Now You See Him, Now You Don't

After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, his followers were going through some really tough emotions. Imagine if your best friend moved away suddenly and you didn't know if you'd ever see them again - that's kind of how Jesus' disciples felt. They were sad, confused, scared, and probably asking themselves a lot of "what if" questions. Have you ever felt that way when something big changed in your life?

Two of Jesus' followers were walking about seven miles from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. That's like walking from here to [insert local landmark about 7 miles away]. As they walked, they were probably talking about everything that had happened - Jesus' death, the empty tomb, the confusing reports from the women who said they'd seen angels. While they were deep in conversation, a stranger joined them on the road.

Here's the amazing part: this stranger was actually Jesus, but God prevented them from recognizing him! Why do you think God would do that? Sometimes God wants us to learn something important before he reveals the full truth to us. Think about it - if they had recognized Jesus right away, would they have listened as carefully to what he was about to teach them?

The stranger asked them what they were discussing, and they were surprised he didn't know about the recent events in Jerusalem. They told him all about Jesus - how he was a prophet, how the religious leaders had him crucified, and how they had hoped he would be the one to rescue Israel. They even mentioned the confusing report about the empty tomb.

Then Jesus did something really interesting. Starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained how everything in the Old Testament pointed to the Messiah and showed them that the Messiah had to suffer and die before entering his glory. Can you imagine getting a Bible lesson directly from Jesus himself? He was basically showing them that everything that happened was part of God's perfect plan, not a terrible mistake.

When they reached Emmaus, the two disciples invited the stranger to stay with them since it was getting late. During dinner, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and gave it to them. At that exact moment, their eyes were opened and they recognized him - and then he vanished! Why do you think Jesus chose that moment to reveal himself? Breaking bread together was something Jesus had done with his disciples many times before. It was a familiar, loving action that helped them finally see who he really was.

Were they tired after their long walk? Absolutely! But they were so excited that they immediately got up and walked all seven miles back to Jerusalem that same night to tell the other disciples what had happened. When you have really good news, it's hard to keep it to yourself, isn't it?

When they found the eleven disciples, everyone was sharing stories - the disciples told them that Jesus had also appeared to Peter. Just as they were all talking about these appearances, Jesus himself suddenly appeared in the room! The disciples were terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus showed them his hands and feet, proving he had a real body, and even ate some fish to demonstrate he wasn't a spirit.

Now here's something important to think about: Why didn't Jesus just stay visible all the time after his resurrection? He could have walked around Jerusalem, appeared to the religious leaders who had him crucified, and proved to everyone that he was alive. Instead, he appeared only to his followers and only for a short time. What does this teach us about faith?

Jesus still reveals himself to people today, but not usually in the dramatic way he appeared to his disciples. Instead, he reveals himself through his Word - the Bible - and through the Holy Spirit working in our hearts. When we read the Bible and really think about what it means, when we pray and listen for God's voice, when we see God working in our lives and the lives of others, that's Jesus revealing himself to us.

Sometimes we might feel like those disciples on the road - confused about what God is doing, wondering if he's really there, or feeling like we can't see him clearly. But just like Jesus was walking with those disciples even when they didn't recognize him, Jesus is with us even when we can't feel his presence. The key is to keep studying God's Word, keep praying, and keep our hearts open to seeing him work in our daily lives.

Think about this week: Where might you have seen Jesus working but didn't recognize it at the time? Maybe it was in the kindness of a friend, an answer to prayer, or a moment when you felt God's peace during a difficult situation. Jesus is still in the business of revealing himself to those who seek him with sincere hearts.

Let's pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be with us always, even when we can't see him clearly. Help us to study your Word with open hearts and minds. Open our eyes to see Jesus working in our lives every day. Give us the excitement of those disciples to share the good news of Jesus with others. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.