Good morning, CHURCH!

(Opening joke)

A Sunday school teacher was just about to dismiss her class to go to church.

Just before she did, she wanted to make sure they were quiet in the service.

So, she asked them, “Do you all know why it is necessary to be quiet in church?” Some of the kids thought to themselves, so that we can hear the message.

One of the kids raised his hand.

The teacher called on him. “Why is it important that we be quiet in church?”

He said, “We should be quiet in church because we don’t want to wake those who are sleeping”

Are you ready to be equipped today?

Let me see your Bibles.

Let’s go to the book of Luke 11:44 for this week’s wisdom Vaccination.

This Week’s Wisdom Vaccination

Luke 11:44 ESV

Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

Not language that we’re used to, but when we get an understanding, it it makes sense.

Jesus likened the Pharisees to graves which are not seen.

To come into contact with a grave was to become ceremonially unclean.

People were sometimes buried in unmarked graves and the unaware traveler could easily walk over such a grave and unknowingly contract ceremonial defilement.

The warning was to the religious Pharisees and people who followed their ways. On the outside you seem right but inwardly you’re unloving and ungodly.

Or we could say, those who attend church, but away from church you are not acting like a child of God.

Today’s message title is:

What’s troubling you?

Jesus made an in person visit after his crucifixion and burial with two of his followers. They didn’t recognize him. It may have been the grief they were dealing with or the concern that maybe he wasn’t the Messiah.

I’m going to read some of this for context.

Luke 24:25-35 ESV

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Sometimes Jesus can be right in the midst of you and you not even realize it.

But when he reveals himself to you it should cause you to get excited and confirm his promises.

Luke 24:36-39 ESV

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Luke 24:38 ESV

38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

And I ask you today, what has you troubled?

And why would any doubts arise in you?

Unbelief is a great troubler.

True Peace comes only by faith.

Any moment your faith becomes weak, your peace declines and we are likely at that moment to become troubled in our hearts.

Now, an unbeliever should be troubled.

If an unbeliever only knew the trouble they were in, they wouldn’t let another day, hour, minute, second or breath go by without running to Jesus the savior and giving him their life.

But if you have given your life to Christ and you have received his grace, and you are still at times troubled, unhappy, down in the dumps, overwhelmed, anxious at heart and fearful about your future, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have an intimate knowledge of the position that being in Christ has put you.

What position is that Pastor J?

Ephesians 2:6 NLT

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

To be seated with Christ in the heavenlies is obviously a figure of speech. It means, God considers us worthy and destined to be seated with Christ in heaven when we that time comes.

God has decided to do it, and it is as good as done. We just have to be patient.

The significance of being seated with Christ is much the same as being seated at the head table of a banquet where there are many important people.

It is a privilege and honor, and it marks you as one of the important people.

It’s like walking into a special event and they ask your name. Then they tell you that you are seated at table number 1.

Point #1

Why are you troubled?

Many of you are troubled, some more than others and some less than others.

It’s not necessarily all of the time. You shake it off sometimes.

But we should be able to shake it off all of the time.

You get around the wrong company, you get caught up in work problems, sickness arises, a death in the family occurs and there you go right back to being troubled.

I see it in marriage relationships as well.

Some relationships are more troubled than others and some less than others.

You get to church and hear a good teaching or get in the presence of the LORD and you feel fine.

But you get around the wrong company, you start thinking about things of the past, you get caught up in the pain of a judgement and there you go right back to being troubled.

With some of you it manifests itself in your belief system. Even at church.

When you hear a teaching, you seem to believe it and it settles your troubled heart.

When you get away from church or from the community of believers you get confused, unsure, deceived and there you go right back to being troubled.

Have you ever just asked yourself, “Why am I so troubled at times?”

It would be sad to be troubled for no good reason at all.

Are you troubled in your thoughts?

Why do certain thoughts continually arise in your heart?

Why are your thoughts the kind that wreck your peace of mind?

The disciples were troubled and fearful because they thought Jesus was not present with them anymore.

You too can be troubled when you forget that he is always with you.

Luke 24:6-7 ESV

He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

Why would they be troubled when they have already been told what was going to happen?

Why would I be troubled when 1 Corinthians 10:13 says:

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it

God always has a way out of trouble for you, so there is literally no need to panic.

In Luke 24:39 we see Jesus’ instruction for them when they feared.

Luke 24:39 ESV

39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

If your thoughts are getting the best of you, my suggestion is that you touch him through the scriptures.

Are you truly connecting with him through the scriptures and in your quiet time?

Church is not a replacement for you personally touching Christ.

Point #1 was why are you troubled.

Point #2

Why do you doubt?

Is it because you don’t feel worthy to be loved by him, to be provided for by him, to be protected by him etc.…?

If you feel like your past or your thoughts make you unqualified to be taken care of by Jesus, you’ll always doubt.

Did you know that we can never sustain a level above or below our thoughts?

You will always rise or fall back to the level of your thought life.

Looking again at Luke 24:38.

Luke 24:38

And he said unto them, “Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts?”

You don’t truly believe that being in Christ is a place of peace, security, provision and love. That’s why you’re troubled.

Getting rid of being troubled is simply a matter of gaining belief in Jesus.

To trust him and to believe what is written in scripture concerning him.

To trust how he feels about you in spite of how you may feel about yourself.

How does he feel about me Pastor J?

Ephesians 1:4-5 ESV

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love; 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will,

It is not based on what you have or haven’t done. It’s based on his loving choice and your belief and acceptance of it.

Israel was chosen in the Old Testament

In the New Testament God is still just choosing but now there is no nationality limitations.

Once you realize you have been chosen and you accept that, just follow him with your entire being.

We’ve had why are you troubled and why do you doubt.

Point #3

KNOWING Jesus brings peace to your troubled soul.

If this world really knew what a savior he is, they would flock to him in droves.

The world seeks peace through so many avenues and never truly finds it.

The world seeks peace through entertainment, alcohol, drugs, unbiblical sex, ungodly relationships etc.

John 16:27 ESV

For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came from God.

John 16:33 ESV

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

Jesus was warning the disciples of his impending journey to the Father.

But he wanted them to know that everything was going to be okay.

He is alive.

Bodily he is seated at the right hand of the father.

But he is always with us in spirit.

He sent us the Holy Spirit to be with us at all times.

John 14:16-17 ESV

I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you.

(Closing illustration)

It’s kind of like when I go on vacation. I don’t leave the ministry without a Pastor who will teach the word of God and who will respond to your questions or comments during family talk.

I leave you another Pastor to be with you in my absence.

If you’re watching online or here in the room, I have a very important question to ask you.

What is Holy Spirit saying to you right now?