Where Is He?

David Roth

Luke 24:13-35

Easter 3(a)

April 26, 2020

J. J.

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight,

O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

“Where is He?”

It was still Easter. That morning He had appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden. Now He was walking along the road. Two of His disciples were walking too, on their way to their home in the nearby village of Emmaus. He asked them what they were talking about. They replied, what do you mean, what are we talking about? We are talking about what everybody is talking about. Don’t you know? Have you not heard? The teacher, Jesus from Nazareth, was crucified on Friday. He was a great teacher, and we had even hoped that He was the promised One, the Messiah whom God would send.

These two disciples were in sad days. Not only did they not know that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the promised One, they did not know that it was Jesus who was walking with them on the road, and who was talking to them now. They told Him, some the women in our group went to the tomb this morning. They said they saw it open, and some of them also saw Jesus alive! Some men went later. They did find that, yes, the tomb was open, but Jesus was nowhere to be seen.

You know your Bibles, so why don’t you understand?, He asked them. And as they walked along, Jesus Himself taught them. He explained the prophets and promises of the Word. That the Messiah (He didn’t tell them yet it was Him) would not be the political solution as others thought, but would have to suffer and die, and so enter into His glory.

The sun was hanging low, and the shadows were growing longer. They were at their home in Emmaus. Please come in. Stay and eat. And so He did, and they go in.

It was at the table where it happened. You know this story. How Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. At that moment His presence was revealed to them. They knew it was Jesus. He was here. He was alive! And just as quickly, He was gone.

On Sundays, at His table, it happens. You know the liturgy. He takes the bread and blesses it. He breaks it and gives it to you and to me. At that moment, His presence is revealed to us. We know it is Jesus. He is here. He is alive! And just as quickly, He is gone.

Our hearts burn within us, just as theirs did. But notice that the disciples remarked how their hearts had burned within them earlier, as they were walking with Jesus on the road. There they did not see Him. Oh, they saw this man who was walking with them. But they did not recognize Him. And since they did not recognize Him, it was as if He were not there, even though He was. And their hearts burned.

On the road of life there are many times we do not see God. We do not recognize Him or what He is doing, if anything! We may even ask, “Where are you, God?” But “where are you,” is the wrong question. God is there, He is here. It is not a question of His absence, it is a question of our recognizing Him.

It was a great joy for those disciples when they recognized Him at the table. But the comfort of His presence is not limited to those times when He reveals Himself. He came to them on the road, they did not have to find Him. His presence was there, and their hearts burned with joy, in hearing His Word, and in being with Him, even when their eyes would not let them see Him, nor their minds let them comprehend the truth. But it was Easter, and Easter is true, and Jesus is true.

The tomb is open. Jesus is somewhere to be seen: in His Holy Supper. He is the Christ, the promised One of God. The One whose life and death has covered our sin and restore our life. And yes, He is with us, walking on the road. He is right here, even though we do not see Him, even though we cannot understand. We need not find Him, for He has found us. He came to those disciples on the road. He comes to us now in His holy body and most precious blood. And He will come again in glory, in His kingdom which has no end.

For Christ has died. Christ is risen. And Christ shall come again. Amen.

S. D. G.