Road to the Resurrection - Pastor Efrem Smith | Sacramento Easter Service

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More about Pastor Efrem

Rev. Dr. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, multiethnic development, healthy churches, and community development. Within his church congregation he is known as Pastor Efrem, Pastor E, and Dr. E.

Pastor Efrem was the founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN, He served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. He also served as the President of World Impact, an urban missions organization. Currently, Pastor Efrem is the Co-lead Pastor of Midtown Church, a thriving and multi-ethnic community in Sacramento, California. He is also Co-Owner of Influential LLC, a speaking, consulting, and coaching ministry. Pastor Efrem is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, Killing Us Softly, and Church for Everyone.

Pastor Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary. He completed the Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and received an honorary Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. Pastor Efrem is married to Donecia, and they have two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:14

My name is Ephraim Smith. I'm one of the pastors around here. So good to see y'all on this Resurrection Sunday. If you're visiting us for the first time, we are so, so glad you're here. And if it feels right, try us on again next week and see. We got a lot of people in the overflow. So many people over there. Pastor Susie's over there preaching to them right now. So they're getting live preaching in here and over there. So that's awesome. I want to start out by looking back, and for the parents in the room, the first mode of transportation, the first way of getting from point A to point B that we celebrated was watching our child walk for the first time. I mean, you know, crawling, that's cool, but nothing excites a parent like seeing that small little child take their first steps. If you have not childproofed the house, you got to childproof it then. When they start moving, our first mode of transportation, our first way of getting into the journey of life is walking. And I still enjoy walking today. I do. I enjoy walking for exercise. I enjoy going out on prayer walks. I like walking and checking out places where I live that I haven't seen yet. I like going on walks. Whenever I'm in a city, if I'm there long enough, I find time to walk the downtown of whatever city I'm in. And I've enjoyed walking the downtowns of Chicago and New York and San Francisco. I've been fortunate in traveling in different places around the world to walk the roads of Soweto, South Africa, to walk the streets of Singapore, to walk around Liberation Square in Accra, Ghana. There is something about walking. Sisters and brothers, the Gospels present stories of transformation, liberation, salvation that take place on walks. Yes, I mean, it makes sense because I mean they didn't have the other modes of transportation that we have today, right? I mean, they didn't have no planes, no trains, no automobiles. I mean, yeah, they had horses and they had donkeys, and they had, if you were Caesar or Nebuchadnezzar or some famous king, I mean they had chariots, but for the most part, you got around walking. Walking was your life's journey. Now, some of us are old enough in the room to have had parents that would talk about how long they walked. You know, y'all kids got it so good today. When I was your age, I had to walk uphill to school and walk uphill back from school. You walk uphill both ways, and you got a rough life when it's just uphill and no downhills at all. You know, I don't know what they're gonna say to kids in the future that say they got it bad. You kids got it so good today. When I grew up, I had a layover when I flew. Y'all got direct flights. I had to I had to have a layover in Denver. You kids got it so good today. But but my grandparents, my parents would talk about like how long they walked. But in the Bible, there is something significant about walks. In John chapter 4, Jesus walks into Samaria, and there is spiritual and social change for an unnamed Samaritan woman. Oh, there's the miraculous walk when Jesus walked on water and invited Peter to walk on water with him. Ah, then there's that story around Matthew 14, verse 29, where Jesus goes to a man that is unable to physically walk, and he he forgives his sins, and then he says, Pick up your mat and walk. There are some incredible stories that take place in the Bible on walks. Go with me to Luke chapter 24, beginning with verse 13. I'm gonna read a lot of scripture to you, but I think this walk on this particular road is important. This is the story that is known as the road to Emmaus. Says this, Luke 24, verse 13. Now that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, What are you discussing together as you walk along? They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopus, asked him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened in these days? What things? he asked. About Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning, but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it, just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus. He said to them, How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all the prophets all that they have spoken. Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, stay with us, for it is nearly evening, the day is almost over, so he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us. Sisters and brothers from this text, I want to preach to you on the title, Road to the Record to the Resurrection. Road to the Resurrection. God, I pray this would be your message. That ultimately you would be speaking. God, I just want to be obedient to your word. Please let me speak as you see fit to these your children, my sisters and brothers. Let it be done. In Jesus' name. Amen. Road to the resurrection. Every once in a while I discover something that I've never seen before when I'm on a walk. I live in West Sacramento. Nine years ago when my family moved here. I thought that was the west side of the city of Sacramento, but no, West Sacramento is its own town, its own city. It's in Yolo County on the other side of the water. And I hope this don't uh offend nobody, what I'm about to say here. West Sack is country. Is this is that okay I can say that? I was walking the other day, I saw somebody riding a horse in the city of West Sacramento. I've seen ducks on my walks in West Sacramento. I've seen turkeys, I've seen snakes, I've seen something that looked like a fox or a coyote, or I don't, it wasn't a dog, real dog. I've seen all kinds of things just on walks in West Sacramento. But I've also had walks, sisters and brothers, where I celebrated the creativity of God. As I looked at the hills and the mountains in the distance, as I've looked at the sky and the clouds. Sometimes at night, just standing in my driveway, I can see the stars. Sometimes on a walk, it's an opportunity to discover something godly, something supernatural, something amazing. Is it possible to experience God on a walk? Well, that is what the story is about here in Luke chapter 24, a story called The Road to Emmaus. This is one of the resurrection account stories, but this particular one is only found in the Gospel of Luke. And there's another account right before the one that begins in verse 13, and it's the account of when a group of women went to the tomb and found it already empty. They went and told the men, but the men initially didn't believe them. Imagine that. I know you sisters, I know what you're thinking right now. You're like, that ain't breaking news. Trying to convince a brother of something that I can plainly see. And in this story, we find two followers, two disciples of Jesus walking to Emmaus. One is named Cleopus, the other one is unnamed. These are not the original 12 disciples that are now down to 11 because of the betrayal of Judas, but two other folks who believe in Jesus, that were following Jesus, but now they're grieving. And they're grieving because they're experiencing life after the death of Jesus. And what that means for them. For them, in this moment, they're experiencing loss, they're experiencing pain, they're experiencing grief because they believe it's over. Jesus is dead. That's really all they know to this point. And I don't know if you've ever been on a road of life where you found yourself on the road of grief and despair, the road of being downcast, not sure what the future holds. But that very road, if you find yourself on it, sisters and brothers, is the very place where there is an opportunity if we allow it to reimagine who God is, to realize that Jesus is not dead, that Jesus is indeed alive. So in this sermon, I really want to wrestle with this big question. On the road that we find ourselves in life, will we live as if Jesus is real and rose from the dead? No matter what road of life you find yourself on right now, will you on that road live as if Jesus is real and rose from the dead? But what does that look like? How do we do that? Well, point one, we need to realize that we are not alone on the road of life. Whatever road you are on, wherever you are in life right now, you are not by yourself. Says here in Luke chapter 24, verse 13. Now that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Right there, that line is telling us not only that there's distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus, but it also lets us know that these two people are going to be walking for a while. You might be in a place right now where the road you were walking on you wish would come to an end. But you can't see the end of the road that you're on right now. You wish it was the boys to men song. You wish you could sing end of the road, but you can't because you can't see the where this road is gonna end that you're on right now. Is it a two-year road? Is it a three-month road? Is it a five-year road? But you just need to know that while you are on it, you are not by yourself. Verse 14. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. We are not on the road alone. We are all on a road. We are all going somewhere. The issue is, do you know where you're going? Oh, I'm gonna have to tap into the old heads in the room right now because I uh years and years and years ago in a soundtrack to a movie called Mahogany, Diana Ross asked an important question. Do you know where you're going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know? Do you get what you're hoping for? When you look around you, there's no open door. What are you hoping for? Do you know? Do you know the song? I bet you don't. You never heard of that song?

