Seven Appearances of the Resurrected Jesus Christ

Well, thank you, Marissa. That was very beautiful. Thank you for that special contribution to our Sabbath services today. Well, Happy Sabbath once again. I don't know about you, but I'm a little bit on the warm side, so hopefully I won't melt before I get away from the podium today. But again, Happy Sabbath. We all know, and I'm sure we all believe, that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. We believe it was in a year that's known in history as 31 A.D., and that was the year His resurrection occurred. And we also believe that Jesus was in the grave just like He said, three days and three nights. In Matthew 12 and 40, He said that would be the sign that He was the Messiah, that He would be dead three days and three nights. That means that His resurrection occurred on late Saturday afternoon during that year in 31 A.D. during the days of unleavened bread. What we may not understand is that Christ made at least seven documented appearances within a short time of His resurrection.

I say seven documented appearances because it's possible that He appeared at other times, but they're not recorded in Scriptures. So with that being said, what I would like to do today is look at these seven documented appearances of Jesus Christ after His resurrection. We'll look at these, and we'll see what we can learn about them as we piece together the four Gospels.

We're going to have to go from one Gospel to another, and I'm going to try to be as chronological as it's possible to make out regarding when these appearances of Jesus Christ occurred. Again, we're going to look at seven appearances of Jesus Christ that occurred very soon after His resurrection. To understand those appearances, we need to get a little background. So we'll begin by going to the book of Luke. If you will turn there with me to Luke chapter 23 and verse 50, and we will get a little bit of background leading up to His burial so we can understand the events that occur right after His resurrection. Again, we're going to go to Luke chapter 23 and beginning in verse 50. This is right after the literal crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It says, Now behold, there was a man named Joseph. So you see, there not only was a Joseph who led songs today, there was not only a Joseph who gave the sermonette.

That's one reason why Joseph is one of the popular American names, is because it's a biblical name. It's a very ancient name that comes right out of the Scriptures. But there was a man named Joseph, a council member, meaning a member of the Sanhedrin, a very influential member at that time. He also was a believer, a good and a just man. He had not consented to their decision.

Indeed, he did not agree that Jesus Christ should have been crucified as he was. So he dissented against that decision. And continuing, it says, He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. So he was waiting patiently for the kingdom of God to arrive. Verse 52, Now other accounts give us the strong indication that this may have been his very own tomb, that he had dug out and prepared for himself. How was he able to pull this off? Most likely, Pilate recognized him. If it says here he was a council member, that means that he was a very influential Jew.

And because he was an influential Jew who served in the religious community, Pilate may have recognized him. That gave him some clout. So that when he went to Pilate and said, Could I have the body of this Jesus? Pilate said, Yes, you can. So picking it up now again in verse 54, That day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. Now again, we would have to go to John's account, John 19, verse 31, to be reminded that this Sabbath was a high day.

So that Sabbath that drew near was the first day of unleavened bread. And because it was so late in the day, they needed to rush the burial of Jesus, because the Jews did not want to be working on the Holy Day.

Again, John says it was a high day, John 19, verse 31. So the day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. This is not the seventh day Sabbath, this was a high day Sabbath. Verse 55, And the women who had come with him from Galilee followed after. So they're kind of following behind Joseph and whoever else may have been with him, literally carrying the body of Jesus to this tomb, and they observed the tomb. So they knew what the location was. They're watching this. They're watching this play out.

So they observed the tomb and how the body was laid. And they returned, then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils, and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. So the body was rushed for burial because it was a high day. Out of respect for the beloved teacher, the women wanted to return with spices and fragrant oils, because they admired their rabbi.

They wanted to show honor and distinction to the body of Jesus Christ. So now let's pick it up here in chapter 24 of Luke beginning in verse 1. It says, Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them, what's more than just Mary, are coming to the tomb here, came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.

But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb and they went in. So they peeked inside, they look inside this tomb, and they did not find the body of their Lord Jesus as it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, because their initial reaction, remember their eyes weren't open yet, their initial reaction is, someone has stolen the body of the teacher, and they're very concerned about this. They were perplexed about this, and behold, two men stood by, from other accounts, we'll see these two men were actually angels, stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, as you and I would be if we saw two individuals with very shiny glowing garments, it would kind of rattle us a little bit too, wouldn't it?

