Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Disappointed With God


(Audio version; Music: "Hope Now" by: Addison Road and "Love Is Here" by: Tenth Avenue North)









Introduction

            The world, especially Americans, remember the horrific images from the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001. It’s hard to believe that in just few days it will have been fourteen years since that awful day. Of all the images that haunt us from that day and the days that followed, there was one image that many latched on to as a message of hope and healing in the midst of crippling sorrow and despair—the image of a cross that was formed out of structural steel from the millions of tons of collapsed debris. In fact, it was such a prominent image that it was carefully salvaged and made into a memorial with a powerful message of hope. For some though, the image was particularly troubling. I’m not talking about atheists whose hatred for Christianity knows no bounds. I’m talking about Christians. Not just Christians who lost friends or family in the tragedy but many Christians around the world who witnessed those events with the belief that God would never allow such evil to befall the countless thousands of Christians who perished in those days and then mark the occasion with the cross of Christ. I’m sure there are countless Christian families who sent their loved ones off to work that day trusting their care to God and then never saw their loved ones alive again. I have no doubt that for some, maybe even for most, of the Christians who lost someone that day, mixed into the anguish and confusion certainly had to include disappointment. And I wonder if the image of the cross made that disappointment all the more acute. It seems inevitable that when we expect something good from God (and why wouldn’t we expect something good from a God who is good) but instead receive something that devastates our lives, we are Disappointed With God.

            Some of you didn’t have this reaction to the events of 9/11 for various reasons but you’ve experienced your own tragedy that has served to nurture your own disappointment. You recited your wedding vows as an oath before God and entrusted your marriage to Him and yet your spouse still walked out on you and now you’re Disappointed With God. You’ve poured your heart and soul into your child and dedicated him or her to the Lord and yet you had to stand at their bedside and watch cancer steal them from you and you’re Disappointed With God. You finally got that dream job you’ve been praying for and suddenly, for reasons beyond your control, you’re let go and you have to start all over again and you’re Disappointed With God. You’ve committed your life to being a follower of Christ and His faithful witness in the midst of a country ruled by the evils of Islam and have had the watch the execution of your friends and family with no end to the barbarism in sight and you’re Disappointed With God. You’ve given up a life of fame and fortune to pursue your calling as a Christian minister and after years of ministry you have yet to witness even one person come to Christ as a result of your tireless efforts and now your Disappointed With God. I bet if you could get Christians to be completely honest with you, they would tell you that they are now or have been at some point deeply Disappointed With God but were or are afraid that it would be irreverent to say out loud even though they drag that disappointment around with them every day like a giant anchor. Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret—God already knows you’re disappointed with Him so putting on a show for public consumption because you’re afraid that God might be offended or others might think you lack faith is simply dishonest and benefits no one. What do you think would happen if you just came out and said it—I’m Disappointed With God? Well there were a couple of guys in the Bible who in essence did just that so let’s take a look at how things worked out for them.

Subject Text

Luke 24:13-32

            13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him. 17He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19“What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but 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. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Context

            Because of the Passover, Jerusalem was packed with people so it wouldn’t have been unusual for the travelers from our Subject Text to have made the long journey to Jerusalem. However, in the days leading up to our Subject Text, Jesus was arrested, tried, tortured, and executed. These events were all witnessed by the two travelers. However, based on how they recounted the events to the Stranger that appeared with them along the road, it seems they started their return journey without answers that must have arisen as a result of the empty tomb. Nevertheless, they think the story of Jesus was over and all they have to show for their devotion to Him is unfulfilled expectations. It’s a long walk home especially with the weight of disappointment they carry with them.

Text Analysis

            13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.

            When vv. 13-16 refer to “that same day” they are pointing back to the events of the text immediately preceding them that refer to the day when the disciples discovered the empty tomb—resurrection day. However, it seems clear that the travelers left sometime before they knew why the tomb was empty. It’s hard to believe that given the magnitude of the events and the obvious depth of their devotion that they would leave without answers to the questions that the empty tomb must have generated. But we pick up our travelers in vv. 13-16 making their way to the town of Emmaus talking about what they had just witnessed in Jerusalem. I wish I knew exactly what they were talking about but I wonder if it wasn’t something like: ‘Can you believe we gave up everything to follow Jesus. He was so convincing with all those miracles He performed. I was so sure He was the one we’d been waiting for. We seemed so close to witnessing the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Messiah to save us. I feel so stupid that I got suckered into believing someone else who said they were the One and turned out to be just a man like any other man who could be put to death on a cross. Trust me, I won’t make that mistake again.’ Maybe that’s what they were talking about and maybe not but I wouldn’t be surprised would you? Unmet expectations have a way of turning even the most devoted follower into a cynic. When our greatest hopes and dreams are crushed, it seems almost natural to be Disappointed With God who we believe holds our hopes and dreams in the palm of His hand.

