WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.500 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.280 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:26.500 --> 00:00:28.260 Good morning and happy Easter. 00:00:28.260 --> 00:00:30.320 I am Will and this is my mom, Vaughn. 00:00:30.700 --> 00:00:32.679 We are part of the Rockbridge Community Group. 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:41.820 Today's scripture is a reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, verses 1 through 6, 10 and 11, 13 through 34, printed in the liturgy. 00:00:42.400 --> 00:00:48.700 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went out to the tomb. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:54.900 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 00:00:54.899 --> 00:01:00.699 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men, and closely gleamed like lightning, stood beside them. 00:01:01.159 --> 00:01:04.319 In their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground. 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:06.239 But the men said to them, 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:08.620 Why do you look for the living among the dead? 00:01:08.900 --> 00:01:09.659 He is not here. 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:10.659 He has risen. 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:19.359 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them, who told this to the apostles. 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:23.719 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 00:01:24.500 --> 00:01:29.780 Now that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:32.920 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:39.859 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along beside them. 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:42.359 But they were kept from recognizing him. 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:42.960 He asked them, 00:01:43.219 --> 00:01:45.460 What are you discussing together as you walk along? 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.079 They stood still, their faces downcast. 00:01:48.260 --> 00:01:50.599 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:55.900 Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:57.159 What things? 00:01:57.320 --> 00:01:57.859 He asked. 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:00.200 About Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.719 He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:10.560 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 00:02:10.920 --> 00:02:14.620 But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:20.060 And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:23.000 In addition, some of our women amazed us. 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:26.180 They went to the tomb early this morning, but didn't find his body. 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:31.099 They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. 00:02:31.659 --> 00:02:35.659 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:37.580 But they did not see Jesus. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:38.900 He said to them, 00:02:39.099 --> 00:02:43.819 How foolish you are and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:48.319 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:55.159 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:01.239 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:03.199 But they urged him strongly, 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:05.060 Stay with us, for it is nearly evening. 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:06.620 The day is almost over. 00:03:07.139 --> 00:03:08.419 So he went in to stay with them. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:13.599 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:18.719 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:20.219 They asked each other, 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:27.000 Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us? 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.199 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:35.180 There they found the eleven and those with them assembled together and saying, 00:03:35.500 --> 00:03:38.939 It is true, the Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. 00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:41.879 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:56.039 Thank you, Will and Vaughn. 00:03:56.859 --> 00:03:58.519 Happy Easter, Christ Church. 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:00.539 So good to be with you today. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:07.680 You know, it's become custom this time of year to do a passion play. 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:12.960 And there was, many years ago I heard about a passion play production, 00:04:13.319 --> 00:04:16.740 the first part of which was a resounding success. 00:04:17.060 --> 00:04:20.420 The actors delivered their lines with eloquence and feeling. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:27.480 They brought tears to the eyes of the audience when they were rendering Jesus' last days, 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:33.879 the anguish in the garden, the upper room, and the betrayal and the trial and all these scenes. 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:41.920 And then it came for that climactic crucifixion scene when Jesus was dramatically hoisted up on the cross. 00:04:42.620 --> 00:04:44.139 And that scene unfolded. 00:04:44.219 --> 00:04:48.839 It came to the end and Jesus there on the cross, he cried out in a loud voice, 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:49.839 It is finished! 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:53.199 And then he bowed his head and he breathed his last. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:05:00.699 And time went on and for some reason the Roman soldiers offstage were distracted. 00:05:00.819 --> 00:05:03.839 They missed their cue and didn't come out on stage. 