WEBVTT 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:13.580 And behold, two of them were going that very 00:00:13.580 --> 00:00:17.120 day to a village named Emmaus, which was about 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:20.780 seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:23.660 with each other about all these things which 00:00:23.660 --> 00:00:27.339 had taken place. While they were talking and 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:32.140 discussing, Jesus himself approached and began 00:00:32.140 --> 00:00:36.020 traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:41.719 from recognizing him. And he said to them, What 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.479 are these words that you are exchanging with 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.119 one another as you are walking? And they stood 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:53.700 still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.859 answered and said to him, Are you the only one 00:00:57.859 --> 00:01:00.880 visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:05.219 which have happened here in these days? And he 00:01:05.219 --> 00:01:08.819 said to them, What things? And they said to him, 00:01:09.180 --> 00:01:13.180 The things about Jesus, the Nazarene, who was 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:16.900 a prophet, mighty indeed, and word in the sight 00:01:16.900 --> 00:01:21.239 of God and all the people. And how the chief 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.120 priests and our rulers delivered him over to 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:28.180 the sentence of death and crucified him. But 00:01:28.180 --> 00:01:33.099 we were hoping that it was he who was going to 00:01:33.099 --> 00:01:38.939 redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, It is 00:01:38.939 --> 00:01:43.040 the third day since these things happened. But 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:46.739 also some women among us amazed us. When they 00:01:46.739 --> 00:01:48.879 were at the tomb early in the morning and did 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:53.620 not find his body, they came saying that they 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:57.319 had also seen a vision of angels who said that 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.819 he was alive. Some of those who were with us 00:02:00.819 --> 00:02:04.359 went to the tomb and found it just exactly as 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:08.810 the women also had said, but him. They did not 00:02:08.810 --> 00:02:12.990 see. And the Lord Jesus' response starts in verse 00:02:12.990 --> 00:02:20.330 25. And he said to them, O foolish men, and slow 00:02:20.330 --> 00:02:23.349 of heart to believe in all that the prophets 00:02:23.349 --> 00:02:27.210 have spoken. Was it not necessary for the Christ 00:02:27.210 --> 00:02:30.930 to suffer these things and to enter into his 00:02:30.930 --> 00:02:35.129 glory? Then beginning with Moses and with all 00:02:35.129 --> 00:02:38.870 the prophets, He explained to them the things 00:02:38.870 --> 00:02:43.449 concerning himself and all the scriptures. And 00:02:43.449 --> 00:02:47.129 they approached the village where they were going, 00:02:47.289 --> 00:02:50.990 and he acted as though he were going further. 00:02:51.610 --> 00:02:55.849 But they urged him, saying, Stay with us, for 00:02:55.849 --> 00:02:58.509 it is getting toward evening, and the day is 00:02:58.509 --> 00:03:02.349 now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them. 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:05.900 When he had reclined at the table with them, 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:09.479 he took the bread and blessed it, and breaking 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:15.539 it, he began giving it to them. Then their eyes 00:03:15.539 --> 00:03:19.340 were opened, and they recognized him, and he 00:03:19.340 --> 00:03:23.340 vanished from their sight. They said to one another, 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:29.360 Were not our hearts burning within us while he 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:32.400 was speaking to us on the road? while he was 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:36.020 explaining the scriptures to us. And they got 00:03:36.020 --> 00:03:39.659 up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem and 00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:42.699 found gathered together the eleven and those 00:03:42.699 --> 00:03:46.060 who were with them, saying, The Lord has really 00:03:46.060 --> 00:03:50.259 risen and has appeared to Simon. They began to 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:53.120 relate their experiences on the road and how 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:56.500 he was recognized by them in the breaking of 00:03:56.500 --> 00:04:02.150 the bread. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, 00:04:02.210 --> 00:04:07.009 we come to you this Lord's Day. Lord, we ask 00:04:07.009 --> 00:04:11.669 today that you would bless the ministry of your 00:04:11.669 --> 00:04:14.830 word. Father, we ask that you would accompany 00:04:14.830 --> 00:04:19.269 the ministry of your word by your spirit. Lord, 00:04:19.410 --> 00:04:23.269 work in our hearts and in our minds as we open 00:04:23.269 --> 00:04:28.550 the scriptures. Lord, illuminate our minds to 00:04:28.550 --> 00:04:32.370 understand the scriptures. And Father, I ask 00:04:32.370 --> 00:04:37.069 today that you would cause our hearts to be stirred 00:04:37.069 --> 00:04:40.769 by the power of the Holy Spirit bearing witness 00:04:40.769 --> 00:04:44.670 to the truth of your word at this very time. 00:04:45.490 --> 00:04:50.350 Save sinners and sanctify your people. We ask 00:04:50.350 --> 00:04:54.089 these things in Christ's name. Amen. You may 00:04:54.089 --> 00:05:08.519 be seated. How do believers, New Covenant Christians, 00:05:08.759 --> 00:05:17.160 live in this day and this age when Christ is 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:26.720 bodily absent from this world? How do New Covenant 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:36.269 believers Know and experience the risen Lord 00:05:36.269 --> 00:05:42.910 Jesus Christ in this life as fallible, finite 00:05:42.910 --> 00:05:51.269 men and women in this world. How does the believer 00:05:51.269 --> 00:05:58.790 who is cast down and struggling and despairing 00:05:58.790 --> 00:06:06.089 almost, Near the point of hopelessness. Have 00:06:06.089 --> 00:06:12.550 their heart strengthened. And aroused. And stirred 00:06:12.550 --> 00:06:20.129 up. With strong faith in them. So much so. That 00:06:20.129 --> 00:06:22.550 they are willing and eager to speak of the things 00:06:22.550 --> 00:06:26.730 of God. And to tell others. About the work that 00:06:26.730 --> 00:06:31.439 Jesus Christ has done. These are some of the 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:35.759 questions and the issues that we will uncover 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:41.300 and answer and deal with in this message. We're 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:46.319 going to consider this text in two parts. The 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:50.779 first part is the weakness of the disciples' 00:06:51.220 --> 00:06:56.139 hearts. And we see this in verses 13 through 00:06:56.139 --> 00:07:01.339 24. This is where the disciples are walking and 00:07:01.339 --> 00:07:04.819 talking about the things that have taken place. 