(I used several ideas from Rick Warren’s Easter messages over the last few years for this message. Thanks, Rick! 1980 people attended our services and 63 people prayed to recieve Christ at CVCC this Easter!)
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I’ve lived in NE Ohio 17 years and I’ve personally talked to hundreds of people here. I’ve discovered that just beneath the surface in most people’s lives are three little secrets that nobody likes to talk about.
Secret one: Exhaustion. People feel exhausted. They’re worn out. They say, “I’m tired all the time. I can’t keep up the pace. I’m overloaded. When I get home in the evening, I crash. I’m worn out. I’m out of energy. I’m exhausted.”
Secret two: Emptiness. It goes with exhaustion. You say, “I don’t think I’ve got anything left in me. I couldn’t sign up for another thing. I couldn’t take on another project or commitment. I’m stretched to the limit. And I’m still empty inside.” In those rare quiet moments, we’re thinking, “If I’m so busy, how come I’m still unsatisfied? What’s the meaning of all it all? Getting more and having more and accomplishing more? What’s the point? Why don’t I feel more satisfied?”
Secret three: Enslavement. It goes with emptiness and exhaustion. People say, “I feel trapped. I feel trapped by my debt. I don’t know if I’m ever going to get out of it. I feel trapped in a relationship, either with a girlfriend or boyfriend or in a marriage. I feel trapped by the expectations of other people around me. I feel trapped by guilt. I feel trapped by fear. I feel trapped by my own anger. I feel trapped by bitterness with somebody who’s hurt me.”
Do you ever feel like this? Emptiness? Exhaustion? Feeling trapped?
I want to introduce you to two people in the Bible who felt this way. But because they met the Risen Jesus, they found joy. And I’ve been praying that we could all learn some principles from their lives that might help us find that same joy. There is something more for you and I’m praying that you are about to come alive. God brought you here today to CVCC on Easter Sunday so He could introduce you to a joy you’ve never known before.
Finding joy: Easter, 2003
Text: Luke 24:13-35, 52-53
We’re going to learn about a man, Cleopas, and his companion. Some would say that it was his wife. But we don’t know. I think it’s good that we don’t know who this second person is. We don’t know the age. Or the gender. This second person might be someone like you.
They had followed Christ. They thought He would make their lives better – free the nation from Roman rule. But Jesus had a different agenda. Jesus had died. They hung around Jerusalem for a few days and on the third day were headed home.
They are downhearted, heartbroken, with shattered hopes. They are confused and discouraged. Maybe one of those words describes where you are right now in your life.
They didn’t know exactly what had happened. But they knew it was big. And so they walked and talked. They weren’t going to let it go until they figured it out. That might be where you are. You know something big happened at Easter-time 2000 years ago. But you aren’t sure exactly what.
As I thought about this story this past week, one thing jumped off the page at me. Jesus cared about these two. And He cares about you and me! Let’s jump into the story.
How I know that Jesus cares:
1. He knows where I’m going. vv. 13-15
13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.
Jesus finds them! He knew where they were walking – where they were going. He took initiative to find them! He wanted to walk with them!
Jesus has been traveling with you. He knows where you’re going. He cares what’s happening in your life. Think about it this way, “Someone is actually watching what I do with my life. The God who made everything cares about me.”
Jesus goes out of His way to approach you. He loves pursuing people who are broken, hurting, confused. He knows where I’m going.
2. He knows what I’m saying. vv. 16-17
16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
17 And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad.
Jesus asked the questions, not for information, but to draw them out. He knew what they were talking about.
In the same way, He knows what you’ve been saying – what’s on your heart.
He not only cares about you. He cares about what you care about. Some of us have this view of God that isn’t Biblical. That you have to pretend you’re better and more together that you are when you’re with Him. No. You don’t have to hide. You can be honest with Him. No masks are needed with Jesus. You don’t have to worry about that any more.
Tell Him what’s on your heart – what concerns you. He knows what I’m saying.
3. He knows how I’m thinking. vv. 18-24
18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,
20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.
21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
22 "But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.
24 "Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see."
They thought well of Christ, but not well enough. They believed, but not enough. They understood part of the story, but not all of it. So, Jesus came to them to reveal more. More of who He was… and is.
