Living in the light

[0:00] Let's pray together. Holy, holy, holy, Lord, holy, holy, holy.

[0:11] Father, that you are holy. We thank you, Father, that you deserve all worship, Father. Father, we thank you, Father, that nothing on earth, we know, Father, that we only are of who you really are.

[0:36] And when we are heaven bound, we will seize. We ask that may you speak to us by your word today. May you confect us.

[0:48] May you transform us. May you lead us out to do. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Take a moment.

[1:01] There we go. The amount of times I say good evening and good morning on an evening. But how's everyone doing? Is everyone well? Is everyone doing well?

[1:13] Is anyone? I try not to put you to sleep. I will try not to put you to sleep this evening. But thank you. I just want to say thank you this evening and for those for your warm welcome this morning.

[1:24] Thank you, Gerald and Anne for having my wife, my family and I over for lunch. It was good food. Good food is always a good thing, isn't it? How many of us are here who love just a good meal?

[1:37] Faith and food. Faith and food. Faith and food. Faith and food. Faith and food. This evening I'll be looking at Luke chapter 24, verse 13 to 35.

[1:50] Now the title of this is Living in the Light. Living in the Light of the Glory of Christ. And it says this.

[2:03] Now the same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

[2:18] Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them.

[2:31] But they were prevented from recognizing him. Then he asked them, what is this dispute that you're having with each other as you're walking?

[2:46] And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. The one named Clepus answered him, are you only the visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that happened there in these days?

[3:02] What things? He asked them. So they said to him. The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, powerful in action and speech before God and all the people.

[3:20] And how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death and they crucified him. But they were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel.

[3:40] Besides all this, it's the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us.

[3:50] They arrived early at the tomb. And when they didn't find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.

[4:04] Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said. But they didn't see him. He said to them, how foolish are you and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

[4:22] Wasn't it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into glory? Then the beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself and all the scriptures.

[4:40] They came near the village where they were going. And he gave the impression that he was going further. But they urged him, stay with us because it's almost evening and now the day is almost over.

[4:57] So he went in to stay with them. It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed it and broke it and gave it to them.

[5:13] Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. But he disappeared from their sight. They said to each other, weren't our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the scriptures to us?

[5:31] That every hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered around who said, the Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon.

[5:48] Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he has made known to them the breaking of bread. Now this, these passages here are straight after resurrection morning.

[6:06] They're straight after the women coming to the tomb and seeing the tomb empty. They've seen Jesus' garments folded. But Jesus wasn't in sight.

[6:20] Their friend, their companion, their rabbi, gone. Unexplainable.

[6:33] Where has he gone? Then angels appeared to them. They ran back to the disciples.

[6:48] Shared with them. The tomb is empty. Isn't that good news this morning? I can just finish up here, can't I?

[7:00] The tomb is empty. The tomb is empty. There's good news this morning. That we can live in the light of the glory of Christ.

[7:11] Because the glory of Christ is found in the resurrection of Christ. He is alive.

[7:22] He is at the right hand of the Father. There's three points we can take out of this passage.

[7:34] Three points that are fairly relatable for us. Today, 2,000 years later. I wonder how many, or sorry, I wonder if the disciples were limited in recognizing Christ because of their disappointment and doubt.

[7:50] The man they journeyed with. The man they journeyed with was crucified. Despair straight in the sight of Christ.

[8:01] He was breathless. Christ had died. I wonder if it was their disappointment and doubt.

[8:16] The disappointment of these disciples on the road reflect their failure to fully understand, to fully recognize the scriptures.

[8:29] The disciples. I wonder if we were to say, did these disciples really get it? Did they really understand what Jesus was saying? Did they really understand what Jesus was doing?

[8:43] Did they get it? Did they really understand what Jesus was doing?

[9:15] In the life of Joseph. In God's providence in the life of Joseph. And in human brokenness. And we see God's providence in this story as well.

[9:26] In the midst of disappointment. In the midst of pain. In the midst of sorrow. In the midst of questioning. What now? Christ appeared. In the midst of our brokenness.

[9:39] In the midst of our doubt. In the midst of our sorrow. Christ appears. And he. And it's not because.

[9:50] At some point. Christ disappeared. It's not that Christ is looking at. He's watching. Thinking. Right. Alan's really had enough now. It's not like God is playing a game of the crystal mace.

