Zion East Prospect Church
Traditional Worship 040421
  • Christ The Lord Is Risen Today (Easter Hymn)
      • Luke 24:13–32NLT

  • Low In The Grave He Lay (Christ Arose)
  • From Darkness to light
    Title: Our Hearts Burned within us
    Theme: God’s love has a way of revealing the truth in your life.
    Text: Luke 24:13-32
    Goal: “God would give up his only Son before he’d give up on you.” Max Lucado
    God’s love has a way of revealing the truth in your life.
    ME: ORIENTATION: FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE AUDIENCE
    This may be the most important moment in your life.
    You are about to be given information that can change your life.
    Whether you will receive this information is up to you.
    Let us pray:
    Jesus I ask that the truth of your word may be clear today. May your Holy Spirit speak to us. May the Love of God be revealed through this message. Amen
    WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)
    Everyone walks the journey of life looking for meaning and purpose.
    How we approach the journey influences what path we will take today.
    Some find the meaning of life while others do not.
    God’s love has a way of revealing the truth in your life.
    God promises opportunity, and then the choice is yours.
    GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

    I.Stopped Short

    Luke 25:13-15 (NLT)
    13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them.
    Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 24:13–15). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
    A seven-mile walk which ended at Emmaus ‘toward evening’ (24:13, 29) must have occupied the last two hours of Easter afternoon. More, perhaps, if (as some have suggested) Cleopas’s companion was his wife; and their step may have been slower still in view of their state of mind as they left Jerusalem.

    A. Two followers

    a. Cleopas might be the same person as in John.
    John 19:25
    25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.
    Luke 24:16-17a
    16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
    17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

    B. Talking about what happened

    a. They were very intent on the things that transpired since Palm Sunday. Especially the last three days.

    C. Jesus enters the discussion

    Luke 24:17b-18
    They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
    a. Someone in grief and pain, they just stopped.
    b. They wondered what rock this guy crawled out from under. Where did you come from.

    II. Disbelief

    19. What things? Jesus asked.
    The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
    22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

    A. Jesus of Nazareth

    a. This they believed
    “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people.
    We had hoped he would be the Messiah
    b. He was killed
    c. Body missing
    d. Women see angels
    e. Jesus alive

    B. If they truly believed they would be rejoicing.

    a. Hard to believe that someone was raised from the dead.
    b. Death has finality too it

    C. Or is it.

    III.Truth that burns

    A. Jesus explains Biblical truth

    25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”

    B. God shows himself to his followers

    Luke 24:30-31
    30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
    a.They just saw Jesus.
    b. He is now gone.
    c. In the midst of our pain something happened.
    d. They believed now
    1. Jesus helped them with there pain
    2. He became real to them.
    3. They saw Jesus

    C. They were touched to their core

    Luke 24:32
    32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”

    D. They responded in faith (going back

    E.Take away

    Where are you in your faith journey?

    Some may say I am good.
    Please go deeper in your walk and relationship with God.
    As I was writing this a this I was receiving a text concerning a tragedy I know about.Since you don’t know this soul I will read my response to an intervention.
    Imagine yourself having little to nothing in life. Yes he has you and he loves his grandchildren. Beyond that the two comforts he has are cigarettes and beer.
    He uses them for comfort and hiding from the world around him.
    All he has known for many years is work and those comforts. Two people in his life he was close two died. This is how I see him. There is much pain and hurt he medicates in there as well. I wonder if seeing it from his view would also be important to helping him.
    Don’t forget that now he will be free from work and for the most part be alone.
    YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)
    Conclusion:
    “God would give up his only Son before he’d give up on you.” Max Lucado
    God isn’t giving up on you!
    God’s love has a way of revealing the truth in your life.
    We need to go deeper.
  • Because He Lives