Far too many of God's children are satisfied with sermons, Bible studies, retreats, conferences that have absolutely nothing to do with transforming your life. But Dr. Tony Evans says just knowing about Jesus isn't enough. That's why there's a disconnect in many lives between Sunday and the rest of the week. This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr.
Tony Evans. Connections can open doors in business, education, or just about any area of life. But no connection matters more than the one you have with Jesus. Today, Dr. Evans unpacks why we're often slow to realize that and how everything changes once we do.
Let's join him as he explains. We all know what it is to be in a discouraging scenario or season of life. A season when life is not working. And when God does not seem real. We know what it is to have a heartache, a headache, and a life ache.
Because the pain of reality has set in And like a life migraine. Nothing is healing it. That's our situation in Luke 24. And our passage for today. As we continue to talk about This definition of faith.
We have been bringing the various nuances of this truth today. Slow of heart to believe. This comes after Jesus has risen from the dead. It says in verse 13, and behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all the things which had taken place while they were talking and discussing.
Jesus himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. And he said to them, what are these words that you are exchanging with one another? as you are walking and they stood still looking sad.
So we've got two of Jesus' disciples on their way back home from Jerusalem, a seven-mile walk. Jesus, risen from the dead, comes alongside of them. But they didn't recognize him.
Now, they had been with Jesus. an extended period of time. But their emotional situation was so negative That even though Jesus was standing right in front of them, they did not recognize him. Life can get so bad, and disappointment so deep, that Jesus can be standing up in your grill. And you don't know it's him.
Because the emotional pain has overridden Christ reality. And he just doesn't seem like he's there. You can't find him. Jesus comes to them They don't know who he is. And Jesus says to them, What are you talking about?
And what is this thing that you're discussing? And they say to Jesus in verse 18, Did you just arrive here? You don't know what's been happening in Jerusalem? He says in verse 19, well what things are you talking about? Pretending not to know.
They said to him, The things about Jesus the Nazarene, the prophet, mighty in word and deed, in the sight of God and the people. And then it comes to verse 21. We were hoping. What were you hoping? We were hoping it was he who was going to redeem Israel.
First of all, our hopes are dashed. We thought he was going to deliver us. We thought he was going to free us. We thought he was going to redeem us. We thought he was going to heal us.
And we are disappointed. You ever been disappointed? When you thought God was going to do something and he has not yet done it. When you thought he had made a promise that he himself has not kept. Has he ever disappointed you where you were hoping, you were banking on the fact that God was going to come through for you?
Nothing. Not only that, not only are we disappointed in a hope that has not been realized. But they go on to say in verse 24: some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also said, but they did not see him.
Now they looking right at him. But they say we can't find him. You ever look for God and not been able to locate him? begged for his presence. And he was nowhere to be found.
That's the situation. We have People disappointed. emotionally sad. Because their hopes and dreams have been dashed. And they couldn't find the Savior.
And so they were on their long journey home. When Jesus, the rhythm Christ, shows up. And they don't. No. It's him.
When you are discouraged long enough, it becomes depression. When you are depressed long enough, it becomes despair because the disappointment is so deep. The hurt is so replete. That's our situation. discouraged disciples.
And I'm sure in this house right now There are some discouraged disciples. If perhaps you're not discouraged now, you've been discouraged. And if you haven't been discouraged and are not discouraged, hang on. Yeah, something will come up that will Be a downer.
Now Jesus speaks, although they don't know it's Jesus speaking. O foolish men and slow. of heart. To believe. That's where we get our sermon title from: Slow of Heart.
to believe.
Okay, watch this. First of all, he tells them You're fools.
Now why are you going to tell a sad person they're fooled? Oh yeah. Oh, foolish. You're foolish. Why are you telling me I'm foolish?
Because you're slow to believe. Your foolishness is in your faithlessness, which has led to your frustration. Follow it. You're foolish because you're faithless. creating frustration.
You are so foolish and so faithless and so frustrated, you don't even know I'm standing right in front of you. Like the time Michael Jordan went to get married in Las Vegas. At a wedding chapel, he went inside the wedding chapel with his bride to be, and the guy said, Fella, you're pretty tall. You ever thought about playing basketball? The greatness can be standing right in front of your face and you not recognize it.
He says you're foolish? Because you are slow to be, you are lagging in your faith. Not that you don't have any. but you're lagging in it and the lagging has created the frustration. Because You are feeling, and that feeling is real of hopelessness.
You don't see an answer. What were they faithless about? O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all the prophets had spoken, was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? In other words, You're not taking the Bible seriously.
Now stay with me, we're going somewhere. Your faithlessness is because you are slow to believe in what God said because what you see and what God says do not appear to be matching right now. Because what God said in the prophets And what you see are two totally different things because of the circumstances, and you can't find Jesus.
