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Easter Service 2024 · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise.
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We're going to sing in Psalm 23, the Sing Psalms version.
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You'll find it on the Order of Service or in the Psalm books on page 28.
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Psalm 23, the Sing Psalms version.
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We're going to sing the whole of this psalm, a great psalm that reminds us of
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who the Lord is and how he is, our shepherd, how he watches over us and leads us.
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The Lord's my shepherd, no one shall I know.
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He makes me lie down where the green pastures grow.
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He leads me to rest where the calm waters flow.
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We'll stand to sing the whole of this psalm.
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The Lord is my shepherd, no one shall I know.
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He makes me lie down where the green pastures grow.
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He leads me to rest where the calm waters flow.
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My wandering steps he brings back to his way.
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In straight paths of righteousness making me stay.
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Though I walk in death's valley where darkness is near.
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Because you are with me, no evil I'll fear.
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Your God and your suffering be comfort and cheer.
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In the sight of my enemies a table you spread.
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The oil of rejoicing you pour on my head.
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My cup overflows and I'm graciously fed.
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So surely your covenant, mercy and grace.
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Will follow me closely in all of my ways.
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I will dwell in the house of the Lord all my days.
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Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven as we gather today.
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We thank you for the wonder of your creation.
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We thank you for the beauty and the stillness of this day.
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We thank you that on this Sunday morning, this Lord's Day morning, we can gather in your name.
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We can gather with the assurance and the promise that you give in your word that you will be with us.
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That you will come near to us as we seek to come near to you.
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We thank you for your word and how it reminds us of all the blessings that are ours in Jesus Christ.
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Even as we have sung together from this psalm, we are reminded of the wonder of the Lord.
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The Lord who is our shepherd.
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The Lord who leads us through this life.
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He watches over us.
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And as we put our trust in him, he gives us every promise and assurance and comfort of the word.
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And especially that great comfort of a place for all of his people.
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A place that he leads his people to.
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His dwelling place forevermore.
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And we thank you that that is true because of what he has done for us.
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And especially today, we remember the significance of all that's been done for us.
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That Jesus came into this world.
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That he died on the cross.
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That he was buried.
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And that he rose again on the third day.
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And we thank you that today as we come, especially remembering that,
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we are thankful that every Sunday we have that reminder to us.
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That he is risen.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will bless all that we do in your name today.
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Bless us together as families and friends and as a community here, Lord.
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We thank you for each other.
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We thank you for our young people and pray your blessing on them.
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Especially at this holiday time, Lord.
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Watch over each one.
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And we thank you for our schools, for the teachers and all the staff.
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And all the children there.
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We pray that they will enjoy a time of holiday just now.
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Whether it's staying at home here or going away to different places, Lord.
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Keep each one safe and watch over us all.
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Thank you for those visiting with us as well, Lord.
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And we pray your blessing on each of them as well.
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People traveling to and fro, Lord.
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Watch over us each one.
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Lord, bless us now as we worship your name.
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Bless us as we go on in this day, Lord.
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Look after us and all our loved ones as we commit them to you.
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I think especially for this coming week of James and Donna.
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As they will be away as Donna goes through her treatment, Lord.
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We pray that you will watch over them.
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Bless them.
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Uphold them.
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And others like them, Lord.
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Going through that experience at this time as well, Lord.
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We commit all who are unwell.
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All who are cast down at this time.
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All who are with many different troubles in this life, Lord.
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We pray for your comfort and your blessing to each one.
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So hear our prayers, Lord, and continue with us now as we ask all of these things for the forgiveness of our sins.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well, today is, of course, Easter Sunday.
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And it's a special day for us as we come together to remember what the Lord Jesus has done for us.
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And today we're going to be looking at a particular story from the Bible.
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A story that's often called The Two on the Road to Emmaus.
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Two people who were traveling on this journey along the road, leaving Jerusalem and making their way to a place called Emmaus.
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And as they were making their way along, Jesus came alongside them.
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And it's an amazing story.
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But the foundation of this story, as we find it in Luke's Gospel, chapter 24, actually begins with the resurrection on the first day of the week.
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And I'm just going to read one verse earlier in Luke, chapter 24, at verse 6.
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And that's where it says,
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He is not here, but he has risen.
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Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee,
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that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified,
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and on the third day rise.
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He is not here, but he is risen.
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That is what Easter is about.
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Jesus came, he died, he was buried,
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but on the third day he rose again.
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Who here has ever told a lie?
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If you don't put up your hand, you probably are telling a lie.
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Who else has maybe heard something that you think is true,
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only for it to turn out to be a lie?
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Sometimes it's hard to know what to believe and what is truth.
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Now, there's a day tomorrow, the 1st of April, it's called April Fool's Day.
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And people love to make up stories to try and trick people and to catch people out.
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And you'll hear all kinds of different stories being told,
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and sometimes it's very difficult to work out what is true and what is a lie.
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And we often fall into the trap of believing things that just aren't true,
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or not believing things that actually are.
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We've been living in Plasterfield for nearly two years now,
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and it's been nice getting to know all the neighbours round about there.
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There's one in particular, though, when the 1st of April comes,
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I'll be a little bit wary about what he might say to me,
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whether to believe it's true or not.
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I'm expecting a text in early tomorrow morning saying,
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the ferry's cancelled.
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And I'll be wondering, is that true?
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And I think, oh, no, it's so-and-so who's texting.
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It's probably just an April Fool's.
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But we struggle to know, to believe what is true and what is a lie.
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Now, 2,000 years ago, on a Friday, something happened,
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something that really changed this world.
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And that is that Jesus, who had come into this world,
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and he came with a purpose.
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He came to give his life for his people.
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And so on that Friday, Jesus was crucified.
