Did you Recognize? (2)

Jan[xa|r

Luke 24:13-21, 28-32

Let us look at another event after the resurrection when two disciples were walking towards a village called Emmaus. The distance was about seven miles from Jerusalem, a walking distance. It seems the two disciples decided to walk towards this village. They were talking, maybe arguing, confused about the stories of resurrection. Suddenly we find Jesus joining them in their walk. They did not recognize him. The scripture says, “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him”(16). They could not “see”. Conversation, talk and discussion were continuing. They highlight was at the end when they invited Jesus to dine with them. When Jesus broke the bread at night and gave it to them, they finally did recognize him.

“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” (31)

As if there was a “curtain” that covered their eyes. They had a conversation with him, an important conversation, yet they did not recognize him.

How about now in our own life? Do we see Jesus in our daily routine? Do we experience him in our daily life? Are we too busy to realize?

Thomas wanted to touch the hands of Jesus to believe in him.

Paul was persecuting the Christians when he saw the light and fell down from his horse and experienced Jesus in his life.

The centurion in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus, saw who Jesus was and believed in Him.

Do you see, there is no single pattern in experiencing our Lord in our lives. Each of us will have different experiences to meet with our Lord, to experience the power of his resurrection in our lives.

Let me tell you a very intersecting real story:

“Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people passed through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes, a middle aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.”

How about Our Lord Jesus Christ?

How many times is he standing with us in the corner of the streets, at home, at the restaurant, at the workplace, and we do not recognize him?

Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

He is the real shepherd. He is the genuine shepherd. The Holy Spirit helps us hear his calling and accept his grace and love. Then once we are in tune with him, we will recognize his voice.

The disciples were confused when Jesus said he was hungry and thirsty and they did not feed him.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matt 25:35-40)

Do we recognize him? Do we experience him in our lives?

I was touched by the stories I heard about the miners in West Virginia. Last week the media was focusing on the explosion that happened, when 24 died and four were trapped. On Thursday, while I was preparing my sermon, I came across this story on CNN.

(CNN) -- On Easter Sunday, the day before the explosion that would take his life, Joshua Napper got saved while attending church with his family, his mother said.

When he left her home in Ohio to go work in West Virginia's Upper Big Branch South Mine, Napper left behind letters for his girlfriend and small daughter.

According to his mother, Pam Napper, the letters told them, "If anything happens to me, I'll be looking down from heaven at you all." He told his girlfriend he loved her and asked that "my baby girl" be taken care of, Pam Napper said.

"He grabbed my hand and he said, 'Mom, I love you,' " she said. "I said, 'I love you too, Josh, I'll always love you.' "

Joshua raised his hand accepted Jesus on Easter morning. His mother was telling that the church does not usually do alter calls. They did it that Sunday, and Josh went to the front and accepted Jesus in his life. Also that night he wrote a letter to his fiancé and to his small daughter.

What a testimony!

Short one, yet Josh recognized Jesus.

I hope you do the same.

Jesus is standing and knocking the door of each person’s heart. Either you open it, or you reject it.

May God help you open the door and recognize Jesus in your life.

Amen