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:09.879 And there's obvious struggle. It is said in verse 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:14.199 17 that they are sad. Meaning it's obvious in 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:17.000 their demeanor and their disposition that they 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:20.980 are grieving. They aren't holding their heads 00:07:20.980 --> 00:07:25.600 high. They're hunched over. There's shade cast 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:29.720 on their face. Because of the events that have 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:33.699 taken place in their lives. And to that of their 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:38.420 Lord that they loved so dearly. But we also see 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:44.420 in this part that there is a flicker of hope. 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:48.740 There is a glimmer of faith that is still burning 00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:51.899 in their hearts. And they want these things to 00:07:51.899 --> 00:07:55.120 be true. We see that there is a desire and a 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:58.410 longing. to reconcile these things in their own 00:07:58.410 --> 00:08:01.009 understanding, in their own hearts, in their 00:08:01.009 --> 00:08:05.990 own minds. They just need help. They need somebody 00:08:05.990 --> 00:08:09.790 to teach them what to believe that their hearts 00:08:09.790 --> 00:08:15.149 might be lifted up in the midst of its grief. 00:08:17.189 --> 00:08:22.970 But we'll also see, secondly, in this text, in 00:08:22.970 --> 00:08:29.829 verses 25 through... 32 primarily, the arousal 00:08:29.829 --> 00:08:34.690 of the disciples' weak hearts by the Lord Jesus 00:08:34.690 --> 00:08:41.690 himself. The Lord comes to the disciples. The 00:08:41.690 --> 00:08:45.230 Lord conceals their eyes so that they don't understand 00:08:45.230 --> 00:08:51.730 who he is. He draws out of them through questions. 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:55.960 What's taking place and what's happening in their 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:59.000 hearts and their minds. They answer and they 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:03.139 share the gospel. And then we see that the Lord 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:10.600 addresses their unbelief. And he exposits God's 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:17.179 word. And he manifests himself among them. He 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:22.259 shows them who he is. he opens their eyes so 00:09:22.259 --> 00:09:26.860 that they are able to see who he really is, to 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:31.799 understand and perceive who he is in their midst. 00:09:32.179 --> 00:09:36.419 Beginning with the first, the weakness of the 00:09:36.419 --> 00:09:40.940 disciples' hearts, from Luke 24, 13 through 24. 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:46.000 Now, as we talk about weakness, I think it's 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.039 important that we understand how we are using 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:53.919 that terminology. What do I mean by this term 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:59.120 or this idea that their hearts were weak? Well, 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:02.259 in this text we'll see that they're confused, 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:05.639 they're ignorant, they're struggling, there's 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:09.639 conflict, there's difficulty and struggle in 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:13.639 their heart. There is faith, but it's not strong. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:20.440 vibrant, vital, bold faith in their lives. And 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:23.139 so when I talk about weakness, that's the sense 00:10:23.139 --> 00:10:28.159 in which I mean it. Now, this weakness is seen 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:32.340 in several ways in the text. We see it first 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:35.919 in the fact that their hearts are weak because 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:39.679 they're overwhelmed with the things that have 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:44.059 taken place in the past couple of days. These 00:10:44.059 --> 00:10:46.679 events on the road to Emmaus are taking place 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:50.779 the same day that Jesus has been raised from 00:10:50.779 --> 00:10:54.960 the dead. They obviously don't have all the reports 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.259 and all the information. They don't seem to know 00:10:57.259 --> 00:11:00.500 about Mary Magdalene and the appearance of the 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:06.080 Lord to her. But there's a lot that has taken 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:09.659 place in their life and in the other disciples' 00:11:09.940 --> 00:11:13.539 lives in the last couple of days. And they kind 00:11:13.539 --> 00:11:20.000 of elaborate on this in verses 19 through 24, 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:23.259 where they start talking about the events, where 00:11:23.259 --> 00:11:27.299 Jesus says, what things are you talking about? 00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:32.039 And so they go into it. They're overwhelmed by 00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:36.120 these realities. In verse 14, when we read this, 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:40.220 and they were talking with each other about all 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:44.759 these things. which had taken place, there's 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:50.559 a clear and obvious idea that is implied. That 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:56.360 all these things are a lot. A lot has happened. 00:11:56.580 --> 00:11:59.419 And they're processing. They're working through 00:11:59.419 --> 00:12:02.419 it. They're trying to understand these realities. 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:05.080 Their hearts are weak because they're overwhelmed. 00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:08.700 But their hearts are also weak because they're 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:14.090 confused. About what has happened. Listen to 00:12:14.090 --> 00:12:19.710 what. They say. In verse 20. And now and how. 00:12:20.370 --> 00:12:23.389 The chief priests. And our rulers delivered him 00:12:23.389 --> 00:12:26.129 over. Delivered him to the sentence of death. 00:12:26.389 --> 00:12:30.690 And crucified him. And then look at Christ. Response 00:12:30.690 --> 00:12:33.710 to them in verse 26. Where he starts to strengthen 00:12:33.710 --> 00:12:37.210 their hearts. He says was it not. Necessary. 00:12:38.659 --> 00:12:42.139 for the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, 00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:45.220 to suffer these things and enter into His glory. 