July 8, 2025 • 28 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of doctor Graham's book Diamonds in
the Dark. But first, here's the message. The journey of life.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You know, life is a journey. It has a beginning
and it has an ending, and of course all the
steps in between, and where you are today in the
journey of life can't be changed. I hope you know
something about where you are right now in life's journey.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
And as you look back and as you look forward,
you realize.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
That you can't change the past, but you can, by
God's grace, change the future.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
And no matter where.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Life's path has taken you, there is hope. And we
can make that statement because Christ is alive, and if
you will invite Him into your life, he will be
with you forever, guiding you, blessing you, strengthening you, filling
you with joy and peace, Promise purpose, life, life as
(01:21):
God intended. Knowing Jesus, the Risen Lord is the most
incredible journey imaginable.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It is the journey of hope.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It is at the very end to share in the
risen life of Christ throughout all eternity. This is the
journey of life, and your journey in life can be
filled with passion and with promise. Now, maybe you're one
of the people who feels as though life is just
a series of incidents and accidents, some good, some bad,
(01:59):
but that life really has no ultimate significance.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Or maybe you're the kind of person.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Who is just trying to get by, just trying to
get through the scenes the struggles of life, and life
frankly has become a struggle far more difficult than some
of us had imagined. Or maybe you're just marking time
on this journey of life. This is not the way
(02:25):
God intended for any of us to live our lives.
God has a plan that is far better, that is
filling and fulfilling and yes, full of hope. And in
a life like this, in the incredible journey, when we
walk with Jesus, even the most common and ordinary experiences
(02:50):
are meaningful.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And sometimes even.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Miraculous, because He will lead us, and he will help
us to make choices in life that are good, so
that when we come to corners in the journey and
decisions that we.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Make, we'll go in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And along the way He's building our character, building our lives.
Most of all, most of all, Jesus wants to join
you on the journey of life. Now we have a
story in Luke chapter twenty four that begins with two
disappointed and disillusioned disciples, two followers of Christ who were
(03:35):
disappointed with God and upset that their lives had not
turned out the way they had expected.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
On the first day of the.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Week, three days after Jesus was crucified, some women had
gone to the tomb very early and came back reporting
that he was alive. Now their report was suspect to some,
But then later some of the disciples of Jesus went
(04:05):
to the tomb and found it empty. They even said
that an angel declared that Jesus was alive. And yet
they were confused, because while the tomb was empty, Jesus
was nowhere to be seen.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
And so these two men.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Won by the name of Cleopus and the other unnamed
are on their way to a little town, a little
village called Amaeus. They set out on a walk from
Jerusalem to this place called Amaeus, which is about a
seven mile journey. They did this, no doubt, to just
(04:47):
get away and think, perhaps to talk along the road
to remove themselves as.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Far as possible from the sorrow.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And the sadness of the events of the last few days.
Something very wonderful happened, beginning at verse thirteen of Luke's Gospel,
chapter twenty four. That very day, two of them were
going to a village named Emaeus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
and they were talking with each other about all these
(05:15):
things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together,
Jesus himself drew.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Near and went with them, but their eyes were kept
from recognizing him.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
And he said to them, what is this conversation that
you're holding with each other as you walk? And they
stood still, looking sad. Now just keep your bibles open
right there. We'll cut back to it in just a moment.
But observe what is happening here. As they are walking along,
these two men talking about the events of the past
(05:49):
few days, a stranger joins them.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Now, this stranger is the Savior. It is Jesus.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
But they didn't recognize him. And Jesus walks up to them,
and what are you talking about? And when he said that,
they stood still.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
They were stunned at the question.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Jesus asked them, and they were sad.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
It appeared that they were sorrowful.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, just as a side note, as these men said, look,
are you the only person in all of Jerusalem, a guest,
a visitor in Jerusalem that does not know about the
events of what is taking place here? You see, none
of the events concerning Christ, his.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Cross and the resurrection were done in secret. It was
all for open view.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And some who want to suggest that the resurrection of
Jesus and the burial of Jesus was somehow tucked away
in the minds and in the faith of only those
who believe. The fact is that everyone in Jerusalem knew
about all of these events. That's important because when people
talk about the lost tomb of Jesus and whether or
(07:05):
not jesus resurrection was a metaphor just a message rather
than the reality of his resurrection, it's important for us
to realize that the message out of the Cross of
the resurrection didn't rise up from just a few, but
everyone in the entire city. Thousands and thousands of people
knew about Jesus and what had happened when Jesus died.
