WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.939 Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because 00:00:08.939 --> 00:00:21.940 He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:31.730 holds the future and life is good. because he 00:00:31.730 --> 00:00:36.490 lives. The Resurrection Life Sunday sermon is 00:00:36.490 --> 00:00:39.270 brought to you by Resurrection Life Church in 00:00:39.270 --> 00:00:44.109 Apex, North Carolina. A congregation of the Presbyterian 00:00:44.109 --> 00:00:47.070 Church in America. Resurrection Life Church is 00:00:47.070 --> 00:00:49.530 pastored by Dr. Mark Ganesh and the Reverend 00:00:49.530 --> 00:00:52.609 Jeff Smith. This week for Easter, Pastor Mark 00:00:52.609 --> 00:00:54.869 takes a brief pause from the book of Hebrews. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:57.719 but not from one of Hebrews' author's central 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:02.060 themes, seeing Jesus. So I want to invite you 00:01:02.060 --> 00:01:06.900 to follow Luke chapter 24. If you have your Bibles, 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:09.099 it should be actually in the bulletin as well. 00:01:09.579 --> 00:01:12.340 Luke's gospel is fascinating because Luke's gospel 00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:15.659 records the resurrection story. So we have this 00:01:15.659 --> 00:01:18.379 amazing resurrection story, and then we're getting 00:01:18.379 --> 00:01:22.280 transported to this totally seemingly random 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:26.829 story about two people. walking away from Jerusalem 00:01:26.829 --> 00:01:30.650 and walking back home. And I'd never preached 00:01:30.650 --> 00:01:35.650 on this passage before for Easter, and I'm very 00:01:35.650 --> 00:01:38.590 excited to do that this morning. This comes in 00:01:38.590 --> 00:01:42.170 the context of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews that 00:01:42.170 --> 00:01:44.090 we're working through right now. And throughout 00:01:44.090 --> 00:01:46.810 the book of Hebrews, we are focusing on how to 00:01:46.810 --> 00:01:49.989 look... at Jesus, how to keep our eyes fixed 00:01:49.989 --> 00:01:53.250 on Jesus. And today we're going to focus on that. 00:01:53.290 --> 00:01:55.930 What does it mean to see Jesus? What does it 00:01:55.930 --> 00:01:58.950 mean to actually see Jesus? What do you actually 00:01:58.950 --> 00:02:06.590 need to do to see him? So Luke 24, starting verse 00:02:06.590 --> 00:02:10.210 13, we're going to read to 35. That very day, 00:02:10.270 --> 00:02:13.789 two of them were going to a village named Emmaus. 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:16.520 about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.460 talking with each other about all these things 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:21.620 that had happened. And while they were talking 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:25.280 and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:27.599 and went with them, but their eyes were kept 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.379 from recognizing him. And he said to them, what 00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:32.199 is this conversation that you're holding with 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:34.520 each other as you walk? And they stood still 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:38.060 looking sad. And then one of them named Cloepas 00:02:38.060 --> 00:02:41.460 answered him. are you the only visitor to Jerusalem 00:02:41.460 --> 00:02:43.879 who does not know the things that have happened 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:47.080 there in these days? And he said to them, what 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:49.900 things? And they said to him, and then there's 00:02:49.900 --> 00:02:53.419 this kind of long quote. Concerning Jesus of 00:02:53.419 --> 00:02:55.939 Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed 00:02:55.939 --> 00:02:59.180 and word before God and all the people. And how 00:02:59.180 --> 00:03:01.199 our chief priests and rulers delivered him up 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:04.240 to be condemned to death and crucified him. And 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.539 we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.539 Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third 00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:12.039 day since these things happened. Moreover, some 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.039 women of our company amazed us. They were at 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.979 the tomb early in the morning. And when they 00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:19.379 did not find his body, they came back saying 00:03:19.379 --> 00:03:22.199 that they had seen a vision of angels. who said 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:24.939 he was alive. Some of those who were with us 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:29.360 went to the tomb and found it just as the woman 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:32.699 had said, but him they did not see. And he said 00:03:32.699 --> 00:03:36.620 to them, that is Jesus, O foolish ones, and slow 00:03:36.620 --> 00:03:38.860 of heart to believe all that the prophets have 00:03:38.860 --> 00:03:41.699 spoken. Was it not necessary that the Christ 00:03:41.699 --> 00:03:43.800 should suffer these things and enter into his 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:46.879 glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:49.500 he interpreted to them in all the scriptures 00:03:49.500 --> 00:03:53.180 the things concerning himself. So they drew near 00:03:53.180 --> 00:03:55.280 to the village to which they were going. He acted 