“We had hoped.” These three heartbreaking words come right at us from the pages of Scripture. “We had hoped.” These three words carry all of the pain and grief that the disciples bear on their thin, bony shoulders after the death of their much beloved rabbi.
“We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel,” the two disciples explain to the stranger who joins them on their journey (Luke 24:21). Jesus had been a prophet who had done amazing, indescribably life changing things like healing those who were hopeless, feeding thousands with virtually nothing, forgiving the unforgivable, and raising from the dead. More than that, his words dripped of the glory and love of God. When he spoke, it was with authority; as if God were right there speaking the words. And now, it is all gone. Jesus is gone. The one who was to save Israel is gone.
As the two disciples flee the city of Jerusalem, speaking with this stranger…they have no idea it is Jesus; their eyes are blind to that fact…their words seem to echo a very ancient question. It is an ancient question we all utter at some point in life, but the death of Jesus allows the question to lurk in the background of all that they do and say: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
Jesus was good. Jesus was more than good. He was great. When you stood next to Jesus, you got the sense that God’s kingdom was right there surrounding Jesus, making every step that he took a literal spreading of God’s beautiful Garden of Eden; an expansion of God’s beautiful kingdom.
Why would something bad happen to him? How could something bad happen to him? Why would God let something as humiliating as hanging on a Roman torture device, a cross, happen to such a good, good man? Why do bad things happen to good people?
And, this utter devastation, all comes spilling out of their mouths in these three words, “We had hoped…”
The utterance, “We had hoped,” and the question, “Why do bad things happen?” are very closely tied to one another.
When the child dies, the devastated parents say, “We had hoped he would get a chance to play ball,” or “We had hoped that she would go on to become a neuroscientist,” or “We had hoped that our son would get to raise his own child to adulthood.” “We had hoped;” the three most painful words tied to loss.
“We had hoped to eat all the Reese’s Peanut Butter cups before the cruel sun melted them all.” “Why do bad things happen to hungry people?”
I do not mean to make light of some of the deepest cries of the soul. But, it is healthy to laugh when plunging into the depths of darkness and death.
And, that is where these disciples are as they walk along the road. They are actively plunging into the depths of darkness and death. Their hopes have been dashed. Their rabbi is gone. And, on top of it all, his body is missing! Some of his disciples who were women had said that he was alive, but when some of the disciples who were men went to look they did not see him.
They did not see him.
Funny, how that happens. The disciples at the tomb did not see him, and neither do those disciples walking on the road with Jesus. They do not see him. They are wrapped up in the depths of darkness and death. That puts them in this state of blindness where they cannot see Jesus even though he is right there talking with them. They are too wrapped up in the questions.
Why do bad things happen to good people? I do not know. Sometimes, bad things happen because simple mistakes were made, like turning the corner too quickly while driving, and forgetting to look. Sometimes, bad things happen because there are bad people out there who do not love and do not care. Sometimes, bad things happen because this world is broken and it is not the Garden of Eden, so bad things like cancer simply exist.
Sometime, bad things happen because it is your fault. Sometimes, bad things happen because it is someone else’s fault and you or a loved one are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes, bad things just happen and there is no good explanation. We are creatures of an imperfect world, and in that imperfect world things just go wrong for no heavenly reason. And, in rare cases bad things happen because God has something better in store.
No matter the reason for the bad thing, all of these bad things can send us into the depths of darkness and despair, even when God has done it to clear space for something even better. Any bad thing can cause us to be blind to Jesus walking with us.
But, Jesus is there. Jesus chooses to show up just as these two disciples fall into the depths of despair. Jesus does not forget them.
The Bible says that Jesus takes the time while they walk to explain all of the things about the Messiah…about himself…starting in the first books of Moses, extending through the prophets.
As a Bible nerd, I would have loved to know which scriptures to which Jesus pointed. Did he mention how the snake’s head would be crushed by the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:11? Did he talk about the suffering servant who willingly bears the sins of humanity found in Isaiah 53? Or, how about Micah 5:2, which talks about how the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem and how he is that one?
As much as I love a good Bible study, notice that the disciples who love him and know him still do not see him, even though their hearts burn hearing the words.
That actually makes a lot of sense to me. It does not matter how many Bible verses I use to help someone answer the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” the Bible verses are fascinating, but they never seem to help. And, if Jesus could not pull it off, why would I ever think that I would be able to pull it off.
After years and years of thinking about why the Bible verses do not have the impact that I would hope, I think I now understand the problem. The question is not an academic one. When someone asks, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” they are not looking to read a religion paper, even if the paper impresses a wise college professor.
In fact, when they ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” most of the time people are really saying, “I miss them.” And, the only thing that can possibly help with “I miss them” is for the one they have lost to actually be there. Not only that, they also need to actually see that the one they lost is present.
Jesus is there, but these disciples cannot actually see him.
It is not until they sit at the table and break the bread with Jesus that they finally see Jesus. He was present with them all along, but the Bible says that it is at the table and in the breaking of the bread where they finally see him, raised from the dead. Jesus was with them all day. They just needed to eat at the table to see.
And, so we also eat regularly at the Lord ’s Table, to remind ourselves that he is with us. We eat to remind ourselves that we are alive with him, forever. We eat to remember that tables are places where we gather with those we love. We eat to remember that our table is just a part of the great table in heaven where all the saints throughout all eternity gather to eat together with the one who brings us all to the table, Jesus Christ.
Children eat with parents who are now with Jesus eternally. Grandparents eat with the grandchild who is now with Jesus, though the grandchild will never know what it is to be an adult. Newly married couples eat with their great, great grandchildren, who they will never have a chance to meet in this life. Enemies eat together, right next to each other, in love and peace.
It is at the table where we see the Lord. It is at the table where we experience the Lord’s love and grace. And, it is at the table where we connect with all those we love, past, present, and future. It is the place where we feast together with all members of the body of Christ throughout all eternity. It is so good to be reminded of that regularly.
When I was in the pit of despair, a wise pastor suggested something to me that I now give to you. When you are in the depths of grief and despair, make a space at the table for Jesus and a space for the loved one you miss. Set the table for them. Literally, set the table. Get out plates, glasses, silverware, and napkins. Or, if your are feasting at the Lord’s table in church, leave a space right next to you for your loved one, because, by the power of Jesus’ resurrection, both Jesus and the one you love are there. They are present. In the breaking of the bread we see them. In the breaking of the bread we are there with them, and they with us. In the breaking of the bread we see that death does not win and fear cannot take hold.
“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24: 30-35).
At the table, we find Jesus. At the table we find hope.
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