat an eyelash. You don't have 00:13:41.389 --> 00:13:43.649 to wink at me. But that's exactly where you're 00:13:43.649 --> 00:13:46.110 at. You're walking away from what you thought 00:13:46.110 --> 00:13:48.870 God was going to do. Come on now. You're walking 00:13:48.870 --> 00:13:51.330 away from what you thought God. How you thought 00:13:51.330 --> 00:13:54.909 he would move. And how you thought he was going 00:13:54.909 --> 00:13:57.750 to work. And maybe God didn't do it the way you 00:13:57.750 --> 00:14:00.129 thought. And maybe God didn't move how you thought. 00:14:00.409 --> 00:14:02.549 And maybe you're going in the wrong direction 00:14:02.549 --> 00:14:06.950 in your faith. Bible says that Jesus came and 00:14:06.950 --> 00:14:09.710 he walked beside them. Can I just tell you today, 00:14:09.789 --> 00:14:12.909 what you feel in your heart, what you feel in 00:14:12.909 --> 00:14:16.730 your spirit is a sign that God has not given 00:14:16.730 --> 00:14:20.250 up on you and that the risen Savior is closer 00:14:20.250 --> 00:14:24.090 than you think. Come on, clap your hands and 00:14:24.090 --> 00:14:28.610 let's give God some praise today. Here's what's 00:14:28.610 --> 00:14:33.169 striking. Verse 16. Verse 16 says it all. But 00:14:33.169 --> 00:14:38.049 their eyes were restrained. So they did not know. 00:14:38.129 --> 00:14:39.710 Do you know Jesus could be walking right next 00:14:39.710 --> 00:14:43.169 to you and you not know it? Oh, hallelujah. Some 00:14:43.169 --> 00:14:45.169 of you were afraid to say amen when I said hallelujah. 00:14:45.509 --> 00:14:50.149 And he was there. Walking right with them. I 00:14:50.149 --> 00:14:53.029 mean, they were like in his presence physically. 00:14:54.970 --> 00:14:58.509 They were walking right with him. And they didn't 00:14:58.509 --> 00:15:01.830 know him. And the same thing can happen today. 00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:04.539 You say, well, Pastor, how does that happen? 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:07.279 I'll tell you how it can happen. You can attend 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:12.100 church even every Sunday. Well, no one's going 00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:14.000 to help me right now. That's all right. Hallelujah. 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:17.980 You can sing the song because you know it. You 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:20.940 can even quote Bible. You can even outperform 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:25.340 and outdo others around you and still not know 00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:28.460 his presence the way that you want to or that 00:15:28.460 --> 00:15:31.700 he wants you to know him. You can be in the house 00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:34.580 of God, hear me, and not know the God of the 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:37.460 house. You can be in the presence of God and 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:40.379 not know the God of the presence. And this is 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:42.419 exactly where these men were. They were walking 00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:45.100 with him. They had some, there was something 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:48.690 about this that was. This was the Lord. This 00:15:48.690 --> 00:15:52.009 was Jesus. And yet they missed his presence. 00:15:52.190 --> 00:15:55.929 Why? Because they weren't looking for him. And 00:15:55.929 --> 00:15:59.610 they weren't expecting God to be there. You'd 00:15:59.610 --> 00:16:02.990 be surprised how many people come to church Sunday 00:16:02.990 --> 00:16:05.629 after Sunday and they don't expect a miracle. 00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:08.620 Oh, I need to help somebody. Somebody better 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:11.139 preach with me here today. Sunday after Sunday. 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:13.500 And they don't expect anybody to get saved. And 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:15.139 they don't expect anybody to receive the Holy 00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:17.259 Ghost. And they themselves don't expect to receive 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:19.679 a blessing from the Lord. Well, I didn't come 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.639 today all dressed up just to impress you and 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.559 have a nice service. I came with the expectation 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:29.580 that God was good. Is anybody else in this place 00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:32.600 today? Come on, can you give God about 30 seconds 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:36.599 to pray? Say, I came into this house. expecting 00:16:36.599 --> 00:16:40.539 God to do something in my life. Come on, magnify 00:16:40.539 --> 00:16:46.139 him. The problem is you got to get your eyes 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:48.799 off a man. Take your eyes off a man and get it 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.779 on God. Forget about what man is doing. Forget 00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:53.320 about who, you know, I don't know. They didn't 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:55.500 shake my hand the right way, you know, so that's 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:58.990 going to derail your whole service now. Hallelujah. 