The Road to Emmaus: On the Road from Disappointment to Hope (Luke 24:13-35)

“O Lord my God, when the storm is loud, and the night is dark, and the soul is sad, and the heart oppressed; then, as a weary traveler, may I look to you; and beholding the light of your love, may it bear me on, until I learn to sing your song in the night. Amen.” From Little Book of Prayers by George Dawson.

Job 13:15a "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him." (NASU)

Luke 24:21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened." (NASU)

The Emmaus Road story is a story of shattering and restoration, or disappointment and hope. Anyone who has ever been shattered can find themselves in this story. Anyone who has ever experienced restoration can find themselves in this story as well. And those who find themselves in that in between place, between shattering and restoration, then this story is for them as well. I call my version “on the road from disappointment to hope.” On the road from disappointment to hope we have to remember that we are on a journey. It is not a short road, but neither is it an easy one. There will be an end, but we must walk the road first. 

Sometimes in the midst of the trials and burdens of life, we lose sight of our anchor. We feel tossed and thrown as on a wild and restless sea. Our emotions tell us that things will never be good, all will be despair and loss. Our hope seems shipwrecked, our desire to go on in life sinks into depression. We see nothing good, only evil all around us. Our enemies (both physical and spiritual) seem to have the upper hand, they seem to be winning the day. Things are just not working out the way we expected! The victory we felt sure would come has not yet manifested itself, and we feel ourselves sinking ever deeper into a pit in which we cannot get the proper traction to climb. The clock is ticking down, our hope is gone, our day is over, and Christ has not come.

Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24, we had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would rescue us. We had fervently prayed that maybe, just maybe, today would be the day when we would “live happily ever after” and find our dreams coming true. We shake our heads and go out for a walk. Maybe some fresh air and a quick walk will clear out the cob webs in our minds (Luke 24:13-15). Still, the topic of our recent failure hangs like a cloud over our heads, raining down doubt and fear.

Leaving Jerusalem represents leaving behind dreams and expectations. Jerusalem was a place of pain, sorrow, and loss; a place of death, unmet expectations, and disappointment. It’s a place where our lives were shattered —these travelers on the road to Emmaus were disappointed due to events in Jerusalem, so they headed home. Home, where hopes and dreams are first discovered. Home! Where we could get some R&R away from the issues of Jerusalem. Our travelers left the city of “peace” (Jerusalem) to go find some rest or some hope. They left Jerusalem and headed to Emmaus.

They chat quietly together, commiserating a bit in their sorrow, in their recent loss. They try to remember all the "good reasons" they came to this time--like the first time they heard the story of Jesus, or the first time they met him, or even when they experienced firsthand some of his mighty works. Still, sorrow clings to their souls like a wet coat in a sudden thunderstorm. They can't get rid of the sense of sadness, it drenches them and sticks to them. They wonder why they even brought the subject up and continue to make the journey in silence. Maybe time alone with our thoughts will help.

Suddenly, a stranger approaches (Luke 24:16-24). He seems rather ignorant of their experiences, and besides that he has a fairly sunny disposition. He is definitely someone they want to avoid at this moment. No pie in the sky false hope will satisfy. They fear that he will say something like, “Cheer up! Keep a stiff upper lip! Things will work out in the end!” They try to avoid the stranger, yet he resolutely comes their  direction. He seems determined to interrupt their brooding, despair, and disappointment. He is on a mission, and they seem to be his primary targets. Maybe they try to ignore him, but then he speaks.

“So, what’s going on? Why the sad face?” he inquires. Out of pure human kindness they try to explain their pain and disappointment in as brief a manner as possible. They do not want to burden strangers with their “little” disappointments, after all. Have you ever noticed that some of the saddest words in our language begin with the letter “d”? For example, disappointment, disillusionment, defeat, death. The words of Cleopas and his companion to Jesus on the way to Emmaus represent some of these. Although they had left the demoralized and confused group of disciples, the events of Jesus’ crucifixion were still fresh in their memories. They left their disappointed community and continued walking in disappointment. We can understand their confusion, can’t we?

On the road from disappointment to hope we will find some of our expectations sometimes do not pan out as we expected. We may find ourselves disappointed, and we may long to return to another place where we felt safe. In our story Cleopas and his traveling companion chose Emmaus. Their entire world had come apart. They were discussing their situation (misery loves company, no?), and Jesus joins them in their walk and talk. We find out that they didn’t recognize Jesus or that they were prevented from recognizing him. God is often there when we aren’t even aware. Sometimes he sneaks in on our journey and joins our conversation, but he doesn’t always warn us in advance (Hebrews 13—show hospitality to strangers, you may entertain angels unawares).

The unrecognized Messiah asks them about their “dispute” or conversation. It must have been a lively conversation they were having. Perhaps they were trying to convince each other on the truth of their view? We may never know. They were discussing what had happened to Jesus and such, and they were none too happy about it. Jesus asks them the topic of their conversation, and with surprise they ask him if he’d been hiding under a rock the last few days (which, in reality, he kind of had been . . . let the hearer hear).

