Hey, well, good morning.
Open your Bibles, if you would please, to Luke, chapter 24.
It's my prayer for this service and for our time together
You know, things would be so much easier to believe in Christ
if I had seen Him for myself.
It would have been so much easier if I had seen His miracles,
if I had heard Him teach,
if I had been there and saw Him raise the dead
or heal the leper
or heal those blind men by the side of the road.
It just would have been so much easier.
If I would have seen the empty tomb,
then, man, the wrestling that I have with faith
would have been so much easier.
But this morning's passage is proof that that's not true.
This morning's passage is proof
and actually the passage from last week
and the passage next week will be proof
that you can have all the evidence all stacked up,
the empty tomb, Jesus Christ appearing,
walking with you on the road,
having a conversation
and yet you still cannot see
with eyes of faith to believe
and what Jesus will demonstrate
through His interaction today
with two disciples on the road to Emmaus
that the Word of God is sufficient.
The Word of God has power.
It's the Word of God that changes hearts and transforms.
And so if you're thinking about your own life
and wondering,
that issue in my life I just can't seem to get past,
or that person in my life
that I want to receive
and enjoy the benefits of the gospel,
or that co-worker
that you have been trying to share the gospel with
and your heart is
that they would come to faith in Christ,
the evidence of an empty tomb,
the evidence of Jesus Christ
actually walking along beside you
isn't enough.
What you and I have in the Word of God
is sufficient to save.
It is sufficient to save.
That's the encouragement of this message this morning.
The passage that we read,
the encouragement is,
the Word of God has power to save.
It opens blind eyes.
It changes and saves dead hearts.
It rescues blind people
and restores them back to sight.
It gives them faith.
And here we are.
We're going to be looking at these two disciples of Jesus.
They're walking back from Emmaus,
or from Jerusalem to their home,
and they are shattered
by the events that just took place in Jerusalem.
You see, the problem is that
they had limited eyes of faith.
They saw and knew the promises
about this coming future Messiah,
this Christ person.
They knew the promises,
but what they believed about Christ
was conditioned by their own heart,
and He's going to be a king.
He's going to reunite Israel.
He's going to put us in the land.
Things are going to be happy and joyous
and wonderful when the Messiah comes.
He's going to liberate us from oppression.
We're not going to have these problems anymore.
That's the perspective they had
of the Messiah, of the Christ.
They could not.
They did not have a category
for a suffering Messiah.
They did not have a compartment
for a Christ that would die.
And so, leaving Jerusalem,
they're shattered.
I imagine that we can resonate.
We understand.
And especially, I'm sorry guys,
we're probably the biggest to blame for this.
Okay?
Like, we go to the refrigerator.
We're looking for that thing.
We know it was there,
but we can't see it for some reason.
And so we ask for help.
Those of you who are wise,
ask for help.
The rest of us,
we just try to hunt and search
and 15 minutes goes by,
we still don't find it.
But those who are smart say,
hey honey, please help me.
She says, well it's right here.
And she pulls it out.
I was looking for the blue container.
That's red now.
How did that happen?
You know how it goes, right?
Well, I want to just put this little test
for you as well.
So you can kind of sympathize with me here.
Now, here's a picture of a duck.
Okay?
Here's a picture of a duck.
You know a duck.
A duck head.
He's a beak.
He's looking up to the left.
Okay?
Now, here's another picture of a duck.
Okay?
You can see this picture of a duck.
The question is,
can you see the bunny?
Can you see the bunny?
So you've been conditioned,
and those of you,
you've seen this before,
you're really smart.
The smart people in the room,
the rest of us,
or me,
I struggle.
Okay?
You might see the bunny.
But here,
this might help.
Let's look at the bunny.
Okay?
There's a bunny.
Now we can go back to the combined picture.
And maybe it's a little easier to see.
Or maybe you're still struggling.
I still can't see that bunny.
Or I can only see the bunny.
I can't see that duck.
This is the problem
that the disciples were having.
The disciples they were having,
they were locked in to a picture.
