Opened Eyes and Burning Hearts - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Bible says, in Acts 1, 1:3 That he being Jesus presented himself

alive to them after his suffering by many proofs.

Appearing to them during forty days.

And speaking about the kingdom of God, So essentially here in

this one verse at testifies, to the fact that after Jesus Christ

died was buried and rose from the grave, he appeared to his

disciples. He appeared to many during a

period of 40 days. Speaking about the kingdom of

God and all that did was build more testimony and more validity

and more eyewitness accounts of the fact that we serve a Christ

that's alive. So turn with me to Luke chapter

Luke 24 · chapter mention

24 because there are specific incidences where we see Jesus in

his resurrected State meeting these people and each account

that's recorded in scripture, is not just for us to see the proof

that, yes, he did appear to certain individuals, but there

are lifelong lessons for us as Believers to know how to

associate, and to relate in to walk with this resurrected

Christ. And one of those stories is

found in Luke 24:13 and you know this story.

Luke 24:13

If you've read this chapter before concerning two disciples

that were walking rather to the road on the road to Emmaus.

And so, in verse 13, he says that very day, two of them were

going to a village named Emmaus about, seven miles from

Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these

things that happened. While they were talking and

discussing together, Jesus himself Drew near and went with

them. But their eyes were kept from

recognizing him and he said to them.

What is this conversation that you are holding with each other

as you walk and they stood, still looking sad The contacts

to this specific portion of scripture is this is that the

woman that followed Jesus came to his tomb.

They saw these angels, these angels testified that Jesus was

not here, but he has risen and they ran back to the rest of the

disciples to tell them of this news.

But it says, in Luke 24. Verse 11, but these words seemed

to them as an idle tale. And they did not believe them.

so here, these ladies that heard from angels, He's not here for,

He Is Risen and Mark's gospel. It tells them and us that the

angels and fact said, go to Galilee where Jesus will

actually meet with you so he reveals to them.

Through the Angels, I'm alive meet me in Galilee and so these

faithful disciples run to the rest of the disciples and they

say, Jesus is alive. Jesus is risen.

We saw angels that testify to this and he said you guys lost

your mind. And instead of going to Galilee

two of them that were not one of the eleven, but two of them that

were in the group. They don't go to Galilee, they

walk towards Emmaus. Its eyes are walking to Emmaus.

The Bible tells us that they were discussing these matters

and verse 19 to 24. We don't have to read it but

it's it tells us the subject of their conversation, they were

testifying and they were talking and they were wondering what

happened to Jesus. We put our hope in Jesus.

We put our trust in Jesus and he dies and it's the Talk of the

Town and moreover. Now the Mary's come and they

tell us that he's not even in the Tomb.

And so they heard that Jesus was alive, but they were walking and

disbelief. They were walking and pain.

They were walking and sadness. They were walking with a heavy

heart. They were burdened.

That is not how we ought to walk.

If we understand that Jesus is Alive.

But that is the reality of many people and you might be that

person here this morning. You heard and you sang that

Jesus is alive, but you're walking with grief.

You're walking with a burden heart, there's something

weighing you down and you're not walking in the reality that

Christ is indeed alive. It's information.

It's news, but it's not a reality in your heart.

And a lot of people walk like that.

Today they have pain, they have questions there in the dark and

they wonder if this Jesus really is alive.

Why can't I sense his presence? Where's the direction and his

leadership in my life? What am I supposed to do now

that I'm in this specific season.

Where? Yes, I heard that he's alive,

but I don't sense that he's alive.

And sometimes people walk like that, and you might be walking

like that right now. You don't senses realities.

You don't sensors leading. In fact you've been wondering

probably Lord, I'm in so much pain.

Where are you? I'm in so much trouble, where

are you? I've heard of you but now I

really need you. And it seems like you're not

here and I don't understand because I heard that you're

alive. We have to understand verse 15

and 16 while they were talking and discussing together.

Jesus himself Drew near and went with them.

And their eyes were restricted from seeing him.

In the midst of, that pain, in the midst of that grief, in the

midst of that doubt, in the midst of the disbelief, Jesus

was with them. Jesus was walking with them

though, they could not see him. Jesus could see them and hear

them though they could not recognize him.

Jesus was in fact in their presence though, they could not

sense him. and that's a truth that you and I need to be

comforted with That whether if you're in that season right now

or you will maybe walk into that kind of a season, where you

don't sense him and you don't understand his leadership and

you don't know why you have this pain when in fact he's alive

trust that he's with you. He's walking with you.

He hears you, he's there, he understands.

But the question is, why wouldn't you just reveal himself

right away? I mean Jesus you could have

saved so much time if you just appeared to them and said, hey

it's me. I'm risen.

Hey, it's me. No need to worry anymore.

