We Must Believe! Luke 24:13-35

Bro. Jesse Byrd preaches “We Must Believe!” from Luke 24:13–35, reminding listeners on this Easter Sunday that even when we don’t fully understand, we must trust God’s Word, believe in the risen Savior, and walk by faith.

Message preached on April 5, 2026.

Transcript

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Luke 44, verse 13. Amen. It says, and behold, two of them went that same angel with us, called Emma, which were from Jerusalem about three score early from the seven of all. They talked together of all these things which had happened. It came to pass that while they were being together and reasoned. Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were holding that they should not know him. He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another and wore and are sad? And the one of them whose name was lay over. After he said unto them, Are thou only a stranger in Jerusalem? And have not known but the things which are come to pass during these days. He said unto them, What is? They said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a God and mighty indeed and word before God and all his people. And now the chief priest and our rulers delivered him unto being condemned to death and have crucified him. But we trusted him, we trusted that it had been him which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre, and when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even so as the women had said, but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart, believe all that the prophets have spoken. All our Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into his glory. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning themselves. They drew close unto the village where they went, and he made as though he would have no foot. But they restrained him, saying, Ali with us when it's toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went into tarry with them, and it came to pass, as he said it, meet with them, he took bread and west, and broke, and he gave to them. And their eyes were open, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way. And while he opened to us the scriptures. And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 God together with them that were with them, saying, The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared as a sign. And they that they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known. Father, we thank you again for reading the scriptures, reading the Holy Word. Father, we thank you this morning for the many blessings you bestowed upon us. And God, we pray this morning, that you open the ears and hearts and minds of every morning for the sound of voice. I pray, God, that you remove all physical and spiritual distractions amongst this morning, that we may obey the Holy Spirit. God, we pray this morning, that your spirit is blown by our service. And God one soul that's the name of a Savior. I pray that all upon you before his everlasting day. Amen. The title of our sermon this morning is We Must Believe. Resurrection is Sunday. First and foremost, I want you to understand this morning that it wouldn't be possible. Today it wouldn't be possible if it wouldn't have been for a resurrection. But because he's resurrected and alive, we too shall one day be rewarded and resurrected also with the Father. Jesus, you all know the story this morning of Jesus. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, we don't have much account of his childhood other than at 12 years old. He got separated from his mother and Joseph. And then went back to find him, and he was in the temple outside teaching. So the doctrine, the lawyers, the scholars, everybody that was well more educated than him. He was teaching them. That's the only account we have of Jesus' childhood. But as he got older, he realized that he was on a mission to do his father's will. To do everything God had called him to do, to be everything God had called him to be. So we realized that 33 and a half years, for 33 and a half years, Jesus spoke the earth in human flesh as God. All the miracles he'd done, all the raisings he'd done from the dead, the healings, all the miracles, everything that he'd done, it was according to his father's business, God's will. So we realize this morning that he was blessed by God. He was touched by God. We too are blessed this morning. So it tells us that he was crucified on the cross, died buried in the third day, and rose again. You see, this morning there's many, many denominations, many religions that's serving a God that's still buried in the tomb. That's still buried in the grave. But we as Christians this morning, we've got to understand that the Savior we served this morning is a risen Savior that's living amongst us. Without Jesus being raised from the dead, we wouldn't have that privilege to make it to heaven this morning. So you've got to understand that now we've talked about our scripture about the resurrection, the crucifixion. So now we get in our scripture, and number one, I want you to understand this morning the dangers of unbelief. The dangers of unbelief, the lack of belief, doubt, and withholding of faith if something is what's called unbelief. We have many people this morning that want to follow Christ, but they're not going to believe in Christ. We have many people this morning that call themselves Christians, but they don't fully believe in Christ. We understand this morning that unbelief is a very dangerous thing this morning to have. You see, we can read the news, uh newspapers, we can listen to the news on TV, and we put all our faith in mankind. We put all our faith in man, what man has done, what man's going to say. But many of us this morning have more faith in man than we do God. Many of us this morning have put more faith in the word of man than we do God. But this morning we've got to understand that living in unbelief is very dangerous this morning. So you think about it this morning, unbelief can cause your heart to be hardened and resist God's will. So you think about it this morning, unbelief, unbelieving heart, a hard heart this morning can cause you to drift away from God. Just as Jason's saying many times, I hear people all the time tell me, you believe a Bible that was written by man. My