Dealing with doubt

Heavenly father as we just saying we are so so blessed by the goodness of God. And Lord, I pray that as we give our tithes and offerings Lord, we will do. So with a heart that Once those to be used to be able to share that goodness of God with others and Lord. We pray that you will take these ties and offerings and use them to grow your kingdom in your name, we pray. Amen.

My hope is built.

I just know. The sweetest friend.

How to change?

How do you spell strong?

When he shall come with trumpet.

Images.

Children want to head out to Junior church? You can do that.

Sir, family prayer time where we like to share our Joys and concerns with our church family. So if you have any that you would like to share, now is the time to do that.

In January.

He was really.

And we talked to her a couple weeks ago and she don't think you'll ever be able to work. Will never be able to really see until Yes, I do. So for Michael Ripley. So continue to pray for him.

Any other Joys are concerns.

My music player as I was child, throwing up and gone. Designer gold with a full life. So it was a celebration for sure but you remember his family and also yesterday morning, there's a family that we went to church with Lori and Gary Beatles, the collision and Lori was

Or he was gone at the accident, and Gary was at Vanderbilt all last night, I heard it this morning.

Their daughter, Hannah is in a wheelchair wheelchair.

Certainly we will certainly keep them for what was the last name. Again peels.

Any other Joys are concerns.

Certainly keep him in prayer.

And I don't know what it was for but we noticed across the street from the church. This morning, there was a EMS and several sheriff's cars there so not sure what went on there. But we will keep that family in prayer also.

Any other choice or concerns?

Any other Joys and concerns. Yes, it is. I wouldn't have came back from Florida's, all I got to say. But, you know

I want to thank the Lord for safe travel.

Now, like I guess you can look at it that way.

We don't know what.

Pray for him. When he gets excited, we will

Let's go to the Lord in prayer, Heavenly Father. We come to you this morning. Lord with a lot of different Joyce and concerns that we've raised before you. Lord. I'm sure there are more, that weren't mentioned the Lord, we pray that each and every one of these things that were said and done said Lord, you know exactly what needs to happen, you know, before we spoke a word and are we just pray for your intervention? Lord, we know that we are blessed with. Jesus. Our high priest who intercedes for us, Florida. And we pray that he will continue to work on the behalf of these individuals and their families.

Lord, those who are suffering various health issues, those suffering from loss of loved ones. Lord, we pray that in the midst of all those situations that they would feel your peace, your insurance and just know that you are walking with them. And Lord help us is a church family to know how to help and how to come alongside those people. And Lord, we pray the song your most holy name. Amen.

So kind of continuing on we're picking up the story kind of where we left off last week you know we did. described the appearance of Jesus to the two Travelers on the road to Emmaus, how he talked with them, explain the Old Testament to them. And, you know, it's when he broke the bread, initiating, that meal with that, it says that their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And then at that moment, he vanished from their site.

Men without finishing their meal. These two got up and returned to Jerusalem. Now, the estimates, are that it was probably 9 or 10 at Night by then. So, it's pitch black outside, but they didn't care the news that they had just couldn't wait. And the thing is, it's not as simple as jumping in your car and just driving back up there cuz he know it's only six or seven miles, right? Remember they walked here so that means they're walking back. At night to get there but that's what we hear them do their going back because they want to share this news with the other disciples who they know are waiting back there that they know for sure. That Christ is risen. So they begin this journey back because they want to be able to relieve some of the deep sadness and confusion and hopelessness that they know their friends are struggling with us. What motivates them to go back. Luke chapter 24 verse 33 and 35. It says they got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the 11 and those with them assembled together and saying it is true. The Lord has risen his peered to Simon. Then the two told what had happened on the way and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. So here are these two. They've made this long trip back in the middle of the night to tell their friends and as soon as they get in there Their friends are telling them. Hey, we know that it's true. So the news that they came back to deliver had already beat them there, because Jesus said also appeared to Simon and Simon and shared it with the 11 and the others who were there.

So then after hearing from the group, that he had appeared to Peter, they shared their account of what happened. Along the road as they were traveling of how Jesus had spoke with them and that they didn't recognize him at first. But then when he broke the bread, they finally did.

but again, for these two poor guys, who had just been upstaged already with this great news. They thought they were delivering us, they're sharing this with the group, they get upstaged again, but this time by Jesus Christ himself.