They were afraid, and they bowed their faces to the earth, and they said to them, why do you seek the living among the dead? So these two say to them, why are you in a tomb seeking a living person here among a graveyard where that only has dead people? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, I want to go back very quickly to verse 1. It says, now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, as we will see in John's account, it's still dark.

It is so early in the morning, it would be maybe what we would call today four or five o'clock in the morning. It's still dark. The sun hasn't even come up over the horizon. It's just totally dark outside. So that's very early in the morning. This is when the women came to the tomb.

So with this kind of a background, let us take a look at the first appearance. The first appearance of these seven is going to be Jesus appears to marry Magdalene. Again, appearance number one, Jesus appears to marry Magdalene, of whom he had cast out seven demons.

We're going to go to John's account to read this. John, Chapter 20, beginning in verse 1, if you will kindly turn there with me. Again, this is appearance number one. This is the morning of the day one.

Jesus appears to marry Magdalene. And this is John's account, and there are going to be certain perspectives that are different than what we just read from the book of Luke. That doesn't mean the Bible contradicts itself. It means the perception of individuals who were there saw things from their own perspective. So if you see anything in here that appears to be contrary to one of the other gospels, it is not a biblical contradiction. It is the perspective of the individual writing the book. Now, in some cases, John is actually involved in these events.

Luke is writing secondhand. Luke obviously wasn't running around doing these things at this time. John, Chapter 20, in verse 1, Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, this happens to be John, he's humbly, refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, rather than pointing to himself, trying to draw attention to himself, and said to them, They have taken away our Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.

So the initial reaction, because they're not connecting yet, all the prophecies about Jesus Christ needing to suffer first, and they're not connecting, even the things that Jesus had told them on the eve of his death about what must occur to him, none of that has sunk into their heads yet at this point. The blinders are going to have to come off. It's going to have to be revealed to them. They're going to have to see Jesus Christ, and hear him refer to the prophecies in order to understand the richness and the fullness of what has happened.

Verse 3, Peter therefore went out and the other disciple were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying there, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb, and he saw the linen clothes lying there. Verse 7, and the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded together in a place by itself.

Now, why is this important? Because Jesus is in this tomb for a while after he is resurrected. He is sitting there and he systematically takes that handkerchief that was around his head, and he folds it up very neatly and separates it from the garments. Now, we don't know how long he was there, but we do know this, that he was resurrected the evening before, what we would have called Saturday night, just before three days and three nights later after his crucifixion, what we would have called Saturday evening, he was resurrected, and this is many hours later.

This is perhaps eight, nine hours later that they come to the tomb early the next morning and see him. We don't know what he did during that period of time. He may have stayed in the tomb for many hours praying. But we do know this, that he obviously just doesn't rush and run out of the tomb, because even his clothes are systematically folded together very nicely and set aside.

So I think that's an important point we want to ponder there. Verse 8, then the other disciple who came to the tomb first, when it also, and he saw and believed, for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again into their own homes.

So they're afraid of the Jews. They're afraid that someone is going to come up to any of them, if they're walking on the streets, and say, hey, weren't you one of them? Weren't you one of the followers of this Jesus? They don't want to be resurrected. They don't want to be arrested. They don't want to be hassled. So we'll find that they're either gathering in their own homes, or they're gathering together out of fear of what the Jews might do to them.

Verse 11, but Mary stood outside the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Verse 13, then they said to her, woman, why are you weeping? And she said to them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. She said, Lord, she's saying, they stole his body, and I don't know where they have put his body. Verse 14, now, when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. And Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping?

And whom are you seeking? And she supposed him to be a gardener. You know, again, it's very early in the morning. Who else is going to be walking around tombs at four or five in the morning, except the caretaker of the facility.

She supposed him to be the gardener, said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. In other words, just tell me where you have hidden the body, and I'll make sure that we take the body back, because he was our beloved teacher. He was our rabbi. Verse 16, Jesus said to her, Mary, and there's just something about the inflection in his voice when he said to her, Mary, her name, that she made the connection.