friend, God inspired man to write the Bible. So if it would have been for God, we would have plenty of error in this Bible this morning. But you can't tell me otherwise that God has wrote this Bible, inspired me to write this Bible, because as many critics we have this morning, they would have found error somewhere in God's word. But they've been searching for years and years and have not found what God made any error. So you've got to understand this morning, you've got to have belief. And it tells that Pharaoh had a hard heart. We think about the Israelites, they had a hard heart. They kept doing the things God wanted to do, and that time they rebel against God. So their heart became hardened and God stopped blessing. So you've got to understand this morning that if you want to be blessed by God, you've got to believe in God. If you want to follow God, you've got to believe in God. Without believing in God, you can do nothing to please God. You've got to have faith and disappointment in God. So it tells us that a hard heart is a state of stubbornness, pride, and resistance of God's will. Now, I told you many times before, I've met plenty of people that's had a hard heart. They've been stubborn. A lot of people that's died and went to hell over their own pride. If we can interview in hell this morning, there'd be plenty of people in hell over their stubbornness and hard hearts. Because they've resisted God so many days of their life that the Holy Spirit gave up on them. So this morning, you've got to understand that as long as we believe in God, we have a prize waiting for us. In Hebrews 3 and 8, it tells us, hard not your heart as in the probation and the day of temptation in the wilderness. Hebrews 3:13 says, While it is said today, if you will hear his voice, harden out your heart as in the provocation. These two men were walking to Emmaus about seven miles. Now think about what they were with Jesus. They heard Jesus preach to them, they saw Jesus do all these miracles. But now their Savior had been crucified and put into a tomb. Now they got word that he's not there. So you think about seven miles they were walking together, the thing they talked about. There was a lot of doubt when this road to the menus. There was a lot of doubt because they didn't know whether to believe God or not. So they were doubting, they were criticizing, they were talking. So it said that Jesus was with them, they didn't even recognize Jesus. Many times this morning we try to walk with God, but we don't even recognize Jesus because we have unbelief. Many times we've got to understand that Jesus could be right beside us. We don't even recognize Jesus because we don't know what Jesus means to us. Many of us say this morning, but I believe in God. I know plenty of people that I've come in contact with who said they believe in God, but they don't follow God. They think God's just going to automatically put them in heaven. But this morning you've got to understand that you must be born again in order to make it heaven this morning. So it tells us that as they were walking, their unbelief permitted them from recognizing Jesus. Think about how many people have had Jesus walk beside them and their unbelief caused them not even realized Jesus was beside them. I was one of those ones that didn't realize what Jesus had done for me. I was one of those ones that didn't realize what Jesus had already done in the past, the future, and the present for me. I was one of those ones that was calling on God but not even realizing that God was right beside me. I was one of those ones that said I was a follower of God, wouldn't do anything for God, but when the time came down to it, I let God go his way and I went my way. I was one of those unbelievers this morning. But when God and the Holy Spirit struck me down, I realized then that I had to let go of unbelief and put belief into my heart. So it tells this morning that Jesus walks with us daily. Now you think about it, without Jesus walking with us, we wouldn't make it to where we're at now. I'm a firm believer this morning that everything that's happened to me in my path was all for a reason to get me to where I'm at now. Now you can think about it this morning. That if you can't walk with God now, how can you be led by God in the future? You've got to understand this morning that Jesus loved these two men so much that he was willing to walk with them. Walk with them that even though they had doubtless little faith, or maybe no faith at all, but by their unbelief, they will not even recognize that Jesus was walking right beside them. We've got to understand this morning that unbelief is dangerous. When we live a life in unbelief, we become living in dangerous. So thank God this morning that Jesus still walks with us in hard times. I thank God this morning that he walked me in hard times. This past week, you know, as a pastor, uh, the other pastors can tell you this morning that uh this week is one of the hardest weeks to preach because everybody hears typically the same sermon. You've got to study throughout the week. You've got to find something the Holy Spirit puts you on to try to catch somebody's attention so they know what God is doing for them. So as I was reading the scripture throughout this week, I realized just how many times God has walked with me in hard times in my life. One of the days that I thought I couldn't make it, Jesus was there walking with me. With days that I couldn't see the next day, Jesus walking with me. When I was ready to give up, Jesus walking with me. So whenever you go through hard times, you see just how good God is. How many of us this morning can say that we've been living in hard times, but through the hard times God's been better? Every day of my life this morning I realize that even though we struggle, God has an answer. God has an answer for you this morning. By his son this morning, you can be saved. So it tells us as that we understand, they were explaining to him who what had happened, and they said they were hoping that he was one of the ones that was going to redeem them from Israel. You see, they had their mindset on Jesus. While they were so let down, they couldn't realize what Jesus had told them. I think it was three times throughout the gospel Jesus told his disciples about he was