(07:27):
And now these two men encounter this stranger on the
road to Amaeus. And Jesus said, what things are you
talking about? And look at verse seventeen. And he said
to them, what is this conversation that you're holding with
(07:47):
each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad.
And then one of them, named Cleopus, answered and said,
are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not
know these things that have happened in these days?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And he said what things? And they said to him concerning.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty
indeed 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.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Now note these words in verse twenty one. But we
had hoped past tense.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes,
and besides all this, it's now the third day, since
all of these things have happened.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We had hoped.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
We thought he was the promised one.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
We believed he was the Messiah. We gave our lives
to follow him.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
We prayed that he would be the one to deliver
us from tyranny and build his Kingdom. We witnessed miraculous things, marvels,
miracles that we could have never imagined. His words, his
very presence changed our hearts. Our lives were transformed. Hope
(09:14):
was born in our hearts, but he was led away
to die.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
By our own religious leaders.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
And the one that we believed in so strongly is
now gone. These men are now lost and confused on
life's journey. They're afraid because their dreams have been destroyed.
What they had expected turned out to be unknown, and
(09:48):
they're burned out. It's a classic case of burnout. You know,
burnout is when your expectations are not met in life.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
You burn out.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You expect something to be good and strong, maybe your
career to be powerful and successful, and it's not. You're
just churning water, you're just walking in place. That's a
classic set up for burnout, when life's expectations are not met,
and certainly beyond any physical thing. These men had spiritual expectations.
(10:20):
They had prayed, they had cried out to God, they
had believed in Jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
They had expected more than this, more than a dead.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Say, maybe you're struggling in life today, maybe you've decided
life isn't worth living just to chunk it all. Thousands
of people say every year that life isn't worth living
and take their own lives. Others, on the other extreme,
decide that says life seemingly has no purpose and all
(10:52):
hope is gone, that they'll just live for pleasure or
live for profit and success.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Or maybe your life hasn't turned.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Out as you expected in that you're facing illness or sickness,
or relationships that are broken, or you're dealing with guilt
or or fear or financial loss. I don't know, but
you find yourself disappointed. You find yourself in life's journey struggling.
(11:21):
But their disappointment and yours can turn into an appointment
of the buying appointment, and that is exactly what is
happening here.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
the Journey of Life. If you're walking through a tough season,
Diamonds in the Dark is a message you need to hear.
In this honest and hope filled book, doctor Graham shows
you how God uses grief, loss and hardship to reveal
spiritual treasures you'd never discover otherwise. We want to send
(11:51):
you Diamonds in the Dark as a thanks for your
gift of ten dollars or more. Call now to request
your copy. Call one eight hundred seven nine five seven.
That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven,
or text the word diamond to five nine seven eight nine.
Don't let stress rob you of peace. It is possible
(12:13):
to break the destructive grip of stress on your life
and enjoy the peace and abundance God desires for you.
That's what doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet
Breaking Free from Stress. We'll send you a digital download
of Breaking Free from Stress when you sign up for
email updates from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot
org slash stress and sign up today. Now let's get
(12:35):
back to today's message, the journey of life.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
The divine Stranger took them down a path that restored
their passion, and he resurrected their hopes. And on this
seven mile journey we also just these steps. With these men,
we can also discover how our hopes can be renewed,
how our faith can be rekindled. And though we are
disappointed at times, and out at times, and empty at times,
(13:02):
we can learn how to live life on life's journeys
when we begin to focus on God's promises again, That's
what happened in verses twenty five through twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Look at the verses there.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
And he said to them, old foolish ones, and slow
of heart to believe in all that the prophets that
have spoken? Was it not necessary that the Christ should
suffer these things that enter into his glory? And watch
this verse twenty seven, and beginning with Moses and all
the prophets, he interpreted them in all the scriptures, the
(13:35):
things concerning himself. What a walk this turned out to be.
