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We're not far from Easter — the greatest day we celebrate. Our resurrected Savioru we. We celebrate an empty tomb. We celebrate a promise kept. We celebrate hope for eternity, because of that. Just a few Sundays away. But today, I'm actually going to start my Easter series today. Is that okay? Yeah? want to start today, just because when you get to talking about all that goes on here, that's a lot. And I feel like it's time that we unpack all that is there. So I'm going to start today.

And I'm going to go to a story that's maybe a lesser-known story, that is there, that is going on at the same time with the resurrection and all this is taking place. And we're going to go to that story in Luke chapter 24. Talk about a couple of people, and to whom the Easter story came a little bit late. You know, there are times in life when you may be late to the story, or late to the party, or late to the event. Anybody ever found yourself in that situation? Now, some of you live there. That's by choice. That's a whole another sermon. But occasionally, life happens in such a way — it's out of your control, and circumstances are beyond your ability to do anything about it. And because of that, you either are late to get the information, or late to arrive, or whatever the case may be. So we're going to see here that there was a couple that, to whom, hope came just a little bit later than others.

So, Luke chap 24, beginning at verse number 13, says: "Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to the village called Emus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem." So it's not a short trip. If you're on foot, seven miles takes you a minute. So there's a little bit of time. I want you to go with me. I want to try to paint this picture for you, because I feel like it's really powerful, if you'll allow your mind to settle in on all the details of the story.

So we have two people that are walking seven miles. So they got some time. "And they talked together of all the things which had happened." We're going to unpack that. "So it was, while they conversed and reason, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him."

Now, so we see: they're walking. They have a ways to go. And as what happens a lot of times, as you're with someone you're close to, you begin to have a conversation, because we got nothing else to do but walk. But as they were in the middle of their conversation, someone joins them along the way.

Now, to give you a little background here: in the Gospel of John, we read that one of the women that were at the cross was Mary. There's actually a couple of Marys that were there, and they get designated to whose Mary is who. One was known as Mary, the wife of Cleopas, that was present when Jesus was crucified. Verse 25 of the 19th chapter says this: "Now they're still by the cross Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleus, and Mary Magdalene." So we got three Marys there. So I'm thankful that they did a little distinguishing of which Mary's which.

Now, I'll bring that up for this reason: because we're going to see that Cleophas is one of these individuals who is on this walk, here in Luke 24. So it stands to reason, and most theologians agree, that this was more than likely Cleophas and Mary. So we got a husband and a wife, who are going for a walk to get back home.

Now, one of the words that Luke uses, when he's referring to — or talking about — their discussing with each other — and then they're going on, this stranger comes up. But Luke has this very interesting phrase: "But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him." Why did he include that? I feel like that's important. As you have been around here for any length of time, you know I like diving into the subtlety that's there. Like, why did these words get used? Because I feel like there's so much that is there, for you and I to discover and unpack, if we'll stop long enough.

So we see here that we got a husband and a wife, more than likely. They're walking down a road, that they have a ways to go. Someone joins them, who we know — we know this part; they don't know this. We know, because we're reading the story, that it was Jesus who walked up. But they don't know. In fact, it says very specifically that their eyes were restrained in this moment. So they did not know who it was that was walking with them. They're kept in the dark. How long, we don't know. We just know that they're there, and they're having a conversation.

Verse number 17: "And He said to them, 'What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another, as you walk and are sad?'" Now, this question seems to catch them off guard a little bit — almost stopping them in their tracks, so to speak. And then, verse 18: "Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said unto Him, 'Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there these days?'" Now, if you were going to rank that question on a politeness meter, where would you put that? It's obvious he doesn't know it's Jesus, because there is no way he would have been like, "What's wrong with you?" Because that's basically, in today's language, he's going, "What is wrong with you? Have you been under a rock? Like, are you just now crawling out of a cave? How is it possible that you're the only one in Jerusalem that doesn't have a clue what's going on?"

So at this point, the stranger could have got off with a nice little zinger. He could have said, "Well, actually, I do know what's going on, because I'm Jesus." He could have — did he said I I — it could have been, "I was the one that was on the cross. I'm the one that everybody's talking about." But he didn't do that. He didn't just jab him right there, when you and I probably would have. You know, it's good to take note of how the Master does things: that even when He has the opportunity to put someone in their place, He restrains Himself. He doesn't do that.

