Making Our Faith Firm

Luke 24.13-49

As followers of Jesus we need tender hearts, tough minds, and a rock solid faith. It is that kind of faith we are going to look at this morning. 

Life is full of tests of our faith. I believe God allows them to come, even works things out in our lives so we will be tested, like Abraham. Tests of faith are for our benefit. They cause us to activate our faith. They are designed to show us our love for God. Even things the enemy brings to us, God can turn around for our good and work out His will in our lives through it. Joseph is one of many examples of that.

Good Friday through Easter Week was a time of testing for the followers of Jesus. Their loyalty, their love and their faith were all tested, severely tested.

That First Day of the Week was full of opportunities for faith to be expressed.

The women believed. The men struggled.

John 20:8-9 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 

Luke 24:22-24 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 

Luke 24:13-14 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.  We see the difference here between talking about Jesus and talking to Jesus.

The Road to Emmaus...

1. Downcast is Not The Posture of Faith- v.17

We talked last week about the women on the way to the tomb and how they were downcast. Their hands contained the spices with which to anoint the body of Our LORD.

Now we see the men when Jesus is with them (they did not recognize Him- I think that happens often when we are downcast) and when what happened is brought up they stand downcast.

Downcast= a sad and gloomy countenance that is impossible to hide.

It is natural when we are grieving. But these men should not have been grieving. After the report of the women they should have been believing! This was a test of faith. They wondered about it but there is no evidence of them believing the report. They didn't look at the empty tomb at this point as evidence. Its different today- lady who needed help out of the tomb there in Jerusalem.

The LORD did not and does not cast us aside if we struggle in our faith. He comes to us again. He did this that first Easter for the disciples and for Thomas a week later.

Downcast is not the posture or mindset for faith.

What is the posture of faith?

Looking unto Jesus

Looking up to heaven

Seeing with the eyes of faith

If we look at circumstances without Christ we will be wiped out emotionally. Making our faith firm is realizing what the circumstances are but not focusing on them. Our focus is on Jesus- photography. Only one thing can be focused on for a sharp clear and true picture. 

There are times when we need to refocus on Him.

Maybe you are going through one of those times this very morning or as you read this on our Sunday Morning Message Blog. Look to Him this day. He is closer than you can imagine.

2. Knowing and Understanding God's Word is key to a strong faith.- vs.25-27

Spurgeon- The Bible in the memory is better than the Bible in a bookcase!

I don't believe I can emphasize this enough.

The dynamic of God's Word.

The timelessness of it.

The power of it.

Written into creation itself!

I love that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Even the way God speaks to us works to build up our faith.

As we get to know God's Word better, hide it in our hearts, meditate upon it, it has an effect on our spirits and minds.

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 

Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word...

1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 

3. Recognizing/ Being Confident of the LORD's Presence is a big part of faith. vs. 30-35

Where is God in this?

Why and How are questions we often ask. They are not questions of faith.

Faith is trusting God without the answers to these questions.

Being Conscious of His Presence

Genesis 28:16-17 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 

Being Confident of His Presence.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 

Being Confident In His Word and His Character

Habakkuk 2:2-4 Then the LORD answered me and said,“Record the vision

And inscribe it on tablets,

That the one who reads it may run. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time;

It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.Though it tarries, wait for it;For it will certainly come, it will not delay. 

“Behold, as for the proud one, 

His soul is not right within him;

But the righteous will live by his faith. "

The just will live by his faith.

When we cannot trace His Hand We can trust His heart.- Spurgeon

Learning to walk by faith means not always understanding what is going on.

But when we do encounter those moments we look to Jesus for strength.