Spring Services/Sermon on Minneapolis 24.04.2011

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we shall continue our services this evening, yet for a few moments, by reading from the aforewritten Word of God, found at this time from the 24th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, and we'll begin reading from its 13th verse onward.

And these words are in Jesus' name as follow. And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs. And they talked together of these things that 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 holden that they should not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communication are these that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad? And the 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 have come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And besides 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 seen also 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 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 in all the scriptures of 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 short 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 and brake and gave it 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 hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were there with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. Amen.

Amen. We have already heard this morning so preciously through our brother of this joyous, festive Easter day that we celebrate each day of our lives. Easter is a day we celebrate each day of our lives as his children.

In some way, perhaps, unto us, it may seem comforting when we read and study of the happenings of this time, in that we see how poor and doubt-ridden also were the disciples. When we think of what happened on this Easter morning, how scriptures relate unto us of how the women went to the sepulcher, and indeed the Bible says that Jesus appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, whom he had cured of seven devils.

Imagine even that. The Bible doesn't say much of Mary Magdalene, but we could see and perhaps understand that the sunshine in her life probably ended in the innocence of her childhood, where at that time she enjoyed the sunshine. And at some point in her life, darkness descended on her, being deceived by the enemy of the soul into the broad way of sin and filth, which became a part of her life, insomuch that Satan controlled her life.

And to that extent, that there were seven devils that were tormenting her day and night. Imagine. And yet, the grace of God descended upon her. You could imagine the joy she had when she met the Lord and Savior Jesus. When she first heard those words that, Daughter, thy sins are forgiven unto thee. And those seven devils fled from her.

When that sinful woman was in the house of the Pharisee and she came there as Jesus sat and began to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. And the Pharisee was not impressed. And yet, Jesus told Simon that she loveth much for she hath much forgiven.

So it was also with Mary Magdalene. And Mary Magdalene was there at that sepulcher. The other women had already left. And the angels asked her, Why weepest thou, woman? And she asked, Where have they taken the body? And then Jesus also was there. And Jesus asked, Why weepest thou? And the Bible says that she thought that he was the gardener. She didn't recognize Jesus. Doubt, doubt had weighed so heavily upon her. Imagine.

But when Jesus called her by name, Mary, her eyes opened, and all she could say was, Rabbani, my master. My master. She returned back to the disciples as we heard.

I think in the gospel according to Mark, it says unto us that when these women also who had seen Jesus returned unto the disciples, the Bible says, they believed not. And you could imagine how these women would have been when they had returned to the place where the disciples were. You could imagine the joy that they experienced in their heart. Jesus is not dead, but he lives. And this is the tidings that he brought unto them.

And the Bible says, and the disciples believed not. It says here in Luke, when these women told these things unto the apostles and their words seemed to them as idle tales and they believed them not.

In our text, it speaks unto us, and behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs. And they talked together of these things which had happened, and it came to pass, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went unto them.

We note here how it says unto us, these two disciples who were talking of the happening of the day, heavy burdened, doubt-ridden, fearful, oppressed, and it says, and they reasoned among themselves. It even says when he was talking to Christ, whom he did not recognize, he says, but we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.

These were the disciples of Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters, Christians, even today, how little understanding we have in so many areas. There's so much of the Holy Scriptures that we read and we wonder, and we don't have understanding. And many times we come to that way, to that intersection on this way of faith where we go one way or the other way and we're confounded and we wonder what and where is the will of God.

We in ourselves have so little understanding and thank God that he has placed in our midst angels from heaven who through the Holy Spirit reveal unto us what is the will of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, we could not continue in living faith for one footstep depending upon our strength and our understanding and our wisdom. We are totally dependent upon the congregation mother, the kingdom of God. God has given everyone gifts. There is not a giftless child of God.

Many times we lament about the gift that God has given unto us how little it is. Many times we wish that, oh, if we had the gifts of that brother. But thank God that he has these gifts here in our midst. These gifts that help us get to heaven. The gifts that God has given you and I and they do not help me or you or your gifts but your gifts help me get to heaven.

