Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Knowing the facts knowing the truth Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA October 22, 2006 Main Scripture text: Luke 24:13-35 In this text, two depressed and disappointed disciples are walking down a road. They had been so sure they knew what Jesus was going to do: take over by force, run the Romans back to Italy, and sit down on throne of Israel. But it didn't happen that way. Instead of sitting down on a throne, their hero laid down on a cross. Their hopes were shattered. They couldn't see the infinitely greater thing he was doing -- freeing them from a far worse enemy than Rome: sin and its wage, death. The risen Jesus comes along and starts talking with them, but they were kept from recognizing Him. I'm not sure how or why -- but the Bible is clear that revelation from God comes through our spiritual senses, not the physical. Here is what these two disciple knew -- the facts they had at hand. They knew Jesus was a prophet; that He was powerful in word and deed; that He had been crucified and was dead; that now His tomb was empty. They also knew that angels said He was alive again. They knew the facts, but they didn't know the truth. To them a suffering, dying Messiah was a contradiction in terms. Messiah was to be a triumphant king, not a lamb led to slaughter. But Jesus showed them from the Old Testament writings that God had declared in advance that all these things pertained to the Christ -- that He would be a suffering Savior. They reached their destination and Jesus was going to continue. But "they urged Him strongly" to stay. I think their persistence -- their desire to learn more -- had something to do with what happened next: suddenly they saw Jesus for who He was. Maybe you've known the facts for a long time, but you haven't known and believed the truth. You haven't known Jesus for who He is: not just a prophet, not just a miracle worker -- but the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus wants you to know the truth, to know Him. If you seek Him earnestly, He will reward you with Himself -- that is, His continuing presence in your life. Many here do know the truth concerning Jesus, but we're like these disciples in another way: Jesus hasn't responded or acted as we thought He would or should. We hoped for something -- but events have caused us to lose our hope and to doubt God's love and faithfulness to us. If you God hasn't responded to your requests as you thought He would, just maybe what you're asking for isn't really the best answer or solution. Open yourself to the very real possibility that God may be doing something infinitely greater. Persist in prayer -- we must do that. But be open to whatever God may do. His way, His answer, is always best. Remember, the answer for these disciples wasn't "defeating the Romans." It was defeating sin -- and making a way for all of creation to be reconciled to God. Supporting text: Matthew 16:13-17 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (20 min.). NOTE: Audio is incomplete. First several minutes missing. (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 061022a: Knowing the Facts, Knowing the Truth. © 2006 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us