Encountering the Risen Christ
Readings: Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19
Have you ever been so right, so absolutely right that no one could persuade you otherwise?
How do you know you are right?
Do you trust your eyes? Was that dress blue or was it gold?
Do you trust your teachers? They taught us that our tongues taste in sections, since proven wrong by scientists.
Saul was an educated young man, full of passion and youthful idealism. And he was determined to stamp out Christianity. It was false and dangerous and had to be crushed. He became quite the figurehead, and was the subject of much prayer even if he didn’t know it. Can you imagine how many were praying that the Lord would intervene...?
So prayer changed him.
But for Saul – what an answer to prayer – that encounter with Jesus was life changing. It needed to be because Saul would have ignored or missed anything else. He was so hell-bent on his mission that nothing would have got through. Losing his sight for that short time would have been the space God needed. Saul as he was known was a determined young man, who knew what he was doing was right and he needed an intervention as we would call it nowadays. And Jesus intervened in style. Crikey – Saul was left in no doubt as to who he met.
Are we missing encountering the Risen Christ because we are too busy, too hell bent on getting done what needs to be done? What does Christ have to do to get your attention? Something big or maybe you need something more soothing.
The story from John’s Gospel is a gentle story. Here Jesus is intervening again but in a much less dramatic way, although not without some flourish. It’s almost as if Jesus who kept a relatively low profile before his death is relishing some freedom. It is almost playful but at the same time Jesus meets his friends where they are. They are hurting, confused and wondering what comes next. We can be guilty because of hindsight to think that all would have been hunky dory after the resurrection. Yet we know that we are complicated people. We worry about details. We overthink things – even men!
Judas Iscariot had done the dirty on them all and then killed himself before any form of judgement, anger, or explanation could occur. Talk about regrets and unfinished business. Judas was a friend, a fellow traveller for the previous three years. Even if he was a bit of a loner, he would have been involved. How do they deal with that?
Peter is on the world’s biggest guilt trip – a broken man. Previously a leader, in the inner circle, but he denied he even knew Jesus. His self-preservation kicked in and he couldn’t be the big, brave, man he was known for. Jesus dies on the cross and there is no release for Peter. And then he rises again and Peter rejoices and weeps, convinced perhaps that he will be shunned.
Interestingly Jesus doesn’t deal with the ‘sin of betrayal’ directly or immediately. Funny that! Instead he makes breakfast and together they share an agape meal of bread and fish at the water’s edge. There is, for those of you who like to spot continuity threads, a wee nod to the feeding of the 5000. Bread and fish, and despite an exceptionally poor nights fishing, suddenly there are so many fish they struggle to bring them to shore. God doesn’t punish their lack of faith – he builds up their faith. He is not punitive.
And then there is that conversation between Jesus and Peter as they walk along the water’s edge. God doesn’t avoid the difficult conversations but nor does he wield the belt and rub in the salt. He speaks to Peter and asks him if he loves him. God doesn’t need us to grovel or beg. Peter needed to repent – and in this case repentance meant turning from his regret and grief, his failure and turning to commitment, love and faith. Paul might have needed an intervention that was ‘big and flashy’ but Peter needed fellowship and conversation.
When we encounter the risen Christ it will be personal to us. We might get a Damascus moment and God bless you if you have. Plenty people have and a lot write books afterwards.
If you encounter Christ walking on the beach or at a hospital bed or in the quiet of the night your encounter is just as valid. Or if, like me, you have felt the bulldozer effect, gently pushing you to commit to Him, then welcome to the gang. If you have yet to encounter the risen Christ, stay alert, for he is there. Speak to him, invite him or simply let him you are wanting to meet him. Perhaps it will be a breakfast on a beach or chance encounter that is anything but chance.
Don’t judge each other’s encounters, but rejoice in them and share them. Remember it is the same Christ we each meet, but it is a meeting that Jesus determines and we have to trust that he knows best.
Be open to encountering the Risen Christ this week, and know that even when you are not aware of him, he is always with you. Amen.
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