We see His response, in verse number 19: "He said to them, 'What things?' So they said to Him, 'The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all people. And how the chief priest and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned in death, and crucified Him.'" Listen to this next phrase: "'But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, beside all of this, today is the third day since these things happened.'"

So they're telling Him their story. And I like that, because we all have a story. You have a story. I have a story. They're unpacking where they are. That things in life had been aligning themselves up to an expected end, in their mind. Things were coming together. Things were put together. As you hear their response back, and they use the words, "And we were hoping that it was He" — that it was the One — that the Messiah was to come. The Ones that the stories we've been hearing from our fathers, and our grandfathers, and our grandfathers' grandfathers — it's been told to us that one day Messiah is going to come. One day, He's going to come, and He's going to set all the wrongs back right. And He's going to be here, to restore back where it is we need to be. "We were hoping that He was the One." And it seems to be that's not the case.

Anybody ever had any hopes that got dashed? Anybody ever had something similar in fashion to like this — how you thought things were going to play out, on your mind, and how it should be put — together, according to the plan that you have. But we see that it doesn't always work out according to our plan.

So they're a lot like us. And I like that. I like when I read in the Scriptures, and I find a story that's there, that I'm able to latch a hold of myself, and be able to identify with those that are there. And I've been like that. There's been times in my life, when I've been walking down the road, and how things were going I felt like was right inappropriate. And all of a sudden, I of nowhere, it just took a turn. I landed in the ditch, trying to get my head around all that's really going on, and all that's taking place, because I was hoping it was going to be a certain way. That's where they are. They're telling His story. If you've lived long enough, you've got a story like that, too.

You were hoping — had some kind of a great dream of wonderful things. But then you lost your job, and can't help but feel like, in some ways, you're failure. Or you've been hoping that one day that God would bless you with a child. You've prayed about it, and you've longed for it, and you've dreamed about that moment. But for whatever reason, it hasn't happened. And it's something you have a hard time shaking off. Or maybe you're hoping that one day you'll be free of that habit, that seems to have you bound and chained down. But it seems to continue to have its grip on you. Or maybe you were hoping — but then they told you they don't love you anymore. And you're left with a broken and shattered relationship that was there. You're hoping that your child wouldn't run down the road they're walking down, and go the way they're going. But they are, and they seem to be running fast. We all have a story. We all have something there that we can identify with. And this is exactly what's transpiring here, in this 24th chapter of Luke. "We were hoping that He was the One that was going to redeem. We were hoping that He was the One that was going to make our story come out okay. But our story has gone wrong."

Something about this resonates with me. And I feel like, if you're honest today, something about this story — some piece of it — resonates with you, too. Because life just happens that way. They had a story. It was a special story, because Israel had a destiny. They had a calling. Their life wasn't just about themselves. They were going to be glorious. They were going to be the ambassadors, and the representatives, of God, and to bring good and hope to the earth. But their story had gone wrong. And it was mostly their fault. And they could trace back their story. It was documented very well. They had detailed accounts of all the wrong turns that they had taken, and all the decisions that they had made. There was now no glory in Israel. It seemed like it was just suffering. It seemed like God was somewhere far away. He was somewhere distance. And all they had was all this law, that seemed to only make a relationship with God even harder and more difficult. It was just a story. And they were in search of an ending.

And then Jesus came along. And according to what they said — their own words — He was a prophet, powerful inde deed and word. He said things nobody else said. He did things that nobody else did. It was miraculous. It was amazing. It was unbelievable. He raised the dead. He healed the lepers. He put relationships and lives back together. He walked on water. He provided loaves and fish. He did things that no one else had ever done. In the way He talked — oh, the way He talked. No one used words like He did. When He said things, He captivated the masses, and people were drawn to Him. And yet didn't seem to push them away. He was about the lost. He was about the broken. He was there. He ate with publicans and sinners. Yes. He was different. There was something different about this Man.

And they were seeing — and as things were unfolding, and as they begin to think about the Scriptures, to begin to ask themselves, "Could this be Him? Could this be the One?" It seems like things are lining up. And maybe, just maybe, this is our day. And this is our time. And this is our moment. And all the stuff that Grandpa's been talking about, and Grandma has told us — maybe, just maybe, the Messiah — it's real. It's going to happen. And we're going to see it. It looks like Jesus is the One. And then it took a turn.