Luke 24:36 and 37. It says while they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them. And said to them, peace, be with you. They were startled and frightened thinking, they saw a ghost.

Now, why do you think they thought they saw a ghost? Mini just heard from Peter that he indeed was risen from the dead. They are just heard from these two that they had seen him.

You know, I don't think it's the appearance of Jesus's body that startled them me know. We could think that because if you remember in the Transfiguration that Jesus is body it said was white and dazzling or the angel that appeared at the tomb was white and dazzling. You know, if that was the case would be startling but we know that's not the case here. Because when Mary Magdalene saw him in the garden, she mistook him for a gardener. I don't think there were too many brilliant white dazzling Gardner's, probably. So, I think that he looked like a normal human being and these two guys traveling along the road, they mistook him for another traveler. So obviously, it wasn't his physical appearance that startled them. I think the fact that startled them was just his entrance into the room. Because here is a person that you thought was dead. You've heard is not who now just all at once appears in a locked room with the rest of you. That's the part that was a little hard for them to understand. not imagine, it was a mix of excitement, and Just apprehension as Jesus appeared among them. I mean, how would you react? If someone who you thought was dead suddenly appeared in a locked room with you. It would probably startled you a little bit. I think the only two people who probably weren't startled, where the two guys who he disappeared on just a little while ago right there by like look, he went away just like that. Now, I just came back, so they might have been the only two, not startled, but the rest of the group It's understandable that they were startled by the Lord's appearance among them.

Continuing on and Luke chapter 24. Verse has 38 to 43. He being Jesus said to them. Why are you trouble? And why do doubts. Rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself touch and see a ghost does not have Flesh and Bones. As you see, I have when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them Do you have anything to eat? They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it in their presents.

You know, a lot of biblical Scholars Think Jesus is rhetorical question. There's the beginning of. Why are you trouble? Why do doubts arise in your mind was really kind of his way of rebuking them a little bit. because he's saying, okay, I told you this was how it was going to be I told you that I had to die that I was going to rise again, on the third day. Why are you guys so surprised?

So, this is the way he says that to them. Because really, there is no legitimate reason for them to be panicking and be so startled. If they truly listen to what he said, they really believed. What he had told them on multiple occasions was going to happen. But Jesus knew that they were startled. He knew they had their doubts. and my guess is that part of the reason that they had these doubts was because even though someone would tell you, if it's like this, for going to happen, I mean and you might have a picture in your mind of what it would look like. I still don't think you could ever be prepared for what it actually would be as someone who you thought was dead and gone reappear in front of you. It would be startling to anyone.

Then the Lord challenge them to see for themselves that it indeed was him. He knew the doubts that were in their minds. That's why you said, look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that. It's me. I'm the one who was on that cross. I still have the scars. He showed that to them, On his hands and his feet and his side, he wanted them to see it. He wanted them to see that. It wasn't a ghost, he still had a real body. Me to ghosts with necessarily have to have scars, certainly wouldn't have scars that you could touch and feel and the wounds from his crucifixion but they were all there. So he told them. Look see for yourselves. If you don't trust what I'm saying to you, it's the same thing he would say to doubting Thomas later, when doubting Thomas was finally present, because he wasn't present this time when Jesus showed up,

And you know, that's something that those who doubt the gospel often try to attack the fact that Christ, Resurrection body was real. It was a physical body, real flesh, and Bone. It could be seen, it could be touched, it could speak, it could eat yet the problem, we all struggle with is the fact that it could also pass through walls, right? It could appear in locked rooms, something that just baffles are mine, but You're forgetting. This is the Son of God, who just defeated sin and death so it's not like it's outside, the realm of possibility for him.

But, you know, despite the fact that Jesus was literally standing in their midst, they still struggled with doubts. About what had really happened. What was going on?

You know, I think it was that being torn between hope that all they'd hoped for was being realized and just skepticism of how can this be happening? So, it's easy to see how they had doubts. So what does Jesus do? He does something perfectly human. And ask them. Do you have anything to eat?

Seems like kind of a silly question in the midst of all that's going on. I mean,

he just reappeared to his disciples who he had been with for so long and who's all saw him, Donna croston his question to them is Do you have anything here to eat?

