And behold, two of them were going that very
day to a village named Emmaus, which was about
seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking
with each other about all these things which
had taken place. While they were talking and
discussing, Jesus himself approached and began
traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented
from recognizing him. And he said to them, What
are these words that you are exchanging with
one another as you are walking? And they stood
still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas,
answered and said to him, Are you the only one
visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things
which have happened here in these days? And he
said to them, What things? And they said to him,
The things about Jesus, the Nazarene, who was
a prophet, mighty indeed, and word in the sight
of God and all the people. And how the chief
priests and our rulers delivered him over to
the sentence of death and crucified him. But
we were hoping that it was he who was going to
redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, It is
the third day since these things happened. But
also some women among us amazed us. When they
were at the tomb early in the morning and did
not find his body, they came saying that they
had also seen a vision of angels who said that
he was alive. Some of those who were with us
went to the tomb and found it just exactly as
the women also had said, but him. They did not
see. And the Lord Jesus' response starts in verse
25. And he said to them, O foolish men, and slow
of heart to believe in all that the prophets
have spoken. Was it not necessary for the Christ
to suffer these things and to enter into his
glory? Then beginning with Moses and with all
the prophets, He explained to them the things
concerning himself and all the scriptures. And
they approached the village where they were going,
and he acted as though he were going further.
But they urged him, saying, Stay with us, for
it is getting toward evening, and the day is
now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them.
When he had reclined at the table with them,
he took the bread and blessed it, and breaking
it, he began giving it to them. Then their eyes
were opened, and they recognized him, and he
vanished from their sight. They said to one another,
Were not our hearts burning within us while he
was speaking to us on the road? while he was
explaining the scriptures to us. And they got
up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem and
found gathered together the eleven and those
who were with them, saying, The Lord has really
risen and has appeared to Simon. They began to
relate their experiences on the road and how
he was recognized by them in the breaking of
the bread. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father,
we come to you this Lord's Day. Lord, we ask
today that you would bless the ministry of your
word. Father, we ask that you would accompany
the ministry of your word by your spirit. Lord,
work in our hearts and in our minds as we open
the scriptures. Lord, illuminate our minds to
understand the scriptures. And Father, I ask
today that you would cause our hearts to be stirred
by the power of the Holy Spirit bearing witness
to the truth of your word at this very time.
Save sinners and sanctify your people. We ask
these things in Christ's name. Amen. You may
be seated. How do believers, New Covenant Christians,
live in this day and this age when Christ is
bodily absent from this world? How do New Covenant
believers Know and experience the risen Lord
Jesus Christ in this life as fallible, finite
men and women in this world. How does the believer
who is cast down and struggling and despairing
almost, Near the point of hopelessness. Have
their heart strengthened. And aroused. And stirred
up. With strong faith in them. So much so. That
they are willing and eager to speak of the things
of God. And to tell others. About the work that
Jesus Christ has done. These are some of the
questions and the issues that we will uncover
and answer and deal with in this message. We're
going to consider this text in two parts. The
first part is the weakness of the disciples'
hearts. And we see this in verses 13 through
24. This is where the disciples are walking and
talking about the things that have taken place.
And there's obvious struggle. It is said in verse
17 that they are sad. Meaning it's obvious in
their demeanor and their disposition that they
are grieving. They aren't holding their heads
high. They're hunched over. There's shade cast
on their face. Because of the events that have
taken place in their lives. And to that of their
Lord that they loved so dearly. But we also see
in this part that there is a flicker of hope.
There is a glimmer of faith that is still burning
in their hearts. And they want these things to
be true. We see that there is a desire and a
longing. to reconcile these things in their own
understanding, in their own hearts, in their
own minds. They just need help. They need somebody
to teach them what to believe that their hearts
might be lifted up in the midst of its grief.
But we'll also see, secondly, in this text, in
verses 25 through... 32 primarily, the arousal
of the disciples' weak hearts by the Lord Jesus
himself. The Lord comes to the disciples. The
Lord conceals their eyes so that they don't understand
who he is. He draws out of them through questions.
