Scott LaPierre Ministries

Scott LaPierre
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Scott LaPierre (https://www.scottlapierre.org/) is a pastor, author, and Christian speaker on marriage. This podcast includes his conference messages, guest preaching, and expository sermons at Woodland Christian Church. Each of Scott’s messages is the result of hours of studying the Bible. Scott and his wife, Katie, grew up together in northern California, and God has blessed them with nine children. View all of Pastor Scott’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scott-LaPierre/e/B01JT920EQ. Receive a FREE copy of Scott’s book, “Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages.” For Scott LaPierre’s conference and speaking information, including testimonies, and endorsements, please visit: https://www.scottlapierre.org/christian-speaker/. Feel free to contact Scott at: https://www.scottlapierre.org/contact/.

  1. 6d ago

    The Word of the Lord Fulfilled in Christ (Isaiah 55:10-11 and Hebrews 4:12-13)

    The Word of the Lord fulfilled in Christ is one of the great themes running through all of Scripture. From the opening words of Genesis to the risen Christ explaining the Old Testament in Luke 24, the Bible reveals one unified story: God speaks, God promises, God sends His Word, and that Word is ultimately Jesus Christ. https://youtu.be/zg74q5OenbU Table of contentsThe Word of the Lord Created All ThingsThe Word of the Lord Came Throughout the Old TestamentThe Word of the Lord Became FleshThe Word of the Lord Reveals Christ from Creation to ConsummationJesus Opened the Old Testament to His DisciplesThe Law, Prophets, and Psalms Point to ChristAll God’s Promises Find Their Yes in ChristConclusion: Worship the Word Fulfilled in Christ Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to understand something when you come in near the end? You walk into the final scene of a movie, and everyone around you is emotional. Some are crying. Some are rejoicing. But because you missed the beginning, the ending does not carry the same weight. Or you catch the last few minutes of a sporting event. You see who wins and who loses, but because you do not know how close the game was, how many times the lead changed, or what happened along the way, the victory does not mean as much. Or you walk into the end of a conversation and hear only the last few sentences. Even if the conversation is important, you do not really understand what is happening because you missed what led up to it. That is what happened with many people in the Gospels. They saw the final scenes of Jesus’ earthly ministry: His arrest, trial, crucifixion, darkness, death, burial, and empty tomb. But they did not understand what they were seeing because they did not understand the story that had led up to it. Even the disciples struggled with this. They loved Jesus. They followed Him. They listened to Him. But when He suffered and died, they were confused, discouraged, and afraid. They saw the end of the story, but they could not make sense of it because they had not put the pieces together from everything that came before in the Old Testament. So before we can rightly understand Luke 24, we need to go back to the beginning. We need to start where the Bible starts, because if we want to understand the end, we need to understand the beginning. The end of Jesus’ earthly life was not disconnected from the rest of Scripture. His death and resurrection were the fulfillment of the story God had been telling from the very first page of the Bible. And that story begins with God speaking. The Word of the Lord Created All Things We first see God’s Word at creation: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”Genesis 1:3 That phrase is repeated throughout Genesis 1. God said, “Let there be an expanse.” God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together.” God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation.” God said, “Let there be lights.” God said, “Let the waters swarm.” God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures.” God created everything by speaking. He created all things by His Word. The rest of Scripture emphasizes this same truth: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”Psalm 33:6 “For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”Psalm 33:9 The New Testament says the same thing: “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God.”Hebrews 11:3 Creation itself reveals the power of God’s Word. God did not struggle to create the universe. He spoke, and it came to be. The Word of the Lord Came Throughout the Old Testament God spoke at creation, but He did not stop speaking then. He continued speaking, not to create, but to communicate. Throughout the Old Testament, we repeatedly read phrases such as “The word of the LORD came to…” The word of the Lord came to Abraham. The word of the Lord came to Samuel. The word of the Lord came to Nathan. It came to David, Gad, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jonah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and many others. This shows us that God is a speaking God. He reveals Himself. He makes His will known. He sends forth His Word. One of the most important Old Testament passages about the Word of the Lord is Isaiah 55:10–11: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth… so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.”Isaiah 55:10–11 These verses are often applied to Scripture, and there is certainly a relationship between God’s written Word and this passage. But Isaiah 55 also beautifully points us to Christ, the Incarnate Word. The rain and snow come down from heaven, accomplish their purpose, and then return. This is exactly what Jesus did. He came down from heaven, accomplished the Father’s will, and returned to heaven. Jesus said: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”John 6:38 He also said: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”John 4:34 Isaiah said God’s Word would not return empty but would accomplish the purpose for which He sent it. Jesus is that Word. He came from the Father, accomplished the Father’s will, and returned to the Father. The Word of the Lord Became Flesh If all we had was Genesis 1, we would know God created everything by His Word. But we might think of that Word as an impersonal force, an abstract power, or divine creative energy. Then John opens his Gospel this way: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”John 1:1 John intentionally echoes Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”Genesis 1:1 Genesis tells us that God created by His Word. John tells us that the Word is not an impersonal force. The Word is a Person. The Word was with God, which shows distinction. The Word was God, which shows deity. The Word is distinct from the Father, yet fully God. Then John says: “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”John 1:3 Because God created all things by His Word, and Jesus is the Word, Jesus is identified as the Creator. Then John gives us one of the most glorious statements in all of Scripture: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”John 1:14 The Word through whom God created all things became a Man. The eternal Son of God took on flesh and dwelt among us. This helps us understand why Jesus speaks the way He does. In John 14:6, Jesus does not merely say, “I will show you the way,” or “I will teach you the truth,” or “I will give you life.” He says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”John 14:6 Jesus does not merely bring the truth. He is the truth. He does not merely speak the Word of God. He is the Word of God. Hebrews says: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.”Hebrews 1:1 Throughout the Old Testament, God spoke by the prophets. The word of the Lord came to them, and they delivered that word to the people. But then Hebrews says: “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”Hebrews 1:2 That is not worded the way we might expect. We might expect it to say God has spoken to us through His Son. But it says God has spoken to us by His Son. Jesus is not merely the messenger. He is the message. He is the Word God has spoken to us. The Word of the Lord Reveals Christ from Creation to Consummation Jesus is not only called the Word in His first coming. He is also called the Word in His second coming. Revelation 19:13 says: “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” From creation to consummation, God reveals Himself through His Word, and that Word is Jesus Christ. God created all things by His Word. The word of the Lord came throughout the Old Testament. Isaiah pictured God’s Word coming down from heaven, accomplishing His purpose, and returning. John tells us the Word became flesh. Revelation tells us that when Jesus returns in glory, He is still called “The Word of God.” This is the sweep of Scripture. The written Word bears witness to the living Word. The Scriptures reveal Christ. The Bible is one unified story, and Jesus is the center. Jesus Opened the Old Testament to His Disciples This brings us to Luke 24. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were discouraged and confused because they did not understand why Jesus had suffered and died. Then Luke tells us: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”Luke 24:27 Jesus showed them that the Old Testament had been pointing to Him all along. Later, Jesus appeared to the larger group of disciples. They were frightened and thought they saw a spirit. But Jesus graciously showed them His hands and feet, invited them to touch Him, and ate in front of them so they would know His resurrection was physical. Then He said: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”Luke 24:44 Jesus did for the larger group what He had done for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He opened the Old Testament and showed them that it was about Him. Notice the word must. Jesus did not say everything written about Him might be fulfilled or should be fulfilled. He said it must be fulfilled. This is divine necessity. God’s

