So have you ever had a milestone moment in life? You know, just, just one of those times where just all these great things happened? Well, Roger had a milestone moment about seven weeks ago, about seven weeks ago, Roger graduated from basic training in the Navy. And on the same day that he graduated, he also a week before that became a US citizen, officially a US citizen. And on the same day that he became a US citizen, he also officially became a father for the first time. And seven days later on the day of his graduation with permission from her doctors, his wife Ashley flew to where he was getting out of graduation and about to board a flight to go to his next thing and she took Lila with her. And so for the first time, Roger got to see Lila. Now that's quite a week, right? I mean, you become a US citizen, you graduate from basic training in the navy and you become NC your little girl for the first time, Roger had a milestone moment and you know, sometimes milestone moments aren't that exciting, right? Sometimes milestone moments seem kind of average or as teenage philosopher, Richie Cunningham once said they just seem humdrum, you know, just, just not much, just not much there. But don't ever underestimate the power of a hum drum moment. Don't ever underestimate that in a hum drum moment. Your life could completely change. Even if that humdrum moment involved fish. Yeah. That's right. You can have a humdrum moment with fish that can completely redefine renew, reenergize, rearrange your entire life. No, no. You're thinking that sounds a little fishy, but it's true. So, so what are we talking about? Well, let's find out together today. We're going to be looking in Luke chapter 24. Our message is titled the Life we have always longed for. And this moment in Luke 24 is something that happened about 1991 years ago. And it happened with the closest friends of Jesus. And it's in this something that happened that we're going to be able to take a glance at a average hum drum moment that has the ability to help every single one of us have a milestone moment on this resurrection Sunday. So listen to Luke 24 beginning with verse 36. Now, while they were telling these things, Jesus himself suddenly stood in their midst. So the disciples were gathered together and they were telling each other things. What were they telling each other? Well, they were telling each other stories that they were hearing stories about how Jesus was no longer dead. How Jesus had been seen alive? Now? That strange. That's odd. And that's impossible. And it's good for us to say that it's good for us to say that. It's strange and odd and impossible. The things that we have to say about Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God. They're strange and they're odd and they're impossible. They include a virgin birth. They include miraculous, unexplained miracles and healings. They include a, a crucifixion witnessed by hundreds, maybe even thousands of people. It includes a resurrection coming back from the dead. That also was witnessed by hundreds, maybe thousands of people. And who were the people in those crowds? Were they all middle class Southern Baptist is that who was, you know, in the crowds those day? No, the crowds were made up of, of all kind of men and women, soldiers, criminals, religious leaders, political leaders, friends of Jesus. There were all kinds of people in the crowd and, and why does that matter? It matters because the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a made up fairy tale by some religious people trying to increase attendance at their church. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a made up fairy tale by some religious retailers trying to boost some spring clothing sales for retailers. Now the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is strange. It's, it's odd. It, every part of it sounds impossible, at least for us to understand however thousands of people witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. Thousands of people witnessed the resurrection of Jesus and there are millions of people over the last 2000 years that continue to believe their witness because it is credible and it is compelling people who love Jesus and people who hated Jesus witnessed the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. People who did not like Jesus at all, saw what happened and saw that it changed the world around them. If you seriously consider the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus and conclude that it is just a religious fairy tale, please understand that requires a tremendous amount of religious faith. It requires a tremendous amount of religious faith to dismiss the truth about Jesus as a fairy tale. Those crowds of people did not and that matters because there were all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds and all of those people witness the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and witnessed how it changed everything. And there are all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds that are still being changed by the resurrection of Jesus. Have you been changed by the resurrection of Jesus? Has the resurrection of Jesus adjusted your life? Has it transformed your life or is it just a nice religious fairy tale for a spring holiday? The closest friends of Jesus were gathered together and they were swapping stories stories about this thing that Jesus was alive, strange, odd impossible stories. And in the middle of them, swapping those stories, Jesus suddenly appeared in the room with them and what happened? Listen to Luke 24 verse 36 Jesus himself suddenly stood in their midst and said to them, peace. Be to you peace. It's, it's, it's simple enough, but it's, it's pretty powerful, right? If you're scared, if you're frustrated, if you're angry, if you're about to lose your mind and you start hearing crazy stories about