This picture they had in mind
of the Christ,
the Messiah.
They knew what he was going to look like,
but they could not see
the suffering parts.
The suffering of Christ
was drowned out
by the noise of celebration.
In their hearts,
they were ready to rejoice
at the coming of Messiah.
They could not comprehend
the possibility
of a suffering Christ.
So we come to our passage this morning,
and I would encourage you,
if you're not there yet,
Luke 24.
If you're using the Pew Bible,
it's on page 884.
Please join us
in looking at the Word of God
together
as we look through this together.
Beginning in verse 13,
we're going to see
two blind disciples.
Two blind disciples.
Now they're not blind
because they can't see
visually or physically.
They're blind in a spiritual way,
and we're going to see that
as we work our way
through the text today.
And they're blind
for several reasons.
We're going to pick up on that
as we work through
this passage as well.
But notice their blindness
as I read through
from verses 13 to 20.
It says,
that very day,
two of them were going
to a village named Emmaus,
about seven miles
from Jerusalem,
and they were talking
with each other
about all these things
that had happened.
While they were talking
and discussing together,
Jesus himself drew near
and went with them.
But their eyes were kept
from recognizing him.
And he said to them,
what is the conversation
that you are holding
with each other
as you walk?
And they stood still,
looking sad.
Then one of them
named Cleopas
answered him,
are you the only visitor
to Jerusalem
who does not know
the things that have happened
there in these days?
And he said to them,
what things?
And they said to him,
concerning Jesus of Nazareth,
a man who was a prophet,
mighty in deed,
and word before God
and all the people,
and how our chief priests
and rulers delivered him up
to be condemned to death
and to crucify him.
Two blind disciples
on their way home.
They're blinded
by several factors
and just want to draw out
a few of them this morning.
First, they're blinded
by their limited perspective.
They're blinded
by their limited perspective.
We know that there are
two disciples
and disciples
in kind of in a general term
in that they're from
a larger group
of those who followed
after Jesus.
They're not one
of the eleven apostles,
but they're one
of the disciples
or followers of Jesus.
And it says that very day,
two of them,
speaking about two
out of a collective
or a larger group,
probably had been in Bethany,
had definitely been there
in Jerusalem
during the Passover.
And now,
after the Passover
is finished,
and after the Sabbath
is done,
now they can finally
make their way home.
Emmaus,
it says,
was seven miles away.
And while we don't know
the specific location,
and there's some controversy
or some confusion
about where the actual
Emmaus was,
it's likely a town
that's about seven miles
to the west of Jerusalem.
They have likely
left later in the morning.
There's details
about the story
that they will share
with Christ.
It's clear that they've been
in Jerusalem.
It's clear that they've heard
about the resurrection.
It's clear that some women
have come back
and reported to them.
It's clear that there have been
some disciples
that have gone to the tomb
and reported back
to the group.
And somewhere late morning,
perhaps,
they are making their way
back home.
So they travel.
And there's one thing
on their mind.
There's one thing
that consumes their attention
and their conversation.
We find that in verse 14.
They were talking
with each other
about all these things
that happened.
What things?
Well, the things
that happened
during that week.
The things that we've been
discussing
since the beginning
of the year
as we've been working
our way through
this final week
of Jesus' life.
Punctuated by that
triumphal entry
where Jesus comes
into Jerusalem
riding on a donkey.
He's humble
and riding on a donkey.
But the palm branches
that are waving,
Hosanna to the Son of David.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
And then his cleansing
of the temple
on the next day.
The time that he spends
answering questions,
very difficult questions
from all the different
religious leaders
to establish
his authority
and knowledge
of the Word of God.
And of course,
the Passover
that he shared
with his disciples.
This Passover feast
that was to commemorate
that lamb
that was to take
the place
of the firstborn son
in the home
and the blood
that was painted
on the doorpost.
This symbol
and picture
of redemption.
This price
that had been paid.
The blood that was
painted on the doorposts
so the angel
would pass over.
But there's a problem.
