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[0:00] Well, good morning and welcome to this pre-recorded service for the 18th of April 2021.

[0:14] ! Here from Calvary Church Brighton, an independent Bible teaching Baptist church on the south coast! Back in the day we were 70 to 80 people meeting in those that were normal times, back more than a year ago, but here we are by Zoom. Next week, God willing, we'll be opening up for in-person meetings, that's from the 25th of April onwards, and do get in touch if you'd like to book a seat there, because we won't be able to fit everybody in, you'll need to pre-book.

[0:46] My name's Philip Wells, I've been working for the church here as a minister for quite a long time, and I'm going to be leading and introducing, but the preacher, I'm very glad to say, is our very good friend and brother David Skull, who is a missionary to Brighton, and he's coming to plant the Grace Baptist Church plant in September of this year, God willing. There'll be a Zoom fellowship afterwards, and this evening, as you can see from the screen, Steve Ellicott is going to be preaching on Psalm 80. Those are the notices up on the screen there. I commend to you the five Easter questions, which you can find on our YouTube channel, and they're still relevant. If you're a newcomer, I commend those to you. Up on the screen there is the plan for this morning. It is still technically the season of Easter, and we're going to continue thinking about Easter. David's going to lead us in a consideration of the Emmaus Road in Luke 23. But first let's pray, and then I'm going to read something, and then we'll sing. Lord, come and be with us as we assemble together this morning.

[2:00] Don't let us be apart from you, and don't let us be apart from one another, but lift us into your presence through all the things that we do just now. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

[2:13] Amen. The thing we're going to be considering is that Christ suffered, rose again, and thus entered into his glory. That's what the risen Christ tells the disciples on the Emmaus Road. And this is entirely according to the scriptures, as the risen Christ says to those disciples. And surely one of those scriptures was Psalm 2, which says this, Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?

[2:44] The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters. The one who sits enthroned in heaven, laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger, and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord.

[3:16] He said to me, You are my son, today I have become your father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance. The ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter.

[3:29] You will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, you kings, be wise. Be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

[3:52] Blessed are all who take refuge in him. So let us be found taking refuge in the Lord's Christ, who suffered and then entered his glory. So we're going to sing a version of Psalm 2. It's the Andrew King version, Psalm 2. Why do the heathen rage?

[4:14] Why do the heathen rage? Why dance the world comes by? The rule of the heathen rage, and the king's who suffered and then entered his glory. So we're going to sing a version of Psalm 2. It's the Andrew King version, Psalm 3. Why do the heathen rage? Why dance the world comes by? The rule of the heathen rage, and the king's who suffered and then entered his glory. Why do the heathen rage, and the king's who suffered and then entered his glory. Why do the heathen rage, and the king's who fought against the Lord and his Messiah? Come let us break their bonds, and throw their love and scorn. In anger he rebukes, his wrath with terror builds. I have ensued my king in song, my holy king. I have ensued my king in song, my holy king. I have ensued my king in song, my holy king.

[5:24] I have ensued my holy king. I'll tell the Lord, sit free to be his chosen one. I have begotten you today, you are my son.

[5:46] 종!! You will break apart my thoughts of claim.

[6:22] Therefore you kings be wise, And serve the Lord with fear, And trembling joy, whose anger lies forever near.

[6:40] Now I'll kiss the sun, bless thee, Destroy you in your sin. God bless our all eternally, Eternal turn in him.

[7:01] Now let's come together to pray. And after we've prayed, or after I've led in prayer, we'll say the Lord's Prayer, which will be up on the screen. Our Heavenly Father, We turn to you today.

[7:17] We turn from our sins which we confess, Our self-centredness, Our curved inness on ourselves, Our unbelief, Our lovelessness, Our lack of focus upon you.

[7:37] And as we come, We pray that we might find forgiveness, Through the blood of Jesus Christ. And we pray that we might find, Refreshment, Renewal, Through the blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[7:56] May his risen life be at work within us. And we pray that he will make us to become the people that he wants us to be.

[8:08] We pray that you'll make us more like the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that you'll make us humble like he was. We pray that you'll make us strong in his strength.

[8:20] We pray that you'll make us love the things that he loves. We pray that you'll make us hate the things that he hates. We pray that you'll make us love the things that he wants us to be.

[8:31] We pray that you'll teach us to respond the way he responded. And help us to be patient as he was. Help us to be loving as he was.

[8:42] Help us to be forbearing as he was. Help us to grieve over sin as he did. And help us to love righteousness as he loved it.

[8:57] Help us to be holy people. And help us to be replenished with the love of the Father. And the promises of scripture.