They were hoping He would come back, and reestablish power and dominion. That He would kick Rome out. And that they would once again be mighty, like the days when they were under King David, and no one messed with Israel, because they were mighty indeed. Oh, they remember the stories. They had them written down. And they dreamed about how life would be, when Messiah would come, and He would reestablish things back the way it was. They thought about this. This played out in their mind. And now it seems like it's here — that it's actually going to happen, that it's real, that it's possible. But no. Now it's as if the dream is gone, and hope is dead. The One that they hoped were going to come in, and take care of Rome — it seems as though Rome is now taking care of Him.

And what do they do? What do they do, in this moment? Because this had been the greatest thing that they had ever seen, or heard of. All the prophecies seemed to be fulfilled. Everything seemed to be coming together. Everything was lining up just perfectly. But now He's dead. His disciples — those that are closest to Him — have scattered. They can't even find Him. They seem to be denying they even had anything to do with Him. What's going on? It seems like everything was just the way it was supposed to be, and everything was going to come together in this nice, perfect little package. And now it's destroyed. That's what's going on here. That's the story in Luke 24, starting there at verse 13. That's what's going on. This couple is walking, and they're discussing, and they're conversing, as a husband and wife would talk about, "Hey, I feel like this is what was going to happen, but now it's not." And then this Stranger comes walking up. They had all the hopes, and everything was there. But now, it's gone.

Have you put yourself in their place yet? Can you feel, for just a minute with me — even if you know how things turn out — just for a minute, can you put yourself in this story? That you've been there. That you've had a moment like this, where all hope, at that moment, seemed to be gone. It's not just that He's dead, but He died on the cross. This meant, by definition, anything that you were hoping for — it wasn't going to be Him. He couldn't be the Messiah. Crucifixion was what Rome did, to demonstrate that if anybody dared rebel against Rome, "We'll show you what Rome can do."

Verse 22: "Yay a certain woman also from our company made it astonished, which were early at the SRE. And when they found not His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive." Now, this is at the first part of the chapter. We picked up in verse 13, but the beginning of the chapter is this story that they're telling. So word is spread that somehow the body has been taken.

Verse 24: "And certain of them which were with us went to the seler, and found it even so as a woman had said. But Him they saw not." "Then He said unto them, oh fools'" — this is Jesus speaking — "'and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets has spoken.'" Now, why does He say that? Now — because it doesn't seem like that's a really nice thing. It's almost like He went back to the same way that they were, like, "You've been hiding under a rock." And He's like, "Well, are you a — fool?" Everybody needs a moment that knocks you back to reality. See, sometimes we can get so narrowly focused into our problem — I feel the Holy Ghost right now — we can get so tunnel-visioned in to how we thought things were going to be, and it's not working out. And without even thinking about it, we begin to close out all other possibilities, because we had so focused in on what was going to take place, that we haven't even opened oursel up for other opportunities that could very well be. Now, that's what's going on in this chapter: is this couple, by their own admission, had focused so narrowly in on how they thought things were going to transpire. And then, when it didn't go according to their plan, all hope is now lost. Now, what happened in this moment is, Jesus is coming back to try to shake them back to reality.

Anybody ever been in that moment, where you need to be just shaking back into reality? Where you don't realize, maybe, that things are quite the way they are — that somehow you've envisioned it differently?

