Encountering the Risen Savior: A Message of Hope

 

Summary

Summary:

Today is a day of celebration and remembrance, a day to look back at what God has done and to look forward to what He is doing. We have been praying bold prayers of faith, trusting that God can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. As we gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we stand in the aftermath of answered prayers and miracles. The resurrection is not just a historical event; it is a divine invitation to encounter the risen Savior personally and powerfully.

Reflecting on the first Resurrection Sunday, we remember the confusion and grief of the disciples, who were shaken by the crucifixion of Jesus. Yet, the empty tomb and the angel's proclamation that "He is risen" brought a new hope. The story of the two men on the road to Emmaus illustrates how Jesus meets us in our confusion and reveals Himself to us. His presence brings proof of the resurrection and a message of hope, renewed purpose, and everlasting joy.

Jesus' resurrection is a message of forgiveness for all who repent. It is a call to share this message with all nations, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are witnesses of His resurrection, and our stories of faith have the power to transform lives. Today, we are invited to recognize the presence of Jesus in our lives, to embrace His friendship, and to share the message of hope with others.

Key Takeaways:

- The Resurrection as a Divine Invitation: The resurrection of Jesus is not just a historical event but a divine invitation to encounter the risen Savior personally and powerfully. It challenges us to look beyond the surface of Easter traditions and recognize the profound impact of Jesus' victory over death. This encounter invites us to experience a transformative relationship with Him. [48:46]

- The Presence of Jesus Brings Peace and Proof: When Jesus appeared to His disciples, He brought peace and proof of His resurrection. His presence dispelled their fears and doubts, offering tangible evidence of His victory over death. This peace is available to us today, inviting us to trust in His promises and experience His presence in our lives. [54:28]

- The Message of Forgiveness and Hope: Jesus' resurrection proclaims a message of forgiveness and hope for all who repent. It signifies the fulfillment of the law and the end of the sacrificial system, offering full forgiveness of sins. This message is for everyone, regardless of their past, and it calls us to share this hope with others. [01:01:22]

- Empowered by the Holy Spirit: Jesus promised His disciples the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of His resurrection. This empowerment is available to us today, enabling us to share our stories of faith and the message of hope with others. Our testimonies, combined with the Spirit's power, have the potential to transform lives. [56:55]

- Recognizing Jesus in Our Lives: Like the men on the road to Emmaus, we may not always recognize Jesus walking with us. Yet, He is present, inviting us to see Him and embrace His friendship. By acknowledging His presence, we can experience the peace and hope He offers, and we are called to share this with others. [59:14]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Worship and Celebration
- [02:15] - Praying Bold Prayers
- [04:00] - The Resurrection's Impact
- [06:45] - Revisiting Resurrection Sunday
- [09:30] - The Disciples' Confusion and Grief
- [12:00] - The Road to Emmaus
- [15:00] - Jesus Appears to the Disciples
- [18:30] - The Message of Forgiveness
- [21:00] - Empowered by the Holy Spirit
- [24:00] - Recognizing Jesus in Our Lives
- [27:00] - Sharing the Message of Hope
- [30:00] - Invitation to Embrace Jesus
- [33:00] - Closing Song and Final Thoughts
- [36:00] - Testimony and Farewell

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 24:13-49
- Ephesians 3:20-21

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Observation Questions:

1. In Luke 24, what was the initial reaction of the two men on the road to Emmaus when Jesus joined them, and how did their understanding change by the end of their journey? [48:46]

2. How did Jesus prove His resurrection to the disciples when He appeared to them, and what was their reaction? [54:28]

3. What specific message did Jesus proclaim to His disciples about forgiveness and the role they were to play after His resurrection? [01:01:22]

4. According to Ephesians 3:20-21, what is the nature of God's power at work within us, and how does it relate to the prayers of faith mentioned in the sermon? [01:25:39]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the story of the two men on the road to Emmaus teach us about recognizing Jesus in our daily lives, especially during times of confusion and grief? [48:46]

2. How does Jesus' invitation to touch His wounds and eat with the disciples serve as a metaphor for the tangible ways we can experience His presence today? [54:28]

3. In what ways does the message of forgiveness and hope, as proclaimed by Jesus, challenge our understanding of grace and redemption? [01:01:22]

4. How does the empowerment by the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus, influence our ability to share our faith stories with others? [56:55]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt confused or lost. How did you eventually recognize Jesus' presence in that situation, similar to the men on the road to Emmaus? [48:46]

2. Jesus offered peace to His disciples despite their fears. What fears or doubts are you currently facing, and how can you invite Jesus' peace into those areas of your life? [54:28]

3. The sermon emphasized the importance of sharing the message of hope and forgiveness. Who in your life needs to hear this message, and what steps can you take to share it with them this week? [01:01:22]

