There have been so many times in my life when I saw someone and recognized them, but couldn’t remember where I had seen them before. Sometimes I mull it over in my brain, over and over, until I remember where and when I saw them. At other times, I never remember, and it drives me crazy. In the Bible, there are several accounts where Jesus was seen but not recognized.
In Mark 15:39, we have an account of a Roman soldier recognizing Jesus as the Son of God. This recognition took place at the cross. The events that convinced the soldier were profound and different from anything that had ever happened. At the sixth hour of the day the earth became dark. Three hours later Jesus cried out to His Father, asking His Father why He had forsaken Him. Some thought He was calling on the prophet Elijah. Then Jesus died. The temple veil was torn in half from the top to the bottom. At His death the Roman centurion said “Truly this was the Son of God.” He recognized Jesus was who He said He was.
Mark 15:33-39 “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
After His death there were many mixed emotions by the disciples. In John 21:5-12 we have another instance where Jesus was not recognized. His disciples had gone back to there own occupation of fishing. They had fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus was standing on the shore talking to them, asking questions. When He told them to cast on the other side of the ship and there were so many fish they were not able to pull them in John recognized it was Jesus!
John 21:5-12 “Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.”
Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
What about recognizing Jesus when things seem to be mounting up or tragedy comes. For those who chose to sin after they are saved, God will chastise if they continue in their sin and do not repent. The goal is for us to repent and turn from our sin before it is to late. In Hebrews 12:5-6, for those who are His children, those who have been saved from their sins by placing their faith in Jesus and repenting, He chastens or disciplines us to turn us back to Him.
Hebrews 12:5-6 “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chastened, and scourged every son whom he received.”
What about conviction? Do you sit in a service and feel like the preacher is talking to you? If so the Holy Spirit is probably trying to point out something in your life that needs to change. If we are saved there will be multiple times we feel this way in a service because God is seeking to change us to be more like Jesus. In John 16:8-10, Jesus is teaching His disciples one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to reprove, or convict, the world of its sins. However, as He dwells in us, we too will feel conviction if we are sinning. Just as Peter did when he denied Jesus after His arrest. He is a guide to help us live a holy life for God. He wants us to be holy as He is holy. Many times I have sat in a church service and the preacher would preach and the Holy Spirit would convince me that I needed to repent of certain things.
John 16:8-10 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.”
Many have not recognized Jesus. The disciples didn’t recognize Him until they got closer. The centurion did not until he saw the events of the crucifixion. How about you do you recognize Jesus in your daily walk with Him when He points out an area that needs to change in your life? It is time to wake up Christian and be alert to His convicting power and stop making excuses for your sin. It may be pride, selfishness, anger, covetousness, and the list could go. It is our responsibility to listen and obey.
