Luke 24:1

Now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. When they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

As they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. They were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth. The men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke to you when he was in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'" And they remembered his words.

Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. Their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

But Peter arose and ran to the tomb. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves, and he departed marveling to himself at what had happened.

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which is seven miles from Jerusalem. They talked together of all the things which had happened. While they conversed and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. However, their eyes were restrained so that they did not know him.

He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?" Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said to him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? Have you not known the things which happened here in these days?"

He said to them, "What things?" So they said to him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and the rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us when they told us that they did not find his body."

They came saying that they had seen a vision of angels who said He is alive. Certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.

Then He said to them, "Oh, foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

As they drew near the village where they were going, He indicated that He would have gone further, but they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." He went in to stay with them.

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven who were there with them and those who were gathered together, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed! He has appeared to Simon." They told about the things that had happened on the road and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Father, we thank You for the reality of the resurrection that we celebrate here today. We commemorate, Lord, and we are thankful that as we stand here in this place and as we sing these songs and pray these prayers, they are not just going out into the air and disappearing, but they are going to You.

We thank You that You are alive. We thank You that though You died, You are alive and remain alive forevermore. Because You live, anyone who lives and believes in You shall never perish. We thank You for not only the reality of the resurrection but the power of the resurrection.

We pray that that power would be effective in our lives, transforming us and changing us to make us more like You. We need that resurrection power now and every day that follows. So, God, would You speak to us today from Your Word, encourage our hearts, strengthen our witness, and make us more like You.

We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

Have you ever stood by a pond or a lake that is completely still, maybe somewhere high in the mountains, where it is undisturbed? It is so still that it resembles a freshly cleaned mirror. You can see the reflection of the hills, the trees, and everything around you. As you stand there, looking at this beautiful, serene scene, if you're anything like me, you might have the thought to pick up a rock and throw it into the middle of the lake, just to see what would happen.

If you do, you know exactly what will happen. When that rock impacts the center of the lake, the edges are not disturbed. However, at the point of impact—the epicenter, if you will—there is a disturbance that begins to cause waves to ripple out from that point. It doesn't take long until the entire glassy, reflective lake is disturbed from that point of impact, with ripples spreading outward.

The events of Luke chapter 24 are like that rock cast into the undisturbed lake. They create an impact at the center, which slowly begins to ripple out and disturb everything. Two thousand years ago, that's exactly what happened in Jerusalem. The event of the resurrection described in Luke chapter 24 started that impact, and it has continued to ripple out from that point every year since. It continues today to have an impact and effect.

So much so that here, 2,000 years later, on this day, there are more than 2 billion people throughout the world commemorating and celebrating the events described in Luke chapter 24. It is phenomenal to think about. Nearly a third of the entire population of the globe today commemorates and remembers the resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with His life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection. This event has completely altered history. Even those who are not among the 2 billion celebrating this day or those events still probably live under a calendar that is affixed to dates according to this monumental occurrence.

To the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of the man, Jesus of Nazareth. It's absolutely phenomenal to consider the impact and the effect. I think that probably many of you seated here today have had your lives greatly impacted and affected by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as described in Luke 24. If it hasn't, my prayer and hope is that today your life will begin to be impacted to a greater extent. Know for certain that we have been praying for this over the last several weeks—that the truth and reality of the resurrection would have an impact in your life.

As point number one on your outline, there is a sermon guide in your bulletin: the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pivotal event of all human history. That may be a big statement, but I think if you examine human history, you'll see that it's true. It is the pivotal event of all human history and is most certainly the central event of Christianity.

In fact, the Apostle Paul, writing in a letter to Christians in the Greek city of Corinth 2,000 years ago, points out that the resurrection is key and important to the Christian faith. In 1 Corinthians 15:12, he writes, "Now, if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, which He is, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still dead in your sins. Then also, those who have fallen asleep in Christ, those who have died, have simply perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable."

I was recently listening to an individual on a podcast who is apparently, by his own...

Admission: I am a Christian minister. Yet, as this self-proclaimed Christian minister was talking about the events of Luke chapter 24, he stated that he did not believe the resurrection actually happened. Here is an individual who calls himself a Christian minister and teaches messages from the Bible, yet he claims that there was no event called the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He believes that’s okay because Christianity still has its impact and meaning in the teachings of Jesus and the traditions of the church.