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:57.699 as if he were going further, but they urged him 00:03:57.699 --> 00:04:00.520 strongly saying, stay with us for it is toward 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:04.560 evening and the day is now far spent. So he went 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.439 in to stay with them. When he was at table with 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.060 them, he took bread and blessed and broke it 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:13.159 and gave it to them and their eyes were opened 00:04:13.159 --> 00:04:16.620 and they recognized him and he vanished from 00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:19.040 their sight. They said to each other, did not 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:21.860 our hearts burn within us while he talked to 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:24.139 us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures? 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.819 And they rose that same hour and returned to 00:04:26.819 --> 00:04:30.560 Jerusalem. And they found the eleven, and those 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:32.399 who were with them gathered together, saying, 00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:34.939 the Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to 00:04:34.939 --> 00:04:37.339 Simon. And they told what had happened on the 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:40.339 road and how he was known to them in the breaking 00:04:40.339 --> 00:04:44.360 of the bread. So, brothers and sisters in Jesus 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:47.720 Christ. It was about five years ago when people 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:51.279 started posting all these random green blocks 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.620 on Facebook because they were playing a game 00:04:54.620 --> 00:04:57.860 called Wordle. Super annoying. I had no idea 00:04:57.860 --> 00:05:00.040 what it meant. To this day, I really actually, 00:05:00.180 --> 00:05:04.160 as of this week, I had no idea what these green 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:07.740 boxes were about. Anyway, Heather said, hey, 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:10.000 you want to play Wordle this week? You want to 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:11.459 play Wordle? I'm like, you know what? I don't 00:05:11.459 --> 00:05:13.860 know how to play it. And so she went to where 00:05:13.860 --> 00:05:16.779 there's all these empty boxes. And she said, 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:20.899 okay, pick any five -letter word. And I was like, 00:05:20.980 --> 00:05:26.980 okay. Phased. And then the second word came out. 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:30.000 And she said, okay, pick a word with an F and 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:35.839 a Z in it. And I said, fizzy. And I got it. I 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.699 was like, and she's like. you got it. I can't 00:05:38.699 --> 00:05:41.339 believe you got it in two. And I was like, what 00:05:41.339 --> 00:05:44.660 did I do? I just picked two words that came to 00:05:44.660 --> 00:05:47.259 my head right away and I wrote them down. And 00:05:47.259 --> 00:05:49.620 it was one of those things where I was experiencing 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:54.920 a victory of sorts, but I had no idea what was 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:59.480 going on. No idea. It took a while for Heather 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:02.199 to explain exactly how she plays the game and 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:04.060 how she always starts with the word earth or 00:06:04.060 --> 00:06:06.139 something like that. Oh, did I give it away? 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:08.639 Sorry, Heather. Didn't mean to. That's her secret. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:13.100 Shoot. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:14.939 with this introduction is that we have these 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:18.819 two guys who are walking and they're seeing victory 00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:22.139 right in their face. And they don't have a clue 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:27.000 what's going on. Why? Because in verse 16, it 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:30.399 says that their eyes were kept from seeing Jesus. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:33.459 Their eyes were kept from seeing Jesus. They 00:06:33.459 --> 00:06:36.240 couldn't see him. And we're going to talk about 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.560 that this morning. We're going to talk about 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:43.120 the tension that's built up in this text. Will 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:47.199 they see Jesus when he walks alongside them? 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:51.420 Will they see Jesus? When they explain scriptures, 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:54.079 when he explains scriptures to them, will they 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:56.959 see Jesus when their hearts are warmed and they 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:00.259 feel something important? Will they feel, see 00:07:00.259 --> 00:07:04.300 Jesus when they want him to stay, when they're 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:08.240 desiring for him to stay? Will they see Jesus? 