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It was a dark day, a very sad day in many ways,
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especially if we didn't understand just why it was happening.
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But we know it's true.
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It's recorded in history for us.
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And many people saw Jesus being put to death.
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And then on the Saturday, his body lay in the grave for that day.
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But then something amazing happened.
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On the Sunday morning, on the third day,
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when they went to the tomb to see what was there,
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they found the tomb, the stone had been rolled away,
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and the tomb was empty.
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He had risen.
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He was alive.
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And he met with people.
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And that's not a lie either,
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because it's recorded for us here in the Bible.
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Many people met with Jesus.
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But there are many people who think it is a lie.
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And our lives are so often made up of trying to work out
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what is true and what is a lie.
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And there's actually board games and TV shows
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that are based on this kind of idea
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of trying to work out what's truth and what's a lie.
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There's one TV show called Would I Lie to You?
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And on it, you've got two teams of three on each team,
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and they're telling stories,
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often about themselves and things that they've done.
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Sometimes they're telling the truth,
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and sometimes they're telling a lie.
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And the team opposite them has to try and work out which it is.
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And it can be very hard,
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because it can be very convincing.
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And isn't that the way our lives so often are?
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We hear so much,
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and we're wondering to ourselves,
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what's true and what's a lie?
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And as we hear what we read in our Bibles,
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we need to believe that this is truth.
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This is what is true.
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And what these two on the road to Emmaus found
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was that as they were on this journey,
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after they left Jerusalem,
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going to Emmaus,
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which is about seven miles of a journey,
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so it'll be a bit like walking from here
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to Skoltenaloch or Skolavac,
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seven miles,
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walking all that way,
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and plenty time to discuss things.
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But as they're on this journey,
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Jesus comes alongside them.
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But it takes them a little while
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to realize just who it is.
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But what he does is he speaks to them
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about the Bible,
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the truth.
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And it's the truth,
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as we read here,
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makes their hearts burn within them.
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Their hearts get excited
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about what they are hearing
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and who it is
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that is speaking to them.
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It is Jesus,
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who they thought was dead,
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who is alive,
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and he is risen.
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And what happens is
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their lives are transformed.
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And they want to rush back
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to Jerusalem
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and tell others about him.
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Why is Easter important?
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Is it because of the holidays,
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which are good?
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Is it because of the Easter eggs
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that you get,
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which can be good as well?
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Is that why Easter is important?
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No, it's about Jesus.
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That's what's important about Easter.
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That we remember
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that Jesus came
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to give his life.
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That he died,
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but that on the third day
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he rose again.
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And we can rejoice in that.
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We can be delighted in that.
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That joy that he gave
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to the two on the road to Emmaus
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can be ours
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if we come and believe in him.
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So that's the journey
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we're going to go on today.
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We're going to look at
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the two on the road to Emmaus
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and we're going to see
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three things about them.
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They're doubting,
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they're searching,
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and then they're believing.
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And today,
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if we're in any of these situations,
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maybe we're doubting today.
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May we come to search
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the word of God
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and may we come to believe
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in the Jesus who is risen,
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who is our Savior.
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Well, we're going to read together
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just now,
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and at this point,
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anyone who's going out
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to the tweenies
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can go out.
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We're going to read together
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in the Gospel of Luke.
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We're going to read
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from verse 13
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down to verse 24.
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So we're going to read
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in the Gospel of Luke,
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chapter 24,
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and at verse 13.
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That very day,
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two of them were going
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to a village named Emmaus,
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about seven miles from Jerusalem,
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and they were talking
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with each other
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about all these things
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that had happened.
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While they were talking
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and discussing together,
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Jesus himself threw near
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and went with them,
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but their eyes were kept
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from recognizing him.
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And he said to them,
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what is this conversation
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that you are holding
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with each other
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as you walk?
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And they stood still,
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looking sad.
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Then one of them,
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named Cleopas,
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answered him,
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are you the only visitor
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to Jerusalem
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who does not know
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the things that have happened
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there in these days?
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And he said to them,
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what things?
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And they said to him,
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concerning Jesus of Nazareth,
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a man who was a prophet,
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mighty indeed,
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and word before God
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and all the people,
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and how our chief priests
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and rulers delivered him up
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to be condemned to death
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and crucified him.
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But we had hoped
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that he was the one
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to redeem Israel.
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Yes, and besides all this,
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it is now the third day
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since these things happened.
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Moreover,
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some women of our company
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amazed us.
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They were at the tomb
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early in the morning,
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and when they did not find
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his body,
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they came back saying
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that they had even seen
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a vision of angels
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who said that he was alive.
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Some of those
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who were with us
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went to the tomb
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and found it
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just as the woman had said,
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but him they did not see.
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But we leave our reading there
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at this point.
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We're going to come back
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and pick it up again.
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But in this first reading,
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we begin to see
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the two on the road to Emmaus,
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the journey that they were on,
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and just some of the things
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that they were talking about.
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There are many things
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that we hear
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and we can find them
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hard to believe.
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We doubt.
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And that's exactly
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what these two
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on the road to Emmaus
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were experiencing.
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They were doubting
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even the things
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that they were heard
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from others
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who were of their company,
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as it says,
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others who were friends
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of them
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who had come
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and told them
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all these different things
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that had happened
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and they'd seen
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or heard in Jerusalem.
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They were doubting
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to believe it.
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Just like that,
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we ourselves
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can find things
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hard to believe.
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For example,
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if I was to say to you,
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they're going to build
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a tunnel
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from Stornoway
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to Ullapul.
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They're going to go
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under the minch
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with a tunnel
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so that we can travel
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by car
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under the minch
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over to the other side.
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Would you believe that?