00:16:59.230 --> 00:17:01.470 Don't miss your blessing. Don't be like these 00:17:01.470 --> 00:17:03.990 guys walking on the road to Emmaus. They're walking 00:17:03.990 --> 00:17:06.990 with Jesus. The miracle. The resurrection and 00:17:06.990 --> 00:17:10.970 the life. And they don't see it. Talking about. 00:17:11.690 --> 00:17:14.230 Talking about all kinds of other things. Except 00:17:14.230 --> 00:17:16.430 for the fact that he was right there. And they 00:17:16.430 --> 00:17:19.309 missed Jesus. Not because Jesus was hiding. But 00:17:19.309 --> 00:17:22.170 because life can cloud our spiritual vision. 00:17:22.369 --> 00:17:25.009 And Jesus could be standing right. He could be 00:17:25.009 --> 00:17:27.029 sitting. Some of you have a little space next 00:17:27.029 --> 00:17:28.170 to you. You don't have someone sitting right 00:17:28.170 --> 00:17:30.529 next to you. Jesus could be sitting right there 00:17:30.529 --> 00:17:32.769 on the pew next to you. And you may not be able 00:17:32.769 --> 00:17:35.569 to see him. Because life has clouded your vision. 00:17:35.829 --> 00:17:39.670 Life has clouded your spiritual perception. And 00:17:39.670 --> 00:17:41.599 you might be waiting on for something. else to 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:43.500 happen i'm waiting for the service to get even 00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:46.480 better no the service is already good my friend 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.880 and god already wants to do something in your 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:53.680 life but thank god someone say thank god thank 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:56.220 god he doesn't walk away because you know jesus 00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:57.619 could have been walking he said i'm gonna give 00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:59.400 these guys five more minutes and if they don't 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:03.000 figure out who i am and i'm leaving thank god 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:05.819 he don't give up on us like that he'll just keep 00:18:05.819 --> 00:18:07.559 walking someone say he'll keep walking with you 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.500 He'll keep walking, and I feel like Jesus was 00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:12.700 walking with them, saying, all right, I'll keep 00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:15.259 walking with you. I'll keep walking with you. 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:17.920 The whole time, they just don't know that it's 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:22.599 him, and he's waiting for them because God's 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:24.480 a patient God. How many of you know he's patient? 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:27.799 Oh, I said, how many of you know he's patient? 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:31.579 How many of you are glad God's more patient than 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:36.059 your neighbors are? If God had the patience of 00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:37.640 our neighbor, man, we would have been cast off 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.940 a long time ago. But God is more patient. He's 00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:43.759 more patient. And God's walking with them. All 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:46.539 right. And remember, a good portion of his day, 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.619 I mean, he's just been walking with them, talking 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:52.400 with them, waiting for them to figure things 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:56.220 out. And this brings us to a very important juncture 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:58.920 in the story, which is that the risen Christ, 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:01.440 he's not just wanting to walk with you. No, that's 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:05.730 not at all. He wants to reframe your whole mind. 00:19:05.990 --> 00:19:08.710 He wants to reframe your disappointment. He wants 00:19:08.710 --> 00:19:11.509 to change the way you're looking at your life, 00:19:11.690 --> 00:19:14.029 the way you're looking at his plan, the way you're 00:19:14.029 --> 00:19:17.529 looking at everything. When Jesus asked why they 00:19:17.529 --> 00:19:21.369 were so sad, I want you to pay close attention 00:19:21.369 --> 00:19:26.069 to what they said. They said in verse 21, we 00:19:26.069 --> 00:19:30.450 were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.559 Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:42.859 third day since these things happened. So Jesus 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:45.859 is having this conversation. And, you know, out 00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:47.700 of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:50.039 right? So this is exactly what they're feeling. 