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:47.799 Why does the Lord Jesus say that? Because the 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.000 disciples did not understand that it was absolutely 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:55.320 essential and necessary for Christ to suffer 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:58.879 in order for Him to be exalted to accomplish 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:03.779 redemption. There was ignorance with regards 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:09.340 to the truth. Of God's word in their life. And 00:13:09.340 --> 00:13:12.360 it was incurring and bringing about. Inducing 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:18.240 weakness in their hearts. And in their minds. 00:13:18.899 --> 00:13:25.919 But they are primarily. Weak. In their hearts 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:32.460 because their faith. Is weak. Their faith is 00:13:32.460 --> 00:13:37.539 not strong. In this instance, at this moment, 00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:43.600 in their life. This is the primary issue in their 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:50.139 lives at this moment. Weakness of faith. Unbelief. 00:13:51.000 --> 00:14:00.100 Lack of faith in their hearts. We see this because 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:05.470 they are confused. About the reports of him being 00:14:05.470 --> 00:14:09.570 alive. They are trying to figure out. We see 00:14:09.570 --> 00:14:12.730 this. Because they have resigned to the fact. 00:14:14.149 --> 00:14:20.129 That Christ was a prophet. But not necessarily 00:14:20.129 --> 00:14:24.350 the Messiah. Listen to what they say in verse 00:14:24.350 --> 00:14:29.309 19. And they said to him. The things about Jesus 00:14:29.309 --> 00:14:35.360 the Nazarene. who was a prophet, mighty indeed 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:40.059 in word, in the sight of God and all the people. 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:44.980 Christ was indeed a prophet, brothers and sisters. 00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:52.720 But he was much more than a prophet. He was the 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.419 great prophet, and he demonstrates that he is 00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:58.580 the great prophet in this text by being the great 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:01.460 teacher to his disciples. But the Lord Jesus 00:15:01.460 --> 00:15:07.120 is far more than a prophet. And these disciples 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.200 have resigned in their hearts to the fact that 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:13.320 the man they have loved and reverenced and followed 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:17.500 and learned from for all this time was a man 00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:21.279 mighty in word and deed. He was a true prophet 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:26.519 just like Elijah. Just like Ezekiel and Jeremiah 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:31.220 and Isaiah. And they've resigned to the fact 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:35.779 that that's who and what he was. It's weak faith 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:44.120 with regards to who he is. They're ignorant regarding 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:50.720 the necessity, the absolute necessity of his 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:59.529 death. They do not understand that he... had 00:15:59.529 --> 00:16:08.250 to die. It was an essential element and part 00:16:08.250 --> 00:16:13.629 of the redemption of sinners, and that was part 00:16:13.629 --> 00:16:18.009 of his priestly work, which was foreshadowed 00:16:18.009 --> 00:16:21.769 in the Old Testament so clearly in the book of 00:16:21.769 --> 00:16:27.610 Leviticus, for instance. the sacrifices are elaborated 00:16:27.610 --> 00:16:30.950 and explained. And who is the fulfillment of 00:16:30.950 --> 00:16:35.049 those types in the Old Testament? Those sacrifices 00:16:35.049 --> 00:16:42.370 that priestly work. Christ. Suffering and dying 00:16:42.370 --> 00:16:47.669 as the Lamb of God was an essential aspect of 00:16:47.669 --> 00:16:56.389 his work as the Messiah. And They are weak in 00:16:56.389 --> 00:17:00.149 faith, and this is seen because they were still 00:17:00.149 --> 00:17:04.210 looking for the physical and national redemption 00:17:04.210 --> 00:17:11.609 of Israel. Listen to what they say. But we were 00:17:11.609 --> 00:17:17.049 hoping that it was He who was going to redeem 00:17:17.049 --> 00:17:27.339 Israel. Notice, hoping, past. That he was, meaning 00:17:27.339 --> 00:17:31.799 the time has passed. That's no longer possible, 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:37.460 it doesn't seem. They were looking for Israel 00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:41.519 to be exalted among the nations, to be redeemed 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:48.220 as a powerful people that would overthrow their 00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:52.059 enslavers, the Romans. That's what they were 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:57.609 hoping for. And they were misguided and in error 00:17:57.609 --> 00:18:01.589 in their thinking. Christ came to inaugurate 00:18:01.589 --> 00:18:03.630 and bring his kingdom, brothers and sisters, 00:18:03.730 --> 00:18:06.329 but it is not a physical kingdom in this age. 00:18:06.809 --> 00:18:11.569 It is a spiritual kingdom in this age where he 00:18:11.569 --> 00:18:16.150 reigns in the hearts and minds of his people. 00:18:16.269 --> 00:18:19.250 They didn't understand these things, brothers 00:18:19.250 --> 00:18:24.910 and sisters. Now, it's important to understand 00:18:24.910 --> 00:18:32.130 and recognize that they did have faith. It was 00:18:32.130 --> 00:18:35.609 struggling faith. In a sense, they had faith, 00:18:35.849 --> 00:18:40.990 but they were limping with that faith because 00:18:40.990 --> 00:18:46.210 of the severity and the distress that they were 00:18:46.210 --> 00:18:51.220 under at this time. Where do you see their faith? 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:56.599 Well, I think it's obvious and clear in the text. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:03.420 One, they were disciples. Listen to what he says 00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:09.000 in verse 13. And behold, two of them. Two of 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:12.160 them. Who is he talking about? The disciples, 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:20.210 brothers and sisters. Two of the disciples. in 00:19:20.210 --> 00:19:25.490 John chapter 19 as the husband of the wife of 00:19:25.490 --> 00:19:28.849 Mary, of one of the Marys who was at the cross 00:19:28.849 --> 00:19:33.450 of Christ. So these are followers of the Lord 00:19:33.450 --> 00:19:38.170 Jesus. These are disciples and true and genuine 00:19:38.170 --> 00:19:42.930 disciples. They have true and genuine faith however 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:48.230 little it might be. Also the fact that they are 00:19:48.650 --> 00:19:53.569 Talking about all of these things. Why are they 00:19:53.569 --> 00:19:55.470 discussing these things, brothers and sisters? 