What's taking place and what's happening in their
hearts and their minds. They answer and they
share the gospel. And then we see that the Lord
addresses their unbelief. And he exposits God's
word. And he manifests himself among them. He
shows them who he is. he opens their eyes so
that they are able to see who he really is, to
understand and perceive who he is in their midst.
Beginning with the first, the weakness of the
disciples' hearts, from Luke 24, 13 through 24.
Now, as we talk about weakness, I think it's
important that we understand how we are using
that terminology. What do I mean by this term
or this idea that their hearts were weak? Well,
in this text we'll see that they're confused,
they're ignorant, they're struggling, there's
conflict, there's difficulty and struggle in
their heart. There is faith, but it's not strong.
vibrant, vital, bold faith in their lives. And
so when I talk about weakness, that's the sense
in which I mean it. Now, this weakness is seen
in several ways in the text. We see it first
in the fact that their hearts are weak because
they're overwhelmed with the things that have
taken place in the past couple of days. These
events on the road to Emmaus are taking place
the same day that Jesus has been raised from
the dead. They obviously don't have all the reports
and all the information. They don't seem to know
about Mary Magdalene and the appearance of the
Lord to her. But there's a lot that has taken
place in their life and in the other disciples'
lives in the last couple of days. And they kind
of elaborate on this in verses 19 through 24,
where they start talking about the events, where
Jesus says, what things are you talking about?
And so they go into it. They're overwhelmed by
these realities. In verse 14, when we read this,
and they were talking with each other about all
these things. which had taken place, there's
a clear and obvious idea that is implied. That
all these things are a lot. A lot has happened.
And they're processing. They're working through
it. They're trying to understand these realities.
Their hearts are weak because they're overwhelmed.
But their hearts are also weak because they're
confused. About what has happened. Listen to
what. They say. In verse 20. And now and how.
The chief priests. And our rulers delivered him
over. Delivered him to the sentence of death.
And crucified him. And then look at Christ. Response
to them in verse 26. Where he starts to strengthen
their hearts. He says was it not. Necessary.
for the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One,
to suffer these things and enter into His glory.
Why does the Lord Jesus say that? Because the
disciples did not understand that it was absolutely
essential and necessary for Christ to suffer
in order for Him to be exalted to accomplish
redemption. There was ignorance with regards
to the truth. Of God's word in their life. And
it was incurring and bringing about. Inducing
weakness in their hearts. And in their minds.
But they are primarily. Weak. In their hearts
because their faith. Is weak. Their faith is
not strong. In this instance, at this moment,
in their life. This is the primary issue in their
lives at this moment. Weakness of faith. Unbelief.
Lack of faith in their hearts. We see this because
they are confused. About the reports of him being
alive. They are trying to figure out. We see
this. Because they have resigned to the fact.
That Christ was a prophet. But not necessarily
the Messiah. Listen to what they say in verse
19. And they said to him. The things about Jesus
the Nazarene. who was a prophet, mighty indeed
in word, in the sight of God and all the people.
Christ was indeed a prophet, brothers and sisters.
But he was much more than a prophet. He was the
great prophet, and he demonstrates that he is
the great prophet in this text by being the great
teacher to his disciples. But the Lord Jesus
is far more than a prophet. And these disciples
have resigned in their hearts to the fact that
the man they have loved and reverenced and followed
and learned from for all this time was a man
mighty in word and deed. He was a true prophet
just like Elijah. Just like Ezekiel and Jeremiah
and Isaiah. And they've resigned to the fact
that that's who and what he was. It's weak faith
with regards to who he is. They're ignorant regarding
the necessity, the absolute necessity of his
death. They do not understand that he... had
to die. It was an essential element and part
of the redemption of sinners, and that was part
of his priestly work, which was foreshadowed
in the Old Testament so clearly in the book of
Leviticus, for instance. the sacrifices are elaborated
and explained. And who is the fulfillment of
those types in the Old Testament? Those sacrifices
that priestly work. Christ. Suffering and dying
as the Lamb of God was an essential aspect of
his work as the Messiah. And They are weak in
faith, and this is seen because they were still
looking for the physical and national redemption
of Israel. Listen to what they say. But we were
hoping that it was He who was going to redeem
Israel. Notice, hoping, past. That he was, meaning
the time has passed. That's no longer possible,
it doesn't seem. They were looking for Israel
to be exalted among the nations, to be redeemed
as a powerful people that would overthrow their
enslavers, the Romans. That's what they were
hoping for. And they were misguided and in error
in their thinking. Christ came to inaugurate
and bring his kingdom, brothers and sisters,
but it is not a physical kingdom in this age.