            During what may have been the darkest moment of their lives, look who shows up—Jesus! But they don’t recognize Him. Did Jesus change His appearance? Did God somehow obscure their perception? Maybe. Or perhaps it was something else. Remember when the disciples were out on the lake in a boat fighting a storm as they tried to row to the other side and Jesus came walking to them on the water? They thought he was a ghost. He had to reassure them that it was Him. And remember what Peter said? They could see Jesus clearly but somehow still didn’t believe it was Him because Peter says, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you on the water (Mt 14:28).” What do you mean ‘if?” You’re looking right at Him. Did Peter not recognize Jesus or did he not believe that it could be Jesus out there walking on the water? I wonder if it’s possible that the two disciples on the way to Emmaus were so distraught at the death of Jesus and their hopes and dreams that they didn’t even recognize Him when He was standing right next to them. We’ll find out later that the two weren’t members of the twelve disciples so they may not have spent as much time with Jesus as the chosen twelve. Add to this that they left before learning why the tomb was empty, and all they knew as that Jesus had died, was buried and now his dead body is missing even though some of the women were running around saying they saw him alive, no one else saw Him. They had no reason whatsoever to believe He would walk up and start talking to them. Perhaps that’s why they didn’t recognize Him. Does it matter why they didn’t recognize Jesus? Probably not, unless we consider that perhaps Jesus is closer than we think during our darkest hours; during the times when we are most Disappointed With God and we just don’t know it.

            “The story depends on this element of dramatic concealment. The lack of recognition is more due to a spiritual blindness by the disciples than to something unusual about the appearance of Jesus. Its purpose is to enable the disciples to be prepared for the revelation of the risen Jesus by a fresh understanding of the prophecies of his resurrection; it may also be meant to show that one can know the presence of the risen Jesus without being able to see him, and thus to give help to Christians living in the era after the cessation of the resurrection appearances. It would, however, be difficult for later people to believe that their experience was related to the unseen, risen Jesus, if there were no evidence, such as this story provides, that Jesus really rose from the dead.”[1]

17He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19“What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but 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. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

            It’s not really unusual for someone to join another group of travelers especially if the travelers were fellow Passover pilgrims. It was also safer to travel in groups as opposed to traveling alone in the ancient world. So in vv. 17-24 we find Jesus joining the two disciples traveling the road back to Emmaus. As usual, Jesus doesn’t force belief on anyone. Instead, He leads these disciples to a fuller understanding of what they thought they believed. If you’ve been reading my lessons for a while then you know I’m fond of saying that I don’t just want you to be familiar with what you believe, I want you to know why you believe what you believe. And that’s Jesus’ goal as well. You see, until we see the why of our belief, the what can sometimes be interpreted incorrectly. In order to correct the disciples’ understanding, Jesus feigns ignorance about the events that centered around Him.

            So the disciples recall who they believed Jesus was and what He did among the people during His earthly ministry. They accurately recounted the passion story of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution. They tell Jesus about the women who discovered the empty tomb and the women even said they saw Jesus alive. It seems clear that the two travelers didn’t see Jesus alive and didn’t believe that the women saw Him either. And I base that on something they said right in the middle. At the beginning and at the end of their story, they told Jesus what they believed but in the middle they disclosed why they believed what they believed. They are Disappointed With God because they “hoped he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” Close, except they interpreted “redeem” temporally and nationally. In other words, their why was too small. The Jews anticipated the coming of the Messiah but they expected a Messiah that would rescue them from their earthly enemies and reestablish Israel as a nation to national prominence. The Jewish Messiah was divine so His miracles were within the expected norm for the Messiah they were looking for. What they weren’t expecting was a crucified and dead Messiah. That didn’t fit their Messianic paradigm. But Jesus’ death was about more than the redemption of Israel from the control of Rome. That was insignificant from an eternal perspective. Jesus was after the redemption of all humanity from a far greater enemy than Rome—sin. And since the redemption price for sin (a.k.a. the wages of sin) is death, a life had to be sacrificed. But God was done with animal sacrifices as the payment for sin because they had to be constantly repeated. God was after the atonement for humanity’s sin once and for all. However, atonement for sin against an eternal God would require an eternal atonement—an eternal atonement that was made by the divine Messiah with His own life. A perfectly devised plan that could only be carried out by God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the disciples needed a bigger why for what they believed and Jesus was about to give it to them.