4. Consider the bold prayers of faith mentioned in the sermon. What is one bold prayer you can start praying today, trusting in God's power to do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine? [01:25:39]

5. The sermon highlighted the importance of recognizing Jesus in our lives. What daily practices can you implement to become more aware of His presence and friendship? [59:14]

6. How can you actively seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in your life to become a more effective witness of Jesus' resurrection and message? [56:55]

7. Reflect on your personal story of faith. How can you prepare to share this story with someone who might be in need of hope and encouragement? [01:25:39]

Devotional

Day 1: Encountering the Risen Savior Personally
The resurrection of Jesus is more than a historical event; it is a divine invitation to encounter the risen Savior personally and powerfully. This encounter challenges us to look beyond the surface of Easter traditions and recognize the profound impact of Jesus' victory over death. It invites us to experience a transformative relationship with Him, where His resurrection power becomes a reality in our daily lives. As we reflect on this invitation, we are encouraged to open our hearts to the possibility of a deeper connection with Jesus, allowing His presence to transform us from the inside out. [48:46]

Ephesians 1:18-20 (ESV): "Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places."

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek a personal encounter with the risen Savior today, allowing His resurrection power to transform your life?


Day 2: Peace and Proof in His Presence
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He brought peace and proof of His victory over death. His presence dispelled their fears and doubts, offering tangible evidence of His resurrection. This peace is available to us today, inviting us to trust in His promises and experience His presence in our lives. As we navigate our own fears and uncertainties, we are reminded that Jesus' presence brings peace that surpasses understanding and proof of His faithfulness. [54:28]

John 14:27 (ESV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to invite Jesus' peace and proof of His presence today?


Day 3: Forgiveness and Hope for All
Jesus' resurrection proclaims a message of forgiveness and hope for all who repent. It signifies the fulfillment of the law and the end of the sacrificial system, offering full forgiveness of sins. This message is for everyone, regardless of their past, and it calls us to share this hope with others. As we embrace this message, we are reminded of the transformative power of forgiveness and the hope that comes from a restored relationship with God. [01:01:22]

Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of forgiveness and hope today, and how can you share it with them?


Day 4: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Jesus promised His disciples the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of His resurrection. This empowerment is available to us today, enabling us to share our stories of faith and the message of hope with others. Our testimonies, combined with the Spirit's power, have the potential to transform lives. As we rely on the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to boldly proclaim the truth of the resurrection and its impact on our lives. [56:55]

Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Reflection: How can you rely on the Holy Spirit's power to share your story of faith with someone today?


Day 5: Recognizing Jesus in Our Lives
Like the men on the road to Emmaus, we may not always recognize Jesus walking with us. Yet, He is present, inviting us to see Him and embrace His friendship. By acknowledging His presence, we can experience the peace and hope He offers, and we are called to share this with others. As we become more aware of His presence, we are encouraged to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him and to be attentive to His guidance in our daily lives. [59:14]

Luke 24:30-31 (ESV): "When he was at 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."

Reflection: In what ways can you become more aware of Jesus' presence in your daily life, and how can you respond to His invitation to embrace His friendship?

Quotes

We have prayed, and we are praying bold prayers that at times seem too big. At times, the prayers that we pray seem a bit risky and even a bit impossible. And yet here we are. Today we are not just celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. We are standing in the aftermath of answered prayers and miracles that have and are being told and undone. [00:40:58]

The trauma of Friday is still very much real. The trauma, the weight, the sadness, the grief, the questions, the wondering—all of the things that were tied into the excitement that began a week before at Palm Sunday when everybody was coming into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. The fevered pitch that was beginning to swell within that 2.7 million people that gathered upon that region at that time. [00:42:41]

The belief that they were hearing that the Messiah was there and the Messiah had a name, and his name was Jesus. And everybody was excited, except that as the week went on, the confusion of is he really or is he not? The battle between do we support this mission, do we support the work of Jesus, or do we think that he is some other false prophet? [00:43:41]

The disciples are shaken. Their dreams feel crushed. The one that they had followed, their teacher, their Lord, their rabbi, their Messiah has been crucified. Confusion, grief, fear grip not just the disciples but the entire region of people that had gathered. And yet a rumor begins to stir on Sunday morning. Jesus's body is not in the tomb. Some have said that he has risen, but that seems a bit far-fetched even for Jesus. [00:44:51]

The women went to the tomb first thing in the morning, and they went to do the final burial preparations for Jesus's body. Only when they get there, the stone had been rolled away, and Jesus's body wasn't in the tomb. But there stood an angel that said, he is not here, he is risen. This is good news. The women don't know what to take of it, what to make of this news. [00:45:15]

They begin to share it with the disciples, and immediately Peter and John can't help themselves, so they take off running because they got to see it for themselves. They go to investigate, and sure enough, the tomb is empty. We find the disciples gathered together in the upper room where they had just spent the days before huddled together, praying, and the Lord shared the Passover meal with them. [00:46:15]

