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Looking For The Living Among The Dead
Associate Pastor Cole Parleir
Focus: When we stop ‘looking for the living among the dead’ we will encounter the resurrected Jesus.
The Resurrection
The Road
The Return
Scripture (Luke 24:1-35)
'But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 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.
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. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 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.”
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.”
So he went in to stay with them. 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. And he vanished from their sight. 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?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. '
The Resurrection
Life is too short and eternity too long to look for the living among the dead.
Like the women mourning the crucified Jesus, we too should mourn the results of sin in our lives and the lives of others. We must do this by going to the tombs made for that which was lost. This is part of true repentance.
Like the women mourning who brought prepared spices we, too should be willing to make amends and bring comfort to those we’ve sinned against. This is part of true restitution.
But…the gospel does not stop at the crucifixion and tomb. It’s only the valley on the way to resurrection.
This is where the truth becomes perplexing to the human mind. Heaven must intervene to speak directly to our spirit. Heaven’s messengers (The Holy Spirit, angels, and preachers of the gospel) do for us what the world cannot do: deliverer a message of eternal hope, full redemption, and indestructible life
Angels are sent by God to minister to those who are to inherit salvation.
“Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”
Hebrews 1:7, 14 ESV
“WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?”
We do this all the time. We say we believe in God and yet, as a result of our unbelief in what He has said, we seek the living Jesus among the dead.
Where do we seek the living among the dead in our lives? Here’s a few disappointing “tombs” I return to find my self searching for the living God:
False Religion
Ungodly Relationships
Pleasing people for their benefit rather than God’s glory in Jesus
Romantic Fantasy (yes, even in marraige)
Success at work, sports, or things I put my energy into
More security to insulate against hardship
When we realize these tombs are empty, we also realize our hearts are empty. Only when we experience this kind of disappointment is there room to hear what God is speaking.
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you….”
They remembered the prophecy that Jesus said this would happen. Then they returned to the gathering of disciples and witnessed to the forming church.
Life is too short and eternity too long to not investigate the gospel like Peter did by running the tomb. The others did not believe…but Peter was inspired to investigate.
Life is too short and eternity too long to not marvel all the way home.
The Road (to Emmaus)
When our hope is in Christ, we are never walking alone. He is with us.
Cleopas and the other disciple were talking about all these things that had happened…and then Jesus drew near. Yet they did not recognize Him.
“What happened? What things?” - Jesus is the master of lead in questions! He doesn’t need your information, just your attention.
Jesus broke the bread in communion fashion. “Do this in remembrance of me.” Their eyes were opened.
(Acts 2:42)
Their hearts burned as they talked with Jesus not knowing it was Him. This the impact of the Spirit of Truths at work.
Q: Do you know who you’re talking to? If Truth is being shared, God is talking to you whether you recognize Him or not. Be humble.
The Return (of the wandering)
Do you see the empty tomb? The human heart is empty like that tomb. The fact the tomb was empty was that Jesus had risen leaving a void. If your heart is empty like the tomb, this also means that Jesus is alive, and you were made for Him and to be communing with Him..
They rose the same hour they recognized Jesus and returned to the community of worshippers.
They invited Jesus to stay and prepared the meal…but the guest blessed it!!
those on the road thought they were making progress, but when they realized what REALLY happened and who they were REALLY talking to, they turned around and began to make real progress by returning to Jesus Word and His Church.
“While they were perplexed…as they were frightened…remember how He told you…return from the tomb and tell the rest” - Luke 24:1-12
Psalm 84
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”
Psalm 84:1-12 ESV
https://www.bible.com/59/psa.84.1-12.esv
Blessed are those who dwell in God’s house (The Gathered Church)
Blessed are those whose strength is in God and delight (highway of the heart) in Him and His people.
The path to the house may include weeping (carrying your cross as a disciple of Christ doing what is not easy or normal), but He uses the tears accrued in this process to turn barren valleys into places of fruitfulness. (The process will bless you and those around you)
Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.””
Matthew 18:18-20 ESV
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (Among His people)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV
Take the next step. Go back to church.
“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. There is nothing progressive about being pig-headed and refusing to admit a mistake. And I think if you look at the present state of the world it's pretty plain that humanity has been making some big mistake. We're on the wrong road. And if that is so we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Case for Christianity
During life's trials we tend to think God is dead and we, like the disciples heading to Emmaus, are walking alone, or at best, with other people discussing life’s challenges. Truth be told, in our hardest moments Jesus is with us and carrying us though we do not recognize him. Jesus is alive.
Footprints In The Sand Poem
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2021