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:09.180 So after a while Jesus, who had died, he kind of turned his head like this and peaked. 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:11.659 And he noticed that they missed their cue. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.980 So he raised his voice again and cried out even louder, 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:16.060 It is finished! 00:05:16.060 --> 00:05:19.939 And then he bowed his head and breathed his last again. 00:05:20.819 --> 00:05:27.259 And finally the Roman soldiers, they got their cue and in their rush to get out on stage, 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:31.800 they didn't grab the collapsible swords and spears, they grabbed real ones instead. 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:36.040 And so one of the Roman soldiers came out and thrust the spear in Jesus' side. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:38.720 And he cried out in a loud voice, 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:40.620 Oh God, I've been stabbed! 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:44.300 And most of the audience was thinking, 00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:47.379 Okay, this is kind of an artistic twist on the Passion Play. 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:52.720 The more biblically literate folks there knew that Jesus in fact had never said that 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:55.319 because he was in fact dead at that time. 00:05:56.060 --> 00:05:59.100 And the stage manager knew something had gone terribly wrong, 00:05:59.220 --> 00:06:04.680 so brought the curtain down and behind the curtain they took the bleeding Jesus off the cross 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:06.439 and rushed him off to the emergency room. 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:14.379 And the cast huddled up together and they decided the play must go on to the glory of God. 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:16.959 And so they brought out Understudy Jesus. 00:06:17.719 --> 00:06:22.060 And Understudy Jesus did a fantastic job with the resurrection scenes 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:27.220 and it came time for the final scene where Jesus ascends into heaven. 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:31.779 And the crew had rigged up this Peter Pan weight system. 00:06:31.779 --> 00:06:37.039 And the goal was to gently lift Jesus heavenward 00:06:37.039 --> 00:06:44.139 and it would be this really striking and dramatic, powerful image of him going up into heaven. 00:06:44.679 --> 00:06:48.839 The problem is they had never rehearsed this particular scene with Understudy Jesus 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:53.519 who was considerably lighter in weight than his predecessor. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.899 So it came time for Jesus to raise his hands and bless the disciples 00:06:57.899 --> 00:06:59.459 and promise them the Holy Spirit. 00:06:59.459 --> 00:07:05.779 And then the harness launched Jesus off the stage, just launched him up. 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:10.379 And with a shriek, he went up and kind of bounced around in the rafters up there. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:15.799 And a bruised and battered Jesus was slowly lowered back down to the stage. 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:23.759 And for the second time that night, they took him off and sent him away to the emergency room. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:28.039 And I say that because, you know, we come to Easter. 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:29.899 Many people come to church on Easter. 00:07:30.039 --> 00:07:31.420 They're looking for the real Jesus. 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:35.699 They're looking for the authentic, original, historical Jesus. 00:07:35.899 --> 00:07:41.079 But so many of us have gotten versions of Jesus that are far too human. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:42.519 We don't know if it's a comedy. 00:07:42.719 --> 00:07:43.740 We don't know if it's a tragedy. 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:44.560 It's a fairy tale. 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:46.839 We're not sure what to make of all this. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:52.339 And the one thing we know is the version of Jesus we have probably needs to go to the emergency room 00:07:52.339 --> 00:07:53.819 and get some surgery. 00:07:54.859 --> 00:07:57.379 You know, as we come with our own questions today, 00:07:58.159 --> 00:08:04.279 we come, I think, wondering, you know, whether or not Jesus actually was raised from the dead. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:11.439 We wonder what it might mean to take seriously the fact that he is the resurrected son of God. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:16.620 And if he is that, then what does that mean for our ordinary, everyday lives? 00:08:16.660 --> 00:08:20.740 So that's what we're looking at today and next week as we explore Luke 24, 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:23.480 these resurrection appearances of Jesus. 00:08:23.939 --> 00:08:35.340 And our story today tells us that we know the risen Christ through spectators and Scripture and sharing. 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:42.879 That's the gist of our story today, that we know the risen Christ through spectators, Scripture, and sharing. 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:47.700 And so I want to talk first of all about how we know the risen Christ through spectators. 00:08:48.540 --> 00:08:51.340 Many people say the resurrection never happened. 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:56.560 It's this wonderful symbol, this mythic fable in which good triumphs over evil 00:08:56.560 --> 00:08:59.280 and life continues in the face of death. 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:01.980 And as dark as things get, there's always the dawn. 