The scripture passage is Luke 24:13-35 in which two men, acquaintances of Jesus, were walking along the road to Emmaus, despondent over the death of Jesus. A man overtakes them, walks with them, teaches them from the scriptures. He stops to break bread with them and reveals that he is Jesus, then disappears from their view. They run back to Jerusalem with this word.
The discussion: Jesus is missing.
Their hope: had died with Jesus.
Why did they not recognize Jesus? It was not the glaring light in their eyes, but the darkness in their souls.
Knowing about Jesus does not mean we truly know Him.
These men had experienced it all, but they had missed everything.
Having information about Jesus does not mean you have faith in Jesus.
All the information in the world will never make up for a lack of faith!
Before their minds could comprehend their hearts had to be changed.
The world says, "Seeing is believing." No! Believing is seeing!Two places Jesus reveals himself to us today:
1. In the Word.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. --Romans 10:17 NIV)
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. --Hebrews 4;12 (NIV)
Make your life available to the Word. Faith is weak because we do not spend enough time in the Word.
2. In community.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. --Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
The body of Christ is the primary place for Christians to be known.
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Jesus is missing. We wonder who took Him.
He is wanting to be found. He has made every resource available to make Himself real in your life!
2 comments:
I probably need to start taking sermon notes as a way to remember the main points! But I'm so busy trying to follow the fast-moving screen frames and squinting to identify things in the pictures that I don't have time to write.
Vee, yes, you do. Looking at a screen is a distraction from the preacher's word-- and perhaps they plan it that way-- or think the bulk of the audience is too dense to understand anything unaccompanied by pictures. Seriously, I started taking notes many years ago and 1) it keeps me awake, and 2) it actually helps me grasp the concepts.
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