The problem was
that the death
of Christ
did not have
a compartment
or a category
in their minds
as they thought
about Jesus
or the Messiah.
Death
had no category
in their minds
or his suffering
for that matter.
And as they're discussing
and the word here
is even arguing
with one another,
perhaps they're arguing
about the scriptures,
a stranger appears
in verse 15 and 16.
While they were talking
and discussing together,
Jesus himself
drew near
and went with them
and then this,
but their eyes
were kept
from recognizing him.
Jesus joins the group
which would have been
typical in that day
where strangers come
and they share the road
and they converse
with one another
as they're walking
along the way.
But this problem
that Jesus himself
was there
but they could not
recognize him.
Why?
Because their eyes
were kept
from recognizing him.
Their eyes were kept
from recognizing him.
This is a passive.
It means that they're
a recipient
of action.
This word
for kept
is to hold,
onto,
to grab,
to seize,
to control,
to arrest.
That their eyes
were shut.
They were closed.
They were unable
to see Jesus
standing right
in front of them.
They could not
recognize
who he was.
They're blinded
from seeing
the Lord
for who he is.
Of course,
this was the last person
they expected to see.
That's part of the problem.
But for now,
their eyes are kept
from seeing
because there's
an important lesson
for us to learn
in this story.
A lesson
that only Luke
will share with us
about these two
that are moving
from Jerusalem
to Emmaus.
They're stunned.
Notice,
Jesus asked them
a question
in verse 17.
What is this conversation
that you're having
with each other
as you walk?
And they stood still
looking sad.
Here they are
walking along
the road
and the question
is asked
and you can almost see
they're stopping
in their tracks,
perhaps turning around,
making eye contact
with Christ,
perhaps putting
their arms
on their hips
and just,
what in the world
is your problem?
Because of their
limited perspective.
They had eyes
that could only see
what they were
conditioned to see.
Their limited perspective
kept them
from being able
to see Christ.
But there's something else.
We find that
in verses 18 to 21.
We find in verses
18 to 21
their narrow view
of redemption.
Let me read this.
Then one of them
named Cleobas
answered,
Are you the only
visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know
the things that have
happened here
in these days?
Their narrow view
of redemption.
I want to just define
this word redemption
for you so you know
what we're talking about.
Redemption is this
action of regaining
possession of something
in exchange for payment
or clearing a debt.
Basically,
when you go to the store
and you purchase something,
you're redeeming it.
You're exchanging
a value of money
for that item.
This is what Jesus
has done for us
by dying for us
on the cross.
There was a redemption
price that was paid.
He paid the price
that we deserve to pay
for the wages
or the penalty
or the payment
for sin
is death
but the gift of God
is eternal life
through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Jesus paid
that redemption price
so that we could
enjoy the benefits
of salvation
to those who believe.
But their idea
or concept of redemption
was that Jesus
was going to
deliver them
from Roman occupation.
Jesus was going to come
and he was going to
make everything better
for them.
He was going to
take away the taxes.
He was going to
restore the people
back to Israel.
He was going to unite
both the northern
and southern tribes.
He was going to
make everything better.
That was their concept
of redemption.
But they should have
known better.
They should have known better
because what we're going
to see here
in these next several verses
is how they answer
this question
the question that Jesus
asked about
what are you discussing
will demonstrate
they have all the right
knowledge
but not the right faith.
You can have all
the right facts.
You can believe
all the right truths
and still not have
a saving relationship
with Jesus.
Look at this.
They believe
the right things
about him.
They know where he's from.
They affirm his mission.
They believe
that his works
were from God
and they are aware
of his death.
Now just take note
of that as I read
beginning in verse 19.
And he said to them
Jesus
what things?
What are you talking about?
What things happened
there in Jerusalem?
I'd like to know.
Well okay.
Here we go.
And so
Cleopas answers
concerning Jesus
of Nazareth
a man
who was a prophet
mighty indeed
in word before God
and all the people
and how our chief priests
and rulers
delivered him up
to be condemned
to death
and crucify him
but we had hoped
that he was the one
to redeem
Israel.