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Some people
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would want to believe it
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so we don't have to go
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on the ferry anymore,
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especially when the ferry's rough.
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It would make getting
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back and forth
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so much easier.
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Other people
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wouldn't want to believe it
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but say,
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oh no,
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that would bring
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maybe too many people
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into the island
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or make it too easy.
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Others would just say,
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oh,
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that's ridiculous.
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It's just
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never going to happen.
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That's just
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an April Fool's
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or I'll believe it
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when I see it.
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There are things
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that we kind of struggle
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to work out
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just what we want
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in these circumstances.
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Well,
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we meet these two
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on the road to Emmaus.
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We know one of them
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is called Cleopas
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though we're not told
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the name of the other one.
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And they had been
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to Jerusalem.
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They had been there
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for the Passover.
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That was
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the remembrance
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of how God
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had helped his people
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in the Old Testament
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in the time
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of the Exodus,
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how they had
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been helped by God
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to get away
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from Egypt.
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And they were remembering
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that by sacrificing
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a lamb.
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But now as they'd been
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to Jerusalem
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remembering the Passover,
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what they had seen
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was this fulfilled.
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And Jesus
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who had come
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to give his life.
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And they've seen
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so much,
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they've heard
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so much,
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and yet here
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they are
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coming away
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from Jerusalem
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on the way
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to Emmaus.
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And what's
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their emotion?
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How are they feeling?
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Are they happy?
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Even when they've heard
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that Jesus
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may be alive,
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you'd think
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they would be happy,
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but they're not.
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They are sad.
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They are sad
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about what had happened
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because they don't
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understand it.
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They don't realize
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just what this means.
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And you notice
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what they were
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talking about.
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they were talking
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about the things
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that had happened
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concerning Jesus
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as it says
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in verse 19.
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And it's almost like
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they had all
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the information.
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They had Jesus,
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they were talking
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about him,
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this man
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who was a prophet,
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who was mighty indeed,
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all the things
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that he had done.
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He was so mighty
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in all of these things,
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how the chief priests
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and the rulers
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had delivered him up
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to condemn him to death.
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They had crucified him.
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And it says,
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but we had hoped
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that he was the one
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to redeem his.
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He was the one
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that they were looking for
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and putting their hope on
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that he would save
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his people.
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And yet here they feel
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like all their hopes
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are dashed.
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They're coming away
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from Jerusalem
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and they've missed
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the most important thing.
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It reminds me of
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when you see
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football fans
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and they're in the stadium.
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They've got the ticket
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to go into the stadium
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to watch their team play,
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but they find their team
21:07
losing and losing badly.
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And so maybe with
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15 or 20 minutes to go,
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they think,
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well, what's the point?
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My team's lost.
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Even if you look back
21:19
to the results yesterday,
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Newcastle were playing
21:22
West Ham.
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And with less than 15 minutes
21:26
to go,
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West Ham are winning
21:28
3-1.
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And you can start to see
21:30
the fans starting to leave.
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They're thinking,
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we've lost.
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There's no point.
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So they go out.
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They start coming away
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from the stadium.
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But as they're making
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their way away
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from the stadium,
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they begin to hear
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a cheer go up
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as their team
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has scored one goal.
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And as their team
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has scored another.
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Newcastle came back
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and they won 4-3
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in the last minutes.
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But fans who left
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before the end
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because they doubted
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that their team
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could come back
21:58
and win,
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they missed it.
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And they had to go
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on reports
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that others would tell them.
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And even then,
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they maybe wouldn't believe it.
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There's no way
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that we could come back
22:08
and win that game.
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And yet,
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here are these two
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on the road to Emmaus.
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They've been in Jerusalem.
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They've been in the place
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with everything
22:18
that was happening.
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They've seen so much
22:21
that was happening.
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And they've even heard
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so much about
22:24
what has happened.
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It even goes so far
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as to say that
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some of the people
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who were with us
22:30
came and told us
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that his body
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was not there,
22:33
that the angels
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were saying
22:35
that he was alive.
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And yet,
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they dismissed it.
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They were doubting.
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And yet,
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into this,
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who is it
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that comes
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alongside them?
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As they're journeying
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on the way,
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Jesus himself,
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it says in verse 15,
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drew near
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and went with them.
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Jesus himself.
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And yet,
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they didn't recognize him.
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They didn't understand.
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And they're saying to him,
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we hoped
23:06
that he was the one
23:08
who was going to save us.
23:10
And he's there.
23:12
He's right beside them.
23:14
And yet,
23:15
they're still
23:16
not believing.
23:20
And how close
23:21
are we
23:22
to salvation today?
23:25
How close
23:26
are we
23:26
to Jesus today?
23:28
And still,
23:29
we don't believe.
23:32
The Bible
23:32
tells us.
23:34
He is not here.
23:36
He is risen.
23:38
This morning,
23:39
this Sunday morning,
23:40
tells us
23:41
that he is risen.
23:43
It is Easter Sunday.
23:45
It reminds us
23:47
of all of these things.
23:50
And yet,
23:50
still,
23:51
we don't believe.
23:54
We're so close
23:56
to the truth.
23:58
We're hearing the truth.
24:00
And yet,
24:00
we're still saying
24:01
to ourselves,
24:02
but it's a lie.
24:05
It can't be true.
24:07
Well,
24:08
that's the experience
24:09
of these two
24:10
on the road
24:11
to Emmaus.
24:12
That's our first experience,
24:14
doubt.
24:16
They don't believe
24:17
that this can be true.
24:20
And for ourselves,
24:22
that might be
24:23
our experience
24:23
today as well.
24:25
Maybe we don't believe
24:26
that this
24:27
can be true.
24:30
Well,
24:30
there is truth
24:31
here
24:32
for us.