00:19:56.089 --> 00:19:58.970 Why are they talking about the events of the 00:19:58.970 --> 00:20:03.529 past few days? Because they're trying to wrap 00:20:03.529 --> 00:20:07.170 their minds around them. Because they're trying 00:20:07.170 --> 00:20:09.690 to understand them with their hearts. They're 00:20:09.690 --> 00:20:14.900 trying to reconcile. Their experience in life 00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:18.299 and everything that's taken place to Christ and 00:20:18.299 --> 00:20:22.220 the followers of Christ and everything that they've 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:25.839 read in the prophets, in the law, and everything 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:29.240 that the Lord Jesus has taught them for all this 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:33.900 time. They're trying to reconcile it all in their 00:20:33.900 --> 00:20:38.900 hearts and to figure out what it all means. What 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:41.759 is true and what is not is true. What is real 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.539 and what is not real. And what will take place. 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:49.640 What their future is. What their fate is as disciples 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:54.579 of the Lord Jesus. Who has been crucified. If 00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:58.480 you recall, the other disciples are actually 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:02.660 stowed up in the upper room with the door locked. 00:21:02.900 --> 00:21:08.960 Do you know why? For fear of the Jews. So here's 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:12.140 two of the disciples who are going out in public. 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:16.259 And they're willing to talk about these things 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:21.140 openly with a stranger as far as they know it. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:24.740 They know the gospel, don't they, brothers and 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:28.359 sisters? We see this clearly in the text. In 00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:33.299 verses 19 through 24, they lay out the gospel 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:38.490 of Jesus Christ. They lay out his life. His person, 00:21:38.569 --> 00:21:43.509 His work. There's a holy reverence for the Lord 00:21:43.509 --> 00:21:46.750 Jesus Christ. They see His perfection. They see 00:21:46.750 --> 00:21:50.450 that He is blameless before God, that His life 00:21:50.450 --> 00:21:56.490 was pleasing to a holy God. That's why they say 00:21:56.490 --> 00:22:00.349 that He was a prophet mighty in deed and word 00:22:00.349 --> 00:22:03.369 and the sight of God and all the people. Yes, 00:22:03.369 --> 00:22:05.410 he was a prophet, but there was something unique 00:22:05.410 --> 00:22:08.109 about this man. Because even in the sight of 00:22:08.109 --> 00:22:12.930 God, he was pleasing. You see how there's two 00:22:12.930 --> 00:22:16.710 things taking place in their hearts. There's 00:22:16.710 --> 00:22:22.809 doubt, grief, and despair. Almost hopelessness, 00:22:22.829 --> 00:22:28.869 but there's also faith. There's also reverence. 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:32.240 There's the work of God's Spirit in their hearts. 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:36.980 That is giving them a desire and a longing to 00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:40.220 reconcile these realities. They're inclined to 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:47.339 the truth. And they say, in verse 21, the second 00:22:47.339 --> 00:22:53.839 half, besides all this, it is the third day since 00:22:53.839 --> 00:23:00.400 these things happened. Now, What's the significance 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:04.839 of that? Well, the significance of it is this. 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:10.099 It seems as though they've been looking for the 00:23:10.099 --> 00:23:15.099 resurrection. The Lord Jesus had taught them 00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:19.720 about the resurrection, that after three days 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:22.720 you will rise, and it's the third day, and they're 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:29.299 wondering, where is he? Has he risen? We haven't 00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:32.019 seen him. We haven't witnessed him. We haven't 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:35.279 seen him bodily raised from the dead. There's 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:39.799 faith, but it's in conflict with doubt and struggle 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:45.759 in their hearts. There seems to be a desire and 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:49.799 a longing deep down for these things to be true 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:54.900 and reconciled, but doubt and despair are trying 00:23:54.900 --> 00:24:01.940 to strangle it out. Trying to smother it from 00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:06.880 showing its head. Trying to press it down. Trying 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:10.980 to drown it in the unbelief that still remains 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:15.240 in our heart that flows from our corruption of 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:21.920 nature. Now all of these things that we've touched 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:27.420 on and considered coincide with Christ's intentional 00:24:28.109 --> 00:24:33.069 concealment of himself and his person. Notice 00:24:33.069 --> 00:24:38.410 what we read in verse 16. But their eyes were 00:24:38.410 --> 00:24:43.829 prevented from recognizing him. The Lord Jesus 00:24:43.829 --> 00:24:52.049 makes sure that they don't know who they are 00:24:52.049 --> 00:24:57.460 speaking with. In a sense, he covers their eyes 00:24:57.460 --> 00:25:02.500 so they don't understand that it is him. Later, 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:08.359 we read this in verse 31. Then their eyes were 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:13.220 opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished 00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:18.380 from their sight. So the first is a work of Christ, 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:22.900 and the second is a work of Christ where he opens 00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:30.329 their eyes to see. We think about this physical 00:25:30.329 --> 00:25:35.349 prevention of their sight by the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:35.589 --> 00:25:41.750 Their natural senses and abilities. Have you 00:25:41.750 --> 00:25:44.190 considered the fact that even your sight, your 00:25:44.190 --> 00:25:47.269 hearing, your smell, your touch, your very life 00:25:47.269 --> 00:25:53.950 is given and sustained by your sovereign maker? 