WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.000 So this night I would like to talk to you about the blessings of walking with Jesus. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:19.000 Or maybe, or better, of Jesus walking with us. 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:31.000 It is not only and mainly about we walking with Jesus, but mainly about Jesus walking with us. 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:41.000 And I really love to walk. Not only to do some physical exercises, but mainly because I love to explore new places when I walk. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:49.000 Or if I walk in a known place, I like to see the details, every details of that place. 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:56.000 Such as maybe Prince Street or the Mount or the streets of Edinburgh. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:00.000 That's a very known song. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:06.000 However, there's something better than just walking alone. 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:14.000 And it's to enjoy all this walk, but in company. In the company of friends or family. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:25.000 This is because we were not created to live in isolation, but with others. To share the experience with others. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:37.000 Nevertheless, the greater experience is not only walk with friends, but with the one who created these beautiful landscapes. 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:42.000 And also the one who created friendship and friends. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:53.000 With the one who is at the same time the king of the universe and our Redeemer and our very best friend. 00:01:53.000 --> 00:02:01.000 However, we can have some information about all this and we can know all this. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:08.000 We can have this information in our heads, but without transformation in our hearts. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:15.000 And this could be because we can culturally know about Jesus. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:21.000 And this is very sad, even without believing or believing Jesus. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:31.000 Sadly, we can be a cold hearted, sad disciple without an inner transformation of life. 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:34.000 But this cannot be the case. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:46.000 And because of this, Jesus comes to every kind of people, including, as we will see, those who know information about him. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:52.000 Without an experiential knowledge of him. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:58.000 So briefly, I want to talk to you these three main heads or points. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:06.000 The first one is talking about Jesus without knowing or recognizing Jesus. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:12.000 The second one is the first blessing of walking with Jesus. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:18.000 That is a clear knowledge of the Scripture. It's all about Jesus. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:24.000 And finally, the second blessing of walking with Jesus, or mainly Jesus walking with us. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:33.000 And that is an experiential knowledge of the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:43.000 So the first point of this is talking about Jesus without recognizing Jesus or without knowing Jesus. 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:45.000 And that is foolishness. 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:58.000 So this is the context. We have two disciples walking to a mouse from Jerusalem on a very special day in a unique context. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:04.000 Their leader, their shepherd, was killed just three days ago. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:11.000 And in the road to a mouse that is like seven miles, that is like from here to the airport, 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:16.000 they were walking about all these things that had happened. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:22.000 What happened occupied their thoughts and their talking. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:32.000 They were not only talking about these things, but as we see in verse 15, they were discussing this. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:41.000 That is, they were involved in the details and every details about what just happened three days ago. 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:51.000 It wasn't a light conversation, a light chat about, I don't know, what's better, McDonald's or KFC or whatever. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:56.000 No, it was about important things. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:03.000 And important things or issues demand our constant attention. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:16.000 On the first day of the week, on this significant Sunday in history, they were talking about someone who changed history forever. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:23.000 However, these two disciples, they needed a change in their hearts. 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.000 Actually, they needed burning hearts. 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:32.000 At that moment, Jesus enters this story. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:38.000 Jesus draws near and joins this conversation. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:47.000 But however, they did not recognize him because their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:06:02.000 In other words, they were talking about someone who was walking now with them without discerning that the man was Jesus himself. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:09.000 And now we have, and we see Jesus and he asked about the things that they were discussing. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:16.000 And the emphasis here in the original is in the matters that they discussed. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.000 Now, let's stop for a moment. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:28.000 They are going to reply to Jesus and their answer will reveal their hearts. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.000 First, there was sadness. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:39.000 After Jesus, after Jesus questioned, they, as the Bible said, stood still. 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:43.000 So they were walking, but then they stood still. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:45.000 They just stopped. 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:49.000 They just stopped their walk and looking sad. 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:52.000 There was no joy in their hearts. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:58.000 The matters that they were discussing brought a burden on them. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.000 There was no joy, a burden. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:06.000 With sad faces, they didn't give a polite answer to Jesus. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:18.000 Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in these days? 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:27.000 This answer was given to the resurrected Jesus, the one who is fully man and fully God, 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.000 therefore the one who knows everything perfectly. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.000 What things, Jesus replied. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:40.000 And as we said, their answer reveals their hearts. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:49.000 First, about the knowledge of who Jesus was, past tense. