Burning Hearts

This week, Tuesday, Thursday. See, it's gone.

Pastor Brian went and took his ordained bishop's

exam and passed. Yes. So, very, very proud of

him. Exceeded and done really well. He'll be

getting that in the mail before too long. When

he does, I will just present it to him all formal

like. Amen. Congratulations, brother. Love you,

man. Hallelujah. That's a big ordeal to get that.

It's a big exam. I enjoy. I got to go down while

he was taking the exam. I just kind of go in

and do what I want to do when I go down. I know

where the coffee pot's at at the state office,

so I went in to get me a cup of coffee. I know

the tension in the room. If you've ever sat at

the table, you know what they're dealing with.

And so I just give them some great advice. When

in doubt, go with C. Seemed to let a little air,

you know, a little tension out of the air. I

said, just go with sea. It worked for me. Look

where I'm at today. Amen. I'm just outside the

shadow of the holy city. So no telling where

they could be one day. Just multiple choice,

go with sea. I think he did better than go with

sea. Amen. The Lord is good. So good to have

with us this morning our superintendent from

West Africa and Europe, I believe. Our English

-speaking church is there. Did I get that right,

Brother Mills? Bishop Joseph Panetti. I hope

I pronounced it. Krenzel. Krenzel. I'll get it.

I'm sorry. I'm terrible with them. Bishop. It

is an honor to have you with us today. Thank

you so much for being at Hopewell. Would you

make them welcome this morning? Bishop Joseph

Princell, it's good to have them. If you have

your Bibles, be looking with me to Luke's Gospel

24. Luke's Gospel 24. Bishop, you'll have to

pardon me. I've never been very... Good with

dignitaries. But I am honored that you're in

the house of the Lord with us today. Thank you

so much. And we try to partner with them some

and do some work for the kingdom. Amen? My heart's

kindly churning this morning. In our opening

prayer, I want you to remember a couple of special

requests after I read the text and we say our

prayer over the word. I want you to pray for

some of our church family. Remember Brother Steve

and Sister Cindy. As Brother Steve, his father

passed away this week, and they're probably currently

right now visiting, getting the arrangements

all set. So I told him we would definitely lift

them up in prayer. Remember Brother Tony. They

buried his brother this week, so his heart's

heavy today. But in the house of the Lord, amen.

And remember, thank you. I like that. Sister

Terry Stutz is in the emergency room this morning.

Got that text from Sister Jackie. And I just

want to remember those in prayer. We have others

who are sick and in need. Remember Brother Ron?

The pneumonia is out of the lung, he told me.

So he's still got some other things going on.

So let's remember him, that the Lord would raise

him up. I believe the Lord is able to do that.

Don't you? Amen. Luke's Gospel. Chapter 24, let's

pick up at about verse 13. And behold, two of

them went that same day to a village called Emmaus,

which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs,

which is about seven and a half miles. They talked

together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass that while they communed

together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near

and went with them. But their eyes were holdent

or closed or clouded, and that they should not

know him. And he said to them, What manner of

communications are these that you have one to

another? As you walk and are sad. And one of

them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said

unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem,

and hast not known the things which are come

to pass there in these days? And he said unto

them, What things? Don't you just love the Lord?

In other words, he'd be like little Willis back

in the day. What you talking about? You know,

what you talking about, Willis? And they said

unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which

was a prophet, and see, they were already off.

Mighty in deed and word before God and all the

people. And now the chief priests and our rulers

delivered him to be condemned to death and have

crucified him. But we trusted, did they really,

that it had been he which should, Redeem Israel.

And beside all this, today is the third day since

these things were done. Yea, and certain women

also of our company made us astonished, which

were early at the sepulcher. And when they found

not his body, they came saying that they had

also seen a vision of angels which said that

he was alive. And certain of them which were

with us. went to the sepulcher and found it even

so as the women had said, but him they saw not.

Then he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart

to believe all that the prophets have spoken,

ought not Christ to have suffered these things

and to enter into his glory? And beginning at

Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto

them and all the scriptures the things concerning

himself. And they drew nigh unto the village

whither they went, and he made as though he would

have gone further, but they constrained him,

saying, Abide with us. For it is toward evening,

and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry

with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at

meat with them, he took bread and blessed it.