I hope that he like broiled fish, you know, since that's all that, they offered him, but it says that he ate a piece of broiled fish in their presence. I would imagine just to prove to them. Yes, I am real. You're not seeing something.

You know, the bodily. Resurrection of the Lord. Jesus Christ was necessary for at least three reasons. There's a whole lot more that we could go into but at least these three first the bodily Resurrection demonstrated Christ complete victory over sin. you know, we know from scripture that the penalty of sin is spiritual death and physical death you know, if Jesus only conquered spiritual death, Then he didn't fully concur. Said he didn't fully defeat it so if he had not risen from the dead then, That would mean that none of us as Believers. Could hope to rise from the dead and spend eternity with him in heaven. So there would be no restoration of the earth and a New Jerusalem, a new Heaven, all these things wouldn't happen. If He had risen from the dead and if we didn't know that, he had that complete victory over sin and death.

Second Christ, bodily. Resurrection is necessary to demonstrate the purpose of God and Humanity. I think this is something, we forget a lot, but men and women were created to give glory to God for all eternity.

You know, I've said it before that, we were all created as Eternal beings. That's the whole idea member that whole Eden thing, but then send entered the world. So now our reality as human beings is, we will spend eternity somewhere, just where will it be? Will it be with God or separated from God? But God's purpose is that he wants us to spend eternity with him. And when we do that, our sole purpose in heaven, is to glorify God to spend our days or nights or weekends glorifying God. We forget that but that is our purpose.

And, you know, we can't do that if we two aren't resurrected, and if Christ wasn't truly resurrected, there's no hope for us to be. So we have to realize that in Christ bodily Resurrection. We're guaranteed that we one day can join him in heaven to spend all of eternity. Glorifying God, as we were originally intended to do.

3rd and probably most significantly the physical. Resurrection of Jesus Christ offers visible proof that God was satisfied with his sacrifice.

You're saving faith comes when we acknowledge. Jesus Christ, is our Lord. We affirm that God raised him from the dead. And we know that we must repent of our sins.

And because we know that Christ raised was raised from the dead. We know that God accepted his sacrifice as That atoning work for our sins. I mean, can you imagine if the story of Jesus ended on the cross? How much would that change? Everything.

I mean, if it ended on the cross, the disciples hopes would have been shattered, right? All of their worst. Fears would have came true. Because, as I said last week, you know, the disciples needed to know, not only that, Jesus died. But they needed to know that he rose from the dead. And the only way that they could know that for sure. What's to see him for themselves? To see him speak with him, touch him to see with their own eyes? That this was his visible resurrected body. I mean, if they hadn't seen Jesus with their own eyes, if they hadn't heard him teach to him during that 40 days, do you think they would have had the courage that they had to have to spread the message?

I mean, who would have been willing to give their life potentially to proclaim the message of a dead teacher who never filled any of the promises that you thought they were going to?

There wouldn't have been a whole lot of motivation there for them. If they had never seen the resurrected Christ.

I mean no one would have believed that the Lord Jesus Christ. Could indeed be there, Redeemer Savior and the Son of God if he hadn't risen from the dead.

So many of the claims of our faith center around that truth. And I also shared the passage from the Apostle Paul, and 1st Corinthians, chapter 15 verses 13 through 17. Where it says, if there is no resurrection of the Dead, The not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your face. More than that. We are then found to be false Witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him. If in fact the dead or not raised for, if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. You are still in your sins.

You know, that passage right there where you know, we talked about, you know, Paul kind of tries to talk about the resurrection of Christ from the perspective of an unbeliever.

Saying, well, if that didn't happen, then that means all this is true.

And he does that, he kind of plays The Devil's Advocate there to make the point of how crucial the resurrection really is to our faith. That we must truly believe that Christ raised from the dead. And that by that, we know, for sure. The god accepted him as payment for our sins. And that should lead everyone of us to want to fulfill that ultimate purpose that God had for Humanity, which is to spend all eternity glorifying him. Knowing that we are redeemed from our sins. Yeah, the church is triumphant mentions has been that. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is Alive forevermore.

