On The Highway

Like more than two billion other people on this planet today, we are commemorating and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ by looking at the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24. Come with us to the Scriptures as we study together. Amen. Good morning. He is risen!

Would you take out your Bibles if you have them? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We're going to be in the Gospel of Luke this morning, about two-thirds of the way through the Bible, right after Matthew and Mark, just before the Gospel of John. Luke chapter 24 is where we are going to begin reading.

Luke 24 is indeed an important passage of Scripture. In verse 1, the Gospel records for us: "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. And then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

It happened that as they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. As they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they 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 all 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, and 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.

It is seven miles from Jerusalem, and 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 and 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, those who were gathered together, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed and 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.

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. They are going to You, Lord; 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 also 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. As you stand there, looking at this beautiful, serene scene, if you are anything like me, you may have had 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, but 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 whole of that glassy, reflective lake is disturbed from that point of impact, with ripples spreading out from there.

The events of Luke chapter 24 are like that rock cast into the undisturbed lake. It is a situation that causes an impact at the center, and then it slowly begins to ripple out, disturbing everything. Two thousand years ago, that is exactly what happened in Jerusalem with the event of the resurrection.

The events described in Luke chapter 24 began to have an impact that ripples out and continues to do so from that point every year for the last 2,000 years. It continues today to have an 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's 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 with dates according to the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of the man Jesus of Nazareth. It's absolutely phenomenal to consider the impact and effect of this event. I think that many of you seated here today have been greatly impacted and affected by the resurrection of Jesus Christ described in Luke 24. If it hasn't affected you yet, 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, which you can find in your bulletin, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pivotal event of all human history. That may be a big statement, but I believe that 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 faith.

Christian faith is central to the message in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 12. Paul 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.

Furthermore, 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, by his own admission, is a Christian minister. However, as this self-proclaimed Christian minister spoke about the events of Luke chapter 24, he stated that he does 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 argues that 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. 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 address the problem of sin in your life and mine.

Paul made it clear: if Christ be not raised from the dead, then those who die in Christ simply perish. They cease to exist. And 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, faced a profound crisis of faith.

Of Jesus, they counted themselves to be absolutely pitiable. They considered themselves to be in a pitiful position when Jesus was just dead. How pitiful to be there in that place and in that situation.

Have you ever been a loser? I was reading an article recently; I don't remember exactly where it was, but it was after the most recent presidential election. The author of the article was following the team that had lost the presidential election. They were back at the headquarters the day after, and he chronicled some of the things that were 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, 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 semi-finals 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—that 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'm 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, and feeling pitiful. They were on the loser bus, many of them probably planning their next move. They had so much hope tied up in this whole situation.

Just imagine for a moment the 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 entered Jerusalem. The disciples were right there around Him, participating in this victorious march. My, how things can change. Now they found themselves on the loser bus, contemplating their next steps.

"I guess maybe I'll go back to fishing. I guess maybe I could go back to being a tax collector. I could do this or that. I certainly can't stick around here in Jerusalem." They had been victorious a week ago, and now everyone in the city wanted to get rid of them. They were 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 were already heading back. Three days after the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, it was as if they were saying, "Well, 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 so fitting that they were going to this town called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, as the text tells us. Emmaus means "warm baths." There were hot springs there. Perhaps they thought, "Well, I guess we could go drown our sorrows for a little while and kick back in the sauna, just trying to figure out what's next."

So, two of them were on their way out of Jerusalem to this village called Emmaus, which is seven miles from the city. They talked together about the things which had happened. That right there is the loser bus ride—a somber talk of dispirited disciples recounting their experiences.

They rehashed all the missed plays and the fumbles, thinking about all the things that had taken place. What was that conversation like? We are given some insight in the next verses, Luke 24:15. So it was that while they conversed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. They didn't know that it was Him; their eyes were restrained. Something about His appearance, something about the way He was post-resurrection, was different, so they didn't recognize Him. Either that, or their eyes were just restrained in some miraculous way by God.

But Jesus drew near to them and said, "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 was during the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. It was the Passover setting for the Jews—a time of feasting, celebration, joy, and rejoicing, remembering how their forefathers had been taken out of bondage in Egypt. The whole nature, the whole setting of Jerusalem during this period of time was one of joy and happiness.

Here Jesus comes with these two disciples, and you can just tell from their demeanor: heads hung low, maybe a slow pace, shoulders slumped. They were talking about how terrible this whole thing was. Jesus joined them and asked, "What's going on? You guys seem so sad. This is the Passover. This is a time of joy and rejoicing."

One of them, his name was 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 said to them, "What things are you talking about?" They replied, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was, past tense, a prophet. He 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 had already been 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 insisted, "No, open the tomb."