24:34
And before we go on
24:35
to the next stage
24:36
of the journey
24:37
when we come
24:38
to see them searching,
24:40
we're going to read,
24:41
but first,
24:41
before we read,
24:42
we're going to sing.
24:44
We're going to sing
24:45
another psalm together.
24:47
We're going to sing
24:47
in Psalm 22.
24:53
Psalm 22.
24:54
And we're going to sing
24:55
from verse 25
24:57
down to verse 27,
25:00
three stanzas.
25:01
Now,
25:03
this is another psalm
25:04
that's all about
25:05
Jesus in many ways.
25:07
It speaks to us
25:08
about his crucifixion.
25:11
But at the end
25:12
of this psalm,
25:13
it reminds us
25:15
that although he died,
25:17
he is alive.
25:19
In verse 25,
25:20
you are the theme
25:21
of all my praise.
25:23
Within the great
25:23
assembly, Lord,
25:25
before all those
25:25
who fear your name,
25:27
I will fulfill
25:28
your solemn word.
25:30
And then in verse 27,
25:31
the whole earth
25:32
will remember him
25:34
and turn towards
25:35
the Lord their God.
25:37
All peoples
25:37
will bow down
25:40
to him,
25:41
the nations
25:42
of the world abroad.
25:44
And that's a reminder
25:45
to us that today
25:46
as we worship here
25:47
throughout the world,
25:49
the whole world,
25:50
people remember him,
25:52
remember that he is risen.
25:55
So we'll sing
25:55
from verse 25
25:57
to verse 27
25:58
to God's praise.
26:00
Amen.
26:01
Amen.
26:02
Amen.
26:03
You are the theme
26:08
of all my praise
26:12
within the great assembly,
26:19
Lord,
26:21
before all those
26:25
who fear your name,
26:29
I will fulfill
26:33
my solemn word.
26:39
The poor will eat
26:43
and will be filled,
26:48
and those who seek
26:52
the Lord will give.
26:57
A shout of joyful praise
27:04
to him,
27:06
O may your heart
27:10
forever lift.
27:15
the whole earth
27:18
will remember him
27:20
and turn towards
27:25
the Lord their God.
27:29
the Lord their God.
27:32
All peoples
27:36
will bow down
27:39
to him,
27:40
the nations
27:44
of the world abroad.
27:50
the Lord.
27:59
Well, we read some more
28:01
verses now in this chapter,
28:03
Luke 24.
28:04
We're going to read
28:05
from verse 25
28:07
down to verse 31.
28:11
Luke 24 at verse 25.
28:14
And he said to them,
28:17
O foolish ones,
28:19
and slow of heart
28:20
to believe
28:21
all that the prophets
28:22
have spoken.
28:24
Was it not necessary
28:25
that the Christ
28:26
should suffer these things
28:28
and enter into his glory?
28:30
And beginning with Moses
28:31
and all the prophets,
28:33
he interpreted to them
28:35
in all the scriptures
28:37
the things
28:38
concerning himself.
28:40
So they drew near
28:42
to the village
28:43
to which they were going.
28:45
He acted as if
28:46
he were going further,
28:47
but they urged him
28:48
strongly, saying,
28:50
Stay with us,
28:51
for it is towards evening
28:52
and the day
28:54
is now far spent.
28:56
So he went in
28:57
to stay with them.
28:59
When he was at the table
29:00
with them,
29:01
he took the bread
29:02
and blessed
29:03
and broke it
29:04
and gave it to them.
29:06
And their eyes
29:07
were opened
29:07
and they recognized him
29:10
and he vanished
29:11
from their sight.
29:15
Well, as Jesus
29:17
was hearing
29:17
these two
29:19
on the road to Emmaus
29:20
talking as he came
29:21
alongside them,
29:23
this is now
29:23
where we see
29:24
how Jesus
29:25
responds to them
29:27
and all that they're saying
29:28
and all the explanations
29:29
that they've given
29:31
to him
29:31
about what had happened
29:33
in Jerusalem.
29:34
And it's a reminder
29:35
to us
29:35
that there is always
29:36
two sides.
29:37
to every story.
29:40
Two sides.
29:41
And so often
29:42
it's a case
29:42
of trying to work out
29:44
what is true
29:44
and what is a lie.
29:48
And we begin to see
29:49
that the understanding
29:50
that the two
29:51
on the road to Emmaus
29:52
had was
29:52
believing
29:53
what was not true.
29:56
And that's what
29:57
Jesus' response
29:58
to them is
29:59
in verse 25.
30:00
He said to them,
30:01
O foolish ones,
30:03
and slow of heart
30:05
to believe
30:05
all that the prophets
30:07
have written.
30:09
O foolish ones,
30:13
are we fools today?
30:17
Will we be fools
30:18
tomorrow
30:19
when someone plays
30:21
and April fools on us
30:23
and we get sucked in
30:24
and believe that?
30:26
We can be fools
30:27
to believe a lie.
30:30
It can happen
30:31
so easily
30:31
and so quickly.
30:35
But how many more
30:36
are fools
30:37
in not believing
30:39
what is written
30:40
for us here?
30:42
What is told
30:43
to us
30:44
in the Bible
30:45
in God's Word?
30:47
the truth
30:48
that is presented
30:49
to us
30:50
in the Scriptures?
30:53
Well, that's what
30:53
Jesus brings
30:55
these two to.
30:56
He brings them
30:57
to the Bible,
30:58
to the Word
30:59
of God.
31:01
And that's what
31:01
Jesus says,
31:02
you are fools
31:03
not to believe this.
31:06
And Jesus then
31:07
starts explaining
31:08
to them
31:09
all about
31:10
the Bible.
