After The Resurrection

Between the resurrection and Jesus' ascension there were 40 days where He appeared to His disciples and others on 12 distinct occasions to over 500 people:

1. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, shortly after his resurrection.

Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18.

2. Jesus appeared to the women returning from the empty tomb.

Matthew 28:8-10.

3. Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Mark 16:12,13; Luke 24:13-35.

4. Jesus appeared to Peter.

Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5.

5. Jesus appeared to his disciples, in Jerusalem, while Thomas is absent.

Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23.

6. Jesus again appeared to his disciples, in Jerusalem. This time Thomas was present.

John 20:24-29.

7. Jesus appeared to his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Matthew 28:16; John 21:1,2.

8. Jesus was seen by 500 believers at one time.

1 Corinthians 15:6.

9. Jesus appeared to James.

1 Corinthians 15:7.

10. Jesus appeared to his disciples on a mountain in Galilee.

Matthew 28:16-20.

11. Jesus appearsed to his disciples, blessed them, and ascended into heaven. Luke 24:50-53.

12. Jesus appeared to Paul, on the road to Damascus.

Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8.

Notice these very important priorities of the disciples after Jesus ascended into heaven - remember, these were men who couldn't stay awake to pray, and who couldn't even acknowledge that they knew Him - now they are preparing for the coming Holy Spirit:

Luke 24:50-53 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them.

While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.

So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.

And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

• They worshiped - their very first response

• They returned to Jerusalem

• They were filled with great joy

• They spent all their time in the temple

• They praised God. The NKJV says they were praising and blessing God

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit would come down on these disciples as a fire. On every occasion where fire comes down in the Bible (fire usually goes up) it is upon a prepared sacrifice. These disciples are showing us what we need to do to become living sacrifices. Sacrifices are put to death, but Jesus died for us - once and for all time - so that we could be living sacrifices, (Romans 12:1-2) and burn with holy zeal as lights to all the earth.

These two things – seeing Jesus with their own eyes, and being filled with the Holy Spirit – made the disciples into champions of the faith. They were now prepared to die for their faith, when a few days before, they could not even acknowledge that they knew Jesus.

Come Holy Spirit!