One of my favorite movie scenes is from Tom Sawyer. It is the scene of the funeral of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Their raft was destroyed and presumed drowned in the Mississippi River. But they were in for surprise. Tom & Huck showed up at their own funeral.
Jesus showed up after His death. What a shock! In Mark 16:9-14 we discover a summary of three separate appearances of the Lord after His resurrection. So let’s learn one lesson from each of those appearances.
1 – Some will not believe Jesus shows up.
Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. But when she went to tell the disciples, they refused to believe her. Some may not believe our testimony of a living Savior.
But when listeners today turn a deaf ear, the right response is love, care, and persistence. It’s wrong to get angry or offended. It’s right to remember that even those closest to Jesus had a tough time accepting the reality of a risen Lord. Keep praying for the hard of heart. Keep sharing the Good News in ways that connect with compassion.
2 – Some do not recognize when Jesus shows up.
Two unnamed disciples did not recognize Jesus when He first appeared to them as they walked along the road. There was clearly nothing in the Lord’s appearance to distinguish Him from any other traveling man. It was not until He was breaking bread with them in their house that they recognized that it was the Lord.
Jesus promised that He would “never leave us.” Though you may not feel it, Jesus is with you every moment, everywhere. He also said when “two or three gather together in my name, there am I in the midst.” Every time your church meets, Jesus is there. Even if you miss, Jesus won’t.”
3 – Faith is required so Jesus shows up.
Finally, Jesus showed up to the disciples. He rebuked them for their unbelief. They did not believe the resurrection until they saw Jesus.
The Apostles may have been allowed to hear about the resurrection before seeing the risen Christ in order that they might know from personal experience what it was to have to depend upon the testimony of others, as would be the case with their converts.
Jesus is alive! Some don’t believe it and need time to sink in. Some don’t recognize Him when He does show up. But others experience Jesus through faith. One day our faith will be sight.
A missionary in Brazil discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily.
A hospital was not too terribly far away — across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed the river was inhabited by evil spirits. And to enter its water would mean certain death.
The missionary explained how he had crossed the river & was unharmed. But they were not impressed. He then took them to the bank & placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist & splashed water on his face. It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river.
Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He raised a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water & escaped. It was then that the Indians broke into a cheer & followed him across.
Isn’t that what Jesus did? He entered the river of death & came out on the other side so that we might no longer fear death, but find eternal life in Him.
You can read some of my other articles about the resurrection of Jesus: 5 Results of Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus is Alive, Life After Easter.