[10:04] And I'm trying to capture the crystal. And Christ is at the door. And he's like. Oh. Oh. Time's running out. Okay. I better off go in and help. Is that.

[10:17] The presence of God was with them. Like today. When we experience. Disappointment and doubt. We can yield on to.

[10:28] The truth of what God's word. God's word says. He will never leave us. Nor forsaken us. That we. Are not a lonely people. We are.

[10:41] A body. Of Christ. A body of many. Believers. As one. We. Are the bride. And he. Is our. Bridegroom.

[10:53] He was despised. And rejected. By mankind. A man of suffering. Familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces.

[11:06] He was despised. And we held him. In low esteem. When we look at verse 14.

[11:18] We see the confusion. We. We. We get confirmation. That the disciples. Didn't. Quite get it.

[11:33] And when we move over to verse 15. Sorry. That also. Conforms it. Is that. They seem to be arguing with each other. About what happened. There seems to be a real confusion. There seems to be a real.

[11:46] Real panic. Amongst themselves. Real doubt. Sincere doubt. Sincere pain. Sincere sorrow.

[11:57] Disciple. Disciple. The disciples. Inability. To recognise.

[12:07] The risen Christ. Their inability. To recognise. The risen Christ. Just refills. Our humanity. And their humanity.

[12:20] That we. Our perspective. Is so far out. Of God's perspective. That we think. In human terms. We think. Logically. Well.

[12:32] Jesus. Was executed. We saw him die. We saw. We saw. No army of heaven. Conquering the Romans.

[12:44] And at this time. There would have been. There would have been people. That would have. Followed Jesus. Listened to Jesus. In hope. That Jesus. Would.

[12:55] Emulate. That. The work of the. Maccabees. Where they would. Oppose. A reigning regime. But what.

[13:06] We hear from Jesus. When he's faced. With Pilate. Pilate. Pilate.

[13:17] Thinks. That he carries. The authority. When. When he's. Challenging Jesus. How.

[13:28] How terrifying. Would that have been. To hear Jesus. Or to be the one. To hear Jesus. Respond. Responds. If it was my time.

[13:39] My servants. Won't have allowed me. To be. Arrested. In other words. If it's this. Isn't. Predestined.

[13:50] Unordained by God. You think. My angels. Would that allow you. To capture me. That's. That's scary stuff.

[14:01] Isn't it. Like. The Romans. Incredibly. Powerful. Conquered. Many.

[14:12] Nations. They didn't. Conquer. Christ. Christ. Surrendered. He. Surrendered. Christ.

[14:22] Didn't. Fail. He. Wasn't. Arrested. And. Executed. He. Didn't. Fail. And. When we read. The scriptures.

[14:33] He. Was. Despised. And. Rejected. By. Mankind. That's. An. Isaiah. Isaiah. Was. Propheising. About. The. Christ. That. Would. Be. Crucified. John.

[14:48] Owen. Says. Though the. Lord. May. Appear. Hidden. To us. At times. He. Is. Always. Present. Our. Spiritual. Eyes.

[14:58] May. Be. Blinded. By. Doubt. But. His. Grace. Is. Sufficient. To. Open. Them. And. To. Refill. His. Presence. To. Us. As.

[15:11] In. That. State. Of. Disappointment. Doubt. And. Despair. When. We. Are. Crushed. And. We. May. Feel.

[15:21] Crushed. But. We. Will. Never. Be. Overcome. Jesus. Says. To. His. Disciples. In. This. World. You. Will. Have. Trials. And.

[15:31] Tribulations. Take. Heart. For. I. Have. Overcome. The. World. I. Feel. That. These. Disciples. Should. Have. Written. That. Down. And.

[15:42] Memorized. That. For. This. Moment. In. This. World. We. Will. Have. Trials. We. Will. Have. Tribulations. But. Christ. Has. Overcome. The. World. Therefore. The. Empty. Tomb. Shouldn't. Be. A.

[15:53] Surprise. But. In. Moments. Of. Pain. And. Sorrow. And. Suffering. We. And.

[16:03] In. Doubt. We. Need. To. Come. Before. The. Father. We. Need. To. Come. Before. The. Father. With. An. Open. And. Honest. Heart. When. I. Preach.

[16:14] At. Hope. Hall. When. I. Preach. People. Come. Before. God. As. If. You. Truly. Believe. God.