One of my favorite stories — and I've used this story a couple times throughout the years, but it's just, to me, I think just — this is a picture-perfect representation of exactly this moment, of not fully grasping all the reality that there is. Older couple, been married over 60 years. She became sick with a terminal illness. When they got married, she moved into the house there. She brought with her a shoe box. And she told her husband — she said, "Look, this shoe box is private. It's something just — it's just mine. And I'm going to put it here in my closet. And I'm just going to ask you to respect my privacy here, and just never look in the shoe box." And husband agreed to that early on, and then, honestly, he just completely forgot about the shoe box. But as she became terminally ill, and things were drawn to a close, he was going through the closet, and trying to help decipher and pick out all the things they need to do, to make plans for what was going to take place there. And he ran across the shoe box. So, as he was bringing stuff out of the closet, she said, "You know, it's time that you and I have a conversation about that shoe box." He said, "Okay." So he brings it over. She goes, "I want you to go ahead and open that shoe box up." And he did. He opened the shoe box up, and there was $95,000 cash in that box, and one little crochet doll. He said, "Well, that's a whole lot of money. Have you had that the entire time?" She's like, "I'll get to the cash in a minute. Let me tell you about the doll. When we first got married, my grandmother told me that there's going to be tough times, when we got married. And I was going to be frustrated and mad at you. And every time I got really, really mad at you, I should crochet a doll." Inside himself, he thought, "This is incredible. Over 60 years of marriage, and it's only been one time that you and I have had an argument — crochet it all he's just." He's just — all of a sudden he's like, "I just — I didn't know that things have been that well. And your eyes, is so great." He said, "That explains the doll. Well, what about this cash?" And she said, "Well, every time I got a few of those dolls crocheted together, I took them to the market, and sold them for $5 a piece. That's where the $95,000 come from." All of a sudden, it brings a little bit more perspective into where you are. So sometimes things aren't always the way you think they are. This is what's going on in this story.

One day, you're going to find out what your story is. I don't know what your story is now. I know some things that are in the room. A few of you have been talking with me, and I'm helping you pray about some situations. But in the room this size, there's no way that I will know what everyone's facing right now. I don't know where you are. I don't know where you are in your story. But I feel very strong in my spirit, that there are many of you who are latching a hold of what's going on right now, in this story.

One day, you realize — one day you're walking down the road. It could be one you never thought you'd be walking down. What happened, when you find out things are not the way that you want them to be? Here's what I know to be a truth: your life — the things that you do, and how you live — flow out of the story you believe you're living. Your life, the things you do, and the way you live, flow out of the story that you believe you're living. What you set your mind on is very powerful. What you have decided is, and how you've settled it in your mind — it's a very powerful thing. That's why it's important that you discover what real truth is, and you focus on those things. Amen. That you're like the psalmist, in chapter one — that you're like that tree. Because you meditate on that Word, day and night, you become a tree planted, that you will bear fruit in due season. That's why it's important.

What you're seeing in this story is not Jesus coming in, making fun of them, and calling them that they're a fool. But He's saying, "You are not remembering the words of the prophets. You're not thinking through the story. You're so caught up in your moment. You're so caught up in how you think things ought to be, and how it hasn't played out according to your plan, that you fail to realize things are lined up perfectly, according to what has been prophesied." He's bringing them back to reality. It's a moment of shaking there. That's what's happening here.

Look — Jesus said to them: "You foolish people. You find it so hard to believe all the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn't it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things, before entering His glory?" Then Jesus took him through this through the writings of Moses, and all the prophets, explaining them from all the the things concern Himself. Wouldn't you love to been there for that? There's a few instances in the Scriptures, when there's moments when I would really like to have been there. This is one of those. I'd have been happy to been like the guy behind the guy, just quietly walking, going, "O oo — He's walking you through, right now, the Word." Some of y'all been like, "Oh, He called him a fool. He's owning them right now." What was He saying to them? Maybe He was reminding them that, going all the way back to the beginning, that there was the Seed of woman, whose heel was bruised. That was Him. That the blessing of Abraham — that was Him. That the high priest after the order of MDC was Him. That the Man who wrestled with Jacob — that was Him. The Lion of the tribe of Judah — that was Him. The voice of the burning bush — that was Him. The Passover Lamb — that was Him. The prophet greater than Moses — that was Him. The Captain of the Lord of army, according to Joshua — that was Him. The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, that was mentioned in Ruth — that was Him. On the cross, the Son of David, the King greater than him — that was Him. On the cross, the suffering Savior of Psalms 22, and the Good Shepherd of Psalms 23 — that was Him. The wisdom of Proverbs, and the lover of Song of Solomon — that was Him. The Savior described of the prophets, and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 — that was Him. The priceless Prince that was in Daniel — the Messiah that was there — that was Him, that was on the cross. I believe that's what He was telling them, as He began to walk them through the Scripture, line upon line, and precept upon precept. He was telling, "You think it's over? It's not over. Everything was done exactly the way it had to be done."