Yes besides all this
it's now the third day
since these things
have happened.
See they believed
all the right facts
about Jesus.
They knew that he was
from Nazareth
which was important.
Isaiah chapter 9
talks about coming
from the land
of the Galilee
of the Gentiles.
They believed
that he was a mighty
prophet from God.
A Moses like prophet
as a matter of fact
from Deuteronomy
chapter 18 and 19
where Moses promises
this future
better than Moses
prophet.
They believed
that he was approved
by God
because he did
his works
his mighty works
before God
which meant
that God approved
of the things
that Jesus had done
and they believe
in the unmistakable
reality of his death
but there's one thing
missing.
They do not believe
in the resurrection.
They haven't seen it
and they don't understand
what Jesus came to do
in terms of redemption
and they don't really
understand
what his death
accomplished either
and all of that
should have been clear
and what's fascinating
is they say
and it is now
the third day
since these things
happened.
Well that should have
sent bells off
in their mind
third day
well Jesus talked
about the third day
I know what's supposed
to happen on the third day
he's going to be risen
but none of that
took place.
A dead Messiah
had no place
in their minds
and especially
in this week
this week of Passover
where they understood
that redemption
could only come one way
redemption could only
come through
a redemption price
that lamb
that was killed
the blood
that was spilt
so that the firstborn
son in their home
could be free.
It was all a picture
of what Christ
was going to do
and what Christ
did do on the cross
in giving his son
the death
that was required
this purchase price
this redemption
that God had given
to us
or offered to us
through his son
Jesus.
They couldn't see it
because they
didn't understand
redemption
they had this narrow view
and then we see
in verses 22 to 24
their unwillingness
to believe
their unwillingness
to believe
it says
moreover
some women
of our company
amazed us
they were at the tomb
early in the morning
and when they did not
find his body
they came back
saying
that they had even
seen a vision
of angels
who said that
he was alive
some of those
who were with us
went to the tomb
and found it
just as the women
had said
but him
they did not
see
notice they heard
the testimony
of the women
all the facts
were there
all the evidence
was available
and they're still
struggling to believe
this unwillingness
of their heart
to accept
the clear testimony
of the evidence
that they had
this testimony
of the women
this testimony
of those
who went to the tomb
Peter
and John
the testimony
of the heavenly
messengers
that came
and spoke
and reminded
these ladies
of the word
of Christ
and in fact
there were some women
who did see
Jesus
so that his
statement here
at the end
of verse 24
they did not
see
well that wasn't
true
in Matthew 28
verses 8 and 9
we see
so they departed
quickly
from the tomb
speaking of the women
with fear
and great joy
they ran
to tell his
disciples
and behold
Jesus
met them
and said
greetings
and they came
up and took
hold of his
feet
and worshipped
him
some women
had seen
Jesus
the testimony
was clear
the tomb
was empty
the message
was confirmed
and interestingly
they even
repeat the
angels words
back to
Jesus
verse 20
how our chief
priests and rulers
delivered him
up to be
condemned to
death
and crucify him
that word
delivered is the
same word
that's used
by the angels
and the same
word that's used
by Jesus
Christ
on the occasions
that he shared
about this
event
and somehow
with all
of the evidence
stacked up
in front of
them
they still
are unable
to believe
the word of
Christ had gone
before them
the testimony
of his life
his authoritative
teaching
the events
that unfolded
in Jerusalem
just as Jesus
had said
the empty tomb
the confirmation
of angels
Peter and John
and the women
who had seen
the tomb
for themselves
verification
galore
and one
commentator
puts it this
way
and I appreciate
this
he says
the inability
of these two
to believe
is a moral
failure
not an