31:13
And he says,
31:13
was it not necessary
31:14
that Christ
31:16
should suffer
31:16
these things
31:17
and enter
31:18
into glory?
31:19
Was that not
31:19
what the Bible
31:20
was saying to you
31:21
all this time?
31:23
And he says then
31:24
in verse 27,
31:27
beginning with Moses
31:28
and all the prophets,
31:30
he began to explain
31:32
the Bible to them.
31:33
The things,
31:34
he says,
31:35
concerning himself.
31:36
How Jesus was seen
31:38
in all of the Old Testament.
31:40
How it was pointing
31:41
towards Jesus' coming
31:44
and all that was
31:45
necessary for him
31:47
to do.
31:47
And you can imagine
31:48
Jesus speaking
31:50
about the things
31:51
of the Old Testament,
31:53
like the Passover lamb,
31:55
explaining what it meant
31:57
in Moses' day,
31:59
what it meant now,
32:01
what it meant
32:02
going forward.
32:04
Explaining from the prophets,
32:06
like Isaiah,
32:07
the things that Isaiah
32:08
wrote about Jesus.
32:10
Explaining from
32:11
so many of the Psalms,
32:13
how Jesus is seen
32:15
in them.
32:17
Even think of the likes
32:18
of Psalm 14,
32:19
which says,
32:21
the fool says in his heart,
32:24
there is no God.
32:26
That is what it means
32:28
to be a fool.
32:31
To say there is no God.
32:35
And Jesus here is describing
32:37
these two on the road
32:38
to Emmaus
32:39
as foolish
32:40
and slow
32:42
of heart.
32:43
He is describing them
32:44
in this way
32:44
and he is saying
32:45
basically,
32:46
you are stubborn.
32:49
You are stubborn
32:51
not to believe
32:53
these things.
32:55
Here it is
32:55
presented before you.
32:57
You are just foolish.
32:58
You are stubborn
32:59
not to believe
33:01
these things.
33:03
And is that not
33:04
the way we so often
33:05
are as well?
33:07
We are just stubborn
33:08
by nature.
33:10
Stubborn
33:11
to believe
33:12
so many things.
33:13
And that is certainly
33:14
not something
33:14
we want to be
33:15
with the word
33:17
of God.
33:18
Stubbornness
33:19
is being foolish.
33:22
Many of you,
33:23
I am sure,
33:24
will be busy
33:24
just now
33:25
either working
33:26
or helping
33:27
with sheep
33:28
and helping
33:28
with lambing
33:29
at this time.
33:31
It is a busy time
33:32
for those
33:33
who have sheep.
33:34
Have you ever
33:36
ended up
33:37
in a standoff
33:38
with a sheep
33:39
though?
33:40
When you are
33:41
trying to get
33:41
them into the pen
33:42
but they just
33:43
want to go
33:44
the opposite
33:45
direction.
33:47
And I am sure
33:47
many of you
33:48
have been in
33:48
a situation
33:49
where you find
33:50
yourself,
33:50
you end up
33:51
just wanting
33:51
to talk
33:52
to the sheep
33:53
and you are
33:54
trying to reason
33:55
with the sheep.
33:56
You are saying
33:56
look,
33:57
I just want you
33:58
to go this way
33:59
not that way.
34:01
Will you not
34:01
just do
34:02
as I am saying
34:03
and you are
34:05
you want me
34:06
to go this way?
34:07
No,
34:08
I am going
34:08
that way.
34:10
They are stubborn
34:10
just like we are.
34:12
And that is why
34:13
you find
34:13
in the Bible
34:14
Jesus so often
34:15
describes
34:16
his people
34:18
as sheep.
34:19
You find it
34:19
in the Old Testament
34:21
as well.
34:22
All we like sheep
34:23
have gone astray.
34:24
We have turned
34:25
all to our own ways.
34:27
We have been stubborn.
34:29
We have gone away.
34:29
Well,
34:31
Jesus is described
34:33
as we sang
34:33
in Psalm 23
34:34
as the good shepherd.
34:37
And the good shepherd
34:38
who is described
34:39
in John 10
34:40
as the one
34:41
who calls
34:42
his sheep,
34:43
calls them by name
34:44
that they would
34:44
follow him.
34:46
But we are stubborn.
34:48
Even though we know
34:49
the Bible
34:50
is talking
34:51
to us,
34:52
we are still
34:53
stubborn
34:53
to believe,
34:54
slow of heart
34:55
and just foolish
34:56
to believe
34:57
all that is said.
35:00
There are two sides
35:02
to every story.
35:06
But the more
35:07
we hear
35:08
the voice
35:09
of Jesus,
35:11
the more we realize
35:13
that he is
35:13
just like
35:14
a good shepherd.
35:16
A shepherd
35:17
who wants
35:17
to care
35:18
for his sheep.
35:19
A shepherd
35:20
who is trying
35:20
to get his sheep
35:21
into the pen
35:23
so he can look
35:23
after them
35:24
and care for them
35:25
even though they
35:26
want to go
35:27
the opposite
35:28
direction.
35:30
The more we hear
35:31
of Jesus,
35:32
the more we see
35:32
he wants us
35:33
to come to him
35:35
that we might
35:36
help us.
35:38
That we might
35:39
come to him
35:39
and find rest
35:41
with him.
35:43
And the more
35:43
they,
35:45
the two on the road
35:45
to Emmaus,
35:46
were hearing
35:47
as Jesus was
35:48
opening up
35:49
the scriptures,
35:50
the more they realized
35:51
as he was searching
35:52
through the scriptures,
35:54
he was not just
35:54
searching the scriptures
35:55
but he was searching
35:57
their hearts.