They are confused companions now confronted with a the mysterious stranger—“Are you a stranger?” they inquire.  Yet he knew better than anyone the experiences of the past few weeks! Perhaps they had entertained a view of Messiah that included a militant and forceful triumph of their enemies. They say, “But we had hoped!” They outlined for Jesus the recent events that happened to him. Their dreams were destroyed when Jesus died, and the report from the women didn’t really help much. The reports that Christ’s tomb was empty had only confused the disciples more. Their entire world had come apart. They were concerned, maybe even a little afraid. So they were headed home to the comfort of Emmaus (which may mean “hot baths”) to get over their bad experiences and hopeless feeling.

Human hope can be fragile, and when it withers it’s difficult to revive. Have you ever experienced such hopelessness? There was no way out… no matter what was tried… there was nothing anyone could do to change the situation…“The cancer has spread too far.” “My spouse has left me for another partner.” “I feel so stuck in my job.” “I’ve given up. Nothing will ever change with the church.” Hopelessness is hard to cure. 

And so, in our heart-break, like the Emmaus disciples, we may put up a wall of hopelessness around us, and we become trapped in our misery. "We had hoped . . . "  “We had hoped…” Hope seems to be gone, and our expectations have dwindled to little or nothing. Before there were sky high dreams of what God would do, now they are replaced by disappointment. We head home to Emmaus, to a place where we might find comfort. But will it work?

On the road from disappointment to hope we often find ourselves befriending two kinds of people—people who agree with us about how bad things are, and people who can see through the fog and explain how things really are. These two men are leaving disappointment and heading home to comfort and hopefully some hope. Emmaus represents hope/home. They are going “home”, but they are bringing a visitor with them. 

Heading towards Emmaus represents a restoration of hope or an attempt to return “home” to comfort, but the results aren’t always what we expect—on the road from disappointment to hope we often find ourselves instructed by Jesus himself, but we may not be aware of it. We may entertain strangers who are God sent messengers to encourage us, but we may not see it at first. (Luke 24:25-29)

The stranger hears their story and stands tall. Looking at them he says boldly, “Foolish ones, slow of heart to believe what God has said!” The force of his accusation no doubt caught them off guard. How dare this stranger tell them that? How dare he interject his thoughts into their moment of pain, their sorrow? Just who does he think he is to interrupt their musings with his “pollyanna” announcement? Maybe they even looked at him with disdain and wondered that he likely has nothing of real value to offer.

Then, he begins to speak again. Starting with the beginning of their story and bringing them pretty much up to date he tells us things they knew but somehow in anguish had forgotten. As he speaks, their hearts get a bit lighter. They can literally feel a burning inside that slowly (painfully slowly) begins to purify their thoughts and hearts. His words seem to dry the wet sorrow drenching them. Like sunshine after a thunderstorm, they begin to feel a bit of relief. Spring may yet come!

Jesus joins them. Jesus often joins us on our journey from disappointment to hope… he spends time with us… sometimes as an unrecognized stranger… Jesus enters our pain, and allows us to share our story of disappointment. The Emmaus travelers tell the stranger what they thought the man of Galilee was all about, but Jesus unpacks for them the full mystery of God’s plan of salvation. He fills their broken hearts with a lesson in faith and hope. He begins with the idea of suffering.

The necessity of suffering: that’s the one thing the travelers hadn’t factored in…Like many of us, the disciples may have expected a Messiah who would rule with power and crush our enemies and establish God’s Kingdom once and for all (hopefully with us in charge with him!). They could not conceive of a suffering Messiah who would die on a cross. That was not an option!

The needed Scriptures: Jesus opened the scriptures to them and He wants to do the same for us. Our role is to be a learner. We are to listen to His voice above all others. What did Jesus share? The OT story about Messiah and his sufferings seems likely. We don’t know the particulars, but we are made aware that when we are disappointed we need to return to what God has said. Maybe Jesus shared with them Psalm 22, Isaiah 53:4-6?

The neighborly invite: It was too dangerous to travel at night, so they invite the stranger to stay with them and have a meal. Jesus obliged, but he won’t stay long as we will see. Sometimes Jesus consents to stay with us, but we can’t expect to be able to dictate terms to him about his time. He will come in if invited, but we are not his bosses. He is Lord, and in our next section we will see that he plays the role of host in the meal. Jesus determines how he will interact with us, we do not get to tell him how that will be.

As he prays, they realize his true identity. He is Jesus, their Lord, the one who was beaten brutally, was painfully crucified, who died with the full weight of sin upon his broken and bruised body. He has been there all along, listening to them, sympathizing (or is it empathizing?) with their pain and anguish. He has been waiting to comfort them with his presence. He loves in this way, even when he seems silent.

They beg him to stay. Oh, the situations of our life haven’t changed dramatically. They still have problems, and those problems seem just as depressing and burdensome as before. The difference is that they have Jesus in the house, and the light of his love gives courage to press on, he becomes an anchor for our souls. Why? Simply stated—“Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through him and his love we may not have better situations or circumstances, but we can still be “more than conquerors through him who loved us” in the trials we share as his joint heirs. How? Talk to him. Let him talk. Trust his character. He is faithful even when we are faithless. We genuinely matter to him. He says, "Keep pressing on, I have not forsaken you. I love you."