unknown 14:34

I've heard of it.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

No, you ain't. Don't don't lie in church. It's okay. You're young, you're young. I get it. Let me let me help you out now. Let me help you out. So before Michael B. Jordan, before Denzel Washington, Billy D. Williams. Okay. And I don't know. If you go on one of them old school live streaming things, you ain't by yourself. You didn't know the song either, did you? Yep. A row of youngins. Yep, nope, no problem, no problem, no problem, no problem, no problem, nope, no problem. But some of some of you more seasoned saints were singing along. We're all on a road, but do we know where we're going? The good news is even if you don't know where you're going on the road you're on, you're not the only one putting footprints on your road. Some of y'all, though, might feel like your life is so trying, you're like, I don't even feel like I'm on a road. I feel like I'm walking in sand. I feel like I'm walking in dirt. Well, the good news is if you are on a road, God will be on the road with you. And if you're not on the road, God will make a road. What am I talking about? God divided the cities in Exodus and made a road so that slaves could find freedom. He'll make a road. He led them into the desert and made road so they could eat, so that they can move to the promised land. God will meet you on a road, and if you ain't got a road, God will make a road.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

He's a highway builder, he's a way maker, he's a bridge builder, he'll make a way.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

We are not alone on the road of life. God is with us on whatever road we find ourselves on. It's all right if you're on the road of despair, God will meet you there. If you're on the road of headaches and heartaches, God will meet you there. I don't know what street you're on, I don't know what avenue you're on, I don't know what lane you're on, I don't know what cul-de-sac you're at the end of, but God will meet you right there. We are not alone on the road of life. So why are you living like your solo? You might be single, but you ain't solo. You might be single, but you ain't alone. God is walking with you. Point two. We don't understand all life brings on the journey. We don't understand all life brings on the journey. Uh-uh, uh in verse 17, it says, he asked them, What are you discussing together as you walk uh along? What are you what are you talking about? They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them named Cleopas asked him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? First of all, this guy thinks he knows more than Jesus. So we can just put a put a pin right there. So far, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt because he don't know it's Jesus yet. But he thinks he knows more than Jesus. They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened in these days? What things? he asked about Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death and they crucified him. We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. We don't understand all life brings on the journey. They thought they knew everything about Jesus, but they didn't. And because they knew Jesus in part, it was why they were downcast, they were disappointed. They saw Jesus as a political leader, as a military leader, as a new type of king, Caesar, that would come with a nationalist agenda and and raise up an army, and through war, through chariots and swords and horses, would defeat the Roman Empire and restore the nation of Israel to its glory. Take us back to King David, take us back to King Solomon. Let us remember the great years of Israel. This is what we fought. They didn't truly know the identity and agenda of Jesus. We had hoped he was the one that was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning, but they didn't find his body. The thing is, they're so close to the truth. The problem is a half-truth, disguised as the full truth, is no truth. And so you can't live a Christian life with a half-truth Jesus. You need to discover the fullness of who Jesus is. Says they came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. And some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus. He said to them, How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. Oh, sisters and brothers, what Jesus does here is he's helping them understand his true identity and his true purpose. They were hoping that Jesus would be this Hebrew Israelite, stronger version of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, or Artaxerxes of Persia, or Caesar of Rome. They were looking for him to be that, but he had a radical, upside-down agenda that wasn't based on the sword of violence, but the sword of truth and love. They were looking at one that they didn't recognize yet that was breaking down the true mission of Jesus. If you are on a road and it seems foggy, maybe you need a word from God to better understand where you are. Maybe you need a word from God to better understand the circumstances that you're going through. Maybe you need a word from God to better understand the world in which we live. Can God speak to you on the road of your circumstances and change your perspective? Can God speak Speak a word into something that nobody else can say nothing to you about. If you truly want to know God and God's agenda, let Jesus tell you. So that's what Jesus did. He said, Oh, you didn't get it. He had to suffer and die. Oh, let me take you back to the word. Sometimes we open up the Bible and we read it from our own individual cultural framework, the mental frameworks that we have, the emotional frameworks that we have. And I get it, I get it. Sometimes you just need to open up the Bible and feel encouraged, feel strengthened. But we can also misinterpret the Bible if we don't slow down enough to let the Holy Spirit to let God walk us through the Word of God. Oh, I was gonna say this later, but