00:25:56.269 --> 00:26:00.130 How easily it was for the Lord Jesus to remove 00:26:00.130 --> 00:26:04.329 and to conceal himself from their sight. And 00:26:04.329 --> 00:26:10.509 how easily it was for him to reveal and to show 00:26:10.509 --> 00:26:15.910 himself and to manifest himself to them. He holds 00:26:15.910 --> 00:26:22.490 our very lives in his hands. We wake up today, 00:26:22.609 --> 00:26:25.940 we wake up tomorrow. Seeing clearly or as clear 00:26:25.940 --> 00:26:30.700 as we can. Hearing as we can. Smelling as we 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:33.460 can. With the physical natural abilities that 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:36.619 we have. Why? Because God in his good pleasure 00:26:36.619 --> 00:26:39.680 has decided to give it to us and sustain it and 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:43.200 preserve it in our lives for that day. Though 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:51.400 he has the freedom to withhold and remove, lessen 00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:58.529 or increase as. He sees fit. This is true of 00:26:58.529 --> 00:27:04.289 our natural senses and faculties. They are in 00:27:04.289 --> 00:27:08.609 God's hand. How much more, brothers and sisters, 00:27:08.710 --> 00:27:15.609 is this true of our spiritual senses? Of our 00:27:15.609 --> 00:27:24.130 spiritual faculties? How much weaker? Is our 00:27:24.130 --> 00:27:31.670 heart. In understanding spiritual things. How 00:27:31.670 --> 00:27:36.589 much more do we need. Christ's aid and Christ's 00:27:36.589 --> 00:27:42.390 help. To open our minds to understand. The holy 00:27:42.390 --> 00:27:48.309 truths of scripture. The word of the living God. 00:27:50.710 --> 00:27:59.650 Friends. Ignorance, hardness of heart, and unbelief 00:27:59.650 --> 00:28:06.670 in our hearts is the source and cause of so many 00:28:06.670 --> 00:28:11.509 heart issues and so many life issues in your 00:28:11.509 --> 00:28:19.369 life and in my own. What is underneath unhealthy, 00:28:19.750 --> 00:28:24.720 ungodly, controlling, Consuming fear in a person's 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:34.400 life. Unbelief. Not trusting in the Lord. Not 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:40.640 trusting in His Word. What is at the subterranean 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:43.859 level of your hearts, brothers and sisters? What 00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:50.700 is underneath joylessness? Discontentment? What 00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:55.779 is underneath all the manifest issues of our 00:28:55.779 --> 00:29:04.380 heart and our life? Sin. Unbelief. Dullness of 00:29:04.380 --> 00:29:11.680 heart. Moral issues as a result of our corruption. 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:20.289 Much of our misery. Much of your misery. And 00:29:20.289 --> 00:29:28.250 your life is the result of unbelief and being 00:29:28.250 --> 00:29:32.549 slow to believe what God has said in his word. 00:29:33.470 --> 00:29:40.829 It's true of every single believer. So many of 00:29:40.829 --> 00:29:45.390 our heart problems, morally speaking, are sin 00:29:45.390 --> 00:29:50.720 and trust problems. With regards to Christ. And 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:54.299 God. His character. His goodness. And what he 00:29:54.299 --> 00:30:02.960 has said. In his word. Have you considered. That 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:07.420 the remedy and the solution. For so many of your 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:13.240 heart issues. Is not simply to deal with. The 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:18.180 outward manifestation. but to actually go at 00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:22.839 the heart of the issue? To actually address the 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:27.400 unbelief, the hardness of heart, the slowness 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:32.619 to believe the things of God, the lack of eagerness 00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:35.700 and zeal and holiness in our lives? Brothers 00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:39.839 and sisters, Christians aren't changed and transformed. 00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:42.160 They aren't encouraged and strengthened. They 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:44.380 aren't built up. their hearts aren't brought 00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:47.259 to a place where they are burning within them 00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:50.819 by addressing external issues in their life. 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:58.440 They come to that point by dealing with the unbelief 00:30:58.440 --> 00:31:04.339 in their life. By dealing with the hardness of 00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:08.059 heart, which shows itself in all these other 00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:14.849 things. So this leads us to the next thing we 00:31:14.849 --> 00:31:18.049 have to consider in this text. We've seen the 00:31:18.049 --> 00:31:22.049 disciples' weakness in their hearts. But we've 00:31:22.049 --> 00:31:26.049 also seen that there is faith present in their 00:31:26.049 --> 00:31:30.490 hearts. Now we come secondly to the arousal of 00:31:30.490 --> 00:31:35.150 the disciples' weak hearts by the risen Lord 00:31:35.150 --> 00:31:41.829 Jesus Christ. How does the Lord Jesus... Deal 00:31:41.829 --> 00:31:47.789 with his disciples. To bring them. Out. Of that 00:31:47.789 --> 00:31:53.130 near. Hopeless state. How does he deal with his 00:31:53.130 --> 00:31:58.809 disciples. To strengthen. Their hearts. And to 00:31:58.809 --> 00:32:02.630 bring them out of despair. And fear. And uncertainty. 00:32:03.390 --> 00:32:08.849 And unhealthy. Controlling consuming. Fear in 00:32:08.849 --> 00:32:13.829 their life. Because of the. Well, if we are to 00:32:13.829 --> 00:32:17.230 consider and learn how the Lord stirs the disciples' 00:32:17.549 --> 00:32:23.650 hearts, then we must recognize that he comes 00:32:23.650 --> 00:32:28.789 and he appears to his disciples who are lacking 00:32:28.789 --> 00:32:34.710 faith. He doesn't go on that road over there 00:32:34.710 --> 00:32:37.190 or that road over there or that road back there. 00:32:37.289 --> 00:32:39.789 He comes to the road where the disciples are. 00:32:40.970 --> 00:32:46.269 And he appears to them. He does not cast them 00:32:46.269 --> 00:32:51.150 out, brothers and sisters. He comes to their 00:32:51.150 --> 00:32:54.549 aid in all his glory, in all his risen state. 00:32:55.029 --> 00:32:59.589 The Lord Jesus is concerned about the disciples. 00:33:00.210 --> 00:33:10.730 And he comes to them. He teaches them. The scriptures. 00:33:11.450 --> 00:33:20.390 And he points them. To himself. One of the. Incredible. 00:33:21.930 --> 00:33:27.470 Blessings. Of the Christian faith. Is that whether 00:33:27.470 --> 00:33:34.250 you have. Strong faith. Or weak faith. All. The 00:33:34.250 --> 00:33:38.190 saving and redemptive. Benefits of Christ. Are 00:33:38.190 --> 00:33:44.779 still. Regardless of the strength or intensity 00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:51.579 or degree of faith. Because a person's salvation 00:33:51.579 --> 00:33:55.440 is not dependent on the strength of their faith, 00:33:55.539 --> 00:34:01.480 but on Christ, the object of our faith. That's 00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:05.319 one of the incredible realities of the Christian 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:09.869 faith. Here these disciples, in their weakness 00:34:09.869 --> 00:34:14.869 of faith, receive the comfort and instruction 00:34:14.869 --> 00:34:20.250 and presence and help of the Lord Jesus Christ 00:34:20.250 --> 00:34:25.030 because they are disciples with true, genuine, 00:34:25.090 --> 00:34:32.150 saving, justifying faith. There is a big difference. 00:34:34.190 --> 00:34:38.949 Between being a disciple with weak faith. And 00:34:38.949 --> 00:34:42.150 being an unbeliever with no faith whatsoever. 00:34:44.869 --> 00:34:49.949 The weakest of Christ's disciples. Have their 00:34:49.949 --> 00:34:55.389 sins forgiven. The weakest of Christ's people. 00:34:55.530 --> 00:34:59.530 Are pardoned brothers and sisters. The weakest 00:34:59.530 --> 00:35:02.869 of Christ's people. Are justified and blameless 00:35:02.869 --> 00:35:06.489 in his sight. The weakest of Christ's people 00:35:06.489 --> 00:35:11.650 will spend eternity with him. But the unbeliever 00:35:11.650 --> 00:35:20.570 with no faith receives no benefit that is redemptive 00:35:20.570 --> 00:35:24.250 or saving from the person and the work of Jesus 00:35:24.250 --> 00:35:29.429 Christ. There is a big difference between being 00:35:29.429 --> 00:35:33.150 a believer with weak, struggling, conflicted... 