On the road from disappointment to hope we sometimes find ourselves entertaining God as a stranger, and his presence may speak to us in ways that help us hope again. We may (like the Emmaus road travelers) even find ourselves moved by God to return to Jerusalem (the place of disappointment)—to go back to our faith community and give a testimony to the Lord’s goodness (the man with the legion of demons, the lepers healed, etc.). They return to Jerusalem, but we get ahead of ourselves. There is a meal, a revelation, and a restoration in verses 30-35. This leads to a return to Jerusalem.

As we walk our soggy paths of life, we should pause and wait for the Lord. Let him catch up to us in our musings. Listen to his words (even the ones that gently rebuke). Get in his presence, let him pray for us  and with us. Let his words and actions encourage and empower. Remember, he walks with us whether we acknowledge him or not. 

Their return to Jerusalem shows a restoration of hope and passion—on the road from disappointment to hope we may find ourselves unexpectedly hosting the Lord in our midst (Luke 24:30-35). He may set our hearts on fire, and we may find our passion renewed. The key is listening to God’s Word—Jesus and Scripture.

Broken bread and opened eyes: Jesus broke the bread, and they recognized him (did they see his nail scarred hands for the first time on this trip?). Jesus wasn’t just giving them bread, he was giving them back themselves. This was their restoration. When Jesus broke the bread something in them broke open. With that breaking open their lives were being put back together. Despite how it feels, brokenness is not an ending and neither is disappointment. There is more to it than we often see or know. It is not just brokenness or shattering, it is a breaking open to new life, to new way of seeing, to new recognition, to community, welcome, hospitality, and love.

But Jesus doesn’t stay long. Don’t we understand that? Jesus often shows up in the hard times or in the good times, but he never seems to stay as long as we’d like. Like the mount of transfiguration, we want to camp there. Jesus has to move on.

Burning hearts and renewed passion: Finally recognizing that this stranger is the risen Jesus they travel back to Jerusalem in a hurry. If they were meandering and taking their time to get to Emmaus, now they are in a hurry. They return to Jerusalem with their hope and passion renewed. Hope has a powerful effect on us. It transforms ordinary people, like the Emmaus Disciples… like us… into passionate witnesses of the risen Lord!

To move from disappointment to hope, we must first find ourselves in the presence of Jesus. We need to slow down, to take time to listen to him and his instruction. We need to be receptive of the ways he brings instruction to hope into our lives.

Jesus is with us (even if we don’t always see him).

God will fulfill his plan for us, so we need to saturate ourselves with His Word and promises.

We need community—both as a place to share the testimony of hope God has given us, but also as a place to share our disappointments when expectations are not realized. We need each other.

This week, spend time reading from the letter of James. Ask God for direction on what community looks like and how we can be better at being God’s people. Also, spend time in Jesus’ presence and in the company of other believers. Don’t leave Jerusalem and head home to Emmaus, put down roots with others and find hope in what Jesus is doing.

Spend time with other believers, but instead of rehearsing all that has gone wrong find time to discuss the amazing things God has done. Make it a point to follow Jesus’ example in looking at God’s promises instead of spending time debating how bad things may be. Share time, be there for each other.

No, the church is not a perfect gathering of people, but we are on a journey with God. Jesus is our companion even when we can’t see him, and we have each other as well. May we all find ourselves on the road from disappointment to hope with Jesus as our traveling companion!

Thanks for reading!

Musings about Light and Darkness and the Importance of Pressing On

Sometimes I find myself thinking: "I failed, I blew it, I just never get it right . . ." sometimes it seems like I can't get it right even if I try. It is a recurring and almost living nightmare. Yes, it hurts to let others down, and nobody wants to feel like a failure. Here's some truth I'm trying to learn: The shadow proves the sunshine. The shadow is evidence of light shining, and that is true for each of us. Life doesn't always go the way we hope, and sometimes we get the distinct impression it is all our fault. I don't have magic words to fix the problem, but I am aware that there is a Light. We need to move from darkness to Light, but sometimes it is hard. Know this, you are not alone here, and the shadow being cast points to the existence of that Light. Head towards the Light, let him be your guide and help. Take it in your stride . . . further up and further in.

Or maybe we think: "Sometimes I feel invincible, but sometimes I feel invisible." Take this as a word of encouragement. You are known and noticed. I know people don't say it often enough, and I know it isn't always obvious. Nonetheless, we see you. You feel invisible, but your presence often encourages the rest of us. We see how you handle hard times, we see how you care for others, and we see your struggle complete with victories and sometimes defeat. Nonetheless, we see you. We see you get up again, and we derive hope. "If that person can do it, so can I" we think in our sometimes overstimulated and worn out minds. Your willingness to get up, to continue, to "fight the good fight" causes courage and hope to rise up in many of us. And we are grateful. You are not invisible, but you are a hero to many of us.

