Sermon Notes:

Series: On the Road Again

May 10, 2026 "Time to Go!" 

By: Val Burgard


Consider this...


It is possible to know about Jesus without truly living empowered by Him.

The disciples had walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, witnessed miracles, and even seen the resurrection—yet they still found themselves waiting, uncertain, and unable to move forward in their own strength. It wasn’t until Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and promised them the power of the Holy Spirit that everything began to change.

The goal of Scripture was never just information. God’s Word is meant to become alive within us—shaping our hearts, transforming our thinking, and leading us into a life empowered by His presence. Jesus does not simply call us to believe the story; He invites us to live inside of it.

This week, consider where your faith may have become mostly intellectual. Where might Jesus be inviting you to stop striving in your own strength and begin living through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit?


  • Luke 24:36-43


    While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

  • Pause for five minutes each day and pray this simple prayer before reading Scripture:

    “Jesus, open my mind to understand Your Word, and fill my heart with Your Spirit.”

    Then slowly read a short passage from the Gospels and ask:

    • What does this show me about Jesus?
    • What is He inviting me to trust or live out today?

    Don’t rush. Let Scripture become conversation, not just information.

  • Have I been treating Scripture as something to know rather than a story meant to transform me?

  • Where am I trying to live the Christian life in my own strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit?

  • If Jesus has truly called me to be His witness, what step of obedience or courage might He be asking me to take right now?

What's Coming Next in "On the Road Again"

In the moments after Jesus’s death, His followers were living in a fog of confusion and despair. Two of them were walking away from Jerusalem—and from everything they had hoped for—when a stranger joined them on the road. They were so blinded by their grief that they didn’t recognize the resurrected Jesus walking right beside them.

But as this stranger explained the Scriptures, their hearts began to burn. In a moment of sacred fellowship, their eyes were opened, and they finally saw Him the unmistakable Jesus. Immediately, their despair turned into an urgency to go back and share the good news.

Yet, their journey was not over. In a locked room with the other disciples, Jesus appeared again, calming their fear and proving His reality by showing them His scars and sharing a meal. He opened their minds to truly understand the Scriptures and His purpose. He then gave them a divine mission and promised them the power of the Holy Spirit to complete it.

This series is a journey from confusion to clarity, from doubt to destiny. We will walk the road from despair to the radical hope of the Resurrection, discovering how Jesus, through His Word and His presence, reveals Himself to us. He is not just a historical figure; He is the living Lord who meets us in our doubts, opens our minds to His truth, and empowers us to be His witnesses in the world.


  • Join us for...

    Week 1: 4/12 "The Walk of Disappointment" 

    Luke 24:13-24 by Pastor Joel

    Week 2: 4/19 "Catch Up!" 

    Luke 24:25-27 by Pastor Joel

    Week 3: 4/26 "Stay WITH US" 

    Luke 24:28-35 by Pastor Justin

    Week 4: 5/3 "Peace be WITH YOU" 

    Luke 24:36-44 by Caroline Carpenter

    Week 5: 5/10 "Time to GO!" 

    Luke 24:45-49 by Val Burgard


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