I hate to break it to that guy, but that’s just not true. Paul knew that 2,000 years ago. If Christ didn’t raise from the dead, what we are doing here right now is completely worthless. There is no point to this. You might as well just have an Easter egg hunt and eat some ham. If Jesus didn’t raise from the dead, the whole point of the Christian faith is that the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive. If Christ is not alive, if He did not rise from the dead, there is nothing in His life that will deal with the problem of sin in your life and mine. Paul said it clearly: if Christ be not raised from the dead, then those who die in Christ simply perish. They cease to exist.

We who are alive and still believe in Him, if He didn’t raise from the dead, then we are to be pitied. We are pitiful. Let me tell you, the disciples on that Sunday morning, following the death and burial of Jesus, counted themselves to be absolutely pitiable. They considered themselves to be in a pitiful position when Jesus was dead. How pitiful to be in that place and situation.

Have you ever been a loser? I was reading an article recently, though I don’t remember exactly where it was published. It was after the most recent presidential election, and the author was following the team that had lost the election. They were back at headquarters the day after, and he chronicled some of the things taking place. It was a sad, somber, and sorry place. Every single one of those people had lost their jobs. Everything they had worked for and given up so much for was done. It was over. Their whole demeanor was one of total depression and lostness.

It was a pitiable situation. It reminded me of the night of my last football game during my senior year of high school. Don't get it in your head that your pastor was something amazing when it came to football; I was a second-string offensive lineman. I didn't play much, but I will say that night I suited up with the rest of the team as we got ready for the semifinals for CIF here in San Diego. We took the bus ride down to play against Torrey Pines High School, and we were expected to win. That's what the newspaper had written up in the Union Tribune: our team was expected to win, having had a great season and a great team. We expected ourselves to win, and we were excited.

Let me tell you, by the end of the night, the bus ride home was quite a bit different. We had lost, and we had lost badly. There was not a word said on that bus ride home. It was the loser bus. Has anyone ever been on the loser bus? Come on, help me out. Thank you. I was not the only one; nobody said a word. There were some tears. I remember watching some of my friends tearing up as it was over. It was done. It was very pitiful.

Point number two on your outline: without the resurrection, we are pitiful losers. The disciples of Jesus on the morning of the resurrection, before they knew that the tomb was empty and before they had seen the risen Jesus, were dejected. They were depressed, dispirited, lame, and pitiful. They were on the loser bus. Many of them were probably planning their next move. We had so much hope tied up in this whole situation.

Just imagine for a moment the whole scene that had played out—the height of emotion just a week before, coming into Jerusalem on the winning team. Everyone was crying out with loud voices, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," speaking of Jesus as He was coming into Jerusalem. There they were, the disciples of Jesus, right around Him as they were walking.

Into Jerusalem, they entered in a victorious march. My, how things can change. Now, they find themselves on the loser bus, contemplating what comes next. Perhaps they think, "Maybe I'll go back to fishing," or "I could return to being a tax collector." They certainly can't stick around in Jerusalem. Just a week ago, they were victorious, and now everyone in the city wants to get rid of them. They are planning to return to their normal lives, their old lives.

In fact, in this passage of Scripture, Luke chapter 24, we read about two of them—two disciples, followers of Jesus—who are already heading back. Three days after the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, they are left wondering, "What next? I guess we go home." Luke 24, verse 13 states, "Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus." It is fitting that they were going to a town called Emmaus, which is seven miles from Jerusalem. The text tells us that Emmaus means "warm baths." There were hot springs there. Perhaps they thought, "I guess we could go drown our sorrows for a little while, kick back in the sauna, and just try to figure out what's next."

As they traveled from Jerusalem to this village called Emmaus, they talked together about the things that had happened. That right there is the loser bus ride—a somber talk of dispirited disciples recounting and rehashing all the misplays and fumbles, reflecting on everything that had taken place. What was that conversation like? We gain some insight in the next verses. Luke 24, verse 15 tells us, "So it was that while they conversed and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them." They did not recognize him; their eyes were restrained. Something about his appearance, something about the way he was post-resurrection, was different, so they could not tell it was him. Perhaps their eyes were miraculously restrained by God.

