Jesus is alive!
After the resurrection Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, then to two of the disciples as they walked from Jerusalem to the city of Emmaus.
That same evening he appeared to the disciples as they were gathered behind locked doors in fear of the Jews.
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With rumours of Jesus’ resurrection already filling the city of Jerusalem, the disciples were worried that the leaders who crucified Jesus would try to arrest the rest of his followers and do the same to them as they had to Jesus. So they locked the doors while they gathered together.
They hadn’t believed the women when they said he was alive. Then Jesus appeared in the room and showed them his wounds. They were amazed.
They saw and believed
Jesus’ resurrected body was not like his earthly body because he could not die again. He was able to appear and disappear, yet he could also eat and drink with the disciples.
He taught them from the scriptures, explaining the Old Testament prophecies about himself. Then they began to understand.
Their fear melted away as they realised that everything Jesus taught them had been true and the prophecies had been fulfilled.
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At first Mary did not realize it was Jesus outside the tomb, but as soon as he called her by name she knew it was him.
The disciples were terrified when Jesus first appeared to them, thinking he was a ghost! He showed them his hands and feet and asked them to touch and see for themselves.
The Bible says
John 12:11, 14-16
Mary stood outside the tomb crying. She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).
John 20:18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Luke 24:13-15
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.
Luke 24:30,31
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Luke 24:33,34
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’
Luke 24:36-40
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.