It is a spiritual kingdom in this age where he
reigns in the hearts and minds of his people.
They didn't understand these things, brothers
and sisters. Now, it's important to understand
and recognize that they did have faith. It was
struggling faith. In a sense, they had faith,
but they were limping with that faith because
of the severity and the distress that they were
under at this time. Where do you see their faith?
Well, I think it's obvious and clear in the text.
One, they were disciples. Listen to what he says
in verse 13. And behold, two of them. Two of
them. Who is he talking about? The disciples,
brothers and sisters. Two of the disciples. in
John chapter 19 as the husband of the wife of
Mary, of one of the Marys who was at the cross
of Christ. So these are followers of the Lord
Jesus. These are disciples and true and genuine
disciples. They have true and genuine faith however
little it might be. Also the fact that they are
Talking about all of these things. Why are they
discussing these things, brothers and sisters?
Why are they talking about the events of the
past few days? Because they're trying to wrap
their minds around them. Because they're trying
to understand them with their hearts. They're
trying to reconcile. Their experience in life
and everything that's taken place to Christ and
the followers of Christ and everything that they've
read in the prophets, in the law, and everything
that the Lord Jesus has taught them for all this
time. They're trying to reconcile it all in their
hearts and to figure out what it all means. What
is true and what is not is true. What is real
and what is not real. And what will take place.
What their future is. What their fate is as disciples
of the Lord Jesus. Who has been crucified. If
you recall, the other disciples are actually
stowed up in the upper room with the door locked.
Do you know why? For fear of the Jews. So here's
two of the disciples who are going out in public.
And they're willing to talk about these things
openly with a stranger as far as they know it.
They know the gospel, don't they, brothers and
sisters? We see this clearly in the text. In
verses 19 through 24, they lay out the gospel
of Jesus Christ. They lay out his life. His person,
His work. There's a holy reverence for the Lord
Jesus Christ. They see His perfection. They see
that He is blameless before God, that His life
was pleasing to a holy God. That's why they say
that He was a prophet mighty in deed and word
and the sight of God and all the people. Yes,
he was a prophet, but there was something unique
about this man. Because even in the sight of
God, he was pleasing. You see how there's two
things taking place in their hearts. There's
doubt, grief, and despair. Almost hopelessness,
but there's also faith. There's also reverence.
There's the work of God's Spirit in their hearts.
That is giving them a desire and a longing to
reconcile these realities. They're inclined to
the truth. And they say, in verse 21, the second
half, besides all this, it is the third day since
these things happened. Now, What's the significance
of that? Well, the significance of it is this.
It seems as though they've been looking for the
resurrection. The Lord Jesus had taught them
about the resurrection, that after three days
you will rise, and it's the third day, and they're
wondering, where is he? Has he risen? We haven't
seen him. We haven't witnessed him. We haven't
seen him bodily raised from the dead. There's
faith, but it's in conflict with doubt and struggle
in their hearts. There seems to be a desire and
a longing deep down for these things to be true
and reconciled, but doubt and despair are trying
to strangle it out. Trying to smother it from
showing its head. Trying to press it down. Trying
to drown it in the unbelief that still remains
in our heart that flows from our corruption of
nature. Now all of these things that we've touched
on and considered coincide with Christ's intentional
concealment of himself and his person. Notice
what we read in verse 16. But their eyes were
prevented from recognizing him. The Lord Jesus
makes sure that they don't know who they are
speaking with. In a sense, he covers their eyes
so they don't understand that it is him. Later,
we read this in verse 31. Then their eyes were
opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished
from their sight. So the first is a work of Christ,
and the second is a work of Christ where he opens
their eyes to see. We think about this physical
prevention of their sight by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their natural senses and abilities. Have you
considered the fact that even your sight, your
hearing, your smell, your touch, your very life
is given and sustained by your sovereign maker?