There's something about blessing that bread.

Break and gave to them. And their eyes were opened.

And they knew him. And he vanished out of their

sight. And they said one to another, did not

our heart. Burn within us. While he talked with

us by the way. And while he opened to us the

scriptures. Simple thought this morning. I'm

going to preach as the Lord will help me just

on burning hearts. Burning hearts. Don't forget

our church family. Let's pray for them as we

ask the Lord to have his way in this service

today. Father, we truly love you and thank you

again. Lord, for those that we've brought before

you in a petition needing healing today. Lord,

not just healing of flesh, but healing of heart.

Lord, they need the comfort. And according to

your word, you will comfort those who mourn because

you are our comforter. And I ask, Father God,

in the name of Jesus, Lord, let that sweet, wonder

-working power of the Holy Ghost be upon them

today to comfort them. Raise up the sick and

afflicted. Lord, do great and mighty things in

their bodies. that we too may glorify of you

and tell others who you are and what you have

done. Now in our hearing, the bread of life has

been broken, which is your word, and I ask God

now that you speak to every heart and every mind.

Lord, help me preach that which is glorifying

and edifying to you and enriching to the body.

We'll be quick to praise you in all things. In

Christ's loving name, and the church said, amen.

Burning hearts. Without a doubt, probably everyone

in this room is somewhat concerned about the

future. And most of our existences today, everything

that we do, everything that you'll do in the

morning, everything that you strive to do tomorrow

will be about Tuesday. It'll be about Wednesday.

It'll be about our future. Try as we want, confess

as we like. We can talk about living from day

to day or just sing them old one day at a time

sweet Jesus songs. But our mind's more about

not just one day. Our focus is about the future.

Because not a one of us in here is thinking tomorrow

is going to be the last day. We're focusing on

our future. What does our future hold? In our

text this morning, we read two men who had very

quickly abandoned the hope of their future. Very

quickly, they abandoned the hope of their future.

And the expectancy that they had. This text talks

to us a little bit about despair. It shows how

quickly one's heart can fall flat. It shows how

quickly we can go from the mountaintop to the

valley. It shows how quickly we can go from hope

to hopeless. The same day. It's the same day.

As the resurrection. The very same day. It ain't

even got dark yet. It's still just after the

morning. They had just hung around long enough

to hear the report that he's gone. He's not there.

Kindly makes me wonder about these two individuals.

Why, when the report was given, they must have

been close enough to hear. that he's gone, he's

not there. We've seen angels. They said he's

alive. And Peter and John, they get, they run.

Why did this, Cleopas and his buddy, why did

they not follow in the crowd? And then we hear

their confession that, well, we trusted that

he was the one. Oh, really? They didn't trust

enough to go find out if what he had said of

himself was actually true. When the report came

in, such stress overwhelmed them and their hearts

sunk so deeply. Well, he's not there. He said

he wasn't going to be there. He promised and

told him that he would arise on the third day.

But yet we have these disciples who abandoned

their hope so quickly and fell in distress so

desperately. It was so immediate for them. They

could not see past the morning. They could not

see past the report. They could not focus beyond

their despair. They could not move past the shattered

hope that had just fell before them, and they're

on their way out of town. And as they're making

their way out of town, they have abandoned the

future that they could see that had been promised

to them. There's something about us today as

we're walking out the future that we want and

long and desire and that we are planning for.

But we also must understand that the future hope

of the believer is not in this world alone. Hallelujah.

And we cannot allow the shattering things of

life when it comes against us to get in. such

state of despair because some things don't go

the way that we plan for them to go. But they

are going in accordance to the will and the plan

of God. You have to know that things do not happen

in our life by accident because the good steps,

the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.

If the Lord goes before you, then he's preparing

the way as you come. Nothing catches him by surprise.