That is our message. Always has been always will be and that is what we need to continue to Proclaim and as we continue through this journey after Easter. Like I said, we're going to spend a couple more weeks here, wrapping up Luke, but then we will head into the book of Acts. and I love that because we're going to be looking at how the early church got its start. How the message began to spread. And I think that's a good reminder for us to look back over, kind of the basics. Of what it is to be the church. What's at the core of what we believe and why we believe it. So we will continue on this journey over the summer and into the fall. Probably but I pray that God will just continue to strengthen all of us with that belief.

That Christ indeed was risen from the dead that he paid the price in the penalty for our sins. And that he would fill us with such a joy that we want to Proclaim that to everyone. We meet Please bear with me in prayer.

Heavenly father as we come to you today Lord, we thank you so much.

For the many blessings that you give us. Lord something like Resurrection from the dead is a difficult concept for us to wrap our minds around. But Lord, I pray that you would help us to do that that you would help us to understand it.

In a way that only you can reveal to us. Lord just as Christ explained the scriptures to those Travelers along the road Lord help our hearts and our minds to wrap around some of these things to truly understand the Miracles that lie at the heart of what we believe.

And Lord that those will fill each of us with a fire to share that with others. that they may know you that they may be forgiven of their sins, and Lord that we all may spend eternity glorifying, you We pray this all in your most holy name. Amen.

Believe it or not like picked these last couple songs out before I knew the title to your sermon but they kind of work out perfectly. The bridge of this last song, I was just reading it as he was saying these words. And what he was saying was going through my mind. So it's kind of like, well I guess I'll share it with you just says teach my song to rise to you when Temptation comes my way and I thought, well everybody doesn't have a song and maybe it's not talkin about music. Maybe it's just saying, help my words to be positive towards those, maybe that are struggling or my thoughts towards God when I'm struggling. Because when I cannot stand, I'll fall on you. I find myself continually falling on Christ. Is whenever I try to rely on myself and I hope I pray I assume this is everyone's thoughts as whenever I tried to rely on myself, as when it realized that, I'd I need something else.

Does Jesus, is my only hoping today. If I follow myself I I waver, I I think Willis seems, right, but it's not the only thing that's right, is Christ. So I hope that's your prayers. This morning is the consistently Fallen Christ with me. If you will stay in this, we sing the song together.

Found you.

9 * my home.

Shenron.

He is fine in me.

Moving supplies near me.

How are you?

When Temptation comes my way.

When I can.

You're my home.

Coronavirus.

Myra.

Gold Iowa.

Some announcements of the youth tonight or having a movie night. Is there a time you want to meet at the theater or

Okay, movie starts at 4:30. I believe. They are going to see the Mario Brothers movie. So if you want to go see that with them, you can imagine. If you're not used, if you really want to see that movie, you can still show up and sit with them, you know? So if you want to for the food pantry, we still are in need of cereal and paper products. So you can bring those things if you want to into the church here for Missions, our Focus this month for taking a love offering for pets. Le, and what that's going to use for is for Camp Scholarships in Bosnia that she does a sense. It's crazy to ship things to her if we collected items. So, Sticking with that for the missions emphasis. And on that note, remembering next week is a fifth Sunday. So that means we will be having breakfast church next Sunday. So, keep that in mind that we're having that and as kind of a special thing with that. My kids grew up, calling them Bosnian pancakes but really what they are is Crepes. So that's what's going to make a bunch of Crepes next week and we will have Crepes and I imagine we'll have a couple other normal breakfast items in case you are not a Crepes lover along with it but you know pylon as much Nutella as you want to fruit and you know whipped cream and go for it for breakfast. So that'll start around 10 will start serving breakfast stuff and then 10:30 church service will start. So remember, we'll be down there next week, so come and be a part of that. And then Empetua will speak and share with us also then about some things going on in Bosnia, so that'll be great. But then also Church picnic season, so we're going to have church in the park. Sometime over. Do Bocce again this summer, but if you would like to host at your house, let me know. It would be nice to have it at some of the people who might have ponds or other things at their house, is not looking at anyone in particular Gary, but Yeah, he's trying really hard to look over there. I noticed, but anyone who's willing or Matt Henry, not making eye contact with you either, but any of those places be fun to do a couple times over the summer, I think, I just to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. So you're willing to do that. Let me know. And we'll get those dates on there and keep moving forward with that. So, go and have a blessed weekend.

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.