Did you Recognize?

Jan[xa|r

John 21:1-14

A few months ago, I was invited to a friend’s house. As were we sitting in the porch and enjoying the evening, I met a few new people who were also invited. A man, who was sitting next to me, introduced himself. After about 30 minutes, he said, “Nerses, I don’t think you recognized me.” I suddenly realized that he was a good friend whom I had not seen for 30 years! What a surprise!

In the Armenian Church calendar, this Sunday is called the New Sunday. It is the Sunday after resurrection. What now? We all live in the era after the resurrection of Jesus. Post resurrection is not an ideology, or a one-time event. The resurrection of our Lord affected the lives of millions of people in different ages.

This morning I will take several people who met our risen Lord yet they did not recognize him.

In John chapter 21, we find that although the disciples lived with Jesus, they did not know what to do with their life after the resurrection. What was next?

Peter decided to fish. “Let me go back to my old profession.” So the disciples went with him. The fishing results were not successful. They fished at night and close to the shore. Even today you will find Middle Eastern fishermen fish at night. Now it was early morning and Jesus was preparing a breakfast for them and he needed fish. John describes the scene:

“Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.” (4)

Now this sentence turns a red light in my head as a pastor, as a father, as a husband, as a Christian. It worries me that I could face the same scenario: meeting Jesus and not recognizing him.

We can analyze the story and we can find million reasons why they did not recognize him. Please let us not forget this was not the first time they were meeting Jesus after the resurrection (see John 20:19-31). It could be they were exhausted all night. It could be the sun was facing them they could not see Jesus clearly. All these reasons are legitimate. But the most striking problem for me is that as the disciples went on to their daily life, Jesus was nearby and they did not recognize him. This is our problem today. Our daily life has enough ups and downs, rush, and worries. I am afraid we will miss recognizing Jesus in our lives.

Last Sunday I gave you the example of Mary Magdalene. She was worried that Jesus’ body was stolen. She was in tears. Of course our vision would not be very clear when we are in tears. Jesus was standing there next to her. She saw him but did not recognize him. It is only when Jesus said “Mary”, she recognized him.

What happened exactly that Mary could identify Jesus? What was it there that touched Mary?

Calling a person by name. Mary should have had that experience before the resurrection. She knew that voice. She experienced that voice before. She did hear many times Jesus saying, “Mary, you worry too much, trust me. Mary, I know your life; come to me I will give you rest.”

God calls us by name. He called Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. He called Mary mother of Jesus, the disciples. He called me and you by name. Do we hear that call?

We will continue in English.