This wasn't just a gardener. This literally was Jesus himself resurrected from the grave. She turned and said to him, Rabbanai, which is to say, Teacher, and Jesus said to her, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father, and to your Father, and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things to her. Very beautiful account. We'll just recap what we just read. Mary was lingering around the tomb after the other disciples left. She's fearful. She's confused.

She's weeping. The impression is she looks into the tomb again. And the second time, she sees two angels who wonder why she's weeping. It is then that Jesus approaches her from behind. Because she's not looking directly at him or she's not focusing on him, she's obviously confused and fearful and anxious because she thinks that the body of Jesus has been stolen. When he speaks to her at first, she supposes him to be the gardener. When he calls her by name, there's something about the very special way he says, Mary.

She recognizes his voice. She perceives him as her Lord. And she's just absolutely filled with joy. Jesus sends her back to the apostles with news to prepare for his appearance later that day. So again, that was appearance number one, which was Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Now we'll go to appearance number two. Appearance number two is Jesus appears to the other female followers. You may remember that we read earlier that there were women, plural, who came to the tomb early in the morning, not just Mary Magdalene, even though we had just read specifically about what happened to her.

As a matter of fact, in Mark's account, Mark chapter 16, it identifies some of the women as not just Mary Magdalene, but it says Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. So there were plural. There were a number of women who had been there. We just read about the experience of Mary Magdalene. Let's read about the experience of the other women by going to Matthew chapter 28 and verse 5. Again, appearance number two is Jesus appears to other female followers. Matthew chapter 28 and verse 5. Again, this is Matthew's account.

So they went off quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy. What a combination that is, isn't it? Fear and great joy. But they don't know what to believe yet at this point. They're fearful that his body has been stolen, yet they're getting information that he literally has come back to life and walked out of the tomb. So they have what we would call mixed feelings and emotions. They're still trying to process all of these things that they're seeing and hearing. So they quickly came from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to his disciples and ran to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, rejoice! So they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him. Literally, he was the Son of God and God himself, and that's why he didn't stop them. And that's why their natural reaction of the resurrected Christ was to hold him by the feet and worship him.

Verse 10, Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me. Now all they were going to behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priest all the things that have happened. Verse 12, when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a very large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, tell them that his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept.

And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure. So what happens here is they want to hide the fact that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. So they say to those who were supposed to be guarding the tomb, here's a bunch of money, here's some bribe money.

You spread the rumor that his disciples came and they stole his body. That's what we want you to say. Now there's one problem with this. The problem with this is, according to Roman law, because this happened on their watch, they both could be executed. All right? These guards could be executed because they didn't do their jobs properly, according to Roman law. And that's why they said, look, if this comes to the governor's ears, we'll cover for you.

We'll say something, we'll gloss over it, and make sure that your life is spared. Okay? Verse 15. So they took the money and did as they were instructed, and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. So a recap of some of the things we've read. Here the other women have departed the tomb area after seeing the angel. And they're on their way to tell the disciples what they saw and they heard. And Jesus then appears to them after he had spoken to Mary. He sends them back to the apostles with the news that he has risen, and he would see them all in Galilee.

So that was the second appearance. Jesus appears to other female followers, aside from Mary Magdalene. And now here is appearance number three. Appearance number three is not a human appearance. It is a heavenly appearance. Appearance number three is that Jesus ascends to the Father as the wave-sheaf offering. Jesus ascends up into the heavens to the Father as the fulfillment of the ancient wave-sheaf offering.

We're going to have to go back to John's account to pick this up. So we'll go back to John chapter 20 if you'll turn there with me. And we'll go to verse 17. John chapter 20 and verse 17. We read this verse a little earlier, but we'll pick it up here. Jesus said to her, he's speaking to Mary Magdalene, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her. So at the time Jesus is talking to Mary, the priests are preparing for the annual wave-sheaf offering in the temple. He had died over three days ago, as commanded in Leviticus chapter 23 and verse 11. It is now Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, as they were instructed for the wave-sheaf offering, when the wave-sheaf offering was to be presented to God.

So at the very time the priests are doing this in the temple, and that would have been the Sadducees, who observed this ceremony at this time in this way. The Pharisees and others chose a different Sabbath to do the wave-sheaf offering, but the temple was controlled by the Sadducees, and this is the way that they observed it.