fixing to die and what his death meant. But the disciples that was walking with him, living with him, eating with him, standing with him, talking with him, they didn't realize just what salvation meant. They was wanting Jesus to redeem them from Israel, set them free right now. Many of us this morning is wanting God to set us free from worldly values, give us worldly values instead of only eternal values. This morning we've got to understand. I'm not looking for God to help me in this place. I'm looking for God to deliver me and put my spirit with him in heaven one morning. So it tells us this morning that we've got to understand, what do you have hope in this morning? Many of us have hope in doubters. Many of us have hope in everything else but Jesus. So we asked ourselves, the disciples were walking that morning. Their hope was in Jesus, their hope had been let down. They were questioning, they were doubting, they were lacking faith. This morning we asked ourselves, what do you have faith in this morning? God learned it all. You see, God saw that we were going to be sinners. God knew that we were going to die and go to hell. God knew that we needed a Savior. But this morning we've got to put our full hope in Jesus this morning. How many of us can say this morning that all my hope is in Jesus? That nothing else matters. All my hope is in Jesus. No matter what the flesh goes through, then I know one day it's going to be working after all. And it tells us that when our hearts are broken, we must hopefully seek God. Psalms 34 and 18 says, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. This morning we have people that woke up brokenhearted. We have people that's woke up crushed in spirit. But the Bible said that God loves you more than you've ever been loved before. This morning, my message to you is to put your hope in Jesus. Then make sure that if your hearts are broken this morning, maybe you crushed in spirit. God says this morning that he's close to those. This morning, God can be close to you if you surrender to him this morning. So it tells you this morning, the brokenhearted, Jesus may be walking right beside you. But if you're living in doubt, you're living in unbelief, you're living in little faith, you may not see what Jesus has done for you. This morning we've got to make sure that we've got to understand that Jesus can be right beside us. It says they walked and talked to Jesus and still didn't understand who he was. Understand this this morning. Jesus meets us right where we are. As I was living in a sinful world. I realized that everywhere I went, I wasn't being pleasing to God. I realized that I was living a sinner's life. But also realized that as I was living this sinner's life, that Sunday morning when the Holy Spirit drew me, I knew that Jesus was right beside me. You see, this morning we've got to understand that Jesus meets us right where we at, right where we need it. Many times we realize that we may be lost and way away from God. God can find you wherever you're at this morning. I think about it all the time. The Bible says that in the midst of hell, God can be there. Even if we're sent to the sky, God can be there. Wherever you may be this morning, we serve a risen Savior that can find you and meet you right where you are. You see the two disciples walking on a dirt road, walking on a road seven miles. They didn't have to find Jesus. Jesus came to them. This morning, you may be here right wherever you may be spiritually this morning. But wherever you are this morning, Jesus can find you. But you must be willing to surrender to God this morning. Jesus was walking right with them. You see, he walked with them, he listened to them. But I also want you to understand this morning that Jesus lightly started them. He started telling them what they didn't believe to call them all foolish men. This morning, you've got to understand that what Jesus done for others, he has done for you as well this morning. That you haven't done too many sins. You haven't swept too far away from God. Wherever you may meet this morning, Jesus will meet you right where you are. But you must be willing to surrender your life to God. So it tells us Jesus met these two men on the water and there's no special place, but no holy temple. You know, I've had testimonies when people said they've got saved and they're right right in their living room, right down the road. You see, wherever you're at this morning, the Holy Spirit draws you. You can be saved this morning. You don't have to worry about being holy and holy of all the holy people. As long as you meet God where God meets you, you're in good hands this morning. So it tells us that Jesus didn't show, he didn't realize. He realized that they were needing a savior. They were doubting, they were living a little bit of faith. Many times for our walk with God, but everything's going good, we have all the faith in the world. Everything's going good, we have good jobs, we have good health, we have good wealth, we have everything going good. We have all our faith in God. But the moment the rod's poured out from under us, we start losing things, then we get ticked that we really have faith in God. But see, the disciples that was walking that morning, they said they loved God. They said they knew Jesus, they live with Jesus, they loved him. But when Jesus left them, they didn't get saved. They thought they were going to save by the wrong government. You see, they started doubting a little bit about God. Can you answer that question this morning? When things are going good, do you still have hope in God? And when things are going bad, do you still have hope in God? So it tells this morning, Jesus loves us no matter where we had, what we've done. Jesus didn't go to the cross just for good people. You see, Jesus didn't die on the cross just for the rich people. Jesus didn't die on the cross just for the people that lived in a big old house of certain races, certain religions. Jesus died for all the people. Amen. So we've got no sin. When you went to the cross, he'd done it for you. He's done it for me. Everybody born to mankind this morning is in need of the table. You see, we must realize this morning that we need Jesus. So it says, Jesus comes by invitation. You see, and the scripture says that as they were