[9:10] And the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Lord, some of us have been suffering in this COVID time. Feeling the isolation.

[9:21] And the effects upon us in our emotional and mental lives. And we pray that you would lift us up. And give us courage. And help us not to be completely dominated by our faulty feelings.

[9:37] But to be lifted in obedience and faith and trust to walk with you. Some of us, Lord, have had medical issues.

[9:48] And help us not to be unduly troubled. But to commit all to you. And as a church, as we go forward into the future. We pray that you would forgive all our sins.

[9:59] And in your great mercy, lead us forward. Send the labourers that are needed. Send the shepherding and the shepherds that are needed.

[10:10] And grant that, Lord, as your churches are fed and led as we go on into the future. That glory will be brought to you.

[10:21] We pray for our city. With all its giftedness and liveliness and creativity. And also, Lord, with all its needs and concerns and troubles.

[10:36] Please have mercy on the city where we live. And the place where any of us watching live. Please may your kingdom come. And your will be done where we are.

[10:48] We pray for our leaders as a nation. Our local leaders and national leaders. Pray for the governments of the world. We pray for the scientists and the medical professionals.

[11:02] Oh, Lord, have mercy. And once again, we pray that as a race, we would learn the lessons you want us to learn. And come in repentance towards you.

[11:15] Pray that you would equip all your people to be ministers and evangelists and good news bearers into this world in all its lostness.

[11:29] And we pray to you for any particular needs that we have. Perhaps heartaches, concerns, burdens. Which we pray that we might be able to cast upon you. Knowing that you care for us.

[11:40] So hear our prayers. And grant as we gather together that we might find encouragement and being lifted and being replenished and filled afresh in your presence.

[11:53] For Jesus' sake. Amen. And let us say the Lord's Prayer. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

[12:05] Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

[12:17] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

[12:27] So we've prayed together and now let's sing not just yet about his resurrection, but about the cross and the triumph of the cross.

[12:40] Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day, Christ on the road to Calvary, tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then nailed to a cross of wood. The power of the cross.

[12:53] Christ was made sin for us. And he went to the cross, suffered, and then he rose again from the dead. So let's sing this and then we'll have a reading.

[13:15] Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day, Christ on the road to Calvary, tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then nailed to a cross of wood.

[13:38] This the power of the cross, Christ became sin for us.

[13:51] Dumb the lame, all the wrong, we stand forgiven, and the cross. Oh, to see the pain written on your face, bearing the awesome weight of sin, every bitter thought, every evil deed, crowding your blood, stay in the road.

[14:26] this the power of the cross. Christ became sin for us. Christ became sin for us.

[14:39] For the lame, all the lame, all the wrath, we stand forgiven, The cross is through Now the daylight flees Now the ground beneath Quakes as its maker Bows his head Curtain torn in two Dead are raised to life Finished the lintry cry This the power of the cross Christ became Sin for us Took the blame For the wrath We stand forgiven at the cross Oh, to see my name

[15:41] Written in the worst For through your suffering I am free Death is crushed to death Life is mine to live One through your selfless love This the power of the cross Son of God Save for us What a love What a cost We stand forgiven at the cross The cross Now we're going to have reading And Brenda's going to read to us About the risen Christ Meeting the disciples On the road to Emmaus It's in Luke 24 13 to 35

[16:43] So thank you Brenda Luke 24 Luke 24 Beginning at verse 13 Now that same day Two of them were going to a village Called Emmaus About seven miles from Jerusalem They were talking with each other About everything that had happened As they talked and discussed These things with each other Jesus himself came up And walked along with them But they were kept from recognising him He asked them What are you discussing together As you walk along?

[17:22] They stood still Their faces downcast One of them Named Cleopas Asked him Are you the only one Visiting Jerusalem Who does not know The things that have happened there In these days?

[17:37] What things? He asked About Jesus of Nazareth They replied He was a prophet Powerful in word and deed Before God and all the people The chief priests And our rulers Handed him over To be sentenced to death And they crucified him But we had hoped That he was the one Who was going to redeem Israel And what is more It is the third day Since all this took place In addition Some of our women amazed us They went to the tomb Early this morning But didn't find his body They came and told us That they had seen A vision of angels Who said he was alive Then some of our companions Went to the sons Went to the tomb And found it just as the women Had said But they did not see Jesus He said to them How foolish you are And how slow to believe

[18:38] All that the prophets Have spoken Did not the Messiah Have to suffer these things And then enter his glory And beginning with Moses And all the prophets He explained to them What was said In all the scriptures As they approached The village To which they were going Jesus continued on As if he were going further But they urged him strongly Stay with us For it is nearly evening The day is almost over So he went in To stay with them When he was at the table With them He took bread Gave thanks Broke it And began to give it to them Then their eyes were opened And they recognised him And he disappeared From their sight 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 got up