let me say it now. I hope you come back next week because we're gonna start a whole new series. I don't know how long we're gonna be in it on the Holy Spirit. It's gonna be called empowered. The Holy Spirit and spiritual matters. We're gonna talk about the identity of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the power and authority that comes from the Spirit, the comfort and tutoring that comes from the Spirit. We're gonna talk about spiritual warfare, that you're not just a physical being, you're not just an intellectual being, you're not just an emotional being, you're a spiritual being, and some of the reasons you are having the conflicts in your soul is you're fighting against the spirit that's trying to re-engineer, reimagine, and rediscover who you are. But let me stay in this sermon. If you want to know who God is, let Jesus tell you. Let the life of Jesus tell you who God is. Because without Jesus, we have a messed up understanding of God. Without Jesus, we'll think God is just angry all the time. We'll think that God is just just just it just wants to throw curses on us. We'll we'll think that God is a violent God. We'll we'll think that God just wants to get revenge on everybody. We'll think that God just wants to tear everything up and you deserve it because you didn't made God mad. But with Jesus, we get a better, clearer picture of who God is. If you don't believe God is love, look at Jesus. If you don't believe God forgives, look at Jesus. If you don't believe God is justice, look at Jesus. If you don't believe God is righteous, look at Jesus. If you don't believe that God will go to all measures to save and liberate and redeem, look at Jesus. We don't understand all that life brings on the journey. That's why we need Jesus. And third, we should invite God into our lives. We should invite God into our lives. Luke 24, verse 28. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. They urged him strongly, stay with us for it is nearly evening. The day is almost over. So he went in to stay with Adam. We should invite God into our lives. I wanted this point to be we should invite God into our lives for real, for real. But it's just, you know, that's a long point. But that's really what I want to say. Because many of you would say, I have invited God into my life. Done that, check. But maybe we need to invite God into our lives over and over and over and over again. Maybe we need to invite God into our lives for real, for real, for real, for real, for real, for real. Invite God into our lives. God met them on the road they were on. But if so, God will meet you on the road that you're on. But you gotta keep going if you don't invite God to stay. God's not gonna force God's self on you. It's a choice that we need to make. So gotta meet you on the road, but you have to invite God where you dwell, where you rest, where you stay. You have to invite God into your dwelling place. Wherever you're currently dwelling, invite God to that. And it's interesting that the sun is going down when they invite God in. Which means it's okay to invite God into the dark places of your life, the broken places, the flawed places. Wherever you're currently dwelling, invite Jesus into your doubt. Invite Jesus into your pain. If you're dwelling in anger, if you're dwelling in pride, if you're dwelling in unforgiveness, if you're dwelling in grief, wherever you dwell, invite Jesus to sit at that table with you and feed you at that table. Invite God into the places you walk and where you've settled. And finally, we need to recognize Christ and tell others. Luke 24, verse 30. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us. They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and those with them assembled together and saying, It is true, the Lord has risen and appeared to Simon. Then the two told what had happened on the way and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. Once you realize that God is with you, shouldn't you live like it? Shouldn't you talk like it? Once you discover what God is willing to do out of God's love for us, shouldn't it change everything? I want you to notice something here as I'm coming to my clothes, sisters and brothers. When Jesus was preaching to them, they didn't recognize him. And ain't nothing wrong with preaching. When Jesus was quoting the scriptures to them, they didn't recognize him. Even though quoting the scriptures is good, they didn't recognize him until he was at the table with them, breaking bread, having a meal. Oh, that's good news. If you want people that aren't in church today to know that you walk with Jesus, maybe instead of preaching to them and judging them and throwing the law on them, you should humbly love them, build relationship with them, break bread with them. Instead of saying, how can you say you look at you, look at the way you live in? How you living like that? What you doing? Maybe you should take them to coffee, maybe over lunch, maybe over collardreens and mac and cheese and yams and catfish and cornbread and peach cobbler and sweet potato pie and lasagna if you like that instead. That's how they'll know who Jesus is. When they see you walking in love, they'll want Jesus to walk on the road of their life. Kanye West ain't right about a lot of stuff, but he was right when he said Jesus walks. He was right about that. Jesus walked and called the original twelve to follow him. Jesus walked so that a woman with an issue of blood could touch his clothes and be healed. Jesus walked into a funeral and said, That girl is just sleep. Get up. Jesus walked and cast out evil spirits. Jesus walked so the paralyzed could walk. Jesus walked so the blind could see. Jesus walked so a Samaritan woman can have full personhood.

SPEAKER_00 31:43

Jesus walked into incarceration. Jesus walked up the hill of the skull. Jesus walked into a bottom tomb through death. Jesus with me.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

I just remember we've got two more services.