We tell his story, and we tell our story. That is what worship is today. That is what we bring and what we offer today—because we have been set free. Come, let us worship God!
Scriptures: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 and Luke 24:13-35
Message; “Heart Burn”
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
(14) Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
(36) “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
(37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
(38) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
(40) With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (41) Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Luke 24:13-35
On the Road to Emmaus
(13) Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. (14) They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. (15) As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; (16) but they were kept from recognizing him.
(17) He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” (18) They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
(19) “What things?” he asked. (20) “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; (21) but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. (22) In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning (23) but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. (24) Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
(25) He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (27) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
(28) As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. (29) But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
(30) When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. (31) Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. (32) They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
(33) They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together (34) and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” (35) Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
This is the word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
How many of you have seen Superman,”The Movie”? Superman first reveals his powers to the world with a dramatic rescue of Lois Lane. Lois is dangling from a cable high above the Daily Planet building. She is screaming at the top of her lungs. Just as she begins her long fall toward earth, Superman changes into his power suit and swoops up to catch her in midair. “Don’t worry, Miss,” he says. I’ve got you.”
”Thanks,” says Lois. “But who’s got you?”
Just then a helicopter that has been parked on the edge of the building starts to fall straight toward them and the crowd below. But Superman simply grabs it with his one free arm and gently sets both it and Lois safely back on the landing pad. When he turns to leave, Lois stammers out the words, “Who are you?”
Superman says, “A friend” and flies off just before Lois faints into a heap.
Isn’t that how we would like Christ to come to us? Isn’t that why we often aren’t paying attention when he comes in less spectacular ways?
This third Sunday of Easter, we gather together here to celebrate, and remember the resurrection of Jesus, our “Superman”. And whether you realize it or not you came here looking for a cure for your “Heart Burn”.
When I told Bonne the title of my message this morning I was sure she would ask me if I wanted it put into the bulletin in one word or two; “Heartburn” or “Heart Burn”. Do you know what the difference is? Heartburn is an uneasy physical sensation, but “Heart Burn” is a spiritual sensation.
I’m sure that the 3000 souls that were added to the Believers numbers the day Peter preached to the crowd, (that we read about in our reading from Acts 2), all had come looking for a cure for their “Heart Burn”, the spiritual kind. And it’s my prayer today that all here today have joined us looking for the cure for your “Heart Burn”. The cure that comes from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.
In our gospel reading from Luke, 24, these two men are experiencing “Heart Burn”. Verse 32 tells us, They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Because their “Heart Burn” is more than likely not the uneasy physical sensation. Their “Heart Burn” is more of the spiritual kind. So today let’s look briefly at what caused it. So that we can possibly discover what led to such spiritual “Heart Burn”.
These two guys were on the road to Emmaus. They were on their way home and as they were walking, they were talking about the recent events surrounding the death of Jesus. Then a stranger walks up to them and joins the conversation as if he had no clue what happened in the last few days.
They don’t understand why he doesn’t know what is going on so they fill him in and then this stranger gives a history lesson of his own explaining the significance of all that has happened. This stranger was Jesus but they didn’t know it. As they continued down the road, it was getting late so when they made it home, they invited this stranger to stay with them. He did. And in verses 30-32 the scriptures tells us;
“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
They felt an uneasy sensation in their spirit as Jesus explained the scriptures to them. They felt something within them that made them begin to think about what their hearts had just consumed in this strangers presence. They were surprised to feel this way and probably dismissed it as skepticism or cynicism but it was really a moment of revelation by the Spirit of God. It wasn’t until they watched Him demonstrate the breaking and the blessing of the bread, it wasn’t until they saw Him demonstrate with His hands what had happened to His body, it wasn’t until they truly paid attention to this stranger that their eyes were opened and they recognized him.
As soon as they recognized Him, Jesus disappeared. I do not know why Jesus disappeared. I don’t know why Jesus left so suddenly after His identity was revealed to these two men. I don’t know why He didn’t stick around especially now that they knew who He was. However, I do know that after their eyes were open and they recognized him, they began to put together the symptoms of their “Heart Burn”, the spiritual kind.
I am reminded of the story about a minister who of experiencing a a similar kind of heart burn as he was building a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn’t say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the lad would leave. But he didn’t. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor said, “Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?” “No,” replied the boy, “I’m just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”
Did Jesus join these two in hopes of hearing what others were saying about his crucifixion? Did he reveal himself to them to deliver the cure for their “Heart Burn”? Did He leave suddenly because He had delivered the cure to their “Heart Burn”?
Spiritual “Heart Burn” is a result of having had an encounter with God. There is a resulting sense of uneasiness, unrest, discomfort, or disquiet in our souls. This encounter can happen in worship, in prayer, in the reading of Scripture, in the fellowship of other believers, and in so many ways when the Lord is speaking directly to us and we feel something, yet because He is a stranger to us, we don’t recognize Him. We’re like Lois Lane asking “Who are You?”. We don’t yet know to call Him by name. JESUS!
