Defrosting Hearts

Jesus meets us in our fear, doubt, and numbness, warms us with his grace, and sends us with good news, even when we feel unworthy.

Intro

A few years back I had a friend from my teenage years visiting, someone I’d not seen for a long time - he’s a missionary overseas.

I decided I’d take him for a drive and a bit of fun in the sea as we reconnected - guys need something to do, you see. We’re not that good at just talking like you ladies are. We need action - so we can avoid talking. and maybe, just maybe, a few words exchanged around the edges.

Anyway, we set off around the coast of Fife and were heading for a beautiful spot I’d been to a couple of times before right at the far end. It was May, a pretty May day, and my plan was a bit of wild swimming in the sea.

Now I’m not crazy - I had a good 5mm of wetsuit neoprene planned between us and the icy north sea waters. And if you know your wetsuits, I packed my O’Neill . Quality stuff - seriously warm. And my mate got something not quite as effective - only fair, right? I was younger back then!

So we got suited up and into the sea - bit by bit because it’s still pretty cold even in a good wetsuit. And before too long we were diving off rocks and swimming in towards the shore with the waves. Wild swimming is brilliant - and I would absolutely recommend it. Particularly in a wetsuit. In fact, if you’re going in the next few weeks, I’ll come join you if I can - drop me an email.

But here’s the thing: by the time we finally came out of the sea, I was absolutely frozen. If you’ve ever tried to get out of a wetsuit, particularly one with one of those fancy complex openings for your head, you’ll know it can be a bit tricky. But that’s on a normal day, a warm-ish day. On this cold cold day, my fingers just couldn’t hold on to the slippery edge of my wetsuit to peel it off at all. I started worrying whether I was ever going to get out of it!

I was so cold my body just wouldn’t work. And it’s that sort of chill that has us seize up altogether, that leaves us numb, that I want to start with this morning.

Transition

I think if we’re honest, that’s a reasonable description of how some of us feel spiritually. We’re not “on fire”, or even warm, like we used to be. Sometimes we’re not even luke-warm. I expect it’s fair to say most of us have days where we’re spiritually cold, days where we’re numb, where our faith just about seizes up.

Maybe you listened through that famous story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus who talked with a Jesus they hadn’t recognised, heard how their hearts were burning with them at his words, and could remember a time that was you. But it’s not any more.

Maybe as we’ve walked through the Easter story, and focused on it through sharing bread and wine, you’ve thought very specifically about the death and resurrection of the Son of God, his suffering in our place and free gift of new life - thought about it, just been pretty unmoved by it all this morning. Frozen.

And maybe that’s because we have doubts - perhaps major doubts, and it seems like no-one else does. Or maybe that’s because we’ve done things we know don’t fit with that sort of faith - we’ve truly let the side down in a way no-one else has. Or maybe we’ve just grown cold, immersed in a world that largely ignores Jesus.

What do we do when that’s where we are? When we look within ourselves, and don’t find that warmth? When there’s not enough heat within us to unfreeze our hearts, not enough to do anything with? Maybe just for a day. Maybe for weeks. Maybe for years. ...

If the only sort of faith that really matters is one that comes from deep within us, a faith that is sure, strong and certain, a faith that comes with a life-transforming warmth, with emotion - and that’s just not there - is there hope for us?

If a faith like that, if believing that way, is something we just can’t work up, can’t produce from within ourselves, is there a way ahead?

...

I was frozen that day, stood dripping in the car park, only getting colder with the wind.

What I needed was help from a friend. And maybe you do, too. This morning’s passage is for you. Listen with me as we read once more from Luke chapter 24 as the disciples are together again, listening to those who’ve met the risen Jesus. And Dave is going to read for us this morning.

Luke 24:36–48 NIV

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. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me 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 feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Frozen

The disciples who still haven’t met the risen Jesus are scared - and in hiding: the parallel account in John’s gospel tells us they’re huddled together in a room with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders. And I think we can understand that: if those leaders were bold enough to go after the super-popular crowd-pleasing Jesus, and it seemed they won - securing his execution by the Romans - then who’s safe? And more than that, who’s next? His inner ring, right? What terrors lie ahead of them?

Spiritually they are totally confused: this just does not compute. The Messiah, the promised one, would come to deliver - not to die, right? But Jesus had talked often about going away - even mentioned three days several times. Maybe they’d misunderstood something?

They’re emotionally exhausted, too: I mean, they’ve left everything for this Jesus, traipsed around the country following him for years. They’d seen him work mighty signs, demonstrate amazing supernatural powers, healing and delivering people; controlling nature itself. They were sure they’d finally found the one - the promised one, the chosen one, “the one who was going to redeem Israel.”

Only now he’s dead. Can you even begin to imagine what they are feeling?

But it’s worse than that: they’re failures. When the moment came, when Jesus’ enemies made their move and went to arrest him, each and every one of these disciples deserted him, utterly failed him. Fled to save their own skins rather than bravely stand like a man -and even die if necessary to protect him from his vicious opponents.