Jesus drew near to them and asked, "What kind of conversation is this that you are having with one another as you walk and are sad?" The setting of this whole situation, during the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, was the Passover for the Jews—a time of feasting and celebration.

It was a time of joy. It was a time of rejoicing, remembering how their forefathers had been taken out of bondage in Egypt. The whole nature and setting of Jerusalem during this period was one of joy, happiness, and rejoicing.

Here Jesus comes with these two disciples, and you can just tell from their demeanor—heads hung low, a slow pace, shoulders slumped—that they are talking about how terrible this whole situation is. Jesus joins them and asks, "What's going on? You guys seem so sad. This is the Passover. This is a time of joy and rejoicing."

One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Jesus, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? Have you not known the things that happened in these days? Where have you been? Have you slept through everything last week? Don't you know what's been going on? What do you mean? Why are we so sad? What do you mean what's going on with us?"

Jesus responded, "What things are you talking about?" They said to him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word. We saw him do phenomenal things."

These disciples no doubt told Jesus as they walked with him, "We saw him feed multitudes with next to nothing. We saw him cast demons out of those who were possessed. We saw him heal people who were sick. We saw him raise people from the dead. Just a few weeks ago, we were with him in the village of Bethany, not too far from here. His friend Lazarus had died and was already in the tomb for four days. Jesus came to Bethany and said, 'Hey, open the tomb.' There were people who said, 'No, don't open the tomb. He stinks.' But he said, 'No, open the tomb.'

Jesus of Nazareth stood and said, 'Lazarus, come forth.' And Lazarus came waddling out alive. We've seen him. He's alive. We heard him preach with power. We saw his miracles. We heard his message. We thought that he was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. But the chief priests and the rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and to be crucified. We were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel."

But it's been three days. Today is the third day since all of this happened. We thought that he was a prophet. We had hoped that he would be the redeemer of Israel. We gave up jobs, we left home, and we gave up lives. We walked away from all kinds of things to come follow him because we thought that he was the one. The one that they were speaking of was the Messiah, the Christ. We believed that he was the anointed one of God. We had seen him do phenomenal things, and it only increased our trust and confidence that we were following the right one. It wasn't in vain what we had given up and walked away from because we had seen him do such amazing and phenomenal things.

But it's been three days, and he's dead. So I guess we're going back. We're going back to our, well, if you can call it our normal lives. Proverbs chapter 13 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." Oh, they had hoped. In the midst of all the downers that the people of Israel experienced at that time, being under the occupation of the Romans and watching their nation be reduced to very little, they had hoped that he might be the redeemer. Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Maybe you are here today and you've experienced the loss of hope. That's what they had.

Point number three on your outline: death without the resurrection is pitifully sad. I have been privileged to be a pastor now for 18 years, and in that time, I have had the opportunity to conduct many funerals. Occasionally, we receive a call here at the church from someone who has a friend that attends the church. They might say, "I don't really go to church, but we had a loved one die, and we're wondering if maybe you could preside over or lead or officiate the funeral." And I respond, "Sure, we'll do that."

I have been to some funerals for people where it is very clear that these individuals...

Did not have trust in God, and those who are remembering them have very little hope of anything beyond the grave. To stand there as an officiant, a pastor, and to share from the Scriptures while witnessing the tears, the weeping, and the loss of any sort of hope that something good can come is an incredible contrast.

It is a stark difference to conduct a funeral for someone who had a vibrant faith in Jesus. All those present knew that faith and knew the Lord. There is a sorrow, but it is not the same kind of sorrow. We do not sorrow, as the Scriptures say, as those who have no hope. What is it that gives us that hope? It is the events of Luke chapter 24 that are celebrated on this day. We have hope, and that hope is very clearly seen at a funeral.

It's amazing when a loved one or a friend stands up to the microphone to share a memory at that funeral about their friend or family member who has died. The difference between those memories is striking: one who has no hope and one who has that hope. Though there is sorrow, there is a joy in that sorrow that proclaims victory over the grave. Death without the resurrection is pitifully sad.

I imagine these two disciples walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus as they recount their story to Him, unaware that they are walking with Him after He has been raised from the dead. I can picture Jesus saying, "Gosh, that sounds really depressing. Is there anything else? What else has happened?"