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:04.680 No matter how bad it is, we can live in faith. 00:09:04.679 --> 00:09:05.799 That's the message, right? 00:09:06.479 --> 00:09:14.959 But surely we can't believe that Jesus was literally, physically, historically risen from the dead, never to die again. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:20.019 But the gospel writers say, yes, in fact, that's what we believe because that's what happened. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:24.519 And they go to remarkable lengths to show that this is not a legend. 00:09:24.659 --> 00:09:28.279 It's not a vision, a myth, a nice story that never happened. 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:36.120 And they say that it's a once, one-off, shocking historical event that no one was expecting. 00:09:36.199 --> 00:09:46.079 And I want to just point out a few features that are important to consider if you wonder whether or not the New Testament is historically reliable. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:47.899 First of all, Luke is a historian. 00:09:48.579 --> 00:09:52.319 And Luke writes his history on the basis of oral testimonies. 00:09:52.320 --> 00:10:00.240 And so you notice in verse 18, it says that one of the two that was walking along the road, he was named Cleopas. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.280 Why does Luke tell us his name? 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.800 The two of them are walking along. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:06.440 Only one of them gets a name. 00:10:06.520 --> 00:10:12.379 If this is a fictional story, then you would expect for both of the characters to have a name or neither of them to have a name. 00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:14.920 So why do we get only one name? 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:17.879 I'll refer you to another passage. 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:19.839 It's John 18, the Gospel of John. 00:10:19.959 --> 00:10:20.159 It says, 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:26.799 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. 00:10:27.319 --> 00:10:29.539 And in parentheses, the servant's name was Malchus. 00:10:29.779 --> 00:10:30.559 Well, why do we care? 00:10:30.959 --> 00:10:31.860 Who's Malchus? 00:10:32.579 --> 00:10:34.419 How about Mark chapter 15? 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:36.059 Andrew mentioned this on Good Friday. 00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:51.339 Why are the writers including these random names for us? 00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:53.500 Well, they don't do it without a purpose. 00:10:54.500 --> 00:10:59.099 You know, modern readers, we do all of our fact checking through footnotes, right? 00:10:59.419 --> 00:11:01.699 That's how we verify an author's claims. 00:11:02.179 --> 00:11:03.719 We go to their sources of authority. 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.740 We see if what's being written is true or not true. 00:11:07.820 --> 00:11:10.519 But in the ancient world, they didn't use footnotes. 00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:19.000 Instead, they gave the names of living eyewitnesses whose testimony was the basis of the account. 00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:20.220 And this is an oral culture. 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:26.500 These are people who can retell their account with incredible accuracy from memory. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:27.779 And so the Gospel writers are saying, 00:11:27.779 --> 00:11:32.139 Look, if you don't believe us, go and talk to Cleopas. 00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:33.860 Go talk to Malchus. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:36.799 Go ask Simon and Rufus and Alexander. 00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:38.620 They'll tell you what they saw. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.860 Because they're still living when Luke wrote his Gospel. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:44.879 So Luke's writing history. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:49.879 If this were a fictional story, he would have never included the witness of these women. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:56.200 You know, fortunately we live in a time where a woman's testimony is trusted in a court of law. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.720 But that was not the case in the first century. 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:04.300 And yet, who were the first eyewitnesses to the resurrection in all four of our Gospels? 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:06.019 We read in verse 1, 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.759 It was on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:13.259 that the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:14.620 And they were not thinking to themselves, 00:12:14.820 --> 00:12:17.060 I can't wait to witness a resurrection today. 00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:20.399 You know, Easter brunch later on is going to be fantastic. 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:24.560 They went thinking, who's going to roll the stone away? 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.240 They went with these spices to embalm a corpse. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.680 They did not go to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:37.639 But we're told in verse 5 that they're there and they got this message from these heavenly messengers 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:40.259 that say, why do you look for the living among the dead? 00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:41.560 He is not here. 00:12:41.940 --> 00:12:42.639 He has risen. 00:12:42.740 --> 00:12:44.700 And they took that message and it says in verse 10, 00:12:44.779 --> 00:12:50.060 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the others with them 00:12:50.060 --> 00:12:52.659 who told this to the apostles. 