Because Jesus now tanks these men down route sixty six,
the sixty six books of the Bible, starting in the
Old Testament, and he points out in all the scriptures
there the things concerning himself.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And what an experience these men had.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
As Jesus took the scriptures, maybe started in Genesis chapter
three and verse fifteen, when God promised the Savior and
that the Son of God would bruise the head of
the serpent. No doubt, he took them over to Genesis
chapter twenty two, when Abraham took his son, his only son, Isaac,
(14:26):
as commanded by God and was willing to sacrifice him there,
and the lamb was caught in the thicket and became
a substitute for the son. And it was a reminder,
It was a refresher course that God had promised a messiah, and.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
The sacrifice was so very vital.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Maybe he took these men over to Exodus chapter twelve
and spoke of the passover and the Israelites who put
the blood on the doorpost of the house, and the
judgment of God's hand was stayed upon those who believe,
and when he saw the blood, he passed over, and
Jesus spoke to them of his passover. Or maybe he
took them over to Psalm chapter twenty two, verse one,
(15:03):
when the Son of.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
God cried out, my God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And he pointed out to these men when he spoke
on the cross, it was in fulfillment of that very passage.
No question, he would have taken them to Isaiah chapter
fifty three, when the Prince of the prophets Isaiah said
he was wounded for our transgressions.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
He was bruised for our.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Iniquity, and the chastisement of our peace was laid upon
him all we like sheep, had gone astray. But the
Lord laid upon him all our iniquity. Jesus pointed all
these things out, and so much more.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
It was a walk in the word.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
If you don't find Christ in every passage of scripture
you read, either in type, or in prophecy or in prediction,
then you're missing the point of the Bible, because all
of the Bible is about Jesus. And so in these moments,
Jesus is teaching them and teaching us.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Who he is.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
The problem these men had, the problem that many of
us have, is we have forgotten who Christ is, his identity,
and we lose hope when we fail to remember who
Jesus is. They forgot that Jesus promised the resurrection. So
they're walking away in the wrong direction. And I can
(16:30):
tell you that every step away from Christ is a
step in the wrong direction. So if you're disappointed in life,
even in Jesus himself, now's the time to renew your faith,
to draw near to the one who's drawing near to you.
You can live knowing the reality of the risen Christ,
(16:52):
listening to him, walking with him, talking with him. We
read here that Jesus drew near to them, but they
didn't recognize him, And that happens to many today. They
don't recognize Christ for who he is. They're living on
the wrong side of the resurrection. These men knew Jesus
(17:13):
as a prophet.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
They knew that he had done many wonderful and mighty works.
They believed that somehow.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
He was supernatural, that he had been crucified. But they
were living.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
On the wrong side of the resurrection.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
They did not know him in the power and the
presence of his living love.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
So Jesus drew near as he draws near to us.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
When we're paying attention, can I remind you today that
He is nearer, much nearer, this risen Christ than you think.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
He is.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Sometimes when we walk through life's journey, we feel alone
that God is far away, And we especially feel this
in times of tears and times of trials and tests.
We wondered where is God when our expectations are not met,
when we prayed and our prayers were not answered, when
(18:14):
we had hoped against all hopes that things would change
and they didn't change, And we wonder, where are you, God?
Where is this promise of your presence? Let me remind
you that Jesus there is and Savior is a friend
that sticks closer than a brother.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
What do you.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Suppose is the most common repeated promise in all of
the Bible. There are many promises for forgiveness, but it's
not the most common promise. You say, it's the promise
of heaven. Yes, there are many wonderful promises of heaven,
(18:59):
but it's not the most common promise.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Of the Bible. The most repeated promise in.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Awe of Awe is the promise I am with you.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I am with you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
I will never leave you or forsake you. I am
always present, and the risen Christ is always available if
we will seek him, invite him, and discover his living presence.
(19:40):
That's why it is so very important that we take
a walk in the Word with Christ each day. The
Bible is never a boring book to the believer because
we meet Him in unexpected turns and places in our
lives when we open the Word of God. Colossia's three
sixteen says, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, profusely.
(20:06):
So when we walk in the Word, we're walking in
the steps of our Lord, and.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
His presence fills our lives. Well.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It didn't take long for these men to realize something
supernatural was happening, because by.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Now their hearts are burning.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
And their faith is being restored, just a walk with Jesus.
And as they're walking with Christ, they reach their destination
and Jesus tells them that he's going to go on
look down at verse twenty eight. So they drew near
to the village in which they were going, and he
acted as if he was going further. Now he's drawing
(20:47):
them in, he's setting the hook, he's saying, see you, fellas.