00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:53.920 But notice the words, the beginning words, we 00:19:53.920 --> 00:20:00.950 were hoping. Oh, hallelujah. We were. That's 00:20:00.950 --> 00:20:06.549 past tense. We were hoping that God was going 00:20:06.549 --> 00:20:09.210 to do this, that God was going to do that, that 00:20:09.210 --> 00:20:13.130 he would defeat these Roman imperialists, that 00:20:13.130 --> 00:20:16.549 he would show the Pharisees and the Sadducees 00:20:16.549 --> 00:20:19.309 and the Sanhedrins and prove them wrong. We were 00:20:19.309 --> 00:20:23.150 hoping that he would redeem Israel politically 00:20:23.150 --> 00:20:26.369 and governmentally. We were hoping that he was 00:20:26.369 --> 00:20:29.640 going to do that. And yet... They were missing 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:33.380 the big picture. It was Sunday. It was Sunday. 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:36.519 It was the day of resurrection. Jesus was already 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:39.900 out of the grave, and yet they were still living 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:45.630 with a Saturday or a Friday mindset. Their hopes 00:20:45.630 --> 00:20:48.289 were still in Saturday, and yet the resurrection 00:20:48.289 --> 00:20:51.190 and the life was walking with them on Sunday. 00:20:52.049 --> 00:20:55.230 That's where somebody might be today. And the 00:20:55.230 --> 00:20:58.130 reason why you're struggling to embrace what's 00:20:58.130 --> 00:21:01.069 right in front of you spiritually is because 00:21:01.069 --> 00:21:04.190 you haven't let go of what's behind you. You're 00:21:04.190 --> 00:21:07.130 still focused on what you were hoping he would 00:21:07.130 --> 00:21:11.170 do. Oh, my Lord. And you're still talking about 00:21:11.170 --> 00:21:13.269 what could have been, and if it only had done 00:21:13.269 --> 00:21:15.890 this. should have been and what would have been 00:21:15.890 --> 00:21:18.829 and you can always tell when someone is living 00:21:18.829 --> 00:21:21.309 in the past based on what they talk about my 00:21:21.309 --> 00:21:23.890 god and they were saying what we were hoping 00:21:23.890 --> 00:21:27.849 that he was gonna we were hoping and the question 00:21:27.849 --> 00:21:31.630 is not what were you hoping for yesterday but 00:21:31.630 --> 00:21:35.670 what are you believing for today this is the 00:21:35.670 --> 00:21:40.609 day that the lord has made hallelujah and i don't 00:21:40.609 --> 00:21:43.930 want to miss his resurrection and power because 00:21:43.930 --> 00:21:50.589 my mind is somewhere else and yesterday we were 00:21:50.589 --> 00:21:54.130 hoping I was hoping that my family member wouldn't 00:21:54.130 --> 00:21:58.049 get sick I was hoping that my family member wouldn't 00:21:58.049 --> 00:22:02.009 die from their sickness I was hoping that we 00:22:02.009 --> 00:22:04.809 would have been out of this I was hoping my son 00:22:04.809 --> 00:22:06.670 or my daughter would have come home to church 00:22:06.670 --> 00:22:10.150 already I was hoping the miracle would have arrived. 00:22:10.309 --> 00:22:12.309 I was hoping things would be different. I was 00:22:12.309 --> 00:22:14.450 hoping that my life might be a little further 00:22:14.450 --> 00:22:17.089 down than where it is right now. I was hoping 00:22:17.089 --> 00:22:19.890 for this and hoping for that. And I've come to 00:22:19.890 --> 00:22:21.930 tell you that whatever it was that you were hoping 00:22:21.930 --> 00:22:25.150 for, there is still reason for hope today because 00:22:25.150 --> 00:22:28.269 hope on that third day walked out of that grave 00:22:28.269 --> 00:22:32.210 and lives forevermore. Hope is, someone say hope 00:22:32.210 --> 00:22:35.569 is alive. Come on, say it again. Hope is alive. 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:40.880 These men were disappointed because Jesus didn't 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:45.759 do what they expected him to do. Again, they 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:48.819 thought God was going to move one way, but they 00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:52.460 missed it because it didn't look like how they 00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:56.359 thought it was going to look. We're not even 00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:58.339 halfway through the year yet, church friends. 00:22:58.700 --> 00:23:01.299 And already some of you have some disappointments 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:03.779 because your New Year's resolutions have already 00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:06.900 went off the track. And some of the things that 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:08.259 you were praying for, you said, I'm stepping 00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:12.640 into 2025. And you're like, wait a minute, why 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:16.940 does it still feel like 2024 right now? Why does 00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:19.539 this still, what's going on? You know, how come 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:21.440 I haven't got that promotion yet? How come my 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.319 family member hasn't, I've been fasting and praying, 00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:24.819 this was the year they're supposed to get saved, 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:26.660 and now it seems like they're getting worse? 