One of the reasons why we observe it on the Sabbath during the days of Unleavened Bread, all you have to do is look at this example. It is during the days of Unleavened Bread. He was resurrected a little over three days ago. It is the day after the Sabbath, during the days of Unleavened Bread. They are preparing for the wave-sheaf offering in the temple, and it was here at this time that Jesus desired to leave earth and ascend to God as the total fulfillment of the ceremony.

Let's go to Hebrews 7 and verse 24 and see some scriptures on why this is so important and essential. Hebrews 7 and verse 24.

Again, we're talking about the resurrection and the literal appearances of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 7 and verse 24. But he, referring to Jesus Christ, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Unlike the human priesthood, where people grew old and died and had to be replaced by other priests, according to the Mosaic law, he has an unchangeable priesthood. Verse 25, Therefore, he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him. So he is able to save anyone, no matter how bad of a sinner, to the uttermost anyone who comes in repents of their sins, accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and begins that journey of discipleship in their lives.

Since he always lives to make intercession for them. Let's continue now here in verse 26.

Again, he ascended. He said, I am ascending to the Father. Verse 27. Who does not need daily as those high priests, that is under the Mosaic covenant, to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the peoples. For he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints as high priest men who have weaknesses. And again, that's the Mosaic law. But the word of the oath, that is God's promise, which came after the law, appoints the Son, who has been perfected forever. So Jesus Christ ascended up, was accepted by the Father, has become our great high priest. He did it once for all when he offered up himself for our sins, and became our intermediary, and has become our high priest. So again, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, ascended to the Father on that morning. He told Mary, don't hang on to me, I've got to go, and I've got to go pretty soon. You go back and tell the other disciples that I'm going to meet them later today, but I am ready to ascend to my Father. That was the message that he gave her. He was accepted as the complete offering for sin, and became our high priest. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and pick it up in verse 20. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 20, noted as the resurrection chapter itself. I'm going to read just a few verses here relating to Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the congregation at Corinth, but now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. And in that ceremony during the days of unleavened bread on the day after the Sabbath, they didn't take just one head of grain. They took a sheath, a bundle of that barley grain, and it represented the first of the firstfruits, because a 50-day harvest was beginning that would be completed at the time of Pentecost. So it was a full bundle that was gathered together. Jesus Christ is the first of the firstfruits. He's become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. That second man is a capital M, referring to Jesus Christ.

Verse 22, for as an animal die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, but each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits. Afterwards those who are Christ that is coming, then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

So let's recap this ceremony. The original wave sheaf offering instituted in the Old Testament occurred, as we see this very year, during the days of unleavened bread. The day after the Sabbath, on this very Sunday morning, it was a whole sheaf of barley that was waved in the temple on that morning. It was the firstfruits or the pledge of a great harvest to follow the next 50 days until Pentecost.

Spiritually speaking, it was the beginning of a small but great harvest that began at that time of human souls, in which God would call a few people from every age during the smaller harvest and give them his spirit and redeem them and make them the firstfruits of his kingdom.

Again, I want you to notice it was a sheaf, not a single head of grain. This symbolized the start of this harvest. We won't turn there for sake of time, but Matthew 27, verse 52, says this, quote, And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the graves after his resurrection, they went to the holy city and appeared to many.

So we can see here that that represented not a single firstfruit, Jesus Christ himself, but the beginning of a harvest of many during that time. And that spiritual harvest continues to this very day. And the beautiful thing about this is Jesus Christ was able to ascend through the third heaven to the literal throne of God and return to earth that very same day. Because we're going to see, as we get into this other visions that occur and acknowledgements of who he was this day, as he appears to other people, that he obviously was able to go to the third heaven, be accepted as the great high priest, to be accepted as the total complete sacrifice for all human sin, and also to return to earth in a very short period of time.

So now we're beginning to look at the afternoon and the evening of day one when we begin with appearance number four. Again, this is the afternoon. These occur in the afternoon and the evening of day one. Appearance number four are two disciples traveling to Emmaus. Two disciples traveling to Emmaus. And we'll pick this up in Luke chapter 24 and verse 12 if you'll turn there with me.