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:10.920 So let's begin with this first one. Will they 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.300 see Jesus while walking beside him? These are 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:16.379 two exhausted travelers. They've been in Jerusalem. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:19.439 They're tired. They're weary. They're worn. Their 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:23.139 rabbi, who they believed at some level was a 00:07:23.139 --> 00:07:27.360 really important man, died. We crucified on Friday. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:30.300 And so they're walking back, and Jesus comes 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:34.600 up to them. And he asks them, okay, so what are 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:38.189 you guys talking about? And they say in verse 00:07:38.189 --> 00:07:40.889 18, are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who 00:07:40.889 --> 00:07:43.110 does not know the things that have happened there 00:07:43.110 --> 00:07:46.689 in these days? I've heard this question posed 00:07:46.689 --> 00:07:49.189 with a more modern translation. Where were you? 00:07:49.810 --> 00:07:54.529 Under a rock somewhere? Jesus is like, well, 00:07:54.569 --> 00:07:58.029 maybe not under a rock per se. Behind a rock 00:07:58.029 --> 00:08:02.470 perhaps, but Jesus doesn't get into it. Indulge 00:08:02.470 --> 00:08:06.199 me, Jesus says. What things? And you get this 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:08.500 really impressive response. Concerning Jesus 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:10.680 of Nazareth, they say, a man who was a prophet 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:13.199 mighty in deed and word. Now, to be mighty in 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:15.459 word doesn't mean he would have been really good 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:18.040 at wordle, although I'm sure he was. It means 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:21.199 that what he did and what he said were like the 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:23.819 prophets of old. Powerful, effective, miraculous. 00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:28.639 They go on. But we had hoped that he was the 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:32.159 one to redeem Israel. They had hoped that they 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:36.789 would redeem their... people group from under 00:08:36.789 --> 00:08:41.590 Roman occupation. And then you have this eyewitness 00:08:41.590 --> 00:08:44.529 account of the resurrection. Women who saw the 00:08:44.529 --> 00:08:48.950 angels and said that he was alive. But then in 00:08:48.950 --> 00:08:50.730 verse 24 it says, some of those who were with 00:08:50.730 --> 00:08:52.610 us went to the tomb and found it just as the 00:08:52.610 --> 00:08:58.970 woman had said, but they did not see. But him 00:08:58.970 --> 00:09:05.840 they did not see. Because they did not see, the 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:10.279 obvious conclusion was that he was dead. Him 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:15.039 they did not see. So you can be literally walking 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:18.899 beside Jesus. Your proximity could be like right 00:09:18.899 --> 00:09:24.340 here and still not see him. Let's move on. They're 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:28.870 hearing from Jesus. So Jesus says to them, oh, 00:09:28.889 --> 00:09:31.210 foolish ones. That's a bit harsh of a response. 00:09:31.429 --> 00:09:33.649 But basically it says, you guys don't have a 00:09:33.649 --> 00:09:37.330 brain right now. So the word here, they're kind 00:09:37.330 --> 00:09:40.610 of mindless. They're not thinking straight. It's 00:09:40.610 --> 00:09:42.970 like, you guys just, you're not thinking straight. 00:09:43.029 --> 00:09:46.070 One translation interprets it as, oh, inconsiderate. 00:09:46.070 --> 00:09:49.129 Like they're not considering in their brain what 00:09:49.129 --> 00:09:50.929 this moment is about. They're kind of like thick 00:09:50.929 --> 00:09:54.409 -headed in this moment. And he explains, was 00:09:54.409 --> 00:09:56.509 it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these 00:09:56.509 --> 00:09:58.309 things? And then what does he do? He opens up 00:09:58.309 --> 00:10:00.509 the Bible. He starts explaining to the Moses 00:10:00.509 --> 00:10:03.490 and the prophets. Now, for those of you who may 00:10:03.490 --> 00:10:05.970 not know who Moses is, Moses is a very important 00:10:05.970 --> 00:10:08.129 Old Testament figure who lived many centuries 00:10:08.129 --> 00:10:11.090 before Jesus. But he was more like a Jesus figure 00:10:11.090 --> 00:10:13.950 of the Old Testament. He's the one who led Israel 00:10:13.950 --> 00:10:18.129 out of slavery, out of Egypt, through the wilderness 00:10:18.129 --> 00:10:19.809 and brought them right to the edge of the promised 00:10:19.809 --> 00:10:23.419 land. And so Jesus is opening scripture. He explains 00:10:23.419 --> 00:10:27.740 to them all of these things are pointing to him. 00:10:28.860 --> 00:10:33.379 That Exodus, that's me. That's like a foreshadowing 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:36.820 of me, what's happening in this moment. That 00:10:36.820 --> 00:10:39.460 lamb that they had to sacrifice at Passover, 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:44.820 that's me. That's me. Now, he doesn't say that's 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:47.580 me. He's just explained to them that this Christ 00:10:47.580 --> 00:10:52.330 must suffer and must. Die. He doesn't reveal 00:10:52.330 --> 00:10:57.029 himself yet. He doesn't say that it's himself 00:10:57.029 --> 00:10:59.610 that Psalm 22 is talking about. My God, my God, 00:10:59.690 --> 00:11:02.250 why have you forsaken me? That Jesus said on 00:11:02.250 --> 00:11:07.629 the cross was his own personal words to his father. 