    25 min

  2. Jun 4

    God’s Compassion for Sinners in Luke 15:20-21

    One of the most beautiful truths in Scripture is God’s compassion for sinners. Many people imagine God the Father as harsh, distant, angry, and reluctant to forgive, while they see Jesus as merciful, gentle, and willing to receive sinners. But the Bible never presents the Father and Son as divided in heart, will, or purpose. The Father is not trying to destroy sinners while the Son holds Him back. Rather, the Father Himself planned redemption, sent the Son, and receives repentant sinners with compassion. Luke 15 gives us one of the clearest pictures of this truth. Jesus said of the prodigal son, “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). Before the son could finish his confession, before he could offer his prepared speech, and before he could ask to be treated like a hired servant, the father saw him and felt compassion. That father represents God the Father. And this means Luke 15 is not merely a touching story about a wayward son coming home. It is a revelation of God’s heart toward repentant sinners. https://youtu.be/tUYPswVYKGo Table of contentsGod’s Compassion and God’s Forgiveness Are Related, but Not IdenticalGod’s Compassion for Sinners Is Seen Throughout ScriptureGod’s Compassion Is Greater Than We ExpectGod’s Kindness Leads Us to RepentanceEven God’s Children Should Confess Their SinGod’s Compassion Allows Sinners to Escape the Law’s DemandsThe Prodigal Son Shows the Heart of God the FatherNo Sinner Is Beyond God’s CompassionConclusion God’s Compassion and God’s Forgiveness Are Related, but Not Identical God’s compassion and God’s forgiveness are closely connected, but they are not exactly the same. Compassion is what God feels toward sinners in their pitiful condition. Forgiveness is what God does because of His mercy and compassion. In Scripture, compassion is often related to pity. We feel compassion when we see someone suffering, broken, humbled, or in need. We do not feel compassion for every situation. If a couple announces they are expecting a child, we rejoice with them. But if they share that they miscarried, we feel compassion. Compassion rises in our hearts when we see pain, sorrow, brokenness, and need. That helps us understand the father’s response in Luke 15. When he saw his son returning, he knew what his son had done. He knew the shame, waste, rebellion, and misery that had marked his journey. The son had demanded his inheritance, left home, squandered everything, and ended up in humiliation. When the father saw him returning, he did not first feel disgust, suspicion, or hostility. He felt compassion. Even more striking, the father felt compassion before the son confessed. The son had prepared to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). But before those words were spoken, the father ran, embraced him, and kissed him. This is one of the most moving pictures in Scripture of God’s compassion for sinners. God’s Compassion for Sinners Is Seen Throughout Scripture God's compassion is not only a New Testament truth. It is not something that appears only when Jesus comes in the flesh. God’s compassion for sinners is revealed throughout all of Scripture. In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. A servant owed a debt so large he could never repay it, even with many lifetimes. That debt pictures our sin debt before God. We cannot pay it. We cannot work it off. We cannot make ourselves righteous. When the servant pleaded for patience, the master’s response was astonishing: “And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:27). The master was moved with compassion and forgave the debt completely. That is how God forgives repentant sinners. He does not forgive a little. He does not merely reduce the debt. He cancels it. We also see God’s compassion in the book of Jonah. Jonah preached to Nineveh, and the Ninevites responded with one of the most dramatic examples of repentance in Scripture. But Jonah was angry because he hated the Ninevites and did not want them to receive mercy. God said to Jonah, “Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city?” (Jonah 4:11). Humanly speaking, most people familiar with Nineveh’s wickedness would have expected the opposite. The Ninevites were violent, cruel, idolatrous people. Yet God had compassion on them when they humbled themselves. What is especially revealing is that Jonah was not surprised by God’s compassion. He said, “I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Jonah 4:2). Jonah knew God’s character. He knew God was compassionate toward sinners, and that is exactly why he resisted preaching to Nineveh. This matters because Jonah is in the Old Testament. The Old Testament does not reveal a Father who lacks compassion. It reveals the same God who is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. God’s Compassion Is Greater Than We Expect Another surprising example of God’s compassion is King Ahab. Scripture says, “There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab” (1 Kings 21:25). Ahab was in a category by himself when it came to wickedness. After Elijah pronounced judgment on him, Ahab humbled himself. His humility was not especially impressive. There is no indication he truly turned from idolatry to the Lord. He seemed more sorry about the consequences than the sin itself. And yet God said to Elijah, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me?” (1 Kings 21:29). Because Ahab humbled himself, God delayed the disaster. This does not mean Ahab became a believer. Scripture gives us no reason to think we will see him in heaven. But it does reveal something astonishing about God’s character: even toward a man as wicked as Ahab, God responded to humility with compassion. Psalm 103:10-13 says it beautifully: He does not deal with us according to our sins,nor repay us according to our iniquities.For as high as the heavens are above the earth,so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;as far as the east is from the west,so far does he remove our transgressions from us.As a father shows compassion to his children,so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. That passage almost sounds like a preview of the prodigal son. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him. God’s Kindness Leads Us to Repentance When we misunderstand God’s heart, repentance becomes terrifying. If we think God is only angry, hostile, and eager to punish us, we will run from Him instead of returning to Him. We will imagine Him like a cruel father waiting to crush us. But Luke 15 shows us the truth. The repentant sinner does not return to a cruel Father. He returns to a compassionate Father. This does not mean God is soft on sin. God’s wrath is real. His judgment is real. Hell is real. The danger is not that God is angry toward those who repent. The danger is that sinners refuse to repent and remain under His wrath. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. This is not sentimental kindness that ignores sin. It is holy kindness. It is mercy that calls sinners to come home. Desiring God has a helpful resource on Romans 2:4 and God’s kindness leading to repentance. God’s compassion should never make us casual about sin. It should make us quick to repent. Even God’s Children Should Confess Their Sin After the father embraced and kissed the prodigal son, the son still confessed: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). This is important. The son knew he had been received. He had already experienced the father’s compassion. But he still confessed his sin and acknowledged his unworthiness. That teaches us something about the Christian life. Even after we become God’s children, we should still confess our sins. We should still recognize our unworthiness. We do not confess because we are trying to earn God’s love. We confess because we know we need His mercy and grace. In Luke 17:10, Jesus said, “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” The Christian life is not marked by pride, entitlement, or self-congratulation. We are sons and daughters by grace, but we are still unworthy servants. We obey God not to earn His favor, but because we have received His favor. Ligonier has a helpful article on repentance that emphasizes how true repentance recognizes sin before God while also apprehending God’s mercy toward sinners in Christ. God’s Compassion Allows Sinners to Escape the Law’s Demands The prodigal son said he was no longer worthy to be called his father’s son. But according to the law, his situation was even worse than that. Deuteronomy 21 describes a stubborn and rebellious son who refuses to obey his father and mother. Under the law, such a son could be brought before the elders and stoned. That is sobering, but it reveals an important truth: the law brings death. It exposes sin, condemns sinners, and demands justice. The law could not look at the prodigal son while he was still a long way off and feel compassion. The law could not run, embrace, or kiss him. The law could only condemn him. That is why the father’s response would have been so shocking to Jesus’s listeners. They knew what a stubborn and rebellious son deserved. The prodigal deserved death, but instead he received compassion. He de