Why would Jesus cloak himself in a way where they could not

recognize him? Because these two disciples need

to learn a valuable lesson and it's a lesson for us as well.

Turn with me in the same chapter 2 verse 24 and 25 to 27, I'm

going to read from 25 and he said to them, o foolish ones and

slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these

things and enter into his glory and beginning with Moses and all

the prophets he interpreted to them.

And all the scriptures, the things concerning himself.

So here, these doubting disbelieving disciples and pain

and grief, probably the lowest point in their lives

experiencing so much disappointment.

And instead of Jesus, miraculously revealing himself

to these disciples, you know, what he wants them to do.

Put their faith in the scriptures.

Christ. Puts the scriptures as the

highest Authority Christ, reveals the power of the word of

God. That when we walk in those

seasons of our life, where we can't sense him, we cling to the

Bible, we cling to the word of God, we cling to what is

revealed in the scriptures. Instead of just revealing

himself, he wanted him to see that the anchor of their Hope

was found in the written word of God.

Do you see this? He wants to show them the

authority and the power that is found in the scriptures.

So that in any season, when we feel like we're walking in

darkness, when we don't sense him, we are to understand

through his word. He is alive.

We are to understand and Hebrews 13 Verse 6.

Hebrews 13:6

The Lord is my helper. Why shall I be afraid?

What can man do to me? We are supposed to understand

Matthew 28 verse 20 behold. I Am With You Always to the very

Matthew 28:20

end of age. We are to cling to the word.

This is what Jesus is teaching. Them.

And this is why. One of the main reasons, so many

Believers fluctuate, in their faith.

Because their roots are not deep in the scriptures, they're

dependent upon their emotions. There are dependent upon other

people overly dependent. They are swayed by news, back

and forth. And Christ is saying, you need

to be anchored in the truth of the word of God.

The resurrected Christ, reveals to them.

Trust, what's already been written?

And walking with the resurrected Christ is greatly dependent upon

abiding in his word. Get in the scriptures.

That's the lesson. We need to learn as Believers as

we're walking with this resurrected Christ.

He does not remove the scriptures as second in place.

No, he upholds and it says, You must walk with this word in

order to walk with me as a resurrected Christ.

But there's a lesson even here for those who don't believe in

the resurrected Christ. Those in here that made doubt

that Jesus is, in fact alive. Do you know what Jesus

challenges you to do if you doubt the resurrection?

Go to the scriptures. Go to the Bible, go to the Old

Testament as he did and find out that Jesus Christ, fulfilled,

hundreds of prophecies thousands of years before his Incarnation

and realized that this book is not a fairy tale.

I realized that this book is a library of testimonies with one

central theme, as we spoke about on Friday, Jesus Christ, and him

crucified and raised from the dead.

So if you're asking here, if you're a doubt, or if you're a

skeptic, and you're asking God for a sign.

If you're asking God for a miracle, if you're asking God to

appear in your room, somehow, You know what Jesus says about

that kind of thinking, he says it in one way, because Jesus

can't do anything. But this is how much he upholds

the scriptures. There's a story in Luke chapter

Luke 16 · chapter mention

16 of a man who goes to hell. And he's talking to Father,

Abraham and he says, Father Abraham, I have brothers that

are still alive. Let me raise from this place and

tell them about he'll. Tell them about eternity.

So they would repent, they may actually believe in turn from

their ways and you know what? Jesus says he says these things.

He says, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither

will they be convinced if someone should rise from the

dead? In other words, if you dismiss

the scriptures, you'll dismiss any miracle.

And this book itself is a miracle.

It is a testimony to the person and work and resurrection of

Jesus Christ. But these two that were walking

on the road to Emmaus. They did not reject the

scriptures. In fact, 47 miles, Jesus was

walking with them and he revealed all that was about him

found in the scriptures. And the approached Emmaus, but

Jesus. Is going to walk on ahead.

And there's something happening in the hearts of these.

Two Disciples of these two, Skeptics of these two doubters.

Because in verse 32, it says that when Jesus spoke the word

of God to them on that road, their hearts were burning within

them. Something was happening on the

inside. There was conviction, there is a

sense of life-giving power, and as they were talking with this

Jesus, though, they did not recognize him though.

They could not fully understand him.

Something was stirring up inside of them and they came to the

place where they were going to split paths and Jesus was going

to walk on ahead. And in that moment.

Better make a choice. In that moment, Jesus was going

to keep on walking. It may be either today or it's

been a series of days if you are a doubter, if you are a skeptic

if you are not a Believer, if you were just a religious person

but you've never been born again.

Your hearts been stirring. When you hear the scriptures,

when you hear it, something's happening inside of your heart.

When you sat with the True Believer, they talk to you about

what it means to be a follower of Jesus, there's something

happening in your heart and that is the word of God and the Holy

Spirit knocking on your heart, asking you to answer.