So why should we fall into such a sudden shattered

state of despair because life has been unexpectedly

changed from the future and the hope that we

had for it. Because I know this, if I know anything,

that the God of heaven still sits firmly upon

the throne of glory. He's still seated. He's

still established. He's still high. He's still

lifted up. And no matter how low or despair may

try to come into my life, I have to resist despair

and allow the hope that I placed in him and the

trust. that is in him, instill me one more time

that I not be as these two. They walked the road

talking about the events, and the scripture said

they were sad. I'm here to tell somebody this

morning, get happy. Why? Because you are not

walking the road and the pathway of life alone.

Hallelujah. Why? Because Jesus promised you that

he would never leave you, nor would he ever forsake

you. And as he walked with them in the shattering

of their dreams and hopes, he's walking with

you when yours gets shattered and despair sets

in on your life. My God, he's walking with you

every single day. When disappointment comes,

when disarray happens, hold on to your faith.

Don't get sad. The psalmist declared, I will

lift up mine eyes unto the hills from which cometh

my help. My help comes from the Lord. The future.

You realize around the world globally that the

future is a multi -million, billion dollar affair?

Stock markets rise and fall. on the expectation

of the futures of stocks and bonds and trades

and goods, right? How quickly can oil go up?

Drop one bomb, and it goes from $70 to $120 a

barrel, and nothing has changed. Stocks rise.

Futures are forecasted. People live and die.

Go back to 29 in the crash in the fall. People

were jumping out windows in New York City. Why?

Because the future was shattered in front of

them. Right before their very eyes, wealth gone.

But we don't put our hope and our trust in wealth

alone. We put our trust and our hope in Christ

alone. And the crucified one to be who had declared

it and so be is raised from the dead. And so

despair should not overwhelm us. Don't be sad

today because life isn't turning out the way

that you thought it was going to turn out. But

look for the alternative. What is the alternative?

He that walks with you and talks with you is

the hope that you have. Amen? In this life and

the life to come. It's the hope of the future.

eternal glory of living with him forever and

ever. Even though life turns and everything falls

and everything may shatter, there's still hope,

and the hope that we have rests and resides in

Christ and Christ alone. When you think about

all the ships and the seas of life that sail,

there's one ship that remains firm and steady.

Yes, it's worn. Yes, it's tattered. My God, but

it's going to go forward, and it's going to be

continued on because there is no destruction

for the church of the living God, the promise

that we have. I know the world looks like it's

closing in on the church, but I'm here to declare

today, don't be sad about the condition of the

church. There's a purging going on. There's a

cleansing going on. There's a purifying going

on. I'm here to tell you that the ones who are

going to be remaining are the remnant that is

coming after. At some point in this thing, you've

got to realize that everybody you know who claims

isn't going because there's one way. He is the

truth. There's one way. He is the life, and he

is the only. Only one that's going to get you

in this garbage that's going on globally. That

if it's declaring a religion declares love, then

ultimately love will get you there. No, love

alone won't get you there. Christ alone will

get you into the hope of the existence of eternal

future with Jesus Christ. There is a home. There

is a place. But he is the one. Don't be so sad.

It's heartbreaking. It's devastating to know

and to think. That everybody who claims Christ

will not be in heaven. I just don't believe that.

I can't help you there. I'm sorry whether you

believe it or not. It's still true. Why? Because

Jesus said so. And he's truth. And he made that

declaration. He talked about a broad way that

leads to death and destruction. He talked about

a narrow way that leads to life everlasting.

And he said, be many that find the other, but

there'll be few. It's very heart -rending to

know that you may hear those words of the Lord

himself. Depart from me, you worker of iniquity,

for I never knew you. Now that would be a sad

day. But to abandon all hope and reality and

trust in God simply because life shatters. Can

I tell you life is fragile? Life is very fragile.

A material world that you and I live in is very

fragile. And it don't take but a small pebble

from the enemy to see it shattered before your

very eyes. But the materialism of this world

is not the hope that you and I possess and the

hope that you and I have. That hope that we have

is in Christ and in Christ alone. I know I'm

sounding like a broken record this morning, but

somebody needs to hear today. You may be sad.

You may be shattered. You may be living disillusioned

and in despair. But don't give up hope today

because you are not hopeless. As they walked

by the road, he walked with them. And I'm here

to declare to you today, he's still with you.

That journey of despair. Walking away from Jerusalem.