The picture there is: nobody sees it, because it comes from the heart of God. And God thinks differently than people do. The — story in the Bible, that suffering is as old as our world, as old as sin, as painful as death. It was the story that was there. But not just suffering — joy, also. Because joy comes out of suffering. Joy that lives in the middle of suffering. And at the heart of the story, the primary character is this joyful, suffering God, who wh whom the full weight of sin, and the penalty, fell upon Him, on that cross.

So I believe He's telling him all this. He walks them through the Scriptures, Peace by Peace by peace he's. He's doing all this. And we know, because the Bible reveals that the problem it lies at the heart of all of it is this thing called sin. So God chooses Israel. He chooses this one nation, this one people. He says, "I want to come to you. And I want to show you what a picture of life with Me looks like. I want to show you what it means to live in shalom — in peace and harmony. I want to show you that." They figured what it meant is that God would be vindicated, and God's people would be other great nations. And they would establish dominion, and power, and authority. And that God would always be on their side. And they would rule and reign. They would be powerful. Everybody else will bow down to them. But they had no idea: that's not what He had ever intended. What He had always desired was relationship. What He had always desired was fellowship. But what they always desired was what they wanted.

This story of the world in which we live in: when you have it all, when you make it to the top, when you succeed, you're supposed to have it all. That "he who dies the most toys wins." That's the world we live in. I got news for you: he who dies in the most toys is dead. This bishop used to preach: "Now, they don't have a U-Haul behind the he going to the graveyard. Your family and friends are just going to fight over that stuff." Not saying you can't have stuff. But don't let the sum total of your worth be wrapped up in your stuff. CU that means you don't own the stuff — the stuff owns you. Don't find your identity — those are all lies from hell. The enemy will always let you know what you don't have, or what you should have.

Israel suffered out of disobedience. God gave them His law, and it had both blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. And from the very beginning, they knew what was going on. It was so well documented. But they always followed their own desires, their own pleasures. They always went running after everything else but Him, even when He had proven to them, time and time again, that He could be trusted. That He was Jehovah Gyra. That He was a provider. That He was a way-maker. That He was a healer. That He was there for them. And yet, it wasn't enough. They became content. And in their contentment, they went looking for other things. Never satisfied. Always looking. Always trying to fine. Always trying to discover. But God — He's so good. In spite of their shortcomings, and everything they had going on, over the generations, over the centuries, and all that suffering and exile, He kept proving Himself, time and time again: "You can trust Me. I am faithful."

It's like, from the beginning, there was this world — this wonderful thing — that God, He loved so much. But He began to narrow the focus down, and narrow the focus down, and narrow the focus down, until finally it came down to just one Man. Now that one Man is talking to the couple, and He says — now think about this, one Man — "What if the depths of His suffering actually confirms His identity, instead of disproving it?" That's where He's at, in that moment, as He's walking with him, as He explains throughout the Scriptures, and all the prophecy that's being fulfilled, everything that come to pass in there. He's saying to them, "What if what you think was a loss is not a loss? It's confirmation. You thought it was gone. You thought it was over. You thought there was no hope. You failed to realize — the reality situation is, the hope is bigger and brighter than it's ever been. Right? If you had have focused in on the truth, and the Word, and the Scripture, that was there — if you had have been so caught off in your own selfish desires, you've missed the point. He had to suffer and die. He had to suffer and die. He had to be the spotless Lamb. There always has to be a sacrifice made for the sin. You've missed the point. What if the crucifixion is not Rome's defeat of Jesus, but it's God's defeat of sin, death, hell, and the grave?"

What a — of history, the whole story is squeezed down, as small as one Man, in one empty tomb. And what happens on the other side of that?

Verse 28: " they draw n to the village, where they went. And He made as though He would have gone further. But they constrain and" — powerful word there. Do word study. Go look it up. It's like they grabbed a hold of Him, and said, "No, You can't go." "'Abide with us, for toward evening, as the day is far spent.' And He went and cared with them. And it came to pass, as He said and me with them, He took bread, and blessed." The powerful let's — let's — you got to get the imagery here. You got to let it soak in, what this wording — this is familiar to us. What is this like? This is like what had just happened before His death, when He's there, when He says, "Take, eat. This is My body, broken for you." This is — all of a sudden — see, I'm telling, this is some good stuff, y'all. Hanging on. Look at your neighbor, say, "Put your seat belt on." Yeah. All of this — they — opened, in verse number 31: "And their eyes were open, and they knew Him." Yes. "And He vanished out of their sight."