So, what is written? And what is real appear not to be matching, you have lagged behind your faith, which has created a frustration, which I declare to be foolish. Having Said that to him. Verse 27 says, Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself and all the scriptures. Ah, this is interesting.
Because he tells them from the scriptures about himself. From Moses and the prophets. That's the Old Testament. In case you didn't know it, the Old Testament is about Jesus. Right.
The whole of the Bible is centered on Jesus Christ. The Old Testament Gives you the prediction and the prophecy. The New Testament gives you the fulfillment. The Old Testament gives you the type. The New Testament gives you the fulfillment.
So if you miss Jesus, the Bible won't make sense. Because Moses and the prophets, the Old Testament, was set up for you to anticipate. Jesus. That's why people who read the Bible but miss Jesus don't get the Bible. Because the Bible was set up To center on Jesus Christ, Old Testament prophetically, New Testament in reality.
Yeah, yeah. Him. The living word.
Now This has got to be the greatest Bible study anybody has ever had. Because you got the living word teaching the written word. It doesn't get any better than that. Nobody can teach like that. This is perfect teaching from a perfect person about a perfect subject from a perfect book.
So, if you had to go to church that day, this was the Bible study to be in. Because You can't get a better Bible study than Jesus being the professor. Not only that. But he takes them through the whole Old Testament. Moses and the prophet means the whole Old Testament.
Well, it's a seven-mile walk. Let's give them 15 minutes a mile.
So, I mean We talking about hours on the road having Bible study. Because you can only walk so fast and study the Bible at the same time.
So they're walking, he's teaching, they're walking along, he's teaching, he's explaining, it's about me, it's about me, it's about me, it's about me.
Now It's not that they didn't know the Bible. Because he says, you are slow to believe what the prophet said.
So it wasn't that they hadn't read it. It wasn't that they didn't know it. It's that they were slow to buy it.
So what do we do when the same is true of us? doctor Evans will return to address that in just a moment. First, though, if you find yourself hesitant to fully trust God, Tony's current teaching series is just the resource you need to unlock a faith breakthrough. It's called believing is seeing. And it explores the vital connection between taking God at His Word and seeing that Word make a difference in your life.
It'll teach you how to stop blocking your own blessings and how to weather storms that could otherwise wash you away. We want to help you become a more fully devoted follower of the Lord.
So we're offering all eight lessons in this series as our thank-you gift when you make a donation to help keep this program coming your way. And for a limited time, when you request this collection, we'll also include Dr. Evans' brand new devotional and prayer guide, Anchored by Faith, 180 daily readings and prayers to strengthen your trust in God and help you stay anchored in His promises no matter what challenges you face.
So visit TonyEvans.org today, make your donation, and let us send you the complete Believing is Seeing series along with Anchored by Faith. Again, that's Tonyevans.org or call 1-800-800-3222. where members of our resource team are standing by around the clock to help you. That's 1-800-800-3222.
Well, doctor Evans returns now with more of to day's lesson. The Bible is the website, Jesus is the passcode. In order for you to get into the website, to understanding the Bible, you must Google Jesus. Because he is the centerpiece of divine revelation.
So you miss Jesus, you're going to miss the word. In fact, In John chapter 5, verses 39 to 40. The Pharisees, Jesus said, You study the Bible because you think you have eternal life, but you have missed me.
So evidently you can study the Bible and miss the Lord. As these two disciples had done, they had studied the Bible and missed the Lord. You can be a biblical scholar. And miss the Lord. When I was in seminary, you studied the Bible all day, all day, all day.
They evidently didn't want you to work because they gave you not only all day to be in class, but then you had to spend the rest of your day. study what you had learned in class. On top of that, I had to learn Hebrew. I had to learn Greek. Then I went to a doctoral program.
I had to learn German. I had to learn French. Because many of the theological works were in German and French. And I hardly knew English and I have to learn Hebrew and Greek and German and I'm just studying all night long, burning the candle on both ends. And the more I learned, the drier I got.
Because you can learn the Bible and miss the Lord. You can come to church and hear the word and never experience the Lord. They were hearing the word, but didn't know who was teaching them, even though he had been with them before. And it had created an emotional turmoil in their lives.
So that's our situation.
Now it gets interesting. Because it says in verse 28, they approached the village where they were going, and he acted as though he. We're going Father. Seven mile walk. They come to the house.
They come to their house, and Jesus gives the benediction. Good to be with y'all. God bless you. And he keeps going. It says When he came to the place where they were to go, he...
acted like he would keep going.
Now why after a Bible study would Jesus like he would keep going. Because what God wants to know after you have heard the word is, do you want Him? See, a lot of folk come to church for the word. who don't mind if Jesus keeps going after the sermon. They want the word, but not necessarily wanting him.
That's why there's a disconnect in many lives between Sunday and the rest of the week. Give me the word. Jesus, you keep on rolling. Far too many of God's children are satisfied with sermons. Bible studies, retreats, conferences.
and a bunch of other informational things that have absolutely nothing to do with transforming your life.