And that's what was happening to these to the word of God.

Was inviting them for more but here's the reality.

Jesus was waiting for their invitation.

Jesus was waiting for them to respond to the word and if they

didn't, she would have moved on Jesus does this a lot in the

Gospels? He just tends to walk by.

You know why Jesus never force himself on you?

If you're in this place that you've never truly surrendered

to Jesus Christ, understand that this is a window of opportunity.

Because Jesus is walking by. and so, in that moment, these two

They said stay with us. It says they strongly urge them

to come. Stay with us, it's late.

Come be with us, their hearts were burning.

We want to know more so many people say these things.

Well, of Christ, really wants to reveal himself to me.

He'll just do it. If Christ really wants to reveal

himself, if Jesus is real, then he'll just show up.

If he really wants me to do saved foolishness, how hungry

are you to realize Christ? How hungry are you to realize

the resurrected Christ? They were stirred and so they

invited him. And the same way that Jesus

responded to their invitation to do the same for you.

He'll do the same for you. The moment you open your heart,

though. You don't understand everything.

Don't you don't understand the depths of what he's talking

about or even who he is. If you're willing to invite him,

he's willing to come And he does, he sits with them and in

verse 31 is the result of what happens when a heart is burning

and they want to know the truth. it says that in that moment,

their eyes were opened In that moment, they understood in that

moment. They saw that Jesus truly and

Shirley was alive. And all the doubt was gone, all

the skepticism was destroyed. Have your eyes been open to the

resurrected Christ. Have your eyes understood him as

the Holy Spirit opened, the eyes of your heart and you are

walking. The reality this afternoon.

Jesus is, in fact, alive. If he's alive, that means

something that changes the way. You live, that changes the way,

you sing that changes the way. You pray that changes the way

you go to work that changes the way you deal with people that

changes the way you look at time, that changes every aspect

of your life, because if he's Life, he's coming back.

He's coming back. He's not staying up there, he's

coming back one day. Some of us were walking downtown

yesterday. There's a flood of people. and

as we were walking one specific Street, All these fire trucks

came to one of the high-rise buildings and you just saw a

flood of people looking up and we look to we didn't know what

we were looking at. And then somebody gave the

observation. As we saw those sea of people

looking up into the high rise building, where the fire trucks

was what will it be like when Jesus splits the sky open?

And every, I will be hold them in that moment.

What a sight that will be. Their eyes were opened they

realize that Jesus was alive. And within a moment before they

can Embrace him before, they can ask him more questions before

they can grab a hold of him. He vanishes, he's gone.

He's not there anymore. Why would he do that?

Why would he reveal himself in such a way and then, just

disappear? Because he wanted them to get

out. And to testify that he was

alive. That's exactly what happened.

He vanishes. I mean, read verse 33 to 34 and

they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem and they

found the eleven and those who are with them gathered together

saying the Lord has risen indeed and as appeared to Simon then

they told what had happened on the road and how he is known to

them, the breaking of bread. When your heart burns because

you know, that this word is true and you invite Jesus and he

opens your eyes. You can't help but testify what

he's done for you. You can't contain it.

You can't sit in the same place you must go out because now you

have a testimony. You have a story, you have

something to share with somebody Believers in Christ.

And the world wants to hear what Christ has done for you and how

he's opened your eyes. You have a story now.

It's not about just celebrating in here.

And next week, just going with the Motions, it's about going

and walking with other people and saying, do you understand

that Jesus is alive? He's open my eyes.

He can open yours too. And as you present the

scriptures, who knows their hearts can be burning as well,

and they can invite Jesus, and he can do the same for them.

Ask the Lord this afternoon, let my heartburn, again, let my

heartburn again, to the truth that you are alive.

Fill me with the Holy Spirit to go out and preach Christ

crucified. And not just crucified Alive

forevermore. If you ever find yourself

walking as a disciple and you can't sense him, you don't

understand his leadership. You don't feel the resurrected

Christ. You know, what Christ says to

you cling to the scriptures, cling to the word of God, cling

to the truths that are found in here, just like this story, you,

and I could look at this story because it's found in scripture

and say, hey, these two walked in a season of grief and pain,

they could not understand Jesus and him resurrected, they could

not sense him. But we cling to the scriptures

and we cling to the Scriptures, it will burn in our hearts.

Father, we thank you. We thank you for Jesus.

And we pray. Lord that we would all walk out

of here. So, the truth of your word.

And even our own testimonies that you are alive.

You've revealed yourself to us now.

Help us like these two to go out into the world and testify that

you are alive that the Lord has risen indeed, Help us to be

faithful Witnesses, with this short window called life, before

you return. Help us to work.

While it is day for night is coming.

When no man can work. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.