But then verse twenty nine, 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.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Stay with them.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And when he was at the table with them, he
took the bread and blessed it and broke it and
gave it to them.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
What's going on here?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Their hearts are burning, pounding in the presence of this
incredible personality.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
They don't yet know exactly who he is.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Their mind is in a fog, is a mental fog,
a mental fatigue. But when Jesus suggests that he's going away,
they said, no, please, please, stay with us. Did you
know that Jesus always waits for our welcome. He only
comes where he is invited, And he's still waiting on
(21:52):
your invitation to say, Lord, stay with me. Revelation three
twenty says, behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and sup with him, and him with me.
So he joins them for a meal, and they're enjoying
friendship together. And then the guest turns into the host
(22:18):
and he takes bread and he blesses it with a prayer,
and then he breaks it and he begins to serve them.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And immediately when that happened, they recognized him.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
They realized they were in the presence of the risen Christ.
What was it that opened their eyes and opened their
hearts to him? Was it in the way that he
he lifted up his heart and his eyes and praying
(22:53):
the blessing?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Was it it's something that he said? Was it in
the way that he broke the bread?
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Did our Lord have a certain way, a certain touch
in breaking bread and serving others? Or could it be
that they recognized him in the breaking of the bread
when he broke open the bread and gave them to eat.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
If they solve the nail prays in his hands.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
the journey of life. Life doesn't always unfold the way
we hope. There are setbacks, losses, and seasons that leave
us asking where is God in all of this. In
his honest and encouraging book Diamonds in the Dark, Doctor
Graham shares how God is not absent in our pain.
(23:48):
He is present, and He is at work. This powerful
resource walks you through some of life's hardest places to
reveal spiritual treasures God plants along the way. If you
or someone you love is facing grief, fear, or uncertainty,
this message will help you find strength, clarity, and hope
right where you are. And when you give a gift
(24:09):
of ten dollars or more, we'll send you a copy
of Diamonds in the Dark as our thanks. Call one
eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven. That's
one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven,
or just text diamond to five nine seven eight nine,
and don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org, where
(24:30):
you can shop our Eastore, give a gift online or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Life is a journey, and the great thing about this
journey is that there is someone who wants to take
the journey with you. And of course that's someone is Jesus.
Not only does Jesus want to join you in the
journey of life, he will be there for you and
with you every step of the way, even when life
gets very hard. In fact, especially when life gets very hard,
(25:11):
Jesus says in Matthew eleven twenty nine point thirty. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I'm
gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light. Well, there's no doubt that life is hard,
but God never intended for you to carry your burdens,
your anxieties, your fears on your own shoulders. He will
(25:33):
enable you, He will help you if you will rest
in Him, And that means to trust in him, turning
to him for your strength. Do you want to find
rest for your soul today? Do you want someone to
lighten the heavy load of guilt or shame or fear.
It could be that you need to come into a
personal relationship with God through Jesus by inviting him into
(25:54):
your life, to invite him to join you in the
journey of life. He is waiting for you to trust
him to receive him as your lord in savior. So
let me invite you to pray this prayer. If you
want to receive Jesus Christ into your life, pray this prayer.
Lord Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross
from my sins and rose again. So I turn from
(26:18):
my sins and I trust in you. Come into my life.
