First of all, I must appreciate and thank the almighty God for His amazing grace upon my life, inspiring and enabling me to write and explain the word of God to a countless numbers of readers of the Pointer News Paper on every Sunday morning. May God bless and protect the chairman of the Delta printing and publishing company, the General manager, Editorial board and all the staff of this wonderful organization for the very good work that they are doing to inform, educate and entertain the people of this nation.
Today, we are going to discuss the post –resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ to some individuals or group of followers at various occasion for the period of 40 days before He ascended into heaven at mount Olive, near Jerusalem. (Acts 1:1-3)

Therefore, get your bible handy and follow up as we discuss the appearances of Jesus Christ to His followers.
I pray that you will be one of those individuals to whom Jesus will appear to even if you are inside your car, bedroom, office, closest, compound, dinning table, or inside your church, Jesus will surely Locate you and anoint you with the Holy spirit, Heal you and your story will change.
These appearances are still available to all believers even if you are the president of the nation, a senator, a member of parliament, State Governor, Local government chairman, traditional ruler, church General overseer, Bishop, superior Apostle, or Newspaper editor. Jesus will appear to you and you will glorify His name .So let us now proceed to study the appearances as contained in the Holy Bible.

The word appearance means the arrival of a famous person at the scene of public event to the surprise of the people present at the scene. It is always a dramatic event which can be better experience than described, as it were the resurrection appearances to the people who saw Jesus after His resurrection.
The resurrection appearances will now be discuss as follows:

1. TO MARY MAGDALENE IN THE GARDEN (John 20:1-18) it may be very surprising that the very person that Jesus appeared to after His resurrection very early in that Sunday morning was Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus had cast out seven devils who was regarded as a former harlot.
One would have expected that the first person that would have seen Jesus would have been one of His holy disciples, who were all men but the opposite was the case, because Mary Magdalene was the first person to arrived at the tomb where Jesus Christ was buried and she was the one who became the first evangelist that was sent by Jesus to informed the disciples that Jesus had risen from the grave. This excellent action of Mary Magdalene is a very good example to all the women to emulate today.

No wonder the women claimed the equality with the men and boast that what men can do women can do it better. Theologically, the word Mary is a Greek name, the personal name equivalent to Hebrew “Miriam” meaning Rebellious.
Mary Magdalene was one of the women who followed and supported Jesus (Mark 15:47), She was from Magdala in Galilee. She experienced dramatic healing when seven demons came out of her (Mark 11:9, Luke 8:21) she was a key eye witness to Jesus death, (Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40), burial (Matthew 20:6, Mark 15:47)at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1) and was the first to encounter the risen Christ (John 20:1-18) Her name being listed first may indicate her leadership role among the women.

I pray that Jesus will appear to you and make you a leader as He did to Mary Magdalene in Jesus name.
Biblically, apart from Mary Magdalene, there were six other different Mary who were the close followers and active supporters of Jesus ministry here on earth. They are as follows:

i. MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS: Mary was a young woman, a virgin living in Nazareth, and a relative of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5, 2:26)

ii. MARY OF BETHANY: A sister of Martha and Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. (Lk 10:33-42) she later anointed the feet of Jesus with costly perfume (John 12:1-8, Mk. 14:36)

iii. MARY, THE MOTHER OF JAMES: Along with Mary Magdalene, this Mary (Matt. 27:56, 28:1, Mk. 15:40-41, Lk 24:10) was from Galilee and a follower and active supporter of the ministry of Jesus Christ (Mk. 15:40-41)

iv. MARY THE WIFE OF CLEOPAS: To whom Jesus appeared to at Emmaus in the evening of the resurrection Sunday. (Lk. 24:1-12)

v. MARY, THE MOTHER OF JOHN-MARK: This Mary was the mother of John-Mark and the owner of the home where the disciples were meeting. Her home was a gathering place for believers who assembled regularly for prayers.

vi. MARY, FROM ROME: A believer in Rome commended by Apostle Paul (Rom. 16:6) who noted her hard work on behalf of the believers.

