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ENCORE

An encore in music concerts is this moment after the show in which the band leaves the stage, the audience chants for them to come back, and then they come back on to play a few more songs.

I'm sure its origins were 100% organic and entirely rare.

Now it's kind of just a mainstay of concerts.

However, when I was a kid - I didn't know this.

When I went to my first concert, the band played for about 90 minutes and then retreated. I thoroughly enjoyed the show but was disappointed they hadn't played my favorite and their biggest songs.

And then I heard the crowd erupt in chanting the name of the band.

I remember thinking I was a part of this magical moment but low-and-behold the band came running back on stage and they played their biggest hits.

There's something similar to this happening in Luke 24:21.

LUKE 24:21

Jesus has just been crucified.

However, three days later his tomb is found empty and he openly (yet discreetly) begins walking beside two of his disciples.

The text says they're downtrodden.

Their hopes are disappointed because Jesus had put on this great show (teachings and miracles), but they felt like it came up short:

"21 ...we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."

Simplified, redeemed means to restore and put everything in a good, proper, right, prosperous place - life as God meant for it to be.

REDEEM _________

The disciples were waiting for the redemption of Israel.

Today many of us are waiting for the redemption of ________ (fill in the blank):

  • Our marriages
  • Our relationship with our parents/kids
  • Our singleness
  • Our finances
  • Our health
  • The list could go on

Everybody will admit that not all is as it should be, and that's why Resurrection is wonderful.

It reminds us that the work of Christ to redeem has simultaneously started, is continuing, and is also finished. We're just somewhere on the spectrum.

So if you are downtrodden - stay hopeful, because hope does not disappoint.

Resurrection reminds us that redemption is at hand.