[16:24] Knows. All. Your. Thoughts. Because. He. Does. He. Does. God. Knows. Every. Thing. That.

[16:34] Is. Going. On. In. My. Life. He. Knows. Every. Fear. He. Knows. Every. Worry. He. Knows. Every. Doubt. He. Knows. Every. Pain. He. Knows. Every. Aspect.

[16:44] Of. Me. There. Is. There. Is. More. Of. Me. That. God. Knows. Than. I. Even. Know. About. Myself. There. Are. Such. As. Situations. That. I. Might. Think. I. Wonder. How. I. Would. React. And. I. Know. That. God. Is. I. Know. How. You. React.

[16:59] God. Isn't. Just. A. Close. Friend. But. He. Is. Our. God. His. Son. Isn't. Just.

[17:09] Our. Teacher. But. He. Is. Our. Sacrifice. He. Has. Made. A. Way. For. Us. Back. To. The. Father. And.

[17:20] As. He. Was. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As.

[17:33] As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As.

[17:44] As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As. As.

[17:56] As. As. As. John Bunyan says, The natural man cannot understand the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned.

[18:08] It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that our eyes are opened to see the truth of Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and open our minds to the things of Christ.

[18:23] So we must, we must trust that the Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth. And it will open our eyes and open our hearts to the things of God against allowing disappointment to turn into bitterness.

[18:43] We become bitter. We create God to be our enemy in our world.

[18:55] We make God to be the bad guy in our situation. Where in fact, He is the one that picks us up when we fall. He is the one that leads us by still water.

[19:08] So my soul will pant for you, O Lord. And it is the work of the Spirit. He is the one that opens our heart and mind to the things of God to seek perspective in time of need.

[19:25] And God's word is the first place to start. Actually, I'll go as far as saying first place to start is on our knees in prayer. second place is opening up our Bible and trusting the words of God in it.

[19:44] And what happens when we trust the words of God in that? God reveals Himself to us through His word. Our eyes open and we see the living Christ.

[19:56] Our eyes open, our spiritual eyes open and we see where God is in the situation we are facing. And normally we're like, oh, you've been here all along.

[20:10] You've been here all along. God doesn't change. We do. Sometimes for the, sometimes for the bad, but by God's grace He's leading us and He's transforming us for His good.

[20:30] Jesus rebukes the disciples for the foolishness and slowness to believe highlights and highlights the fallenness of their understanding.

[20:44] You know my word. You've heard me say it. But you don't believe it? You don't believe it? The psalm says that the, His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

[21:10] We must study God's word. God's perfect revelation to us today is His word. We must cling on to it.

[21:23] We must do everything we can to study it and to seek God through it. It's His word that transforms us. It's His word that reveals Christ and Him crucified.

[21:38] It is His word that leads us to repentance. It's His word that leads us to transformation and sanctification. It is by His word we are led into glorification.

[21:50] May His word never fail and His word will never fail. Never fail us. Isaiah chapter verse 21 says, Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it.

[22:17] that's an invitation for us today, 3,000 years later. Are we willing to walk in it?

[22:33] In our trials, tribulations, disappointment, doubts, and pains, and sorrows, and suffering, will we walk where He is leading us? Will we go where He is calling us to go?

[22:49] Will we meet the needs of our local communities? Will we reach out to the broken? Will we make ourselves uncomfortable? Will we meet with people that that we almost feel that, will they steal my wallet?

[23:08] Will they steal my purse? Wait, I can't be should I really be talking to this person? Well, they look a bit dodgy. A couple of weeks ago, I was preaching as part of Churches Together in Renfrewshire, and we were looking at Acts 3, where the disciples met a man at the beautiful gate, and the man was asking for money, and Peter said, money, silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have in the name of Jesus step up.

[23:42] Do you want to know the result of that? The disabled man stepped up, jumping, dancing, singing, and straight into the temple, praising God. Praising God. And I remember my challenge was, how many of us would just walk past that homeless man saying, all he wants is money for his habits?

[24:00] Peter didn't do that. His response was, this I don't have, but what I do have is the gospel, encounter it.

[24:12] And that should be our heart, is how are we revealing Christ to our broken communities? How are we revealing the heart of the Father that has displayed in Christ, which the Spirit is empowering and enabling his church to go out and to go forth and to deliver?