They must have wondered: If they’d put up a fight, if they’d banded together ... if they’d rallied the help of the adoring crowds from just a few days ago, perhaps? If they could only have persuaded Jesus to go somewhere safer, to stay in the more remote regions rather than present himself at the epicentre of his enemies’ power.. but instead he was exposed - and then alone, abandoned. Abandoned by them all.

Their hearts must have been dead, cold rocks within them. Not an ounce of warmth, not even a glowing ember left to call on. Frozen.

And then Jesus shows up. How do they respond? Does his appearance immediately turn things around for them? No. Lk 24:37 They’re terrified. We get two different Greek words for deep fear, one after the other. Jesus shows up and they are terrified. They think it’s a ghost, not their friend.

Luke 24:37 NIV

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

And by the way, notice this is not a group of gullible people so desperate to believe in a Jesus who would rise from the dead that they might hallucinate an appearance. Quite the opposite: they are so certain Jesus is not going to rise from the dead the only option they can imagine is they’re seeing a ghost. A living, risen Jesus is very much the last thing they are expecting - not something they are likely to make up.

But here’s the first big thing for us to see this Easter morning: You don’t have to be “ready” in order for Jesus to show up. The good news of Easter starts with people who were very much not ready, people whose hearts are not warm or expectant. Jesus doesn’t wait until we’re ready, until we’re certain, until our hearts are warm. He makes the first move. He makes the first move, and brings peace. Luke 24:36

Luke 24:36 NIV

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re scared, confused, exhausted, a failure - or just have a cold heart this morning. This encouragement is for you: You don’t have to be ready in order for Jesus to show up.

Thaw

But these disciples are not easily convinced; Jesus sees and comments on their very real doubts at his appearance Lk 24:38 why are you troubled? and why do doubts rise in your mind?” See this morning just how gentle, how kind, how compassionate Jesus is with these disciples: these doubting, fearful, confused disciples who have so badly let him down: In spite of all that, Jesus gently invites them: “Examine me.”

Luke 24:38 NIV

He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

And he shows them the wounds of the cross, still on his risen body, as we learn from John’s gospel. Shows them his hands - his nail-pierced hands; shows them his feet - his nail-pierced feet. They see the wound in his side where the spear went in. See where his life blood had so recently flowed out onto the dusty ground as he approached death.

But he doesn’t just invite them to look and keep their distance - “Touch me.” he invites them to touch: to experience the real physicality of his presence. This is no illusion, no phantom, no ghost. It’s really Jesus. Flesh and blood Jesus. The same physical body that died now lives and breathes again, filled with indestructible resurrection life.

Stop and think about this for a moment: if you’re a Christian, one day you, too, will actually get to see, touch and feel these very same wounds; to put your hand into the spear-hole still on the side of the risen Lord Jesus. These wounds will be a visible testimony to us throughout all eternity of God’s deep love for us and His total commitment to us. “This is how we know what love is.”

See. Touch. But it’s still not enough: “they still did not believe it” Lk 24:41 Sometimes people imagine they’d finally believe if only they got to experience Jesus for themselves: got their personal miracle; touched and felt him physically for themselves. But again and again we see in the bible’s telling of the story of Jesus that miracles, even ones you experience personally, aren’t always enough; that this physical touch, this genuinely present Jesus inexplicably back from the dead, still isn’t enough. They still did not believe it.

Luke 24:41 NIV

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

I’d be getting pretty frustrated by this point - but not Jesus. He doesn’t get impatient, or angry at their lack of faith; indignant that they are so slow to believe. Instead Jesus has yet more gentle, kind, compassion for his disciples. "Watch me eat.” I’m not going anywhere. I’m physically here, able to chew the fish, to swallow it within me. Take your time coming around. He’s so gentle, so kind.

Jesus gives them presence. He gives them experience. … He gives them time. ...

If the only sort of faith that really matters is one that comes from within us, a faith that is warm, strong and certain, then these disciples are done for. But that’s why this passage is so important for us, so encouraging to us still today: That’s not what Jesus demands. That’s not the only option. See, these disciples couldn’t muster two tiny drops of faith between them. They couldn’t squeeze even that remnant out of their cold hearts. The thaw didn’t start with them. The disciples didn’t generate faith from within themselves. Jesus gave it to them.

That cold May day in the car park, freezing and dripping, with fingers that wouldn’t work, what I needed was a friend to get me started: to unzip my wetsuit when I couldn’t, to peel it over my shoulder. What I needed was heat from somewhere else - from the car engine. And in the end the warmth came creeping back in—not all at once, but eventually, and steadily. I didn’t create the warmth. I received it. I didn’t bring it out from within me - I needed help from a friend, help from outside.

That’s what Jesus is doing here: he’s bringing his warmth into the disciples’ hearts - gently, gradually; giving them back their faith.

It’s like how our daughter is a professional at getting absolutely freezing feet. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ended up with my hands wrapped around her feet, just holding on, trying to get them warm. That’s Jesus with us. Patiently warming us through.

If your heart is cold today - if feel like that’s you today - that’s you even on Easter Sunday - then I want you to see Jesus again, to watch how he behaves in this story, to see that Jesus warms cold hearts. I want to encourage you to spent time with him, as he’s ready to spend time with you - to just ask him - and let him - warm your heart again.