As we press on to the Light, may we find encouragement in the fact that Jesus is the pioneer of our faith, he is the one paving our way forward. Yes, times may be hard and darkness may seem to win, but the Truth will win in the end. Please remember this--obedience to Jesus is success. Your obedience even in the hard times is a blessing to others. Thank you, and keep moving forward. Head to the Light, Jesus is there and you'll find your rest with him one day. Mourning last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Let's keep moving forward to joy and rest. 

Thanks for reading! 

Advent 2018: Are We Ready for Hope? Reasons for Hope in Troubling Times

Three weeks ago I had the privilege of preaching on the first Sunday of Advent at Clover Baptist Church in Clover, VA. You may find the notes for my sermon below. Merry Christmas! 

Are we ready for Hope? Reasons for Hope in Troubling Times: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36

Introduction: 

Today marks the first Sunday in the Advent season. For those churches who celebrate by following a liturgical calendar, the first Sunday of Advent is a time for lighting the first candle on the Advent wreath and discussing the idea of Hope. The concept of Advent as a season is established on the idea of expectation and preparation for the celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the Incarnation of God in flesh—that is, the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem. In the West we celebrate this day as December 25, Christmas day. Our American culture is skilled at anticipating Christmas. In fact, some may say we enter into a bit of overkill in that “anticipation”! We so engorge ourselves on Christmas spirit that we are bloated with the stress of the season, and nearly sick of Christmas music by the time the twelve days of Christmas actually arrive. Part of that is because this first “coming” of Jesus has already come, and we have attached a date to it. We know when to expect it, so we build up anticipation as we count down the days (maybe even the hours) until the event happens.

It was not always so. The first of our two texts (from Jeremiah) represents a time prior to this blessed first coming. The prophet Jeremiah had been imprisoned (33:1). The armies of Babylon, were advancing on Jerusalem. The streets of Jerusalem would soon be filled with the corpses of her people (33:4-5). Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment that put him in prison were coming true. For nearly 400 years, descendants of David had occupied the throne of Judah. God promised David's house and kingdom would endure before Him forever (2 Samuel 7:16). But soon the Babylonians would destroy David's city, burn Solomon's temple, and take David's heirs into exile. It was a time of trouble and distress, but not one without some hope. In the midst of catastrophe, Jeremiah spoke words of hope. He spoke of a restoration, which included the line of David. To a people soon to be devastated by loss, Jeremiah's prophecy offered promise, an anticipation of the hope of rescue. God was still faithful. The house of David might be cut down, but God can bring life out of death. A branch would sprout. God would send the Messiah. (READ Jeremiah 33:14-16)

The time of Jeremiah isn’t really unfamiliar to us. Although we get ready to celebrate the first coming of Messiah prophesied by Jeremiah, we also face times of trouble. Our world is not always a safe place. In fact, if you read the news it seems to get worse every day. In the spirit of those “end” times or troubled times, our second passage resounds like a thunderclap. In the middle of bows, ribbons, lights, cheery Christmas music, and the ongoing reminder that God sent his Son and became one of us, we also find ourselves in trouble or trials, a little distressed, feeling a bit like things are quickly falling apart. In Luke's Gospel, we find words from Jesus that we may pair up with the words of Jeremiah. Rather than speaking of a coming Messiah, a babe in a manger, or a “holy night” in which angles sing and shepherds and wise men rejoice, Jesus speaks of a time of shaking and judgment. This is an apocalyptic second coming of Messiah that will resound with God’s justice and holiness. When Messiah returns a second time, things will be a bit different. (Read Luke 21:25-36)

Both of these passages are delivered in a context of troubled times (current for the Jews in Jeremiah’s day and somewhat more distant for the recipients of Jesus’ words). Yet both passages also remind us that there is “hope”. That in this season of Advent (first or second), we can find reason for hope in spite of the trouble. Are we ready for hope?

Our passages today point us to three reasons for hope: 1) God’s timing is right, 2) God’s Word is reliable, and 3) God will rescue his people. If you are ready for some hope in troubled times, then let’s take a closer look at these.

Are we ready for hope? Hope can be found in reliance on God’s timing.

Point 1—God’s Time is Right: Days are coming (Jer)/there will be signs (Luke)

"But when the completion of the time came, God sent His Son, . . ." - Galatians 4:4 (HCSB)

"Jesus’ arrival during the Roman Empire’s Pax Romana (the peace of Rome) was perfect timing. The known world was united by one language of commerce. A network of global trade routes provided open access to the whole world. All of this guaranteed that the gospel could move rapidly in one tongue. No visas. No impenetrable borders. Only unhindered access to help spread the news of the Savior whose crucifixion fulfilled the prophecy of the Lamb who would be slain for our sins. All in God’s perfect timing!" - Joe Stowell (President of Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Michigan)

"All history is in God's hand. He knows the best season for sending help to His church and new light to the world. Let us not be anxious about the course of events around us, as if we knew better than the King of kings what time relief should come." J. C. Ryle

If we think God has forgotten us, we need to think again. When the time is right, He’ll show up, and when He does, we’ll be amazed at His timing!

