Early one sunday morning, a Cherokee native American husband was unsure about his choice of clothes to attend church services that day, so he sought some counsel from his wife. He asked, “Do you think I should change?”
The wife took full advantage of this great opportunity and replied, “It depends—are you talking about changing your shirt or making a wholesome change as a human being?”
I could just imagine the husband’s facial expression. If you think about it though, what a rather instructive question. How often do we really considered a change in our life, and then we think with change sometimes comes with going beyond our comfort zone doesn’t it? Especially in things we do not understand in experiencing God especially in a new way. My question I would like you to think about today, what change do we need to have in experiencing God in a new way? Do we need a new Church for a change? New Gospel choir or band? New version of the bible? New printed money? What is it that we need to understand a new life--A new Spirit that is only found in Christ Jesus?
Whether we have experienced being a Christian for years or just a few days, going through the motions of worship, learning of God by scripture, experiencing God by way of the Holy Spirit, can we still feel like we are missing out on something? Scripture tells us Absolutely!
Embarking on our journey today friends into Understanding a New Life, a New Life with Christ, we are at the post crucifixion point of the Gospels, as described in the Gospel of Luke. In Chapter 24, Jesus has been raised not more than just a few hours before two disciples that witnessed Christ’s empty tomb, traveled along a road to a city called Emmaus. It is this walk, this life changing walk, that brings to the surface about who Jesus really was, and what ‘we’ can do with it, while understanding a new life. It is true that first century Christians were not really sure about the new faith, even though they had access to Jesus, seen and heard Him firsthand, but as you will see, our carnal mind seems to set us back some, while our spirit is truly mesmerizing. Lets start our Journey with verse 15.
15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they came to a stop, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You possibly the only one living near Jerusalem who does not know about the things that happened here in these days?”
This is somewhat humorous! Basically, the disciples told Jesus, where have ‘you’ been? Didn’t you read the paper this morning?
And He [Jesus] said to them, “What sort of things?” And they said to Him, “Those about Jesus the Nazarene, who proved to be a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.
Christianity for some people doesn’t seem very exciting, the spirit of the new life seems lost. One main hidden factor of this is what has been left out in the first place. The most powerful force in the universe, that came to us in human form, is actually present with them and us today; walks with us; talks with us; being always in our presence, which is what the two disciples were obviously disappointed about in not having Christs physical presence as they were so used to having. Basically, the point has been missed in learning the Spirit. The disciples physically lost their only hope, their Lord and potential savior to Israel. Thus far, to the disciple’s understanding, Jesus’ declaration of being raised on the third day did not happen, although they themselves saw the empty tomb. Apparently, it wasn’t enough. It’s obvious the people of Israel felt the turmoil and oppression from Rome and other powers of the earth that literally made their lives miserable and daunting, yet, it seemed, just like us today, they were infested with wrong thinking. The spirit seemed to be dwindled in their lives. The people of Israel prayed God would redeem them by the coming of the Messiah, but little did they realize, He had come. A new life, a new way of understanding was at their door step to be learned and be experienced. So, what changed from Jesus life, His ministry, His portrayal in being the Son of God with all the promises, to lead at least these two disciples to come to the conclusion, they HOPED Jesus was the answer, but no longer certain?
One reason scripture clearly tells us in the disciples’ own words, Jesus was just a Nazarene, great prophet. It isn’t enough to just believe, but more so to have faith, just as what Jesus told Thomas, who got the bad wrap in being nicknamed doubting Thomas. How many of us today doubt God? What He can and will do? Have we forgotten what God has and continues to do? How many only believe just so far, and not have faith that endures? So, as the disciples continued their walk with Jesus, that their hearts and minds just didn’t get it, who Jesus really was. Even though they walked with Him, talked with Him, ate with Him, witnessed his Godly work, yet they still didn’t know him. Does this sound familiar to any of us today? Not knowing Christ and not understanding Christ are not the same thing friends. As Paul told the people of Corinth in his second letter, “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” Listen carefully, we do NOT have to understand it all, but we must live by faith.
For these two disciples, like us today, could it be our hearts are slow to believe, all because we are limited by our own devices and diagnosis that seem to answer some but not all the questions? Is our eagerness to understand out-weight the faith to live the Christian life?
Even these disciples, like us today, have experienced Jesus in some form and fashion, they had witnessed Christ’s work, ministry and deeds; they experienced Gods truth and power and enthusiasm, yet here they are on the road with Jesus not realizing it just yet. God knows their hearts, like ours today. God knows the exact moment in time to reveal himself to them, in order for them to grow in understanding the new life found only in Him—start the journey in understanding in a new way. IN GODS TIMING.
I know many people has asked the pressing question, where is God at when we don’t see Him? Scripture tells us He is not only with us in Spirit, but in other people, events and circumstances that are laid before us by his majestic will. I think Pauls letter to the Ephesians says it best, “one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” We hear from the prophet Job “I know that You can do all things, And that no plan is impossible for You.” Everything we encounter and experience is based upon Gods best interests for us, even when our carnal mind says otherwise. Scripture tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your path.” It is by faith friends, faith that we follow Christ. Then and only then do we even start down the road to understanding the new life we have, new vitality, a whole new door to the concept of a ‘new life’ in Christ, a fresh perspective. It was there all the time, we just didn’t see it.