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:55.000 And then what happened to him and third, the report or the news of their friends. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:09.000 For them, first, Jesus of Nazareth was a man who was a prophet, mighty indeed and words before God and all the people. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:11.000 Think about this. 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:18.000 There's no mention of Jesus as the Son of Man or as the Son of God, 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:26.000 but he was a prophet, not he is actually right now a prophet. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.000 He was a prophet. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.000 So let me ask you this. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:35.000 Who is Jesus for you? 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:39.000 Is he only a mighty prophet as the Old Testament prophets? 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:47.000 Or is the only one who can save your life, therefore God himself made flesh. 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:53.000 For them, for these disciples, he was a prophet. 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:55.000 That's the past. 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:59.000 He was not longer an actual prophet, but he was a prophet. 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:05.000 And for you, who is Jesus? 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:08.000 Is he your prophet? 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:14.000 Or maybe you are considering that he was my prophet or he was my savior. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:22.000 And maybe you are thinking that this is your last Sunday here because you're boring or there's no sense in being Christians. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.000 I don't know. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:30.000 Is Jesus for you? 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:38.000 The reason why they talk in the past tense is because they haven't experienced yet the power of the resurrection. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:47.000 The reality of the resurrection, as Paul said, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:54.000 that I may know him, do you know Jesus and the power of his resurrection? 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:59.000 And then secondly, they talk about what happened to Jesus. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:07.000 They said, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucify him. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:20.000 His master, his leader was killed, but they didn't know yet the way of real redemption, the death of the creator and savior of the world. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.000 For them, all this information brought sadness. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:46.000 However, Jesus soon will change the situation, as the psalm said, you have turned for me my mourning into dancing from burdened hearts into burning hearts. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:52.000 Then they said, but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:59.000 And from the beginning of the book, we can see that Luke describes Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel. 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:04.000 Just in chapter one, verse 68 and 69, 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:10.000 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:17.000 and has raised up a horns of salvation for us in the house of his servant Israel. 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:25.000 People were talking about Jesus as the Redeemer, but their hope were decreasing. 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:30.000 What about your hope in Christ? 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:33.000 It is important to stop here. 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:38.000 A Redeemer is someone who liberates, who sets free a captured person by paying the price. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:43.000 And for first century Jews, the Messiah was the Redeemer, 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:48.000 but for them was a political Redeemer, a military Redeemer. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:53.000 For many of them, there was no need for someone who pays for their sins, 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:59.000 because they were living according to their own righteousness. 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:02.000 So what about us? 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:06.000 What kind of Redeemer are we looking for? 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:11.000 A Redeemer according to our own sometimes selfish desires, 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:15.000 a political Redeemer, just a cultural Redeemer, 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:20.000 someone who maybe can fulfill your desires as Santa Claus, maybe. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:26.000 What kind of Jesus are we looking for? 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:31.000 And the image of a suffering Messiah was not in their heads. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:40.000 Even for some godly believers, the hope of a Redeemer who can redeem them from their sins was just extinguishing. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:45.000 Someone who claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life was dead. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:50.000 And that was the third day after Christ's crucifixion. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:56.000 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:02.000 And they did not find his body saying that he was alive. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:07.000 They were amazed by the report, but without hope. 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:13.000 They were amazed by this information, but without an inner transformation. 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:19.000 With all this, and this is a strong language, Jesus tells them, 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:27.000 all foolish ones and a slow of heart. 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:35.000 To have information about Jesus, to hear a report about Jesus without recognizing Him, 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:43.000 without understanding and embracing the gospel, is foolishness. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:48.000 Jesus calls them foolish and slow of heart. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.000 And you can say, but why? Jesus is so full of grace. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:58.000 Why He uses this kind of language? 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.000 Why? 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:06.000 Well, for these disciples, Jesus calls them foolish ones and slow of heart, 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:12.000 because they didn't believe the woman's report. No. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:18.000 Listen to this. Jesus calls them foolish because they were slow of heart 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.000 to believe all the prophets have spoken. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:27.000 Foolish. Someone who shows an irrational attitude. 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:33.000 Foolish one because they were discussing something that in reality, 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:36.000 they didn't believe it. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:40.000 Jesus told them, you are so slow in your heart, 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.000 that is in the use of your reasons, of your even your affections 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:54.000 and your will to believe, to trust and embrace what the prophets said. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:03.000 Slow of heart means literally that someone who is very slow with no attitude to embrace. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:08.000 It's like, oh, maybe this is so boring about the prophets, 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:12.000 but they love to discuss about this. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:15.000 But they didn't get the point of this. 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:25.000 You are being so irrational because you are so slow to embrace the best treasure, 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:30.000 the gospel and the Old Testament. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.000 Are we trusting what the Scripture says? 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:35.000 This is the point here. 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:43.000 The gospel was in the Old Testament in the prophets, but they didn't believe it. 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:47.000 What is your attitude towards the Scripture? 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:51.000 Maybe we can know about this and we can discuss about this, 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:56.000 but have we embraced the promises, the gospel in the Old Testament, 00:15:56.000 --> 00:16:00.000 the one who is the creator of the universe saying, 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:05.000 I am your God walking among you? 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:11.000 That's the most beautiful reality. 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:14.000 But they were slow in their hearts. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:20.000 What about us? 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:27.000 Only God knows our hearts, but are we embracing this? 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:35.000 When is going to be the day that we are going to take all this maybe seriously 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:43.000 and believe this, that Jesus died for our sins, our horrible sins, 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:52.000 maybe our secret sins, that there is real freedom in Christ for you and for me, 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:55.000 that this is something real. 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.000 This is not just a nice story. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:02.000 This is about life himself and God is calling us. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:05.000 Every day, maybe you know this and you are living this, 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:11.000 but tomorrow we are going to struggle with our temptation, with our anxieties, whatever. 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.000 But God is saying here that this is real. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:22.000 And what is real is that literally Jesus loves you. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:30.000 But God is here, literally here, not just in this building, but here among us. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:36.000 What is our response to that? 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:45.000 So now, next point, the first blessing now of walking with Jesus. 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:50.000 Sorry, but before that, it's important to understand that what Jesus does here 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:57.000 is to expose the ugliness, maybe, that's the word, yes, of their sins. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:06.000 Jesus confronts them and this is the only time where Jesus calls someone like in this way, foolish. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.000 Yes, these are hard words. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:13.000 Maybe for you, you just said it hurts. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:17.000 But let me tell you this, this is part of God's grace. 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:25.000 It is necessary because we are not dealing, we are not playing with toys. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.000 But with sins, we are dealing with that. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:40.000 God loves you so much that he wants to show you, to show us how horrible it is to know so many things about Jesus 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:47.000 without having a real and experiential knowledge about him. 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:57.000 It is like being thirsty and to know that, because I'm thirsty right now. 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:02.000 And you know about the water, you know the chemical formula of this. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:08.000 And you see the most beautiful water, but that's all for you, just water. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:15.000 Maybe if you are hungry and you love a good meal and you know how to prepare that. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:21.000 But you don't enjoy about that food. 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.000 That's only a weak sample about this. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:35.000 So the first blessing, because this is part of God's grace, Jesus heals them and takes the burden out by showing the first blessing. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:41.000 And that is a clear knowledge of Scripture that it's all about Christ. 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:50.000 And in the beginning of the 20th century, in the beginning of the 20th century, Jesus was the first to interpret that to them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:55.000 Jesus is so gracious that he interpreted to them the meaning of the Old Testament. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:20:01.000 Everything is about Christ, the law, the prophet, the Psalms point out to Jesus. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:04.000 The center of the Old Testament is Jesus. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:08.000 It is not morality about how to be the better David, maybe. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:13.000 No, it's about how the real David, the true David, is Jesus Christ. 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:16.000 And it's the same for the New Testament. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:19.000 Therefore, it is about the gospel. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:23.000 It is about what God does to save his people. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:27.000 It is not about what we are doing to save ourselves. 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:32.000 No, it's about what God does to save us. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:42.000 It's about the necessity, verse 26, that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory. 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:46.000 And this is very important because this is the center of the gospel. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:56.000 It was necessary for the Messiah to suffer for their redemption, for your redemption, for our redemption. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:00.000 It was necessary for the Messiah to suffer. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.000 Why? 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:08.000 Because that's what we all deserve, death, eternal death. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.000 The Redeemer paid a price for our redemption. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:21.000 Death people like us deserve eternal death because we have sinned against the eternal God. 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:34.000 But God, who is rich in mercies, who is faithful to the covenant, has visited us to give life to every kind of death people. