Reflections on "Jesus Is the One Who Keeps Appearing" John 21: 4-8; Mark 16: 9-16

I enjoyed preaching this sermon.  It is also a case where what was preached differs more than that usual from the written text.  I got into a flow and now I can't quite remember what differences there were.  I know that the conclusion does not quite match what I preached in the Chapel of Sanctuary (both of which were different ending as well).

I used three illustrations that might not be common knowledge to most people, which presents the challenge of giving enough background so the listener can understand the context for the illustration without spending so much time on the context that the illustration gets lost. With our new screens in the sanctuary, it might be possible in the future to actually play clips of illustrations, instead of just describing them.  

One of the members of the congregation gave me an article about how our merging the four gospels together distorts how we understand the gospels -- that is, they can be best understood in their own context, without blurring the differences in the stories and the contexts.  Ironically, I read the article the same week I mention post-resurrection appearance stories from all four gospels.  I hope that by mentioning the four different gospels that contained the stories, I did not blur the fact that each gospel does have a different context in which to hear the post-resurrection appearance stories.  I didn't take the time to reflect on why, but I had never noticed before how limited the Gospel of Matthew is in its post-resurrection appearance stories.

“Jesus Is the One Who Keeps Appearing” April 21, 2013; FPC, Troy, Jesus is the one who series

Introduction: I was watching one of those TV shows about lawyers recently, and the somewhat predictable plot involved a case where injustice seemed to be winning the day.

In a series of courtroom scenes, after a particularly bad ruling by the judge or comment by the opposing lawyer, people in the gallery would stand up wearing those masks associated with what we now know as Anonymous, and shout about the injustice taking place.

Every court room scene that show had Anonymous people in masks appearing. As if to announce – we will keep appearing until you get the point we are trying to make.

After his resurrection, Jesus does not make a hasty trip to the join God in heaven. No, the resurrected Christ keeps appearing and appearing, as if to say – I am going to keep appearing until you get the point of my being resurrected.

Move 1: Jesus keeps appearing to show his followers that he has in fact been raised from the dead.

a. Think about the different stories of Jesus appearing.

1. In Mark, Jesus appears to Mary, then to two disciples, then to a whole gathering of disciples.

2. IN Luke, Jesus appears to several women at the tomb; then to disciples on walking to Emmaus; then at dinner in Emmaus; then to another gathering of disciples.

3. In Matthew, her appears to the disciples in Galilee where he gives them what we know as the great commission.

4. John – he appears to Mary Magdalene at the tomb; next to the disciples behind closed doors; then again so that Thomas can see him; then at the beach of the Sea of Tiberias in the story we read this morning.

5. We are not sure what to make of the resurrected Christ.

3. We get the sense that the resurrected Christ looked different, particularly since no one recognized him immediately.  

4. Perhaps Jesus looks so different they cannot recognize him?

5. Or maybe they cannot conceive.

6. Once they know who he is, they recognize him.

b. These stories help them realize the truth of what has happened, that Jesus has indeed been resurrected.

1. Sneaking in at night to look at the newborn asleep. Did my wife really have a baby? Am I really a father? Some things are hard to imagine, much less have come true.

2. The Gospel of Mark originally ended with no resurrection appearance stories, but they were soon added.  

1. As you know, I love the way the Gospel of Mark ends – the tomb is empty and the reader gets to decide if they want to believe.
2. But I also recognize that great need of those followers of Christ to tell the rest of the story.
3. To tell about the times when the resurrected Christ appeared.
4. Less drama, perhaps, but it helps those followers lay claim to the resurrection.

b. Jesus keeps appearing as his way of saying, “you can't get rid of me.”

1. the kingdom initiated by Christ cannot be thwarted.

2. Not even death can keep God's plan from playing out.

Jesus keeps appearing so that we would know the truth of the resurrection.

Move 2: Jesus also keeps appearing to make sure the disciples, to make sure we understand that the resurrection calls us to a new way of life.

a. This morning's story in John has Peter and some of the others back on their fishing boats.

1. Back doing with they had been doing before they had met Jesus.

2. I often have given the advice to grieving people – get back into your routines.

3. Undoubtedly they still remember what had happened when they were following Jesus around the countryside.

4. How could they forget Jesus performing miracles? I bet they can still hear Jesus' voice as he taught the crowds; maybe even in that moment as they are fishing they remember Jesus having them gather the fish and the loaves of bread and then having it somehow multiply to feed the thousands who gathered.

5. It's not as if they could forget that had happened.

6. But there they are, back in their boats fishing.

b. maybe you can relate to the disciples.

1. the excitement and thrill of gathering for Easter has passed.

2. Maybe you sat here on Easter morning and made a promise to yourself and to God that the power of the resurrection was going to make a difference in your life.

4. But now the disciples are back to fishing, and you are back into your normal routines.

c. But Jesus has something else in mind.

1. Jesus wants his disciples feeding his sheep, not fishing.

2. In fact, Jesus tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat where their fill their nets. It's as if Jesus is saying, “Fishing is no big deal. Anyone can do that. But I want to you stop

fishing and feed my sheep.”

2. The resurrection changed their lives; they cannot go back to who they once were, and Jesus keeps appearing to remind them of that.

3. I know, most of us have returned to our work after Easter – but the question still waits for us to answer: What does the resurrected Christ want you to be doing?

Move 3: Finally, Jesus keeps appearing because of love.

a. the musical  "The 25^th annual Putnam county Spelling Bee" has a scene in which Marcy, the young spelling bee contestant who reeks with perfection, gets an easy word to spell and sighs/prays: “Dear Jesus, Can't you come upon with a harder word than that.”

1. Lo and behold, Jesus appears.

2. Jesus tells her in part that he will love here whether she spells the word correctly or not. As he departs, Jesus says, “I don’t really care about spelling bees anyway” or something to that effect.

3. assured of Jesus' love, she gives up her stressed out pursuit of perfection, misspells the word, and leaves the spelling bee a changed person.

b. When Jesus appears on the beach and talks to Peter, love seems to be on his mind.

1. First of all, he extends his love to Peter.

2. We know the story – Peter betrayed Christ three times on the night Jesus was brought before the authorities and sentenced to death by crucifixion.

3. and, if asked, we would probably say, “yes, even though it is incredible, we sort of expect the Son of God to forgive and love even Peter.”

4. And so Jesus does.

6. But it is more than that.

7. Jesus invites Peter back into discipleship, back to the task of sharing the gospel.

8. Jesus invites Peter to go into the world and share that love.

c. “Fiddler on the roof” Do You Love Me?

1. This song is sung by Teyve and his wife Golde when Teyve tells her that he has given permission for their daughter's engagement.

2. It has him thinking about love, and in particular, about whether his wife, with whom he had met for the first time on his wedding day as part of an arranged marriage, and to whom he has been married for twenty-five years.

3. He asks her, “Do you love me?”

4. Golde: Do I what?

5. (Tevye) Do you love me?
6. (Golde) Do I love you? For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked the cow; fought with him

(http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/fiddlerontheroof/doyouloveme.htm

Connection made to this song by Mark Davis, Left Behind and Loving It, 2013.) http://leftbehindandlovingit.blogspot.com/2013/04/tevye-and-golde-sing-do-you-love-me.html D

As if the way she lives her life will reveal her love for him.

Conclusion: Jesus keeps appearing to show the truth of who he was, to invite the disciples to understand the way their lives have been changed forever by the resurrection, and to love them and call them to share that love.

How does the way you live your life reveal the resurrected Christ?