Dec 27, 2017

A Conversation with Jim


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Jim: 
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. 
Psalms 113:3

Praise Him for the manger, the Cross, and the beach.

....But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. John 21:4
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Mark:
I've been thinking of the various scripture passages lately where I see this recurring theme of Christ's post-resurrection appearances. Frequently associated with each of these passages is that Jesus is not recognized by his "inner-circle" group of people. How can you not be recognized by your friends?

In the passage you mentioned here, he was directing them where to fish & later making breakfast for them, but the disciples evidently didnt recognize him in his post-resurrection body.


Jim:
Huh? And who are you again?


Mark:
In the passage you mentioned here, he was directing them where to fish & later making breakfast for them, but the disciples evidently didnt recognize his post-resurrection body.

Another occurrence was at the tomb, Mary thought he was the Gardner...until she recognized his voice.  Why didn't she clue in by looking at his face, body etc.?

The even more puzzling situation/occurrence was (again with Jesus inner-circle people) on the road to Emmaus.  In this case, Jesus sort of literally came out of nowhere, and slid himself into stride with them as they walked 7 miles ......SEVEN miles for me is a long, long walk....Acton, the next town over from where I live is 7 miles.  Jim I haven't seen you since 1992, but I'm pretty sure if I walked and talked with you for less than a minute, I would near instantly identify you.

Jim we've both probably put on a lot more weight.....still I would recognize ya bro....looks, the way you talk, the way you walk....and your amazing jokes!!!!

In Revelation.(Ch. 5 I think)....it says.... I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain!!!! Could this be a clue?

Perhaps Isaiah gives us one of the best clues. …Starting in the last part of chapter 52 and into 53...

Jim:
We only see what we focus on. If we are not expecting to see somebody we recently watched die I can understand how they could miss Him. When my son returned home from deployment I wasn’t expecting to see him for a few more weeks-when he showed up it took me a second to recognize that person as him.

Mark:
His face was so terribly marred & disfigured so that it was literally unrecognizable by even people who knew him!  ....Jesus post-resurrection face & body still bore the scars of the brutal punishment that he took for me and you!  Thank-you again Lord for what you did at Calvary.  

I love the fact we celebrate his birth....but he was not born for the manger or so we can celebrate Christmas (as good as Christmas is)... He was born to die on a cross  ....for us who will believe!


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Ed's note:
In another lifetime long, long ago (about 30 years ago), Jim and I flew airplanes together for several years.  We operated Twin Otters for Mission Aviation Fellowship and its sister organization Air Serv Intl. in backwoods/isolated areas of Ethiopia and Sudan. Jim now is flying a Airbus 300 for FedEx and lives in Mississippi where Southern BBQ is so tasty. We connect from time to time online.

      Mark with Twin Otter in South Sudan 1980s



                             Jim with A300

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