Dear brothers and sisters, let’s talk about the moments when Jesus appeared after His resurrection. These appearances are not just stories but powerful testimonies of His victory over death and His eternal presence among us. After Jesus rose from the dead, He revealed Himself to His followers in various ways, each encounter carrying a powerful message of hope, faith, and reassurance.
On that glorious morning, Mary Magdalene was among the first to witness the risen Christ. She was weeping near the tomb when Jesus approached her. At first, she did not recognize Him until He called her by name. This personal and tender moment highlights how Jesus knows each of us intimately and calls us to recognize Him in our lives.
Another significant appearance was to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were discussing the recent events when Jesus joined them, though they did not recognize Him initially. It was only when He broke bread with them that their eyes were opened, and they realized it was Jesus. This encounter teaches us that Jesus walks with us even when we do not see Him, and He reveals Himself in the simplest acts of fellowship and breaking bread.
Jesus also appeared to His disciples who were hiding in fear. He stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” By showing them His wounds, He affirmed that He was indeed risen, bringing peace to their troubled hearts. This appearance underscores that Jesus brings peace and courage to our fears and doubts.
Thomas, one of the disciples, was not present during Jesus’ first appearance to the group. He doubted their testimony, saying he needed to see and touch Jesus’ wounds to believe. Later, Jesus appeared again and invited Thomas to touch His wounds. Thomas’ response, “My Lord and my God,” is a powerful declaration of faith, reminding us that Jesus meets us in our doubts and strengthens our belief.
Lastly, Jesus appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee. They had gone back to fishing, and after a fruitless night, Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. They caught a miraculous haul of fish, and John recognized it was the Lord. This encounter is a beautiful reminder that Jesus provides abundantly and reveals Himself in our daily work and struggles.
Dear friends, now let’s see the Bible scriptures below that talk about Jesus’ appearance after resurrection.
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed themAnd when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted”
— Matthew 28:16-17
“Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, upbraided them with their unbelief hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen”
— Mark 16:14
“Behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongsAnd they talked together of all these things which had happenedAnd it came to pass, that, while they communed together reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, went with themBut their eyes were holden that they should not know him”
— Luke 24:13-16
“It came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, blessed it, brake, gave to themAnd their eyes were opened, they knew him; he vanished out of their sight”
— Luke 24:30-31
“Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, hath appeared to Simon”
— Luke 24:34
“As they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, saith unto them, Peace be unto youBut they were terrified affrighted, supposed that they had seen a spiritAnd he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? why do thoughts arise in your hearts?Behold my hands my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, see; for a spirit hath not flesh bones, as ye see me have”
— Luke 24:36-39
“While they yet believed not for joy, wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, of an honeycombAnd he took it, did eat before them”
— Luke 24:41-43
“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: as she wept, she stooped down, looked into the sepulchreAnd seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lainAnd they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord , I know not where they have laid himAnd when she had thus said, she turned herself back, saw Jesus standing, knew not that it was Jesus”
— John 20:11-14
“Mary Magdalene came told the disciples that she had seen the Lord , that he had spoken these things unto herThen the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus stood in the midst, saith unto them, Peace be unto youAnd when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord”
— John 20:18-20
“After eight days again his disciples were within, Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, stood in the midst, said, Peace be unto youThen saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, behold my hands; reach hither thy hand, thrust it into my side: be not faithless, but believingAnd Thomas answered said unto him, My Lord my God”
— John 20:26-28
“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; on this wise shewed he himself”
— John 21:1
“This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead”
— John 21:14
“Him God raised up the third day, shewed him openlyNot to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat drink with him after he rose from the dead”
— Acts 10:40-41
“To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God”
— Acts 1:3
“Ananias went his way, entered into the house; putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, be filled with the Holy Ghost”
— Acts 9:17
“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him”
— Romans 6:9
“I am he that liveth, was dead; , behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; have the keys of hell of death”
— Revelation 1:18
Conclusion
The appearances of Jesus after His resurrection, as recorded in scriptures like Matthew 28:9-10, Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-29, and 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, affirm the reality of His resurrection and underscore His victory over death. These encounters provided His followers with hope, reassurance, and a strengthened faith. From these accounts, we learn the importance of faith in the risen Christ, the power of His resurrection in transforming lives, and the call to witness and share this good news with others. Applying these lessons in our lives involves deepening our faith, embracing the hope of eternal life, and committing to live as witnesses of Christ’s love and resurrection power in our daily interactions and communities.