We are dependent upon the gifts of the heavenly Father. That is how God does this work here in our midst today. Through his Spirit, through his angels here upon the earth. And that's why it's so important that there is love among the brethren and unity of spirit.

Would you be concerned about your brother or sister if you had some offense against them? They had offended you somehow and the old Adam has become angry? That's why Jesus reminds us to be his children put sin away that love would prevail in the kingdom because we need one another dear brothers and sisters.

Here these disciples reasoned among themselves. Human reason overwhelms living faith. Human reason overwhelms faith. And doubts destroy faith. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communication are these that you have one to another as you walk and are sad? Imagine these are the two of the disciples of Jesus. Jesus approached them. Yes, it was late in the afternoon, maybe early evening, but they didn't recognize the Lord. Imagine boys and girls.

They had been with Jesus for three years every day. They listened as he spoke and taught, instructed, reminded, preached the gospel. They touched him, they were with him, and they didn't recognize him. That is because of the weight of the burden that they were carrying. Doubts were overwhelming faith.

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? And they said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

And how our chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. Then they went on to explain about the women that were 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.

What grace of grace it is, dear brothers and sisters, that we have such a loving heavenly Father. He is so merciful upon us. Jesus loved and loves sinful mankind. He loved these disciples. He didn't begin expounding unto them that what is wrong with you. No. He lovingly rebuked 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 then he did what he does even today in our lives. He took the word of God which is a lantern unto our feet and a light unto our way. Jesus began to speak unto them beginning from Moses and all the prophets. He recited unto them what the Bible says concerning the Savior of mankind. The promises that God had made throughout the ages.

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them in all the scriptures of things concerning himself. And when they drew nigh unto the village whither they went 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.

Jesus led their thoughts to the unfailing foundation of God's word. Already here they were beginning to warm in themselves. The word of God felt so good to them. It began to warm the cold and empty heart. And they didn't want him to continue. They told him come and yet they did not recognize him.

And it came to pass as he sat down with them he took bread and blessed it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight.

Reason is a wonderful gift that God has given unto mankind. Wisdom that God has given unto man has done much unto mankind much good. But the wisdom of man is foolishness unto God. Human reason confounds faith.

Jesus again and again and again teaches us how important it is to believe as a child. Even in that upper chamber that Maundy Thursday evening the disciples were arguing among themselves who of them is the greatest. They did that other times throughout these periods.

One of those times when they were arguing Jesus took into his lap a little child and he says of such is the kingdom of God. He was the little child of example unto us that we believe as a child. There is no room for human wisdom and reason in living faith.

Oh how Satan wants that, wants us to try to reason things out. Reason only strengthens our doubts.

And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Our heavenly Father is a very loving heavenly Father. We are totally dependent upon his word in our life. We in ourselves are nothing but leaking clay vessels.

Year after year we hear of the happenings of Easter. We hear the happenings of Christmas. We come to services Sunday after Sunday. We come to Bible class week after week. God's word never gets old. It always gives strength. It always increases faith. It always helps us who are so unsuccessful.

And many times we have experienced in our life as these two disciples where the word of God has especially warmed our heart.

And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven together and them that were with them.

Now we could imagine couldn't we how these two disciples would have burst into that room. It was night time by the time they returned to Jerusalem. They were tired and yet they had a need to return to the others, other believers.

Mark records unto us what happened. I'm going to read from the latter portion of Mark. It says here in the latter portion that after that he appeared in another form unto the two of them as they walked and went into the country and they went and told it and the rest did not believe them.

That is how powerful and strong doubts can be. First those women that came and now two of the disciples. I'm sure they were rejoicing praising God and glorifying God. Jesus is not dead but he lives.

And the other disciples and those that were there sat there and listened and believed not.

Oftentimes we think that it was a small group of people that our Lord and Savior appeared to after his resurrection but the apostle Paul records unto us I think from the 15th chapter of Corinthians if I'm remembering right.

And he states in there how he first appeared unto Mary Magdalene and then unto the others and then he says and above 500 brethren but Jesus did not appear unto those in unbelief.