Jesus of Nazareth stood and called out, "Lazarus, come forth." Lazarus came waddling out, alive. We've seen him; he's alive. We heard him preach with power. We saw his miracles and heard his message. We thought that he was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. However, the chief priests and the rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death and to be crucified.

We were hoping that He was the one 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, left home, and sacrificed our lives. We walked away from everything to follow Him because we believed that He was the one—the Messiah, the Christ. We thought that He was the anointed one of God.

We had seen Him do phenomenal things, which only increased our trust and confidence that we were following the right one. It didn't seem in vain what we had given up and walked away from because we witnessed such amazing and miraculous events. But now, it's been three days, and He is dead. So, I guess we're going back. We're going back to what you could call our normal lives.

Proverbs chapter 13 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." They had hoped. In the midst of all the struggles that the people of Israel were experiencing at that time—being under the occupation of the Romans, enduring terrible hardships, and watching their nation be reduced to very little—they had hoped that He might be the redeemer.

And 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 for 18 years, and during that time, I have had the opportunity to conduct many funerals. Occasionally, we receive a call at the church from someone who has a friend that attends our church. They might say, "I don't really go to church, but we had a loved one die, and we're wondering if you could preside over or lead the funeral." Of course, we agree to help.

I have been to some funerals for individuals who clearly 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 and the weeping is heart-wrenching. There is a profound loss of hope that something good can come from such a situation.

In contrast, it is incredible to conduct a funeral for someone who had a vibrant faith in Jesus. Everyone present knows that faith and knows the Lord. While there is sorrow, it is not the same kind of sorrow. The Scriptures say we do not sorrow 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 is amazing when a loved one or a friend stands up to the microphone to share a memory about the person who has died. The difference between the memories shared for someone who lacks hope and those for someone who has hope is striking. Though there is sorrow, there is also a joy in that sorrow that proclaims victory over the grave. But death without the resurrection is pitifully sad.

I imagine these two disciples walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus as they lay out all the story for Him, unaware that they are walking with Him after He has risen.

Raised from the dead, I imagine Jesus saying, "Gosh, that sounds really depressing. Is there anything else? What else has happened?"

Well, yeah, there's a little bit more. 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 they found it just as the women said. But him, Jesus, they didn't see.

This is curious to me. Why are you leaving Jerusalem? 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 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, he, 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 noting: that 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.

Have these individuals heard that? 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 records 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. Maybe he referenced other passages, but I can only imagine that he must have referenced those passages, as important as they are.

And then, in verse 28, as they drew near the village where they were going, Emmaus, He indicated that He would have gone farther. "Let's keep going. Let's keep walking." But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, stay with us, for it is toward evening; the day is far spent." So 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, in verse 30, as He sat at the table with them, took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. Then 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're 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 don't know if one of these guys was among them; we know one of them was named Cleopas. We don't know who the other one is. Presumably, it's 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. And their eyes are opened. Maybe in that moment, it's the first time that they noticed His hands.

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."

Maybe 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 body forever. It just keeps falling apart, and I'm not even 40 yet. Everybody keeps telling me that at 40, it's 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 experience this too. The first 500 steps 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 body forever. You might not have gotten to that point yet, but you will. It'll come.

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?"

So 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 other people as well. He had appeared to Simon. Those who had been filled with despair and dispirited from everything they had just seen over the last few days had just walked seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

It's nighttime by now. The day was far spent, and after Jesus vanished from their sight, they got back to Jerusalem. They got up and ran back, no doubt, looking for the disciples. When they arrived, they didn't find a teary-eyed bunch of people despairing, wounded, and crying. Instead, they found a group of people filled with joy and rejoicing. Why? Because they had seen the risen Lord Jesus, and the resurrection had changed everything. The Lord is risen indeed. He has appeared to Simon, and they told him 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. Though Jesus died—and He did—He did not remain dead. Death could not hold Him down. He overcame death and rose again. You may be thinking, "That sounds really good. That's a great story. But how do we know?"

In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, just prior to the passage I read a few minutes ago, the Apostle Paul says this in verse 12: "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, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. But it does not stop there. 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. 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? Well, I think of Psalm 16, where it says, "You will not leave my soul in the grave; you will not let your Holy One see corruption. You will show me the path of life. 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. No one comes to the Father but by me." You might 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 500 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—testified to the risen Jesus. They were killed because they witnessed the risen Jesus. All they had to do to avoid death was to say it didn't happen, that He was still dead. But they didn't. They said, "He's alive, and I have seen Him," and 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. Because He lives, anyone who lives and believes in Him shall never perish but have life everlasting. The resurrection means life and joy forever, and that is great news. 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. We 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'll 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 may feel loneliness, emptiness, guilt because of the wrong things you've done or said, and 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 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? If you want to receive that forgiving grace from Jesus, I see you over here on the 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. Amen.