Well good morning newlife, it is great to see you today at our sunrise service this morning as we celebrate the son that has risen. You know as we gather here early this morning, the world around us is waking up, the sky as you can see is changing from night to dawn. The sun is breaking through over the horizon. No, I do not know about you but for me there is something that speaks to me when we see the sunrise. There is like a hope. Light that is pushing back the darkness, a new day a new beginning another chance, another opportunity. And it is no coincidence that we are here today looking at the sunrise because Jesus has risen, because one morning like this the world shifted forever as another kind of light breaks through.
That morning when the sun rose, the Son Jesus Christ rose also. But the thing is this that moment was not witnessed by crowds, it was not celebrated with trumpets, there was no crowd of people shouting. It happened quietly, but in that quietness everything changed. That morning rewrote history, that morning also give us renewed hope.
Just like this moment where the light break through the darkness, we see 2 disciples once experienced their own sunrise moment, and that is when Jesus showed up, so I want to look at the road to Emmaus. We see it in Luke 24, where 2 men were walking to a town called Emmaus, it was about 15km from where they travelled from, and then we see that Jesus started to walk with them, and in this story there was a discussion taking place, and man how this story is so relevant for us today.
We read this in Luke 24:15-16: "Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him."
recognizing Him."
The setting is familiar to us: two followers of Jesus walking down a road. They are leaving Jerusalem, the city of promise, the city where they had placed all their hopes. But now, they are walking away. They had believed Jesus was the one. But now He was gone. Crucified. Buried. Their dreams shattered.
The walk to Emmaus wasn’t just a physical journey—it was a walk-through grief. Through disappointment. Through confusion. You need to understand they did not know what we knew now, they saw a few days earlier how Jesus died, how he said it is finished, they did not know today was coming.
They were walking thinking it is the end. And here’s what makes this passage powerful: Jesus Himself joins them on the road. When you read this passage, He didn’t wait for them to come back to Him. He didn’t scold them for walking away. He joined them in their pain. He walked alongside them. But they didn’t recognize Him Why not? Scripture says, "they were kept from recognizing Him." And this was interesting for me, why did Jesus not want him to recognize him and as I read further, I can see that, sometimes grief clouds our vision. Pain narrows our perspective. When you’re hurting, you can miss what’s right in front of you. It brings me to my first point.
Jesus walks with us even when we do not see him.
Have you ever been there? You’re praying, searching, questioning, and yet God feels distant. But what if He’s been walking besides, you the whole time? You pray and you intercede, you come with your prayers and petitions and still you feel no one is listening. I do not know what it would be for you, it can be a family related issue, it might be work related, you want to get married or meet the right person, it goes even deeper. You lost a family member a friend and you keep asking questions, but nothing happens, but we see in the Psalms Psalm 34:18 (NIV) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. – repeated in the New Testament: Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Here is what is key for me that There are seasons when we don’t feel Jesus close, but He is closer than we think. He is right there, just listening, he is present he listens to these 2 men just talking debating discussing. I want you to see this. how kind and patient Jesus is in this moment. He doesn’t reveal Himself right away. He listens. He walks. He waits.
It shows me that sometimes what we need most isn’t a quick answer, but a faithful presence. How does this work It’s in a hospital room. You’re waiting for test results for your child or spouse. It’s quiet, sterile. Your thoughts are loud, but the room is silent. You’ve prayed, but you feel numb. Alone. Abandoned, even. You check your phone, pace the floor, stare at the clock. What you don’t realise is that Jesus is there — not with lightning bolts and loud miracles — but with quiet strength.
He’s there in the nurse who gives you a warm smile. He’s in the friend who texts “I’m praying for you.” He’s in the calm that comes out of nowhere as you take a breath.
He’s not far. He’s just not always loud.
It’s in a long season of waiting. It’s in a quiet, painful place you haven’t told anyone about. You’ve fasted. You’ve been faithful. But still… silence. Others around you seem to be moving forward — getting breakthroughs, testimonies, answers.
And you’re still in the waiting room. But what if, behind the scenes, Jesus is working in ways you don’t yet see? What if He’s building your character, strengthening your trust, or aligning the right door at the right time? Just because He’s quiet, doesn’t mean He’s absent. And just because you're waiting, doesn't mean He has forgotten.