Understanding a new way is not a new place, new building, new wealth, its God at his finest in taking what was old and make it new again. Pauls letter to the people of Corinth tells us “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Continuing on our reading, the two disciples are still on their walk with Jesus, whom was still unknown to them at this time. And then He [Jesus] said to them, “You foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to come into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the Prophets, He [Jesus] explained to them the things written about Himself in all the Scriptures.
I would have loved to witness this event, wouldn’t you? Even though they did not realize it was Jesus telling them this, they were moved, and spirit lifted from these wonderful words of life that Jesus gave to them. Then a miraculous thing happened when Jesus dined with them, that same evening, 31 And then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Were our hearts not burning within us when He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
Listen to their enthusiasm in their voice. And also notice Christ physically did not remain with them. The spirit of God revealed Christ to the people, just like us today. His words of life restored them to something new. A new vitality, a new beginning. And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon!” 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road, and how He was recognized by them at the breaking of the bread.
What a wonderful encounter here friends, experiencing Jesus while also renewing their faith in Him. Notice again something really important friends, Jesus did NOT stay with them physically, but spiritually! The Spirit of the living God that falls upon each of us, is this same Spirit we are reading about today!
The events of Easter cannot be reduced to a creed or philosophy. We are not just asked to believe the doctrine of the Resurrection. We are asked to meet this person raised from the dead. In faith, we move from belief in a doctrine to knowledge of a person. Ultimate truth is a person. Then we can say as these two believers did, “We met Him; He is alive.” That’s the key to understanding the new life, is to meet with Jesus. Ask him to enter our lives, walk with us, talk with us, along life’s merry way.
I would like to give you a few steps this morning to help revive the spirit of God, just as it did the disciples on the walk to Emmaus.
Verify our standing with Christ. We need to examine ourselves, be truly honest where we stand with Christ today. Apart from God, Scripture makes it clear that we’re spiritually dead and have hard, stubborn hearts that are opposed to God’s will. Were are we at with Christ?
Spending time with God. In order to be successful at anything, we must spend time in doing it; this includes making time with God. Prior to being crowned as Israel’s king, David spent countless hours wandering across the open land, tending his father’s sheep. This time, spent alone outdoors, sparked within him a deep love for God and the things of Him, a courage to follow through, and helped him develop the kind of intimacy that allowed him to say that God’s “unfailing love was better than life itself”.
Confess our sins. Though our emotions can be deceitful and aren’t always accurate indicators of our spirituality, if we’re living in sin, we can expect our intimacy with Christ as in vain. As believers, we often like to think of the big spiritual rebellions like lying, cheating, stealing, murder, but according to Romans 14:23, we sin whenever we’re living and operating outside of God’s will. All sin will separate us from Him. I heard Pastor Tony Evans say this recently. You don’t have to figure out what your purpose in life is. All we have to do is surrender to God and He will lead us to His will and purpose.
Remember what God has done. Key principle here is to reflect upon who God is, what he has done, and what he continues to do. It’s easy to forget, and in our forgetting, to lose the joy and passion we once had. But when we take time to remember, a ray of light floods our hearts, igniting our passion for the One who is the source of every good thing.
Meditate on who God is. Rather than attempting to disengage the mind like in transcendentalism, this spiritual discipline engages it through study, prayer, and seeking Divine wisdom. We serve the poor, help others, pray continuingly, and much more. As we focus on God’s unchanging nature, He draws our hearts to Him and reminds us that though life is constantly changing, and our emotions may sway from one side to another, He never will.
Take your thoughts captive. This is vitally important. Whatever we feed grows; whatever we starve dies. In other words, the more we entertain negative, self-defeating, or depressing thoughts, the more abundant those become, turning into a snowball towards destruction. But we have the power found only in Christ to choose which thoughts we’ll entertain and which ones we’ll toss out.
For example, if the thought, “This situation will never change,” comes to mind, we can replace it with, “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT).
If we’re tempted to think, “No one cares (about me, this situation, my future),” we can focus on John 3:16, which tells us that God loves us so much, He allowed His beloved Son to die in our place so that we could have a relationship with Him.
Whatever the lie, Scripture has a truth to replace it. Amen.
These are just a few steps to help each of us revive our spirt friends, make us renewed. But it is Gods position of Grace that gives us the ultimate hope, knowing we should have full confidence God is and will continue to be with us, even in the midst of fires of life.
A Native American Indian was asked once to explain the grace of Jesus. The Native American took a pile of leaves and an earth worm. He laid the worm in the leaves and set the leaves on fire—at the last minute he lifted the earth worm out and said, “That is the way Jesus saved me!”
Dear friends, let us start today in our new journey, with the new spirit of God. We come to God just as we are, to walk with him and talk with, no matter the circumstance we are in, God will revive us, restore us to where we need to be. Let us reach out to God and ask Him to rekindle the spirit within us. We don’t have to wait to make this journey. We can start right now, just as we are. And he will come to seal you, complete you and give you of himself in all that you need to start to understand a new life found only in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and savior. Amen.