    27 min

  3. Jun 1

    Proof of the Resurrection: How Jesus Handled Doubt in Luke 24:36–43

    The proof of the resurrection in Luke 24:37–43 is not vague, symbolic, or merely emotional. Jesus did not ask His disciples to believe in a resurrection without evidence. He stood before them, showed them His hands and feet, invited them to touch Him, and even ate in front of them. The risen Christ graciously helped troubled, doubting disciples believe what was gloriously true. For the last few weeks, we have been walking through Luke 24. We followed the two disciples on the road to Emmaus as their eyes were opened in the breaking of the bread. Then they got up that same hour and walked seven miles back to Jerusalem in the dark, where the other disciples were gathered. Now we join them in that room. It is late. The doors are shut. Many voices are speaking at once. The women have testified about the empty tomb. Peter has testified that the Lord appeared to him. The two from Emmaus are sharing how Jesus walked with them and made Himself known. Then, while they were all talking, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace to you!” But instead of immediately rejoicing, they were startled and frightened. Luke tells us they thought they saw a spirit. https://youtu.be/VR6MJ_F-mLM Table of contentsThe Disciples Knew the Truth but Struggled to Trust ItJesus Is Gracious with Our DoubtsThe Resurrection Is Physical, Verifiable, and PermanentJesus’ Scars Identify HimThe Resurrection Should Seem Too Good to Be TrueJesus Ate to Prove He Was Truly RaisedJesus Still Gives Peace to Troubled HeartsConclusion The Disciples Knew the Truth but Struggled to Trust It Luke 24:36–37 says: “Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.” Think about how surprising this is. These were the same people who had spent three years with Jesus. They had heard Him say more than once that He would rise on the third day. They had heard the women’s testimony. They had heard Peter’s testimony. They had heard the testimony of the two disciples from Emmaus. But when Jesus stood right in front of them, their minds reached for the wrong conclusion: “This must be a spirit.” John’s Gospel adds that the doors were locked because the disciples were afraid of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them anyway. Yet even then, they did not immediately think, “He is risen!” They thought, “We are seeing a ghost.” This teaches us something important: we can know the truth but still struggle to trust it when it matters. That is not only true of the disciples in Luke 24. We see something similar in Acts 12. Peter had been arrested by Herod, and the church was earnestly praying for him. God answered their prayer by sending an angel to release Peter from prison. Peter went to the very house where the believers were praying and knocked at the door. Rhoda heard his voice, recognized him, and ran to tell everyone. But instead of rejoicing that God had answered their prayers, they said, “You are out of your mind.” Then they concluded, “It is his angel!” In Luke 24, the disciples thought Jesus was a spirit. In Acts 12, the believers thought Peter was represented by an angel. In both cases, the people who should have been most ready to believe struggled to trust what God had done. We can be the same way. We know what God’s Word says. We have heard it preached. We have shared it with others. But when fear presses in, our hearts can struggle to trust what our minds know. Knowing and trusting are two different things. The question is not merely whether we know the truth. The question is whether we trust what we know when it counts. Jesus Is Gracious with Our Doubts Luke 24:38 says: “And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’” Jesus asks two questions. First, “Why are you troubled?” The word describes being stirred up, agitated, or thrown into turmoil. The disciples were not calm observers carefully evaluating evidence. They were frightened, unsettled, and confused. Second, Jesus asks, “Why do doubts arise in your hearts?” The word translated as “doubts” carries the idea of inner conflicts, arguments, and debates. It is as though a debate was raging inside them. One part of them had heard the testimony. One part of them wanted to believe. But another part of them was saying, “This cannot be real. People do not come back from the dead. The doors are locked. This must be a ghost.” Notice how Jesus responds. He does not disappear. He does not leave them in fear. He does not say, “I cannot believe you still do not trust Me after everything I told you.” He does not condemn them for the argument raging in their hearts. Instead, He graciously gives them what they need: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see.” Jesus is gracious with doubting disciples. We see the same grace eight days later with Thomas. Thomas had said he would not believe unless he saw the mark of the nails and placed his hand into Jesus’ side. When Jesus appeared to him, He did not mock him. He said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Unbelievers experience unbelief, but believers can experience doubts. The presence of doubt does not automatically mean someone is not a Christian. It means we need to bring those doubts honestly to Christ. Some Christians are afraid to admit they have doubts. They think it means they are immature, or maybe not believers at all. They fear the Lord will be angry with them. So they keep the debate hidden in their hearts. But Luke 24 and John 20 show us Christ's patience. Jesus did not crush weak faith. He strengthened it. He did not reject doubting disciples. He helped them believe. The Resurrection Is Physical, Verifiable, and Permanent Luke 24:39–40 says: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.” Jesus gives them three forms of evidence. First, He gives visual evidence: “See my hands and my feet.” He appeals to their eyes. Second, He gives physical evidence: “Touch me, and see.” He invites them to feel that He is not a ghost, vision, or projection. Third, He gives a rational argument: “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” In other words, their conclusion did not fit the evidence before them. This is important. Jesus was not asking His disciples to believe without evidence. Acts 1:3 says He presented Himself alive “by many proofs,” appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. The resurrection of Jesus was not a private feeling, a spiritual metaphor, or a symbolic religious idea. It was physical, historical, and verifiable. He stood in the room. He showed them His wounds. He invited them to touch Him. Then He ate in front of them. The same body that was crucified was raised. It was glorified, but it was still truly His body. Jesus’ Scars Identify Him It is striking that Jesus directed the disciples to His scars. He did not merely say, “Look at Me.” He said, “See my hands and my feet.” He showed them the wounds. Those wounds were meant to kill Him, but after the resurrection, they became the marks of His identity. This may also help explain what happened on the road to Emmaus. Luke says the two disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Perhaps when He stretched out His hands to break the bread, they saw the wounds. We see the same thing with Thomas. Jesus invited him to see and touch the marks of His crucifixion. The risen Christ is identified by His scars. Revelation 5:6 describes Jesus in heaven as “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” This presents Christ in heavenly glory, yet still visibly identified by His sacrifice. We will receive glorified bodies without weakness, sickness, or corruption. But Jesus may be the one person in heaven who still bears scars. His wounds will eternally testify that our salvation was purchased by His suffering. His scars say, “Your sins have been paid for.” The Resurrection Should Seem Too Good to Be True Luke 24:41 says: “And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling…” That phrase sounds strange: “disbelieved for joy.” How can someone disbelieve because of joy? In our language, we might say, “It seemed too good to be true.” Imagine a couple who has struggled with infertility for years, and the doctor finally says, “You’re pregnant.” They might weep and say, “I can’t believe it!” Imagine a family told that their loved one survived a terrible accident. Then that loved one walks into the room, and they say, “I can’t believe you’re here!” Imagine a young man who has worked for years to get into a certain school. He opens the acceptance letter and says, “I can’t believe it!” In those moments, people are not denying the good news. They are overwhelmed by it. The joy is so great that their hearts can hardly take it in. That is what was happening with the disciples. They were not rejecting the resurrection. They were overwhelmed. They had watched Jesus be tortured and crucified. They had lived for three days in the grief of losing Him. Their hope that He was the Messiah had been crushed. Now He was standing in front of them alive, speaking peace, showing His scars, and the joy was almost too much to process. The resurrection should still make us marvel. We should never become so familiar with it that it becomes common to us. Jesus is alive. Death has been defeated. Sin has been paid for. Peace is offered to sinners who deserve judgment

    26 min

  4. May 25

    Jesus' First Words After the Resurrection: "Peace to You" (Luke 24:36)