            “Christ’s death ended apostolic hopes. Here Cleopas in a very important passage summarized the hopes of Jesus’ disciples before Jesus’ death. They thought Jesus would redeem Israel. This Greek verb for redeem (lutroo) appears only here and in Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 1:18 in the New Testament. It has a strong Old Testament background, appearing ninety times in the Septuagint [translation of the Old Testament into Greek], usually as a translation of Hebrew gal’al, ‘to set free, redeem.’ It is rooted in the Exodus story of God redeeming Israel from Egyptian slavery. Luke used a related noun as Zechariah prophesied the work of his son John [the Baptist]. God is coming to redeem his people. Anna [the prophetess from Lk 2:36-38] explained the significance of the child Jesus to those who waited for the ‘redemption of Jerusalem.’

            The term is often used in the process of paying a ransom or price to gain the freedom of a slave. Luke sees Israel in captivity just as they had been in the time of the Exodus. In sending John and Jesus, God had repeated the miracle of the Exodus. He had paid the ransom price and freed his people from slavery. But the freedom was not through military victory as in Egypt but through the work on the cross, paying the price for slavery to sin. Paul used a related verb to confess that by Christ’s death we are set free, redeemed, ransomed from our slavery to sin and death. Christ is the one who sets us free, that is, redeems us. He came to give his life as a means to liberating or redeeming us.

            The disciples saw in Jesus the one who would bring a new Exodus and free the nation from it Roman captors. Instead Jesus proved to be something much more—the Redeemer who freed them from sin and death. But at this point the two on the road to Emmaus had no idea of this.”[2]

25He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

            You can almost picture Jesus in this scene can’t you? He stops in the road when they’re finished telling their story holding his hands out to his side in exasperation as the disciples stop and turn around and ask Him, ‘what?’ It reminds me of the repeated interaction between Jesus and the religious leaders who where constantly trying to tell Jesus what they believed as they studied the Scriptures but they refused to understand why they believed it. Jesus was equally exasperated with them when He said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me (Jn 5:39).” Jesus is, in essence, saying the same thing to the disciples in vv. 25-27. Here’s the difference though, Jesus knew the religious leaders weren’t interested in the truth because He didn’t fit their definition of the Messiah according to the way they interpreted the Scriptures. They were trying to get rid of Jesus because He was a threat to their authority and influence over the people. The disciples, although they didn’t fully understand the redemption they hoped for, really did long for the truth. They were Disappointed With God because they thought they knew the truth. But they were lost because they thought the truth died with Jesus. So Jesus, like a patient parent teaching the same lesson for the umpteenth time to His child, goes over it all again beginning with Moses and the Prophets. Jesus draws them a roadmap through the Scriptures as they continue on their journey back to Emmaus that leads right to Him.

            “The two disciples are reprimanded for their unbelief on the grounds that the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus are set forth in Scripture, and they should have known. Throughout this Gospel we have observed Luke’s insistence not only that Jesus and his followers properly obeyed the Scriptures but that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Scriptures. These prophecies pointed both to his ministry and to his suffering, death, and resurrection. For this reason, Luke regards the Scriptures as sufficient for the generation of faith. That portion of Israel which rejected Jesus as Messiah did so because of their failure to understand their own Bible. This ignorance God will forgive, but now that the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit have opened the true meaning of the Old Testament texts, repentance is in order. For Luke, then, the gospel of Jesus Christ continues and brings to fulfillment the law, the prophets and the writings.”[3]

28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

            By the time Jesus and the disciples reached Emmaus in vv. 28-32, they still didn’t realize it was Jesus talking to them and walking with them. Nevertheless, the disciples invite Jesus to stay with them because if was getting late in the day. The code of hospitality practiced in the Ancient Near East virtually required the disciples to invite this Stranger to stay with them for protection and provision. Jesus wasn’t finished with His lesson yet so he accepted the invitation and went in to dine with them. Jesus, the Bread of Life, broke the bread of their meal and served it to his hosts and the light came on for the disciples and they recognized Him. Picture a smaller version of the last supper where Jesus did the same thing with the disciples and you’ll probably see what these two disciples saw. Jesus’ work was done the minute they recognized Him because the text says He immediately disappeared. But the seed of the resurrection quickly took root in their hearts because everything Jesus told them on the road suddenly made perfect sense as the winding path of the promised Messiah through the Old Testament finally converged with the Way of the incarnate Messiah of the New Testament.

