John 21: 1-19 (Common English Bible)
The crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans had crushed the hopes of his followers that he was the Messiah. But the living God raises Jesus to life as an agent of life for the entire world.
After Jesus’ resurrection he later appears to his disciples along the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, also known as the Sea of Galilee. Tiberius was the Roman Emperor when Jesus began his ministry. Later all the disciples make it to the same shore dragging their catch of 153 large fish.
Over the years, New Testament scholars have been puzzled whether this large number of fish should be taken as literally or symbolically, and numerous ideas have been proposed. One might see a parallel of the size and volume of the water jars at the wedding feast at Cana or the baskets of bread gathered to feed the 5,000.
The gospels teach us that Easter is not a one-time event. Jesus is alive and continues to appear to us, in various ways beyond the physical. His many post-Easter appearances recorded in Scripture is evidence of that.
But if there is one thing that is consistent in all the resurrection appearances, was the disciples and others didn’t recognize him. Something had to happen before they recognized the Risen Jesus.
So even after Jesus was raised from death, he was hard to be identified. If that was true then, it must be true now. Jesus could be that homeless person living on the streets or someone risking their life to do justice for the oppressed.
There are several ways to recognize Jesus. One way is through miracles. The disciples have gone back to their ordinary lives after Jesus was executed. The disciples were fishing, which is their vocation, and they’re not having any luck. When Jesus appears on the shore, they didn’t recognize him, at least not yet. Jesus suggests they try casting their net on the other side of their boat. So they cast their net and caught so many fish their net was about to burst. That was when John realizes the unknown man is Jesus by this miracle.
We might think it would be wonderful if Jesus performed a miracle for us. It would certainly be one way to see Jesus. But this could be a miracle like any other, in the sense that is a miracle only if we believe that it is. Isn’t it possible that Jesus saw fish swimming around the boat’s other side? Could there be a rational explanation? We can see the Risen Christ in our midst through a miracle, but to see this as a miracle requires the eyes of faith. Faith, as one might say, is the real miracle. Remember the faith of the Roman centurion who had a servant near death that needed to be healed. And that story is in Luke chapter seven.
Another way to see Jesus is in John chapter 20. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus early on Easter morning and found it empty. She spoke to a couple of angels, and an angel could be a celestial being or just a good and kind human. When Mary turned around she saw a man standing near the tomb who she didn’t recognize. She thought it was the gardener. It was only when Jesus spoke her name, that Mary realized it was Jesus.
There is something powerful about knowing one’s name. Earlier in John’s gospel, Jesus tells us that he is the Good Shepherd who calls his sheep by name. In some high churches, those with a lot of pomp and ceremony, like the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church and some others, when a person is baptized, they are given a Christian name from the Bible. We are given the gift of the Holy Spirit when we’re baptized. We begin to recognize Jesus at work in our life. In Holy Baptism, every baptism is a miracle. And this is another way to recognize the Risen Jesus in our lives.
The breaking of bread is another way to experience the risen Jesus, which we will do today. During the first Easter evening we find two very depressed disciples of Jesus. All is lost, they say, our Messiah has been executed on a cross. But when they were walking on the Emmaus Road, a stranger joined them on their journey. They invited the stranger to join them at their home. When they arrived at the home of the two disciples, the stranger was invited to break bread with them. The stranger took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the two disciples. And then their eyes were opened and they recognized the stranger as Jesus, before he disappeared. In Holy Communion, our Risen Lord joins us on our journey. In the breaking of the bread and drinking the wine during worship, we are blessed when we partake and share these mystical elements because of the spiritual force of Christ through these symbols of Jesus’ body within our midst.
Even Thomas, while in the Upper Room with the other disciples, was skeptical if Jesus was really alive after being crucified. No one survives a crucifixion because the Romans will break your legs until the person is suffocated to death. It was only then, in the Upper Room, that Jesus allowed Thomas to touch his wounds. Then Thomas realized it was truly Jesus with them in the Upper Room. Thomas was so overwhelmed with joy he said, “My Lord and my God.”
There are times we will clearly recognize Jesus in our life. Perhaps in a baptism or partaking of the Eucharist. And when something difficult is happening to us, we are reminded of Jesus’ suffering for humankind. And when the unexpected happens when most have given up, a terminal disease is cured. That is a miracle from Jesus that can be seen and felt working by faith through you and of course the physicians touched by Jesus’ hands. Amen.