00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:29.799 No, no, no, no, that's not what, this is not 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.839 what I expected to hear. And things are not happening 00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:37.170 according to our, Our ideas and our thoughts. 00:23:37.250 --> 00:23:39.690 You see, what these men were struggling with, 00:23:39.809 --> 00:23:41.569 and before I move on, I need to point this out. 00:23:41.630 --> 00:23:44.390 They thought that Jesus was coming to redeem 00:23:44.390 --> 00:23:49.910 Israel politically. They thought it was a political 00:23:49.910 --> 00:23:53.170 move. They thought it was a power move within 00:23:53.170 --> 00:23:57.309 the structures of man, the government, Rome. 00:23:57.710 --> 00:24:00.190 They thought that God was going to come and deliver 00:24:00.190 --> 00:24:04.650 them from Roman oppression. And so their whole 00:24:04.650 --> 00:24:07.069 concept of what they thought God was going to 00:24:07.069 --> 00:24:10.109 do completely went up in smoke when he died, 00:24:10.230 --> 00:24:12.109 and then there was no talk about where he was. 00:24:12.289 --> 00:24:16.990 But Jesus never came to deliver us from a political 00:24:16.990 --> 00:24:19.910 situation. whole purpose for coming was not to 00:24:19.910 --> 00:24:22.710 overthrow the Roman government. It was not to 00:24:22.710 --> 00:24:27.009 churn the time or turn the times of the political 00:24:27.009 --> 00:24:30.289 climate. It was not to redeem them economically. 00:24:30.730 --> 00:24:34.970 It was to redeem them spiritually. And I've come 00:24:34.970 --> 00:24:37.730 to tell you that even if God hasn't done the 00:24:37.730 --> 00:24:40.049 physical thing, we all got. How many of you got 00:24:40.049 --> 00:24:42.910 physical needs today? Somebody say amen. Even 00:24:42.910 --> 00:24:45.690 if God hasn't done the physical thing that you 00:24:45.690 --> 00:24:48.450 need him to do. Whether it's the healing in your 00:24:48.450 --> 00:24:51.789 body, the saving of somebody or of a situation 00:24:51.789 --> 00:24:54.309 or money in your bank account or whatever it 00:24:54.309 --> 00:24:58.089 is that you need physically in your life doesn't 00:24:58.089 --> 00:25:00.829 mean that God isn't working because the most 00:25:00.829 --> 00:25:03.990 important thing that God has come to redeem your 00:25:03.990 --> 00:25:08.210 life of is not to restore your 401k account and 00:25:08.210 --> 00:25:10.750 not to restore the car that's in the backyard 00:25:10.750 --> 00:25:13.970 and not to restore all the temporal things that 00:25:13.970 --> 00:25:17.599 you've lost but to restore your spirit so that 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:21.180 you might live with him forever. Hallelujah. 00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:30.599 Somebody give God some praise today. I invite 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:33.460 you, if you can, these next few weeks, starting 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:35.519 next Sunday, my personal invitation to everyone 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:38.759 is to join us beginning a new series called Countdown 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:41.400 to Eternity. And I'm going to do a little commercial 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:44.789 right here. Is that all right? Hallelujah. It's 00:25:44.789 --> 00:25:46.329 Resurrection Sunday, but I'm going to put in 00:25:46.329 --> 00:25:49.130 a plug right here. This next series coming starting 00:25:49.130 --> 00:25:51.910 next Sunday, Countdown to Eternity. The problem 00:25:51.910 --> 00:25:55.190 is that we don't realize how close he is to coming 00:25:55.190 --> 00:25:58.109 because we've got our minds so focused on everything. 00:25:58.289 --> 00:26:00.690 We're so waiting for God to restore our savings 00:26:00.690 --> 00:26:03.549 account. Honey, he might not ever do that because 00:26:03.549 --> 00:26:07.119 he might come tonight. Uh -oh. Hallelujah. So 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:08.859 are you going to live your life? Well, I just 00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:11.599 got to work an extra few more hours of overtime. 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:14.900 Got to get that time and a half, baby. So what 00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:18.539 if your soul's not going to heaven and your family's 00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:20.640 not going with you? Oh, I just changed the message 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:26.140 on you today. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Now 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:28.619 some of you don't want to come next time. Hallelujah. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:35.339 But Christ is closer than you think. He's closer. 