Again, this is appearance number four, two disciples traveling to Emmaus. Luke records, but Peter arose and ran to the tomb and stooping down. He saw the linen clothes lying by themselves, and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. Now, behold, two of them were traveling, them referring to disciples, were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

And they talked together all of these things which had happened. So it was while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. So suddenly they're walking along there, and they should have gotten suspicious at this point, because suddenly Jesus Christ appears and he's walking along with them. It says, but their eyes were restrained, so they did not know him. And he said to them, and he kind of does this in a naive way because he's teasing them a little bit, and he said to them, what kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?

You're obviously a little bit downcast. He says, what are you talking about? Of course, he knew. He's the Son of God. He knows exactly what they were talking about. He wants to see if they will share their inner feelings and thoughts with him. Then the one whose name was Clophis answered and said to him, are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? And have you not known the things which happened there in these days?

And he said to them, naively, Jesus says, what things? Innocently, what things? And they said to him, the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty indeed, and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priest and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. In other words, they were looking not for a savior, they were looking for a powerful, conquering king, a Messiah, which was the same problem many of the Jews had. They didn't realize that he would first come to earth as a savior, as a redeemer. He would come to earth at another time as the powerful Messiah and as the King of Kings. But they said, we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us.

When they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found that just as the women had said but him they did not see. Then he said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, ought not to Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory. So he begins quoting Scripture. At the beginning, at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So Jesus begins to teach, and these Scriptures just roll off his mouth, these prophecies, and how Jesus, by dying and coming back from the dead, had fulfilled these prophecies.

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and he indicated that he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent, and he went to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as he sat at the table with them, that he took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Does this kind of sound familiar to you? Now these men, these two men, all indications are they are not one of the twelve original apostles who were at the Passover. But you have to believe that during this period of time, since all of the believers had been gathered together for fear of the Jews since the crucifixion of Christ, that the original twelve told all the disciples, Yeah! And on that Passover, he said this, and he did this, and he washed our feet. And he made this statement, and he broke bread, and he told us about these, and he had us drink wine, and he explained all of these things to him. So let's notice what it says. Now it came to pass, as he sat at the table with them, that he took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Verse 31, Then their eyes were opened. Most likely because the other original twelve had told them about what Jesus did to the bread, how he blessed it, how he broke it, how he did that on the Passover. Their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, and while he opened up the Scriptures to us?

They were saying, Didn't our hearts just leap with joy as he was explaining these prophecies and how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had fulfilled these prophecies? So as a recap here again, we see that later the same day, two disciples are on their way to Emmaus, and they're wandering, and they're discussing together all the rumors and all the things that they've heard that day about the resurrection of Christ. And Jesus suddenly comes up from behind them, and at first they were prevented from recognizing him. But he begins by breaking open their minds and explaining fulfilled prophecy to them, and then he sits down at a table, and he breaks bread, which means they're just going to have a meal together. They weren't sharing the Passover. They weren't, as some say, having a Eucharist ceremony together. They sat down, and they were sharing a meal together. But indeed it was that phraseology that he sat over the bread that connected with them, and they understood. The blinders came off, and they recognized that he was Jesus Christ. He repeated the words he had used at the Passover a number of nights before. Their eyes were open, and they recognized him in the process. So that was appearance number four. Appearance number five is, The Lord appears to Peter. Appearance number five is, The Lord appears to Peter. The interesting thing about this appearance is that gospels don't specifically record this event. They don't tell us what Jesus said to Peter. Unlike the events that we have seen, we find out that this occurred by a statement that is made by the two disciples when they finally arrive to Jerusalem and go to the room where everyone else has gathered together. Luke chapter 24 and verse 33. We'll take a look at that. Luke chapter 24 verse 33. It says, So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven, and those who were with them gathered together, saying, The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

So this is a statement made by them. Again, unlike the other appearances that we've read about with Mary and the other women, the scriptures don't specifically say when this event occurred. We know it because the two disciples who had been traveling told the roomful of the other disciples who were gathered together that they had heard that he had appeared to Simon.

Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and see where Paul also confirms this, because he had heard the same thing. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 1. Though Paul was not a participant in the events we're reading about, he would not be called for a number of years later.

