MANY HAVE SEEN JESUS FOR THEMSELVES. They received strong proof that Jesus died and came back to life again. Others do not have that type of evidence that Jesus woke up from the dead, but they still believe.  What does this belief do for them?

This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.

Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.

But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again. 

From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)

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Inviting God’s Presence

Holy Father we are grateful for the eyewitnesses that receive the evidence that Jesus got up from the dead. It is their testimonies that give us hope that we will be raised from the dead. By the power of Your, Spirit help us hold to that HOPE. In Jesus’ Name Amen

The belief that Jesus got up from the dead is crucial to the Christian faith. It assures those who believe in Jesus, and obey his commands, that Jesus has the power to raise them from the dead at his coming.

How did Jesus’ followers react when they met Jesus after He woke up from the dead? How would you have reacted, had you met Jesus after his death?  Would seeing him alive after his death have been enough convincing evidence to believe he could wake you from the dead? Here is how they reacted when they first saw Jesus after his death.

In Luke 24:1–11, we read that two angels at the empty grave tell Mary Magdalene and some of the other women that Jesus was no longer dead, that he had risen

Luke 24:1-11

1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

8 And they remembered His words.

9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. (Luke 24:1-11)

How did they respond to the women’s report? They did not believe them.

It looks like the angels’ announcement to the women was not enough!

In John 20:14-18 we find that Jesus Himself appeared to Mary Magdalene.

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. (John 20:14-18)

What was her response, she reaches out to hold him. To worship him.

A similar response is found in Matthew 28:9-10

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (Matthew 28: 9-10)

How did they respond, they worshipped Him!

Jesus also appeared to two of his disciples on their way to Em-ma-us.

They were excited, their hearts burned within them” as Jesus talked with them according to Luke 24:30–35.

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. (Luke 24:30–35)

Jesus also appeared to His disciples in the upper room, said to be the dining room where Jesus ate his last supper.

When Jesus came to the upper room, His disciples were at first terrified. Then their fear and terror turned to joy as expressed in John 20:19–20.

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19–20.)

And a week later, Jesus appeared again in the same room. This time he didn’t open any doors before He entered.

No one knew how He got into the room. his disciples even Thomas believed that Jesus was alive. Before this Thomas had expressed. according to John 20:24–29 that he would not believe except he saw the prints of the nails in his hands, in his feet and in his side.

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:24–29) (Split)

After His resurrection, Jesus was on earth for 40 days before going to heaven. During that time, Jesus “was seen by over five hundred brethren at once” according to 1 Corinthians 15:6, NLV) and by James according to 1 Corinthians 15:7.

He also joined some of His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There, Jesus ate breakfast with His disciples. It is here that Jesus had a serious conversation with Peter. Read about their conversation in John 21:1–23. There are indications that Jesus also may have shown Himself to other people as in Acts 1:3 during those 40 days. Finally, according to Luke 24:50–53; and Acts 1:1–11 Jesus ascended to heaven.

Paul in his experience on the road to Damascus in which Jesus appeared to him also considered himself an eyewitness to the risen Christ according to 1 Corinthians 15:8; compare with Acts 9:1–9.

Recall, when Jesus’ followers first told Thomas that they saw Jesus, Thomas doubted. Thomas said, “ ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’ ” (John 20:25, NKJV).

 When Jesus came to His followers again. Thomas also was there. Jesus said to Thomas, “ ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27, NKJV). Thomas responded, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, “ ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29, NKJV).

Those who have not seen him physically but believe are blessed. 

Jesus, revealed in His love and mercy as the crucified Saviour, will bring from many once unwilling lips the acknowledgment of Thomas, “My Lord, and my God.”—Ellen G. White Comments, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1151. 

After his resurrection, Jesus still had the scars from his crucifixion.  After we are raised from the dead, will we still have the scars obtained while living on this earth?

Find out from Day 6, “The Frist Fruits of Those Who Have Died”

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