When the Jews faced exile in Babylon, God sent Jeremiah to prophesy not only doom and gloom, but also to speak of a future and a hope. In the time of Jesus, God fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah to send a branch. In the future, he will send this Son to establish an eternal kingdom based on the promise to David that seemed to end so long ago. In other words, the times are in his hands. What are we waiting for to which we think God is late in responding? Where are we thinking God is “missing the mark” in our lives? If his timing was right in all these things, why do we think he will be late now? Where is our hope?

Are we ready for hope? Hope comes from trusting God’s timing. God is on time and reliable. Hope also comes from a realization that God’s Word is reliable. He does what he says he will do! Are we ready for hope?

Point 2—God’s Word is Reliable: Fulfill the good word (Jer)/none of his words will pass away (Luke)

These verses remind us that God had not forgotten His promise or His people.

"The Bible is full of God’s promises to provide for us spiritually and materially, to never forsake us, to give us peace in times of difficult circumstances, to cause all circumstances to work together for our good, and finally to bring us safely home to glory. Not one of those promises is dependent upon our performance. They are all dependent on the grace of God given to us through Jesus Christ." - Jerry Bridges

Adoniram Judson: "The future is as bright as the promises of God."

The passages from Jeremiah and Luke represent a promise and a proclamation of what will last forever: Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s words and promises will never pass away. These are the words of Messiah Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God.  Even though the world may be cast into oblivion, the word of God remains. Jesus not only says what God wants us to hear, Jesus’ very life is the revelation and expression of what we need to know about God (John 1:18). Jesus explains God (and his plan) by both his Words and his life. Where is our hope placed? Do we rely on what God has said, or are we confused and conflicted by the terrifying “signs of the times” that take our minds off of jingling bells and Christmas wreaths and cause us to worry that things are going horribly wrong?

Are we ready for hope? Hope is found in trusting what God has said, but it also recognizes that God isn’t finished yet. If God’s Word is reliable, then we can count on the fact that God will rescue those who trust him. Are we ready for hope?

Point 3—God will Rescue his people: Justice and Righteousness (Jeremiah)/redemption draws near (Luke)

God will fulfill his Word, he will keep his promise. One part of that promise is rescue for those who trust in him. God will provide justice, righteousness, and redemption for all those who welcome the first coming of Jesus and look forward to his second coming!

What does it mean to live in hope and expectation?  It means we build ourselves up with hopes of what can be in the redemption promised in Jesus.  It involves making preparations and plans.  It involves living in particular ways so that we find ourselves prepared for what will happen when Messiah returns.

Christians should be a people yearning to keep hope alive, to see beyond what we see, to perceive something higher, and deeper and richer than what we can merely observe with our eyes. We are called as beloved children of God to push beyond just what we can see, into the things for which what we can hope. Paul reminds us, “Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:24-25)

The hope that we are to have as Christians pushes us into some apparent yet wonderful absurdities—like the idea that God became one of us, he became a helpless baby. God became one of us and took on our sin and suffering. God even died for our sins, but then he got up out of the grave.

Christians who look at Jesus in the manger and say “Yes, that is what God looks like,” or gaze at Jesus hanging on the cross and declare, “There is God too,” may seem simply absurd, but at least our faith encompasses birth and death, life and suffering, and declares that none of it is outside of God.

Everyone in the human race wants a life that is fulfilling, a life that is full of purpose and complete. In Jeremiah’s time, the people were using the promise of the Davidic dynasty as an excuse to pursue what they wanted by looking everywhere but to God. Today we use technology or prosperity or even trouble as an excuse to look for fulfillment in things that do not honor our Creator. But that which we want will never be ours until we recognize that we need a right relationship with our creator that has been provided through the sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus. That is our rescue; that is our hope!

Christian hope is standing right in the middle of life, the middle of the signs of the end of the times, and raising our heads because even in the middle of it all we get a sense that our redemption, our rescue is drawing near. That is a powerful image—in the midst of the chaos, standing on our tiptoes to catch a glimpse of what is promised beyond what we can see.  In the midst of the madness leaning towards redemption, towards rescue, moving toward hope like the sun flower moves towards the sun as it travels across the sky. Our hope is in God’s ability to keep his promises in his time.

Are we ready for hope? Are we recognizing that God’s timing is right, his Word is reliable, and his rescue is sure? Are we ready for hope?

It is interesting to discover that for the Jews in the pre-Christian era hope in the coming of the Messiah—the one who was to restore the fortunes of Israel—was dependent on God, but also place a requirement his people to act, to respond to his promise. God required, even demanded, human action. God's promised people were not to wait passively for God to bring justice to the widow and the orphan, they were to make sure that the widow and the orphan were taken care of in real time.

As we prepare our hearts to welcome the incarnate Word, the new born babe in Bethlehem . . . as we get ready to celebrate the birth of Salvation and Hope . . . are we also preparing ourselves for his second coming? Are we anticipating his second advent with the same expectation and hope as we celebrate the first? Are we ready for hope to appear in the sky? Are we working with God to act as his agents until he returns?