All of a sudden, the story took a turn. As they were walking, they left Jerusalem. There was no hope. Seven miles later, sitting in their house, when the Master of all is breaking bread, and giving to them — their eyes become open, and they know Him. They know Him. They know, now, hope's not lost. No. What I thought was the end, what I thought was over, what I thought was defeat — it's just the beginning. It's just starting. It's the hope. It's the hope. It's the hope. See, it's not just the Jesus suffer ERS. Yeah, it's also that He triumphs. Jesus has triumphed over sin. Triumphed over guilt. Triumphed over failure. Triumphed over confusion. Triumphed over regret, and problems, and death. And whatever road you're walking down, and whatever darkness you're facing, whatever regret you may carry — defeat does not get the last word. It does not get the last word. The last word was, "It is finished. It is finished. It is finished." That was the last word. And it was uttered from a cross, when the perfect One died for you and I.

So regardless of what the enemy tries to commit you of, the only thing you need to hope on is that it is finished. It is — you don't have to live in despair, or in regret. You don't have to live with all that suffering and shame. No. You can let the blood of Calvary wash over [you]. can be cleansed by that. And you can live with a hope of tomorrow. A hope of — it doesn't mean everything's going to be perfect. But I promise you, there's something beyond this earth. Paul said, "If I have hope only in this of most men Mo, of all men most miserable" — he was saying, there's something beyond this. Don't look for perfection here. Don't look for perfection here. But I'm hanging on to the Perfect One, who said He's going to come back and get me, and take me to be with Him one day. That's what I'm hanging on to. That's my hope. That's why we celebrate Easter. I don't have to be stuck in the dead drudgery, sinfield world that I'm in. But I have the ability — to be an overcomer. To be an overcomer. I don't have to be bound. I don't have to be chained. I don't have to be stuck. Because my God is alive. He's alive, and He's sitting on the throne. And I worship Him, and I praise Him. And that is my hope.

Now, before y'all get crazy, I need to finish. So have a seat. This is a story that will change your story. Yes, if you let it. Hallelujah. I don't know what your story is. I don't know how you've been writing it. I don't know what chapter you're in. But His story can change your story. Yes.

At the beginning of the Bible, there is a couple that's there — another couple, married couple: Adam and Eve. And somehow, the whole story of sin gets folded into their story. And one day, they def God, and they decide not to listen to Him. And they are disobedient to what He asked them to do. And they do this by eating the fruit He told them not to eat.

There's a really interesting phrase, all the way back to Genesis chapter 3. I'm going to read to you, starting verse one: "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, yay, hath God said, You shall not eat of every tree in the garden?' And the woman said unto the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God ha said, You shall not eat it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' And the serpent said un the woman, you shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat." Verse seven: "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked."

Here we see the phrase — very same phrase that we see in Luke 24 — except the outcome is different. They knew, because of their eyes being open, that they were naked. Verses, in 24, when they knew Him, when their eyes were opened. So, both times, the eyes were open. Genesis 3: their eyes were open, and they knew — they didn't know Him. They knew they were naked. Luke 24: their eyes were open, and they knew Him.

Now, here's what's unreal to me: is the very ones who first — the very humans who first interact with God — somehow become bored with being in a relationship with Him, every day. And they seek after something more. They are convinced that there's something more. Now, the enemy — the serpent, the devil — we know he encouraged, and said, "Look, God's withholding something from you."

I'm getting ready to close. fact, the musicians can come. I'm getting ready to close. But I feel very strong here. I got to make this point: is more often than not, we get ourselves in trouble when, in living for God, we begin to look for something more — something that we're not able to do. Somehow, we're restricted. Somehow, God's keeping us from something that we should be able to enjoy. Something that would make me wise. In fact, I feel like Genesis 3 is really, really plain, when the enemy says, "You can be like God, knowing good and evil." See, what's crazy about that is that any rational-thinking person understands that they had a daily connection with the Creator of all. And at any time they needed to have better understanding about what was good, and what was bad, they could ask the One who has defined what is good, and what is bad. But instead of taking the time to go to Him, and wait for an answer, they took matters literally into their own hands.