00:35:33.610 --> 00:35:37.530 Hard, difficult circumstances and weak faith. 00:35:38.230 --> 00:35:42.750 And being an unbeliever. Who does not know the 00:35:42.750 --> 00:35:49.289 Lord Jesus Christ. Christ will save every single 00:35:49.289 --> 00:35:53.909 one of those who are his. Whether they have strong 00:35:53.909 --> 00:36:00.389 faith. Or whether they have little faith. But 00:36:00.389 --> 00:36:07.090 Christ will judge. and punish and condemn every 00:36:07.090 --> 00:36:13.110 single unbeliever who does not have faith in 00:36:13.110 --> 00:36:20.989 him. He will not come to the unbeliever and come 00:36:20.989 --> 00:36:25.309 to their aid and comfort them in their hearts 00:36:25.309 --> 00:36:29.090 and build them up and strengthen them. They are 00:36:29.090 --> 00:36:34.360 their own. man, woman, or young person. Do you 00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:40.500 know why? Because they don't want Christ. They 00:36:40.500 --> 00:36:49.099 reject Him day in and day out. They want their 00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:56.219 life their way. And Christ leaves them to themselves. 00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:04.019 If you're here today and you don't know the Lord 00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:10.119 Jesus Christ, you can turn from your sins. You 00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:15.760 can trust in Him and believe in Him this very 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:21.019 moment. He says that if you will come to Him, 00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:25.340 He will give you rest. He says that if you will 00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:29.659 come to Him, He will comfort you. He will be 00:37:29.659 --> 00:37:32.679 your prophet. He will teach you. He will be your 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:35.460 priest. He will save you and redeem you. He will 00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:38.039 be your king and he will protect you and bring 00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:44.119 you to glory. But if you don't know Christ, he 00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:49.980 is not your prophet. He is not your priest. And 00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:53.900 you will know him as king only because he will 00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:59.039 deliver his people and protect them. And punish 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:08.139 you. So the call is to come to Christ. Turn from 00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:13.179 your sins today. Don't wait. Don't delay. Don't 00:38:13.179 --> 00:38:19.280 put it off. Come to the one who died for sinners 00:38:19.280 --> 00:38:28.659 and rose again for sinners. Christ who did die. 00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:36.039 And raised from the dead. How does he. Lift up. 00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:43.420 His weak hearted disciples. Well first. He rebukes 00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:50.500 the disciples. Notice this in verse 25. Oh foolish 00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:54.179 men. Slow of heart to believe in all that the 00:38:54.179 --> 00:38:58.000 prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary for 00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:01.159 the disciples to suffer these things and to enter 00:39:01.159 --> 00:39:08.880 into his glory? He rebukes them for their lack 00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:16.920 of faith. And he has good reason for doing so. 00:39:19.079 --> 00:39:24.179 How often did the Lord Jesus speak of his death? 00:39:24.679 --> 00:39:28.119 In his resurrection. Often brothers and sisters. 00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:31.139 Towards the end of his ministry. The Lord Jesus. 00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:35.579 The gospel writers record. That the Lord Jesus 00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:39.699 said. And he began to openly or plainly. Speak. 00:39:40.239 --> 00:39:44.840 About these things. Meaning he was clear. About 00:39:44.840 --> 00:39:48.400 what was going to happen to him. The prophets. 00:39:49.019 --> 00:39:53.949 In the word of God. Are clear. about the Messiah 00:39:53.949 --> 00:39:59.670 and what would happen to him. Listen to this 00:39:59.670 --> 00:40:06.449 quote from John Calvin about the appropriateness 00:40:06.449 --> 00:40:11.530 of Christ's rebuke and the slowness of the disciples' 00:40:11.889 --> 00:40:18.809 hearts to believe. Frequently had Christ forewarned 00:40:18.809 --> 00:40:23.039 them of his death. So frequently... had he even 00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:26.840 discoursed about a new and spiritual life, and 00:40:26.840 --> 00:40:30.900 confirmed his doctrine by the inspired statements 00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:33.920 of the prophets, that he would seem to have spoken 00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:40.480 to the dead, or rather to blocks and stones, 00:40:40.659 --> 00:40:47.199 referring to the disciples, who are so dull and 00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:54.139 slow to believe what Christ taught. For they 00:40:54.139 --> 00:40:59.000 are struck with such horror at his death that 00:40:59.000 --> 00:41:04.679 they know not what hand to turn. This hesitation, 00:41:04.760 --> 00:41:09.199 therefore, he justly attributes to folly and 00:41:09.199 --> 00:41:12.340 assigns as the reason of their carelessness and 00:41:12.340 --> 00:41:16.579 not having been more ready to believe. Nor does 00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:19.619 he only reprove them because while they had the 00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:24.679 best teacher, they were dull. and slow to learn. 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:30.960 The disciples had the greatest instructor of 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:36.360 all time. They had the greatest preacher that 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:41.920 ever lived. They had the greatest expositor teach 00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:47.380 them day in and day out. Yet, they were slow 00:41:47.380 --> 00:41:54.400 to believe. It says something. about the nature 00:41:54.400 --> 00:41:57.880 and character of our hearts, brothers and sisters. 00:41:59.019 --> 00:42:06.179 Christ is just and appropriate in rebuking them 00:42:06.179 --> 00:42:12.059 for their lack of faith. However, it is important 00:42:12.059 --> 00:42:19.860 to recognize that he does go quickly to encourage 00:42:19.860 --> 00:42:25.869 them. with positive instruction in the Scriptures. 00:42:26.550 --> 00:42:29.670 We see this, the very next thing, in verse 27. 