Have you ever had this kind of “Heart Burn”? Perhaps, it came after a sermon or a Sunday School lesson, or after you passed a test, or got a job, bought a house, had a baby. There are a countless number of ways through which our Lord chooses to reveal Himself to us and until our eyes are opened and we recognize that it is His presence in our lives that is making the difference, we will continue to have “Heart Burn”, in the presence of the Lord.
Let’s face it, we will continue to be uneasy, restless, uncomfortable, and squirm-ish in the presence of the Lord when we don’t recognize Him for who He truly is.
He is the Messiah that has come to fulfill every prophecy of old, the hope of Israel. He is the Son of God, Jesus who has come to redeem our lives from destruction and He is the Lord our God,the only one who can ease our “Heart Burn”.
The “Heart Burn” you feel is an indication that perhaps, your heart may not be right with God. Perhaps, you have not called out the name of the Lord in a long time or perhaps you are walking in disobedience or perhaps you are hindering the spiritual journey of others. Your “Heart Burn” in the spirit is the Holy Spirt, our God trying to get your attention.
When Jesus explained the scriptures to those men on the road to Emmaus, they still didn’t know who He was, but they later admitted that they each had “Heart Burn”. For they asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (vs.32)
The “Heart Burn” you are feeling is not a figment of your imagination. It is an alarm going off in your spirit that it is time for you to recognize the presence of the Lord in your life. It is a clear indication that there is something more for you to do in the Kingdom of God. Your “Heart Burn” is a indication to you that only God can meet every need and handle every problem and until you give it all to Him, your “Heart Burn” will persist.
On TV and on grocery store shelves, there are a number of products that are available to alleviate physical heartburn. The uneasy burning sensation in the stomach. However, the only cure to alleviate the spiritual “Heart Burn” you are feeling is Jesus. Jesus is the one who can settle your spirit and give you the peace you need in your heart.
Are you here today? Like those in the crowd Peter was speaking to the didn’t come to believe, didn’t except the cure for their “Heart Burn”? Are you here just waiting for this preacher to make a mistake, to hit his thumb with a hammer?
Will you leave here today like Lois Lane stammering out the words, “Who are you”, as our Superman, Jesus flies off and your left still wondering because he comes in less spectacular ways?
Today, will you come to Jesus as you are? Will you say, Lord, I have had “Heart Burn” for a long time and I know that today is the day I need to say yes, to your word, your will, and your way? Will you allow the Holy Spirit to come in and dwell inside of you so that you do not have to squirm or be uneasy or uncomfortable or restless in the presence of the Lord about whatever you have not surrendered to Him, whether it be your life, your situation, your health, your relationships, your gifts, or whatever else needs to be given over to Him?
I know you have got to be tired of this strange feeling. I know that you want your “Heart Burn” to stop. Today, I pray that you will give your “Heart Burn” to Jesus so that your heart can be right and one with the Lord. He has already revealed Himself to you.
So; “Brothers, what shall we do?” “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.”(Acts 2:37-39) That is the cure for, Spiritual “Heart Burn”.
In His Service,
Pastor Joe
Listen To Audio: Sermon 20230423
Listen To Audio: Service 04232023
Call to Worship:L: Come! Lift your voices to the Lord who always hears us.
P: Listen, Lord. Hear our voices sing your praises.L: Call on the Lord who bends low to hear us.
P: Listen, Lord. We lift our voices to you in praise.L: Call on the name of the Lord, all people.
P: Listen, Lord. We call on your wonderful name. For you saved us, you raised us and turned our lives around. Let your name be praised in this congregation.
P: Listen, Lord. Hear our voices sing your praises.L: Call on the Lord who bends low to hear us.
P: Listen, Lord. We lift our voices to you in praise.L: Call on the name of the Lord, all people.
P: Listen, Lord. We call on your wonderful name. For you saved us, you raised us and turned our lives around. Let your name be praised in this congregation.
Prayer of Confession: Gracious God, when we remember the journey of our faith, the story that we live with you and one another, we recall all the ways we have missed the mark. We have failed to live our Christian story well. We have neglected to listen to and believe the stories of our neighbors. In so many ways, big and small, our lives have not demonstrated our testimony of new life in Christ. Forgive us, we pray, that we, your Easter people, may testify the Good News with our voices and our lives. Amen
ANOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Joe will be available at the church on Thursday morning from 11 to 1. If you need to speak to him, contact Pastor Joe at570-267-4570 (cell) or Email: joe.s.travis@gmail.com
Loose change goes to General Fund.
Sunday School starts at 8:30 A. M.
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Newsletter Deadline – Tuesday, April 25th, 2023.
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