He is recalling what he had been taught and what he had heard once again in his epistle to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

1 Corinthians chapter 15. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and which you stand, by which also you are saved if you hold fast that word which I preached to you unless you believed it in vain.

So he says we have one of two options. Either we believe to the gospel in vain, and let me just assure you that the outcome of that is not good, or we continue to hold fast to the good news of the coming kingdom of God and who that king is and acknowledge him as our Savior and as our God. Paul continues here in verse 3, That which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas.

Just another name for Peter. So even though we cannot go to any of the gospels and see an event where it says that Jesus literally appeared to Peter alone, it obviously happened because the two disciples, when they arrived to Jerusalem, mentioned it to the other disciples that were gathered there. And Paul confirms the fact that after the resurrection that Jesus was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. So two separate events. After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. First Corinthians was written 20 years or so after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all he was seen by me also, as one born out of due time, for I am least of the apostles, and am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. He said I've kind of made up for it because I have worked so hard to kind of appease the fact that I had persecuted the church of God. I've been a traveling apostle. I have risked my life. I've gone from city to city to city preaching the good news. He says, yet it isn't really me who did it. It's the grace of God within me that has driven me to do that, so Paul says. So to recap what occurred here. The two disciples returned that evening to Jerusalem and went to the gathered disciples, including among them were the eleven apostles. At first, the other apostles were skeptical, just as they were skeptical when the women came in and said Jesus, the body's gone and Jesus has been resurrected. Nevertheless, they continue to relate these two disciples what they experienced. They relate two things. We saw him and Simon has seen him. So again, that is appearance number five. Now we come to appearance number six. The Lord appears to all gathered in Jerusalem. Obviously, less Thomas. The Lord appears to all gathered in Jerusalem, less Thomas. And the reason we know Thomas isn't there is appearance number seven, when we will look at John's account.

Let's go to Luke chapter 24. If we can go back there, you've been there a couple of times already during the sermon. Luke chapter 24 and verse 33. The Lord appears to all gathered in Jerusalem. And the inference from John's account that we will see is that Thomas is not here at this time.

Luke chapter 24 verse 33. So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, speaking of the two that had been on the road to Meas. And found the eleven, and those who were with them gathered together, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon. And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. Now, as they said these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them. Now, Jesus just appears. We read earlier how he vanished when he was meeting some other people. Now, he just appears. And he said to them, Peace to you! But they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit. What other being in their minds has the ability to suddenly, magically appear if the door is locked, just appears to walk through a literal wall or a closed door, and suddenly he's there. So they just assume it's a spirit. And he said to them, Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold, my hands and my feet. That is, I myself, handle me in sea, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.

When he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. But while they still did not believe for joy and marveled, he said to them, again, just mixed feelings. They don't know what to believe at this point. He says, Have you any food here? So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And he took it and ate in their presence. And he said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you. That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. So again, he begins to quote Scriptures. He begins to put the puzzle pieces together from the law of Moses and from prophecies and from all the book of Psalms and all the things that pointed to the fact that the Savior must come first. Then he must die, that he must shed his blood for Israel and for all mankind. So he begins teaching them so they can understand and comprehend who and what he is and what he has done. Verse 46, then he said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And the Church of God today continues to preach repentance and the remission of sins. Let's take a look at verse 48. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I sent the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry, or wait patiently in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with the power from on high. He's referring to what would occur on the day of Pentecost. And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted his hands, and he blessed them. Now, Bethany was really kind of a suburb of Jerusalem. It's two miles southeast of Jerusalem. So it might have been like a 45-minute to an hour walk together to Bethany. And then he blesses them. So again, just a quick recap. The disciples from Emmaus were still lingering with the apostles in discussion. And about the same moment as this conversation is going on, Jesus appears to this gathering of apostles and others, including the two disciples who had traveled to Emmaus and had come to see them. Thomas was absent at this time. And the way we know this is because we're going to take a look at John chapter 20 and verse 18. If you'll turn there with me. John chapter 20 and verse 18. From John's account, and remember, his is the final gospel. What I love about John is, as I've said before, it is to me very obvious that he had with him one of the other gospels. And as an old man, as he wrote the gospel of John, he wanted to include the things that had not been included in the other gospels. That's the only way we know about the foot washing, because the other gospels do not mention it. And again, this is another instance that he records something regarding Thomas not being there at that original gathering that we just read about.