    There are moments in life when the next few words out of someone’s mouth mean everything. Jesus’ first words after the resurrection were one of those moments. After His disciples had abandoned Him, denied Him, doubted Him, and failed Him, the risen Christ stood among them and said, “Peace to you” (Luke 24:36). https://youtu.be/4qKxuCTXvRA Table of contentsWhen First Words MatterJesus Began His Ministry Preaching RepentanceJesus Concluded His Ministry Preaching PeaceThe Resurrection Announces Peace with GodPeace Follows RepentanceWhy the Disciples Needed to Hear “Peace”The Risen Christ Is Not Keeping a ListFrom Repentance to Peace When First Words Matter Over ten years ago, a large group of us gathered at the hospital while someone from our church family was in a touch-and-go surgery. We were waiting in a big room, broken up into little groups, talking quietly to pass the time. Then the doctor walked in, and the room went silent instantly. Every conversation stopped. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone turned toward him because the next words out of his mouth mattered deeply. Life has moments like that. A man who has been out of work for months waits for a phone call after a job interview. His savings are almost gone, the mortgage is due, and he has been praying for work that will allow him to provide for his family. When the phone rings and the company’s name lights up the screen, the whole family gathers around to hear whether the next words will be, “Congratulations, you got the job,” or, “Unfortunately, we went with someone else.” Or picture a courtroom. The jury has been deliberating for hours. The defendant sits at the table, unsure whether he will walk out free or be taken away in handcuffs. His family waits anxiously. The victim’s family waits too. The jury returns, the judge asks whether they have reached a verdict, and the whole room holds its breath to hear the words guilty or not guilty. There are moments when first words matter. That is true when Jesus began His earthly ministry, and it is also true when He appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. Jesus Began His Ministry Preaching Repentance Matthew tells us that after Jesus was baptized, tempted in the wilderness, and began His public ministry, His first recorded preaching was this: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Jesus began His ministry with repentance. That is significant. His first ministry words confronted sin and announced the arrival of God’s kingdom. Matthew says, “From that time Jesus began to preach,” which means this was the launching point of His public ministry. Repentance is not simply feeling bad. Many people in Scripture said, “I have sinned,” but did not truly repent. Pharaoh, Balaam, Achan, Saul, Shimei, and Judas all expressed sorrow or guilt, but their lives did not show true turning to God. Repentance means a change of mind that produces a change of direction. It is turning from sin to the Lord. The prodigal son is a beautiful picture of repentance because he did not merely say, “I have sinned.” He left the far country and returned to his father. The Greek word translated repent carries the idea of changing one’s mind. But biblical repentance is not merely intellectual. It is a Spirit-worked turning from the kingdom of self to the kingdom of God. Jesus did not say, “Repent, because you are terrible.” He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In other words, “Turn from what you are doing because God’s kingdom has come near.” Repentance is not the enemy of joy. It is the doorway to real peace. Jesus Concluded His Ministry Preaching Peace Now jump forward three and a half years. Luke 24 brings us into a room filled with confused, anxious, and excited disciples. The women have testified about the empty tomb. Peter has seen the Lord. The two disciples from the road to Emmaus have returned to tell what happened when Jesus made Himself known to them in the breaking of bread. Then Luke writes, “As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’” (Luke 24:36). These are Jesus’ first recorded words to His gathered disciples after the resurrection. Peace. That word is the other bookend of His earthly ministry. Jesus began with repentance, and He rose from the dead, announcing peace. Everything Jesus did in between is held between those two words. Every sermon, every miracle, every demon cast out, every leper cleansed, every blind eye opened, every storm calmed, every sinner forgiven, every Pharisee confronted, the Last Supper, the garden of Gethsemane, the trial before Pilate, the crown of thorns, the whip, and the cross are all held between repentance and peace. That is not accidental. Those two words summarize the gospel. Jesus began His ministry by saying, “Repent.” After He died for sin and rose from the dead, He said, “Peace.” The Resurrection Announces Peace with God Romans 4:25 says Jesus “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” We often think primarily of the cross when we think about salvation, because Jesus died for our sins there. But Romans says He was raised for our justification. His resurrection declares that the sacrifice was accepted and that believers are declared righteous by faith. Then Paul says in the very next verse, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). That means there was no more fitting word for Jesus to speak after the resurrection than peace. The price had been paid. The sacrifice had been accepted. Sin had been atoned for. Death had been conquered. Peace with God was now available through the risen Christ. Peace Follows Repentance The order matters. Repentance comes first, and peace follows. Our culture wants peace without repentance. People want Jesus to say, “Peace be with you,” while they continue clinging to the sin that is destroying their peace. But there is no lasting peace without repentance. This has always been one of the most dangerous messages of false teachers: offering peace where there is no repentance. Jeremiah confronted this very problem. He ministered during one of the darkest times in Israel’s history. The people were chasing idols, judgment was coming, and Jeremiah preached repentance for decades. But the false prophets preached peace. Jeremiah 6:14 says, “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 8:11 repeats the same warning. The false prophets were like doctors who placed a bandage over a deep infection and told the patient everything was fine. The wound remained. The danger remained. But the patient walked away falsely comforted. That is what false teaching does when it promises peace without repentance. It sounds loving, but it is spiritually deadly. God said through Jeremiah that these false prophets gave people vain hopes. They told those who despised the word of the Lord, “It shall be well with you.” They told those who stubbornly followed their own hearts, “No disaster shall come upon you” (Jeremiah 23:16–17). That kind of preaching does not help people. It blinds them. The same thing appears in Ezekiel. The false prophets said “Peace” when there was no peace, and Ezekiel described them as whitewashing a crumbling wall (Ezekiel 13:10, 16). It looked solid on the outside, but collapse was coming. Jesus got the order right. Repentance first. Peace second. The peace Jesus gives is real peace because it is peace purchased by His blood and received by repentant faith. Why the Disciples Needed to Hear “Peace” Luke tells us the disciples were startled and frightened when Jesus appeared. They thought they saw a spirit. So one reason Jesus said, “Peace to you,” was to calm their fear. But there was another reason they needed to hear those words. Think about how the disciples had acted in the hours before the crucifixion. They argued about who was the greatest at the Last Supper. They boasted that they would never fall away. Peter, James, and John fell asleep repeatedly in Gethsemane when Jesus asked them to watch and pray. Peter impulsively cut off Malchus’s ear. When Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled. Peter denied Him three times. Only John stood near the cross. Then, after the resurrection, they struggled to believe the women’s testimony. They struggled to believe the two disciples from Emmaus. Mark says Jesus later rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. So when Jesus stood among them, they had every reason to expect correction. If your closest friends abandoned you during the worst moment of your life, and you stood before them three days later, what would you say? You might say, “Where were you?” or “How could you do that?” or “I am so disappointed in you.” Jesus said none of that. The first word out of the mouth of the risen Christ to the disciples who abandoned Him was peace. That is stunning grace. The resurrection does not merely prove that Jesus conquered death. It announces what His victory brings to guilty, fearful sinners: peace. The Risen Christ Is Not Keeping a List Jesus did not hold the disciples’ failures over them. He restored Peter. He showed His wounds to Thomas. He brought His unbelieving brother James into apostolic leadership. He sent Paul, the persecutor of the church, to preach the gospel and plant churches. This teaches us something vital about the heart of Christ. We were made in God’s image, but we often reverse that and make God in our image. We assume God forgives the way we forgive. Since we struggle to forgive, we imagine He struggles to forgive. Since we remember people’s sins agai

