The Road To Emmaus - Luke 24:13-35

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

John 19 · chapter mention

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.