00:11:08.809 --> 00:11:12.159 Or from Isaiah 53, explaining to them. By his 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:15.080 stripes we are healed. And like sheep led to 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:17.360 the slaughter, he bore the iniquities of our 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:20.379 sin. Cursed is the man who is hung on a tree. 00:11:21.299 --> 00:11:25.539 So all these old, old, ancient documents, ancient 00:11:25.539 --> 00:11:27.740 to us, but also ancient to them in the first 00:11:27.740 --> 00:11:33.159 century, all pointing to this Christ, this Messiah. 00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:37.740 Jesus would have been an amazing Bible teacher. 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:41.059 Can you imagine sitting there? and he's explaining 00:11:41.059 --> 00:11:44.440 all these things to you, you could have the very 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:48.899 best Bible teacher on planet Earth out of all 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:51.399 the cosmos, out of all heaven and earth, and 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:56.200 you can still not see Jesus. Amazing. Let's jump 00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:59.919 to the end of the story where Jesus is walking 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:03.379 with these two, and they're at home, and they're 00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:08.360 wanting Jesus to stay. They're desiring Jesus. 00:12:09.790 --> 00:12:12.210 You know, we sing songs, I need Jesus, I need 00:12:12.210 --> 00:12:13.970 Jesus. You could sing I need Jesus a million 00:12:13.970 --> 00:12:16.049 times, and yet this is saying you could still 00:12:16.049 --> 00:12:21.250 not see him. You could want him, but still not 00:12:21.250 --> 00:12:25.210 see him. Amazing, right? Or even after Jesus 00:12:25.210 --> 00:12:27.289 reveals himself, they say to him, wasn't our 00:12:27.289 --> 00:12:33.889 hearts burning? Weren't our hearts burning? That's 00:12:33.889 --> 00:12:38.299 an incredible statement. Jesus, it says that 00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:41.080 Jesus taught them. He also interpreted the scriptures, 00:12:41.419 --> 00:12:43.639 which means that Jesus was preaching to them. 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:47.179 So Jesus wasn't only a really good teacher, sharing 00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:49.980 logic and knowledge to them, which did not get 00:12:49.980 --> 00:12:53.440 them to see Jesus. Jesus was also interpreting 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:55.379 the scripture. He was preaching in the moment. 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:58.500 Can you imagine how good of a preacher Jesus 00:12:58.500 --> 00:13:02.320 would have been? If we just had all his sermons 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:04.600 recorded, just listening on one of our podcasts 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:06.960 over and over and over again, just listening 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.899 to Jesus preach, and we get out of that sermon 00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:12.340 super inspired, our hearts would be moved. We 00:13:12.340 --> 00:13:16.779 could be brought to tears. And still not see 00:13:16.779 --> 00:13:22.639 Jesus? How is this possible? For those of you 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:26.070 who know me, you know I'm a feeler. I took the 00:13:26.070 --> 00:13:27.830 Myers -Briggs test years ago. Every time I take 00:13:27.830 --> 00:13:30.470 the Myers -Briggs test, it reveals I'm a very 00:13:30.470 --> 00:13:36.190 strong F. And feelers, there's only like 30, 00:13:36.350 --> 00:13:39.750 35 % of men are feelers. The rest of them are 00:13:39.750 --> 00:13:43.129 thinkers. And so sometimes it's a little lonely 00:13:43.129 --> 00:13:47.529 world. But anyway, fortunately, a lot of us pastors 00:13:47.529 --> 00:13:51.409 are feelers. And so it's an interesting kind 00:13:51.409 --> 00:13:54.769 of thing, you know, when you're moved by the 00:13:54.769 --> 00:13:56.389 Spirit. You know, there's been times in my life, 00:13:56.450 --> 00:13:59.889 I remember when I watched a meme, a mime, sorry, 00:13:59.970 --> 00:14:03.009 not a meme, a mime, a mime. You know those mimers, 00:14:03.070 --> 00:14:05.169 you know, that do the thing and the face paint 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:08.049 and all that stuff. So when I was about 15 years 00:14:08.049 --> 00:14:11.179 old, there was a mime. who did Watch the Lamb 00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:15.440 by Ray Bolts. This beautiful mime depicting kind 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:19.039 of an imaginary story of the man who bore the 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:21.740 cross that Jesus had to bore, telling him he 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:24.460 had to carry the cross. And so it's a very powerful 00:14:24.460 --> 00:14:28.320 song. And I remember just watching that and thinking, 00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:31.039 Lord, I think I want to serve you. I think I 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.799 want to serve you for the rest of my life. It 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.200 was a real emotional moment for me. But is that 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:39.220 the moment, is that how I was able to see Jesus? 00:14:39.980 --> 00:14:43.860 In that moment? Do we need to feel something? 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:48.179 Do we need to think something? Do we need to 00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:51.139 desire something? Is that what gets us faith? 