things that's actually putting your life in danger. And then all of a sudden you see the one that you love and follow and he says, peace, peace be. It's, it's OK. Don't you love that person? Don't you love the person that can walk in the room and just calm everybody down. You know, Jesus comes in and he says, peace. It's not just calm for the moment, it's calm for every moment and how they react verse 37 but they were startled and frightened. Fair enough. Ok? I mean, these are people that actually saw Jesus get brutally executed, right? They, they saw it. There was, there was no confusion. They, they witnessed a soldier spearing Jesus in the side. They knew that the deceased body of Jesus was buried in a tomb owned by a man named Joseph from a place called a Matthea. There, there was no confusion on the story so we can cut them some slack that when Jesus suddenly appeared, they were startled and frightened because guess what we would do. That's exactly how we would react. What did they think was happening? Verse 37. And they thought they were looking at a spirit. This is, this was Ghostbusters for them. You know, Jesus was some fairy tale ghost. He, he was just a ghost. He, he wasn't real. I mean, this is not far fetched, right? They saw him executed, they saw him spear, they saw him placed in a tomb. There's nothing confusing about the fact that people who hated Jesus knew that Jesus was dead and yet they hear the stories and now here Jesus stands in front of them. It can't be real. He's got to be a ghost. Listen to what Jesus said verse 38. And he said to them, why are you frightened? And why are doubts arising in your hearts? See my hands and my feet? That it is I myself touch me and see because the spirit does not have flesh and bones. As you plainly see that I have Jesus. He, he knew what was in their hearts and their minds, but he saw what was on their faces and very graciously and very mercylessly. He said, he said, peace first of all. And then he said, look guys, I, I'm not a fairy tale ghost. I I'm not a ghost. This, this is real. Verse 40. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. When Roger was off at basic training, knowing that that his wife was going to give birth to his child. It may have seemed like something was unreal that was happening there and he was over here and, but then, then as he stood in the airport in Chicago and he held Lila, he was like, this is real. This, this is true. Jesus knew that his friends were going to need more than an Easter Sunday sermon. He knew they were going to need more than just a, a Sunday service. They were going to need something tangible, some evidence, some proof. And so he said, here, here, look at my hands, look at my side, look at my feet. Look, here, here is your proof. Disciples saw, they even touched the very real evidence of the death of Jesus as a way to see that he was alive and they were startled and they were frightened. But then when the evidence came to them, something changed, listen to verse 41 while they still could not believe it because of their joy and astonishment. They still can't believe you. You've been there, right? This doesn't seem real that they, they couldn't comprehend it, but they were compelled to believe it and their fear. Their fright turned to joy and astonishment. This was a miracle milestone moment for them. Have you had that moment? Have you had the moment where the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just a spring holiday Sunday a moment where the truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ has done something to your heart and your mind. Listen, I watched that, that opening video several times this week with the cell phone and the, the alerts that Jesus was risen. And every time I thought, oh, it's so cool. And I thought Tammy, Tammy come here, watch this video and we were, oh gosh, that's so cool. But, you know, being in this room with you this morning and watching that video sitting down here in the front row, it wasn't just cool. I I just started weeping. You know why? Because there's something different about engaging with truth with other people. You are not a fool to be in church today and guess what? You won't be a fool to be in church next Sunday either. That's an invitation back. Come on back, we'll be here. This is not foolish. This is not crazy. This is full of evidence. This is full of witness, this is full of people like me and you actually engaging and it probably would have looked just like that video back in the day. The text messages would have been circulating and there would have been a confidence, a confidence in who Jesus is. But maybe you don't have that confidence today. So we would plead with you. Would you consider the truth about Jesus his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his promised return? And if you would truly consider it. We, we hope and pray that God would quicken your heart to see that. All of these strange, odd, impossible stories about Jesus. They're all true and Jesus loved you and he gave himself up for you and he is calling you right now to come and to follow him to have your moment changed. They saw Jesus, they talked with Jesus, they heard Jesus teach and preach, they, they saw Jesus be crucified and, and now they're feeling his scars as he has risen. But they still struggled and, and, and we get it right. It all sounded crazy. So they struggled even as they touched the scars, even as they knew he wasn't a ghost, they still struggled. So what did Jesus do? Verse 41? He said to them, have you anything here to eat? Now? Talk about strange and odd. Ok? You're, you're in a moment here a moment. Unlike any other moment, Jesus was having his reveal party. Ok? He, he was doing his resurrection reveal. And in this moment, Jesus says, hey, you got anything to eat. Now, remember Jesus is not mostly dead, Jesus is truly dead. He was put in