    53 min

  5. May 20

    When Jesus Opens Our Eyes and Sets Our Hearts on Fire (Luke 24:28–35)

    Have you ever read the Bible, heard the truth, and still felt like you could not see Christ as clearly as you should? Luke 24:28–35 reminds us that Jesus opens our eyes in His timing, warms our hearts through His Word, and gives us urgency to tell others that He is risen. For the last two weeks, we have been walking with two disciples along the road to Emmaus. Jesus drew near to them as a stranger, listened to their grief, gently rebuked their unbelief, and patiently opened the Old Testament Scriptures to show them how Moses, the Psalms, and all the Prophets pointed to Him. Their hearts were being warmed, but their eyes were still closed. Now everything changes. https://youtu.be/1rvTlE2QRqY Table of contentsJesus Waits to Be WelcomedGod Opens Our Eyes in His Own TimingJesus’ Physical Absence Does Not Mean His Spiritual AbsenceOur Hearts Should Burn When Christ Opens the ScripturesBeware of Knowing the Word Without Loving ChristEncountering Christ Produces UrgencyThe Risen Christ Still Opens Eyes Jesus Waits to Be Welcomed Luke 24:28 says: So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther. That phrase can sound strange: “He acted as if he were going farther.” This was not deception. Jesus was not pretending in some dishonest way. He was giving them the opportunity to invite Him in. We see something similar in Mark 6:48, when Jesus came to the disciples, who were walking on the water, and “meant to pass by them.” He was not abandoning them. He was drawing near in a way that allowed them to respond. Revelation 3:20 gives us the same picture: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Christ comes near, but He waits to be welcomed. The two disciples respond beautifully: “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them (Luke 24:29). They had spent the afternoon listening to Jesus open the Scriptures, and they did not want the conversation to end. So they urged Him strongly. They constrained Him. They invited Him to stay. And He did. God Opens Our Eyes in His Own Timing Luke 24:30–31 says: When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. This is a striking scene. Jesus was the guest, but He became the host. It was their house, their table, and their bread. But Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Why did they recognize Him then? Maybe they recognized the action. Jesus had taken, blessed, broken, and given bread before, such as in the feeding of the five thousand in Luke 9:16. He had also done this at the Last Supper in Luke 22:19. Maybe when He stretched out His hands to break the bread, they saw the wounds. The nail prints were fresh. He had been crucified only three days earlier. But the simplest answer is this: God chose that moment to open their eyes. Earlier in Luke 24:16, we read that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Now, in Luke 24:31, “their eyes were opened.” The same divine hand that veiled them now unveils them. This teaches us an important truth: spiritual sight is the work of God. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:6: For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Paul compares conversion to creation. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light. In the same way, when God opens blind eyes, sinners see the glory of Christ. The disciples on the road had heard the Scriptures explained by the perfect Teacher. They had received the greatest Bible study ever taught. But until God opened their eyes, they could not see. That means we cannot pry our own eyes open. We cannot manufacture spiritual sight in ourselves or anyone else. We cannot reason someone into seeing the glory of Christ unless God gives light. But this should not discourage us. It should teach us to pray. “Lord, open my eyes.” If your heart feels cold, pray. If Scripture feels dry, pray. If someone you love seems blind to Christ, pray. The same Lord who opened the eyes of the disciples on the road to Emmaus still opens eyes today. Jesus’ Physical Absence Does Not Mean His Spiritual Absence After their eyes were opened, Luke 24:31 says: And he vanished from their sight. This moment foreshadows the ascension. In Acts 1:9, Jesus was lifted up, and “a cloud took him out of their sight.” Before the cross, the disciples knew Jesus primarily by sight. They walked with Him, ate with Him, heard His voice, saw His miracles, and watched Him break bread. But after the resurrection, Jesus began preparing them for a different way of relating to Him—not by physical sight, but by faith. At first, this can almost sound disappointing. Wouldn’t it be better if Jesus were physically here? Jesus answered that question in John 16:7: Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. That sounds backward. How could it be better for the disciples if Jesus went away? Because His departure would lead to the coming of the Holy Spirit. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was physically present with His disciples, but His physical presence was localized. If He was in Galilee, He was not in Jerusalem. If He was with Peter, James, and John, He was not visibly present with every believer everywhere. But after Jesus ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer. Acts 2:33 says that the exalted Christ poured out the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says the Spirit would empower the disciples to be His witnesses. John 16 says the Spirit would convict the world, guide the disciples into truth, and glorify Christ. So Jesus was not abandoning His people. He was completing His saving work, returning to the Father, and sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, empower them, comfort them, teach them, and make Christ known through them. We might think, “If only I could see Jesus physically, my faith would be stronger.” But according to Jesus, we have something better: the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Our Hearts Should Burn When Christ Opens the Scriptures After Jesus vanished, the disciples did not become less convinced. They became more convinced. Luke 24:32 says: They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Notice what they remembered. They did not say, “Wasn’t that interesting?” They did not say, “Wasn’t He intelligent?” They did not say, “Wasn’t that an impressive Bible study?” They said, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” This is what happens when Christ opens the Scriptures. He does not merely inform the mind. He warms the heart. The Bible is not merely a book to be analyzed. It is not merely a source of doctrine, prophecy, morality, or information, although it contains all those things. The Bible is the Word of God. When Christ opens it to us, our hearts should be stirred with worship, conviction, repentance, faith, love, and obedience. Jeremiah described God’s Word this way: If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot - Jeremiah 20:9 David says something similar: My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue - Psalm 39:3 Notice the order in Psalm 39:3. David mused first. He meditated. He reflected. Then the fire burned. Many of us want burning hearts without musing minds. But Scripture shows us that the fire often burns as we meditate on the Word and let it dwell in us richly. Beware of Knowing the Word Without Loving Christ There is also a warning here. It is possible to have the Word and lose the warmth. It is possible to know much truth and have little love. That is what happened to the church in Ephesus. Jesus commended them for their works, toil, endurance, and doctrinal discernment. But then He said: But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first (Revelation 2:4). They were hardworking. They were discerning. They rejected false teachers. They endured. But their love had cooled. That can happen to us, too. We can read the Bible and no longer be amazed. We can study doctrine and no longer worship. We can defend the truth and no longer delight in Christ. We can become familiar with holy things in an unholy way. Jesus warned the religious leaders in John 5:39: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. The goal of Scripture is not merely that we would know more facts. The goal is for us to see and love Christ. So we should ask ourselves: when we read the Word, are we merely checking a box, or are our hearts growing warmer toward Christ? This does not mean every Bible reading will feel emotionally powerful. Some days, we read and feel very little. Some days our hearts seem lukewarm. But we should not be content with that. Before you open your Bible, pray something simple: “Lord, speak to me through Your Word. Open my eyes. Warm my heart. Restore my first love.” Encountering Christ Produces Urgency Luke 24:33 says: And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. Do not miss those words: “that same hour.” Earlier that day, these two disciples had walked seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were tired, grieving, confused, and disappointed. Th