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.539 If it's not logic and knowledge, and if it's 00:14:58.539 --> 00:15:00.559 not emotion and feeling, and if it's not our 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:04.179 desire, then what gets us to see Jesus? What 00:15:04.179 --> 00:15:12.580 is it? Our text says it. But it's hidden. So 00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:17.039 I want to reread 28 to 31. So they drew near 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:20.159 to the village to which they were going. He acted 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:23.720 as if they were going further. And they urged 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:26.460 him strongly saying, stay with us for it is toward 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:30.980 evening and the day is now far spent. So he went 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:33.360 in to stay with them and was at the table with 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:35.259 them. He took bread and blessed them, broke it 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:37.980 and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened. 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:44.120 Their eyes were opened. That's the answer. Their 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:50.720 eyes were opened. This is a passive voice, which 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:55.100 means the action is done to the subject, which 00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:58.879 is important. When we read in Scripture that 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.379 Jesus was raised from the dead, that action is 00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:07.700 happening to the subject. That is, the resurrection, 00:16:09.040 --> 00:16:14.080 was a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit event. The 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.720 Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.620 I'm not sure exactly how that all works, raised 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:22.460 Jesus from the dead. The action was happening 00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:25.879 to the subject. Theologians like to call this 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:28.679 phrase the divine passive. It's all over the 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:32.539 place in the New Testament. And this divine passage 00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:35.559 is revealed to us when their eyes are kept shut 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:40.700 and when their eyes are opened. Why is this so 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:44.200 important? Why is this so important? The divine 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:49.360 passive helps us understand how we get faith. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:55.159 You don't get faith through your proximity to 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:57.740 Jesus. You don't get faith by learning enough. 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:01.799 You don't get faith by feeling enough. And you 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:05.799 don't get faith by desiring enough. Because these 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:09.940 are things that are... activities that we push 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:15.240 up towards God. That's not how faith works. Faith 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:18.859 is something that's given to you. Faith is a 00:17:18.859 --> 00:17:22.720 gift. And I know this is hard for some of us. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:25.279 Some of us thinkers, you know, we really want 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.539 to logically understand faith. And so we'll be 00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:29.740 really good at apologetics. We'll know exactly 00:17:29.740 --> 00:17:31.980 how to make the right argument at the right time. 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:36.779 We could out -debate anybody. Or some of us really 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:39.940 just want to feel. And so they go Sunday after 00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:41.980 Sunday trying to feel some type of emotional 00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:44.880 attachment. Saying, I've got to feel something. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.880 Some of you may be going through a really hard 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:49.559 time right now. And you're desiring. You're like, 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:52.480 I just need Jesus. I want Jesus to be near me. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.079 And these things are not what get you faith. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:02.779 God gives you faith. It is a gift. It is a gift. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:05.700 And that's the point. Faith doesn't come from 00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:09.420 Bible knowledge. Faith doesn't come from really 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:11.880 feeling it. Singing with your arms stretched 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:16.079 out. With tears in your eyes. Speak in tongues. 