Conclusion: How should we respond to these things?

Rely on God--trust him for our rescue, for our redemption, for our salvation

Respond with obedience—we should imitate Jesus, be the hands and feet of God

Find our hope in God’s right timing, God’s reliable Word, and God’s rescue.

Thanks for reading! 

The Long Winding Road to Emmaus: A Twice Told Tale

“O Lord my God, when the storm is loud, and the night is dark, and the soul is sad, and the heart oppressed; then, as a weary traveler, may I look to you; and beholding the light of your love, may it bear me on, until I learn to sing your song in the night. Amen.” From Little Book of Prayers by George Dawson.

Job 13:15a "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him." (NASU)

Luke 24:21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened." (NASU)

Sometimes in the midst of the trials and burdens of life, we lose sight of our anchor. We feel tossed and thrown as on a wild and restless sea. Our emotions tell us that things will never be good, all will be despair and loss. Our hope seems shipwrecked, our desire to go on in life sinks into depression. We see nothing good, only evil all around us. Our enemies (both physical and spiritual) seem to have the upper hand, they seem to be winning the day. Things are just not working out the way we expected! The victory we felt sure would come has not yet manifested itself, and we feel ourselves sinking ever deeper into a pit in which we cannot get the proper traction to climb. The clock is ticking down, our hope is gone, our day is over, and Christ has not come.

Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24, we had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would rescue us. We had fervently prayed that maybe, just maybe, today would be the day when we would “live happily ever after” and find our dreams coming true. We shake our heads and go out for a walk. Maybe some fresh air and a quick walk will clear out the cob webs in our minds. Still, the topic of our recent failure hangs like a cloud over our heads, raining down doubt and fear.

We chat quietly together, commiserating a bit in our sorrow, in our recent loss. We try to remember all the "good reasons" we came to this time--like the first time we heard the story of Jesus, or the first time we met him, or even when we experienced firsthand some of his mighty works. Still, sorrow clings to our soul like a wet coat in a sudden thunderstorm. We can't get rid of the sense of sadness, it is drenched on us and sticks to our bodies. We wonder why we even brought the subject up and continue to make our journey in silence. Maybe time alone with our thoughts will help.

Suddenly, a stranger approaches. He seems rather ignorant of our experiences, and besides that he has a fairly sunny disposition. He is definitely someone we want to avoid at this moment. No pie in the sky false hope will satisfy us. We fear that he will say something like, “Cheer up! Keep a stiff upper lip! Things will work out in the end!” We try to avoid the stranger, yet he resolutely comes our direction. He seems determined to interrupt our brooding, our despair. He is on a mission, and we seem to be his primary targets. We try to ignore him, but then he speaks.

“So, what’s going on? Why the sad face?” he inquires. Out of pure human kindness we try to explain our pain in as brief a manner as possible. We do not want to burden strangers with our “little” concerns, after all. The stranger hears our story and stands tall. Looking at us he says boldly, “Foolish ones, slow of heart to believe what God has said!”

The force of his accusation causes us to stumble in our walk. How dare this stranger tell us our business? How dare he interject his thoughts into our moment of pain, our sorrow? Just who does he think he is to interrupt our musings with his “pollyanna” announcement? We look at him with disdain and think that he likely has nothing of real value to offer.

Then, he begins to speak to us again. Starting with the beginning of our story and bringing us pretty much up to date he tells us things we knew but somehow in our anguish had forgotten. As he speaks, our hearts get a bit lighter. We can literally feel a burning inside that slowly (painfully slowly) begins to purify our thoughts and hearts. His words seem to dry the wet sorrow drenching us. Like sunshine after a thunderstorm, we begin to feel a bit of relief. Spring may yet come! We even feel encouraged (a little at least) .

We invite the stranger to eat with us, and he offers to say grace. As he prays, we realize his true identity. He is Jesus, our Lord, the one who was beaten brutally, was painfully crucified, who died with the full weight of our sin upon his broken and bruised body. He has been there all along, listening to us, sympathizing (or is it empathizing?) with our pain and anguish. He has been waiting to comfort us with his presence. He loves us in this way, even when he seems silent.

We beg him to stay. Oh, the situations of our life haven’t changed dramatically. We still have problems, and those problems seem just as depressing and burdensome as before. The difference is that we have Jesus in the house, and the light of his love gives us courage to press on, he becomes an anchor for our souls. Why? Simply stated—“Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through him and his love we may not have better situations or circumstances, but we can still be “more than conquerors through him who loved us” in the trials we share as his joint heirs. How? Talk to him. Let him talk. Trust his character. He is faithful even when we are faithless. We genuinely matter to him.

He longs to say to you "Keep pressing on, I have not forsaken you. I love you."

As we walk our soggy paths of life, we should pause and wait for the Lord. Let him catch up to us in our musings. Listen to his words (even the ones that gently rebuke). Get in his presence, let him pray for us  and with us. Let his words and actions encourage and empower. Remember, he walks with us whether we acknowledge him or not. Why not sit in his presence for a minute and acknowledge his concern for us?