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:39.059 Some would say he's closer. The problem is not 00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:41.220 that God wasn't moving according to these men. 00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:43.799 The problem is that he was moving in a greater 00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:48.299 way than their minds could fathom. Can I tell 00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:50.259 you something? Just a few more moments and I'll 00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:52.359 be done. God's plans are greater than yours. 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:56.839 Turn to somebody and tell them that. God's plans 00:26:56.839 --> 00:27:00.259 are greater than yours. God's plans are greater 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:03.440 than yours. And you know, sometimes I think God 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:05.240 hears us pray. And we're praying for things, 00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:09.140 and God's like, that's cute. That's just cute, 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:12.839 man. That's just cute. But I got so much more 00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:15.859 that I want to accomplish in your life. And it's 00:27:15.859 --> 00:27:18.339 got nothing to do with cars and houses and things 00:27:18.339 --> 00:27:20.240 like that. It's got everything to do with spiritual 00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:22.380 blessings that I want to release in your life. 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:27.420 Hallelujah. That's cute. I can get, if you really, 00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:30.980 if all you're believing me for is a $2 .50, you 00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:32.640 know, bump in your raise and all that, I can, 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:34.440 but that's just a cute little blessing. I've 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:36.480 got so much more that I want to do in your life, 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:38.480 starting with the revival and the restoration 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:41.880 of your whole family. Woo, my God, hallelujah. 00:27:42.849 --> 00:27:45.990 It's much bigger. It's much higher than we think. 00:27:46.069 --> 00:27:48.170 So many times we've got our eyes set on what's 00:27:48.170 --> 00:27:49.569 happening right here and what's happening on 00:27:49.569 --> 00:27:50.950 the news and what's happening in the economy 00:27:50.950 --> 00:27:52.630 and what's happening in the stock market and 00:27:52.630 --> 00:27:54.490 what's happening in the workplace. The Bible 00:27:54.490 --> 00:27:57.890 says, set your affections on things above. God's 00:27:57.890 --> 00:28:00.549 got high. His ways are not our ways. Hallelujah. 00:28:00.829 --> 00:28:03.789 His thoughts are high above ours. Hallelujah. 00:28:04.250 --> 00:28:07.410 And there are bigger things that our minds, it 00:28:07.410 --> 00:28:11.710 hasn't even entered into our minds what God wants 00:28:11.710 --> 00:28:15.059 to do. So Jesus began to explain to these men. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:18.079 He began to reframe. He had to rewire the thinking. 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:20.640 Unplug this wire, replug it over here. Say, man, 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:23.599 you guys got it all wrong. And then one by one, 00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:27.799 one scripture at a time. who in verse 27 it says 00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:30.859 and at the beginning at moses and all the prophets 00:28:30.859 --> 00:28:33.680 he expounded to them in all the scriptures the 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:37.559 things concerning himself one wire at a time 00:28:37.559 --> 00:28:40.819 he started to unplug and rewire their thinking 00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:44.259 and from moses think of this from what a bible 00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:46.700 study that must have been my god i mean the word 00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:49.680 of life is giving the word of god he's just one 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:52.759 verse at a time all down through the prophets 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:55.490 i mean he went through jeremiah he went through 00:28:55.490 --> 00:28:58.150 Isaiah and maybe he touched on the minor prophets. 00:28:58.309 --> 00:29:01.630 I mean, he went down the line and finally he 00:29:01.630 --> 00:29:04.029 was explaining these things so that they might 00:29:04.029 --> 00:29:07.710 see. Listen, guys, let not your heart be troubled. 