What they did believe prepared them for more. Someone said that you ought to grow as you go and go as you grow.
Maybe you’re like these people. You have a respect for Christ. That’s why you’re here. You know some things about Him. Maybe a lot of things. But you don’t have a clear, full picture.
I have some facts, but I don’t know the real story. I know about Jesus, but I don’t really know Him. I see Him but I don’t see Him.
He wants you to think with clarity. That’s why He has come to you. He knows how I’m thinking.
4. He knows why I’m doubting. vv. 25-27
25 And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
The word “men” here is not in the original. A better translation is “foolish ones.” Again, we don’t know the gender or the age of this second companion. It could be someone just like you. Jesus calls them foolish. That sounds kind of strong. Yet you know He has a heart for them. He’s pursuing them. Why? Jesus loves to hang with people who are slow of heart to believe.
Maybe today, you’re doubting God’s love. You’re doubting God’s concern for you. You’re doubting God’s plan. You’re doubting the future. Like these two, you doubt the scriptures and doubt that Jesus is alive at all.
He knows all that. And He’s hanging in there with you anyway.
He’ll patiently answer any question if you give Him time – if you give Him a chance. He knows why I’m doubting.
There was a time in my life when I had really severe doubts. I was 20. I was raised in the church. But when I went to college…
Jesus knew where I was going, what I was saying, how I was thinking, and why I was doubting. He came after me. About that time, I found myself on a baseball team with a bunch of other college kids in Central America. My roommate was Al Baker, a man who’s now a pastor in Conn. He began to answer my questions. He showed me how to walk with Christ. I found my self with joy.
What would my life have been like if Christ hadn’t come after me? Who knows? I wouldn’t have met my wife. I wouldn’t have three wonderful sons. I wouldn’t have a meaningful calling and career. When Jesus comes close, things change!
Look at what comes next. Look at Jesus’ question.
26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
Jesus is in the OT concealed. He is in the NT revealed. In Luke 22:37, Jesus used Isaiah 53 to refer to Himself.
Why it was necessary for Christ
to suffer on the cross and enter into glory…
1. My past can be forgiven.
We’ve recently been studying the Ten Commandments here on Sunday mornings. That describes how we’re supposed to live. We break them.
D. L. Moody once asked, “If a man hangs out over a cliff by a chain of 10 links, how many of those links must be broken in order to dash that man to his death?” Well, the answer of course, is only one.
If we are to be right before God by the keeping of the Law, then he must perfectly, and always, from his first breath until his last, keep that Law. But no man or woman ever born is able to say that he kept God’s law perfectly and always.
In Deuteronomy 27 it says, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.”
Think about what You’ve done that you are ashamed of. The words that flew out this past week that you wish you could take back. The disrespect to mom and dad. The fudging on a deal at the office. The impatience with your kids. The twisted priorities that kept you at work too much and away from your family. The Bible calls it sin.
God’s justice demands full payment for sin, which is death. But in His mercy, He provided a substitute. It’s Jesus and what He did on the cross.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
Isaiah 53:5-6
My past can be forgiven.
2. My future can be secured.
Isaiah 53 may have been one of the passages Jesus used to talk about his death for sin. But there’s more in Isaiah 53. It speaks of His coming back to life.
But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand… I will allot Him a portion with the great.
Isaiah 53:10, 12a
Because Jesus is alive, I can have hope of eternal life, too!
I remember when this happened for me.
Walk through the “great swap out.”
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
I Peter 1:3
These two were followers who didn’t quite “get it.” Maybe that describes you. They had a respect for Jesus. They knew things about Him – that He was from Nazareth. That He was a prophet. He did good deeds. He was a great speaker. That He was unjustly killed – crucified like a common criminal.
Perhaps if you listed all the facts that you know about Jesus, it would be a pretty impressive list.
But even though they had knowledge about Christ, they did not yet truly know Christ. So, they were confused and discouraged.
Jesus wants to take what you know about Him and then go deeper –go further. He wants to give you more. So, He approaches you. He travels with you. Do you know it’s Him?
