“the medicine of immortality”

Message Text:

Message Subject: “the medicine of immortality”

Unbelief

Without Excuse

In one of the “Big Three” conferences during World War II, Roosevelt and Churchill were trying to get Stalin to agree with some proposed strategy. When Stalin gave his reason or excuse for not agreeing with them, they said, “That is no reason for your refusal!” Stalin replied with a story of two Arabs.

One Arab asked the other to lend him his rope. The latter replied, “I can’t. I need it to tie my camel.” The first Arab reminded his companion that he didn’t own a camel. To which the companion replied, “I know that. But when you don’t want to lend your rope, one excuse is as good as any other.”

Excuses offered to God are in the same category. They reveal that we simply do not want to do what He tells us to do.

 Herschel H. Hobbs, My Favorite Illustrations (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1990), 262.

Definition: Unbelief is the opposite of belief

belief(noun) 1 an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof; a firmly held opinion or conviction; a religious conviction.

1 an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.

1 an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.

a firmly held opinion or conviction.

▶ a religious conviction.

2 (belief in) trust or confidence in.

Unbelief -is hazardous to your health-is the deadly sin-connotes stubborn resistance, disobedience, and rebellion (de Vries, Paul. “The Deadly Sin.” Christianity Today 1987, Vol. 31 (8), pp: 22–24. ISSN: 0009–5753)

is hazardous to your health

is the deadly sin

connotes stubborn resistance, disobedience, and rebellion

The Deadly Sin

de Vries, Paul. “The Deadly Sin.” Christianity Today 1987, Vol. 31 (8), pp: 22–24. ISSN: 0009–5753

If you start to think about your physical or moral condition, you usually find that you are sick. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Proverbs in Prose

de Vries, Paul. “The Deadly Sin.” Christianity Today 1987, Vol. 31 (8), pp: 22–24. ISSN: 0009–5753

Unbelief is hazardous to your health, but doubt can give you hope. Unbelief is the deadly sin. Other sins - including the seven traditional lethal ones -- are often expressions of unbelief...Unbelief connotes stubborn resistance, disobedience, and rebellion...

 William Sailer et al., Religious and Theological Abstracts (Myerstown, PA: Religious and Theological Abstracts, 2012).

The problem with the two from Emmaus, as it is with so many today, was their shortsightedness and unbelief:

(1) taking a lonely but thoughtful walk (v.13-14)-sadness and despair (over the Lord’s death)-devastated hope (He is not the Messiah)-rushing and entangled thoughts (over the reports of an empty tomb and angels) [, , , ]

(NKJV) 1“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

1“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

(NKJV) 1As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

1As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

(NKJV) 16When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—

16When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—

(NKJV) 14But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.”

14But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.”

Jesus came alongside and questioned and rebuked the two disciples, (v. 15-27)

What are you talking about, and why are you so sad(gloomy, dejected, despondent) [, Jn.8:31-32]

What events? What circumstances could have cause this sadness and despair?(v.19-24)

Did not prophets predict Messiah’s death and resurrection? (v.25-27)

Jesus rebuked them for being…slow to believe; and slow to believe all the prophets had spoken

What can be concluded: (1) Because of unbelief were feeling hopeless and perplexed, full of sadness and despair (2) They had symbolized or spiritualized the Scripture and the predictions Jesus gave (3) as a result could not see beyond Jesus’ death (4) They were willing to accept and admire a dead Savior, a prophet who had been martyred, but (5) but had difficulty in accepting a risen Lord, (6) They would not believe the reports of the women, the glorious news of the living Lord

() The Scriptures was explained to the two disciples. But they had to invite the Lord into their home before God could open their eyes and bring them to a knowledge of Christ. ()

(NKJV) 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Then sup with us in love divine,

20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Thy body and Thy blood;

That living bread and heavenly wine

Be our immortal food!

The breaking of bread is the “medicine of immorality.”

The disciples had experienced a burning conviction in their hearts. The Word of God being proclaimed is what had stirred the conviction and the burning.

The burning was to proclaim the immortal witness: “The Lord is risen indeed.”