John chapter 20 and verse 18. And this is actually appearance number 7. And that is, the Lord appears to them a second time. The Lord appears to them a second time. And there is some debate whether this second time is the same night, or whether it has to be a full eight days later. It indeed is the second time that he appears. But let's read about it nonetheless. Chapter 20 and verse 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her. Then, the same day and evening, being the first day of the week. This is what gives us the impression that this is a second time that very night. The same day and evening, being the first day of the week. When the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews.

A phrase that's not used in the other accounts. Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, Peace be to you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then his disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, Peace be to you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. This is not in any other of the accounts of Jesus' appearance to the disciples that evening. And here's something else. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven of them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. Again, that phrase is not recorded in Matthew, Mark, or Luke's account. That phrase again, so it implies that the Lord may have appeared a second time that very night to the disciples. That is still open for some debate, whether he appeared to them a second time that night or not.

Or whether this is just part of the account that we had just read a few minutes ago in the book of Luke. We'll let that debate linger and we'll let the scholars argue over that. I will just say that there are some distinctive events that occur here that are not in Luke's account. For example, this one. It says, verse 24, Now Thomas, called the twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

And the other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. So he said to them, Unless I see his hands, and the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. So those are the statements of Thomas. And we don't know where Thomas was that night. We don't know if he was outgrowing roses or if he was just taking a walk alone.

He obviously was not assembled with the others. Let's take a look at verse 26.

One of my favorite verses, because, how can I put this tactfully? Maybe I shouldn't worry about tact at this point.

Many conservative scholars have an agenda, right? And their agenda is, is they want to prove that from this point on, the disciples met on Sundays. Because they want to insist that the disciples stopped keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath and started keeping Sundays. Now, you know what most modern translations say? John chapter 20, verse 26. I'm not kidding. You can find this out for yourself, including the New International Version. Most modern translations say, And a week later, his disciples were again inside.

The original Greek doesn't say a week later. If you look at the Greek, the numeric, eight days later, his disciples were again inside. That means, and again, I apologize, I'm a product of the Cleveland school system.

But where I come from, if you're already at Sunday and you count eight days, you cannot possibly be at Sunday again. Can you? You can't.

As a matter of fact, I was just done in doing some research this week that many of the commentaries just casually say that the following Sunday, the disciples were meeting again and da da da da. So they just want to totally gloss over the fact that this is eight days later, that they were not meeting on another Sunday.

That was a sidebar, and after eight days, his disciples were again inside, Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said, Peace to you.

Then he said to Thomas, Reach your finger in here and look at my hands, and reach your hand here and put it into my side.

Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God. And Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed. Brother, that's talking about you. That's talking about me. May God bless all of you who have not seen Jesus and yet have believed, who have not been able to put a finger into his side and feel the nail print, and put your hand in his side where a spear jabbed him. And yet we have not seen Jesus, and we still believe. He said, A very special blessing is upon these people.

Verse 30, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. So, brethren, these are the seven appearances of Jesus Christ. Whether you prefer to think of appearance number seven as Jesus coming back a second time that night, or you prefer to look at it as an event that occurred eight days later when he came back and stood in the midst of them and Thomas was there eight days later, what we have looked at today are the seven appearances of Jesus Christ after he was resurrected from the tomb.

In conclusion, brethren, Jesus Christ not only died for us, but he lives for us. He is our Savior. He is our High Priest. He is willing to make his home in us along with the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit can transform us into a new spiritual creature, all because the resurrected Jesus Christ lives and he intercedes in our lives. Let's not forget that the Holy Days are all about Christ. The events we read today occurred during the days of Unleavened Bread in 31 A.D. The Holy Days are all about what Jesus Christ did, is doing, and will yet do. We are in the harvest season leading up to the day of Pentecost. Allow God to produce a great harvest from your life by becoming a new creature in Christ. Live as a committed disciple. And recall the words of the ancient patriarch Job, who told us in Job 19, verse 25, For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth. May God hasten that day. Have a wonderful Sabbath day.