They're trying to figure out all of the chaos of this week, all that this years of ministry had culminated in, the dreams that they had placed and the hopes that they had in Jesus that were now dashed because he was dead. But now all of these stories, people that we know, people that we trust are saying his body's not there. Some of the stories are saying that he's actually alive. [00:46:45]

The disciples are trying to figure out what's real. What's really going on? Meanwhile, while all that is happening, Passover is completed. And everybody, the 2.7 million people that have converged on Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and have experienced all of this chaos and all of the excitement and all the things that happened in this week are beginning to trek and travel back home. [00:48:46]

We know that that's about a seven-mile trek back home. And as they're walking back home, it's what you do, right? When you're on a car ride, when you're traveling somewhere, you talk, right? You share about what's going on. You share about what's happened. And that's what these guys are doing. They're just talking about all the things that happened. They were talking about what they thought, what they had anticipated coming into that week, and how it actually worked out. [00:49:11]

And now they're dealing with their grief and their sadness and the confusion of all that is going on. And while they're talking and having this conversation, Jesus just kind of shows up. He has a habit of doing that when he's resurrected, right? You read the stories of Jesus after he raises from the dead, and he just kind of appears all the time, right? He appears with the guys, and he just starts having a conversation with them. [00:49:56]

And during that meal, Jesus takes the bread, and he breaks it. It's him. And then just like that, he was gone. There he goes. He pops in, and he pops out. I don't know. We'll have to deal with that when we go to see him in heaven one day. But he's gone. And now I imagine these two guys looking at each other, kind of rubbing their eyes and wondering, like, did you see that? [00:50:33]

How did we, for this whole time, not recognize that it was Jesus himself walking with us and talking with us? Grief and confusion had blinded them. But it was him. We just saw him. We knew that we had spent time with him. And so the scripture tells us that almost immediately, it says within the hour, they packed up and they headed right back to Jerusalem. [00:51:07]

Everything changes in this moment when they come and they start to share with the disciples what they saw and what they heard. Luke's Gospel, chapter 24, picking up at verse 35. If you have your Bibles, the men from Emmaus are now with the disciples and they're sharing with them that Jesus has appeared to them as they were walking along the road and how they had recognized him when he was breaking bread. [00:52:39]

And just then they were telling it, as they were telling it, Jesus himself suddenly standing there among them, peace be with you, he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking that they were seeing a ghost. Why are you frightened, he asked. Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands, look at my feet. See, you can see that it is really me. [00:53:56]

Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost because ghosts don't have bodies as you see that I do. As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. And they asked him, and he asked them, do you have anything here to eat? They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched. [00:54:03]

Then he said, when I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said, yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. [00:54:31]

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent. You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven. [00:54:55]

The presence of Jesus, first and foremost, brings proof that the resurrection, in fact, is real. Notice the first thing that Jesus says. Notice the first thing that Jesus does when he appears in this room of disciples. He uses those profound words, peace be with you. Peace be with you. Now, if you read on in the very next verse, you take notice that they're still frightened and afraid. [00:55:36]

I almost imagine as Jesus came in, he knew what his friends were dealing with. He knew what they were going through and what they were wrestling with. And so he knew he had to offer that peace. And so, of course, peace be with you. My peace be with you. But I almost wonder if they didn't even hear the words that Jesus spoke. But you know what they did hear? They heard his voice. [00:55:56]

They heard the same voice that they had been walking with for the last three years in ministry with him. They heard the same voice that some of them knew from his younger years before we even have it recorded in the scripture. They heard the voice that spoke and taught to the masses and the crowds. They heard the voice that confronted the religious leaders. [00:56:31]

They heard the voice that over and over and again was there to comfort and to reassure them and to walk with them in the journey over these last few years. And it was a comforting voice. But it wasn't enough. The magnitude and the weight of this moment wasn't enough. And so he goes a little bit further and he says, touch my hands and my feet. [00:56:38]

The very ones that you saw nailed to the cross, touch them and see that I am real. See that I am not a ghost. I am alive and well. Yes, you saw my body laid in the tomb. But let me show you today full clearly. I am he. And I am alive. A blessing and a privilege that you get. That generations after will have to trust you. [00:57:10]

When Jesus rose from the dead, he rose with a message that was for you and for me and for us to share. And that message is really simple, that there is forgiveness of sins for all who would repent. For all who would choose to embrace the message of what Christ has done for you and for me. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. [01:00:55]

No longer was the sacrificial system that was put in place by the law of Moses having to be completed. Because now the sacrifice, once and for all, was complete in what Christ has done on the cross. There was authority in what Christ has done. There was something that we could trust in what Christ has done. And now there is full forgiveness for sins. [01:01:22]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?