Abandoning hope so quickly. I mean, it's the

same day. The women hadn't been back long. They

probably headed toward Emmaus when Peter and

them headed toward the tomb. And then as they

are walking, talking sadly amongst themselves,

the Lord appears to walk with them. I mean, it'd

be like one of those things, oh, hey, I didn't

see you. Where'd you come from? He showed up

like he left, all of a sudden like. Do you not

know that's how he shows up in your dilemma and

despair? And then what he'd tell you is this,

well, I've been here the whole time. You just

haven't noticed. We can get so caught up in our

despair. We can get so caught up in the sadness

and our dilemmas of life that we don't even notice

that he's never left, but yet he's always been

right there. He's been with us. He's been talking.

He's there hearing everything. And as they talked,

they said, well, what do you mean what things?

Where you been? Are you just now getting into

town? Oh, boy. Tell you how suddenly your despair

can be turned around and how quickly it can be

a positive thing for your life. Despair can turn

to positiveness. Because in the middle of this

conversation, as they're going, they're walking

the way, when the word of God begins to be revealed

into your life, when revelation begins to come

into your life, there's hope begin to renew.

Amen. There's a replenishing of your hope as

the Word of God. He began to talk to them starting

at Moses. He could have started at the beginning,

but he started with Moses. Why? It's just a few

miles down the road. He didn't have time to cover

it all. He just had to pick up where he could

get it in. So let's just start with Moses. You

haven't even believed what your prophets told

you. They said there would be one raised up just

like Moses. Why? Because Moses was your deliverer.

You know that God spared him out of the Nile.

You know this and you know that. You know everything

there is to know about Moses. Well, when you

look at me, I'm better than Moses. Moses was

sent to you in my likeness, not me in his. Hallelujah.

And when you begin to hear, and he begins to

break it down. Could you not hear him as he begins

to march him through the Isaiah, the eagle -eyed

prophet? When do you begin to tell him there's

a son going to be born? I'm him. That's me. That's

me. What's your name? Emmanuel Jesus. I am the

Christ. So he just begins, that's me. Prince

of Peace, that's me. He began to break it down

and to show them. To reveal the words of the

prophets to them as they're walking toward their

destination. Hear the revelation of the word

of God as it will enter into your life. He's

got an answer for every dilemma. He's got hope

for every project or point of despair. When life

shatters, they may not have been able to put

Humpty Dumpty back together again because there's

no hope in all the king's men. But I'm telling

you, the king, he is able to pick up every broken,

shattered piece of life. and to still renew hope.

Ah. They're about to get it. Oh, but we trusted

that it had been he which should have redeemed

Israel. They hadn't gotten it at that point yet.

He didn't come just to redeem Israel. He come

to redeem creation. He come to redeem all of

us. Now, I know he was sent to Israel first,

but they rejected him. They didn't accept him

as their Lord. Sound to me like these two disciples

were like some of the others. They wanted free

from Rome, not free from themselves and the bondage

of sin. They wanted free to be able to do what

they wanted to do. But that's not why he came.

And he began to explain that to them as who he

is and what he is and what he's meant to them.

When they found not his body, they came saying

that they had also seen a vision of angels. And

certain of them which were with us went to the,

certain of them that were with us went to the

sepulcher. And found it was even as the women

had said, that him they saw not. Then he said

to them, oh fools and slow of heart. Slow of

heart to believe. Is that you? Are you being

slow at heart to believe? What are you saying,

pastor? Are you sad in your journey today? We're

2 ,000 plus years past the resurrection. We could

stop now and pick up after the resurrection.

If we took a small journey through the book of

Acts alone and all the great and mighty things

that they did in and through his name being empowered

by the Holy Ghost to pick up to where we are

now. Are you slow of heart to believe that he's

able to enter into your situation too? Do you

not trust him enough? Do you not have hope in

him to know that he is able? We could go all

the way back to Moses and we can see how he fulfills

it all. We can see how he is the one. But yet,

are we still slow to believe? Are we still overwhelmed

in our despair? In our own self -pity? Regnet

euphemism says, hike your breeches up. Huh? Pick

your lip up, quit stepping on it as you go about

your way. At some point in this existence, You

should realize that this really isn't about you.

