[read Luke 24:32] 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
Their hearts were burning…How is MY heart burning???
I’m going to hold up a picture and I’d like you to shout out words that come to mind…
[hold up picture of gravestone]
[repeat back words e.g. “mourning”, “sad”]
Now I want to tell you my reaction: joy, excitement, exuberance, elation!
Some of you look a little confused….no, I am not feeling joy, excitement, exuberance, elation because it’s a grave for someone I barely know who left me $12 million. Why joy, excitement, elation???
Let me add in a bit of the explanation I had previously left out – THIS IS JESUS’ TOMB! He’s alive….have you not heard? Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened here in the last few days???
What words come to mind for you? How has this changed your attitude towards the gravestone?
Joy! Excitement! Exuberance! Elation!
Is there anyone here who is part of a church that is growing, overflowing its pews, unable to house all of the new members? [look around, acknowledge no hands up] It is no surprise then to you that all modern day mainline churches are in decline. What do I mean by mainline churches? Any guesses? [ask and then share: I mean Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, United, Catholic] We are dealing with the death of the mainline church. Death: which sounds final to anyone who is not a Christian – but we as Christians realize that death is not the end. Death is a beginning.
Churches are dying. They can die and stay dead…or they can be resurrected…
My heart is burning…burning to be a part of this resurrection…burning to be part of Jesus’ church…
Mother Teresa is quotes as having said, “ Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier”
My heart is burning to leave people better and happier….my heart is burning to reach out to the lost and lonely…
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