            “People often sense the presence of God before they recognize or articulate it. The disciples sense in Jesus something they cannot verbalize or identify. The Resurrected One, vicariously and unbeknownst to them, is having an effect on their faith. The two disciples do not know who Jesus is, but they know they do not want to be without him. Jesus indulges their desires rather than his and remains with them. Like the Christ of Rev 3:20, he enters and eats with them and they with him…

            Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. The obscure confounding is now enlightened and revealed for what it is. Jesus, the guest at [the] table, now becomes host of the meal. He who seemed blind to events in Jerusalem now opens the eyes of the disciples. The disciples who lament not seeing Jesus now recognize him. The setting is not simply another Lukan banquet scene, nor is it a simple precursor of early Christian communal meals in Acts. This table belongs to three distinctive meals in Luke, along with the feeding of the five thousand (9:16) and the Passover celebration (22:19). All three share six elements in common, and in the same sequence: Jesus (1) took (2) bread, (3) blessed/gave thanks, (4) broke it, and (5) gave it (6) to them. Although the liturgical elements are the same, the results are not. In the feeding of the five thousand, ‘all were satisfied’ (9:17); at the Passover, the apostles ‘remember Jesus’ (22:19); now ‘their eyes are opened and they recognize him’ (v. 31). The effects of the three meals progress from satisfaction to recollection to revelation…

            Once recognized, ‘[Jesus] disappeared from their sight.’ His sudden and inexplicable disappearance is the only obviously supernatural element in the Emmaus episode. The opening of the minds and eyes of the disciples to understand Scripture and see Jesus is the result not of miracle but of Christian fellowship in which the resurrected Jesus is present as Lord…the divinely ordained disappearance occurs…following the accomplishment of the essential task. Jesus reveals enough of himself to make faith possible, but only enough to make faith necessary. The disappearance is an object lesson that henceforth Jesus will abide with the disciple not in his precrucifixion body, but as a spiritual presence. The disciples’ testimony implies an awareness of their new relationship with Jesus…Loss, grief, and disappointment are past. Burdened hearts are now burning hearts! The disciples now know why they did no want the Stranger to part from them. No more essential calling is set before preachers, teachers—indeed the church itself—than that of v. 32: to open Scripture so that hearts are set aflame!”[4]

Application

            I’ll admit that this can be a frightening lesson. Jesus says that if we just have the faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains. So when we are Disappointed With God, doesn’t it mean that we lack even the slightest bit if faith? Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t think it’s that simple really. Did the disciples on the road to Emmaus lack faith? I suppose they did to some degree but it’s always easy to say that we would have reacted differently in the same situation. The problem with that thinking is that we know what the disciples didn’t yet know. What if we look at it differently, what if being Disappointed With God actually demonstrates a great deal of faith? Think about it, would you be Disappointed With God at the end of your turbulent marriage if you didn’t have faith that He could restore your marriage? Would you be Disappointed With God at the death of your child if you didn’t have faith He could heal your child. Would you be Disappointed With God when a family member is hurt if you didn’t have faith that He could protect your family. A strong argument can certainly be made that being Disappointed With God demonstrates a clear lack of faith and I can understand that argument. And when my life is going smoothly I might be tempted to agree with that argument. But my life, and maybe yours too, is rarely smooth and as a result, I am often Disappointed With God. I used to pretend that I wasn’t disappointed because I was afraid God would be mad at me. I’ll let you in on a little secret—God knew all along I was disappointed with Him and I honestly believe He was waiting for me to bring that disappointment to Him and lay it at His feet. You see, when I pretended not to be disappointed with Him, it manifested itself in pushing Him away and keeping Him at a safe distance. However, by laying my disappointments at His feet, I have to draw close to Him and that’s the place where He draws me in and the place where the healing can begin and my relationship with God can grow stronger.

            Jesus wasn’t afraid of the disciples’ lack of faith. He wasn’t angry that they were disappointed. It presented an opportunity for Him to reveal Himself more fully to them. And it’s no different for you and me today. If you can endure the struggles of your life with perfect faith and have never been Disappointed With God then I applaud you. So I want to talk to those of you who feel like your being crushed under the struggles of your life. Your faith in God is so strong that you live daily with being Disappointed With God but you’re afraid to admit it. So you pretend that everything is alright and you keep God at a safe distance in case He finds out you’re disappointed with Him. Guess what? He already knows you’re disappointed with Him so you can stop pretending. Instead, why don’t you take that disappointment and drop it right at the feet of Jesus and see what happens. See if He doesn’t reveal Himself more deeply to you. Life is just as hard for Christians as it is for anyone else and maybe even harder because we have faith that God can do anything. And guess what happens when God doesn’t do what we know He is capable of doing? We are left disappointed. Your disappointment can do one of two things, it can keep you away from God or it can draw you closer to God. The choice is up to you. What will you do when you are Disappointed With God?






[1] I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke—The New International Greek Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), p. 893.
[2] Trent C. Butler, Luke—Holman New Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2000), p. 417.
[3] Fred B. Craddock, Luke—Intepretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1990), p. 286.
[4] James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke—The Pillar New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015), pp. 723-725.

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