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:18.599 Say the sinner's prayer a million times. It's 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:21.519 not what gets you faith. Faith doesn't come from 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.099 church attendance. Faith doesn't come from Bible 00:18:25.099 --> 00:18:28.079 study. Or listening to sermons throughout the 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:31.059 week. Faith is not something you get. It's something 00:18:31.059 --> 00:18:34.559 that is given. Faith is something that happens 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:39.920 to you. Your smarts and guts do not contribute 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:46.859 one ounce towards your faith. You can't think 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:49.440 yourself into faith and you can't emotionalize 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:54.700 enough into it. Faith is given to you. It's pressed 00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:58.359 upon you. It's pressed upon our broken hearts, 00:18:58.420 --> 00:19:03.059 our stone hearts. Ephesians 1, 18 -19 says, I 00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:06.279 pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. 00:19:06.619 --> 00:19:09.019 There's that passive again. May be enlightened 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.519 in order that you may know the hope in which 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:16.140 He has called you. 2 Corinthians 3. When one 00:19:16.140 --> 00:19:19.619 turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the 00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:21.700 Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the 00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:24.500 Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:28.049 face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being 00:19:28.049 --> 00:19:30.809 transformed into the same image from one degree 00:19:30.809 --> 00:19:35.589 of glory to another. For this comes from the 00:19:35.589 --> 00:19:42.450 Lord, who is the Spirit. The challenge of faith 00:19:42.450 --> 00:19:46.089 in this passage is that you don't have to feel 00:19:46.089 --> 00:19:49.920 so much pressure to think the right thing. And 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:52.220 you don't have to keep searching for that emotional 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:55.980 high for you to experience and see Jesus. Stop 00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:59.079 it. It's too much work. It's an endless, endless 00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:05.440 search. There's no special technique. Some of 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:07.160 you may have been going to church your whole 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.839 life. And you feel like you're still searching 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:13.700 for Jesus. Some of you have gone the logic route. 00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:17.039 You're still looking for Jesus. Some of you are 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.130 going the emotional route. You're still looking 00:20:19.130 --> 00:20:26.490 for Jesus. Stop looking so hard. Rest and receive 00:20:26.490 --> 00:20:33.329 the gift of faith. Rest and receive. Have you 00:20:33.329 --> 00:20:37.210 seen those videos online where they've created 00:20:37.210 --> 00:20:40.190 these types of glasses with technology in them 00:20:40.190 --> 00:20:42.289 that allows people to see color for the first 00:20:42.289 --> 00:20:44.450 time? If they were colorblind, it allows them 00:20:44.450 --> 00:20:46.329 to see color. It's an overwhelming experience 00:20:46.329 --> 00:20:49.109 for them. They just break down. They could hardly 00:20:49.109 --> 00:20:54.250 wear them. The visual stimulation is just too 00:20:54.250 --> 00:20:58.069 big, too great. Have you ever seen those children 00:20:58.069 --> 00:21:01.750 who, even very small, like infants, four months 00:21:01.750 --> 00:21:04.269 old, four months old, are given these glasses 00:21:04.269 --> 00:21:07.869 to wear for the first time? And all of a sudden, 00:21:07.869 --> 00:21:11.769 they just stop and stare at mom's face for the 00:21:11.769 --> 00:21:17.160 very first time, clearly, in definition. And 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:20.200 all these videos have these kids kind of like 00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:23.079 not wanting this mechanism over their head. So 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:24.720 they're kind of pushing and they're prodding. 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:26.220 They're like, I don't want this thing. All of 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:29.779 a sudden, they lock in and they see it clearly. 00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:32.920 Now you can tell these children, you can tell 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.980 these people with colorblindness, just figure 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:38.599 it out. Just like look differently. Like try 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:42.039 to like cross your eyes or try to make it work. 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:46.559 You can do it. Just think yourself into it. Or 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:49.920 feel yourself into it. You can do it. Like how 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:53.299 ridiculous is that, right? You need that external 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:57.380 mechanism for you to see clearly. And the same 00:21:57.380 --> 00:22:00.759 is true with faith. Faith is something that's 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:04.900 given to you. And we go into it kicking and screaming. 