Jesus walks roads we think are abandoned. He meets us not just in the celebration, but in the confusion. He is there, and you can hold on as he will never leave you or forsake you.
It brings me to my second point this morning.
POINT 2: He Opens the Word Before He Opens Their Eyes
Luke 24:27"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."
This is profound. Jesus could have said, "Hey, it’s Me! I’m alive!" That would have been enough, right? But He doesn’t do that. Instead, He takes them to Scripture. He walks them through the Word. I mean he could have already on this road just let them know, hey this is me, hey I am here. But Jesus does it again he reminds them of scripture.
Why? Because faith isn’t built on feelings. It’s not sustained by emotional highs. It’s anchored in truth. And the truth of God’s Word is what gives clarity when everything else is confusing. Can you imagine being part of that bible study. The author himself explaining the plot twist. He starts with Moses—Genesis, Exodus, the foundation. He goes through the Prophets. He weaves the story together. He shows them that everything—every promise, every prophecy, every shadow—was pointing to Him.
Here is the TRUTH: Jesus reveals Himself through the Word before He reveals Himself through sight. Too often we want signs, experiences, supernatural fireworks. But Jesus starts with Scripture. That’s how He wants to shape us. Yes, he works in signs and wonders, but I want to make it so clear for you today. You cannot have Resurrection faith without a relationship with the Word. So, the question for us must be Are you letting God’s Word shape your understanding, even in the waiting? Are we building a relationship with him. Cause let us be honest we are not good in the waiting season. We lose patience, we tend to read the bible less, we tend to pray less and less, when we need to do just the opposite. I mean your marriage is in trouble, and then we want to start fixing things, and we read the bible and we pray more, but then it does not change fast enough, and we say well I gave counselling a chance, I gave church a chance but nothing is changing, but
Don’t just read the Bible for facts. Read it to find Him. Because He is in every page. He is the thread that runs through the whole story. He is present, the Word is alive.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
The word of God is what alive and active. In our moments of doubt and waiting, we don’t need louder signs—we need deeper roots. You know it is like trees, the bigger we get the better the roots must be, the stronger the roots must stronger too, because when the wind comes, you might bend but because of your roots being in the Word, in faith it will not break. So let your roots grow deeper.
As we continue the story After the walk, they reach the village. Jesus acts as if He’s going further, but they urge Him to stay. They still don’t know who He is, but they know they want more. So, He stays. They sit at the table. He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and gives it to them. (“Topical Bible: The Last Supper and Foot Washing”) my
3rd point
The Breaking of Bread Opened Their Eyes
Luke 24:30–31 "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. (“Images for Luke 24:30-31 - Bible Study Tools”) Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight." (“Luke 24:31 NIV - Then their eyes were opened and they - Bible Gateway”)
And it’s in that moment—in the breaking of the bread—that their eyes are opened. The broken bread. The giving of thanks. The sharing. It was communion. Not just in ritual, but in meaning. And suddenly, it all clicks you see theologians agree that it was a form of communion because they same 4 acts were performed during the last supper. But here is the key: The recognition of Jesus happened during the breaking of bread. That’s powerful. It's a moment of revelation and relationship — communion isn’t just a ritual, it’s a way to meet Jesus., all after sharing that meal. It wasn’t just the act of eating. It was the revelation in the breaking.
Sometimes it’s not until we break that we see Jesus. It’s in the pain, the surrender, the open hands. His body had to be broken. And now our blindness breaks open too. So, I must ask Are you waiting for a sign, or are you willing to see Him in the breaking?
We often avoid brokenness we tend to be strong; we have pride that we do not want to show brokenness. But in Scripture, brokenness is often the doorway to revelation.
point. Before the bread was broken, the disciples were blind to who He was.
________________________________________
2. The Alabaster Jar – Mark 14:3 “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.” 🔑 Broken jar ? Fragrance released ? Revelation of worship and preparation for burial. Her act of breaking something valuable released something far more meaningful — and Jesus said it would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.
3. Gideon’s Army – Judges 7:20“The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands... they shouted.”
🔑 Broken jars ? Light revealed ? Victory by God’s power.
The light (which symbolises truth, presence, revelation) was hidden until the jars were broken.
4. David’s Repentance – Psalm 51:17
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (“Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a ...”)
🔑 Broken heart ? Access to mercy ? Deeper relationship with God.