    30 min

  6. May 14

    Jesus Is Our Sabbath Rest

    Jesus is our Sabbath rest, which means Christians no longer look to one day, one land, or one law for the rest God provides. The Sabbath was good, but it pointed beyond itself to something greater. Under the New Covenant, believers find true rest in Christ—rest from striving to earn salvation, rest from the crushing burden of law-keeping, and rest in the finished work of our Savior. That does not mean Christians become lazy, careless, or indifferent to worship. Far from it. The grace of God trains us “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” and to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:11–12). The rest Christ gives is not a license to sin; it is grace that frees us from the burden of trying to be saved by our works so that we can joyfully labor for Him. Table of contentsThe Sabbath Was the Seventh DayThe Old Covenant and the New Covenant Are DistinctJesus Raised the StandardA Change in Priesthood Means a Change in LawMelchizedek Points to a Better PriesthoodThe Sabbath Was a Shadow Fulfilled in ChristHebrews 4 Teaches the True Sabbath RestWe Enter Rest Under Joshua, Not MosesJesus Gives Better Rest Than the Old Covenant SabbathResting in Christ Does Not Mean We Stop WorkingChristians Worship on the Lord’s DayMen Should Lead Their Homes to Prioritize WorshipConclusion The Sabbath Was the Seventh Day When we think about the Sabbath, we should first associate it with the seventh day. The Sabbath has never been the first day of the week. This distinction matters because Christians sometimes speak as though Sunday became the Sabbath. But biblically, the Sabbath was the seventh day. The Sabbath was also connected to the Mosaic Covenant. It belonged to the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses. That covenant had its own mediator, its own priesthood, and its own law. Moses was the mediator of the Mosaic Covenant. The law associated with that covenant is often called the Mosaic Law. Jesus, however, is the mediator of the New Covenant, and the law associated with Him is the Law of Christ. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant Are Distinct The Old Covenant was instituted through blood sacrifices. Those sacrifices pointed forward to the blood of Christ. At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood, showing Himself to be the true and greater Passover Lamb. This means we should not treat the New Covenant as merely the Old Covenant slightly improved. The New Covenant is not the Old Covenant maturing into something better. It is a new covenant, instituted by a better Mediator, founded on better promises, and connected to a better priesthood. Jesus Himself showed the distinction when He spoke of new wine and old wineskins. The point is not that the old and the new should be mixed, but that they do not belong together. Law and grace cannot be blended as though sinners are justified partly by Moses and partly by Christ. Jesus Raised the Standard Some people wrongly think grace lowers the standard. But Jesus did not lower the standard. He raised it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly said, “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you.” He contrasted the external requirements of the Mosaic Law with the deeper heart righteousness demanded by His kingdom. The Mosaic Law said, “You shall not murder.” Jesus said that sinful anger in the heart is also serious before God. The Mosaic Law said, “You shall not commit adultery.” Jesus said lust in the heart is adultery already. This shows us that the New Covenant is not a license to sin. Grace is not permission to live carelessly. Grace trains us not to sin. The Law of Christ reaches the heart, not merely the hands. A Change in Priesthood Means a Change in Law Hebrews 7:12 says, “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” That verse is crucial. If the priesthood changes, the law changes too. Under the Old Covenant, the priesthood was Levitical or Aaronic. It came through the tribe of Levi, and more specifically through Aaron and his descendants. But Jesus did not come from Levi. He came from the tribe of Judah. That creates a problem if we expect Him to be a priest under the Levitical system. But Jesus is not a priest according to Aaron. He is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. This is why Hebrews spends so much time showing that the priesthood of Melchizedek is legitimate and superior. Melchizedek Points to a Better Priesthood In Genesis 14, Abraham met Melchizedek after rescuing Lot. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, and Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Both details are important. First, Abraham’s tithe recognized Melchizedek’s priesthood. Abraham was not an insignificant man. He was the father of the Jewish nation. If Abraham honored Melchizedek in this way, then the Melchizedekian priesthood could not be dismissed. Second, Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Hebrews explains that the lesser is blessed by the greater. This means Melchizedek is presented as superior to Abraham. And because Levi descended from Abraham, Hebrews makes the point that, in a sense, the Levitical priesthood paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham. This establishes not only that Melchizedek’s priesthood is legitimate, but that it is superior. Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness. He was also king of Salem, which means peace. So Melchizedek is associated with righteousness and peace. How fitting that Jesus, our great High Priest, comes according to this order. The Sabbath Was a Shadow Fulfilled in Christ Colossians 2:16–17 says not to let anyone pass judgment regarding food, drink, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths, because “these are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” That does not mean the Sabbath was bad. It means the Sabbath was a shadow. Shadows are not meaningless. They point to something real. But once the substance arrives, we do not cling to the shadow as though it were the fulfillment. The Sabbath pointed forward to Christ. It pictured rest, but it could not provide the final and fullest rest sinners need. Only Jesus can do that. This is why Romans 14 also matters. Paul says one person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each should be fully convinced in his own mind. That kind of language shows that day observance is not treated like a moral command in the New Covenant. Paul would never say, “Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind about adultery, murder, or lying.” Those are moral issues. But with ceremonial days, there is liberty. Hebrews 4 Teaches the True Sabbath Rest Hebrews 4 is one of the most important passages for understanding Sabbath rest. The author argues that Joshua did not give Israel the ultimate rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later through David about another day. The promised land did provide physical rest. God brought Israel into the land He promised them. But that land was never the final fulfillment. It pointed beyond itself to a greater rest. David wrote about another rest centuries after Israel had already entered the promised land. That means the ultimate rest was not merely geographic. It was not simply about living within the borders of Canaan. It was spiritual rest found in Christ. Hebrews 4:9 says, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” That rest is not one day per week. It is not limited to one location on Earth. It is the rest believers have in Christ. We Enter Rest Under Joshua, Not Moses There is a beautiful picture in the Old Testament. Moses did not bring Israel into the promised land. Joshua did. That matters because Moses is associated with the Law. Joshua’s name is the Hebrew form of Jesus’ name. In that sense, the picture is powerful: we do not enter rest under Moses. We enter rest under Joshua. The Law can expose sin. The Law can teach. The Law can act as a tutor or schoolmaster, bringing us to Christ. But the Law cannot give the rest that Christ gives. Under Moses, there is a burden. Under Joshua, there is an entrance into rest. Under the Law, sinners strive and fail. Under Christ, sinners believe and rest. Jesus Gives Better Rest Than the Old Covenant Sabbath The rest Jesus gives is better than the Old Covenant Sabbath rest in several ways. First, it is not limited to one day. The Old Covenant Sabbath was observed one day per week. But the believer’s rest in Christ is every day. Christians do not rest in Christ only on Saturday or Sunday. We rest in Him continually. Second, it is not limited to one place. The promised land gave Israel physical rest within particular borders. But the rest Christ gives can be experienced anywhere. A believer can rest in Christ in a church sanctuary, a hospital room, a prison cell, or a difficult home. Third, it is not merely physical. Physical rest is a gift, but spiritual rest is greater. Jesus gives rest for the soul. Fourth, it is not based on our works. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This is the rest of salvation. We stop trying to earn righteousness and receive the righteousness of Christ by faith. Resting in Christ Does Not Mean We Stop Working Hebrews says the one who enters God’s rest “has also rested from his works as God did from his.” But this does not mean Christians become inactive. God rested from His work of creation, but Jesus also said, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). There is no contradiction. God rested from creating, but He did not stop ruling, sustaining, and providentially working in the world. Similarly, Christians rest from working for salvation, but we do not stop working for the Lord. Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that we are saved by grace through f