00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:11.579 But yet once we're locked in, we see Jesus. We 00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:14.599 see Jesus from a spiritual perspective. who is 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:16.819 sitting on the throne and is ruling in heaven 00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:22.019 forever. Ephesians 2 .8, for by grace you have 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:26.160 been saved through faith. And this is not your 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:31.119 own doing. It is the gift of God. It is the gift 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:35.000 of God. Some of us don't believe that this is 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:37.920 a gift. Some of us continue to work. We continue 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:40.339 to perform. We continue to feel like we need 00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:42.869 to... To justify our own righteousness, we feel 00:22:42.869 --> 00:22:44.609 like we have to keep doing the right things for 00:22:44.609 --> 00:22:48.390 God to be pleased with us. We feel like we need 00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:50.609 to go through certain motions or rituals. We 00:22:50.609 --> 00:22:52.609 think we need to go through the rhythms and habits 00:22:52.609 --> 00:22:55.130 of certain things to get faith. And this scripture 00:22:55.130 --> 00:22:57.569 is saying, no, no, no. Die to all that. This 00:22:57.569 --> 00:22:59.750 is a gift. But I'm going to land this plane now. 00:22:59.890 --> 00:23:03.750 And I'm actually going to use everything I just 00:23:03.750 --> 00:23:06.269 said and kind of flip it on its head. Because 00:23:06.269 --> 00:23:08.700 I don't want you walking out of here. Hearing 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:11.720 something I have not said. I'm like, you hear 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:13.519 Pastor Mark this morning? He told me I never 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.160 have to go to church again because I'm just going 00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:18.180 to believe and be okay forever. Or I never have 00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:20.440 to go to a Bible study again. Or I never have 00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:22.380 to go to a youth conference again. Or I never 00:23:22.380 --> 00:23:25.019 have to feel emotional high again. Or I never 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:27.720 have to read that book on Christianity again. 00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:29.099 Like I don't have to do anything because I got 00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:33.299 faith. That's not what I'm saying at all. What 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:36.240 I'm saying is that these things don't produce 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:42.319 faith. God can use them to mature you as a Christian. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:45.880 Like that experience of me as a 15 -year -old, 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:48.859 you know, when I'm like being impressed by this 00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:50.880 mime, I was never a big mime person. I'm still 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:54.539 not a big mime person. But the Lord used that 00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:58.579 moment to develop my faith, right? To shape me 00:23:58.579 --> 00:24:01.319 and to prod me and to push me, to get me going. 00:24:03.849 --> 00:24:06.869 So don't leave here thinking that I'm giving 00:24:06.869 --> 00:24:09.609 you a ticket to ride. It's not what I'm saying 00:24:09.609 --> 00:24:14.809 here at all. For certain, proximity, logic, and 00:24:14.809 --> 00:24:18.029 emotion don't give you faith. God gives you faith. 00:24:18.269 --> 00:24:22.410 But proximity, logic, and emotion are means to 00:24:22.410 --> 00:24:26.829 get there. They're means. Just as the road to 00:24:26.829 --> 00:24:33.500 Emmaus was a means to get to Emmaus. God uses 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:38.640 these conversations. Jesus is teaching them. 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:43.200 He's preaching to them. He stays in their house. 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:47.759 He is patient with them. I'm not saying these 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.900 were a waste of time. These are ways in which 00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:53.539 Jesus was preparing for that moment. For when 00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:56.740 their eyes are open, they're ready to be preachers 00:24:56.740 --> 00:25:00.789 themselves. They're ready to go. With all this 00:25:00.789 --> 00:25:03.470 knowledge and all this emotion and all this joy. 00:25:04.509 --> 00:25:09.289 He's preparing them for faith. And that's why 00:25:09.289 --> 00:25:12.430 this is so important for us to understand on 00:25:12.430 --> 00:25:17.930 Easter Sunday. And so for those of you who are 00:25:17.930 --> 00:25:21.230 looking for a home church, you need to go to 00:25:21.230 --> 00:25:24.269 a home church. And you need to invest there and 00:25:24.269 --> 00:25:27.220 you need to grow in faith there. The church is 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:29.259 the body of Christ. The church is God's plan 00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:34.119 A for humanity. And he wants you to grow. He 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:38.180 wants you to take the seed of faith and see it 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:41.799 grow and to develop and mature. So you can walk 00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:45.339 closer with Jesus. And you can learn all this 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:47.700 great stuff. And you can feel all the feels. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:53.079 All for his glory. And for our good. Get plugged 00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:55.579 in. Get plugged into Res Life. Get plugged into 00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:57.079 some other church. I don't know where it is, 00:25:57.180 --> 00:26:02.319 but God has a plan for you. And if you do not 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:05.039 have faith here this morning, this is an encouragement 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:08.640 for you to stop working so hard. Rest and receive. 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:14.960 Receive this gift and grow in grace. I want to 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:21.019 read for us Hebrews 1 .3. A way in which we could 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:25.049 see. Who Jesus is. Right here and right now. 00:26:25.769 --> 00:26:30.890 He writes. That Jesus is the radiance. Of the 00:26:30.890 --> 00:26:35.289 glory of God. And the exact imprint of his nature. 00:26:35.470 --> 00:26:39.390 And he upholds the universe. By the word of his 00:26:39.390 --> 00:26:44.230 power. After making purification for sins. He 00:26:44.230 --> 00:26:47.789 sat down at the right hand. Of the majesty on 00:26:47.789 --> 00:26:55.210 high. Gracious Lord, we are so thankful that 00:26:55.210 --> 00:27:00.210 the scriptures invites us to look at this passage 00:27:00.210 --> 00:27:04.049 this morning. And we thank you so much for just 00:27:04.049 --> 00:27:07.069 the reminder, the great good reminder that we 00:27:07.069 --> 00:27:10.569 don't need to achieve something to get us faith. 00:27:10.670 --> 00:27:12.950 We don't need to feel something. We don't need 00:27:12.950 --> 00:27:14.650 to even desire something. It's something that 00:27:14.650 --> 00:27:18.430 is given to us. And that our learning and our 00:27:18.430 --> 00:27:20.920 emotion and our desires. It's something that 00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:25.539 you shepherd us through in faith. We pray, Lord, 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:27.920 that anybody here who's convicted by this sermon, 00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:31.180 Lord, will be moved right here on the spot. Your 00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:34.279 Holy Spirit is moving in them and reminding them 00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:38.440 of the grace that we have in Jesus Christ. Lord, 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:40.220 if there's anyone here who's been going to church 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:42.079 for a very long time and they feel like they've 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:45.500 been just running by performance only, remind 00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:49.319 them, give them rest. Help them to receive, too. 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:54.539 The gift of faith without performance. And Lord, 00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.799 we do thank you for the gift that we have to 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:00.519 grow in our faith and to read scripture and to 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:03.380 hear sermons and to desire you. We thank you, 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:05.519 Lord, for the joy that we have in Jesus and the 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:07.880 freedom that we have in Jesus every day and that 00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:11.900 we believe in a savior who is. the radiance of 00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:14.880 your glory and who is sitting at your right hand, 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:17.079 right here, right now, and also present with 00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:19.579 us through the power of the Spirit as we worship 00:28:19.579 --> 00:28:22.779 you. This is what we believe. We believe so in 00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:25.500 faith. We pray this all in Christ's name alone. 00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:32.619 Amen. You have been listening to the Resurrection 00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:35.880 Life Sunday Sermon from Resurrection Life Church 00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:39.920 in Apex, North Carolina. Resurrection Life currently 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:43.480 meets in the Apex Middle School Auditorium at 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:47.279 400 East Moore Street near downtown Apex with 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:51.259 additional parking off of Highway 55, East Williams 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:54.819 Street. Resurrection Life Church is pastored 00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:58.599 by Dr. Mark Kanesh of Apex and Associate Pastor 00:28:58.599 --> 00:29:02.500 Jeff Smith of Cary. Resurrection Life meets for 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:06.079 worship every Sunday morning at 10 a .m. Join 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:09.200 us this Sunday. And if you found this podcast 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:12.339 to be a blessing to you, share it with a friend. 00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:16.319 And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss next 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:25.220 week's Resurrection Life Sunday Sermon. I confess 00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:35.920 tomorrow because he lives. All fear is gone because 00:29:35.920 --> 00:30:28.990 I know. Just...