[19:40] And returned at once To Jerusalem There they found the eleven And those with them Assembled together And saying It is true The Lord has risen And has appeared To Simon Then the two Told what had happened On the way And how Jesus Was recognised By them When he broke the bread So as the risen Christ Met the disciples On the Emmaus road He opened to them The scriptures Beginning with Moses And going through All the Old Testament Explaining the things Of the Christ And their hearts Burned within them And we're going to sing Asking the Lord To speak to us Speak O Lord As we come to you To receive the food Of your holy word Take your truth Plant it deep in us Shape and fashion us In your likeness That light of Christ Might be seen today In our acts of love And our deeds of faith Speak O Lord

[20:40] And fulfil in us All your purposes For your glory Lord speak to us And then I'll hand Straight over to David Skull Who will bring God's word To us So let's sing And then straight over To David Be called Lord As we come to you to receive the food of your holy word.

[21:29] Take your truth, plant it deep in us, shape and fashion us in your likeness, that the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

[21:55] Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us all your purposes for your glory.

[22:06] Teach us, Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, true humility.

[22:27] Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of your purity.

[22:39] Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see your majestic love and authority.

[22:53] Words of power that can never fail, let their truth prevail over unbelief.

[23:11] Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds. Help us grasp the heights of your plans for us.

[23:24] Truth's unchanged from the dawn of time that will echo down through eternity.

[23:37] And by grace we'll stand on your promises and by faith we'll walk as you walk with us.

[23:50] Speak, O Lord, till your church is built and the earth is filled with your glory.

[24:10] Well, good morning, Calvary. Thank you so much for inviting me to share this morning. If you don't know who I am, my name's David. I'm one of the pastors of Grace Church Guildford.

[24:23] And as many of you will know, Lord willing, in July, August this summer, I'll be moving down with the family to be on mission in Brighton, seeking to start up what we're calling Grace Plant Brighton.

[24:35] We're so thankful for your encouragement and your prayers. And we're looking forward to close fellowship in the gospel over the years to come. Well, as we begin, let's pray together, shall we?

[24:49] Our Father in heaven, we thank you that we can meet in the name of your risen Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you that we are not those who are without hope in this world.

[25:03] And we thank you so much that as Christ is risen, having sacrificed himself for our sins on the cross, so we know that he has promised to be with us as we gather in his name.

[25:18] So I pray this morning that all that we say and do would bring glory to Jesus Christ and you'd strengthen us and encourage us, I pray. For his name's sake.

[25:30] Amen. Let's spend a few minutes in prayer together, bringing our requests to our loving Heavenly Father. Father, we thank you for the hope by which we gather, by which we are formed as a church, the hope of the risen Lord Jesus.

[25:53] We thank you that that is a hope that lifts us from our despair and gives us real purpose for our lives. Father, we thank you that your purposes for your churches cannot be thwarted.

[26:06] You have promised to build your church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Father, we lift you and the nations of the world. We thank you that the message of the resurrected and crucified Christ is a message for all nations to bring them to repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

[26:27] And so we pray, Father, particularly for those churches and those works that we have close connections with. We pray, Heavenly Father, that you'll build your churches, particularly in areas of the world where things are difficult.

[26:39] We pray, Father, that you'd have mercy upon your churches in France, in East Africa. And we also pray for your churches in the United States, Lord, that you'll build up and strengthen your people around the world.

[26:54] Lord, no doubt my brothers and sisters here at Calvary have their own particular connections. We just lift those individual Christians and churches to you now and pray your blessing upon them on this, the Lord's day.

[27:06] Amen. Father, we know that with this global pandemic, the whole world has been thrown into turmoil and nations are really rising up against nation in their desire to get the vaccines.

[27:23] Lord, we pray that your churches around the world would be peacemakers, would demonstrate a higher governance, one in whom we can trust and one before whom we should fear.

[27:36] We pray for our own land, Lord. We particularly lift up the royal family to you this weekend. We pray for our Queen, that you would comfort her in her grief, encourage her with the hope of the gospel, help us to keep remembering the truths of your word.

[27:52] We pray for the younger generations of her family, for her children and for her grandchildren. We pray, Father, that the hope of the gospel would sow seeds of peace amongst the royal family and that there will be a lasting change in them.

[28:06] We thank you for our government. We pray they give them wisdom as they continue to lead us through the pandemic. We pray, Father, that they will be driven not just by decisions that will give political point scoring, but would lead to decisions that are full of justice for our nation and enable the peace of the nation and therefore the freedom of worship to flourish.