How easily it was for the Lord Jesus to remove
and to conceal himself from their sight. And
how easily it was for him to reveal and to show
himself and to manifest himself to them. He holds
our very lives in his hands. We wake up today,
we wake up tomorrow. Seeing clearly or as clear
as we can. Hearing as we can. Smelling as we
can. With the physical natural abilities that
we have. Why? Because God in his good pleasure
has decided to give it to us and sustain it and
preserve it in our lives for that day. Though
he has the freedom to withhold and remove, lessen
or increase as. He sees fit. This is true of
our natural senses and faculties. They are in
God's hand. How much more, brothers and sisters,
is this true of our spiritual senses? Of our
spiritual faculties? How much weaker? Is our
heart. In understanding spiritual things. How
much more do we need. Christ's aid and Christ's
help. To open our minds to understand. The holy
truths of scripture. The word of the living God.
Friends. Ignorance, hardness of heart, and unbelief
in our hearts is the source and cause of so many
heart issues and so many life issues in your
life and in my own. What is underneath unhealthy,
ungodly, controlling, Consuming fear in a person's
life. Unbelief. Not trusting in the Lord. Not
trusting in His Word. What is at the subterranean
level of your hearts, brothers and sisters? What
is underneath joylessness? Discontentment? What
is underneath all the manifest issues of our
heart and our life? Sin. Unbelief. Dullness of
heart. Moral issues as a result of our corruption.
Much of our misery. Much of your misery. And
your life is the result of unbelief and being
slow to believe what God has said in his word.
It's true of every single believer. So many of
our heart problems, morally speaking, are sin
and trust problems. With regards to Christ. And
God. His character. His goodness. And what he
has said. In his word. Have you considered. That
the remedy and the solution. For so many of your
heart issues. Is not simply to deal with. The
outward manifestation. but to actually go at
the heart of the issue? To actually address the
unbelief, the hardness of heart, the slowness
to believe the things of God, the lack of eagerness
and zeal and holiness in our lives? Brothers
and sisters, Christians aren't changed and transformed.
They aren't encouraged and strengthened. They
aren't built up. their hearts aren't brought
to a place where they are burning within them
by addressing external issues in their life.
They come to that point by dealing with the unbelief
in their life. By dealing with the hardness of
heart, which shows itself in all these other
things. So this leads us to the next thing we
have to consider in this text. We've seen the
disciples' weakness in their hearts. But we've
also seen that there is faith present in their
hearts. Now we come secondly to the arousal of
the disciples' weak hearts by the risen Lord
Jesus Christ. How does the Lord Jesus... Deal
with his disciples. To bring them. Out. Of that
near. Hopeless state. How does he deal with his
disciples. To strengthen. Their hearts. And to
bring them out of despair. And fear. And uncertainty.
And unhealthy. Controlling consuming. Fear in
their life. Because of the. Well, if we are to
consider and learn how the Lord stirs the disciples'
hearts, then we must recognize that he comes
and he appears to his disciples who are lacking
faith. He doesn't go on that road over there
or that road over there or that road back there.
He comes to the road where the disciples are.
And he appears to them. He does not cast them
out, brothers and sisters. He comes to their
aid in all his glory, in all his risen state.
The Lord Jesus is concerned about the disciples.
And he comes to them. He teaches them. The scriptures.
And he points them. To himself. One of the. Incredible.