Thanks for reading!

Advent 2017: The Hope of Messiah's Coming

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, the time when Christians the world over begin the celebration of the Incarnation, when God became human and made his dwelling among us in the form of Jesus, the Messiah. The first Sunday of Advent is typically dedicated to the idea of "hope", and the focus is on the expectation of the completion of the rescue of humanity from sin and death. The focus is also placed upon the return of Jesus to complete the work of salvation by rescuing those who trust in him.

The expectation that God would intervene, even invade this earth, to provide a means of humanity being properly related to him finds expression in the Jewish hope for a Messiah and in the Christian belief that Jesus is that Messiah who has come and will one day soon return. Jesus' sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection are the means by which this rescue is effected for us in the present time, but the completion of the rescue will not be complete until Jesus returns to establish God's reign as intended from the beginning.

Some of the passages associated with this first Sunday of Advent include Isaiah 63:19-64:5 and 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. Here they are from the HCSB translation:

Isaiah 63:19 We have become like those You never ruled over, like those not called by Your name. 64:1 If only You would tear the heavens open and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence--2 as fire kindles the brushwood, and fire causes water to boil--to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that nations will tremble at Your presence! 3 When You did awesome deeds that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains quaked at Your presence. 4 From ancient times no one has heard, no one has listened, no eye has seen any God except You, who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him. 5 You welcome the one who joyfully does what is right; they remember You in Your ways. But we have sinned, and You were angry; we will remain in Your ways and be saved.  

 1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God for you because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that by Him you were made rich in everything--in all speaking and all knowledge--6 as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Both of these passages remind us that God's invasion into creation in the form of the Incarnation not only began the rescue so desperately needed and expected, it also provided the means by which humanity could live in the manner God intended them. Some might call that the "magic" of Christmas or "the Christmas Spirit". Paul speaks of this in the Corinthian passage above as God's provision of spiritual gifts from Christ himself to aid us in accomplishing the present work here on earth as we await the return of Jesus to finish the rescue.

God invaded in the past as a babe, but he will return in a more dynamic way. This is what we celebrate in this season of Advent. The promise of Messiah's advent, the coming of God's Messiah to rescue humanity from sin, from darkness, and from oppression. The first coming set the standard as Jesus lived the life God desires of us all and then sent his Spirit to empower us to live as God intends. The second coming will set into concrete the kingdom way of life that God has for his people. The ideal will be realized in the future, but in the time between then and now God provides for us all that we need for life in his way.

That provision is revealed to us in that Child who was born to die and to rise and to redeem, and by these acts Jesus creates a kind of opportunity for humanity to imitate his humble service and sacrifice in everyday life until he returns again. The very atmosphere at Christmas can sometimes seem charged with the energy of Christ; an energy that helps humans act in ways that God intended. 

As we embrace the idea of God becoming human, as we recognize the humility of Jesus (who being God chose to humble himself to serve us all to the point of death), we find in these actions a pattern for life. We find that humility and service is our proper end, and we also find that as we serve others we introduce the possibility of "hope" for all humanity. In fact, sometimes the very spirit of Christmas can cause people to act better and with more grace. It reminds me of a poem by Edgar A. Guest. 

As we remember the promise of Jesus' return, we are hopefully incited to live in a way that he will find acceptable when he comes to establish his rule. In other words, the "Christmas Spirit" should become the everyday life of the follower of Christ who looks back to Jesus' sacrifice and forward to his return/reign. What does that life look like?

In the poem below Guest elaborates on how a person responds to the "Christmas Spirit" and how it can cause a change in a person's life.  The poem puts into my mind the image of a repentant Scrooge, fresh off his encounters with the ghost of Christmas, now engaging faithfully to live a less self-focused life.

I know that times have changed, and I realize that people do not always have "Christmas cheer" at this time of year.  Nonetheless, my prayer for all of us is that we become the people God intended us to be, especially now as we celebrate the Advents of our Lord Jesus.  May we live in such a way as to create "hope" in others. May our humble service lead to changed lives and a more hopeful future. May the Hope of Advent cause you to emulate the life of Jesus. I hope this poem blesses you!

Thanks for reading!

At Christmas by Edgar Albert Guest

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

Advent 2016: The Hope of Christmas

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, the time when Christians the world over begin the celebration of the Incarnation, when God became human and made his dwelling among us in the form of Jesus, the Messiah. The first Sunday of Advent is typically dedicated to the idea of "hope", and the focus is on the expectation of the completion of the rescue of humanity from sin and death. Jesus' sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection are the means by which this rescue is effected for us, but it all began with the expectation and hope of a Redeemer, a Messiah who would come to the aid of God's people.

Some of the passages associated with this first Sunday of Advent include Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14. Here they are from the HCSB translation:

Isaiah 2:1-5 "The vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the LORD's house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. All nations will stream to it, and many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so that we may walk in His paths.' For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will settle disputes among the nations and provide arbitration for many peoples. They will turn their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will never again train for war. House of Jacob, come and let us walk in the LORD's light." 