2. THE WOMEN RETURNING FROM THE TOMB (Matt 28:1-10, Mk. 16:1-5): The resurrection appearance to the women on their way from the empty tomb is another proof that Jesus Christ resurrection was verifiable. The fact that they worshipped the resurrected Jesus was another indisputable proof that they identified that He was really Jesus that they knew.
The names of the three women are Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Salome (Mk. 16:1) who bought spices to anoint Jesus body as an expression of their love for their dead master.
What are you giving to support the work of God as these women did to promote the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ?.

3. APPEARANCE TO THE FAMILY ON THAT SUNDAY EVENING{ LK. 24:13-33): The appearance took place as these two disciples, Cleopas and his wife Mary were on their way to Emmaeus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. The fact that they invited Jesus to spend the night with them in their home at Emmaeus was a sign of their generosity to host a stranger that they do not know.
But Jesus revealed His real identity when He broke the bread for them at super time and their eyes were opened and they knew him before he vanished from them.
I pray that Jesus will appear to you this night and bless you and your family in Jesus name.

4. APPEARANCE TO SIMON PETER (Lk. 24:34): It was when Cleopas and the wife returned to Jerusalem that very night that they informed the eleven disciples when they were gathered that” The Lord is risen indeed, and had appeared unto Simon” (Lk. 23:34)
The appearance to Simon Peter also know as Cephas (1 cor. 15:5) shows that Jesus Christ can appear to an individual. Allow Him to appear to you as a single man, single woman or a single child you will glorify His name.

5. APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES AT JERUSALEM (John 20:19-21): The same Sunday at the evening, the disciples were hiding in the door of the house, that was shut for the fear of the Jews, Jesus surprisingly appeared to them without opening the shut doors and greeted them with the divine peace which he gave to all of them. The disciples were pleasantly surprised and accepted the gift peace of preaching the gospel which their master have given to them.
The same gift of preaching and spreading the gospel can also be yours today. Will you use it to preach to other people and bring members to the church regularly?
The fact that Jesus showed them his hands and feet and sides, bearing the wounds of the Crucifixion for our transgression indicated that the person standing in their midst was really Jesus and not someone else. The disciples therefore greatly rejoiced over seeing their Lord. But when Thomas was informed of the appearance of Jesus, he doubted.

6. APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES WHEN THOMAS WAS PRESENT (John 2:26): After eight days when Thomas was present, Jesus appeared again to them in the same room which doors were locked and rebuke. Thomas saying “Reach hither by thy finger and behold my hands and reach thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing. (John 20:27)
Thomas responded to Jesus rebuke with an apology but Jesus taught him not to be faithless and not to wait to see before believing.
What is your faith? Do you believe before seeing like Thomas? Do you believe that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Do not be like Thomas but like the other disciples who believed without seeing and you will be bless more and more in Jesus name..

7. APPEARANCE TO SEVEN DISCIPLES BESIDES THE SEA OF GALILEE (John 21:1-23): On this occasion besides the sea of Tiberias also known as the sea of Galilee, Jesus appeared again to seven of his disciples who went on fishing under the leadership of Simon Peter. But to the amazement of Peter, they caught no fish through-out the night as a punishment for their disobedience going a-fishing when they were instructed by Jesus to be at home.
However, to drive the disciples, He commanded Peter the expert fisherman to launch his net into the sea in the day time when all fishes hide themselves at the coolest bottom of the sea and no Fisherman can catch them .But in order to prove Jesus authority and power as the creator of all creatures , Peter willingly obeyed and came back with one hundred and fifty-three big fishes.
It was then John the beloved said to Peter “it is the Lord” and Peter marveled at the miraculous numbers of big fishes and Peter believed that person they saw was really the resurrected Jesus, His Lord and master and he regretted . Are you disobedient follower of Jesus like Peter? Your own disobedience will only progressively reduce your blessing from much to nothing.
I pray that that should not be your portion in Jesus name, Amen.

8. APPEARANCE TO FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE IN GALILEE (1 Cor. 15:6): This account was only given by Apostle Paul indicating that most of the five hundred people were still alive and could be verified by the doubting believers.

9. APPEARANCE TO ELEVEN DISCIPLES AT A MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE (Matt. 28:16-20) God’s people are promised authority and power to proclaim the gospel through-out the world. This commission by our Lord Jesus Christ is for all His followers of every generation. So go out in obedience to this command and win more soul for Christ everyday of your life.