walking, they got closer to the place where they were going. So instead of letting Jesus continue on, they invited Jesus to come in. You see, Jesus is not going to force our place for anybody. This morning you can follow God all you want, but Jesus is not going to make you accept. This morning you've got to understand you've got to invite Jesus to come in. You've got to say, God, I need you. God, I'm willing to surrender to you because I trust me this morning. If you let God walk by, God, I'll keep walking by. Amen. The disciples, if they wouldn't invite Jesus to come in, he'll keep on going about his business. This morning, you may be sitting in a world of grief, a world of unbelief, a world of discouragement, depression, whatever it may be. But whatever you're going through this morning, the moment you invite Jesus to come in, Jesus will fix your problems this morning. But you've got to invite him. You see, it doesn't matter. Jesus didn't force himself on this. You see, I was scared to death. I was running from God. These disciples were running, they were scared. I was scared to death because I kept putting off salvation. Jesus wasn't forcing himself on me. I just felt the Holy Spirit telling me that I was in need of a Savior. You see, but it tells us this morning that He's not going to force Himself on you. But everybody this morning knows the right and wrong to life. Everybody knows this morning that if you die lost, you're going to hell. If you need a Savior, Jesus is here this morning. So it tells us that he wants an invitation into our houses and our hearts this morning. Think about it. It doesn't matter how dirty our house is. Everybody's done a spring clean, trying to get rid of these. But when you come before God, God doesn't care about all the things that are dirty in your life. God can fix those things. You see, we got problems this morning. We try to fix all these problems before we come to God. That's not the way salvation works. You see, when you come before God and you say, God, I'm coming to keep you as a sinner. That means I got sins. I got baggage behind me. I've got multiple sins. I've got thousands of sins. But God, I need you to fix them. You see, when you come before God this morning, you just don't bring parts of your sins. You bring your whole problem with sins to God this morning. Let Him fix it. The reason we keep backsliding into these traps, the reason we keep drifting away from God is because we're not turning full control over to God. We want God to just have his way Monday through Saturday or Sunday through Sunday. But not every second of our life, we don't want God to be in full control. But in order for God to fix you this morning, you've got to fully surrender to God. You see, his disciples were partially surrendered to God. They wanted God because they saw what God could do with that. Whatever God now didn't believe everything he said until he showed you. This morning, you've got to understand, it doesn't matter how big or small our problems are, it doesn't matter what we carry through the past. God can fix those things this morning. God took Paul, chief of all sinners, and made him one of the greatest evangelists throughout the Bible. God can take you this morning and fix you and make you whole. That's why we serve a risen Savior that's living in this world today because he can fix us. So it tells us it doesn't matter what you've been through. See, I let that bother me for years and years. The things I had done, things I had said. But when I accepted God, I realized that I couldn't fix these problems. That I had to believe in Jesus. So this morning we've got to understand, on Resurrection Sunday, you must believe in Jesus. I pray this morning that we all believe in Jesus because if you don't believe in Jesus, how can you follow Jesus? You've got to believe this morning, in closing this morning. Jesus is walking by you today. Will you invite him in? You must believe in God. You must believe that Jesus died for you. You must believe that Jesus rose from the dead and resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father. You must believe this morning that if you call on Jesus, the Bible says, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. You must believe this morning. So if you get anything out of this sermon, take the word believe. Do you believe this morning in Jesus? Do you believe what he's done for you this morning? Without Jesus, there is no way to heaven. All the things Jesus did, if you think about it, I know many of you probably watched the story of the crucifixion. How Jesus was slapped around, kicked, beat, had to carry his cross, had to get deep with whips. You see, Jesus done all these things, but he never quit on us. So why would you quit on God this morning? Maybe you've drifted away from God. God hasn't dripped away from you. Call on Jesus this morning. What other day would it be better for you to get saved today? To call on Jesus. Put your full trust in Jesus Christ this morning. God loves you this morning. I want you to understand if you invite Jesus in this morning. It could take a broken home, a broken heart. Fix it this morning. No matter what kind of problems we have this morning, God can fix it. But you've got to trust God. Once God fixes your problem, you'll see just what God can do for you in your life. This morning, we've got to understand, Jesus wants you to come just as you are. Speak on the cross. He didn't tell him to get down and fix anything. Come just as you are this morning. Jesus loved you, Jesus saved you this morning, but you must be willing to surrender to God. Pray. Father, we thank you again. The scriptures, we thankful this morning. The resurrection, we thankful this morning that you sent your son down the cross for our sins. God, without him this morning, it'd be possible, impossible to make it to heaven. Father, we thank you this morning for every drop of blood that you shed for our sins. God, I pray this morning that you forgive us of our sins. I pray that if anyone's in evil received, I pray that they set aside their differences and join hand to you this morning, be led by the Spirit. I pray, God, that we make that all important decision this morning before it's everlasting too late. We ask this in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.