Monday, April 1, 2013
Luke 24:18-21 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
DRAWN TO THE TEMPORARY
On the first Easter Sunday, two disciples of Jesus decided to make the seven mile trip from Jerusalem to a little town called Emmaus. Along the way a stranger joined them. At first they were prevented from recognizing Him, but the Bible tells us that the stranger was actually Jesus, risen from the dead.
As they walked, they talked about the terrible events that had just taken place in Jerusalem. The stranger surprised them when He asked them what they were talking about. They were astonished that this guy didn't know what had happened. After all, it had shaken up the whole city!
These disciples were sad because they had had such great expectations. They had seen Jesus perform miracles of healing, even raising a man named Lazarus from the dead! They had expected that soon Israel would be free from Caesar's rule for good. They thought that Jesus would redeem the Jewish people from the rule of Rome.
But the Savior sent from God had not failed. He had come to set the people free alright, but not from the temporary rule of an earthly government. He had come to set them free from their sins, and to give the gift of eternal communion with God to all who believe.
As human beings, our attention is often drawn to the temporary. What we ask God to do, or expect Him to do is frequently insignificant next to what He actually does. God exceeds our expectations.