Maybe today this is the main thing for you, the most important thing, the one thing you need right now. Then pray - simple prayers if that’s all you’ve got - pray that Jesus would warm your heart. See in this story that is what he does. What he loves to do. Pray that and keep praying for that for yourself. See if you can keep going with that, keep waiting with him, until I’m done - I’ll be just a few minutes more. See if perhaps you can get a little bit defrosted.

Sent

If you’re still with me, one last thing to see: the story doesn’t end there.

Jesus gives these defrosting disciples presence. He gives them experience. He gives them time. And then, only then does he gives them truth, and begin to explain, opening their minds to understand - to understand all that had been written about him. Everything that had happened to Jesus had to happen. Everything that had been written about the cross, the path to it, the significance of it - things written hundreds and thousands of years before - had to be fulfilled. And notice here the Scriptures which are fulfilled come from all parts of our Old Testament: the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms.

The Messiah would suffer. Suffer, but also rise into new life. And through Jesus, the door would be opened for the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness in his name. This is the good news of the Gospel which Christians so often talk about: there is a way back - from wherever you might have gone, from whatever you might have done. Forgiveness of sins is now possible where before it was not - through the blood Jesus shed on that cross. He took the punishment of death for all our wrongs so we can receive his free gift of life through faith.

Maybe for someone here or for someone watching that’s just clicked right now for you; maybe he’s warming your heart right now, and you are finding suddenly that you get it - and you’re ready to reach out to Jesus and grasp this forgiveness? Do it now! Talk to him in your head - he’s listening: “forgive me, Jesus; be my saviour.” That’s all it will take. ...

Or maybe you see yourself more in these defrosting disciples right now? You’re not frozen - but you’re hardly on fire. Then this last bit is for you: Jesus gives these disciples a mission: to carry this message. It’s going to be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations. How? By Jesus himself? No - by these fearful, failed, dazed and defrosting disciples.

We talk a lot at Hope City about how all of us can be a part of this mission by taking small steps to share our hope with the world around us, how one of our three priorities for everyone is BLESSing those around us. But I bet you sometimes feel like you’ve no right to share because you’ve got so little to share. Because your heart is more cold than warm.

I sometimes wonder what right I have to share this message of Jesus with others, what integrity I have in that - particularly on days where my own joy and life in him is hard to find. I’m not impressive, or good at this. It’s important you know that. But what Jesus underlines for his disciples here right at the beginning, even as they are just thawing, is true for each and every follower of Jesus, too: Lk 24:48

Luke 24:48 NIV

You are witnesses of these things.

If you’re doubting; if you’re frightened; if you’re downcast; if you’re troubled, you’re in good company. Jesus’ closest followers, the disciples who had walked with him and talked with him for three years found themselves in exactly the same place. Jesus doesn’t go all Apprentice on them, send them away with a “you’re fired” finger, and replace them with a new group of hotshot winners. Instead he still chooses to use them, still chooses to send them … And he still chooses to use us, too; still chooses to send us, too.

Jesus picks them up, thaws them out, sets them straight - and then sends them out. And that’s exactly what he does with us, too. It’s not how I would have gone about the most important mission ever to take place on planet earth - but it is how God chooses to go about it in his infinite wisdom: using people exactly like us. ...

That bright, cold May day, after a few minutes in the car, I started to be able to feel my fingers again. It was nice - I’d missed them. With a friend’s help, I was finally thawing out enough that we could get back on the road. Do you see how Jesus helps his friends through that same journey from frozen, to thawed, to sent in this Easter story? This Easter, let Jesus take you, his friend, on it too.

Let Jesus thaw you out - I know many of us need this. Let’s open ourselves up to a fresh encounter with the risen Christ. He will patiently work on us with his boundless grace. And once we start to thaw, even if we’re still a little damp, a little shaky, a little unsure, let’s see Jesus still wants to include us in what he’s doing. Let’s hear Jesus sending us back out once more, back into action for him.

Jesus meets us where we are, warms us with his grace, and sends us with good news.

Let’s pray together.

Our Loving and Gracious Heavenly Father,

On this Easter day, we thank you for the incredible gift of your Son, Jesus Christ - a gift beyond anything we could ask or imagine.

As we’ve explored your grace displayed with the disciples that first Easter, help us to see and believe you have a place not just for those who feel strong in their faith, but also for us when we’re frozen, when we’re doubting, when we’ve failed, when we’re just weary.

Lord Jesus, please would you meet us where we are, just as you met your disciples. For those of us with cold hearts, we pray for your warmth. Breathe new life into our spirits by your Holy Spirit. Thaw out the numbness within us, and fill us with your peace, presence and purposes.

Help us to see, touch, and feel your resurrection in our lives. May the reality of your sacrifice and your triumph over death ignite a fire within us—a passion to share this news which is good for us, and good for our world desperately in need of real hope.

Empower us, Lord, to go , not in our strength, but in the strength of your unfailing love. Use our stories, our weaknesses, and the thawing of our hearts to testify to the power of your resurrection.

As we step back into the world, may we carry the light of Easter with us.

In your holy name, we pray.

Amen.