Lord Jesus, be my savior, my Lord, my master, and
my friend. May I live for you in the power
of your Holy Spirit until you come for me.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
If you will sincerely pray and invite Christ in your life,
if you will receive Him as your lord and savior,
then I want to encourage you to begin following Christ
with all your heart. You have just made life's most
important decision, and following Jesus will be demanding, and it
will require discipline and devotion, but it does mean that
you will have Him in your life every day twenty
(26:57):
four to seven until He comes for you. Oh, you
need to get excited about that. You need to get
pumped up about that. Rejoice in the Lord always. You
just need to remember that now you are a member
of God's eternal family and He will be there for
you a long life's journey every step of the way.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you doctor Graham's book Diamonds in the Dark as
our thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. You can also text the word
(27:36):
diamond to five nine seven eight nine and join us
again next time as doctor Graham brings a message about
how you never walk alone when you walk in the
light of the resurrection. That's next time on PowerPoint with
Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Say
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of doctor Graham's book Diamonds in
the Dark. But first, here's the message. The journey of life.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You know, life is a journey. It has a beginning
and it has an ending, and of course all the
steps in between, and where you are today in the
journey of life can't be changed. I hope you know
something about where you are right now in life's journey.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
And as you look back and as you look forward,
you realize.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
That you can't change the past, but you can, by
God's grace, change the future.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
And no matter where.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Life's path has taken you, there is hope. And we
can make that statement because Christ is alive, and if
you will invite Him into your life, he will be
with you forever, guiding you, blessing you, strengthening you, filling
you with joy and peace, Promise purpose, life, life as
(01:21):
God intended. Knowing Jesus, the Risen Lord is the most
incredible journey imaginable.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It is the journey of hope.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It is at the very end to share in the
risen life of Christ throughout all eternity. This is the
journey of life, and your journey in life can be
filled with passion and with promise. Now, maybe you're one
of the people who feels as though life is just
a series of incidents and accidents, some good, some bad,
(01:59):
but that life really has no ultimate significance.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Or maybe you're the kind of person.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Who is just trying to get by, just trying to
get through the scenes the struggles of life, and life
frankly has become a struggle far more difficult than some
of us had imagined. Or maybe you're just marking time
on this journey of life. This is not the way
(02:25):
God intended for any of us to live our lives.
God has a plan that is far better, that is
filling and fulfilling and yes, full of hope. And in
a life like this, in the incredible journey, when we
walk with Jesus, even the most common and ordinary experiences
(02:50):
are meaningful.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And sometimes even.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Miraculous, because He will lead us, and he will help
us to make choices in life that are good, so
that when we come to corners in the journey and
decisions that we.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Make, we'll go in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And along the way He's building our character, building our lives.
Most of all, most of all, Jesus wants to join
you on the journey of life. Now we have a
story in Luke chapter twenty four that begins with two
disappointed and disillusioned disciples, two followers of Christ who were
(03:35):
disappointed with God and upset that their lives had not
turned out the way they had expected.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
On the first day of the.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Week, three days after Jesus was crucified, some women had
gone to the tomb very early and came back reporting
that he was alive. Now their report was suspect to some,
But then later some of the disciples of Jesus went
(04:05):
to the tomb and found it empty. They even said
that an angel declared that Jesus was alive. And yet
they were confused, because while the tomb was empty, Jesus
was nowhere to be seen.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
And so these two men.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Won by the name of Cleopus and the other unnamed
are on their way to a little town, a little
village called Amaeus. They set out on a walk from
Jerusalem to this place called Amaeus, which is about a
seven mile journey. They did this, no doubt, to just
(04:47):
get away and think, perhaps to talk along the road
to remove themselves as.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Far as possible from the sorrow.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And the sadness of the events of the last few days.
Something very wonderful happened, beginning at verse thirteen of Luke's Gospel,
chapter twenty four. That very day, two of them were
going to a village named Emaeus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
and they were talking with each other about all these
(05:15):
things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together,
Jesus himself drew.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Near and went with them, but their eyes were kept
from recognizing him.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
And he said to them, what is this conversation that
you're holding with each other as you walk? And they
stood still, looking sad. Now just keep your bibles open
right there. We'll cut back to it in just a moment.
But observe what is happening here. As they are walking along,
these two men talking about the events of the past
(05:49):
few days, a stranger joins them.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Now, this stranger is the Savior. It is Jesus.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
But they didn't recognize him. And Jesus walks up to them,
and what are you talking about? And when he said that,
they stood still.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
They were stunned at the question.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Jesus asked them, and they were sad.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
It appeared that they were sorrowful.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, just as a side note, as these men said, look,
are you the only person in all of Jerusalem, a guest,
a visitor in Jerusalem that does not know about the
events of what is taking place here? You see, none
of the events concerning Christ, his.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Cross and the resurrection were done in secret. It was
all for open view.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And some who want to suggest that the resurrection of
Jesus and the burial of Jesus was somehow tucked away
in the minds and in the faith of only those
who believe. The fact is that everyone in Jerusalem knew
about all of these events. That's important because when people
talk about the lost tomb of Jesus and whether or
(07:05):
not jesus resurrection was a metaphor just a message rather
than the reality of his resurrection, it's important for us
to realize that the message out of the Cross of
the resurrection didn't rise up from just a few, but
everyone in the entire city. Thousands and thousands of people
knew about Jesus and what had happened when Jesus died.