Now, I'm going to make a statement right now that may sound like heresy, but you'll understand it as we go along here, and that is, the Bible is not enough.
Now, don't misunderstand me. I believe in the inerrancy of scripture, that it is the word of God from kiver to kiver, pillar to post. But like the Pharisees, if you have the Bible and miss the Lord, nothing will happen. And a lot of people are satisfied with. academic knowledge about scripture.
Not the person of scripture. He took the scripture, and it says when he took the scripture, he talked about himself.
So the scripture led to a person Not merely Data for the head. Information for the next Bible study class. You can literally be Biblically literate. and spiritually way off base.
So he acted like he was keep going. Do you? Do you want me or are you satisfied? With your book knowledge, now that I've walked you through the whole Old Testament impeccably. We're told here in verse 29, they urged him saying, stay with us, for it is getting toward evening.
The day is nearly over, so it's late.
So he went in to stay with them. Guess what? He only went in when invited. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man opens the door, Revelation 3, I will come in and sup with him.
He will not impose himself on you. He wants to know whether you want him. And he will only come if invited to do so. He not only wants to know will you come to church, he wants to know can he go home with you afterwards. Or are you satisfied to leave him here?
While you leave and say, nice Bible study, nice sermon. But now I'm going to go on with the rest of my day. I got some football to watch. I got some work tomorrow. I got this.
I got that. I got that. I'll pick you up next week, same time, same station, Jesus. I know where you're going to be next week. I'll be there too.
You got an hour and forty-five minutes with me. Hey. When you go to a restaurant, You go in and they hand you a menu. The menu gives you a written description of what the restaurant offers.
Sometimes you can salivate just reading the menu. You look at a menu that's written right, go and go, pfft. I mean it looks so good. You want some of this. In fact, sometimes you can't figure out what you want because it all looks good.
And so you look at the menu and say, mm. Boy, but I like that, but I think I might want that. Ooh, that looks good. Not only do you have a written description, you have somebody who comes over. and does an exposition of the menu for you called a waiter.
Or a waitress. They explain what is written so you can understand it. They not only explain what is written, they have a Q ⁇ A section. Do you have any questions? They will answer your questions.
But after you've read it and salivated over it. After you have uh Heard the message proclaimed by the waiter. About how good it is. You do not then say thank you. And get up and leave.
The reason you do not say thank you and get up and leave is that's not really why you came. It's needed because you came. But it's not why you came. You did not come to read about food. Nor did you come for somebody to explain what was written.
to you. You came to experience what was written and explained in your taste buds. You came for a meal, not for a menu. You came for an experience, not just a smooth talking waiter. You came for the reality of what the sign says.
Far too many of God's children are satisfied with the menu. Let me read it. Others are satisfied with a waiter. who can explain what's on the menu. But that means if all you get is a menu and all you get is a waiter, you still leave hungry.
Because you've not gotten what will satisfy. And what will satisfy is a person, not merely a page to be read or taught or explained. When you go for a job, you're going to give them a resume. That resume will be a description of your qualifications for that job. Your potential employer is not just going to buy it because you wrote it.
They want some references. They want to know somebody else can validate what you say about yourself.
So you start with a Resume. You give them references, but they're still not satisfied because now they want an interview. They want to see you. for themselves. God has a thick resume.
Sixty-six books. That describe who he is. What is like? What he has done. What you can trust him to do, and the resume is thick.
He not only has a thick resume, But throughout this crowd, he's got some references. There are some folk here who can testify That's what is on the resume is real, and he did not lie because you've seen it. for yourself. But if you're just satisfied with a resume or somebody else's reference. You don't get it.
God wants you to have an interview so you can see for yourself what he is like. That goes beyond a resume. That goes beyond a reference. That has to do with an experience because you have met him for yourself. Many of us have to piggyback on the faith of somebody else because we haven't seen him with our own eyes.
And so we are slow of heart to believe. and therefore are ruled By things that take place that don't make sense, especially. when we have not seen him with our own eyes. Dr. Tony Evans.
on the importance of growing our faith. in order to see God's truth.
Now, today's message is part of Tony's current series, Believing is Seeing. As I mentioned earlier, this eight-part collection is available right now, bundled along with a special bonus Doctor Evans' brand new devotional and prayer guide, Anchored by Faith. You can receive both as our gift when you make a contribution toward the ministry of the alternative. Take advantage of this limited time offer today. Just visit TonyEvans.org.
Or call our resource center at 1-800-800-3222. That's 1-800-800-3222.
or online at tonyevans.org.
Well, as we've been learning, there's a huge difference between knowledge and experience. Dr. Evans will tell us more about maintaining that balance tomorrow. As he talks about the contrast between religion and relationship. I hope you'll join us.