[28:28] We pray. Lord, we lift up the city of Brighton and Hove. We pray, Heavenly Father, that you would have mercy upon this city.

[28:39] We thank you for your churches that are currently being faithful to Jesus in Brighton and Hove. We pray that you'd strengthen them on today the Lord's day, whether they be few or whether they be many. And we pray that in your goodness, that you would build up again your works around the city and that you would bring many into your kingdom as they hear the wonderful, life-changing message of Jesus.

[29:02] Pray that you'll bring repentance and faith to many in our day and age. Lord, I particularly pray for my brothers and sisters at Calvary. Thank you so much for them, for their faithfulness to you over many years.

[29:15] But we pray that you would continue to lead and guide them as they make plans and decisions about the future. Help them to do so in utter dependence upon you. Thank you. You are the risen Christ, walks among the lampstands.

[29:26] You know and you care for your churches. Pray that they would know that you love and care for them as they trust the promises of your word and know the work of your spirit amongst them. Maintain their unity and give them a joyful trust in you in the months and years ahead, we pray.

[29:46] And Lord, we pray for ourselves, personally, individually this morning. Lord, how we long for the full gathering in our churches physically. We pray, Lord, as we wait for that, that you would do us good spiritually, Lord, if we are downcast or discouraged in any way, that you would help us to remember that Jesus is risen and that your gospel promises are true.

[30:06] Please continue to help us to feed on your word, to grow in faith in Christ. And we pray that you would help us to be witnesses for Jesus in our daily lives, that people would look in us and our involvement in the church and to see that there is a hope beyond the temporal things of this world.

[30:25] So pray that you would encourage each one of us through your word, even this morning as we meet together. Hear us, we pray. Bless your churches and encourage us now, we ask, in Jesus' precious name.

[30:38] Amen. Please do have the passage open in front of you. That's Luke chapter 24.

[30:51] And we are considering this morning the central story of the three stories that are connected together in this chapter. So Luke chapter 24, verses 13 to 35.

[31:05] And famously, on this resurrection day that Luke records, we are asked to draw alongside these two disillusioned disciples who are walking away from Jerusalem.

[31:20] Now walking away, of course, is symbolic as well as a literal understanding of what is happening. They are walking away from all that they had hoped for in Jesus.

[31:33] It just hasn't worked out as they had expected. Now you may be watching today part of Calvary or watching in from outside with similar thoughts rising in your heart.

[31:47] It's been an incredibly difficult year, hasn't it? With the hardships of lockdown causing tremendous strain and stress upon us all. But maybe there have been particular hurts and disappointments over the past year that have taken their toll on you.

[32:05] And so if not physically, maybe emotionally and spiritually, you are being inclined to walk away. Well by the end of the passage, for your encouragement, notice that these two disillusioned disciples are completely changed.

[32:24] You've got verse 24 for instance. Later on in verse 32, they speak of their hearts burning. And even though the day has ended by the time of this passage, they make the decision to turn around and make that seven mile journey all the way back to Jerusalem.

[32:44] They return with real certainty, not in themselves, but in Christ, and a real purpose to explain what has happened to the other disciples.

[32:55] So what has made the difference in them? What has taken them from being downcast and without hope at the beginning to moving in a direction of certainty and purpose at the end?

[33:10] What has made the difference? Well of course we know that it's the drawing alongside them and the wisdom of the person of Jesus. Jesus makes all the difference and it's exactly the same for us.

[33:24] We may not have Christ physically drawing alongside us. He's ascended to heaven but by his spirit, through his word, he is just as kind to his disillusioned and discouraged people today.

[33:39] So let's notice three things as we go through the story. Let's look firstly, verses 13 to 17, at the disillusionment disillusionment of the disciples. The disillusionment of the disciples, verses 13 to 17.

[33:55] As these two disciples, one of whom we know is called Cleopas, are walking these seven miles away from Jerusalem to Emmaus, we're told that they are discussing and debating over all the things that had happened.

[34:14] That's the crucifixion crucifixion of Jesus and the strange events on the resurrection morning. They're discussing. The other words, it's really more heated. It's saying that they are debating or even arguing over these things.

[34:26] They're having a heated walk and talk. Many of us have had the opportunity to spend time with each other by walking and talking during this pandemic. Well, this is a time in which these two are walking on a long journey together.

[34:41] But it is a journey not around in a circle but away from Jesus, it seems. But in the midst of their discouragement and their debate, we're told in verse 15 that Jesus, the resurrected Jesus himself, came near and began to walk along with them.