    55 min

  7. May 11

    How the Old Testament Points to Jesus in Luke 24:22–27

    One of the most important lessons in Luke 24:22–27 is how the Old Testament points to Jesus. On the road to Emmaus, two discouraged disciples had the evidence of the resurrection, but they still lacked understanding. They knew the tomb was empty. They knew the women had reported that angels said Jesus was alive. They knew others had gone to the tomb and confirmed the women’s report. Yet they still did not believe. https://youtu.be/h47NFMhmSbU Table of contentsThe Disciples Had Evidence but Still Did Not BelieveBelief Is Not Primarily About EvidenceJesus Rebuked Them for Being Slow of HeartTrue Faith Believes All That God Has SpokenBelief Is Primarily a Heart IssueThe Christ Had to Suffer Before Entering GloryThe Old Testament Is About JesusJesus Reveals Himself Through ScriptureJesus Wants Us to Find Him in ScriptureRead the Bible Looking for Christ The Disciples Had Evidence but Still Did Not Believe Luke 24:22–24 says: “Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some 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.” This is a stunning admission. Up to this point, we might assume the two disciples were discouraged simply because all they knew was that Jesus had been crucified. But now we learn they knew much more than that. They knew the tomb was empty. They knew the women’s testimony. They knew angels had declared Jesus to be alive. They knew others had gone to the tomb and confirmed the women’s report. That is a remarkable amount of evidence. Yet still, they did not believe. This raises an important question: why didn’t they believe after all that evidence? The answer is one of the most important truths we can learn about faith and unbelief. Belief Is Not Primarily About Evidence Belief is not primarily about evidence. Evidence matters. God has given us reasonable grounds for our faith. The Christian faith is not irrational or blind. The resurrection occurred in history, and Luke presents eyewitness testimony to show that it truly happened. But if belief were strictly a matter of evidence, then everyone who heard the gospel would be saved, and everyone exposed to Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection would believe. Yet that is not what we see in Scripture or in our own experience. Two people can hear the same sermon, read the same passage, listen to the same testimony, and be presented with the same evidence, yet walk away with very different responses. Why? Because people have different hearts. This is one of the main points of the parable of the sower. The same seed is scattered, but it falls on different soils. The seed is the same, but the responses differ because the hearts differ. Sometimes we think, “If only I had one more sign,” or “If only God made things clearer,” or “If only I saw one more confirmation.” But often the deeper issue is not a shortage of evidence. It is a heart slow to submit to what God has already said. Unbelief is not chiefly about evidence. The deeper issue is the human heart's slowness to trust God’s Word. That is why Jesus rebuked them. Jesus Rebuked Them for Being Slow of Heart Luke 24:25 says: “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” Jesus does not say, “O uninformed ones.” He does not say, “O people who lacked enough evidence.” He says they were foolish and slow of heart. There is a difference between ignorance and foolishness. Ignorance means you do not know. Foolishness means you knew better but did not act on what you knew. That is why Jesus calls these disciples foolish. They were not ignorant. They had been told. They had heard the reports. More importantly, they had the Scriptures. Jesus says they were “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Their problem was not that God had failed to speak clearly. Their problem was that they had failed to believe all that God had already spoken. True Faith Believes All That God Has Spoken The word “all” in Luke 24:25 is significant. These disciples were willing to believe some of what the prophets had spoken. They were happy to embrace promises of glory, deliverance, kingdom, and redemption. But they struggled to believe the parts about suffering, rejection, humiliation, and death. That is still a danger for us. We love the Scriptures about God’s love, grace, mercy, and blessing. But we can struggle to embrace the Scriptures about suffering, trials, judgment, repentance, discipline, and self-denial. True faith believes all that God has spoken, not only the parts that fit our preferred narrative. The disciples were profoundly confused by the cross. They probably thought the crucifixion meant Jesus could not be the Messiah. But in reality, the cross proved He was the Messiah because it fulfilled what the prophets had spoken. What they viewed as a contradiction was actually confirmation. Belief Is Primarily a Heart Issue Jesus says they were “slow of heart.” That is no small detail. We tend to think of belief as something that takes place mainly in the mind. But Scripture repeatedly identifies the heart as the true source of belief and unbelief. Romans 10:9–10 says: “Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified.” When people reject Christ, they often present their unbelief as purely intellectual. They may use philosophical arguments or speak as though the problem is a lack of information. But Jesus shows us the deeper issue: belief is primarily a matter of the heart. This should humble us and free us in evangelism. It humbles us because no amount of clever arguing can replace what only God can do in a heart. It frees us because our calling is not to win every argument. Our calling is to pray, speak the truth, present Christ faithfully, and trust God to do what only He can do beneath the surface. The Christ Had to Suffer Before Entering Glory Luke 24:26 says: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” The word “necessary” is important. Jesus’s suffering was not accidental. The cross was not an unfortunate derailment of God’s plan. It was not a tragedy that ruined the mission. It was divinely ordained. Jesus had already spoken this way earlier in Luke. Luke 24:7 says: “That the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” The word “must” shows divine necessity. Jesus was following His Father’s perfect plan. When Jesus was twelve years old, He said in Luke 2:49: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” When He spoke of His coming death in Jerusalem, He said in Luke 13:33: “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following.” When He met Zacchaeus, He said in Luke 19:5: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” When He spoke of His crucifixion, He said in Luke 22:37: “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me.” Jesus lived under the divine necessity of His Father’s will. Everything He did fulfilled Scripture and accomplished redemption. So when Jesus asks, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” He is teaching that the cross was not a defeat. It was the mission. The order matters: suffering first, glory afterward. Cross first, crown afterward. Humiliation first, exaltation afterward. The Old Testament Is About Jesus Luke 24:27 says: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” This is one of the most important verses in the Bible for understanding the Bible. Jesus teaches us that the Old Testament is Christ-centered. From Moses to the Prophets, from Genesis onward, the Scriptures point to Him. The Gospels had not yet been written. The New Testament had not yet been completed. So when Jesus wanted to reveal Himself to these disciples, He opened the Old Testament and showed them “the things concerning Himself.” That does not mean every verse in the Old Testament mentions Jesus explicitly. But it does mean the Old Testament, in its promises, types, shadows, sacrifices, covenants, offices, patterns, and prophecies, finds its fulfillment in Him. Jesus is the promised seed of the woman who crushes the serpent. He is the true Passover Lamb. He is the greater Moses, the greater Joshua, and the greater David. He is the righteous sufferer of the Psalms, the suffering servant of Isaiah, and the true Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the One to whom all the Scriptures point. Jesus Reveals Himself Through Scripture It is worth considering what Jesus did not do on the road to Emmaus. He did not immediately say, “Look at My face.” He did not say, “See My hands.” He did not say, “Look at the scars in My feet.” After His resurrection, Jesus could have revealed Himself in many ways. He could have performed miracles. He could have simply shown them His physical appearance. But instead, He chose to reveal Himself through Scripture. This is especially important when we compare these disciples with Thomas. In John 20, Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw the marks of the nails and placed his hand into Jesus’s side. When Jesus appeared, He graciously allowed Thomas to see. Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God!” But Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who