00:12:52.659 --> 00:13:00.219 If you're making up the story, nothing could undermine your credibility more than the witness of these women 00:13:00.219 --> 00:13:05.719 because the bias at the time did not consider them a reliable source of information. 00:13:05.860 --> 00:13:10.039 The only reason you would write the story this way is that the facts forced you to. 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:13.120 This was in fact how it happened. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:19.620 We talk a lot in our day about centering the voices of women, the stories of women, 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:23.519 which is a wonderful thing, but we talk about that as if it's a new idea. 00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:26.379 You know who came up with that idea? 00:13:27.220 --> 00:13:28.720 It was the Christian movement. 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:32.220 It came out of the movement of Jesus himself. 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:37.600 So Luke is piling up for us all kind of evidence for us to consider. 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:42.100 The empty tomb, the appearances of the resurrected Jesus to his disciples, 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:45.720 these eyewitness testimonies of named sources, 00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:51.500 Mary, Joanna, Salome, Susanna, Cleopas, Peter, John, Thomas, 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:53.820 through all four gospels. 00:13:54.460 --> 00:14:00.000 These spectators are saying to us what was said inside of the empty tomb of Jesus. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.159 Jesus, why would you look for the living among the dead? 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:05.899 He's not here. 00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:07.539 He is risen. 00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:14.700 This is the day that death died and Jesus won a victory over death and he is now alive. 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:21.000 He got up in the darkness of the night and now he's loose out there in the world. 00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:25.240 And I know that that seems for some of us like a silly fantasy. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.320 And if that's you, you're not alone 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:30.400 because that's how it sounded to the apostles themselves. 00:14:30.680 --> 00:14:31.320 In verse 11, 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:36.300 they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:38.960 But these men and these women, 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:42.040 they would go out and they would encounter the risen Jesus 00:14:42.040 --> 00:14:47.360 and they would be so deeply transformed by their experience of the living one 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:52.320 that they found themselves no longer dead but alive. 00:14:53.240 --> 00:15:02.039 Alive spiritually, alive morally, alive to the hope that they too would one day be risen from the dead. 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:03.080 And that is our hope. 00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:09.580 If Jesus is alive, then we too can have his life and have it forever. 00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:11.379 And that's how we know the risen Christ. 00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:15.179 We know the risen Christ through spectators. 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:17.559 Spectators who were there. 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:19.679 Saw with their own eyes. 00:15:20.659 --> 00:15:24.899 We know the risen Christ not only through spectators but also through Scripture. 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:27.460 We know the risen Christ through Scripture. 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:31.179 I want to fast forward to the end of the story in verse 32. 00:15:31.179 --> 00:15:36.939 And it says that these two that were walking along this road together, 00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:38.239 they asked each other, 00:15:38.319 --> 00:15:40.359 were not our hearts burning within us 00:15:40.359 --> 00:15:45.579 while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? 00:15:45.579 --> 00:15:47.919 These were two depressed disciples 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:50.739 who were dragging their feet as they walked along 00:15:50.739 --> 00:15:53.779 because their friend Jesus had been executed on Friday. 00:15:54.939 --> 00:15:58.579 Passover came to an end and now they're headed home. 00:15:58.580 --> 00:16:03.860 And as they're walking, a stranger who's not shy joins them in the conversation 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.080 and says, what's the latest? 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:06.460 What's up? 00:16:06.520 --> 00:16:07.259 What's going on? 00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:09.200 And they're amazed. 00:16:09.300 --> 00:16:11.980 They're amazed at the cluelessness of this person 00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:15.480 who has no idea about the news that everybody's talking about. 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:19.020 And so they begin to tell this stranger all about Jesus. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:25.680 Jesus was a man full of power in his teaching and in his touch. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:28.000 Everybody wanted to hear him. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:29.759 Everybody wanted to be healed by him. 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:33.360 Jesus had authority, the authority of God himself 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:36.240 in his words and in his deeds. 