00:29:08.089 --> 00:29:12.230 Don't be in a fear. Don't be afraid because all 00:29:12.230 --> 00:29:15.049 the things that you need is sitting right in 00:29:15.049 --> 00:29:18.029 front of you. Don't get too attached to your 00:29:18.029 --> 00:29:21.569 own ideas. I've got a bigger plan. Don't get 00:29:21.569 --> 00:29:24.309 too attached to your own mindset. Don't get too 00:29:24.309 --> 00:29:26.920 attached. attached to you. Unless you missed 00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:29.839 a bigger picture, I've got more that I want to 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:32.460 do in your life. I've just come to tell somebody, 00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:35.039 whatever is disappointing you today, whatever 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:37.779 is heartbreaking your heart today, whatever is 00:29:37.779 --> 00:29:40.000 wrecking your mind today, whatever is destroying 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:43.339 your life today, I need you to know that the 00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:47.680 risen Christ is closer than you think. You need 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:52.259 to know that the tomb is still empty today. Oh, 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:55.680 my Lord. player come on and get ready i said 00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:01.700 the tomb is still empty and jesus is still alive 00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:05.839 and he's still healing how many of you know he's 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:08.940 still healing and he's still delivering how many 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:11.619 of you know he's doing it and he's still saving 00:30:11.619 --> 00:30:15.680 and he's still manifesting his glory and his 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:22.450 power Until he comes, there are miracles bigger 00:30:22.450 --> 00:30:25.269 than what we've ever seen before that are coming. 00:30:26.130 --> 00:30:29.390 And God said, let me do it. The final thing as 00:30:29.390 --> 00:30:32.210 I close is this, and I won't get through everything 00:30:32.210 --> 00:30:35.430 here, but I just want you to see that it's not 00:30:35.430 --> 00:30:37.329 the will of God for your eyes to remain closed. 00:30:39.170 --> 00:30:41.109 It's not the will of God for you to live your 00:30:41.109 --> 00:30:44.630 faith in ignorance. Blind faith. The Bible doesn't 00:30:44.630 --> 00:30:48.369 teach blind faith. It says the faith walked by. 00:30:49.049 --> 00:30:53.569 The Bible said that we walk not by sight, but 00:30:53.569 --> 00:30:58.410 by faith. It's not blind faith. No. My faith 00:30:58.410 --> 00:31:03.250 is built on substance of things hoped for. The 00:31:03.250 --> 00:31:07.190 evidence of things not yet seen. It's not blind 00:31:07.190 --> 00:31:11.690 faith. God wants us to open our spiritual eyes 00:31:11.690 --> 00:31:16.890 today. How many of you want a greater revelation 00:31:16.890 --> 00:31:20.539 of Christ today? than when you walked in how 00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:21.900 many of you want to leave this service with a 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:26.500 greater revelation of christ oh hallelujah can 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:29.240 i tell you the key here it is jesus walked with 00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:31.440 them they didn't recognize him their spiritual 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:33.220 eyes were closed their natural eyes were open 00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:36.640 but that was a problem our natural eyes could 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:38.140 be open and we're looking in the flesh we're 00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:39.920 looking in the carnal we're looking in in the 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:42.019 physical but no you're not going to discern this 00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:45.309 physically It was their spiritual eyes that needed 00:31:45.309 --> 00:31:47.650 to be opened. Just like some of your, the scales 00:31:47.650 --> 00:31:50.009 need to fall off your spiritual eyes today so 00:31:50.009 --> 00:31:52.690 that you might see Christ, the risen Savior is 00:31:52.690 --> 00:31:56.049 closer than you think. In verse 30 and 31, hold 00:31:56.049 --> 00:31:58.130 up, I feel this in my spirit. Now it came to 00:31:58.130 --> 00:32:00.769 pass as he sat at the table with them that he 00:32:00.769 --> 00:32:04.049 took the bread. Someone say bread. He took bread 00:32:04.049 --> 00:32:08.029 and blessed and broke it and he gave it to them. 00:32:08.490 --> 00:32:14.039 And then it says, and then. Their eyes were open. 00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:19.259 Man, this really messed with me. This whole thought, 00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:22.240 like, why would Jesus wait all the way to this 00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:25.799 point? At any point, Jesus could have revealed 00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:30.500 himself to these men. At any point, he could 00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:34.099 have just, you know, touched their eyelids and 00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:35.680 said, all right, guys, open them. At the count 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:38.759 of three, you're going to see me. He could have 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:42.480 done that. But he sits down because you know 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:43.980 what Jesus, first of all, he wants to break bread 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:47.839 with you. You're not going to know him like he 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:51.220 wants to until you sit down in fellowship with 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:57.480 him. Oh, my God. And so they sit down and then 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:03.740 he gets the bread. He takes it. He blesses it. 00:33:04.619 --> 00:33:08.410 Then he breaks it. And then he gives it. And 00:33:08.410 --> 00:33:12.150 right when that happens, their eyes are open. 00:33:12.269 --> 00:33:13.990 It made me think of what happened on the Last 00:33:13.990 --> 00:33:17.690 Supper. What could it be about the breaking of 00:33:17.690 --> 00:33:21.369 this bread that opened their eyes? What could 00:33:21.369 --> 00:33:26.049 it be about this? Was it a ceremony? Was it ritualism? 