a, in a tomb. There was no confusion about his death and yet here he is now three days later standing in a room with his closest friends asking for food, they asked him for something to eat. You know what sounds pretty average? Sounds pretty normal. Sounds pretty humdrum. Hey, you got anything to eat. Now, truthfully, I'm very thankful for this moment because it's another reason why I love Jesus. There's never a bad time to eat. Right. I mean, Jesus likes to eat. I like to eat. This is great. This is a good moment, but it seems kind of humdrum. I mean, you guys got anything to eat and how they respond. Verse 42 and 43 they served him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it in front of them. Don't miss the power and the authority and the beauty and the extreme kindness of this hum drum moment. This this average moment as his friends were struggling, they were hearing crazy stories. They were scared for their life. So many things were falling apart for them mentally and emotionally. These strange odd tales of, of a risen, Jesus kept coming to them in the middle of all of that, Jesus asked him for some food and he gives them and they give him some food and he ate it. They gave him fish and he ate it. So not just with his words, not just with a fancy Easter Sunday sermon and service, but Jesus with his hands, his feet, even his digestive system gives them evidence and proof that he is risen. He is risen. Indeed. It sounds so average, so humdrum and yet what Jesus does in this moment is with mercy says guys, fairy tale ghost don't eat fish. They don't. What are you struggling with right now? What family issue or medical issue or financial issue or political issue or media issue or, or international world issue? What, what issue are you struggling with? What, what are you afraid of? What are you worried about? What are you frustrated with? What, what's that, that thing in your life? But sometimes it makes it hard for you to go to sleep And then when you get up in the morning, man, it's right there on your chest all over again. We all have at least one thing like that may not be every morning, may not be every night, but there's, but there's one thing. So whatever it is you're struggling with today, would you at least consider this moment from Jesus? Just, just consider the, the truth of this moment that this moment when Jesus just ate some fish because in this moment, the average humdrum action of, of eating this fish was one way that Jesus in kindness wanted his friends to know this is real. You're not a fool for believing. This is real. Look, Jesus is not just the Christmas spirit. Jesus is not just the main entertaining character of, of l or or Holy Week. The actual body and actual spirit of Jesus Christ was raised from the grave. He is risen, he is risen. Indeed, this is the truth of who he is. Jesus is not just a dream that we're keeping alive as some kind of emotional crutch for the hard thumbs in life. He is risen. He is risen indeed. And all of this matters. The disciples being able to see and touch the scars of Jesus, the disciples being able to see Jesus eat fish and digest fish. All of that it matters because the reality of that broiled fish. The reality of that moment reminds us that wrapped up in the promises of the resurrection is this truth. And the truth is if you are believing in and yielding to and relying on and trusting in and clinging to Jesus as your one and only hope for salvation and hope and ultimate joy. Then there is soon coming a day where the medical issue and the family issue and the financial issue and the political issue and the media issue and whatever other issue you may be engaged in. There is coming a day where that issue will be no more and Jesus will make all things new and, and even beyond that, if you're a believer, it means that you will be resurrected to everlasting glory. How do we know because Jesus ate fish? This is not a fairy tale. It's not foolish, it's full of evidence, it's full of faith. Is it your faith today? Is this reality about the promises of Jesus? Is it your reality? Is it what you bank on? Are you truly trusting that Jesus is more than just a Spring Sunday holiday, someone may say, you know, your, your fish thing. That sounds cute. But you know, I wasn't there so I'm, I'm going to need my own proof. You know, I'm, I'm, I'm going to, I'm going to need Jesus to, to give me some evidence. He's going to have to show up, give me some evidence. I, I'm not going to believe otherwise. About 30 years after that humdrum moment where Jesus ate fish. Simon Peter was writing a letter to some Christians who were really struggling. I mean, serious, serious hardships in life again, afraid for their life in many moments because they were following Jesus. So Peter is going to write to them, he's going to try to encourage them and this is what he says first Peter 18 and though you have not seen him, you love him. Roger had never seen Lila before that day in the airport in Chicago, never seen her. He had never seen her. Do you think he had to see her to love her? Do you think he was thinking, look, I mean, I know, you know, I know Ashley was pregnant and, and I know she sent me pictures of the ultrasound and I Facetimed with him when they were at the hospital, you know, after Lilah was born. But you know, until I see her face to face with my own eyes, I will not and cannot love her. You think he turned his navy buddies and goes man, I can't wait for Lila to get here so I can kind of hold her in my hand and I can start loving her. You think that's how it went or do you think Roger started loving Lila? As soon as he knew that Lila existed, as soon as he knew that there was going to be a Lilah Peter saw Jesus, he ate with Jesus. He was part of this moment, this room where they touched the scars of Jesus. But he's writing to people who had never seen Jesus. They, they weren't