And until you realize it's not about you, but

he who wants and desires to live in you and through

you, then hope looks bright when everything's

shattered around your feet. Then and then alone

can you be like an old Job, though he slay me.

Yet will I trust him. It's only then that you

quit worrying about your spilt milk. Your job.

I've walked off more than most people have lost

in a short career time. I'd bad do that. Y 'all

remember when I told you when I was a sinner,

most of you wouldn't like me. I was a sinner

when I was in the public world life, and they

didn't like me. When you threaten your foreman

with a ball -peen hammer, that doesn't get you

a lot of likes. That was back before likes and

friend requests and all that stuff. It's like,

stay away from him, he's nuts. But the reality

was, I'd have wore him out with it before I was

redeemed. Don't bother me. I'm doing my job.

What's that song? Well, I'm so glad he found

me. Love he bound me, arms all around me. I'm

glad he found me and saved me. But how quickly

do we get our hopes wrapped up in all of this

stuff of the world? And when it falls out from

under us, Despair strikes in. We lose hope. Like

he ain't right there with you. It's sort of like

the disciples with Jesus in the boat and a little

storm comes up. Oh, master, master, don't you

care that we perish? We're going down and you're

asleep on the boat. We're sinking. Boys. the

master of the sea. Peace, be still. Look, he

resides in the bosom of your heart. You're not

going down. Why? Because he sits on the crest

of every issue of life and he instills hope in

every dilemma. Don't let despair shatter your

dreams and your hopes. was forgotten. Oh fools

and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets

have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered

these things and to enter into his glory. Beginning

at Moses expounded them all the scripture to

things concerning himself and they drew nigh

to the village where they went and where they

were headed. It was late in the evening. And

he went as though he was going to go on, and

they constrained him. What's that mean? Hey,

we'll buy you a fish and some bread. Just stick

around here with us. It's awful late. It's been

a hard day. They took it hard. Just stay with

us. Tarry with us. Let's eat together. So he

goes in, enters into their situation with them.

Sits down and breaks the bread. Now look here.

Anytime you see the Lord break bread, a miracle

happens. He took those five loaves and them little

fishes and when he broke the bread and blessed

it, looked up to heaven and he blessed it. Then

they fed all those thousands and they picked

up them 12 basketfuls left over when he broke

the bread and blessed it. The next we see him

in the upper room, evidently just about four

days prior to this event. He breaks the bread

and says to them, this is my body. Take you eat

and eat you all of it. Eat it all, don't waste

a crumb. Now we see him at the roadside inn at

Emmaus. And he breaks bread and their eyes are

suddenly opened. And they get so excited when

they realize it's the Lord with them. They just

walked about a three and a half, four hour journey

depending on who they ran into on the road and

how many times they stopped and how involved

they were in their conversation. They probably

just sounded to me like they just kindly strolled

toward Emmaus. But they get so excited after

this revelation and he vanishes. They look at

each other and say, my, how our heart burned

within us along the way. Now, you got to catch

that. Isn't that what it says? And they said,

one to another did not our hearts burn within

us while he talked with us by the way. And while

he talked with us by the way and while he opened

to us the scriptures. And then they immediately

turn right back around and head back to Jerusalem.

And one of the hardest things for a man to admit,

these two admitted with joy. They found the disciples.

They run into the room and they said, The women

were right. Come on, ladies. One of you should

have just left running back out the door, out

down the highway. A man confessed. The women

were right. He walked with us. He's alive. Now.

Just as quickly as you can go from hope to despair,

look how quick hope comes back in again. Can

I tell you something? They wonder and they argue

and debate the authenticity of the resurrection

of the Christ. But how many of you believe that

Peter, who quit so early along the way, who cursed

and denied the Lord, had the Lord not risen,

do you actually think he would have succumbed

to being crucified and then request to be done

so upside down? Because he didn't feel worthy

to be crucified upright like Jesus. Do you actually

think that redneck fisherman, do you actually

think that loudmouth, quick -tempered, would

have stuck out the journey had he not literally

seen, The risen Lord, I don't believe so for

one minute. He would have backed out in a heartbeat.

