Anglican Devotional 8 April 2026 – Jesus Is Always Present

Biblical Context

The Gospel of Luke, from which our reading comes, was written by Luke, a Gentile physician and a close companion of the Apostle Paul. He set out to give an orderly and accurate account of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, addressing it to a man named Theophilus, which means ‘lover of God.’ Luke’s aim was to assure his readers of the certainty of the teachings they had received, especially important for the early Christian community, which included many Gentiles. This particular story of the Emmaus road disciples happens on Resurrection Sunday, after Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb. It shows us the deep confusion and sadness that even followers of Jesus felt in the immediate aftermath of His crucifixion, and how Jesus personally came to them to clear things up and restore their hope.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word ‘holden’ from Luke 24:16. In the original Greek, the word used is ‘ekratounto’ (ἐκρατοῦντο), which comes from the verb ‘krateō’ (κρατέω). This word means ‘to hold fast,’ ‘to grasp,’ ‘to seize,’ or ‘to have power over.’ So, when the Bible says their eyes were ‘holden’ that they should not know Him, it doesn’t just mean they couldn’t see Him clearly. It tells us that something, whether spiritual or perhaps even divine intervention, was actively holding back their understanding. Their perception was being restrained, kept from seeing Jesus for who He truly was. It’s like a veil was over their eyes, not because they couldn’t physically see, but because their hearts and minds couldn’t make the connection. This shows us that sometimes, even when Jesus is right in front of us, our own sadness, doubt, or a specific spiritual state can keep us from recognizing His presence and power.

The Journey to Emmaus

Our story today starts with two disciples, Cleopas and another whose name we don’t know, making their way from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. It’s the same day Jesus rose from the dead, though they don’t know it yet. They’re walking about seven miles, which is ‘threescore furlongs,’ and as they walk, ‘they talked together of all these things which had happened’ (Luke 24:14). You can imagine their conversation, filled with sorrow, confusion, and deep disappointment over everything that had just gone down in Jerusalem.

As they kept ‘commun[ing] together and reason[ing],’ something amazing happened. ‘Jesus himself drew near, and went with them’ (Luke 24:15). Can you picture that? The very person they were talking about, the one they thought was gone forever, was suddenly walking beside them. But here’s the catch, and it’s a big one: ‘their eyes were holden that they should not know him’ (Luke 24:16). They didn’t recognize Him. Maybe it was the way He looked, or perhaps their own grief was so heavy it blinded them, but they just didn’t see it was Jesus.

Jesus, knowing exactly who He was and who they thought He was, decided to ask them a simple question to get them talking: ‘What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?’ (Luke 24:17). He saw their sadness. He didn’t wait for them to come to Him; He initiated the conversation right there on the road.

Cleopas, speaking for both of them, responded with a mix of surprise and a bit of exasperation: ‘Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?’ (Luke 24:18). It’s as if he’s saying, ‘How could you not know? Everyone’s talking about it!’

Their Story of Disappointment

Jesus, still playing the part of the stranger, asked, ‘What things?’ (Luke 24:19). This gave them the chance to pour out their hearts. ‘And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people’ (Luke 24:19). They tell Him about Jesus, acknowledging His power and influence, how He spoke with authority and did great things. They believed in Him as a powerful prophet.

Then comes the pain. ‘And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him’ (Luke 24:20). They recount the brutal truth of His crucifixion. This wasn’t just news; it was a personal tragedy that had shattered their world.

And here is the raw confession of their lost hope: ‘But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done’ (Luke 24:21). You can feel the weight of their words. They had put all their trust in Jesus, believing He would set Israel free, not just from Roman rule, but from all their troubles. But now, three days later, He was dead, and their hope was gone. They remembered the prophecy of the third day, but they couldn’t connect it to their current reality.

Confused by the Empty Tomb

Their story wasn’t over. They also mentioned the confusing events of that very morning: ‘Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive’ (Luke 24:22-23). They’d heard the women’s incredible, mind-blowing report – no body, and angels saying He’s alive! It was astonishing, but it didn’t quite click for them yet. It sounded too good to be true, too unbelievable for minds still gripped by sorrow.

To make things even more perplexing, they added, ‘And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not’ (Luke 24:24). Other disciples had gone and confirmed the empty tomb, just like the women said. But the crucial part, seeing Jesus alive, was still missing for them. This left them in a state of deep confusion, with pieces of a puzzle that didn’t seem to fit together.

Jesus’ Timely Rescue

The devotional tells us, ‘It seemed these disciples had given up hope just after three days of Jesus’ death and did not believe the testimonies of the women and other disciples about the risen Christ.’ This is a common human reaction, isn’t it? When things look their absolute worst, it’s so easy to let go of hope, even when evidence points to something better. Their hearts were so heavy with grief that they couldn’t see past the current moment of loss. They had heard the reports, but the pain of the crucifixion was still too fresh, too strong, for them to fully grasp the truth of the resurrection. They needed something more, a personal encounter.

And that’s exactly what Jesus provided. ‘The good thing was that Jesus was on this timely rescue mission and began this process of their restoration.’ He didn’t just appear and say, ‘I’m alive!’ He walked with them, listened to their doubts and fears, and gently began to open their understanding. He met them right where they were, in their pain and confusion, to bring them back to faith. He didn’t rush them; He walked with them, listened, and then explained.

Don’t Lose Hope

The message for you, beloved, is clear: ‘do not lose hope in Jesus, no matter how bleak and gloomy your situation may seem.’ Your circumstances might feel as heavy as those disciples’ grief on the road to Emmaus. You might feel let down, disappointed, or completely lost. But Jesus is there. He doesn’t just watch from a distance; He steps into your journey, even when you don’t recognize Him. He’s always present.

Trying to distract yourself, ‘Moving around and trying to be busy with work or pleasure will not fill the void of grief, like these disciples.’ They were walking, perhaps trying to get away from the painful memories of Jerusalem, but their conversation kept them stuck in their sorrow. Busyness can offer a temporary escape, but it can’t mend a broken heart or restore lost hope. Only Jesus can do that. He ‘is always present and wants you to share the pain and grief with Him.’

You don’t have to carry your burdens alone. He wants to hear your story, your disappointment, your confusion, just as He listened to Cleopas. He’s not afraid of your sadness. He invites you to bring it all to Him. Meditate on the lines of this hymn, ‘There is not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one…’ It’s true. He’s the friend who steps into your darkest moments, walks with you, and gently, lovingly, shows you the way back to hope and joy. He’s always there, ready to listen, ready to comfort, ready to restore.