Much of the shock and surprise of Jesus’ resurrection is loss on us now 2,000 years later. Many of us know what happened on Easter as we have been told this story many and many times from childhood. Jesus dies only to be raised from the grave on the third day–i.e. Easter.
But for the disciples, this was surprising.
And disappointing.
They were expecting a political Savior who would lead them out from under the thumb of the Romans. You can hear their disappointment as you listen to the disciples conversing with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus:
“….and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” – Luke 24:20-21a, NASB
I wonder if you can relate to the disappointment of these disciples.
How many times do we hold dreams or expectations not held by God for us? What dream or dreams of yours did you feel fall horrifically flat? How did God disappoint you?
I relate to these disciples. Up until the day my divorce was finalized, I was hoping and praying for a miracle. The fervent and desperate prayer emails went out with the waning hope that my, now ex, wife would relent. So, it was with some disbelief and shock when the papers came through that December day. It felt like my dreams and my hope in God doing a miracle had been murdered. So, yes, I can relate to those Emmaus road disciples.
But the story does not end there.
It does not end there for the Emmaus road disciples.
And it does not end there for me, either.
God has grander plans for His followers. Death opens the way for new life. What looked like the destruction of my hope to minister opened up to ministry with a testimony of power. What looked like the end of my hope to be a father opened up to a future with a little girl who is the apple of this father’s eye. What felt like the death of romance opened up to a new relationship with a woman who not only is beautiful but is fiercely loyal.
The resurrection was an unexpected twist in God’s redemptive story. This is how God operates–i.e. with unexpected plot twists. You may be in that place where dreams are murdered and hope is disappointed. But remember that the same God who brought us the unexpected resurrection of His Son is the same God who lives and works in our lives today.
He has done this for me.
And He can do it for you.
I server the God of the Unexpected Resurrection.
Amen.
That’s beautiful and I’m happy for the three of you. On my good days I believe that a new and better life awaits me someday. In the meantime I’m trying to be patient as I grow and learn to have faith in God.