Thursday, April 5, 2018
Luke 24:21 (NKJV) But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF EASTER
Don't set your sights too high! Don't count your chickens before they hatch! There are plenty of proverbs and clichés that try to protect us from disappointment. It's no wonder, there are many disappointments in this life. We have the highest of expectations and when things don't pan out for us we are, naturally, disappointed.
When it came to Jesus of Nazareth, the disciples had "placed all their eggs in one basket." They believed him to be the Messiah, the Promised Savior, which was good. Unfortunately, their expectations may have been colored by popular opinion and the expectation that the Messiah would be a political/military deliverer.
Well, none of that would happen now, they wistfully reminisced, Jesus was dead and so were their hopes. Still ... we were hoping ... but it just turned out to be another disappointment-- at least that's what they told the "clueless" stranger on the road to Emmaus.
We will be disappointed when we place our hopes in our dreams. We will be elated if we place our hopes in God's Promises related to us in His Word. The Emmaus Disciples were hoping that Jesus would measure up to their dreams. They would learn that Jesus had not failed and their hopes were not gone, because Jesus had lived and died to fulfill God's expectations, not man's. He came to complete God's plan, not ours.
Mighty Victor, reign forever, wear the crown so dearly won;
Never shall Thy people, never, cease to sing what Thou hast done.
Thou hast fought Thy people's foes; Thou hast healed Thy people's woes.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 209:4)