He wouldn't have went as far as he did. He would

not have done all the things, but he saw the

Lord. They said, well, they slipped in there

and stole the body. No, the seal was still on

there the next morning because if you'll read

the text, the soldiers were still there. They

had to bribe them. You think James and the others?

Do you think John, had the Lord not been risen

from the dead, do you think the apostle John

would have survived being bold and old? No. They

all would have never made it as far as they did.

The proof was in the power of the resurrection

and the hope that was stilled in them. Their

despair left. Their despair gone. Do you think

the Apostle Paul, an apostle out of his time,

who was already famous for dragging Christians

to prison and death, do you think that old man

would have changed his way of doing things if

he had not seen the light that we sung about

earlier on that Damascus road? No. think he would

endure all that he endured without seeing the

resurrected Lord? No. Well what has all that

got to do with me? The scriptures proclaim to

you don't lose your hope. There are testimonies,

there's eyewitnesses that he is alive and by

virtue of his living it means the reality of

the promises are going to come to pass. May our

hearts burn again. May the hearts of the church

begin to burn again. We need to have them. Look.

If your heart doesn't burn for Christ, when you

hear his word, I'm telling you, I'm nuts on the

inside right now. I know it's not coming out,

but I'm telling you the way this is coming in.

I'm just all, I've been all out of shape. Double

what you and I experienced in euphoria yesterday

morning. Jesus is alive. And in the despair of

this life, it literally does not matter what

the report comes in. How devastating it can be.

And let me tell you, we all know, we've all had

those experiences. When they come in, the feather

feels like a sledgehammer. And we get disconfitted

very quickly when life turns. And despair can

overwhelm us very quickly. But don't live in

that despair this morning. Don't live in that

despair. Don't tread out that despair. Why? Because

Jesus Christ is alive and well. And if your heart

doesn't burn with a passion to see him and to

be with him, I'm here to tell you I'm challenging

your life and relationship with him right now.

If your heart doesn't burn within you when you

hear the name of Jesus, lift it up. If something

don't stir. in you, I challenge you to find a

place and pray until your heart gets warm again,

until it begins to flame up again. Why? Because

you've grown cold and you've lost your first

love. You've left it aside. Let me tell you how

deep the struggle is. John Wesley and his conversion

confession. Said he believed that he knew Christ.

But on May 24, 1738, at Aldersgate Street in

London, John Wesley said this. He felt his heart

strangely warmed within him while hearing a reading

of Martin Luther's preface of the book of Romans.

And as he's sitting in this service, There was

this confirmation that happened to him. His heart

was warmed. And I'm not talking about the heat.

I'm not talking about those things. It was an

internal warming. His heart was overwhelmed with

the presence of Christ. And you and I both know

what happened after that. He began to shake and

turn a society upside down. Why? Because of a

confirmation of a transformation that had taken

place in his life. And I'm challenging you today,

if your heart doesn't strangely burn and is warm

within you, know the Savior. Renew your relationship.

Don't let despair and tragedy overwhelm you and

take you from the hope that you have of the eternity

that you're expecting to live with him. The future

matters. Yes, it does. But the reality of the

moment, you cannot forfeit your future by allowing

the reality of the moment to displace your hope

and faith. Life is hard. Life is fragile. And

it's true. There's only two certainties within

this continent for most people. The certainty

of death and taxes. You've got to face them both.

But you can face Uncle Sam and get on a payment

plan. But you can't face eternity with a low

monthly installment. It's appointed unto man

once to die and then to face the judgment. Pastor,

you're taking a shift. I'm taking a shift because

playtime's over, folks. We don't have time to

play games. Our hearts must burn within us. If

God is God, then whatever shatters around us,

He is able to sustain us in the fall of the pieces.

And He is God, by the way. And one thing I've

found about broken things, you can't do anything

about it until they stop bouncing on the floor.

Then best case scenario, you find all of the

pieces. My mind just flashed. You stand. I'm

closing. I'm closing. My mind just went to a

figurine down in my office on my shelf. It's

one of those big old ceramic eagles. My mom got

me that thing because I was putting eagles in

my office at one time. She found this thing.