there, they didn't witness it. He's writing to them and he's trying to encourage them. He's writing to people just like me and you who we never sat down and had fish with Jesus. I mean, unless there's something you're not telling me, you know, in the middle of their suffering, in the middle of their hardship, in the middle of their struggles, in the middle of them, feeling like their life was falling apart. Peter reminds them, hey, I want you to know your faith in Jesus is not foolish. It's real. Your faith in Jesus is, is not a fairy tale. It's real. Roger's love for Lila before he saw her. It was real. Why? Because for nine months and a week, Roger saw all the evidence that Lila existed and he, he believed it because it wasn't hard to believe. About 2000 years ago, there was a young woman in the Middle East and her tummy began to expand because there was a heart beating inside of her womb. And that little baby was born in a stable about six miles south of modern day Jerusalem. And that little baby grew up and learned how to be a carpenter. And that carpenter left the shop at the age of 30 and he began to teach and he began to heal and he began to tell people that the kingdom of Heaven is near and some people saw him and believed, and some people saw him and did not believe in other words, it is foolish and basic common human knowledge to know that seeing doesn't always mean believing. So it's not enough for us just to say, well, if I could see it myself, then I would believe there were many in the church and outside of the church when Jesus was alive on earth. Some believe some didn't. In fact, if Jesus came back today, did all the same things that we see in Matthew, Mark Luke and John for that matter, if Jesus were to go on and, and be crucified for the sin of the world all over again. There are really nice people in Casey and West Columbia and South Carolina and the United States and around the world who still would not believe they still wouldn't. And so what Peter is saying to these discouraged people is, hey, you know what believing is c loving is see and, and, and I know it's, it's strange. But again, I just want to illustrate again, sitting in my office watching the video. I it's good. It's positive. Sitting in this room with people who along with me believe that it is not a fairy tale. It's different. It's different. And I don't have to see Jesus and touch his scars to know that it is real because the witnesses are credible. The witnesses are compelling and even beyond that, the spirit of God has quickened my heart that all of these things are true. I pray that God would quicken your heart as well. Why was Peter so compelled to tell these people? Hey man, I'm believing the scene and loving the scene because he saw Jesus eat fish after he had been killed. See Peter. Peter saw these things. He was a witness. So he was compelled to say, hey guys, I know you're frustrated. I know you're struggling. I know some issue is in your life that's causing you either to be mad at God or to disbelieve in God or never, you've never, maybe you've never had anything to do with God, but I promise the gospel is true. The reality about Jesus true. You can trust in this and he wanted them to know that. And he continues in his letter verse eight. And though you did not see him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of glory. Why? Why would there be inexpressible joy because Jesus is not a fairy tale ghost. He is risen. He is risen. Indeed. Look, none of us are perfect. We're all going to have our moments. I've had some this week. There's moments where maybe it's a why thing. Maybe it's a, I'm mad about this thing. Maybe it's gosh, I'm going to punch that person in the face thing, you know, whatever it may be, you know, we, we all have moments where we just struggle but in the deepest part of who you really are, e even even in your crisis of faith or your crisis of belief or just just your crisis in, in traffic in the deepest part of who you are, your heart of hearts. Do you have this inexpressible joy? Is this inexpressible joy part of, of who you are on the inside. I'm not saying you have to cry when you watch a video of text alerts on Jesus being resurrected. But I mean, did it do something to you? Was there something inside of you that went oh man, this, this is real and my hope is here and my joy is here. 100 and 16 years ago, Gk Chesterton wrote this man is more himself, man is more manlike when joy is the fundamental thing in him. When, when joy is the fundamental thing, we are most human, when joy is the fundamental thing. And he says, and grief is the superficial, melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind. Praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. No one talks like that anymore. But we should. That's good. The praise of the risen Jesus would be the, the permanent pulsation of the soul. And he says this pessimism which we've all had at least for a few seconds this week. Right? Pessimism is at best an emotional half holiday. Some of you have a holiday this week it is spring break for most of our schools in this week. Some of you have time off from work. You'll have a, a holiday. Pessimism should be half of that. Pessimism should be at best, an emotional half holiday. Joy is the uproarious labor by which all things live. Listen, if you don't believe in God, you were created to have joy in God. We as human beings, we have been innately created to have joy in the one true living God. And there is no greater joy to be found in God. No more joy that is rich and deep unending and completely satisfying and inexpressible than the joy that is found in the one who ate broiled fish with his friends. The unending, satisfying, inexpressible joy that is found in the risen Jesus compares to nothing. It is the greatest joy your soul can know and you were made for it. You were made for it. It is the