Unrecognized

Although Easter Sunday was several days ago, we are still in the Easter season.

Before COVID-19, the Sundays following Easter would remind us of this.

Sermons, hymns and prayers would help remind us of the importance of the Resurrection,

As such, I find my thoughts returning to one fact about the immediate aftermath of the Resurrection.

People, including those closest to Jesus, did not recognize Him at first,

This started when Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty.

She then told the disciples who came to see for themselves.

After she was left alone, she encountered the risen Jesus.

Initially, she mistook Him for someone else.

John 20:14 (NET) -  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

Soon afterward, Jesus appeared before two others on the road to Emmaus.

They did not recognize Him at first either.

Luke 24:15-16 (NET) - While they were talking and debating these things, Jesus himself approached and began to accompany them (but their eyes were kept from recognizing him).

Then there was the time the disciples were fishing and did not realize it was Jesus on the shore.

John 21:4 (NET) - When it was already very early morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

I find it more than interesting that those who knew Jesus best did not recognize Him at first.

Scripture does make it plain that they were kept from recognizing Him as in the verse from Luke.

I will not dispute that.

But those He encountered were also caught up in other things at the time.

Mary was caught up in her grief.

Those on the road to Emmaus were caught up in their conversation about current events.

The disciples were caught up in their fishing.

It is easy for us to question how those closest to Him could fail to recognize Jesus.

Do we really fare any better?

Jesus reveals Himself today in many ways including Scripture.

Can we honestly say that we always recognize Him?

Or, are we perhaps too caught up in our own thoughts and actions to notice?

One final thought…

Since COVID-19 has impacted our lives, churches have had to find new and creative ways to worship.

We have also had to find new and creative ways in which to serve.

I hope these trends continue well after the threat of this pandemic has subsided.

I pray churches continue to find even newer and more creative ways in which to worship and serve.

If we do, perhaps people just might not recognize the church at first either.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 24, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 1, 2020