(07:27):
And now these two men encounter this stranger on the
road to Amaeus. And Jesus said, what things are you
talking about? And look at verse seventeen. And he said
to them, what is this conversation that you're holding with
(07:47):
each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad.
And then one of them, named Cleopus, answered and said,
are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not
know these things that have happened in these days?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And he said what things? And they said to him concerning.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty
indeed 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.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Now note these words in verse twenty one. But we
had hoped past tense.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes,
and besides all this, it's now the third day, since
all of these things have happened.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We had hoped.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
We thought he was the promised one.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
We believed he was the Messiah. We gave our lives
to follow him.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
We prayed that he would be the one to deliver
us from tyranny and build his Kingdom. We witnessed miraculous things, marvels,
miracles that we could have never imagined. His words, his
very presence changed our hearts. Our lives were transformed. Hope
(09:14):
was born in our hearts, but he was led away
to die.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
By our own religious leaders.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
And the one that we believed in so strongly is
now gone. These men are now lost and confused on
life's journey. They're afraid because their dreams have been destroyed.
What they had expected turned out to be unknown, and
(09:48):
they're burned out. It's a classic case of burnout. You know,
burnout is when your expectations are not met in life.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
You burn out.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You expect something to be good and strong, maybe your
career to be powerful and successful, and it's not. You're
just churning water, you're just walking in place. That's a
classic set up for burnout, when life's expectations are not met,
and certainly beyond any physical thing. These men had spiritual expectations.
(10:20):
They had prayed, they had cried out to God, they
had believed in Jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
They had expected more than this, more than a dead.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Say, maybe you're struggling in life today, maybe you've decided
life isn't worth living just to chunk it all. Thousands
of people say every year that life isn't worth living
and take their own lives. Others, on the other extreme,
decide that says life seemingly has no purpose and all
(10:52):
hope is gone, that they'll just live for pleasure or
live for profit and success.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Or maybe your life hasn't turned.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Out as you expected in that you're facing illness or sickness,
or relationships that are broken, or you're dealing with guilt
or or fear or financial loss. I don't know, but
you find yourself disappointed. You find yourself in life's journey struggling.
(11:21):
But their disappointment and yours can turn into an appointment
of the buying appointment, and that is exactly what is
happening here.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
the Journey of Life. If you're walking through a tough season,
Diamonds in the Dark is a message you need to hear.
In this honest and hope filled book, doctor Graham shows
you how God uses grief, loss and hardship to reveal
spiritual treasures you'd never discover otherwise. We want to send
(11:51):
you Diamonds in the Dark as a thanks for your
gift of ten dollars or more. Call now to request
your copy. Call one eight hundred seven nine five seven.
That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven,
or text the word diamond to five nine seven eight nine.
Don't let stress rob you of peace. It is possible
(12:13):
to break the destructive grip of stress on your life
and enjoy the peace and abundance God desires for you.
That's what doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet
Breaking Free from Stress. We'll send you a digital download
of Breaking Free from Stress when you sign up for
email updates from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot
org slash stress and sign up today. Now let's get
(12:35):
back to today's message, the journey of life.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
The divine Stranger took them down a path that restored
their passion, and he resurrected their hopes. And on this
seven mile journey we also just these steps. With these men,
we can also discover how our hopes can be renewed,
how our faith can be rekindled. And though we are
disappointed at times, and out at times, and empty at times,
(13:02):
we can learn how to live life on life's journeys
when we begin to focus on God's promises again, That's
what happened in verses twenty five through twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Look at the verses there.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
And he said to them, old foolish ones, and slow
of heart to believe in all that the prophets that
have spoken? Was it not necessary that the Christ should
suffer these things that enter into his glory? And watch
this verse twenty seven, and beginning with Moses and all
the prophets, he interpreted them in all the scriptures, the
(13:35):
things concerning himself. What a walk this turned out to be.