[35:03] How kind. And so immediately, we, the readers of Luke's gospel, know what they didn't in that time. That the Lord really is risen and there is our hope.

[35:19] Well, for reasons that we are not told in verse 16, we see that their eyes were prevented from truly recognizing Jesus, from truly knowing him.

[35:31] And it is for our benefit that they have this conversation. So as they walk with the risen Jesus, he asks them a couple of questions.

[35:42] The first question is, well, what is this dispute that you are having as you walk along? Verse 17. And it's at that point that they stop and they look sad.

[35:54] They look discouraged. Cleopas says to Jesus, well, where have you been? Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in these days?

[36:09] This passage is full of irony, isn't it? You must remember that they are the ones who have been kept from knowing who it is who is asking them the questions. He, Jesus, alone is the one who really knows, who really understands not just the facts about the events, but the explanation behind them.

[36:29] And he will pass this wisdom onto them for the encouragement of their hearts as his disciples. So as they walk, Jesus asks them another question. Verse 19.

[36:40] Well, what things? What are these facts? What are these things that have happened? And it's there that their disillusionment and the dashing of their hopes all is poured out to the stranger that they are walking with.

[36:56] They talk about the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth. They describe him as a prophet, powerful in deed and in word before God and before all the people.

[37:12] They explain how, despite he was such a great man before God, how the chief priests and the leaders had given him over to be sentenced to death and had crucified him.

[37:27] And then they explain their disappointment. We were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel, to set her free.

[37:41] Remember, Israel was under Roman occupation at that time and many longed for the physical and political freedom of their people. Well, they go on to explain not just their disappointment and the crucifixion of Jesus, but also what has happened in this strange day.

[38:05] He said, it's been three days since he was crucified. And some women from our group found his tomb to be empty and they reported that they had seen a vision of angels who had said that he was alive.

[38:19] Some of the group even went to the tomb, they said, and they found it empty. But notice their sense of disappointment. But they didn't see Jesus.

[38:32] Oh, the great irony of that fact that the one walking with them is Jesus. Jesus is alive. He's standing there walking with them, talking to them, bringing wisdom to them as we will see.

[38:47] And still they didn't know him. our comfort will come as we know and see and encounter Jesus.

[38:58] In a sense, they were right, weren't they, to have their hopes dashed because they knew it was all built upon and placed upon the person of Jesus. And that's what the Christian faith is about.

[39:09] It's about our hope and trust in the person of Jesus. Jesus. You're here, you're interested in the Christian faith today. It is all about Jesus.

[39:22] The mighty deeds that he performed, read about them in the Gospels. The amazing things that he said and taught, read about them in the Gospels. The great hope to be found in him.

[39:36] Well, Jesus hasn't said much, has he? He just asked two questions. But as he asked them these questions, Jesus has allowed these disciples not just to explain the reasons for their disillusionment, but also has helped to show them the folly of their disillusionment.

[39:57] Think about their reasoning. We thought Jesus was a mighty prophet from God come to redeem Israel, but at the same time we know that he was crucified. How can those things fit together, the disciples are saying?

[40:14] We thought Jesus of Nazareth was God's redeemer, but God's redeemer surely could not get crucified on a cross. So our conclusion is that Jesus could not have been God's redeemer.

[40:29] Could he? Well, Jesus intervenes with biblical wisdom wisdom. And it takes this wisdom of Jesus himself to correct their faulty logic at this point.

[40:47] Three days after his crucifixion, they said. Three days. Didn't Jesus said something about that? The witness of the women, the testimony of the angels, the confirmation of Peter and John, the disciples.

[41:04] the tomb really was empty. Well, Jesus has allowed them to express their disappointments and their disillusionments.

[41:19] Have you been honest with God over that sense of disillusionment and that lack of hope and the struggles of the past year? He's big enough to listen.

[41:33] And as Jesus drew alongside, we know that he cares for his disciples. He cares for you. Well, that's the disillusionment of the disciples.

[41:44] But notice then in verses 24 to 28, the wisdom of Jesus. The wisdom of Jesus breaks in and turns their disillusionment around.

[41:57] He starts off with some challenging words, doesn't he? Words meant in love, but true words in verse 25. He says to them, oh foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

[42:13] Notice Jesus doesn't reject these two people as sinful and hard-hearted. No, they were real disciples. But like us, all too often, they were being foolish and slow of heart to believe the truth.

[42:32] It's wonderful, isn't it, that when we are foolish and slow of heart to believe the truth, Jesus doesn't reject his disciples, but Jesus draws alongside to give them wisdom and to strengthen their faith.

