I initially thought to title today’s Message; “Having a Blast by Serving God”. I like that title, and might use it down the road (If He leads me there), because we all should be having a blast in our service for others, each other, and ultimately God! But I wanted today to be more about our Lord’s resurrection and the disciples coming to terms about what had just happened back then, and what continues to happen in the here and now. That’s why I also nixed this title; “Pleasure is: Loving God, By Serving Others! Again, I like it but seems like not the right time yet.
And so I thought about; “Get a Clue, God Loves You!”. But we are trying to draw people to the Lord, and not repelling people away with one upping them in clichés. So, today’s title is; Here’s a Clue, Jesus Lives for You!For our Lord not only died for you and me, but Our God also lives, and is radiant, energetic, and robustly a part of our lives when we invite Him in!
But, in so many ways, we are like the disciples I just read about. Sad and dejected sometimes, holding sorrow about the crucifixion and death of Jesus. But there is an answer. You see, God was and is doing things in this life, back then and here today. Our problem so often rests in the fact that we are such infants in our eternal walk that we have a hard time understanding all of the marvelous things God has and is doing in our reality.
How reassuring it would have been back then, and is in the present, to fall back on our God’s word (scripture) when we are at a loss for answers and needing the Lord’s encouragement. Even when we are just in need of the basics for comfort and guidance, there are the Psalms that tell a history of the heights and low ebbs that the human condition may be found in. Here is the excellent passage that Lisa Read for the Call to Worship this morning from Psalm 46:7-11;
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
“Be still, and know that I am God; When I am reeling from the sad events pockmarking my very being, … when I am at a loss for understanding why bad things happen to the people I love, … when I am in the throws of depression over the sad state of my faithwalk in and with Him… I must, take a breath, step back and remember;
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
You my friends have access to incredible power in God! Use it! … Use it to bring joy not only into your life, but for those around you! … Your access is the creator of everything around you and more.
The fact is, our Lord almighty is with us because He lives and is the fortress for all of the willing who invite God into our lives. God is answering prayer, sometimes its not the answer we want. Nevertheless, He is a vibrant part of the life of this Church, its just that sometimes instead of receiving His blessing, we project our wishes, which fuels discontent and confusion.
When we are on course my beloved family, we are able to appreciate even the sublime and what is confusing for others becomes our NorthStar for navigating our Faithwalk, which in turn keeps us even more on course in and with Him (our Lord) who knows the way in the dark. Revealing that ever present clue that, Jesus lives for you! Knowing this, changes everything, even hearing scripture takes on added weight and meaning.
With that in mind, let’s visit a Psalm that really was written for us today. That the miracle of God’s word, speaks directly to the generation, group, and circumstances of the moment for the inquirer reading. So, let me read from Psalm 116:1-7;
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
*Please let me interrupt to say; When our decision is made to call upon the Lord for as long as we live, you begin to go down our path of eternity. I guess at that point we are beginning to understand that God has heard our cries for Him in the middle of our night, and hope abides. Affording our ability to deal with a world that deals in loss, distress, and angst, as depicted in this next unit, verse 3;
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
**And now my favorite piece of poetry in this passage in verse 9;
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
Maybe its just me, but I don’t think I am alone… I have a hard time settling down and actually giving any poetry its due. If it were a Rock song or some verse with a beat to it, maybe… We are all wired differently with different gifts, aspirations, and skills. I struggle but am working on appreciating beauty in words; even poetry, and verse 7 works on me notably, and uniquely.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
Regardless of if I am on the road to Emmaus as our disciples were, or I am walking through the Valley of the shadow of death as we all do, and will do, our souls can find peace in our Lord. Even in the harshest of times, our God’s salvation remains at hand for all of the willing among us.
At this point I want to read a little more in Psalm 116, because it reflects our Church in a special way. Reading Psalm 116:12-14;
12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
What vows are those? Well, my thought, you are charged with the heavy lifting of thinking and praying and studying for yourself with the Lord. My thought is that we live verse 14;
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
When we serve other people before our own selfish desires, wants, and hungers. All of us when we walk through those doors, have kind of signed on with a group that puts everyone out there just a little bit higher than our selves. In fact, in our Faithwalk the bigger the church calling a person takes on, the lower we agree to make ourselves, as servants to other people. And not just the people in this church who agree with us, but out there where God’s harvest field really awaits you and me.
Our service to the community is and should always be with no strings attached. We love others, because while we were still enemies of God (steeped in sin, you know like yesterday or an hour ago…), Jesus sacrificed all for us. In spite of us. How sobering is that fact. The creator of everything loves us that much.
To help validate my words this morning, I would like to read from a most rambunctious, sometimes over the top disciple with self-control issues (which is why I can identify and like him so much). Here are Peter’s words of instruction. Reading from 1 Peter 1:13-25;
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
*I am cutting in just to say; Being holy is what we are working on each day. Each day as we apply ourselves, we get just a little bit stronger in the effort, knowing that none of us will qualify for God’s home and family, we are invited just the same! Thank you, God!!! Now verse17;
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
**Interrupting briefly to say; Our reverent fear must be the fear of letting the Lord, and our family in God down by; giving up, or being selfish by indulging in arrogance, or actualizing fear for fear’s sake alone. On to verse 22;
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.
And we can understand the word, because we have been born again, and are in the process of renewal each day we walk in and with our Lord!
And so, our Lord was resurrected, confirming our own ability to be born again in God’s Holy Spirit that restores, renews, and refreshes our souls daily in our walk in Him. Which leads us back to our church ancestors and their learning firsthand just how marvelous God’s ways are. See if you learn anything new, on this go around…Reading again todays Message Reading, Luke 24:13-35;
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
May your eyes be opened and remain open as God is willing to show you a better way ahead my beloved family. Just think, all of what I have spoken of today, has been created with you in mind. God bless you.
Amen!