He knows where we’re going and He wants to go with us and direct our steps. He knows what we’re saying and wants to have intimate, deep conversations with us – to tell us things that we don’t yet know. He knows who we’re thinking and He wants to help us renew our minds, get rid of our stinking thinking and begin to think thoughts that are worthy and true and honorable. He knows why we’re doubting and wants to answer all our questions and calm all our fears.
How? How can He do all that? Well, lets’ look at what these two did next that helped them go to a deeper level.
How will I respond?
1. I invite Him to stay. vv. 28-29
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
29 But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.
Invite Him in. He will stay. He’s passionate about you. He wants a relationship. He wants you to have open eyes to see Him. To know Him. To trust Him. He’s longing for you. He’s hoping you’ll invite Him to stay.
I don’t want Him to go to the next village – to the next town. Jesus, I want You. Stay with me. Don’t go. I want to see You. I want to sit at the table with You.
We see Jesus when we invite Him to “stay with us” and then simply live life with Him. That’s when your eyes will open and that’s when you will really see Jesus.
Ordinary meal. Ordinary house. Ordinary loaf. Be with Christ in the ordinary ways and days. At the dinner table.
Some of you are like these two followers. You think that Jesus has been walking with you in life, but you’re not sure. You don’t know what to believe. There’s something going on, but you don’t know what. You say, “I don’t understand all this religion stuff.
There is only one way that you will ever understand. Sit down at the table with Jesus. Don’t just come on Easter. Come back again and again until you see your own life changed – until you see your gloom turned into joy. Stay a long time at the table with Jesus. He did it for you. Stay a long time at the table with Jesus.
I invite Him to stay.
2. I allow Him to lead. v. 30
30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
I’ve always thought this was unusual. They are the hosts. Usually, it’s the host who prays before the meal. Not this time. Jesus does. They must have known that it was time for them to back off and let Him lead – let Him take charge – let Him be the minister.
Will you let Him direct you? Lead you?
I allow Him to lead.
3. I consider His wounds. v. 31
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
Over the years, many Bible scholars have asked the question: What was it that caused these two to finally see Jesus for who He was? To recognize Him?
Obviously, God intervened.
But is there a human explanation? The wounds. Later, in another resurrection appearance, Jesus asks a doubting Thomas to stick his fingers in the wounds from the cross. Did these two see the wounds? It’s speculation. But I tend to think so.
He broke the bread. Did it remind them of the Last Supper when He broke the bread and said, “This is My body broken for you?” Now that they’d seen the cross and the battered and beaten body of Jesus, they knew what
Did they see the marks of the nails in His hands? Was it the way that He spoke to His Father?
I do know this. You want to know how much Jesus loves you? Look at His wounds. Look at Him on the cross. He took a nail for you!
32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
A burning heart. It’s describing something that happens inside. My spiritual senses are kicking in. I’m seeing things about God that I haven’t seen before. I’m seeing things about myself that I haven’t seen before. I’m guilty but I know God loves me. I know God loves me. That He wants to hold me close. That Jesus came into this world to make things right between God and me. I see why He suffered now. I see that He’s alive and wants to walk with me and to eat with me and to live life with me. And because He’s alive, something inside me is waking up! I’m alive!
That’s happening for some of you this morning.
33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34 saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."
35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Luke 24:13-35
Seven mile trip back to Jerusalem. But they could not keep the news to themselves. Got to share it!
They got on that same road. The road that had been marked by defeat. Marked by shattered hopes. Now the road was different. The road was full of possibilities. Hope was alive.
Same road – different destination
Same road – different discussion
Same road – different disposition
The King of Kings can put your life back together again. Crushed hopes are given new life in Jesus. Jesus can take what seems like the most dead and hopeless situation, and make it into something new.
If the road of your life is taking you somewhere other than you had hoped to go, you can trust Jesus turn things around. If you’ll allow it, He’ll put you on the road again.
Same road – different destination
Same road – different discussion
Same road – different disposition
Hearts are warmed. Minds opened. Hope revived. The women were right, after all! He singled me out! I see what I never saw before. I have to tell someone. Dark and dangerous road back to Jerusalem. No big deal! I must let someone know tonight!
End of the story? No! They found great joy!
52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising God.
Luke 24:52-53
Key verse: And they, after worshipping Him… returned… with great joy!
