Listen to Sermon here: https://rcoc.sermon.net/main/main/20911906
Bulletin here: https://www.rochestercoc.net/bulletin
PRAYER CONCERNS: While people are typing any needs, I am going to talk a little. First, want to let you know that I heard Deb Winegardner wrong. She had her hip surgery postponed. So that hasn’t happened yet after all. However, she did injure her knee on her good leg.
Thanks for tuning back in this week. One of the suggestions from last week was to end with the communion prayer and not with extra stuff afterwards. I am going to try to remember to do that today.
As things stand, we will be doing this for at least 2 more weeks. I am hoping after that, they will allow us to meet at least in life groups again.
Hopefully, you are finding ways to stay connected with your life group in some fashion. Text, calls, video chat.
PRAYER
Today is Easter Sunday. Over my lifetime, I have found it interesting how Christians respond to Easter. Growing up in churches of Christ, Easter was downplayed as we said we celebrate Easter every Sunday. In the South, Easter was a big worship attendance day and a day you saw women all wearing their new hats and dresses. If your family has been involved in LTC, Easter is the day of crashing after a huge weekend.
For some, this is a special family tradition. It’s more about that connection than a worship experience. For other’s it’s all about the bunny and chocolate.
IF you were to rate your view of Easter Holiday, would you say:
A. Holds no special significance to me whatsoever
B. Is important in that we have a chance to reach out to our community
C. Is a special day for spiritual and religious tradition
D. Is the holiest day on the calendar
Wherever we may fall on that continuum, the ideas of the resurrection of Christ is HUGE to us. The Resurrection is the power of everything Jesus promised in his life and death.
For those who experienced the very first Easter, it was a huge emotional roller coaster. Especially for a couple of guys on the way home after Passover weekend and all that happened with the death of Jesus. This part of the story is one of my absolute favorites, because I can identify with these 2 men so well, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
In the beginning of my lesson I talked about the women taking the good news to the disciples and the doubt of the disciples.
Do you ever struggle with doubt about faith in your life? Willing to share some of those doubts?
I have moments where I wonder if everything I believe in and am working as a minister for are real. They don’t last real long, but I have that crisis of faith every now and then. Through prayer, honest soul searching and staying connected to scripture, I always come through those times and I’m a better Christian on the other side of my moments of doubt.
The 2 men on the road home to Emmaus are an interesting couple of men. For a long time, it never dawned on me that these were 2 very committed followers of Christ. They were in the room with the 12 when the women came to tell the good news
Luke 24:22–24 (NLT) — 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Now back up a couple of verses: Luke 24:13–17 (ESV) — 13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
If they had heard the good news, why would they be walking home sad?
Let’s make this personal. As Christians we have heard the good news, yet we often walk around sad about our faith. Why do you think that is?
As they come to Emmaus, they invite Jesus into their home for dinner. Hospitality was an important part of Jewish life. We also read that it is supposed to be an important part of Christianity. At least 6 times we are told to practice hospitality.
How well do you think OUR GROUP practices hospitality? Give a reason for your answer
A second major thing happens to these men: Luke 24:28–32 (ESV) — 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 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 Scriptures?”
What changed for these 2 men?
How has meeting Jesus changed your life?
We have 2 ways to know Jesus academically and personal faith. Which way is better and why?
We get to know Christ through scripture. How do you tend to view scripture; facts and rules or a love letter?
They struggled with doubt most of that day. Even the apostles doubted.
These men get over their doubt and run back to Jerusalem to the tell the 11 what had happened to them. While they are talking Jesus appears to all of them. Yet, they all freak out and think he is a ghost. Man, these guys are dense. We jump on “Doubting Thomas” but they did the exact same thing.
Is it wrong to doubt?
Luke 24:45–48 (ESV) — 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
Jesus gives them a mission to share the good news to everyone
How can we move from doubt to mission in our own life?
Do you relate to the story of Jodie at the hotel?
This key verse of this story is that they felt the burning of the words of Jesus in their heart, and in their excitement they rush back to Jerusalem.
How can we get excited about Jesus in our heart?
CLOSING THOUGHTS AND ANOUNCEMENT
Pray for communion