intellectual
one
it's a moral
failure
not an
intellectual
one
all the
facts were
lined up
they were
recounting
those facts
those truths
but in their
hearts
they could
not
believe
they refused
they rejected
the truth
that was right
in front of
them
the irony
of the
situation
is really
quite staggering
here they
accuse Jesus
of blindness
are you the
only one
from Jerusalem
that doesn't
know what's
happened
are you
blind
and here
they are
the blind
ones
themselves
walking
next to
the Messiah
they could
not see
it's a strange
series of
events
wouldn't you
say
why would
God
put this
in the
gospel
record
for us
I believe
it's here
for several
reasons
but one
main reason
is to help
those of us
who now
2000 years
after the
resurrection
of Christ
will understand
that all
the evidence
all of the
truths
that are
stacked up
all the
facts that
are in
place
do not
matter
apart
from the
word
of God
to do
its work
and by
the way
all of us
in this
room
have the
word of
God
all of us
in this
room have
access
to the
power
of the
word
to save
even
Jesus
and we're
going to
see that
in the
next
several
verses
even
Jesus
himself
instead
of saying
hey
I'm the
guy
here I
am
look at
me
recognize
me
Jesus
doesn't
even
do
that
Jesus
will
point
them
to
the
word
of
God
that
alone
has
the
power
to
save
let's
look at
that
together
the
power
of
the
word
to
open
blind
eyes
that's
what
we
see
from
verse
25
to
the
end
of
the
chapter
the
power
of
the
word
to
open
blind
eyes
it
begins
in
verse
25
and
he
said
to
them
this
is
Jesus
speaking
oh
foolish
ones
and
slow
of
heart
to
was it
not
necessary
that
the
Christ
should
suffer
these
things
and
enter
into
his
glory
there's
several
things
that the
word
of
God
does
for
us
in
order
to
get
us
and
lead
us
to
faith
and
the
first
thing
that
happens
is
the
word
of
God
confronts
us
the
word
of
God
confronts
and
Jesus
speaking
the word
of
God
helps
these
disciples
these
followers
of
him
to
recognize
the
hardness
of
their
heart
the
slowness
of
their
heart
to
believe
I
don't
know
about
you
there
have
been
some
times
where
I've
been
confused
I've
been
looking
at
certain
facts
but I
still
can't
figure
it
out
and
so
I
ask
a
question
to
a
friend
and
if
that
friend
would
say
you
big
dummy
you
such
a
fool
that
probably
wouldn't
resonate
very
well
with
us
would
it
and
yet
Jesus
graciously
and
directly
challenges
and
confronts
the
true
nature
of
their
heart
it
was
a
foolish
heart
it
was
an
unbelieving
heart
they
needed
to be
shocked
into
awareness
they
needed
to come
to a
place
of
recognizing
the
true
condition
of
their
life
they
needed
to
see
it
how
it
really
was
they
were
fools
in
and
of
themselves
they
needed
wisdom
from
God
they
needed
help
from
God
and
Jesus
in
helping
to
confront
the
true
nature
of
their
heart
now
begins
to
work
in
that
process
to
lead
them
to
truth
Jesus
begins
with
confrontation
it's
the same
track
that he
uses
by the
way
consistently
throughout
his
ministry
to
Nicodemus
you
remember
Nicodemus
who
comes
to
Jesus
by
night
Nicodemus
is
in
the
upper
echelon
of
the
thinkers
and
scholars
there
in
Israel
and
Nicodemus
comes
and asks
Jesus
a question
by night
and
Jesus
carries
him
through
and
talks
about
how
does
a
man
get
to
see
God
well
he
must
be
born
again
and
Nicodemus
is
like
what
be
born
again
must
I
enter
into
my
mother's
womb
and
be
born
again
how
does
that
happen
and
Jesus
is
like
in
John
how
can
these
things
be
and
Jesus
is
answer
are
you
a
teacher
of
Israel
and
yet
you
do
not
understand
these
things
how
is
your
heart
so
hard
how
are
you
such
a
fool
Nicodemus
recognize
the truth
of the
word
recognize
your
true
nature
the
number
of
times
that
Jesus
confronts
his
disciples
about
their
foolish
hearts
oh
you
of
little
faith
and
God
will
do
the
same
for
us
he
wants
us
to
recognize
that
in
and
of
ourselves
we
are
fools
in
and
of
ourselves
our
hearts
are
hard
and
calloused
our
eyes
are
blind
we
cannot
see
and
until
you
come
to
the
place
of
recognizing
that
you
need
God
you
will
not
get
God
you
can
do
it
on
your
own
well
you're
not
going
to
have
him
and
these
disciples
needed
to
come
to
a
place