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:43.000 But how Jesus gives life to death people by living and dying for them? 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:52.000 Our disgusting and secret sins deserves hell. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:57.000 But Jesus experienced hell on the cross. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:03.000 It was necessary that Christ should suffer these things to give us life. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:12.000 That's why the cross, the words of the dead, Jesus is a priest who gives the best offering to be sacrificed. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:21.000 He is the prophet who teaches us that it is not about our deeds or about our works, 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:27.000 but about God's works and mighty deeds in our hearts for his glory. 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:34.000 And finally, because he is the king, he has risen to enter in his glory. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:39.000 It's all about Christ's sufferings and his glory. 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:46.000 The person who talked to them was the risen almighty king, and he is here today. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:53.000 How are we going to respond to his message? 00:22:53.000 --> 00:23:04.000 This is what the Bible teaches, the gospel, this beautiful covenant, this beautiful intimate relationship between God and his people. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:09.000 It's the heart of the Bible. 00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:15.000 But let me ask you this, is this reality in your heart? 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:20.000 These two disciples, they knew about this. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:25.000 They knew about the scriptures. 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:39.000 But what about that reality in your heart, in your family, in our conversations between husbands and wives with our children? 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:43.000 Do they know about this? 00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:46.000 Do we know about this? 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:50.000 That it's not about us, but about Christ. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:24:01.000 It is not about our failures, but it is how God works with non-perfect people like us, with broken people like us. 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:09.000 Just to show that the most beautiful person in the universe and in the church is God himself, Jesus Christ. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:16.000 So let's go to the final point about the second blessing of walking with Jesus, or Jesus walking with us. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:21.000 A real knowledge about the person and work of Christ. 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:27.000 So the first blessing is that the scriptures points out to Christ. 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:36.000 It's all about Christ, but now the third, this final blessing here, it is not just about knowing about this information, 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:43.000 but it's a real knowledge of the person and work of Christ. 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:55.000 We see here that these two disciples urged Him strongly, and they told Jesus, stay with us. 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:59.000 This is what a person who loves God's war does. 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:02.000 Stay with us, Jesus. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:11.000 It is not just about a quick reading or maybe just 30 minutes of a sermon, but we want more about Him. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:17.000 We want more about the one who gave His life for us, the reason of our lives. 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:23.000 We want to know more about Him, and we cry out to Jesus, stay with us. 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:30.000 Stay with our family, stay with my children. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.000 What is our answer to the war of God from Monday to Saturday? 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.000 Do we want more about Jesus? 00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:42.000 Do we want more to know more about Him? 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Jesus is so gracious that He brings His word to the table to walk with them. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:26:03.000 To teach them shows the nearness of Jesus, but to keep talking around a table shows more intimacy. 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:11.000 Jesus is not just walking with us, but He's inviting us to His table. 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:17.000 And not just you, but to you and your children, the covenant children. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:25.000 And not just you and your family, but all the families here with different realities, with different problems and issues. 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:31.000 God is inviting us to enjoy Him. 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:38.000 Verse 30, when He was at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:44.000 And their eyes were open and they recognized Him, and He banished them from their sight. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.000 This is the third time of a meal with Jesus here in the gospel. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:59.000 The first was the feeding of the five thousand, the second at the Passover, and now the first one after His resurrection. 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:10.000 This is what Jesus does, the risen king. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:24.000 The risen king sharing this meal with his friends in intimacy. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:37.000 This is the heart of Jesus to teach us this reality, but near to them, so close to His heart. 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:50.000 This is the kind of teaching that we need about Jesus, near to Jesus, so close to His heart. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:59.000 In the simple things of life, bread, through the exposition of the Scriptures, and a simple meal. 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:03.000 In a simple meal, Jesus reveals His gospel. 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:10.000 So do we realize about the importance of hearing the exposition of the word every Sunday, 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:18.000 and if you have the opportunity to come twice to the evening service, 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:26.000 do we realize the importance of sharing the reality of the gospel in a meal with friends, 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:33.000 in simple things of life, with friends who need restoration and redemption, same as you and same as me? 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:44.000 Do we realize the importance of knowing our Bibles, knowing doctrine, and sharing the gospel in simple things? 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:51.000 When you put all these things together, you can hear these words, they said to each other, 00:28:51.000 --> 00:29:00.000 did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures? 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:02.000 Burning hearts! 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:06.000 And this means a strong emotion. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:10.000 And let me highlight this, this is a strong emotion. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:18.000 This is something that passes from the ear to the head and then to the heart to then move the hands and feet. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:25.000 This is an indescribable joy, and this is the joy of salvation. 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:28.000 This is the joy of redemption. 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:37.000 They had a we hope of redemption, but now their hearts are full of the reality of redemption. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:40.000 These are burning hearts. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:46.000 It is a burning heart because they have the burning bush in their hearts. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:30:01.000 They have burning hearts because the Spirit that is in, this is the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit who is in Jesus' hearts is with them, them. 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:04.000 Burning hearts. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:12.000 Let me quote just to finish an old pastor. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:18.000 Calvin, he said, let us remember that it is the proper fruit of heavenly doctrine. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:24.000 Whoever may be the minister of it, to kindle the fire of the Spirit in the hearts of men, 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:29.000 to purify it and cleanse the affection of the flesh, or rather to burn them up, 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:42.000 and to kindle a truly fervent love of God and by its flame, to carry away man entirely to heaven. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:44.000 This is what Calvin said about this. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:56.000 So let me say this, or Calvinism or all reformed theology must be a burning theology. 00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:01.000 We have to get rid of all call theology. 00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:13.000 There's not such a thing as call doctrine or call presbyterianism. 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:17.000 This is one of the things that I really love about studying all reform theology. 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:19.000 They were burning hearts. 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:29.000 They would just die here at grass market 100 years ago just because they really believe that man's chief end 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:35.000 is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:43.000 Get rid of nominal Christianism and let's pray for having a good and burning theology for a whole life. 00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:51.000 This is our heritage and this is being a Christian and in this case we are members of this free church, 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:53.000 or a presbyterian church. 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:59.000 This is one this we man said, John Knox there in San Giles 100 years ago. 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:06.000 If someone asked him, and I'm finishing with this, if someone asked John Knox, 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:13.000 hey, what was the seed of the reformation here in Scotland? 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:17.000 He gave his reply and I quote him, 00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:24.000 God gave his Holy Spirit to simple man in great abundance. 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:29.000 God gave his Holy Spirit to simple man in great abundance. 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:37.000 Sharing a coffee, sharing a good burger with haggis or whatever you want, 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:48.000 and simple things in your house, whatever, sharing the gospel with hearts filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:53.000 It is about simple man with the Holy Spirit in great abundance. 00:32:53.000 --> 00:33:01.000 Burning hearts filled with the Word and the Spirit of God can reform families, churches, and societies for God's glory. 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:03.000 And how can this happen? 00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:08.000 Not because of you, not because they were walking with Jesus mainly, 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:15.000 but because God, the God of the Covenant, Jesus Christ, come to walk with us. 00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:17.000 He comes to walk with us. 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:22.000 If you are far away from him, God is coming to you. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:27.000 If you are running away from Jesus, these are the promises of the Covenant. 00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:32.000 God is the good shepherd and he's going in this very moment. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:38.000 He's walking with you, even if you feel that you are so far away. 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:46.000 God loves this far away heart because he gave his life for you and for me, for us. 00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:58.000 Because he'll live and die for you and for me and for us in order that we may live with burning hearts for his glory. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:03.000 In simple things as the Lord's Supper. 00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:18.000 So let's pray together. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:36.000 Oh God, we thank you for your Word and for your Spirit and we ask for forgiveness of our sins, 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:41.000 for being so slow of heart. 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:55.000 Maybe we are experts about discussing about all this, about the Gospel, about church, things. 00:34:55.000 --> 00:35:02.000 Even we have this evangelical language in our mouth. 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:07.000 But please, oh God, forgive our sins. 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:16.000 Because something we are just getting used to talk about this without this sense of this reality. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:20.000 That this is true, that this is true. 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:29.000 That you took human nature to live and die for us. 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:34.000 And we ask for your Holy Spirit. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:41.000 Not just to be amazed of this good report, but have burning hearts. 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:51.000 Even when we are so, when we are dealing maybe with depression or anxieties for tomorrow. 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:59.000 But oh God, restore the joy of salvation, the joy of the cross. 00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:04.000 But the joy of the cross in fellowship with brothers and sisters. 00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:10.000 Thank you because you, yes, you restore that. 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:13.000 Because you are faithful to your Word. 00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:16.000 You are faithful to yourself. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:18.000 You are faithful to this covenant. 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:23.000 And we want to share that reality here in the Lord's Supper. 00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:33.000 Thank you for taking the bread and thank you for giving yourself the living, the true breath of life. 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:40.000 Oh God, help us to eat every day of this living bread. 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:42.000 And to give it to others. 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:43.000 Thank you. 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:45.000 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:55.000 Amen.