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:41.059 And they say in verse 21, Cleopas says, 00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:46.779 we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.379 We thought he would be our deliverer. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:53.440 We thought he would come to liberate us and to bring about a new exodus, 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:54.940 but he was crucified. 00:16:54.940 --> 00:17:01.680 And our friends told us about all this strange stuff this morning when they visited his tomb 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:06.660 and there was no body and there was some idea that maybe Jesus was alive. 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:10.100 But that's crazy because we all know that the dead stay dead. 00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:13.440 I mean, it sounds good, but who could take that seriously? 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.600 And so they're sad. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:18.519 They're sad because death has the last word. 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:26.720 Death means that there is no redemption in this broken, fallen, sinful world in which we live. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:30.139 Can you imagine telling this story to Jesus? 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:34.960 Telling Jesus all that he needs to know about Jesus? 00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:37.859 Well, what happens next is extraordinary. 00:17:37.859 --> 00:17:41.619 He, verse 25, he, Jesus, said to them, 00:17:42.639 --> 00:17:47.259 how foolish you are and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 00:17:47.419 --> 00:17:53.219 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? 00:17:53.339 --> 00:17:55.599 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, 00:17:55.740 --> 00:18:00.199 he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:04.240 Jesus doesn't say, hey, guys, look at me. 00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:09.400 He says, hey, let me unpack for you the truest truths of the universe. 00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:14.700 And Jesus gives the most amazing crash course for how to read the Bible. 00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.779 He exposits the word of God. 00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:21.700 He interprets the Old Testament to them, which is, if you try to do, you know is quite difficult. 00:18:21.860 --> 00:18:25.600 Because these are people who knew their Bible extremely well. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:32.079 But what Jesus does is he gives them a golden key to unlock its deepest meaning. 00:18:32.219 --> 00:18:38.099 He gives them new lenses through which to read with fresh eyes. 00:18:38.199 --> 00:18:40.279 And he says in verse, it says in 27, it says, 00:18:40.419 --> 00:18:45.559 he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. 00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:54.639 When you interpret the Bible, know that it points to and it centers upon a suffering Messiah. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:59.100 And that his crucifixion is not the devastation of your hope. 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:02.440 It is, in fact, its climax in fulfillment. 00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:08.600 And Jesus begins to go through the historical precedents, the prophetic promises, the psalmist prayers. 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:13.480 And he shows this constant theme and pattern that they had not seen until now. 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:18.860 That Israel's sufferings increased in Egypt to the screaming point. 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:21.759 And then redemption came. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.500 That Israel cried to the Lord in her suffering. 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:30.039 And then God raised up judges to deliver. 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:35.180 That the pagans, the Assyrians, they swept through Israel and had their way. 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:38.740 But then they were routed by the Lord himself. 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:42.680 Jesus says it's always suffering and then glory. 00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:44.779 And you've got to have eyes to see that. 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:50.799 Jesus began, I'm sure, to walk them through all the promises that God had made to Abraham. 00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:56.700 And they got expanded under Moses and got even larger under David. 00:19:56.879 --> 00:20:06.000 And where God says, I will bring my saving purposes for this world to birth through a suffering yet vindicated Israel. 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:08.299 And then through a remnant of Israel. 00:20:08.399 --> 00:20:11.259 And then through one who would embody all of Israel. 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:18.200 And walking through the prophets, Jesus told them about the suffering servant of God's servant people. 00:20:18.879 --> 00:20:25.000 He told them all about the Son of Man who would carry Israel and the world through intense suffering. 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:28.200 To emerge on the other side of exile. 00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:32.259 On the other side of human alienation with sins forgiven. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.099 And a covenant renewed. 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:36.960 And a kingdom finally established. 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:40.500 The risen Jesus comes along to people like you and me. 00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:43.980 And he says, let me interpret the scriptures for you. 00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:50.079 Because for them, a crucified Messiah is an oxymoron, is it not? 