[42:48] That's the kind of saviour we have, and the kind of father God in heaven that Jesus makes known. He gives us wisdom where we lack it, and he draws alongside to quicken or to increase our faith when it is slow or weak.

[43:04] What a wonderful saviour. I mean, the Lord Jesus could easily have said, hello, it's me, I'm risen. But instead, he does something that is very helpful to us who were not there, and for the strengthening of our faith.

[43:22] What does Jesus do? He takes them to the Bible. You see, there is wisdom in the Scriptures to strengthen our faith too.

[43:33] Jesus' teaching point in verse 26 is the third question he asks in this passage. Verse 26, wasn't it necessary, says Jesus, for the Christ to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?

[43:49] Wasn't it necessary? You see, they were just thinking about the glory, the victory part, the reign. But Jesus points out here that the Bible teaches that Jesus' cross would be the road to his throne.

[44:07] The cross is crucial. The cross is central before the glory comes. So, verse 27, beginning with Moses and all the prophets as they walked along the road, Jesus interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures.

[44:28] Many a preacher, many a Bible study leader, many a commentator had dearly wished that the two disciples had taken notes. What a journey it must have been.

[44:41] A time flew by, it seems. But we're told later in verse 32 that they said, weren't our hearts burning within us while Jesus was talking with us on the road and explaining the scriptures to us.

[44:59] Jesus' point, as he did so from the whole of the Old Testament, is that redemption, the setting of God's people free, is not contradicted by the suffering of Christ on the cross, as they thought.

[45:15] Rather, redemption, the setting of God's people free requires the suffering of Jesus on the cross.

[45:28] The cross is central to God's saving plan in Jesus. And this is seen throughout scriptures, said the Lord Jesus as they walked along the road together.

[45:40] These things remind us, Calvary, that the message of the Bible, and the Bible speaks of many things, many stories, at many periods of time. But the message of the Bible is Christ, his cross, his resurrection, and the salvation that that brings.

[45:59] Christ is central, and the cross is crucial throughout all the scriptures of the Bible. The apostle Paul later said to Timothy, a church leader, in 2 Timothy, he says, Timothy, you know that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

[46:28] In the scriptures are the wisdom that you need for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. And of course, as he was writing that, he meant the Old Testament. The New Testament was being written.

[46:41] So this is the wisdom that Jesus brings to their disillusionment. That the sufferings of Christ, his cross, were seen all the way through the scriptures and were crucial for this work of redemption, this work of salvation.

[47:02] And so we also see from what Jesus teaches here that redemption was deeper and greater than what they had thought. If they were thinking that redemption was just about political or physical freedom of Israel from the occupation of the Romans, then they had misunderstood the depths of redemption that Jesus had come to bring.

[47:26] You see, according to Jesus and the storyline of the Old Testament, the freeing of God's people is not just from a physical slavery.

[47:38] It is from a spiritual slavery, sin. Just look over at verse 47 where Jesus later appears to all the disciples gathered in Jerusalem and he says a similar thing there, but he goes on to say in verse 47, therefore that repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in Christ's name to all nations.

[48:02] And that's the redemption. That's the freedom that not just the people of Israel needed, but all the nations of the world needed forgiveness of our sins.

[48:19] And this is the redemption that required the cross. It's only at the cross where the price of sin could be fully paid. And it's only at the cross where we could be set free from that which would enslave us and bring us to death.

[48:36] the forgiveness of sins. Well, we've seen the disillusionment of the disciples, but we've seen the wisdom of Jesus explaining that the cross was crucial and necessary in God's plans and purposes for redemption, for salvation.

[48:57] And then in verses 28 to 35, we see the penny drops. the penny drops for these disillusioned disciples.

[49:09] Verse 28, the seven miles walk from Jerusalem to their town of Emmaus comes to an end all too quickly. And Jesus acts like he will keep walking.

[49:22] But the two disciples sense from their journeying, their time with this person and what he is teaching, that this is a now or never moment. And so they strongly urge him to stay with us.

[49:36] Look at verse 29. Stay with us, they say, because it is almost evening and now the day is almost over. There's a kind of interaction and connection with Jesus, even though they don't quite understand fully who he is, that grips them, that makes them realise that they must continue with this person.

[49:58] And there's a sign that the spirit is at work in somebody's life when they are drawn not just to the philosophy of Christianity but to the person of Jesus and they get a taste for him, an encounter with him and they are drawn in more and more and more.

[50:16] Stay with us. Stay with us, Jesus. Maybe that's you today. Stay with me, Jesus. And the wonderful thing about the resurrected Jesus who will soon ascend to his father's side, is that he listened and accepted the invitation.

