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Sunday Evening 12/04/09. What is the condition of your heart?. Luke 24:13-35 Theme: Disciples of Christ can have sad hearts, slow hearts or burning hearts. Followers with sad hearts (verses 13-17). Resurrection Day afternoon Weary travellers Jesus joined them.
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Sunday Evening 12/04/09 What is the condition of your heart? Luke 24:13-35 Theme: Disciples of Christ can have sad hearts, slow hearts or burning hearts.
Followers with sad hearts (verses 13-17) • Resurrection Day afternoon • Weary travellers • Jesus joined them. • Their faces betrayed their hearts, cf. Proverbs 15:13.
Principle 1 – Circumstances of life can cause the believer to lose heart. Situations will affect a Christian but should never overwhelm him/her. The Christian is a conqueror!
Having a sad heart is like being in a thin mist. We can see spiritual truth in difficult circumstances but not clearly.
Followers with slow hearts (verses 18-26) Cleopas’ answer to Jesus’ question contains the Gospel! So why his condition? He let circumstances dictate and lost his spiritual bearings.
Principle 2 – Losing heart can lead to a form of spiritual blindness. This is not the thin mist of a sad heart but the thick fog of a slow heart! A pitiful state for a Christian to be in.
How did Jesus deal with His followers? • Herebukedthem (24:25-26) • Hegraciously lifted them out of their condition (24:27).
Followers with burning hearts (verses 27-35) Jesus revealed to them all the Old Testament said about Him. Result? The disciples recognised Him and their hearts burned! They regained spiritual perspective.
Principle 3 – The Christian’s heart should always be burning because of the facts of history concerning the resurrection and because of the resultant personal implications.
Personal implications: union with Christ meaning: sins forgiven; justification; Christ always with us; conquerors of sin/life/death; holiness in this life; sure hope of glory.
Conclusion – What condition is your heart in? Sad heart? Slow heart? Burning heart? Cold heart?