36:00
Working in their hearts,
36:02
those hearts
36:03
that were stubborn
36:04
and foolish
36:05
and slow
36:06
to believe,
36:07
he was working
36:08
in them
36:09
that they might
36:09
come to believe.
36:13
And that is
36:13
the power
36:14
of God's word.
36:16
That is the power
36:17
that we have
36:18
before us
36:19
here today.
36:20
This word
36:21
of God
36:21
that speaks
36:23
to us
36:23
about all
36:24
that was
36:24
necessary
36:25
for Christ
36:26
to suffer.
36:28
All that he
36:29
had to do
36:29
for us
36:30
in giving
36:30
his life
36:31
on the cross
36:32
and being put
36:34
in the grave
36:35
but that he
36:37
rose again
36:38
to remind us
36:39
that he had
36:40
conquered the grave,
36:41
conquered death.
36:42
All of these
36:43
things
36:44
we are to hear
36:45
and that is the word
36:46
that searches
36:47
your heart
36:48
in my heart
36:48
and challenges
36:51
us
36:52
to believe
36:53
in this.
36:56
We can come
36:57
from doubting
36:58
to being foolish
37:00
and stubborn
37:01
to being searched
37:03
by Jesus
37:04
and coming
37:06
to know
37:07
what Jesus
37:08
has done
37:09
for us
37:10
that we might
37:12
have life
37:12
in him.
37:15
And that is the
37:16
final thing
37:16
I want us
37:17
to take
37:17
from this
37:18
passage.
37:19
The way
37:20
they come
37:20
to believe.
37:23
I want us
37:24
just to read
37:24
a few more
37:25
verses
37:25
before we
37:27
come to reflect
37:27
on this
37:28
final point.
37:29
Reading from
37:30
verse 32
37:31
down to
37:32
verse 35.
37:36
And there
37:37
we read
37:37
these words.
37:40
They said
37:41
to each
37:41
other,
37:42
did not
37:43
our hearts
37:44
burn
37:45
within us
37:45
while he
37:46
talked to
37:47
us on
37:47
the road,
37:48
while he
37:49
opened to
37:50
us the
37:50
scriptures.
37:52
And they
37:52
rose that
37:53
same hour
37:54
and returned
37:55
to Jerusalem.
37:57
And they
37:57
found the
37:58
eleven and
37:58
those who
37:59
were with
37:59
them gathered
38:00
together saying,
38:02
The Lord
38:02
has risen
38:03
indeed,
38:04
and he
38:04
has appeared
38:05
to Simon.
38:07
Then they
38:08
told what
38:09
had happened
38:09
on the road
38:10
and how he
38:11
was known
38:12
to them
38:13
in the
38:14
breaking
38:14
of bread.
38:21
As they
38:22
had come
38:22
towards
38:23
Emmaus,
38:24
these two
38:24
had invited
38:25
Jesus in
38:26
to stay
38:27
with them.
38:27
They were
38:28
concerned for
38:29
him.
38:29
It was
38:29
getting late
38:30
at night.
38:31
It wasn't
38:31
the time
38:31
to be out
38:32
and about
38:33
on the
38:34
roads at
38:34
that time
38:35
of night
38:35
because
38:36
they were
38:36
dangerous
38:37
places,
38:38
places where
38:38
robbers would
38:39
be hiding
38:40
and waiting
38:41
for people
38:41
to come
38:42
along.
38:44
And as
38:45
they sat
38:45
together
38:46
and as
38:47
Jesus had
38:48
opened up
38:48
the scriptures
38:49
to them,
38:50
you see in
38:51
this moment
38:52
there was a
38:53
realization
38:53
of who
38:55
it was.
38:56
In the
38:57
breaking of
38:57
the bread
38:58
they suddenly
38:59
realized
39:00
that this
39:01
was Jesus.
39:05
What does
39:06
recognizing
39:07
Jesus do?
39:10
What does
39:10
recognizing
39:11
the truth
39:12
do?
39:14
It does
39:15
what happened
39:16
to these
39:16
two on
39:17
the road
39:17
to Emmaus.
39:19
It makes
39:19
your heart
39:20
burn
39:21
within you.
39:23
It's an
39:23
amazing image
39:24
this.
39:26
Did not
39:26
our hearts
39:27
burn
39:28
within us
39:29
as he
39:29
opened up
39:30
the scriptures?
39:31
And it's
39:31
looking back.
39:33
It's
39:33
recognizing
39:34
something that
39:34
had been
39:35
happening
39:35
for a while
39:36
and something
39:37
that can
39:37
happen to
39:38
ourselves
39:38
as well
39:39
when all
39:39
of a sudden
39:40
we begin
39:41
to realize
39:42
who Jesus
39:43
is and
39:43
begin to
39:44
realize how
39:45
he's been
39:45
speaking to
39:47
us and
39:47
how he's
39:47
been bringing
39:48
our heart
39:49
alive again.
39:51
Our heart
39:52
that was
39:52
hard and
39:53
stubborn and
39:54
foolish.
39:56
Jesus has
39:57
begun to
39:58
work in
39:58
it.
39:59
To bring
40:00
it to
40:01
life.
40:02
Through
40:02
his word.
40:04
through
40:05
his
40:06
truth.
40:07
That is
40:08
what
40:09
happened
40:09
to them.
40:12
The
40:12
word of
40:13
God
40:13
started to
40:14
speak
40:14
in
40:15
powerful
40:16
ways.
40:18
And the
40:18
hope,
40:19
remember the
40:19
hope that
40:20
they thought
40:21
had gone.
40:22
The hope
40:23
that they
40:23
had left
40:24
behind in
40:25
Jerusalem,
40:25
leaving,
40:26
as it were,
40:26
before the
40:27
full-time
40:28
whistle had
40:28
gone,
40:28
not realizing
40:29
the great
40:31
achievement that
40:32
had been
40:32
done for
40:33
them,
40:33
that he
40:33
was risen.
