God's Glory Church

The shadow of Golgotha and unfulfilled expectations

The Feast of the Resurrection usually evokes vivid images: a fallen stone, an empty tomb, radiance and frozen warriors. Or Calvary is mentioned – three empty crosses that remind us of the great cost of redemption through the life of the sinless Son of God. However, to truly understand the depth of these events, it is worth looking at them through the eyes of the disciples who did not yet know about the Resurrection. They witnessed the crucifixion, death and burial of Christ, but did not see Him resurrected. When the women brought the news of the angel and the empty coffin, the reaction was one of skepticism—as would any reasonable person who knows that the dead do not rise on the third day. Even the words of Mary Magdalene were not taken seriously, attributing everything to her emotionality and wild imagination.

The students were deeply saddened by the loss of their dearest person. Their hopes died with Christ, leaving behind them disappointment and confusion. They expected Jesus to deliver Israel from Roman occupation, but that did not happen. Three days passed, and two of them decided that there was nothing to wait for, it was time to return home and to their normal lives.

Road to Emmaus: Trap of Solitude

These two disciples left Jerusalem for the village Emaus. The Bible describes this event as follows:

“Two of them went that day to a village 60 stadia from Jerusalem, to a village called Emmaus. They talked to each other about everything that had happened. And it came to pass, while they were talking and deliberating, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were restrained so that they would not recognize him… But we hoped that he was the one who would deliver Israel.” (Luke 24:13-16, 21).

Our expectations of what God should be like and what He should do for us can very easily lead to disappointment. However, God is not obligated to fulfill all our hopes or dreams, because He knows much better what is really best for us. When we are disillusioned, we often leave our familiar places—work, relationships, or even church.

The road to Emmaus symbolizes distance. Leaving Jerusalem, the disciples began to distance themselves from the church, from other disciples, and almost left Christ himself. They walked and constantly discussed their grief with each other. It is reminiscent of people in line at the doctor, endlessly telling each other about their illnesses. One disappointed person cannot inspire another, just as a sick person is unlikely to cure another sick person. An important truth follows from this: do not solve problems with yourself, because this is the way from Christ. The best doctor with a broken arm needs another doctor, and a military medic capable of providing first aid will not be able to perform a complex operation on his own. We need the One who is beyond our problem.

Change of perspective: God does not change the past

Jesus went out to meet the disappointed disciples. Although He did not plan to leave Jerusalem, He shared this journey with them. He explained the scriptures and prophecies to them along the way, but the real insight came only at home, over dinner.

“And it happened that when he sat down at the table with them, he took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. And then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him… And they said to one another, did not our hearts burn when he spoke to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us.” (Luke 24:30-32).

When Jesus broke the bread, the disciples probably saw the wounds on His hands and remembered the Last Supper. Their eyes were opened, and they looked at everything that had happened in a completely different way. Have the events of the past changed? No. Not a single event that led to their sadness and depression was changed. Their attitude towards these events has changed. What had previously led them to despair became the foundation of their faith.

The second key truth: God does not change the past, He reveals why it happened to us. God can change the future or affect the circumstances of today, but the past is history. However, when God changes our perspective, we understand the meaning of what we experienced. The same story can be just a fact, or it can bring healing, freedom, and forgiveness.

Personal Recovery and Vocation

One of the students was called Cleopas, and the name of the second is modestly not mentioned. Researchers believe that it was Luke, the author of the Gospel. If Jesus had not come to him on this road of disappointment, the world might never have read the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Holy Apostles. Luca could return to his profession as a doctor and live an ordinary life without God, but that would be a road to nowhere.

Jesus acts in a deeply personal way. He appeared to Mary Magdalene when she stood in tears and depression, having lost the One who freed her and gave her the meaning of life. He came to her first. He also came to Peter, a man who felt worthless and betrayed after denying Christ three times. Jesus did not reproach him, He restored Peter, freed him from the burden of guilt and allowed him to continue serving.

Write your Gospel

Today, God reaches out to everyone who is in sadness or in the misunderstanding of their circumstances. He does this so that we will return to our “Jerusalem” and tell others about His actions. God planned for everyone to write their own personal “Gospel” – to bring good news into the lives of other people.

The Feast of the Resurrection is not only a historical fact, it is a promise of what is to come in our lives. Everything that seems dead or dying today, Jesus has the power to resurrect and change. Our life’s tragedies can become the foundation of faith if we allow our eyes to be opened and understand that in Christ there is forgiveness, restoration and the way to eternal life.