 Romans 13:11-14 "Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires."

Both of these passages remind us that God's invasion into his creation in the form of his Incarnation not only began the rescue so desperately needed and expected, it also provided the means by which humanity could live in the manner God intended them. Some might call that the "magic" of Christmas or "the Christmas Spirit". The idea is that this season of remembrance of that Child who was born to die and to rise and to redeem creates a kind of opportunity for humanity to imitate the humble service and sacrifice of Jesus in everyday life. The very atmosphere seems charged with the energy of Christ; an energy that helps humans act in ways that God intended. 

As we embrace the idea of God becoming human, as we recognize the humility of Jesus (who being God chose to humble himself to serve us all to the point of death), we find in these actions a pattern for life. We find that humility and service is our proper end, and we also find that as we serve others we introduce the possibility of "hope" for all humanity. In fact, sometimes the very spirit of Christmas can cause people to act better and with more grace. It reminds me of a poem by Edgar A. Guest. 

In the poem below Guest elaborates on how a person responds to the "Christmas spirit" and how it can cause a change in a person's life.  The poem puts into my mind the image of a reformed Scrooge, fresh off his encounters with the ghost of Christmas, now engaging faithfully to live a less self-focused life.

I know that times have changed, and I realize that people do not always have "Christmas cheer" at this time of year.  Nonetheless, my prayer for all of us is that we become the people God intended us to be, especially now as we celebrate the Advent of our Lord Jesus.  May we live in such a way as to create "hope" in others. May our humble service lead to changed lives and a more hopeful future. May the Hope of Advent cause you to emulate the life of Jesus. I hope this poem blesses you!

Thanks for reading!

At Christmas by Edgar Albert Guest

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

A Rough Week Touched by Hope

This week has been a bit of a blur. We've all been a bit overwhelmed by circumstances and news events, some of which are quite beyond our control. I haven't quite been sure how to put things into perspective lately. My heart hurts for friends in West (and for another friend in Tennessee), my mind swirls with a hundred possible scenarios to make that hurt go away, and yet I know that sometimes life just has pain. There was also tragedy of an evil kind in Boston, yet the end result of that one is a bit more positive.  The people who caused that horror have been captured or brought to justice. In the middle of these negative and sometimes overwhelming realities, I find that hope seems to come slowly like the sun at dawn. It peeks over the fog and the dark clouds of the night. It seems almost timid, not sure whether or not to make its presence known.  Eventually, the bright light pierces some part of the darkness. That little bit of light brightens the space, makes it seem lighter, more accessible.

Hope has been like that to me the past few days. By God's grace I see hope peeking into the dark times of life. The sun has not fully risen to its zenith, but there is a shaft of light shining into a dark place, making it livable and alive. In the midst of this darkness, I have taken solace in some music. One song that has encouraged me is "Take Me Away" by Sarah Kelly. It can be found on her album by the same name. Here are the lyrics:

no more weary teary eyes
just sunny skies
never have I felt so alone
my how I've grown
maybe that's the way it's supposed to be
as I'm walking down this street
maybe if it's just you and me
we'll never even miss a beat
maybe

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

captured by your love
I'm such a fool for you
the day you laid your hand upon my heart
tore my world apart
there's been so many times that I have prayed
to hear you speak my name
and though I've never seen you face to face
I search for you everyday

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

come what will and come what may
I know your love will remain
through the joy and through all the pain
I surrender and it makes me want to fly

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

I have this sense that God is there. He cares. I want to run away to him, to be in his lap for a few minutes. I want the ugliness of this fallen world to disappear, just for a minute. I want to experience the joy of life without any evil. I know that a day will come, a day unlike any other, a day when we can tread streets with no names and find what we are really looking for. That hope is what drives me today. I'm in a bit of sorrow over the recent events: bombings, explosions, friends facing hard times, friends in distress over sickness, etc.  I'm not depressed, really, just sad that the ugliness of this world causes the death of so many who are too young to die. Whether it is an 8 year old child or a 26 year old adult, death and tragedy all too often seems to invade our existence here in this fallen world.   

I guess we shouldn't be surprised, but then again neither should we despair.  God is beyond these tragedies, and he died for this fallen world.  His goal is redemption and renewal.  He is there. I turn to him, he is my hope. Without him, it just isn't worth the work, it isn't worth the effort, I'd just stay in bed.

Thanks to God for hope, thanks to God for his inexpressible gift! The sun will rise, life will continue, good will happen. Joy comes in the morning. I look forward to joy, and I pray for those who can't see it right now.  May they soon see the sun peeking out of the clouds of their tragedy to shine the light of God's great kindness into the darkness of their world. Father, soothe the heart burdened with grief, give comfort to those who have suffered loss, and show your great grace to those on the verge of giving up.  Lord, come quickly and make yourself known.  Bring the joy that only you can provide.  We need your light! 

Blessings, my friends, thank you for reading!