40:36
What they
40:36
had been
40:36
slow to
40:37
believe,
40:38
now they
40:39
realized.
40:41
And their
40:42
hope was
40:43
back.
40:44
Their hope
40:44
was fulfilled.
40:46
They were
40:46
filled with
40:47
joy.
40:49
Joy and
40:50
gladness that
40:51
the Lord is
40:52
risen indeed.
40:55
And that's
40:56
the joy that
40:57
the word of
40:58
God can give
40:59
to us today
41:00
as well.
41:01
So here
41:03
they were,
41:04
the two on
41:04
the road to
41:05
Emmaus.
41:05
They had
41:05
come to
41:06
Emmaus.
41:07
What had
41:07
started out
41:08
as a sad
41:09
journey,
41:09
talking about
41:10
the hope
41:11
that they
41:11
had lost
41:12
and all
41:12
of these
41:13
things.
41:15
Imagine
41:15
you were
41:17
going on
41:17
a school
41:18
sponsored
41:19
walk.
41:20
You were
41:20
going to
41:21
walk from
41:22
Stornoway,
41:23
seven miles,
41:24
maybe to
41:24
the Lough
41:25
School or
41:25
to the
41:26
Bath
41:26
School.
41:27
And it's
41:28
been a
41:28
long,
41:28
tiring
41:29
walk.
41:30
You're
41:30
knackered
41:31
as you
41:31
come to
41:31
the school.
41:32
You're
41:32
thirsty,
41:33
your feet
41:34
are hurting.
41:35
And then
41:36
when you
41:36
get there
41:36
your teacher
41:37
says,
41:38
right,
41:38
we're
41:39
going
41:39
straight
41:39
back
41:40
to
41:40
Stornoway.
41:41
Start
41:42
walking.
41:43
Oh,
41:44
you would
41:44
think,
41:44
no way,
41:46
we're not
41:46
going to
41:46
do that,
41:47
we've just
41:47
reached here.
41:49
Well,
41:50
Cleopas and
41:51
the friend
41:52
that was
41:52
with Cleopas,
41:54
as soon as
41:54
they had
41:55
arrived in
41:55
Emmaus and
41:56
as soon as
41:56
they realized
41:57
who Jesus
41:58
was,
41:59
the first
42:00
thing they
42:00
wanted to
42:01
do was
42:01
get right
42:02
back to
42:02
Jerusalem.
42:04
Get right
42:04
back there
42:05
to tell
42:06
people who
42:07
they had
42:07
seen and
42:08
who they
42:08
had met
42:09
with.
42:09
He is
42:10
risen.
42:11
He is
42:12
alive.
42:14
The
42:14
resurrection
42:15
filled
42:16
them with
42:17
hope.
42:19
And that's
42:19
what the
42:20
resurrection
42:20
does today
42:22
as well.
42:23
No matter
42:24
what makes
42:25
us sad
42:25
in this
42:26
life,
42:27
no matter
42:27
the things
42:28
that come
42:28
our way
42:29
that hurt
42:30
us and
42:30
leave us
42:30
feeling anxious
42:31
and fearful,
42:33
as we
42:33
trust in
42:34
Jesus,
42:35
he gives
42:36
us a
42:37
hope.
42:38
A hope
42:39
for today
42:39
and a
42:40
hope for
42:41
eternity.
42:43
Why is
42:44
the resurrection
42:45
important?
42:47
It's important
42:48
because it's
42:48
not a joke.
42:50
It's not
42:50
an April
42:51
fool's.
42:52
It's not
42:53
there to
42:53
give us a
42:54
little hope
42:55
and then only
42:55
take it
42:56
away that
42:56
is not
42:57
actually
42:57
true.
42:59
It is
42:59
true.
43:01
And so
43:02
we are
43:02
to believe
43:03
it.
43:04
These
43:05
two,
43:05
they came
43:06
to believe
43:07
in all
43:08
that they
43:08
had heard
43:09
and seen.
43:10
They had
43:11
seen Jesus
43:12
and it
43:13
filled them
43:13
with hope
43:14
and filled
43:15
them with
43:17
delight.
43:19
There was
43:20
once a
43:22
skeptic,
43:22
that's
43:23
someone who
43:23
doesn't really
43:24
believe in
43:25
God.
43:26
And he
43:26
had a
43:26
Christian
43:27
friend.
43:28
And very
43:29
often he
43:29
would mock
43:30
his Christian
43:31
friend,
43:32
make a
43:32
laugh of
43:33
his faith.
43:35
And one
43:35
day this
43:36
man said
43:37
to his
43:37
Christian
43:38
friend,
43:38
say,
43:38
George,
43:40
what would
43:41
you say
43:42
if when
43:43
you die
43:44
you find
43:45
out that
43:45
there is
43:46
no heaven?
43:48
Well,
43:49
a Christian
43:49
friend said
43:50
to his
43:51
friend beside
43:52
him with
43:53
a smile.
43:53
He said,
43:54
well,
43:54
I would
43:55
say I've
43:56
had a
43:56
good life
43:57
and I've
43:58
enjoyed living
43:59
my life
44:00
for Christ.
44:03
And then
44:04
he threw
44:04
a question
44:05
back at
44:06
his skeptic
44:07
friend,
44:07
his friend
44:08
who didn't
44:08
believe.
44:10
And he
44:10
said to
44:11
him,
44:11
what about
44:12
you,
44:12
Fred?
44:13
What would
44:14
you say
44:15
if when
44:16
you die
44:16
you find
44:18
out there
44:18
is such
44:19
a place
44:19
as hell?
