Grace Notes 2026-05

I’m always captivated by the appearance of the Risen Christ to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on that very first Easter. It is recorded in the 24th chapter of Luke’s Gospel. And if you will recall, Jesus joined the two on their seven-mile walk, but the disciples were kept from recognizing that it was Jesus.

It was the end of the week-long celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem, and the two disciples were headed home that Sunday afternoon. They were discussing what had taken place on Friday, and as Jesus’ followers they were despondent and confused. Then Jesus, unbeknownst to them, joined them and asked what they were discussing. That’s when one of the two, Cleopas by name, answered him, saying, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? … Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.” It is what the two disciples said next that especially strikes me this month. “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Obviously, things had not gone down as they had hoped, as they had dreamed, as they had anticipated, and as what they thought was best. “But we had hoped!” Can’t we all identify? But we had hoped… Just fill in the blank. But we had hoped that there would be a healing. But we had hoped they would offer me the job. But we had hoped the attendance would be better. But we had hoped my plan would be adopted. But we had hoped the weather would cooperate. But we had hoped that the invitation would have been accepted. The list is endless. And all these hopes may have been things for which we had prayed earnestly. In the disciples case it was a matter of coming to terms with how Christ would redeem the world. It would be through the path of suffering and death, a path that Jesus’ disciples would also face. The redemption would not be this-worldly and would not be fully realized until Christ’s return at the end of the age. In our case, our “But we had hoped that…” comes down to none of us knowing the mind of the Lord and what He deems to be best for His purposes. Our concentration must be on two things: His promises and faithful obedience to what He commands. And we do well to find our joy just there, for the Risen Lord promises to be with us always, even to the end of this age.