3rd Sunday of Easter, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY

Recognizing Jesus
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, April 18, 2010
Based on Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19


There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t receive one or more internet stories or poems from friends as well as members in this congregation that have very clever ways of looking at life! This morning’s title of the sermon is “Recognizing Jesus”. So, for that reason I want to share one of these gems with you. There was no title to this other than God Enjoys A Good Laugh:
GOD ENJOYS A GOOD LAUGH!
There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone brother
2. He liked Gospel
3. He didn't get a fair trial

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into His Father's business
2. He lived at home until he was 33
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with His hands
2. He had wine with His meals
3. He used olive oil

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut His hair
2. He walked around barefoot all the time
3. He started a new religion

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:
1. He was at peace with nature
2. He ate a lot of fish
3. He talked about the Great Spirit

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.
But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was virtually no food
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do
Can I get an AMEN!!
In both the Epistle and the Gospel readings for this morning, we see where Paul (whose name was Saul at the beginning of the story) and seven of the disciples of Jesus having an encounter with Jesus, both in different places and in different times. In both story’s nobody recognized Jesus at the beginning. Paul was asking, “who was he” that had brought him to his knees with lightening flashing round him; The seven disciples who were on the boat didn’t recognize Jesus until after Jesus told them to cast their fishing nets on the other side of the boat. In fact, it wasn’t until these nets had been filled beyond capacity with fish that John finally realized that the man on the shore talking to them was indeed Jesus.
Both of today’s stories are dealing with two very different types of people. In the Epistle, we read about a man who is filled with hatred toward those who were distorting his understanding of what the Hebrew religion was about. I would venture a guess and say that this hatred was fueled by “fear”, fear that if left unchecked, the church that he had come to love and the truths that he had built his life upon would be eroded away by this “new” interpretation of the Torah. The Rev Fred Phelps of this world comes to my mind as I think about a comparison to this man Saul. Rev Phelps has an established understanding of what the scriptures say and of how to live one’s life by. With each hateful demonstration that he is involved in, he believes he is acting through the authority of scripture. Saul was doing the same thing, he asked the church authorities for a letter that gave him the right to hunt down and bring to trial members who were a part of the early Christian church, known at that time as The Way. These were Hebrews who had listened to the teachings of Jesus or of the testimonies of the disciples or other followers of Jesus and had incorporated these teachings into their religious lives.
It is in the Gospel of John that we find the other type of person that is having an encounter with Jesus, his own disciples. Here is a group of guys who had lived with, eaten with, listened to, and even had two earlier encounters with Jesus after his death, who after the resurrection had decided to go fishing! As readers of this story, we could conclude that the two post crucifixion appearances weren’t enough to keep the momentum for the disciple to be able to move their lives forward past the Easter event. After Jesus had gone, they appear to have decided to go back to business as usual pre-Jesus. Isn’t that so like us? We spend six weeks preparing for the excitement, the good news, the salvation message that the “empty tomb” brings at Easter, only to find ourselves within a few weeks, falling back into old behaviors and old attitudes.
The primary thrust of today’s lessons is that of needing a personal relationship with Jesus in order to have a meaningful change within our lives. For Saul, he met Jesus on a trip to Damascus, a trip scheduled to bring terror to those of the Way; a trip to do bodily harm to anyone that he felt wasn’t following prescribed doctrine.
After his encounter with Jesus on the road he followed the instructions to wait for a particular person in Damascus who would help him in the healing that needed to come in his life. When Saul had done as Jesus had instructed he became the greatest moving force of the early church in promoting the Gospel of Christ to the known world.
For the disciples, their relationship with Jesus seems to be about the continual need of being nurtured. They had the privilege of living with Jesus for 3 yrs as well as two appearances after the crucifixion while they were living in fear behind locked doors. Now we see them out, away from the safety of a room and in the open, on the sea of Tiberius, yet there seems to be something missing in their lives, as they seemed to have no direction, so they did what we all do when we don’t know what to do; they go back to an activity that they are familiar with, that of fishing. This particular group of men had all been business men prior to following Jesus during those 3 yrs. They all had been in the business of fishing.
I realize that these men were probably still in shock that the dreams that they had dreamed were put to death on a cross, still I find it fascinating that they did not recognize Jesus while he was standing on the shore suggesting to them that they would catch fish if only they put their nets on the other side of the boat. Again, I realize that you might not be catching any fish in one spot and just a few feet away, if you put your pole or net in, you can catch all the fish you want. Maybe Jesus saw the movement of the water indicating the fish were on the other side but, I don’t think this is the point of the story. For surely these experts of catching fish could have seen signs that maybe fish were holding school on the other side of the boat.
This is my take on this part of the story. Sometimes we get so caught up with what is going on in our lives, especially when we are dealing with a horrific tragedy that we might not be able to see those things that are in front of us or surrounding us and it is through the guidance of another that can help us see the light at the end of the tunnel or help us walk through a heavy point in our life and help us miss those landmines that could destroy our lives. Once these men took action on what the man on the shore was sharing with them, then they recognized that it was Jesus who was giving them those suggestions. In the same vain, it wasn’t until Peter was being asked by Jesus if he, Peter, truly loved him, then if so, to go feed His lambs, to take care of His sheep, and to feed His sheep. When we hear the word of Jesus, it only takes root within our lives when we actually take action on it.
There is one person in today’s readings that I haven’t touched upon yet. Ananias was living in Damascus at the time Saul had his encounter with Jesus. Scripture uses the word, “Lord” when Ananias has his encounter. So it is unclear as whether it is Jesus speaking to Ananias or God, but the point being again is, an encounter of life changing proportions is happening in Ananias’ life. Ananias is told to seek out the murdering Saul and be the instrument in which Saul is to be healed by. Had Ananias not acted upon the leading of the Lord, Saul might have never been healed and history might very well have turned out differently.
Have you understood the point of today’s lesson? We recognize Jesus through our encounters with Jesus. Usually it is through those around us who help us recognize Jesus. We just need to be open enough to recognize it. Then the only way that we can continue to carry on this Good News of God is by acting upon our encounters and committing ourselves as did Peter to follow the guiding of the Spirit; to feed Jesus’ lambs, to care for His sheep, and to feed His sheep.
How do we “recognize Jesus? Well there’s a good argument that Jesus was Irish, there’s an equally good argument Jesus was black, and don’t forget the argument that Jesus was a woman. Jesus comes to us in many ways and in many forms. The question is,” are we open enough to recognize Jesus when we have those encounters with him in our journey?” Amen