Blessings. Of the Christian faith. Is that whether
you have. Strong faith. Or weak faith. All. The
saving and redemptive. Benefits of Christ. Are
still. Regardless of the strength or intensity
or degree of faith. Because a person's salvation
is not dependent on the strength of their faith,
but on Christ, the object of our faith. That's
one of the incredible realities of the Christian
faith. Here these disciples, in their weakness
of faith, receive the comfort and instruction
and presence and help of the Lord Jesus Christ
because they are disciples with true, genuine,
saving, justifying faith. There is a big difference.
Between being a disciple with weak faith. And
being an unbeliever with no faith whatsoever.
The weakest of Christ's disciples. Have their
sins forgiven. The weakest of Christ's people.
Are pardoned brothers and sisters. The weakest
of Christ's people. Are justified and blameless
in his sight. The weakest of Christ's people
will spend eternity with him. But the unbeliever
with no faith receives no benefit that is redemptive
or saving from the person and the work of Jesus
Christ. There is a big difference between being
a believer with weak, struggling, conflicted...
Hard, difficult circumstances and weak faith.
And being an unbeliever. Who does not know the
Lord Jesus Christ. Christ will save every single
one of those who are his. Whether they have strong
faith. Or whether they have little faith. But
Christ will judge. and punish and condemn every
single unbeliever who does not have faith in
him. He will not come to the unbeliever and come
to their aid and comfort them in their hearts
and build them up and strengthen them. They are
their own. man, woman, or young person. Do you
know why? Because they don't want Christ. They
reject Him day in and day out. They want their
life their way. And Christ leaves them to themselves.
If you're here today and you don't know the Lord
Jesus Christ, you can turn from your sins. You
can trust in Him and believe in Him this very
moment. He says that if you will come to Him,
He will give you rest. He says that if you will
come to Him, He will comfort you. He will be
your prophet. He will teach you. He will be your
priest. He will save you and redeem you. He will
be your king and he will protect you and bring
you to glory. But if you don't know Christ, he
is not your prophet. He is not your priest. And
you will know him as king only because he will
deliver his people and protect them. And punish
you. So the call is to come to Christ. Turn from
your sins today. Don't wait. Don't delay. Don't
put it off. Come to the one who died for sinners
and rose again for sinners. Christ who did die.
And raised from the dead. How does he. Lift up.
His weak hearted disciples. Well first. He rebukes
the disciples. Notice this in verse 25. Oh foolish
men. Slow of heart to believe in all that the
prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary for
the disciples to suffer these things and to enter
into his glory? He rebukes them for their lack
of faith. And he has good reason for doing so.
How often did the Lord Jesus speak of his death?
In his resurrection. Often brothers and sisters.
Towards the end of his ministry. The Lord Jesus.
The gospel writers record. That the Lord Jesus
said. And he began to openly or plainly. Speak.
About these things. Meaning he was clear. About
what was going to happen to him. The prophets.
In the word of God. Are clear. about the Messiah
and what would happen to him. Listen to this
quote from John Calvin about the appropriateness
of Christ's rebuke and the slowness of the disciples'
hearts to believe. Frequently had Christ forewarned
them of his death. So frequently... had he even
discoursed about a new and spiritual life, and
confirmed his doctrine by the inspired statements
of the prophets, that he would seem to have spoken
to the dead, or rather to blocks and stones,
referring to the disciples, who are so dull and
slow to believe what Christ taught. For they
are struck with such horror at his death that
they know not what hand to turn. This hesitation,
therefore, he justly attributes to folly and
assigns as the reason of their carelessness and
not having been more ready to believe. Nor does
he only reprove them because while they had the
best teacher, they were dull. and slow to learn.
The disciples had the greatest instructor of
all time. They had the greatest preacher that
ever lived. They had the greatest expositor teach
them day in and day out. Yet, they were slow
to believe. It says something. about the nature
and character of our hearts, brothers and sisters.
Christ is just and appropriate in rebuking them
for their lack of faith. However, it is important
to recognize that he does go quickly to encourage
them. with positive instruction in the Scriptures.
We see this, the very next thing, in verse 27.
Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets,
he explained to them the things concerning himself
in all the Scriptures. And then we read in verse
32, they said to one another, were not our hearts
burning within us while he was speaking to us
on the road? While he was explaining. The scriptures
to us. Consider. That Christ rebukes them. And
then Christ encourages them. In the truth of
the gospel. He expounds. The gospel from. The
scriptures. He opens up the truth about. And
who he is and what he has done. Based on the
Old Testament scriptures. Showing them why he
had to die. Why it was necessary. Why he had
to suffer. Why he had to be man. And who he truly
was. And about the resurrection. And the glories
to come. The nature of his kingdom. He points
these things out and teaches them. Based on.
The scriptures. He exposits. God's word. To the
disciples. With the aim. Of helping them understand.
The scriptures. We have to realize. That he explained
the scriptures. So that they would understand.
Him. In the scriptures. This is how. He addresses
their hearts. They needed illumination of their
minds. They needed divine help. They needed God's
aid in understanding the truth of the gospel
as presented in the Old Testament scriptures.
This is what we find in this text. We see that
the Lord Jesus. Did in fact. Arouse. Their hearts.
Brothers and sisters. He strengthens their heart.
And he stirs up their hearts. And we see this
in verse 32. Were not our hearts. Burning. Within
us. While he was speaking to us. On the road.
How did that. Come about. Because they are different
now on this side of Emmaus, on Emmaus Road, than
they were at the beginning of Emmaus Road. What's
happened to them, brothers and sisters? Christ
has rebuked them. Christ has taught them. And
Christ has helped them to understand the gospel
better. That their strength, their faith. would
be strengthened and built up. Their minds are
illuminated. And consequently, their hearts burn
within them because the Spirit of God is bearing
witness to the truth of God's Word. The Spirit
of God was working in their hearts and their
minds, bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel
as He preached it to them. As they walked together
for hours. And he explained the Old Testament
scriptures. The Lord strengthened and stirred
up the disciples hearts. We learn a few things
from. What and how the Lord has come alongside
the disciples in this text. We learn that. And
we can apply in our own lives the legitimacy
and the credibility of rebuke for weak -hearted
believers. We have a tendency to come to this
idea of lack of faith or not trusting Christ,
and we have a tendency to come to it. And think,
well, that's really not that big of a deal. We're
not going to touch that. We're not going to deal
with that. But Christ clearly rebukes it. He
addresses it openly and directly. However, he
balances it with positive instruction. I would
be an incredibly... Poor and useless preacher
of God's word. If I simply got into the pulpit
and rebuked the people of God. Rebuke, rebuke,
rebuke, rebuke. Error, error, error, error. Wrong,
wrong, wrong, wrong. Don't, don't, don't, don't.
You see the point? Nobody's going to change.
Nobody's going to be strengthened or built up
simply on a diet of rebuke and condemnation.
But, rebuke balanced with positive exposition
and instruction in the truths. of God's holy
word, that's the way to go, brothers and sisters.
Deal with error when you have to. Rebuke where
it's necessary, but then encourage in the truth
of God's word. Say, that is wrong. Don't do that.
That's error. But then teach what is required
and what Christ has done in the gospel for us.
by His life and His death and His resurrection.
There must be balance. And this is how the Christian
heart is lifted from the pool of despondency,
brothers and sisters. We can't disregard one
or the other. We have to maintain a balance of
rebuke and positive instruction in God's holy
word. But we also learn from this text that New
Covenant Christians, we learn how New Covenant
Christians know and experience the risen Lord
Jesus Christ. Now you may hear that and think,
what exactly are you talking about? What do you
mean? to know and experience the risen Lord Jesus
Christ. Well, we see clearly that the disciples
have a significant experience in this text. In
the end of this chapter, or a little bit later,
we read this. They began to relate their experiences
on the road and how he was recognized by them
in the breaking of the bread. What is verse 32
if not experience in their hearts? They said
to one another, were not our hearts burning within
us? While he was speaking to us on the road?
While he was explaining the scriptures to us?