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:53.100 It's a complete contradiction in terms. 00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:55.079 You might as well talk about fried ice. 00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:57.340 Or a square circle. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:59.039 Or dark light. 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:10.220 Jesus says, let me interpret for you the divine necessity of suffering for the forgiveness of sins and the justifying of sinners. 00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:15.899 And I imagine in this conversation, Jesus took Cleopas' puzzled statement. 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:20.980 And he gave it a slightest twist to turn it into a joyful statement of Christian faith. 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:23.659 Cleopas said, they crucified him. 00:21:24.399 --> 00:21:27.659 But we had hoped that he would redeem Israel. 00:21:27.660 --> 00:21:31.340 And I'm sure Jesus said, yeah, they crucified him. 00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:34.220 And that was how he did redeem Israel. 00:21:34.300 --> 00:21:37.080 And through Israel, all the world. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:44.960 Jesus, I'm sure, took them through one of the most beloved texts that talks about suffering, then glory. 00:21:45.080 --> 00:21:46.680 It's Isaiah 53. 00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:49.580 And I hope it's one that we know well at Christ Church. 00:21:50.360 --> 00:21:55.779 It says this, that he, the suffering servant, was pierced for our transgressions. 00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:59.119 He was crushed for our iniquities. 00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:03.180 The punishment that brought us peace was on him. 00:22:03.819 --> 00:22:07.019 And by his wounds, we are healed. 00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:14.299 And then it says, after he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied. 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:20.619 And then by his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many. 00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:23.440 He will justify many. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:25.880 Christ Church. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:35.000 What does this astonishing, breathtaking Easter Sunday Bible study with the risen Jesus mean for us? 00:22:35.840 --> 00:22:40.480 How does the living Christ speak to his church even today? 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:55.000 Does he, like the politicians and the advertisers, short circuit and bypass our mind to go straight to our heart and there to stir up all of our feelings and pull on our heartstrings and manipulate all of our emotions? 00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:56.700 No. 00:22:57.539 --> 00:23:00.779 Jesus gets to our hearts through our heads. 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:26.220 And it's the experience of the burning heart that comes through the scriptures, properly opened to our open minds, properly interpreted, explained, and applied in the way that Jesus taught his truth to his apostles those next 40 days after the resurrection, before his ascension, which they wrote down for us in the New Testament. 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:31.000 Their interpretation is the Lord himself's interpretation. 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:35.279 Friends, genuine resurrection faith. 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:38.720 Authentic Easter faith. 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:41.700 Issues in this burning heart. 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:56.000 Entrance inside of us, a heart that's fired up by the spirit of God, teaching us the word of God, hearts that are thrilled by the exposition of the scriptures to our minds. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:03.579 if Jesus is alive and we have his presence the Bible is no longer just an interesting 00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:10.880 book for us it is the megaphone through which the living Lord powerfully speaks to us today 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:17.420 if you're here today and you want your heart set ablaze by the presence and the power of the risen 00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:25.079 Christ read your Bible it's one of the first things that the risen Christ did when he stepped 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:31.159 out of his tomb to begin the new creation was to open the scriptures to teach his disciples then 00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:38.699 shouldn't this be one of the first things that we do when we step out of bed to begin a new day 00:24:38.699 --> 00:24:44.439 if the living Jesus taught the scriptures not just to one individual disciple 00:24:44.439 --> 00:24:51.179 but the two disciples journeying together shouldn't it be our high priority to open the scriptures with 00:24:51.180 --> 00:25:00.400 other people who want to know the truth if you don't have the habit of daily Bible reading I want 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:06.039 to encourage you to start tomorrow in the Psalms start with a chapter of the Gospels you can start 00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:11.799 with our epistles for everyone reading plan start somewhere because that's where the living Christ 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:18.440 speaks to us and if you're not journeying together with other people around an open scripture in the 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:24.400 presence of Christ I want to encourage you email me email Andrew we'll help you find someone to do 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:32.580 that with and when we open the scriptures we should pray for Jesus presence and his guidance and be 00:25:32.580 --> 00:25:40.900 