of
recognizing
that
of
themselves
they
could
not
add
up
the
facts
enough
to
come
to
a
place
of
faith
they
needed
something
more
so
what
will
Jesus
do
well
the
grace
of
God
through
Christ
brings
the
word
to
them
and
we
find
that
the
word
now
brings
light
in
verse
27
the
word
of
God
brings
light
he
says
and
beginning
with
Moses
and all
the
prophets
he
interpreted
to
them
in
all
the
scriptures
the
things
concerning
himself
what
I
find
so
fascinating
here
is
that
Jesus
doesn't
say
come
on
guys
I'm
the
one
it's
me
look
here
I
am
recognize
me
Jesus
doesn't
do
that
Jesus
uses
the
word
of
God
and
there's
a
reason
for
that
the
reason
is
because
it's
the
word
of
God
that
has
power
the
reason
for
that
is
these
disciples
understood
the
integrity
of the
scripture
that had
already
been
confirmed
that
it
was
a
word
of
God
and
so
if
Jesus
is
drawing
from
the
word
of
God
that
they
understand
it
has
a
testimony
that's
authoritative
it's
sufficient
if
he's
drawing
from
that
word
and
applying
it
to
himself
then
God
through
the
Holy
Spirit
will
connect
the
dots
and
help
them
to
finally
believe
that
faith
will
finally
come
true
his
word
oh
what
a
message
that
must
have
been
a
message
that
included
all
the
promises
that
were
then
fulfilled
in
Christ
but
a
message
that
also
included
the
elements
of
his
suffering
that
he
would
be
the
suffering
Savior
the
suffering
Christ
you know
they weren't
convinced
by the
angels
they
weren't
convinced
by
all
the
people
they
weren't
even
convinced
by
Jesus
walking
with
them
on
the
way
but
they
were
Jesus
uses
the
word
of
Christ
the
word
of
God
he's
leading
them
to
see
it
for
themselves
by
the
way
this
is
a
strategy
that
Jesus
uses
consistently
and
you
remember
and
we'll
just
go
through
this
quickly
John
the
Baptist
sends
his
disciples
he's
in
jail
remember
he's
like
are
you
the
one
or
are
waiting
for
somebody
else
and
what
does
Jesus
do
Jesus
doesn't
say
I'm
the
guy
let me
liberate
some
oppressed
individuals
let me
raise
the
dead
and
then
he
quotes
scripture
to
them
we
find
that
in
Luke
chapter
7
verses
21
to
23
it
is
the
one
who
is
not
offended
by
me
he
speaks
the
word
of
God
which
by
the
way
pointed
to
the
character
and
the
service
the
ministry
of
this
future
Messiah
which
by
the
way
Jesus
had
just
done
Christ's
confidence
was in
the word
of God
in the
spirit
of God
to lead
a person
to
faith
and
if
Christ's
dependence
is
in
the
word
how
much
more
should
our
dependence
be
on
the
word
of
God
saves
through
giving
light
from
his
word
in
verses
28
to
32
we
see
the
word
the
word
gives
sight
not
just
provides
light
but
now
gives
sight
notice
this
so
they
drew
near
to
the
village
to
which
they
were
going
he
acted
as
if
he
was
going
further
but
they
urged
him
strongly
saying
stay
with
us
for
it
is
toward
the
evening
and
the
day
them
now
when
he
was
at
the
table
with
them
he
took
the
bread
and
blessed
and
broke
it
and
gave
it
to
them
and
their
eyes
were
opened
and
they
recognized
him
and
he
vanished
from
their
sight
they
said
to
each
other
did
not
our
hearts
burn
within
us
while
he
talked
to
us
on
the
road
while
he
opened
to
us
the
scripture
and
we
see
here
that
the
word
of
but
I
want
you
to
recognize
two
things
first
I
want
you
to
recognize
the
work
of
the
word
that
begins
even
before
they
get
home
but
even
the
burning
convicting
work
of
that
word
of
God
needed
something
more
it
needed
what
we
find
here
in
verse
31
and
their
eyes
were
opened
and
their
eyes
were
opened
it's
another
passive
verb
it
means
that
God
did
a
work
in
their
eyes
their
hearts
their
eyes
were
opened
it
was
a
work
of
God
awakened
their
hearts
God
opened
their
eyes
light
shone
in
the
darkness
and
helped
to
stir
them
up
to
faith
and
now
the
work
of
the
word
in
the
opening
of
their
eyes
now
leads
them
to
true
faith
and
now
they
believe
finally
believe
this
work
of
God
and
so
what
does
that
lead
to
well
it
leads
to
the
word
that
transforms
and
that's
our
final
point
this
morning
the
word
that
transforms
as I
read
through
this
see if
you
can
pick
out
the
ways
in
which
things
are
different
at
the
end
of
the
story
notice
the
word
!
