On Easter Sunday some two thousand years ago, the disciples were depressed. They had seen their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ--their fearless leader--be crucified. In fact, two disciples that were on the way to Emmaus described their downcast position to a stranger that they encountered along the road.

They said that Jesus of Nazareth “19b was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus” (Lk. 24:19-24).

The disciples had placed all of their hopes in Jesus. He was the one who was going to “redeem Israel.” But now he was dead. And there were bewildering stories about him being alive, but they had not seen him. Imagine going to a funeral, burying your loved one, and then people telling you that they had seen your loved one alive somewhere--but you do not see them.

The irony of course is that the stranger that they are talking to is Jesus. But they either are deliberately held back from recognizing him, or they are too grief stricken and hopeless to see that the Savior is right in front of their face.

That is the nature of hope. God is at work far before we can see or recognize his handiwork. The resurrection was hard to believe, even though it has been prophesied many, many times.

What is the lesson for you and I? It is always darkest before the dawn. When we think that God has abandoned us, he has not. He has long been at work.

Jesus perhaps knew that the disciples needed specially “cheering up.” Perhaps this is why he appeared to them. And Luke tells us that Jesus even shared a meal with him, and they recognized him in the breaking of the bread (Lk. 24:35).

When we share the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, may we look for and see Jesus and receive the hope that we so desperately need for our lives.

Why do you think that the disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus? What can help us not lose hope?