prepared for him to rebuke our foolish and faithless readings in order to have a fresh and listen to a 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:48.340 fresh interpretation from him because it's only with him at our side that our minds can 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:54.500 catch fire that our hearts can begin to burn and where Christ himself can lead us to that point 00:25:54.500 --> 00:26:03.439 where faith will become sight and we'll one day see him face to face this is how we know the risen 00:26:03.439 --> 00:26:11.220 Christ through spectators and through scriptures and finally through sharing we know the risen Christ through 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:19.019 sharing and I'll end with this what does the what is the genuine experience of the risen Christ achieve 00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:30.220 well it leads to a witnessing proclaiming gospel telling church all the stories of Luke 24 the people get up to go 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:38.480 and to tell others that they've discovered and experienced the risen and living Christ will read it so well a minute ago 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:44.339 it says in verse 33 they got up and returned at once to Jerusalem and there they found the eleven 00:26:44.339 --> 00:26:53.160 and those with them assembled together and saying it is true the Lord has risen they didn't even finish their meal 00:26:53.160 --> 00:27:01.160 they just got up and started running in the dark at great risk to themselves why because they just had to tell 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:07.660 others and they were met with the other disciples who had to share their news they couldn't contain their joy 00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:16.019 either everybody was a skeptic but their doubts were overturned and they came to a conviction that the Lord 00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:23.300 he's risen if he's risen then we're forgiven if he's risen then the world's going to be recreated if he's risen 00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:34.159 then all will be put right their burning hearts began to set the church on fire their burning hearts would go out and set the world on fire 00:27:34.159 --> 00:27:44.139 Jesus ends the gospel with the empty tomb and Jesus appearances to his disciples but we're going to get into the second volume that he wrote 00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:52.339 the sequel called the Acts of the Apostles where he talks about the permanently changed lives of these skeptics turned messengers 00:27:52.339 --> 00:28:00.779 they had been total failures they had completely abandoned and denied Jesus constantly failing him and letting him down 00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:09.279 at every turn but but because of the resurrection because of the risen Christ they had within themselves now a new life 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:22.199 an irrepressible joy an unshakable faith that turned them from cowards into courageous men and women that went out and shared the good news 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:26.620 with their friends with their friends with their friends neighbors and coworkers they didn't just stop there 00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:29.840 they went they took the gospel all the way west to Italy 00:28:29.840 --> 00:28:33.980 all the way east to India they took the gospel south 00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:39.000 to Ethiopia they took the gospel north to the peoples of Eurasia why 00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:41.759 because they couldn't contain the joy 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:44.380 of the resurrection they just 00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:46.319 had to share it 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:47.700 with other people 00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:49.919 and how did they do it 00:28:49.919 --> 00:28:52.679 they simply followed the model 00:28:52.679 --> 00:28:53.819 of Jesus 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:56.119 they went out 00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:59.939 and they began to come alongside people like these two 00:28:59.939 --> 00:29:01.759 on the road to Emmaus 00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:04.919 walking sorrowfully along the path 00:29:04.919 --> 00:29:06.759 of life sad and dismayed 00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:08.960 at the total failure of human 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:09.419 hopes 00:29:09.419 --> 00:29:12.439 living under death's long and dark 00:29:12.439 --> 00:29:14.539 shadow they went out and found people 00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:16.259 people who'd experienced tragedy 00:29:16.259 --> 00:29:18.359 and misfortune and loss 00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:19.700 people who'd been let down 00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:20.819 by God 00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:22.899 people who were desolate 00:29:22.899 --> 00:29:23.940 and crushed 00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:24.879 and alone 00:29:24.879 --> 00:29:25.720 and like Jesus 00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:28.079 they offered companionship 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:31.319 and they began to walk beside them as friends 00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:32.440 on the journey 00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:34.319 and they helped them over time 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.420 to discover in the scripture 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.619 their lay keys 00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:40.180 keys that unlock the central 00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:42.180 mysteries of reality 