They respond, "Well, yeah, there's a little bit more. You know, there were certain women of our company, verse 22 says, who arrived at the tomb early this morning. They astonished us when they told us that they did not find His body. They came and told us that they saw a vision of angels, and the angels said that He was alive. Certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women said, but Him, Jesus, they didn't see."

This is curious to me. Why are you leaving Jerusalem? They reply, "Well, you know, certain women came and said they saw Him, but who's to know?" Then He said to them, verse 25, "Oh, foolish ones, slow of heart to believe all that the...".

Prophets have spoken, not only the words of those ladies who had gone to the tomb early that morning, but also that which the prophets have spoken. Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, Jesus expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

It's been noted many times before, but I think it's worth mentioning that it would have been a cool message to hear Jesus expounding from Moses and the prophets and all the Scriptures of the Old Testament, those things concerning Himself. What things may He have referenced? No doubt, He referenced the words of King David, written a thousand years before in Psalm 22. I encourage you to read it later if you've never read it before. Psalm 22 is a perfect prophetic chronicle of what would come as Jesus was crucified.

He probably also referenced the prophet Isaiah, specifically Isaiah chapter 53, which speaks of the suffering servant who has borne our griefs and our sorrows, and by His stripes we are healed. No doubt, He would have talked about the words of Isaiah written 700 years before the crucifixion. He may have referenced other passages, but I can only imagine that he must have highlighted those passages as important as they are.

As they drew near the village where they were going, Emmaus, He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." He went in to stay with them. This was a message that they didn't want to end. This was a meeting that they didn't want to see go away. "Would you just stay with us? You're going on; I don't know where you're going, but why don't you just stick around? It's late. We'll get a bite to eat. Come on in; we'll treat you. Stick with us. Abide with us."

Point number four on your outline: Jesus died and rose again that we might abide with Him forever.

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them and took bread...

Blessed it and broke it, He gave it to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight. What a phenomenal scene that is! Jesus is with these two disciples. They sit down to have a meal, and as they are sitting there together, He takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. In that moment, their blindness departs. We don't know why. We don't know how. We just know that their eyes, which were restrained, are restrained no longer.

Now, when Jesus, just a few days before this, had partaken of the Passover with His disciples, we are told that He was with the twelve. We know one of these guys was named Cleopas, but we don't know who the other one is. Presumably, it is not one of the twelve because later in this passage, it says they are going to go back to the eleven in Jerusalem. One of them, Judas, has already died, so there are only eleven remaining. It seems to be true that these guys weren't there when Jesus partook of the Passover and broke bread just a few days before.

In the very same fashion, He takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Their eyes are opened. Maybe in that moment, this is the first time that they notice His hands. The Scriptures tell us that the scars of Jesus from the cross remain. We know they remain because just a week after this event, Jesus interacts with one of His disciples named Thomas. He says, "Thomas, touch the scars on My hands; put your hand on My side."

Perhaps for the first time, Cleopas and whoever was traveling with him see His hands. As soon as they see the breaking of bread, He vanishes. The fact that Jesus vanishes tells us something about His body post-resurrection. He has what we sometimes refer to as a resurrection body, a glorified body that the Scriptures declare one day those who trust in Jesus will also receive. This corruption will put on incorruption. This mortality will put on immortality. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed. That sounds really good. I don't want to have this thing forever.

It just keeps getting more and more difficult. I'm not even 40 yet, and everybody keeps telling me that 40 is downhill. I'm not looking forward to it. I see some of you limping around, cracking, and aching, and I think, "That just doesn't look fun." I already feel it every single morning. Maybe you have experienced this: the first few steps in the morning feel like a struggle. I walk down the stairs at home, and I think it's just going to fall apart. I don't want this to be my reality forever. You might not have reached that point yet, but it will come.

However, Jesus died and rose again so that we might abide with Him forever. Their eyes were opened as they sat with Him, and they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" They rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon."

When they got back to the group, Jesus had appeared to others as well. He had appeared to Simon and to those who had been filled with despair, dispirited by everything they had witnessed over the last few days. These men had just walked seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. It was nighttime by then; the day was far spent. After Jesus vanished from their sight, they knew they had to get back to Jerusalem. They got up and ran back, no doubt eager to find the disciples.