Worship Him! Will you allow Him to come close? Will you allow Him to pass by? Won’t you invite Him to stay?
Remember David Bloom? He was one of the embedded reporters for NBC in the war with Iraq. He was friendly, enthusiastic, a tenacious reporter and clearly loved his job.
A stray bullet didn’t kill him, but Bloom, just 39, died there in Iraq of a pulmonary embolism early in the morning of Sunday, April 6. Here you see his family leaving the church after his funeral.
What you may not have heard was that in recent years Bloom had become a Christ-follower who considered his personal relationship with Jesus far more important than all the glamorous assignments he’d had.
The night before he died, Bloom called the NBC assignment desk in New York to check the Final Four scores, and then called home to talk to his wife, Melanie, and their three young daughters. He also sent his wife an email that seemed to foreshadow his imminent death.
Bloom wrote, “I hope and pray all my guys get out of this in one piece. But I’ll tell you, Mel, I am at peace. Here I am, supposedly at the peak of professional success, but I could, frankly, care less. It’s nothing compared to my relationship with you and the girls and Jesus."
How fitting that as we celebrate Passover and Easter, a news reporter’s last email should point us to the most important news of all, and good news at that: "For God so loved that world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16, the New Testament)
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Most people know that Easter is really big, but they just don’t know why. They look but they don’t see.
You may have walked in here confused and discouraged. Hopes shattered. Filled with regret. Plans wrecked.
You’re not quite sure about what happened on that day, or more likely, you’re not sure how what happened on that day impacts your life on this day. You ask, “What does it all mean? Or, what does it all mean to me?” Since Jesus is alive, Jesus can be to you all those things that these two thought they had lost – release, peace, forgiveness, a sense of purpose and leadership.
Confusion is becoming clarity. Your discouragement is turning into hope. Darkness into light. These two started with worry and ended in worship.
It all because if Jesus Christ. The One who can take away your guilt because He died and the One who can give you real life because He lives.
Lord Jesus, I thank You for caring about me so much that You search for me and want to walk with me. I want to walk with You. Let me see You. Let me hear Your voice. Let me understand Your words. I want a heart that burns with love for You. I believe You died on the cross for my sins. I believe You came back to life. Please give me Your righteousness. Right now, I turn from my selfish way of life. I want You as my Savior and Lord.
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(A special thanks to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Valley Community Church for the following idea!)
As we close today I’d like you to participate in a spiritual survey here at CVCC. Please take out one of these Spiritual Survey cards. We’d like for everyone to participate – guests, regular attenders, and members. About 2,000 people will be coming to CVCC to one of our Easter services. We’re taking what we hope will become an annual spiritual survey. You can fill this card out during the next song. Note where it says A, B, C, D. I’ll explain these and then I’d like you to check one of these letters.
If you’d say, “Rick, I’ve already found the joy you talked about. That prayer you led I prayed a long time ago and I’m living with Christ in my life and I’m walking with Christ and talking with Christ.” You check A – You’re already doing that.
If you’d say, “Rick, just now when you prayed that prayer to the best of my ability I sincerely meant it.” You check B – I’m believing today. I’m beginning today. Check B – I’m beginning to walk with Jesus today.
If you’d say, “Rick, it sounds good but I’d like to consider it a little bit more. I’d like to check it out.” I’d appreciate you checking C – I’d like to check it out, I’d like to consider what God wants to do in my life.
If you are hungry, but skeptical then check out Alpha to see if you even want to be in the ballpark. It’s practical. The celebration dinner is Thursday, May 1 @6:00 pm.
If you’d say, “Rick, I still have doubts. I don’t know about whether I need God in my life.” I’d ask you to be honest and check D – I have doubts.
If you checked B on that card, we have a packet of material we’d like to give you. On your way in, you may have noticed a table on the island out front. After this service, when you walk outside, just go up to the table and if you checked B, hand them the card and they’ll give you this packet. You don’t have to make any speech or say anything. Just hand them the card and they’ll give you the packet.
If you don’t have time, if you’ve got to go catch a brunch or something, then what you can do is drop the card in the basket when all the regular attenders and members put their cards in and give their offerings. We’ll mail you that packet.