The wording, I think, is so interesting: that she seen that it was good to eat, pleasant to the eye, and was good to make one wise. When have you ever looked at an apple, and said, "I'm going to be smarter when I eat this"? Furthermore, any piece of fruit: "I'm going to be smarter when I eat this." You see, they bought in to the lie. Yes. I'm reaching for somebody: don't buy into the lie, that this world has something for you that will make you wiser than your relationship with God will make you. What it'll do is, it'll open your eyes to things that you don't want to see. That's what happened. It opened their eyes, and they realized they were nak. They didn't want to see that. They had no full understanding. There was no shame in them, until the moment they were disobedient. Oh, and then, at that moment, shame entered in, because they did not follow after God.

They needed to be — and I love this story, with a couple, because they're walking to Amas, and the stranger just comes walking up, and says, "What are you talking about?" "What do you mean, what are we talking about? You've been living under a rock. We've lost our hope. The One we thought was the Messiah, the One we thought was going to make everything back the way it was supposed to be — they've killed Him." "Oh, foolish one. Don't you know what the Word of God says? That He had to suffer, and that He had to die, in order to set things back right? Did you forget? Did you forget that there has to be a price paid, for the disobedience of mankind?" Oh, don't be so foolish, of heart and mind, that you're willing to give up on hope. If anything, you need to be thankful that there was a cross. Hallelujah. You should be excited that there's an empty tomb, because that is proof that He has kept His word.

Now, break bread with me. See, there's something about it. They were moved. It goes on later in that verse — I didn't read it to you, but for sake a time — and I want to finish, because God wants to do something. But it says, when they were — when He vanished, they were looking at each other, saying, "Did our hearts not burn with us, when He was taking us through the Scriptures?" Thank You, Lord. It burns. Which means, it makes sense why the word "constrained" was there. There was something about, when He began to explain the Word of God to them, they latched a hold: "No, no, no, no — stay with us. Stay with us. You have the words of life." Hallelujah. What were they saying? "You're restoring my hope."

I'm going to tell you — thank You, Lord — God wants to do a little eye-opening in the service today. I have preached the Word. Some of you are feeling what they felt. You're feeling a burning inside. I'm telling you: don't latch a ho of me. I got nothing to offer you. I got to point you to Jesus. Latch a hold of Him. Break bread. Be in relationship with Him. And let Him open your eyes, to see your hope is not lost. I don't care what the world's told you, or what label they've put on you. I don't care how broken the relationship is, or how battered you are, emotionally or mentally. I don't care how bad the add has grabbed a hold of you, and wrapped you up in chains. There's a chain-breaker in this place.

So you stand with me right now. God wants to do something special in this place. He wants to do something special in this place. Would you pray with me right now? I know there can be so much activity, in busyness, in our world, that it's easy to get distracted. But this is your moment.

God, we give oursel to You. Lord, I don't know every story that's in this room. I don't know how it's being written. But I know Your story. I know the story of redemption. And I know that everyone that is in this place, everyone under the sound of my voice, has a part to play in Your story. So God, I pray, in this moment we're in right now, that Your drawing Spirit would bring us to a place where we can restore back hope that has been lost. Thank, Lord. Lord, I know, in this room, there are those who are suffering, and dealing with anxiety, who are dealing with pressures of life. Even though there's may be nothing physically going on around them, inside, they are so bound with fear. They're in a dark place. But I speak hope today. Hallah. I speak hope today, into their life. God, bring, Lord Jesus, peace right now into their mind. A peace that passes human understanding. Let them feel You near, and close. God, I know there are people in this place who are battling addictions. In the name of Jesus, break those chains. Restore back life. Restore back hope, where it has been lost, where it is gone. I know there are people today that don't know You, as Lord of their life. God, I pray Your conviction would bring them to a place where they would be open to invite You in. God, do what You do best. Take the brokenness of our life, and make it beautiful again. In Jesus' name.

This altar is open. The Author and Finisher of life — He is here. I invite you to come. Come, whatever your need is today. Come. Come, whatever your story is today. Come. Rewrite the story. Rewrite the story. There's an empty tomb. Come on in, y'all. Push on in. Come on in. It's prayer time, church. It's prayer time. Let's all find a place to pray.