It's a pretty good size. It's ceramic. Got it

for me for Christmas. We got back home from Christmas.

Still had all the kids and all the stuff to unload,

you know. And so I had an arm full, and in one

hand I had the ceramic eagle. You got it, bad

mistake. He shattered all over the concrete front

porch. And you know you try to catch what you

can. And when I just shared that with you just

a moment ago about... You can't do anything about

it until the pieces stop bouncing. How many of

you have ever dropped and broken something that

you really cherished? Tell me if you had the

same experience that I had that night. Front

porch light's on. It's about 12. We drove three

hours to get home after all that. And I'm standing

there, and I got all this other stuff. And I

focused as best I could to see every piece as

it was settling. Think about when you dropped

whatever you dropped. Don't you find yourself

just really focusing on the spot where it hit?

So vividly standing right here, I almost got

a cold chill. I remember seeing it and... focusing

to try to find every piece. Well, you can ease

down there one day and look. If I'm not mistaken,

he's a two -clawed eagle on one foot. I can't

remember if I found all three toes or not, but

there's gaps in his wing. I couldn't find them

all. Tried the best I could. I couldn't get all

the pieces, but I got enough to superglue it

back together. I don't know if I've told mother

that story yet or not and probably won't. She's

82 and don't need to suffer or get aggravated

at me for being clumsy. Life's that way, people.

Without doubt, something you cherish is going

to slip. It's going to fall. It's going to shatter.

Maybe our health. Hello? I'm feeling the effects

of two pretty ground -thumping experiences yesterday,

this morning. It's going to fall. But let me

encourage you today. Do not allow despair to

set in. Okay? Don't... Don't let other people's

opinions... My Lord, I'm feeling this one now.

Don't let what other people say concerning you

and about you and about your broken pieces keep

you from gathering up everything you can. Pick

up everything of it you can find. And when you

stand up with it, don't be sad like these boys.

They were so sad that they couldn't even recognize

the Lord was walking with them. I said, man,

are you crazy? Where have you been the last few

days? I could see the Lord saying, well, I was

just kind of hanging around yesterday. He knew

exactly. He knew why their hearts were broken.

And you know what I like about this story? They

didn't go with the others to the tomb. They didn't

follow along with everybody. They said, well,

they got back, and that's what they said. It

was true. We're going to Emmaus. But I'm glad

the Lord enters into our brokenness. Don't you?

Aren't you glad that he shows up in your despair?

Because, again, life's super fragile. And whether

we like to admit it or not, even on our exterior,

we like to put up a good show, you're fragile

too. We're fragile. But Jesus loves you. Heads

bowed. Father, I love you today. Lord, I hope

this has been pleasing to you. I truly have felt

your grace going out today. Lord, there's some

broken and shattered folk in the house today.

Maybe even a backslider here that they're not

walking with you at all. And should you come

today, they'll be left behind. Should they die

today, hell will be their eternal home. So, Father,

I just... Pray that you'd allow the Holy Ghost

to begin to speak to hearts and minds in this

room. As we just have a real moment together.

Folks, I'm just going to be real with you today.

If your heart's not warm with Jesus, that means

it's cold. And a cold or even a lukewarm heart's

going to be spewed out. My challenge to you today

is this. Repent and feel that warming surge of

forgiveness and love flow into your life. You've

been fooling around, messing around, and got

some pet sin going on. Repent. For the wages

of sin is death. And without holiness, no man

will see the Lord. There has to be a separation

from you and your sin. Repent. Say, Pastor, I

hadn't quite heard you like this. Well, I don't

want to see you die and go to a devil's hell.

That's not my heart's goal in life. That's not

the hope that I have for your future. My hope

for your future is to join me in heaven. I've

made up my mind. I stay by the fount forever,

and every day I repent. I try to walk in the

cleansing blood of Jesus every single day of

my life. If despair has set in, if life has dropped

you, or maybe you've dropped life and it's shattered

around your feet, the Lord here would encourage

you today with his word to let you know he's

walking with you. He is your hope. With that,

I give you an invitation. Does anybody need?

Something from the Lord this morning. If you

do, I want you to make your way forward.