00:33:26.109 --> 00:33:29.829 No. Was it merely custom? No. It was revelation. 00:33:31.049 --> 00:33:33.230 What was it that God was trying to show them? 00:33:34.690 --> 00:33:37.539 He took them back to the Last Supper. Where he 00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:40.539 took the bread, he gave thanks, he blessed it, 00:33:40.619 --> 00:33:43.200 he broke it, and he gave it to them. And what 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:46.359 did he say about the bread? He said, this is 00:33:46.359 --> 00:33:54.200 my body, which is given for you. I believe that 00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:59.779 when they saw the bread broken, it dawned on 00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:09.900 them. The bread. The body that was broken. He 00:34:09.900 --> 00:34:14.099 came. They saw the full gospel illustrated before 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:19.699 them in that moment that he came. He was blessed. 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:26.320 He was broken. And he was given. And when they 00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:31.239 saw that, their eyes were opened to God. And 00:34:31.239 --> 00:34:38.159 they realized that this was their Savior. This 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:41.039 was what it was all about. The resurrection. 00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:44.300 You don't have a resurrection unless you have 00:34:44.300 --> 00:34:48.199 a bread, a body that is broken and buried. You 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:51.239 can't live in resurrection power and know him 00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:53.940 in the power of his resurrection if you also 00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:56.300 don't know him in the fellowship of his suffering. 00:34:56.909 --> 00:35:00.110 You will know him in the power of miracles and 00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:03.010 glory and wonders that God wants to do in our 00:35:03.010 --> 00:35:06.489 life each and every day until we also look at 00:35:06.489 --> 00:35:10.710 the cross once again. Oh, my God. Where he shed 00:35:10.710 --> 00:35:15.210 his blood and he died for us and he gave up the 00:35:15.210 --> 00:35:19.010 ghost so that we and I could have our sins washed 00:35:19.010 --> 00:35:22.610 away in the blood of the Lamb. Would you stand 00:35:22.610 --> 00:35:26.469 with me this afternoon? Hallelujah. When they 00:35:26.469 --> 00:35:29.949 saw the bread, they remembered that he had to 00:35:29.949 --> 00:35:33.570 die. He had to be given. He had to be broken 00:35:33.570 --> 00:35:37.849 so that he could be given away. And this is the 00:35:37.849 --> 00:35:40.309 key today. You'll never know the resurrection 00:35:40.309 --> 00:35:43.730 power of God until you find yourself at the cross, 00:35:43.909 --> 00:35:50.030 my friend. You'll never see the power and the 00:35:50.030 --> 00:35:52.769 resurrection and the life that God wants to give 00:35:52.769 --> 00:35:56.329 you until you go. back to Calvary. I've got to 00:35:56.329 --> 00:35:59.309 start at Calvary. I've got to start at the cross. 00:35:59.510 --> 00:36:04.269 I've got to start at the blood. How many of you 00:36:04.269 --> 00:36:08.769 are thankful for the blood of Jesus? I said, 00:36:08.789 --> 00:36:11.309 how many of you are thankful for the blood of 00:36:11.309 --> 00:36:13.349 Jesus? Come on, can somebody give God, why don't 00:36:13.349 --> 00:36:15.650 you give him about 30 to 60 seconds of praise 00:36:15.650 --> 00:36:18.570 right now? Come on, come on church. Why don't 00:36:18.570 --> 00:36:27.300 you thank him right there for the blood? that 00:36:27.300 --> 00:36:32.000 you shed for me on Calvary, Lord. And when I 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:36.219 see the blood and when I see the cross and when 00:36:36.219 --> 00:36:40.820 I see you, Lord, taking my place, all of a sudden 00:36:40.820 --> 00:36:44.079 it comes to my mind. All of a sudden I begin 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:49.440 to realize that my life is worth it. That you 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:53.369 love me. and that you would never leave me nor 00:36:53.369 --> 00:36:55.570 forsake me. Come on, somebody worship him right 00:36:55.570 --> 00:36:59.949 now. God is in this place right now. All of a 00:36:59.949 --> 00:37:19.309 sudden I can see that my Redeemer lives. The 00:37:19.309 --> 00:37:21.369 Lord has risen. The Lord has risen. The Lord 00:37:21.369 --> 00:37:24.010 has risen. The Lord has risen. The Lord. Anybody 00:37:24.010 --> 00:37:26.710 a witness today? The Lord has risen. The Lord 00:37:26.710 --> 00:37:30.010 has risen. The Lord has risen. He's not dead. 00:37:30.309 --> 00:37:33.170 Come on, somebody worship him. He's not dead.