Luke 24:31 - "And their eyes were opened, and they recognized [Jesus]. And he vanished from their sight."
Where did he go?
In today's verse, when we hear that Jesus, having been raised from the dead, "vanished from their sight," where did he go?
Well, in order to answer that question, we need to remember who "they" were. Yes, Jesus "vanished from their sight," but who were "they"? Yes, they were the ones whose "eyes were opened, and they recognized" Jesus, but who were "they"?
To answer that question, we need to look back ten verses from today's verse. And there in verse 21, we see and hear something very important about "them." After the crucified and risen Christ has joined them on the road to Emmaus, they don't realize that it's Jesus who's joined them, and one of the things they say to Jesus is, "we had hoped." In other words, the crucified and risen Christ came to and walked with people who "had hoped" because they'd lost hope. And after walking with and restoring the hope of these who had lost hope, Jesus "vanished from their sight." So, back to the original question, "where did he go?" Well, he went to some more people who have lost hope.
Have you lost hope?
If you have lost hope, Jesus "vanished from their sight" to come to you!
Ya see, God's word plainly tells us many times that God brings hope into the midst of our grief. God brings hope into the midst of our sorrow. God brings hope into the midst of all that would erode and wash away our hope.
Just like a medical doctor works where there are sick people, so too a giver of hope works where there are people who need hope. The crucified and risen Jesus is a giver of hope.
Why have you lost hope? Why do you need hope? Maybe you're amongst the people who have huddled in a hallway or a basement or a locked room to take shelter from a devastating storm literally swirling around your home or maybe from a devastating storm figuratively swirling around your heart.
For whatever reason you've lost hope and need hope, Jesus is coming to you because that's one of the many things that the crucified and risen Christ does. He brings hope into the midst of our grief. He brings hope into the midst of our sorrow. He brings hope into the midst of all that would erode our hope and wash it away.
Believe, dear friends, and look to Jesus. Believe in the midst of your difficulty that Jesus is with you and so are my prayers that you will find comfort and hope in him today.
Praise God!
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