00:42:30.769 --> 00:42:34.769 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, 00:42:35.050 --> 00:42:38.329 he explained to them the things concerning himself 00:42:38.329 --> 00:42:42.630 in all the Scriptures. And then we read in verse 00:42:42.630 --> 00:42:46.010 32, they said to one another, were not our hearts 00:42:46.010 --> 00:42:49.690 burning within us while he was speaking to us 00:42:49.690 --> 00:42:54.510 on the road? While he was explaining. The scriptures 00:42:54.510 --> 00:43:03.650 to us. Consider. That Christ rebukes them. And 00:43:03.650 --> 00:43:07.469 then Christ encourages them. In the truth of 00:43:07.469 --> 00:43:16.010 the gospel. He expounds. The gospel from. The 00:43:16.010 --> 00:43:20.760 scriptures. He opens up the truth about. And 00:43:20.760 --> 00:43:23.860 who he is and what he has done. Based on the 00:43:23.860 --> 00:43:28.559 Old Testament scriptures. Showing them why he 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:33.780 had to die. Why it was necessary. Why he had 00:43:33.780 --> 00:43:39.199 to suffer. Why he had to be man. And who he truly 00:43:39.199 --> 00:43:42.980 was. And about the resurrection. And the glories 00:43:42.980 --> 00:43:46.079 to come. The nature of his kingdom. He points 00:43:46.079 --> 00:43:49.119 these things out and teaches them. Based on. 00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:55.099 The scriptures. He exposits. God's word. To the 00:43:55.099 --> 00:44:02.099 disciples. With the aim. Of helping them understand. 00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:08.880 The scriptures. We have to realize. That he explained 00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:11.679 the scriptures. So that they would understand. 00:44:12.199 --> 00:44:18.880 Him. In the scriptures. This is how. He addresses 00:44:18.880 --> 00:44:24.940 their hearts. They needed illumination of their 00:44:24.940 --> 00:44:32.059 minds. They needed divine help. They needed God's 00:44:32.059 --> 00:44:36.780 aid in understanding the truth of the gospel 00:44:36.780 --> 00:44:41.079 as presented in the Old Testament scriptures. 00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:47.079 This is what we find in this text. We see that 00:44:47.079 --> 00:44:54.539 the Lord Jesus. Did in fact. Arouse. Their hearts. 00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:58.139 Brothers and sisters. He strengthens their heart. 00:44:58.320 --> 00:45:00.760 And he stirs up their hearts. And we see this 00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:08.840 in verse 32. Were not our hearts. Burning. Within 00:45:08.840 --> 00:45:13.440 us. While he was speaking to us. On the road. 00:45:14.000 --> 00:45:19.880 How did that. Come about. Because they are different 00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:24.719 now on this side of Emmaus, on Emmaus Road, than 00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:29.940 they were at the beginning of Emmaus Road. What's 00:45:29.940 --> 00:45:33.239 happened to them, brothers and sisters? Christ 00:45:33.239 --> 00:45:37.039 has rebuked them. Christ has taught them. And 00:45:37.039 --> 00:45:40.340 Christ has helped them to understand the gospel 00:45:40.340 --> 00:45:45.380 better. That their strength, their faith. would 00:45:45.380 --> 00:45:49.780 be strengthened and built up. Their minds are 00:45:49.780 --> 00:45:54.639 illuminated. And consequently, their hearts burn 00:45:54.639 --> 00:45:58.139 within them because the Spirit of God is bearing 00:45:58.139 --> 00:46:04.579 witness to the truth of God's Word. The Spirit 00:46:04.579 --> 00:46:06.940 of God was working in their hearts and their 00:46:06.940 --> 00:46:10.300 minds, bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel 00:46:10.300 --> 00:46:14.449 as He preached it to them. As they walked together 00:46:14.449 --> 00:46:19.869 for hours. And he explained the Old Testament 00:46:19.869 --> 00:46:27.250 scriptures. The Lord strengthened and stirred 00:46:27.250 --> 00:46:31.969 up the disciples hearts. We learn a few things 00:46:31.969 --> 00:46:37.789 from. What and how the Lord has come alongside 00:46:37.789 --> 00:46:43.380 the disciples in this text. We learn that. And 00:46:43.380 --> 00:46:47.380 we can apply in our own lives the legitimacy 00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:53.679 and the credibility of rebuke for weak -hearted 00:46:53.679 --> 00:46:58.519 believers. We have a tendency to come to this 00:46:58.519 --> 00:47:03.539 idea of lack of faith or not trusting Christ, 00:47:03.599 --> 00:47:07.150 and we have a tendency to come to it. And think, 00:47:07.190 --> 00:47:10.769 well, that's really not that big of a deal. We're 00:47:10.769 --> 00:47:12.429 not going to touch that. We're not going to deal 00:47:12.429 --> 00:47:20.070 with that. But Christ clearly rebukes it. He 00:47:20.070 --> 00:47:26.590 addresses it openly and directly. However, he 00:47:26.590 --> 00:47:34.389 balances it with positive instruction. I would 00:47:34.389 --> 00:47:39.460 be an incredibly... Poor and useless preacher 00:47:39.460 --> 00:47:44.099 of God's word. If I simply got into the pulpit 00:47:44.099 --> 00:47:51.099 and rebuked the people of God. Rebuke, rebuke, 00:47:51.119 --> 00:47:59.179 rebuke, rebuke. Error, error, error, error. Wrong, 00:47:59.219 --> 00:48:05.219 wrong, wrong, wrong. Don't, don't, don't, don't. 00:48:06.440 --> 00:48:10.980 You see the point? Nobody's going to change. 00:48:11.780 --> 00:48:15.400 Nobody's going to be strengthened or built up 00:48:15.400 --> 00:48:20.940 simply on a diet of rebuke and condemnation. 00:48:21.739 --> 00:48:30.340 But, rebuke balanced with positive exposition 00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:36.920 and instruction in the truths. of God's holy 00:48:36.920 --> 00:48:39.860 word, that's the way to go, brothers and sisters. 00:48:40.980 --> 00:48:45.440 Deal with error when you have to. Rebuke where 00:48:45.440 --> 00:48:48.659 it's necessary, but then encourage in the truth 00:48:48.659 --> 00:48:53.440 of God's word. Say, that is wrong. Don't do that. 00:48:53.480 --> 00:48:57.139 That's error. But then teach what is required 00:48:57.139 --> 00:49:01.199 and what Christ has done in the gospel for us. 00:49:01.389 --> 00:49:03.710 by His life and His death and His resurrection. 00:49:03.889 --> 00:49:08.849 There must be balance. And this is how the Christian 00:49:08.849 --> 00:49:12.489 heart is lifted from the pool of despondency, 00:49:12.590 --> 00:49:15.989 brothers and sisters. We can't disregard one 00:49:15.989 --> 00:49:22.570 or the other. We have to maintain a balance of 00:49:22.570 --> 00:49:27.809 rebuke and positive instruction in God's holy 00:49:27.809 --> 00:49:34.679 word. But we also learn from this text that New 00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:38.179 Covenant Christians, we learn how New Covenant 00:49:38.179 --> 00:49:46.840 Christians know and experience the risen Lord 00:49:46.840 --> 00:49:53.300 Jesus Christ. Now you may hear that and think, 00:49:53.460 --> 00:49:58.000 what exactly are you talking about? What do you 00:49:58.000 --> 00:50:05.980 mean? to know and experience the risen Lord Jesus 00:50:05.980 --> 00:50:11.900 Christ. Well, we see clearly that the disciples 00:50:11.900 --> 00:50:21.679 have a significant experience in this text. In 00:50:21.679 --> 00:50:25.139 the end of this chapter, or a little bit later, 00:50:25.159 --> 00:50:29.909 we read this. They began to relate their experiences 00:50:29.909 --> 00:50:38.190 on the road and how he was recognized by them 00:50:38.190 --> 00:50:42.989 in the breaking of the bread. What is verse 32 00:50:42.989 --> 00:50:49.969 if not experience in their hearts? They said 00:50:49.969 --> 00:50:55.230 to one another, were not our hearts burning within 00:50:55.230 --> 00:50:59.099 us? While he was speaking to us on the road? 00:50:59.280 --> 00:51:03.500 While he was explaining the scriptures to us? 00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:12.139 Is that not experiential in nature? Brothers 00:51:12.139 --> 00:51:16.500 and sisters, if they didn't experience anything 00:51:16.500 --> 00:51:21.599 on the road to Damascus, then Christ did not 00:51:21.599 --> 00:51:26.059 succeed at strengthening and stirring Their hearts. 