When they arrived, they didn't find a teary-eyed group of people despairing and crying. Instead, they found a group filled with joy and rejoicing because they had seen the risen Lord Jesus. The resurrection had changed everything. The Lord is risen indeed; He has appeared to Simon. They told the others about the things that had happened on the road and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Point number five: the resurrection means life and joy forever. The resurrection means life and joy forever because, though Jesus died—and He did—He did not remain dead.

Death could not hold Him down. He overcame death. He rose again. Now you may be thinking, "That sounds really good. That's a great story. But how do we know?"

Well, in First Corinthians chapter 15, just prior to the passage I read a few minutes ago, the Apostle Paul says this: "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the good news, which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you stand, and by which you are also saved, if you hold fast to that word which I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

But it does not stop there. "And that He was seen by Cephas," that's Peter, "and then by the twelve. After that, He was seen by five hundred brethren at one time, of whom the greater part are present and remain to this point, but some have died, some have fallen asleep. After that, He was seen by James and then by all the apostles. And last of all, He was seen by me also, one born out of due time."

Paul says Jesus died for our sins as the prophets foretold. He was buried, but He didn't stay dead. He rose again as the Scriptures say. Where in the Scriptures? Think of Psalm 16, where it says, "You, Father, shall not leave my soul, Jesus, in the grave. You will not let Your Holy One see corruption. You will show me the path of life, and in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

The path of life. Jesus came and said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me."

You say it's a great story, but how do we know? We know because the evidence of the resurrection is there: the tomb is empty, and there were more than five hundred eyewitnesses. These eyewitnesses, many of whom went to their deaths as martyrs—put to death, thrown to beasts, crucified, beheaded, stoned, run through with swords—go down the list of all these different ways that these witnesses of the risen Jesus were killed. They were killed because they witnessed the risen Jesus, and all they...

What they had to do to avoid being killed was to say it didn't happen. He's still dead, but they didn't. They said he's alive, and I have seen him. They were put to death to disprove it. All that needed to be done was to show the remains of one Jesus of Nazareth, but the tomb is empty, and the witnesses speak on. He is alive, and because he lives, anyone who lives and believes in him shall never perish but have life everlasting. The resurrection means life and joy forever. That is great news, and that is what we celebrate. That is what we commemorate when we gather together on this day, Resurrection Sunday. Amen.

Would you stand with me as we go before the risen Lord in prayer? Father, I thank you that you loved us so much that you gave your Son for us, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. The way that we receive that everlasting life is that you, Jesus, died in our place. You who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might receive righteousness because you didn't remain dead. You overcame death. You overcame sin. You were victorious over it. Therefore, we are not on the loser bus; we are more than conquerors through you who loved us. We are victorious.

We thank you for the life, the hope, and the joy that we have. Though we will experience the pain of an earthly death, because you live, we shall live with you forever. We thank you for the reality of the resurrection and the power of the resurrection, the joy, and the wonder of its power. Thank you for your forgiving grace that makes it possible for us to know with certainty that we can and will be with you forever. We praise you, Jesus.

It may be that as we stand here this morning, you don't have that hope. You don't have that joy. Instead, you have a loneliness, an emptiness.

You have guilt because of the wrong things you've done or said, and you have a fear of what will come after this life. Jesus came to take away our emptiness, our loneliness, our guilt, and our fear, to give us joy through His forgiving grace.

If you'd like to receive that joy and forgiveness today, I want to give you a chance to do that. It's a free gift that Jesus came to give to us as we put our trust in Him for salvation. He deals with our sin, its penalty, and its power so that we can have life with Him forever.

If you'd like to receive that forgiveness, grace, life, and joy today, would you just lift up your hand high so I can see it? Anyone here this morning? God bless you. I see you. I see you there in the back. Anyone else? God bless you here in the middle. Anyone else? Do you want to receive that forgiving grace from Jesus? I see you over here on this side. Praise the Lord.

If that's you today, I want to give you a chance to call out to Jesus in prayer and ask for His forgiveness. You can know, because of the truth of the resurrection, that these prayers don't just go out into the air and disappear. They go to the risen Jesus, seated on a throne in heaven. That's what the Scriptures declare.

So if that's you, would you just pray out loud with me wherever you're at?

Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned and failed and that I can't fix my sin myself. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and that You rose victoriously over sin. I pray that You'd come into my life, that You'd forgive me of my sin, and that You'd help me to follow You by faith. In Jesus' name, amen.