Introduction : After the passion of the Cross, Jesus was in the tomb and resurrected in three days. He appeared to His disciples for forty days-solid evidence that He rose from the dead. After Jesus´ death, the disciples fell into a chaotic condition, but they met the resurrected Jesus and started to pray together. Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, and His historic events may be summarized as follows.


1. The resurrected Jesus appeared to His disciples
    1) Mary stood outside the tomb crying, and Jesus appeared to her    (Jn 20:15-17)
    2) Jesus appeared to Peter    (Lk 24:33-34; 1Co 15:5)
    3) Jesus appeared to two disciples who were on the way to Emmaus
        (Lk 24:15-16, 30-31)
    4) Jesus appeared to ten disciples - Thomas wasn´t there    (Jn 20:19-20)
    5) Eight days later, Jesus appeared to eleven disciples including Thomas  (Jn 20:26-27)
    6) Jesus appeared at the Sea of Tiberias - Seven disciples    (Jn 21:5-6)
    7) Jesus met eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee    (Mt 28:16-20; 1Co 15:6-7)
    8) Jesus ascended into heaven in front of 500 people at Bethany
        (Mk 16:19; Lk 24:50-51; Ac 1:3, 9; 9:4-5)

2. Why doesn´t He appear to us?
    1) Jesus is already within us through the Holy Spirit    (Jn 14:16-20)
    2) Jesus came to us through the completed Bible    (Jn 1:1-5,14)
    3) Jesus is within us through Holy Communion    (Jn 6:53-57; 2Co 5:17)
    4) The Church is the body of the resurrected Jesus    (Eph 1:23; 5:30; Col 1:18; 1Jn 4:4)


Conclusion : Today, we are seeing and experiencing Jesus more clearly than when Jesus appeared to His disciples 2,000 years ago after His resurrection. The resurrected Jesus appears to us wearing the clothing of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Holy Communion, and the Church. People who do not recognize Jesus because they want to see Him from different viewpoints are just like the two disciples who were kept from recognizing Jesus, even though Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. Jesus is already within us!