David’s brokenness after his sin didn’t lead to destruction — it led to reconnection with God.
5. Jesus’ Body – Luke 22:19
“This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
(Also in 1 Cor. 11:24 – “broken for you” in many translations)
🔑 Jesus was broken ? So we could be whole ? Revelation of grace.
The greatest revelation of God’s love and salvation came through the broken body of Jesus on the cross. God meets us in the breaking—not to shame us, but to show us who He is.
You see in all these examples we can see how Brokenness is use for victory, we can see on the road to Emmaus as their eyes were opened, they went from confused and heartbroken to bold witnesses.
This brings me to my last point that we see they were downcast, but it changed into burning hearts Luke 24:32"They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’"
They started that day discouraged, confused, and downcast. But after walking with Jesus, hearing the Word, and breaking bread—everything changed. Their eyes were opened. Their hearts were ignited. Their feet turned around. They ran back to Jerusalem. The road that started in defeat ended in purpose. They couldn’t stay silent. They had to tell someone.
When Jesus opens your eyes, your heart can’t stay the same. When you understand that Jesus has been resurrected, they he died for you at a cross under tremendous torture, and that 3 days later he has been resurrected, you cannot stay the same person. You cannot be the same afterwards. Something changes in you, you are shown that hope can be resurrected, families can be resurrected, your faith can be resurrected, bodies can be resurrected, passion can be resurrected, and most importantly your passion for the gospel can be resurrected.
You came here this morning feeling distant. Cold. You’ve been going through the motions. Maybe you here doubting, maybe you have been asked to come because someone cares about you, maybe you are here this morning looking for answers, maybe you are here because there is this emotional and spiritual hole, and it let you here today.
Hear this: God wants to reignite your heart. Not just your beliefs—your fire. Can I say this not only does he want to restore, but He also wants to ignite, he wants to put the fire in you again. God wants to ignite Godly marriages, God wants to ignite Godly friendships, God wants to ignite A people that will go and not only celebrate his rising but can go out and share this news of his resurrection.
New life church can we stop only celebrate easter because it is on a calendar. Can we commit to allow God to work in us, can we be broken so that he can heal and restore, can we allow God to really ignite us again. New life church freedom is not a word today it is an action. To life in freedom
To life in freedom we need to know Jesus walks with us even when we do not see him, To life in freedom is to live in the Word, to live in the bible to know the bible to seek not only signs but also to seek Jesus in the word. To live in freedom we need to allow God in our heart break in our sorrows in our lowest points of our lives and allow him to open our eyes to him, the only solution there is, to live in freedom is to not sit on this but to have a burning heart to share this good news.
CHALLENGE: This morning, will you let the Risen Son set your heart on fire? Let this not be just a nice sunrise memory, but a turning point. This morning is More Than a Sunrise Don’t leave today the same way the disciples started. Do not leave with
The Risen Jesus still walks with us. He still opens the Word. He still meets us in the breaking of bread. He still opens eyes. He still sets hearts on fire.
Malachi 4:2 says, “The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings." That’s not a metaphor. That’s a promise. The same Jesus who broke bread in Emmaus is breaking into your story today.
CALL TO REFLECTION:
If your eyes have been closed to Jesus, this Easter morning is your Emmaus moment. Let Him Walk with you. Let Him reveal Himself to you. Let Him open your eyes. And when the Son rises in your life—everything changes.
You’ve been walking a road like the two men on the road to Emmaus. Disappointed. Confused. Wondering where Jesus is. But just like them — He’s been walking beside you all along. And today, your eyes are being opened.
Jesus is calling you.
He died for your sin, He rose again, and He’s offering you a brand-new life — not because you deserve it, but because He loves you. Salvation is not about being perfect. It’s about surrender.
Romans 10:9 says, 'If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.'
Today, you can say yes to Jesus. You can come home. You can be forgiven, restored, and made new. Don’t let this moment pass by. If you want to give your life to Jesus or come back to Him after walking away — this is your moment."
“Lord Jesus,
I come to You today, just as I am.
I confess that I’ve sinned and tried to do life my own way.
But I believe that You died for me and rose again.
Today, I choose to put my trust in You.
Forgive me, wash me clean, and make me new.
I turn from my old life, and I follow You now.
Be my Saviour, be my Lord, be my everything.
Thank You for loving me.
Thank You for saving me.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.”
