Jesus said, What manner of communications are these that ye hare one to another, as ye walk and are sad. – Luke 24:17
Time is the best remedy for most diseases, whether of body or mind. A present hour may cause sadness, the next may bring joy. This is a living comfort in saddest seasons: Christ knows both our sorrows and the cause of them: he is always near to us, though we see him not: his sympathising spirit manifests itself in the question here recorded.
Here were two disciples communing together and reasoning with one another: this is right. It is pleasing to our Lord to see his dear members converse with and strive to edify each other in the faith of him: and endeavoring to bear each other's burdens. Jesus joined company with them. Disciple, how often have you found it so? Christ delights in the fellowship of his saints.
Christ inquires of their conversation and the cause of their sadness. Disciples of Christ have their sad seasons: it is good that they should converse freely with one another about them. But whence do they spring? Chiefly from unbelief. These poor souls were sad Why They did not believe their Lord was risen. But, ah! there was another reason for sadness; they had basely forsaken and deserted him: this also arose from the same cause, unbelief. Well, notwithstanding all this, O the free grace of Christ! he follows them, though they forsook him; he owns them, though they denied him; he cares for them, though they showed no care for him; he comes to comfort them, though they had grieved him. Says the Prince of peace, "Why are ye sad?" Then they opened their minds to him; they told him of the ray of hope and the gleam of confidence which they possessed: "We trusted it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." But delays begat doubt. Luke 24:21.
What was the consequence! Christ chides them for their unbelief. Expounds the Scriptures to them. Causes their hearts to burn within them. O christians, though you are perplexed in your minds, walk and are sad, yet forsake not the assembling of yourselves together; expect and pray for your Lord's presence: this, like the rising sun, will scatter the clouds of doubt, fear and sadness, which hang over your minds. Remember, with the confidence of faith and the joy of hope, your Lord's precious promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20.