Because Jesus now tanks these men down route sixty six,
the sixty six books of the Bible, starting in the
Old Testament, and he points out in all the scriptures
there the things concerning himself.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And what an experience these men had.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
As Jesus took the scriptures, maybe started in Genesis chapter
three and verse fifteen, when God promised the Savior and
that the Son of God would bruise the head of
the serpent. No doubt, he took them over to Genesis
chapter twenty two, when Abraham took his son, his only son, Isaac,
(14:26):
as commanded by God and was willing to sacrifice him there,
and the lamb was caught in the thicket and became
a substitute for the son. And it was a reminder,
It was a refresher course that God had promised a messiah, and.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
The sacrifice was so very vital.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Maybe he took these men over to Exodus chapter twelve
and spoke of the passover and the Israelites who put
the blood on the doorpost of the house, and the
judgment of God's hand was stayed upon those who believe,
and when he saw the blood, he passed over, and
Jesus spoke to them of his passover. Or maybe he
took them over to Psalm chapter twenty two, verse one,
(15:03):
when the Son of.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
God cried out, my God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And he pointed out to these men when he spoke
on the cross, it was in fulfillment of that very passage.
No question, he would have taken them to Isaiah chapter
fifty three, when the Prince of the prophets Isaiah said
he was wounded for our transgressions.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
He was bruised for our.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Iniquity, and the chastisement of our peace was laid upon
him all we like sheep, had gone astray. But the
Lord laid upon him all our iniquity. Jesus pointed all
these things out, and so much more.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
It was a walk in the word.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
If you don't find Christ in every passage of scripture
you read, either in type, or in prophecy or in prediction,
then you're missing the point of the Bible, because all
of the Bible is about Jesus. And so in these moments,
Jesus is teaching them and teaching us.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Who he is.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
The problem these men had, the problem that many of
us have, is we have forgotten who Christ is, his identity,
and we lose hope when we fail to remember who
Jesus is. They forgot that Jesus promised the resurrection. So
they're walking away in the wrong direction. And I can
(16:30):
tell you that every step away from Christ is a
step in the wrong direction. So if you're disappointed in life,
even in Jesus himself, now's the time to renew your faith,
to draw near to the one who's drawing near to you.
You can live knowing the reality of the risen Christ,
(16:52):
listening to him, walking with him, talking with him. We
read here that Jesus drew near to them, but they
didn't recognize him, And that happens to many today. They
don't recognize Christ for who he is. They're living on
the wrong side of the resurrection. These men knew Jesus
(17:13):
as a prophet.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
They knew that he had done many wonderful and mighty works.
They believed that somehow.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
He was supernatural, that he had been crucified. But they
were living.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
On the wrong side of the resurrection.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
They did not know him in the power and the
presence of his living love.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
So Jesus drew near as he draws near to us.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
When we're paying attention, can I remind you today that
He is nearer, much nearer, this risen Christ than you think.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
He is.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Sometimes when we walk through life's journey, we feel alone
that God is far away, And we especially feel this
in times of tears and times of trials and tests.
We wondered where is God when our expectations are not met,
when we prayed and our prayers were not answered, when
(18:14):
we had hoped against all hopes that things would change
and they didn't change, And we wonder, where are you, God?
Where is this promise of your presence? Let me remind
you that Jesus there is and Savior is a friend
that sticks closer than a brother.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
What do you.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Suppose is the most common repeated promise in all of
the Bible. There are many promises for forgiveness, but it's
not the most common promise. You say, it's the promise
of heaven. Yes, there are many wonderful promises of heaven,
(18:59):
but it's not the most common promise.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Of the Bible. The most repeated promise in.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Awe of Awe is the promise I am with you.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I am with you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
I will never leave you or forsake you. I am
always present, and the risen Christ is always available if
we will seek him, invite him, and discover his living presence.
(19:40):
That's why it is so very important that we take
a walk in the Word with Christ each day. The
Bible is never a boring book to the believer because
we meet Him in unexpected turns and places in our
lives when we open the Word of God. Colossia's three
sixteen says, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, profusely.
(20:06):
So when we walk in the Word, we're walking in
the steps of our Lord, and.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
His presence fills our lives. Well.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It didn't take long for these men to realize something
supernatural was happening, because by.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Now their hearts are burning.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
And their faith is being restored, just a walk with Jesus.
And as they're walking with Christ, they reach their destination
and Jesus tells them that he's going to go on
look down at verse twenty eight. So they drew near
to the village in which they were going, and he
acted as if he was going further. Now he's drawing
(20:47):
them in, he's setting the hook, he's saying, see you, fellas.