Is that not experiential in nature? Brothers
and sisters, if they didn't experience anything
on the road to Damascus, then Christ did not
succeed at strengthening and stirring Their hearts.
They did. Know. And experience Christ. On that
road. As the risen. And glorified. Powerful.
Ruling and reigning. Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ.
So how does this teach. How does this text. Help
us understand that. Because I. personally want
to know and experience the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
And I hope and pray that every single person
in this room wants to know and experience the
risen Lord Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that
every single person in this room is not content
with simply knowing things in their head. Or
living a certain way. I hope and pray that there
is a longing in your heart to know His grace
and the work of the Spirit of God in your heart.
Do you want that, brothers and sisters? Is there
an earnest, sincere desire to experience the
Spirit of God working in you, bearing witness
to the truth of God's gospel? In the scriptures.
Is there a desire within you for that. Brother
and sister. I hope and pray. That there is. If
you want that. Then you must begin. With the
scriptures. You must start. With God's word.
Notice. That in all of these things. It's related
back. To the scriptures. It's about the Bible.
The law. And the prophets. As they were referring
to them. The holy word. Of God. We must start.
With God's word. The way that Christ. The way
that the risen. Lord. Comes to his people. And
teaches his people. The way that he comes alongside
of you. As a new covenant believer. Where he
is bodily absent from this world. The way that
he comes and speaks into your heart. And rebukes
you. And gives you positive encouragement. Regarding
the gospel. Brothers and sisters. He comes to
you through the word of God. If you want to know
and experience Christ, don't despise the means
by which He comes to you. If you want to know
and experience Jesus Christ more and more in
your life, don't despise God's Word because that
is the means that He comes and speaks into your
heart. It's sad that so many people, out of a
genuine and sincere desire, long to know Christ
more. Yet, they despise the means that He has
appointed to meet with them. We must start with
God's Word. If we start somewhere else, we'll
end up somewhere else. And we want Christ more
and more. So we must begin with God's Word. But,
having started with God's Word, we must also
see our need for illumination of our mind. We
need to understand God's Word. We need to grasp
it spiritually by the aid and power of the Holy
Spirit in our lives. It's not enough to read
and know the Bible. You must have a... Holy reverence
and love. You must have a sense of the value
and worth of God's holy word. And the Spirit
of God must pull back the blinders so that you
can understand the truths of God's word. We need
divine illumination of divine truth, brothers
and sisters. We have to remember that all of
this is coinciding with the disciples having
Christ concealed from them, and then the disciples
having their eyes opened to him. And what is
connected with all of this? The scriptures. All
of this is simultaneously running alongside the
same tracks as Christ is explaining. And applying
the scriptures. To the disciples life. We need
to start with the word. And we need to aim. And
pray and seek and pursue. And ask for God's aid.
To illuminate our minds. As we come to God's
word. And having our minds illuminated. We want
our hearts. To burn. In us. Within us. Because
the Holy Spirit is working effectively and powerfully.
Oftentimes in our lives, the majority of time,
normally in our lives, brothers and sisters,
the Holy Spirit works in a secret manner. Meaning
we're not always conscious with our minds that
He is at work in our hearts and our minds. There
are times where it enters into the realm of our
conscious life where it doesn't work in a secret
manner. He works in an obvious and clear manner.
And what is the sign? What signals that the Holy
Spirit is working in such a way that our hearts
burn within us because of the truth of the Scriptures?
If you want to experience the risen Lord Jesus
Christ, if you want the evidence that he is raised,
then brothers and sisters, we must come to a
place where the Spirit of God powerfully works
within our hearts to bear witness to the truth
of God's work so that our hearts burn within
us. internal stirring, strengthening, uplifting,
illumination is the experiential evidence that
Jesus Christ has in fact risen from the dead.
Brothers and sisters, I want you to know and
experience the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Start
with His Word. Aim for illumination. And don't
settle for anything less than a heart experience
where it burns within you because the Spirit
of God is bearing witness to the truth of God's
Word in your heart.