[50:37] He stayed with them, had time for them. Learn from this that Jesus in his incarnation and in his resurrected state is not aloof or standoffish or hard to receive.

[50:54] he's the kind of risen saviour who will walk seven miles with you to listen to you. He's the kind of risen saviour that will help you gain wisdom when you are being foolish.

[51:08] He's the kind of saviour who will work to quicken your faith by pointing you to the truth of the Bible. And so he is the very willing saviour, willing to come and stay with his people, to sit down at the table as it were with you and enjoy fellowship with you by his spirit through his word.

[51:31] What a saviour the person of Jesus is. Well we're told in verse 30, this is where the penny drops, that Jesus is at the table with them, they're going to have an evening meal together and then he takes the bread of the meal and blesses it.

[51:50] Then he breaks the bread and gives it over to them. They just described about how Jesus of Nazareth had been given over, handed over for crucifixion.

[52:06] And now Jesus breaks the bread and gives it over, hands it over to these two disciples and then it seems through this act of breaking the bread and handing it over, they knew him.

[52:20] What a moment there must have been. This is Jesus. Their eyes are opened. I expect they had seen Jesus before his crucifixion and resurrection bless bread and give it out to five thousand, feeding the five thousand.

[52:41] That act had shown him to be king. I expect these two had either seen or they had heard of how Jesus blessed bread and gave it out to his disciples at the last supper.

[52:56] This is my body, he said, broken for you. Eat it in remembrance of me. And maybe it was at that moment as the bread was broken, it suddenly clicked what he had been teaching them about the necessity of his suffering and his resurrection, that his broken body on the cross rather than being the end of their hope was the source of all their hope.

[53:25] His broken body upon the cross had been for their redemption as he had explained from the scriptures. And as they knew Jesus, marveling at his cross, then he vanished from their sight.

[53:43] What an extraordinary moment. And so we read how those two disciples who had kind of left Jerusalem so disillusioned now got up.

[53:55] Even though it was the end of the day, they got up and returned that seven miles all the way back and they found the eleven and the other disciples gathered together and when they found them, we're told those gathering had already encountered the risen Jesus.

[54:12] They were already saying the Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon. And so these two, it seems, now joyfully describe what has happened to them on the road and how Jesus had made himself known to them in the breaking of the bread.

[54:28] And suddenly it had turned around from disillusionment, from hopelessness to joy. Jesus really is risen.

[54:42] Calvary, I want to kind of bring this together by speaking to those of you in the church who are particularly disillusioned today.

[54:54] Whether that disillusionment has come through the hardships of lockdown and the challenges of sustaining church life and the weariness that you may feel or whether that disillusionment has come from certain hurts or disappointments or setbacks over the past year.

[55:18] Friends, Jesus really is alive. And here is your hope. hope. And by his spirit and by his word, this same resurrected Jesus himself really does draw near to his disillusioned and discouraged disciples.

[55:43] This same Jesus really does begin to walk along with us today. You see, whatever the reason for your disillusionment, there is a wisdom in Jesus as he draws alongside you that more than matches for your lack of wisdom, even for your foolishness in deciding to move away.

[56:11] There is a quickening of hearts from Jesus to strengthen you and help you, not to sort everything out that's going on around you, but to fix your eyes and open your eyes to Jesus and your hope in him as promised in the scriptures, as fulfilled in history.

[56:31] It is a hope in the very real presence and love of Jesus for disciples like you today. Jesus loves to care for his disciples and to point you even to the wisdom and strengthening of your faith that is to be found in the word of God and the great message of the word of God from Genesis to the gospels to revelation, which is the suffering and the resurrected glory of Christ the Messiah for you and your redemption.

[57:13] And there and here in Christ is a hope that will lift you from despair. Christians will sadly let you down.

[57:26] And at times you and I will struggle with our foolishness and slow of heart to believe. But Christ really is risen.

[57:39] And he really does draw near and is willing to stay so that we will know him and be strengthened by him.

[57:53] Calvary, take encouragement from the journey that these two disciples were on. But secondly, I want to give a word here to any who are watching who are not yet considering themselves disciples or followers of Jesus.

[58:12] I'm so glad that you're watching. Continue to tune in to all that Calvary are doing. They are a group of people who believe this, who love Jesus and are being transformed by him.

[58:25] But friends, if you're watching today, it may well be that you have spent many years in your life putting your hope in something or someone or some philosophy, but like these two disciples, I expect you have experienced time and time again that sense of walking away from what you have put your hope in because you're disillusioned and discouraged.

[58:50] Time and time again that hope seems groundless and has let you down. Maybe you've tried many different things and always found it has led to disillusionment.