[24:31] We preach a gospel that not only forgives, but a gospel that transforms. A gospel that can turn the most wicked into the most loving.

[24:49] A gospel that transforms Saul into Paul. A gospel that transforms a man that was killing Christians to a man being killed because he was a Christian.

[25:05] And not only that, a man that wrote three quarters of the New Testament. When our hearts, when we open our hearts to the Lord, he fills us with his presence and his peace.

[25:25] we must welcome him in this place. We must welcome his presence in our lives and we must trust that he will lead us out and we will be witnesses of the gospel truth that the tomb is empty.

[25:44] The tomb is empty. Next Sunday, we celebrate Palm Sunday where Jesus enters into Jerusalem. King, King, King.

[25:55] Less than a week later, crucify him, crucify him, crucify him. Three days later, he is risen.

[26:12] The good news for us today is as we worship, we worship a risen Christ. We worship an active Savior that by his Holy Spirit is equipping and enabling the church to do the will of the Father within our communities.

[26:34] no power of darkness, no weapon forced against us.

[26:47] The greatest evils in this world are no competitor against the power and might of the gospel.

[27:00] The gospel transforms it for gifts and it transforms. So are we disappointed today?

[27:20] Hopefully not by my servant. But joking aside, are we feeling disappointment? Maybe things aren't going the way they should in our life. Maybe someone told you become a Christian and life is perfect.

[27:36] Maybe you were sold at that false promise. Is doubt playing in our hearts this morning? Are we finding ourselves praying even for the salvation for our loved ones and not seeing anything shift?

[27:55] Not seeing the heart of stone become the heart of flesh? Is there issues within our family, relational breakdown, in our workplace?

[28:06] Are we finding ourselves disappointed and questioning, God, where are you? Where are you in this? Has our expectations become shattered?

[28:19] Lord? Lord, the disciples serve a powerful reminder to us, 2,000 years later, that in a mist of all those emotions, it's easy to become blindsided, to not see where God is moving in our lives, not to see why God, and may I say why God might not even be moving in the way we want him to move.

[28:54] Sometimes we can be so, we have tunnel fishing in prayer, we have tunnel fishing where we're like, God, this is what I'm praying for, I refuse to see anything else, I want this, I want this, we become children in a toy shop, we see, or a sweet shop, we see what we want, and God provides us with what we need, when we need it, at the right time, and doesn't provide us with better, we become disappointed, well God, that's fine, you've given me this, but I kind of wanted that.

[29:29] May I rebuke, be that of Christ, to his disciples, do you not understand, do we not understand, provides all our needs, as I preached about this morning, God's profession, are we time, and time, and time, and time, and time again, in the life of Joseph, we see it again, time, and time, and time, and time, and the New Testament as well, God hasn't forgotten us, in accordance to his good will, and his purpose, he provides what we need, when we need it, so as we navigate, through seasons of doubt, disappointment, may we ask God, refuel us, your word, transform us, confict us, and in that end, may our response be, did not our hearts burn within us, wild, let our hearts burn with passion for Christ, let our

[30:33] Easter Sunday, let this be a daily occurrence, first thought, and our last thought, let our every thought glorify Christ, we let the disciples go forth as witnesses, sharing the good news of the gospel, and the good news of his, that those within our local communities, those within our workplace, and our friends, friendship groups, those in all spheres of life, may encounter the risen Christ, and be transformed by his forgiveness and mercy, may we see, may we see Scotland transformed, may we see the brokenness in our local communities, may we see people coming out of addictions, and not because they went to, just went to a good secular organization, but because they encounter Christ and him crucified, may we see relational breakdown, may we see forgiveness and mercy, may we see our communities turning their eyes away from themselves, into the glory of Christ.

[31:53] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come and we recognize that the good news of the gospel is the good news of Christ, that it was by Christ alone we have been saved by grace alone, for faith alone, for your glory alone.

[32:22] We ask that may in our times of uncertainty reach out to you Father, may we walk steadfast towards you Father, may we trust that you are with us, that you have never left us, nor have you forsaken us, that you are our good Father, and by your spirit you are with us always.

[32:46] In Jesus' name, Amen. So I'm going to invite the band up, they're going to lead us in our last song, which is in Christ alone. So you don't watch it too much, or what is developing Snow as an gruppa program, eyes and follow internationale or grab into hall publicly If you do join Newton as passed Senhor todo ta vor ring have you I a day