Sermon Central
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Heartburn
Contributed by John Gaston on Mar 7, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus was 2 feet away from them, but they didn't know it, but there was a burning sensation, not in their stomachs, but in their souls - the shekinah, the manifest presence of God. Suddenly they were aware of Him - His voice, His mannerisms, His nail-scarred hands. He was alive!
HEARTBURN
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: “It’s going to be a Bad Day when…”
1. You see a "60 Minutes" news team in your office.
2. You call Suicide Prevention hotline & they put you on hold.
3. You turn on the news and they're showing emergency routes out of the city.
4. Your twin sister forgot your birthday.
5. Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck ‘on’ as you follow a group of Hell’s Angels on the freeway.
6. Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.
7. Your income-tax check bounces.
8. You put both contact lenses in the same eye.
B. HEARTBURN: BAD & GOOD
1. Yes, these kinds of things are the reason for Tums, Rolaids, Pepto-Bismol -- -- HEARTBURN!
2. Other Culprits of heartburn:
a. Too many candy bars,
b. Spicy food late at night.
c. One baby had eight pennies in his diaper!
3. A POSITIVE HEARTBURN
a. All these examples were Heartburn in a Negative light, but there is a Positive Heartburn.
b. Let's read together in Luke's Gospel:
C. TEXT
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?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 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. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 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.
D. TITLE: “Heartburn.”
I. JESUS NEAR, BUT UNRECOGNIZED
It’s strange to think of it, but Jesus had been as close as two feet to these two disciples. They had been close enough to breathe on each other, yet they didn’t recognize Him.
A. OTHER CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS
1. Abraham, when the 3 men came to him. One of them was the “Lord” who “rained [down] fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24, 2 “Lords”), so it was Jesus.
2. Jacob wrestled with the Angel who was later said to be God, thus a theophany of Christ.
3. Joshua – met the Captain of the Lord's Host, who told Joshua to “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy” (Josh. 5:15), just like God told Moses at the burning bush.
4. Mary Magdalene, in the garden near the tomb (John