But then verse twenty nine, 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.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Stay with them.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And when he was at the table with them, he
took the bread and blessed it and broke it and
gave it to them.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
What's going on here?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Their hearts are burning, pounding in the presence of this
incredible personality.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
They don't yet know exactly who he is.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Their mind is in a fog, is a mental fog,
a mental fatigue. But when Jesus suggests that he's going away,
they said, no, please, please, stay with us. Did you
know that Jesus always waits for our welcome. He only
comes where he is invited, And he's still waiting on
(21:52):
your invitation to say, Lord, stay with me. Revelation three
twenty says, behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and sup with him, and him with me.
So he joins them for a meal, and they're enjoying
friendship together. And then the guest turns into the host
(22:18):
and he takes bread and he blesses it with a prayer,
and then he breaks it and he begins to serve them.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And immediately when that happened, they recognized him.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
They realized they were in the presence of the risen Christ.
What was it that opened their eyes and opened their
hearts to him? Was it in the way that he
he lifted up his heart and his eyes and praying
(22:53):
the blessing?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Was it it's something that he said? Was it in
the way that he broke the bread?
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Did our Lord have a certain way, a certain touch
in breaking bread and serving others? Or could it be
that they recognized him in the breaking of the bread
when he broke open the bread and gave them to eat.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
If they solve the nail prays in his hands.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
the journey of life. Life doesn't always unfold the way
we hope. There are setbacks, losses, and seasons that leave
us asking where is God in all of this. In
his honest and encouraging book Diamonds in the Dark, Doctor
Graham shares how God is not absent in our pain.
(23:48):
He is present, and He is at work. This powerful
resource walks you through some of life's hardest places to
reveal spiritual treasures God plants along the way. If you
or someone you love is facing grief, fear, or uncertainty,
this message will help you find strength, clarity, and hope
right where you are. And when you give a gift
(24:09):
of ten dollars or more, we'll send you a copy
of Diamonds in the Dark as our thanks. Call one
eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven. That's
one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven,
or just text diamond to five nine seven eight nine,
and don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org, where
(24:30):
you can shop our Eastore, give a gift online or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Life is a journey, and the great thing about this
journey is that there is someone who wants to take
the journey with you. And of course that's someone is Jesus.
Not only does Jesus want to join you in the
journey of life, he will be there for you and
with you every step of the way, even when life
gets very hard. In fact, especially when life gets very hard,
(25:11):
Jesus says in Matthew eleven twenty nine point thirty. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I'm
gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light. Well, there's no doubt that life is hard,
but God never intended for you to carry your burdens,
your anxieties, your fears on your own shoulders. He will
(25:33):
enable you, He will help you if you will rest
in Him, And that means to trust in him, turning
to him for your strength. Do you want to find
rest for your soul today? Do you want someone to
lighten the heavy load of guilt or shame or fear.
It could be that you need to come into a
personal relationship with God through Jesus by inviting him into
(25:54):
your life, to invite him to join you in the
journey of life. He is waiting for you to trust
him to receive him as your lord in savior. So
let me invite you to pray this prayer. If you
want to receive Jesus Christ into your life, pray this prayer.
Lord Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross
from my sins and rose again. So I turn from
(26:18):
my sins and I trust in you. Come into my life.
Lord Jesus, be my savior, my Lord, my master, and
my friend. May I live for you in the power
of your Holy Spirit until you come for me.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
If you will sincerely pray and invite Christ in your life,
if you will receive Him as your lord and savior,
then I want to encourage you to begin following Christ
with all your heart. You have just made life's most
important decision, and following Jesus will be demanding, and it
will require discipline and devotion, but it does mean that
you will have Him in your life every day twenty
(26:57):
four to seven until He comes for you. Oh, you
need to get excited about that. You need to get
pumped up about that. Rejoice in the Lord always. You
just need to remember that now you are a member
of God's eternal family and He will be there for
you a long life's journey every step of the way.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you doctor Graham's book Diamonds in the Dark as
our thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. You can also text the word
(27:36):
diamond to five nine seven eight nine and join us
again next time as doctor Graham brings a message about
how you never walk alone when you walk in the
light of the resurrection. That's next time on PowerPoint with
Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Say
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.