[59:05] Where is redemption, that freedom? Where is salvation, that kind of life and rescue, we were meant to enjoy?

[59:16] Where is that to be found? Maybe you have despaired and thought it cannot be found anywhere in any experience on this earth. Well, the answer that Calvary loves to share, the answer that the scriptures speak of and this passage explains is that the answer to redemption is that it is to be found in this person of Jesus who was crucified for the forgiveness of sins and who really is alive.

[59:54] You see, redemption, freedom, is found through the quickening of the heart to believe and trust in Jesus and in the sufficiency of what he has done once and for all at the cross.

[60:08] Redemption is found in turning to Jesus today. And this same risen Jesus, by his spirit and through his word, the Bible, through people like the dear folk at Calvary, really is coming near to people today and turning them from discouragement and disillusionment in themselves to real and lasting hope in him.

[60:43] May you find that today as you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Amen. Let's pray together. Father, like these two disciples, we are easily foolish, lacking the deep wisdom that understands that Jesus is everything and the cross is central.

[61:16] And like these disciples, we are often slow of heart to truly trust, to truly believe everything that you have promised that it is fulfilled in Christ. So I pray that you'll please strengthen my heart, strengthen the dear brothers and sisters at Calvary to move from disillusionment and discouragement if that has been their experience, to find that Jesus will never ever let them down.

[61:42] Please draw alongside them through your spirit, through your words, even at this time. Strengthen the church, I pray. And we pray for any who are watching, who have tried all the other hopes that they can encounter and experience, and none of them, none of them have proved to be steadfast.

[62:01] Help them to see, open their eyes to see the lasting true hope in the crucified and resurrected Jesus. Do these things, I pray, not for our glory, but for yours.

[62:15] We ask these things, and with great thanks, in Jesus' name. Amen. So at the time of recording, I haven't heard David's sermon, but I'm sure it's absolutely great, and we're very grateful to David for his fellowship and prayer, and we want to be praying with him for the success of the gospel here in Brighton.

[62:40] And I've chosen to finish something which, again, is not the resurrection of Christ, but to tell the church in the power of Christ to arise. O church, arise and put your armour on.

[62:53] Hear the call of Christ, our captain. For now the weak can say that they are strong in the strength that God has given. men. And it says, Come see the cross where love and mercy meet as the Son of God is stricken.

[63:07] Then see his foes lie crushed beneath his feet for the conqueror has risen. And as the stone is rolled away, as Christ emerges from the grave, this victory march continues till the day every eye and heart shall see him.

[63:23] So Spirit, come, put strength in every stride, give grace for every hurdle, that we may run with faith to win the prize of a servant good and faithful.

[63:34] As saints of old still line the way, retelling triumphs of his grace, we hear their calls and hunger for the day when with Christ we stand in glory.

[63:45] So let's sing this, O Church Arise. O Church Arise and put your armour on, hear the call of Christ our captain, for now the weak can say that they are strong, in the strength that God has given, with shield of faith and belt of truth, we'll stand against the devil's eyes, an army bold, whose battle cry is loud, reaching out to those in darkness.

[64:46] are called to war, to love the captive soul, but to rage against the captor, and with the sword that makes the wounded whole, we will fight with faith and valor, when faced with trials, on every side, we know the outcome is secure, and Christ will have the price for which he died, an inheritance of nations.

[65:34] can't see the cross, can't see the cross, See the cross where love and mercy meet As the Son of God is stricken Then see his foes lie crushed beneath his feet For the Conqueror has risen And as the stone is rolled away, and Christ emerges from the grave, the victory march continues till the day, every eye and heart shall see Him.

[66:44] So Spirit come, put strength in every stride, give grace for every hurdle, that we may run with faith to win the prize of a servant good and faithful.

[67:10] As saints are old, still alive the way, retelling triumphs of His grace, we hear their calls and hunger for the day, when with Christ we stand in glory.

[67:31] To be determined by God. To be determined by God.

[67:43] To be determined by God. To be determined by God.

[67:54] To be determined by God. So let's close with the prayer and I'll echo the prayer that Paul prays for the Ephesian church in chapter one. I keep asking that God of our Lord Jesus Christ the glorious Father may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation that you may know him. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

[68:42] That power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. Far above all rule, authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given not only in the present age but also in the one to come. So Lord bless your people, strengthen your church and fill us with yourself.

[69:13] We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to whom be glory now and forevermore. Amen. Amen. Well it's bye-bye from me just now and hopefully we shall be meeting again.

[69:32]  Here I am as you can see standing in Brighton Marina and next time we'll be in the church building. So I'll just say bye-bye just now. Bye-bye.