    52 min

  8. May 4

    Why Jesus’ Disciples Were Discouraged on the Road to Emmaus

    The road to Emmaus account in Luke 24 shows us two disciples who saw the physical facts clearly but missed the spiritual reality entirely. They knew Jesus had been crucified. They had heard reports about the empty tomb. They even knew it was the third day. But despite having the facts, they did not understand what God was doing through Christ's death and resurrection. These two disciples were not enemies of Jesus. They were not Pharisees mocking Him. They were not Roman soldiers who had crucified Him. They were followers of Jesus who had loved Him, listened to Him, and hoped in Him. Yet they were discouraged because they interpreted their circumstances physically instead of spiritually. That makes this passage deeply pastoral. Every Christian knows what it is like to look at difficult circumstances and struggle to understand what God is doing. We expected one thing, but God ordained another. We expected relief, but the burden became heavier. We expected clarity, but everything seemed more confusing. We expected joy, but sorrow remained. Luke 24 reminds us that discouraged believers do not merely need better circumstances. They need Christ to open the Scriptures. https://youtu.be/s6F0mJI_WmY Table of contentsWe Can See the Physical Clearly While Missing the Spiritual RealityEven Great Men Can Struggle to See SpirituallyJesus Was Nearer Than They RealizedWe Know Christ Through Scripture, Not SightJesus Draws Out Their DiscouragementThey Understood Some Truth About Jesus, But Not EnoughWe Must Not Misunderstand the Redemption Jesus Came to ProvideLooking at Life Physically Instead of Spiritually Leads to DiscouragementConclusion: Christ Opens Our Eyes Through His Word We Can See the Physical Clearly While Missing the Spiritual Reality In the previous sermon, we considered spiritual blindness, and that lays the foundation for this passage. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were spiritually blind in a very real sense. They were not blind to the facts. They knew Jesus had been crucified. They knew reports had come about the empty tomb. They knew extraordinary things had happened. But even with all of that, they still did not understand what God was doing. This is one of the great lessons of Scripture: we can see the physical clearly while completely missing the spiritual reality. This problem appears throughout the Bible. People hear spiritual truth, but they interpret it physically. People see God’s work, but they interpret it outwardly. People expect visible, earthly, temporal fulfillment, while God is accomplishing something deeper, greater, and spiritual. We see this even in the ministry of John the Baptist. Luke 3 says John came to prepare the way for the Messiah. The valleys would be lifted up, the mountains and hills brought low, and the crooked places made straight. That sounds physical, but John was not moving dirt or changing the landscape of Judea. He was preparing hearts through repentance. John was not doing anything physical, but he was doing a great deal spiritually. We see the same pattern in Jesus’ ministry. In Matthew 16, when Jesus warned the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, they thought He was speaking about literal bread. He was speaking about corrupt teaching. In John 2, when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” people thought He meant the physical temple. He was speaking about the temple of His body. In John 3, Nicodemus thought Jesus meant physical birth when Jesus told him he must be born again. Jesus meant spiritual rebirth. In John 4, the Samaritan woman thought Jesus meant literal water, but He was speaking of spiritual satisfaction. Again and again, people interpreted Jesus physically when He was speaking spiritually. Even Great Men Can Struggle to See Spiritually We might think this only happens to immature people or unbelievers, but Scripture shows that even great men can struggle to see spiritually. John the Baptist himself struggled at one point. Matthew 11:3 says he sent messengers to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” That is remarkable. If anyone knew Jesus was the Messiah, it was John. He leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary approached. He baptized Jesus. He saw the Spirit descend like a dove. He heard the Father’s voice from heaven. He declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” So why would John later ask whether Jesus was the Coming One? John was in prison. He knew the prophecies about the Messiah bringing liberty to captives, and he may have wondered, “If Jesus is the Messiah, why am I still here?” He was wrestling with the difference between physical expectation and spiritual fulfillment. Jesus had not come primarily to deliver people from physical prisons. He came to deliver people from a far worse bondage: slavery to sin, death, and condemnation. Samuel made a similar mistake when he saw Eliab, Jesse’s impressive son, and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Samuel looked physically. God looked spiritually. Elisha’s servant also struggled with this. When he saw the Syrian army surrounding them, he panicked. Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. The servant could see the visible danger. He could not see the invisible reality until the Lord opened his eyes. That is what we need too. We need the Lord to open our eyes so we can see beyond the physical to the spiritual. Jesus Was Nearer Than They Realized Luke 24:13 says, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.” This happened on the very first Resurrection Sunday. The women had come to the tomb. The stone had been rolled away. The angels had announced the resurrection. Peter had run to the tomb. The greatest event in history had already taken place. But these two disciples were not rejoicing. They were walking away from Jerusalem, discouraged. Luke 24:14-16 says, “And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Jesus was walking with them, but they did not know it. That is a tremendous comfort, because one of the great temptations in discouragement is to think the Lord is absent. Discouraged believers often feel abandoned. They may wonder, “Where is the Lord in this? Why does He seem so distant?” But this passage reminds us that Christ may be nearer than we realize. These disciples were walking in sorrow, and Jesus was with them. They did not recognize Him, but the risen Christ had already drawn near. We Know Christ Through Scripture, Not Sight Luke does not merely say they failed to recognize Jesus. He says, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” This was supernatural. God withheld recognition for a time. That raises a question: Why would Jesus disguise Himself at first if He intended to reveal Himself later? Perhaps before they could recognize Jesus physically, they needed to recognize Him spiritually. Before they could identify Him with their eyes, they needed to understand Him through the Scriptures. In other words, before their sight was corrected, their hearts had to be corrected. This is important for us too. We do not know Christ rightly by physical sight. We do not know Christ rightly by feelings. We do not know Christ rightly by reading our circumstances apart from the Word. We know Christ through Scripture. That is where He reveals Himself truly and savingly. The disciples had facts, but they did not yet have understanding. They needed Jesus to open the Scriptures. Jesus Draws Out Their Discouragement Luke 24:17 says, “And he said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad.” Jesus knew what they were discussing, but He asked anyway. He often did this in the Gospels. He asked questions not because He lacked information, but because He was drawing out what was in people’s hearts. He wanted these disciples to verbalize their grief before He corrected them. He wanted them to express their sorrow before He comforted them. He wanted them to speak their confusion before He helped them understand. This is similar to prayer. We do not tell God anything He does not already know, but He still invites us to open our hearts before Him. Cleopas responds: Luke 24:18, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” There is irony here. Cleopas thinks Jesus is the only one who does not understand what has happened. In reality, Jesus is the only one who fully understands what has happened. Cleopas thinks Jesus is uninformed. But Cleopas is the one who is confused. They Understood Some Truth About Jesus, But Not Enough Jesus asks, “What things?” They answer: Luke 24:19, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.” There is truth in what they say, but it is incomplete. Jesus is a man. Jesus is a prophet. Jesus is mighty in deed and word. But He is far more than that. He is the Christ, the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord. This resembles the blind man in John 9. At first, he called Jesus “the man called Jesus.” Then he recognized Him as a prophet. Then he understood that Jesus had been sent

    57 min
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About

Scott LaPierre (https://www.scottlapierre.org/) is a pastor, author, and Christian speaker on marriage. This podcast includes his conference messages, guest preaching, and expository sermons at Woodland Christian Church. Each of Scott’s messages is the result of hours of studying the Bible. Scott and his wife, Katie, grew up together in northern California, and God has blessed them with nine children. View all of Pastor Scott’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scott-LaPierre/e/B01JT920EQ. Receive a FREE copy of Scott’s book, “Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages.” For Scott LaPierre’s conference and speaking information, including testimonies, and endorsements, please visit: https://www.scottlapierre.org/christian-speaker/. Feel free to contact Scott at: https://www.scottlapierre.org/contact/.

Information

  • Creator
    Scott LaPierre
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020 Scott LaPierre
  • Show Website
    Scott LaPierre Ministries

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