Sunday morning retuning: What sight adjustments are you making having heard Sundays message from Luke 16:10-18. Did you miss it? Listen to it here. Remember it is not enough to walk away with a good idea. You must find a way to allow that idea to motivate you to take the next step in following Jesus.
This Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection, we will be answering this question. utilizing the main image from the recent major motion picture, we will do so by examining five encounters with the Resurrected Christ: Mary Magdalene, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the disciples in the upper room, Thomas, and Peter. It seems odd that they either did not recognize him at first or had trouble believing it was him or why he was there.
Before we become too critical of those disciples, we need to ask ourselves a simple question. Why do even we who know Him not always recognize HIs presence with us? We struggle to find the ability to believe even though we know him and that he is always with us.
These words will give us perspective on Sunday morning as we consider our need to encounter Christ in our days. They are taken directly from the musical. I want to ask you to pray for those who will be hearing them for the first time Sunday.
Perhaps, like Mary Magdalene, we may be blinded by personal pain, unable to see Him clearly through our tears – until He calls us by name.
Perhaps, like the two travelers on the road to Emmaus, we can become so consumed in daily worries, we don’t realize He is always walking beside us, desiring our fellowship.
Perhaps, like the disciples, we have hidden ourselves behind locked doors, hesitant to proclaim His name to a hostile world – until He is suddenly there among us, saying “Peace be with you.”
Perhaps, like Thomas, we can easily become hardened skeptics, demanding physical evidence of Christ’s claims – forgetting that Jesus offers spiritual assurance beyond any temporal proof. When we believe without seeing, we are indeed, blessed.
And perhaps, like Peter, we let our past failings rob us of the conviction that we can still serve Christ until we face the Cross and know we are forgiven, forever.
If they who knew Him, and we who know Him, have such reasons for not seeing Jesus clearly, how much more those who have yet decided to follow him. How this should encourage us all the more to pray for those who do not yet profess to know Him? Will you pray Sunday?
Will you pray today? Will you take the 1800 prayer challenge. Join me in asking God to double our normal Sunday attendance, then to reveal His glory and His power everyone of us. Pray Ephesians 1:16-21.
Jesus, open our eyes to see You for Who You really are as we worship You this Sunday. And not just us, but hundreds who will worship with us, and millions who will worship in churches all around the world. Revive Your Church. Awaken the masses. Show us Your glory! Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
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