It is ironic how men who have been created can presume to know better than God. Having been given the ability to think and reason we can utilise this capacity to stand in judgment of the righteous Judge of all the earth. When Jesus told Peter (who believed Jesus was the promised Messiah) He would be arrested, crucified, and rise on the third day Peter rebuked Him. Had Jesus listened to Peter God's plan for eternal salvation of Jew and Gentile would have been undermined. Praise God He is not a man that He should lie or change, and we benefit beyond measure when we humble ourselves before God as Sovereign.
After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, two disciples sadly departed from Jerusalem. Though Jesus was alive and well they were disillusioned and shattered. Jesus joined the despondent travellers and began a conversation with them about the reason behind their sadness. They explained the things which occurred in Jerusalem in Luke 24:19-21: "...The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 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." These travellers were despondent because their expectations had been dashed, yet their ambitions were hopelessly short-sighted compared to what Jesus actually accomplished.
The questioning travellers on the road to Emmaus hoped or expected Jesus to redeem Israel, and perhaps they imagined it would be through military conquest. But the Kingdom of God is infinitely greater than a geographic location or a particular group of people for a season: Jesus had already paid the price to atone for the sins of the world and accomplish a miraculous victory and deliverance for all people who trust in Him. These disciples were grieved by the very means God intended to save them. How foolish their hopes were! How arbitrary and short sighted! They were robbed of the joy of the LORD and the expectation of salvation because their plans were not God's way. Jesus proclaimed in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus would redeem Israel and whosoever would trust in Him in His way and in His gracious time.
The next time your hopes are dashed and you are left wondering, expect God is working on something good beyond your wildest expectations. The hope of these travellers was in the wrong thing: they hoped for deliverance through Jesus rather than trusting in Jesus Himself come what may. Their hopes were pinned on their circumstances changing but Jesus did more than they could have dreamed in redeeming condemned souls from hell and providing eternal life. Three days had passed from the unspeakable tragedy of Christ's death, and Jesus graciously walked with them in spite of their confusion and doubts. Isn't God good to do exceedingly beyond what we can ask or think? Jesus Christ is more than we could ever hope for.
After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, two disciples sadly departed from Jerusalem. Though Jesus was alive and well they were disillusioned and shattered. Jesus joined the despondent travellers and began a conversation with them about the reason behind their sadness. They explained the things which occurred in Jerusalem in Luke 24:19-21: "...The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 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." These travellers were despondent because their expectations had been dashed, yet their ambitions were hopelessly short-sighted compared to what Jesus actually accomplished.
The questioning travellers on the road to Emmaus hoped or expected Jesus to redeem Israel, and perhaps they imagined it would be through military conquest. But the Kingdom of God is infinitely greater than a geographic location or a particular group of people for a season: Jesus had already paid the price to atone for the sins of the world and accomplish a miraculous victory and deliverance for all people who trust in Him. These disciples were grieved by the very means God intended to save them. How foolish their hopes were! How arbitrary and short sighted! They were robbed of the joy of the LORD and the expectation of salvation because their plans were not God's way. Jesus proclaimed in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus would redeem Israel and whosoever would trust in Him in His way and in His gracious time.
The next time your hopes are dashed and you are left wondering, expect God is working on something good beyond your wildest expectations. The hope of these travellers was in the wrong thing: they hoped for deliverance through Jesus rather than trusting in Jesus Himself come what may. Their hopes were pinned on their circumstances changing but Jesus did more than they could have dreamed in redeeming condemned souls from hell and providing eternal life. Three days had passed from the unspeakable tragedy of Christ's death, and Jesus graciously walked with them in spite of their confusion and doubts. Isn't God good to do exceedingly beyond what we can ask or think? Jesus Christ is more than we could ever hope for.
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