10. APPEARANCE TO JAMES (1 Cor. 15:7): James in probably the brother of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He was an unbeliever during Christ’s ministry. (Jn. 7:5) but converted soon after the resurrection (Acts 1:14) and later became a pillar of the Jerusalem church (Gal. 2:9)

11. APPEARANCE TO THE APOSTLES AT THE ASCENSION (Acts 1:3-11): The gift of the father referred to in this passage is the baptism in the Holy Spirit which is recorded in Joel 2:28-29 and Matt. 3:11.
The primary purpose of the baptism in the spirit is the receiving of power to witness for Christ, in order to win lost souls to him and to teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded(Acts 1:8). Please obey this command of our Lord Jesus Christ and it will be well with you. Have you received the power of the Holy Spirit that was promised to the Apostles on that day.

12. APPEARANCE TO APOSTLE PAUL ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS (Act 9:1-13, 1 Cor. 15:8): Paul; who was formerly known as Saul, was the greatest persecutor of the early church, ever recorded in the Bible.
In fact, he graduated from a famous seminary under the tutelage of Gamaliel, a member of the Sahendrin (Acts 22:3) Therefore, Paul taught that he knew everything but later realized that he knew nothing about Jesus Christ. It is recorded that he was the young man who presided at the occasion where Stephen was persecuted and killed by the Jews. (Act 7:58).
However, his story changed when he encountered Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus to arrest all Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem to be killed.
Unfortunately, however, the arrester was arrested by our Lord Jesus Christ and he became the great Apostle to the Gentiles.

I pray that any enemy that wants to arrest YOU this season will be arrested by the almighty God that you serve and you will glorify the name is above every other name ie the name of Jesus Christ that is respected in Heaven, here on earth and below the earth.
God will proof Himself true for all THE righteous and deliver them from all traps of the devil. May that be your portion in Jesus name.
Additionally, St Paul became an outstanding Missionary, prolific writer and Theologian who wrote 13 Epistles of the New Testament comprising nearly half of the new testament books and one fifth of all the Bible books and planted several churches in the Gentile world including Asia, Antioch, Lytra, Iconium, Ephensus, Paphos, Pamphylia, Cyprus, Derbe, Corinth, Aconitum, Athens, Macedonia, Philippi, Colossi, Apolinia, Galatia, Crete, Berea, Thessalonica, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Rome where he was condemned to death by Emperor Nero and beheaded with sword in A.D. 67

13. APPEARANCE OF APOSTLE JOHN AT THE ISLAND OF PATMOS (Rev. 1:9-20): Patmos a small Island (1o miles by six miles) in the Aegean sea located at 37 miles South West of Miletus is inhabited by wild and hungry beasts. The Romans used that Island for political exiles.
In AD. 95 after he was put into a caldron of bowling oil in Rome and did not die, the Roman Emperor Domitian cast Apostle John after several unsuccessful attempts to kill him into the Island of Patmos to die there but the wild and hungry beasts refused eat him.
Consequently, he was released from Patmos after one and half years and then lived for many years before he died a natural death.
But while he was in this Island of Patmos, he had a vision where Jesus the son of man appeared to him and dictated what to write to the seven churches in Asia. The son of man is the exalted Christ who is being described as King, Priest and Judge .

Like Apostle John, no enemy can kill you. Therefore, fear not. Fear not is recorded 355 times in the Holy Bible. So every day, God is telling you fear not (Psalm 118:6) and you will reply Him “I will not die but live to declare the works of the Lord” (Psalm 118:17) You will die naturally after living a very long life here on earth because God has promised you that “With long life will He satisfy you and show you His salvation.” (Psalm 91:16).
As we come to the end of the Appearance of Jesus to his followers on the earth today the resurrected and exalted Jesus who is now at the right hand of god in Heaven, will appear to you and remove all your sicknesses disease, poverty, failures, accidental deaths and give you good heath, wealth, riches, prosperity, long-life, immunity from every weapon of the devil, defeat and disgrace all your enemies before you in Jesus name, Amen.

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Rev. (Dr.) Moses Itiveh
General Superintendent
Church of Christ Mission Inc.
And
Former National President
Bible Society of Nigeria.
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