00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:44.139 keys that enable us to discover 00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:45.100 the truth 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:46.080 for ourselves 00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:47.860 and somewhere in that process 00:29:47.860 --> 00:29:48.860 every time 00:29:48.860 --> 00:29:50.300 people 00:29:50.300 --> 00:29:51.860 would begin to experience 00:29:51.860 --> 00:29:53.120 and realize 00:29:53.120 --> 00:29:54.259 the presence 00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.420 and power 00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:57.000 of the living Christ 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:57.840 himself 00:29:57.840 --> 00:30:00.020 and their hearts 00:30:00.020 --> 00:30:00.800 would be warmed 00:30:00.800 --> 00:30:02.560 by the truth 00:30:02.560 --> 00:30:04.180 of his sacrificial 00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:04.900 self-giving 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.920 love 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:08.200 that's the experience 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:09.360 of innumerable people 00:30:09.360 --> 00:30:10.280 who become Christians 00:30:10.280 --> 00:30:11.440 from the first century 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:13.120 to the 21st century 00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:14.299 and maybe you have a story 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:14.860 like that 00:30:14.860 --> 00:30:16.240 maybe a man 00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.759 or a woman 00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:18.220 came alongside you 00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:19.460 in the sadness 00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.340 of your journey 00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:22.100 and their hearts 00:30:22.100 --> 00:30:22.720 were burning 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:23.279 within them 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:24.259 and they had come 00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:25.580 to have open eyes 00:30:25.580 --> 00:30:26.120 to the scriptures 00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:26.980 open eyes 00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:27.620 to God 00:30:27.620 --> 00:30:28.720 in Christ 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:29.880 and their feet 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:31.220 had become energized 00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:33.160 to go out 00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:33.720 and at risk 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:34.220 to themselves 00:30:34.220 --> 00:30:35.480 to tell the good news 00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.620 to you 00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:38.259 why 00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.339 because we share 00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:41.279 what we most love 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:44.079 and we commend 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:45.759 what we most cherish 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:47.479 and we cannot 00:30:47.479 --> 00:30:48.459 keep 00:30:48.459 --> 00:30:50.379 our greatest joy 00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:51.559 to 00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.839 ourselves 00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:55.519 Christ Church 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:57.259 Jesus 00:30:57.259 --> 00:30:58.139 is risen 00:30:58.139 --> 00:30:58.739 from the dead 00:30:58.739 --> 00:31:00.859 he has launched 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:02.239 the new creation 00:31:02.239 --> 00:31:03.799 in which all 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:04.439 is forgiven 00:31:04.439 --> 00:31:06.219 all is recreated 00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:07.600 all is reborn 00:31:07.600 --> 00:31:08.960 so let us join him 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.220 in this project 00:31:10.220 --> 00:31:11.299 let us become 00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:13.259 resurrection people 00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:14.720 people of joy 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.839 people of life 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:16.860 for this world 00:31:16.860 --> 00:31:17.360 still 00:31:17.360 --> 00:31:17.839 and death 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:19.160 people for the world 00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:20.700 that Jesus loves so much 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:22.539 he gave his life 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:23.819 let us celebrate today 00:31:23.819 --> 00:31:25.440 and not just today 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:26.039 but this year 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:26.980 let's celebrate 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:28.220 God's victory 00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:28.980 over death 00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:30.319 and let us commit ourselves 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:31.140 even now 00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:33.079 to Jesus' mission 00:31:33.079 --> 00:31:34.859 to giving life 00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:36.379 to this world 00:31:36.379 --> 00:31:38.460 in the name of the Father 00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:39.500 Son and Holy Spirit 00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.720 Amen 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.220 you 00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:43.079 so let's judge 00:31:51.079 --> 00:32:04.779 and take part