"Open Hearts"

SERMON SERIES:  “Opening the Way”
SERMON TITLE:                  “Open Hearts”
SERMON TEXT:     Luke 24:13-35
PREACHER:             Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:             April 8, 2018, at First UMC
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                An old television commercial showed two men sitting on a bench outside a store.  The men were eagerly talking about the great sale that was soon to take place inside, and how they could hardly wait until the store opened up.  But then they observed a woman walk up to the door and go right in.  “How’d she do that?” they wondered.  Then they looked up and saw a sign over their heads that said, “Open 24 hours.”  All that time they were outside waiting, they could have been inside taking advantage of the sale, because the store was always open.
                Last Sunday, I started a sermon series I’m calling “Opening the Way.”  The first sermon in the series was about “God’s Grand Opening” of the tomb on Easter morning, showing the women that God had raised Jesus from the dead, promoting faith in those early disciples, and opening up the way of faith to all kinds of people across the centuries ever since.  This morning, I’m continuing this “Opening the Way” series.  As we reflect on our scripture reading from Luke 24, let’s consider what it means to have “open hearts.”

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