44:22
And there
44:24
was no
44:24
response
44:25
to give.
44:28
And that's
44:29
the reality
44:30
of the
44:31
resurrection.
44:32
That's the
44:33
difference
44:33
it makes.
44:35
Jesus
44:36
came to
44:37
save his
44:38
people from
44:39
their sins,
44:41
to save
44:42
his people
44:43
from hell
44:43
and to
44:45
give them
44:45
the hope
44:46
of heaven
44:47
and eternity
44:48
with him.
44:50
it is not
44:52
an April
44:53
fools.
44:54
It's not
44:55
a joke.
44:57
But do you
44:58
believe the
44:58
truth or
45:00
do you
45:00
believe a
45:01
lie?
45:03
The truth
45:03
is he
45:05
died,
45:06
he was
45:07
buried,
45:08
and he
45:09
rose on
45:10
the third
45:10
day.
45:12
The lie
45:13
is that
45:14
none of
45:14
that is
45:16
true.
45:18
There's a
45:19
little song
45:19
that we
45:20
used to
45:20
sing at
45:21
a holiday
45:21
club that
45:22
we used
45:22
to do
45:23
in Dumfries.
45:24
And it's
45:25
about the
45:25
cross.
45:27
And it's
45:27
just a
45:28
simple little
45:29
song,
45:30
really one
45:31
verse.
45:32
And this
45:32
is what it
45:33
says.
45:34
When I
45:35
think about
45:36
the cross,
45:37
when I
45:38
think of
45:39
Jesus,
45:40
it reminds
45:41
me of
45:42
his love,
45:43
love that
45:44
never leaves
45:45
me.
45:45
who am
45:47
I that
45:48
he should
45:49
die in
45:50
my place,
45:52
giving life
45:53
so freely,
45:55
when I
45:56
think about
45:57
the cross,
45:59
help me
46:00
to believe
46:01
it.
46:02
It's a
46:02
simple
46:03
little verse,
46:05
and yet it
46:06
speaks so
46:07
much to
46:07
us about
46:08
the love
46:09
of the
46:10
Lord to
46:11
us,
46:12
in giving
46:13
his life,
46:14
love,
46:15
and asking
46:15
in prayer
46:16
that he
46:16
would help
46:17
us to
46:18
believe it.
46:20
Amazing
46:20
love,
46:21
how can
46:22
it be
46:23
that thou,
46:24
my God,
46:25
should die
46:26
for me?
46:28
He died,
46:30
but he
46:30
is risen,
46:32
and may he
46:32
help us
46:33
all to
46:34
believe the
46:34
truth that
46:35
there is
46:36
in that,
46:37
and not the
46:38
lie that
46:38
says it
46:40
is not
46:40
true.
46:41
Let us
46:42
pray.
46:42
Our
46:44
Father in
46:45
heaven,
46:46
we do
46:46
thank you
46:46
for your
46:47
word and
46:48
the hope
46:48
that it
46:48
gives,
46:49
for it
46:50
reminds us
46:51
that though
46:51
Christ came
46:52
to die
46:53
for our
46:54
sins,
46:54
it reminds
46:55
us too
46:55
that he
46:56
is risen,
46:58
and we
46:58
pray that
46:58
today we
46:59
would be
46:59
helped to
47:00
believe in
47:01
all of
47:02
these things,
47:03
to believe
47:03
in the
47:03
things that
47:04
maybe even
47:04
seem impossible
47:06
to us,
47:07
but we
47:08
thank you
47:08
that through
47:09
faith we
47:09
see all
47:10
that is
47:11
possible with
47:11
God.
47:12
So continue
47:13
with us
47:13
Lord and
47:14
bless us
47:14
we pray
47:15
in Jesus
47:15
name.
47:16
Amen.
47:20
We're going
47:20
to conclude
47:21
by singing
47:22
to God's
47:23
praise in
47:24
Psalm 62
47:25
in the
47:26
Scottish
47:27
Psalter
47:28
version.
47:28
Psalm 62
47:29
and we'll
47:31
sing the
47:32
first two
47:33
verses.
47:36
Psalm 62
47:37
My soul
47:38
with expectation
47:39
depends on
47:40
God indeed
47:41
my strength
47:42
and my
47:43
salvation
47:43
doth from
47:44
him alone
47:45
proceed.
47:46
He only
47:47
my salvation
47:48
is and my
47:48
strong rock
47:49
is he.
47:50
He only
47:51
is my
47:51
sure defense
47:52
much moved
47:53
I shall
47:54
not be.
47:55
We'll sing
47:55
these two
47:56
verses to
47:57
God's
47:58
praise.
47:58
my soul
48:06
with
48:07
expectation
48:10
depends
48:15
on
48:17
God
48:19
indeed
48:20
my strength
48:24
and my
48:27
salvation
48:29
doth
48:31
from
48:33
him
48:34
alone
48:36
proceed.
48:40
He only
48:43
is my
48:49
salvation
48:50
and my
48:52
strong
48:54
rock
48:55
is he.
48:58
He only
49:02
is
49:04
my
49:05
sure
49:06
defense
49:09
much
49:10
move
49:12
I
49:13
shall
49:14
not
49:16
leave.
49:19
After the
49:20
benediction
49:20
I'll go to
49:21
the door
49:22
to my
49:22
right here.
49:23
We'll just
49:23
close with
49:23
the
49:24
benediction.
49:25
Now may
49:25
grace,
49:26
mercy and
49:27
peace from
49:28
God,
49:28
Father,
49:29
Son and
49:29
Holy Spirit
49:30
rest upon
49:32
and abide
49:32
with you
49:33
all now
49:34
and forever
49:34
more.
49:35
Amen.
49:40
Amen.