uproarious labor of our hearts. It's what our heart wants. Someone may be thinking, you know, this joy in Jesus eating fish. It's just, just silly. I don't know, I just don't get it. So, so what does this look like if, if we were to try to put this in a, in the life of a real person? OK. Fair enough. I was reading an article last week about a 16 year old girl named Abby who is battling cancer and she was scheduled to go with her family to Disney World with the Make a Wish of foundation. The, the details have not been put together. So she hadn't gone yet. Her Pastor Peter was flying to Orlando and, and as he was on the plane, there were a couple of kids in front of him and they were about going to Disney, but they just couldn't stop. And as they talked about Disney, he, he just began to think, why is the gospel matter? What, what's so unique about the gospel? What is it about the gospel? The good news of Jesus Christ. What is it about the gospel that brings deeper joy to everyday people like Abby and her family, deeper joy than the happiest place on earth. And he just started wrestling with that question. He started thinking through that reality. Well, what is it about the gospel? That, that is so great when he arrived in Orlando, he got a little bit of an answer to that question because he was there for a conference. And at the conference, Tim Keller was one of the speakers and, and he began to speak about how the resurrection was not just consolation for pain and suffering in life, but the resurrection was restoration. In other words, the beauty of a make a wish foundation trip for a family to go to Disney World is that that family is living a nightmare of pain and suffering. And so make a wish with grace and mercy. They find a way to go. Hey, we want to relieve that pain and suffering for a moment. We, we want to give you some consolation for that pain and suffering. But see, the resurrection of Jesus is not just consolation. Tim Keller once put it like this. The resurrection of Christ promises us not merely some future consolation for the life we lost. We know what consolation is right? You know, at the end of the game show, oh, sorry, Bob, you didn't win. But here's a consolation bra is a brand new toaster. You know, I mean, we, we know what consolation is, right? But we didn't get what we wanted. But here's a toaster. The resurrection of Jesus is not a consolation because of the terrible thing that happened in your life. The resurrection of Jesus is not a consolation because you didn't find a great spouse. The resurrection of Jesus is, is not a consolation because things didn't turn out the way you, you hope they would turn out with your kids or your grandkids or your job or your health or whatever it may be. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a consolation prize. This is what Keller says. The Resurrection of Christ promises us not merely some future consolation for the life we lost, but the restoration of the life we lost and infinitely more. Whatever it is that you don't have here, it's not even enough, you actually want more, whatever that sense of loss is, it's not enough here. You want more. It's how we are. And then he says this, the resurrection promises the world and life that we have always longed for but never had. That's what comes in the resurrection. Listen, whoever gets elected, it's not what you long for whoever you marry is not what you long for whatever the job is, whatever accomplishes your, your Children may have. It's not what you long for. They're all great. They're fine, they're good. There's nothing wrong with them but our souls long for more and will never find it in the United States and we'll never find it on a destination wedding to Italy and we will never find it on spring break. We only find it in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not foolish. It is full of everything. We long for the promises of Jesus actually give us in the resurrection. What we really long for the life we long for that we never had but we will have why? Because he ate fish because it's real as Peter listened to Tim Keller speak that day. He thought about Abby's faith in Christ. She was only 16, but he thought about her confidence in Jesus. And he thought, you know what? There's actually nothing, even if she doesn't make it to that Disney trip, there's, there's nothing in this life that will truly be lost for her. Because what Abby longs for the most and what we long for the most is all found in the promises of the resurrection of Jesus. You see, it's not just a spring holiday. It's, it's everything Peter wrote this as Christians. We don't believe that all good things must come to an end. We believe that all that is genuinely good and of God will never end that the good news is better than the bad news is bad. It's always true when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus, the good news is better than the bad news is bad and there will always be bad news, but the good news is always better. And then he wrote this, Abby has cancer, but cancer doesn't have Abby Jesus died. But that's the promise of Easter. It really is not nice clothes and chocolate. It really is that in Christ, you are complete, you are free, you are saved, you are safe because he's risen. And he says this, the promise of restoration and the resurrection of Jesus is unique and its joy is deeper than any temporary consolation. The promises of the resurrection is deep and the joy that it brings last beyond a trip to Disney and it lasts beyond spring break and it lasts beyond Easter Sunday and it lasts beyond the best moment in your life. And how do we know that's true because Jesus ate fish. I, I know that sounds crazy. But it is this beautiful moment in history where Jesus says to us, all of this is real. Jesus is no fairy tale ghost. He has risen. He is no fairy tale ghost. He is risen. He has risen. Indeed.