the
word
that
transforms
The love for Jesus and love for disciples now turns them around.
They were walking away from Jerusalem,
and now they're walking towards Jerusalem.
They walked away in disbelief,
and now they're walking towards with full faith and commitment.
They're walking away in discussing and arguing,
and now they're walking towards with this word of God.
He's been risen.
He's revealed himself.
It's true.
He is the Messiah.
Everything changed,
and they're compelled to go back and share it with the disciples.
The word of God has so burned within their hearts,
they want to share it with the rest of the disciples.
And so the word of God has power today.
And I'll just close with this verse,
found in 2 Peter 1, verses 3 to 8.
For those of you who have come to faith in Christ,
who have come to a place of recognizing that you are a sinner,
have come to a place of recognizing that you cannot get to God on your own,
that God has opened up your eyes,
he's given you the gift of faith,
you believed in Jesus as the only way to salvation,
the word of God has this promise for us.
It says,
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
Okay,
so God has granted through his divine power just a little bit of things that we need for life and godliness.
No?
Oh,
He's provided most of the things that we need for life and godliness.
No.
He has provided all things,
everything that you and I need for life and godliness.
How?
Well,
through the knowledge of him who called us to his glory and excellence.
That knowledge of him,
by the way,
comes through the power of the word of God.
We have knowledge about God through his word,
and it's sufficient to help us to do everything that we need to do in this life to please him.
He's equipped us for it in his word.
By which,
verse 4,
he's granted to us his precious promises,
so that through them we become partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
For this reason,
make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
with virtue,
with knowledge,
knowledge,
with self-control,
self-control with steadfastness,
steadfastness with godliness,
godliness with brotherly affection,
brotherly affection with love,
for if these qualities are yours and are increasing,
they will keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You want to have a life that matters?
You want to have a life that makes a difference?
You want to have a life that is filled up and is fruitful and is progressing?
The word of God is the answer.
And the power of the word to change your life,
to change my life,
to change the lives of those you love,
to change the lives of those in your community,
your family,
and in your workplace,
wherever you go.
It's the word of God.
They don't need any other evidence.
They don't need to see the empty tomb.
They don't need to have a trip to Israel.
All they need is the power of the word.
And through your prayers and the power of the spirit,
and the message of his word,
he can change and will change a life.
Do you trust it?
Are you being transformed by it?
I trust that God will help us to be reminded of the significance of opening our Bibles.
Let's open our Bibles.
May that be an everyday occurrence as we seek to be changed in the likeness of Christ
through the knowledge of God from his word
so that we can be effective and fruitful in the life that God has called us to.
Let me pray.
Oh Lord, thank you for your word and its power.
And God, we trust you to do your work.
And we pray that our commitment day by day
would be to allow the word of God to have its way in our lives.
That we would not just be hearers of the word,
but also doers of the word.
Thank you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.