00:51:27.059 --> 00:51:33.519 They did. Know. And experience Christ. On that 00:51:33.519 --> 00:51:38.579 road. As the risen. And glorified. Powerful. 00:51:39.960 --> 00:51:44.940 Ruling and reigning. Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. 00:51:45.980 --> 00:51:50.079 So how does this teach. How does this text. Help 00:51:50.079 --> 00:51:54.510 us understand that. Because I. personally want 00:51:54.510 --> 00:52:00.309 to know and experience the risen Lord Jesus Christ. 00:52:01.769 --> 00:52:05.590 And I hope and pray that every single person 00:52:05.590 --> 00:52:11.489 in this room wants to know and experience the 00:52:11.489 --> 00:52:14.769 risen Lord Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that 00:52:14.769 --> 00:52:17.789 every single person in this room is not content 00:52:17.789 --> 00:52:23.880 with simply knowing things in their head. Or 00:52:23.880 --> 00:52:30.320 living a certain way. I hope and pray that there 00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:33.679 is a longing in your heart to know His grace 00:52:33.679 --> 00:52:36.500 and the work of the Spirit of God in your heart. 00:52:36.840 --> 00:52:40.000 Do you want that, brothers and sisters? Is there 00:52:40.000 --> 00:52:44.639 an earnest, sincere desire to experience the 00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:47.400 Spirit of God working in you, bearing witness 00:52:47.400 --> 00:52:51.599 to the truth of God's gospel? In the scriptures. 00:52:51.780 --> 00:52:54.760 Is there a desire within you for that. Brother 00:52:54.760 --> 00:53:00.780 and sister. I hope and pray. That there is. If 00:53:00.780 --> 00:53:05.260 you want that. Then you must begin. With the 00:53:05.260 --> 00:53:10.679 scriptures. You must start. With God's word. 00:53:12.099 --> 00:53:19.139 Notice. That in all of these things. It's related 00:53:19.139 --> 00:53:24.389 back. To the scriptures. It's about the Bible. 00:53:25.349 --> 00:53:29.610 The law. And the prophets. As they were referring 00:53:29.610 --> 00:53:37.789 to them. The holy word. Of God. We must start. 00:53:38.309 --> 00:53:43.710 With God's word. The way that Christ. The way 00:53:43.710 --> 00:53:50.250 that the risen. Lord. Comes to his people. And 00:53:50.250 --> 00:53:54.769 teaches his people. The way that he comes alongside 00:53:54.769 --> 00:53:58.889 of you. As a new covenant believer. Where he 00:53:58.889 --> 00:54:02.150 is bodily absent from this world. The way that 00:54:02.150 --> 00:54:05.510 he comes and speaks into your heart. And rebukes 00:54:05.510 --> 00:54:09.989 you. And gives you positive encouragement. Regarding 00:54:09.989 --> 00:54:13.909 the gospel. Brothers and sisters. He comes to 00:54:13.909 --> 00:54:21.429 you through the word of God. If you want to know 00:54:21.429 --> 00:54:25.650 and experience Christ, don't despise the means 00:54:25.650 --> 00:54:33.730 by which He comes to you. If you want to know 00:54:33.730 --> 00:54:37.469 and experience Jesus Christ more and more in 00:54:37.469 --> 00:54:42.849 your life, don't despise God's Word because that 00:54:42.849 --> 00:54:48.150 is the means that He comes and speaks into your 00:54:48.150 --> 00:54:55.519 heart. It's sad that so many people, out of a 00:54:55.519 --> 00:54:59.920 genuine and sincere desire, long to know Christ 00:54:59.920 --> 00:55:07.300 more. Yet, they despise the means that He has 00:55:07.300 --> 00:55:14.920 appointed to meet with them. We must start with 00:55:14.920 --> 00:55:21.480 God's Word. If we start somewhere else, we'll 00:55:21.480 --> 00:55:27.659 end up somewhere else. And we want Christ more 00:55:27.659 --> 00:55:34.480 and more. So we must begin with God's Word. But, 00:55:34.480 --> 00:55:41.559 having started with God's Word, we must also 00:55:41.559 --> 00:55:50.380 see our need for illumination of our mind. We 00:55:50.380 --> 00:55:57.800 need to understand God's Word. We need to grasp 00:55:57.800 --> 00:56:02.699 it spiritually by the aid and power of the Holy 00:56:02.699 --> 00:56:09.840 Spirit in our lives. It's not enough to read 00:56:09.840 --> 00:56:21.880 and know the Bible. You must have a... Holy reverence 00:56:21.880 --> 00:56:26.360 and love. You must have a sense of the value 00:56:26.360 --> 00:56:30.079 and worth of God's holy word. And the Spirit 00:56:30.079 --> 00:56:35.179 of God must pull back the blinders so that you 00:56:35.179 --> 00:56:40.860 can understand the truths of God's word. We need 00:56:40.860 --> 00:56:47.579 divine illumination of divine truth, brothers 00:56:47.579 --> 00:56:50.530 and sisters. We have to remember that all of 00:56:50.530 --> 00:56:58.150 this is coinciding with the disciples having 00:56:58.150 --> 00:57:02.849 Christ concealed from them, and then the disciples 00:57:02.849 --> 00:57:07.769 having their eyes opened to him. And what is 00:57:07.769 --> 00:57:12.949 connected with all of this? The scriptures. All 00:57:12.949 --> 00:57:15.949 of this is simultaneously running alongside the 00:57:15.949 --> 00:57:19.070 same tracks as Christ is explaining. And applying 00:57:19.070 --> 00:57:22.989 the scriptures. To the disciples life. We need 00:57:22.989 --> 00:57:25.750 to start with the word. And we need to aim. And 00:57:25.750 --> 00:57:28.789 pray and seek and pursue. And ask for God's aid. 00:57:28.929 --> 00:57:33.369 To illuminate our minds. As we come to God's 00:57:33.369 --> 00:57:41.389 word. And having our minds illuminated. We want 00:57:41.389 --> 00:57:48.960 our hearts. To burn. In us. Within us. Because 00:57:48.960 --> 00:57:53.760 the Holy Spirit is working effectively and powerfully. 00:57:54.900 --> 00:57:58.320 Oftentimes in our lives, the majority of time, 00:57:58.460 --> 00:58:02.059 normally in our lives, brothers and sisters, 00:58:02.139 --> 00:58:07.940 the Holy Spirit works in a secret manner. Meaning 00:58:07.940 --> 00:58:13.460 we're not always conscious with our minds that 00:58:13.460 --> 00:58:20.150 He is at work in our hearts and our minds. There 00:58:20.150 --> 00:58:25.070 are times where it enters into the realm of our 00:58:25.070 --> 00:58:29.670 conscious life where it doesn't work in a secret 00:58:29.670 --> 00:58:33.309 manner. He works in an obvious and clear manner. 00:58:33.389 --> 00:58:37.769 And what is the sign? What signals that the Holy 00:58:37.769 --> 00:58:40.929 Spirit is working in such a way that our hearts 00:58:40.929 --> 00:58:46.530 burn within us because of the truth of the Scriptures? 00:58:47.530 --> 00:58:53.170 If you want to experience the risen Lord Jesus 00:58:53.170 --> 00:58:58.329 Christ, if you want the evidence that he is raised, 00:58:58.409 --> 00:59:02.530 then brothers and sisters, we must come to a 00:59:02.530 --> 00:59:06.849 place where the Spirit of God powerfully works 00:59:06.849 --> 00:59:09.789 within our hearts to bear witness to the truth 00:59:09.789 --> 00:59:15.489 of God's work so that our hearts burn within 00:59:15.489 --> 00:59:22.019 us. internal stirring, strengthening, uplifting, 00:59:22.039 --> 00:59:27.900 illumination is the experiential evidence that 00:59:27.900 --> 00:59:34.460 Jesus Christ has in fact risen from the dead. 00:59:35.639 --> 00:59:41.420 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know and 00:59:41.420 --> 00:59:46.860 experience the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Start 00:59:46.860 --> 00:59:51.079 with His Word. Aim for illumination. And don't 00:59:51.079 --> 00:59:54.079 settle for anything less than a heart experience 00:59:54.079 --> 00:59:57.139 where it burns within you because the Spirit 00:59:57.139 --> 01:00:01.679 of God is bearing witness to the truth of God's 01:00:01.679 --> 01:00:03.960 Word in your heart.