I'm going to read a portion of that if it was the 15th. Yeah, and that he was seen of Cephas then of the 12 after that he was seen of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remained unto this present but are some where fallen asleep.

After that he was seen of James and then of all the apostles and last he was seen of me also as one born out of due time.

And the apostle Paul continues, For I am the least of the apostles that am not meet to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God that was within me.

Dear brothers and sisters this Easter time this time of joy and festivity when we celebrate this resurrected Lord who had died for our sins and the sins of the entire world it is indeed a day that we should celebrate every day of our lives.

Jesus died for you for me and he arose from the dead conquered death and damnation hell so that you and I would never need to experience that and all that is required of us as his children is to simply believe the simple message of the gospel.

It is recorded in the end of one of the gospels shortly before Jesus ascended into heaven it says and he blessed them he does yet today through the clay lips through the Holy Spirit even today that you can freely believe all your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

The cold within which must wait means to them toinois as well waits in our path that they seem insurmountable. Satan brings with him death and darkness.

I was one time on my way to the Western lands, and we stopped at a site that there was a cave there. And so we took a tour into that cave. And they had an elevator in there, and we went down with the elevator a few hundred feet below the surface of the earth and came out in a section of the cave there, and there was electric lights there.

And we looked around, and we were amazed at what we saw. It was remarkable. But then the guide said that, okay, everybody find a good and sure foothold. Well, shut the lights off. And he shut the lights off, and it was incredible.

It was something that I had never experienced in my life, the complete blackness. I understood somehow, a little bit, how the plague of darkness must have been in Egypt, where the Bible says that it was so thick that they leaned against it, that they could not see their hand in front of their face.

It was like that. It was incredible. It was somehow overpowering, because the darkness was so complete. That is the darkness that is found on the outside of God's kingdom. There's not even a flicker of light.

Many times in our endeavors here, we do feel like a flickering candle. Faith has become so difficult, and we've been oppressed, and we've carried heavy burden, and it seems that, do I even have faith at all?

And yet, the prophets of old have testified unto us that the arms of God have not shortened, and his ears have not closed unto our pleas and cries, but he sees, and he hears, and he knows, and he has not forsaken.

No, that still small voice of God has been heard, that loving, encouraging word to believe. Even there in that place, that all sins and doubts are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

Satan sows darkness and death before him. We have many times seen this very close, where he has come into the midst of families and caused turmoil and havoc, where he has taken a youth who has struggled in faith and who has given up and has brought death and darkness.

And yet, we are reminded of this Easter morning, the joyous message, this light of our Heavenly Father, this Son of Grace, which shines so brightly here in our midst.

And even now, dear brother and sister, you who may be struggling in living faith, beloved youth, you who may have stumbled even into those sins which are known as those names, of which the Bible says that, he who doth such shall not inherit eternal life.

Yet, this loving word from our Lord Jesus wishes to encourage you to cling to the gospel, believe that your sins are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

God, and he has given us this grace, gift, and privilege of confession of where we can seek a dear brother and sister and speak of these matters that weigh upon us.

Oh, I remember many times, many times as a youth in the late at night going to the bedside of my mother and begging for forgiveness.

Thank God that our salvation has been prepared unto us through the merit work of our Lord Jesus. He has, he has prepared the way to heaven.

We, who are left here today, oftentimes struggling, clinging, endeavoring to believe, unto us, unto you, belongs this beautiful proclamation of Easter. Jesus lives, and he lives for you. And you can freely believe that all your sins and doubts are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

Oh, how much we have to be thankful for. First, that he has chosen us and called us by name here into this begun faith. You children, how blessed you are that he has placed you in your home with a believing mother, a believing father, to help and to guide you on the way to heaven.

And I also need to hear this gospel that, could I believe again, my many sins and doubts forgiven. I promise to believe with you.

It's been good to be here. Brings joy to a cold heart to feel the love of the brethren. Experience unity of the Holy Spirit.

And I want to thank you for your service of love. And also I would like to invite you next week into our spring services in Cocado. Very heartfelt welcome there.

And I'm sure I'll see you before then, but we have our dedication services set up for next fall, and I hope to see you all there. In Jesus' name, Amen.