[size=13pt]Just about everyone knows the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. The story is summarized in the Apostles' Creed. Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he arose again from the dead.

There is only one way for Jesus to prove that he rose from the dead. He had to appear to people. Therefore, several different places in the Bible describe Jesus' appearances after his death:

<sup>* Matthew chapter 28
* Mark chapter 16
* Luke chapter 24
* John Chapter 20 and 21

1 Corintianhs 15:3-6 provides a nice summary of those passages, as written by Paul:</sup>

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

^{As you can see in this passage, Jesus appeared to hundreds of people a number of different times.}

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[size=13pt]When we look at these Bible passages, there is a question that comes to mind -- why did Jesus stop making these appearances? Why isn't Jesus appearing today?

It really is odd. Obviously Paul benefitted from a personal meeting with the resurrected Christ. Because of the personal visit, Paul could see for himself the truth of the resurrection, and he could ask Jesus questions.

So. . . . Why doesn't Jesus appear to everyone and prove that he is resurrected, just like he appeared to Paul? There is nothing to stop Jesus from materializing in your kitchen tonight to have a personal chat with you. And if you think about it, Jesus really does need to appear to each of us. If Paul needed a personal visit from Jesus to know that Jesus was resurrected, then why wouldn't you?  

It is an important question for the following reasons:

<sup>* We are told by the Bible that Jesus appeared to hundreds of people.

* We therefore know that it is OK for Jesus to appear to people -- it does not take away their free will, for example.

* We know that it would be easy for Jesus to appear to everyone all through history, since Jesus is all-powerful and timeless.

* We know that, if Jesus did reappear to everyone, it would be incredibly helpful. We could all know, personally, that Jesus is resurrected and that Jesus is God. If Paul (and all the other people in the Bible) needed a personal visit to know that Jesus was resurrected, then why not you and me?

* Yet, we all know that Jesus has not appeared to anyone in 2,000 years.

In other words, there is nothing stopping Jesus from appearing to you, and several good reasons for him to appear.</sup> [/size]

[size=28pt]Oh! how will the FOOLS be Made WISE  [/size]

[size=13pt]Maykelly you are sharing as if you lack Brain. . . .
A Christian would say, "But Jesus HAS proven it! Just look at all of the miracles he did in the Bible! He healed the sick! He changed water into wine! That PROVES that Jesus is the Lord!" Does that make sense to you? Imagine that someone, today, were to come up to you and say, "I am God, and I will prove that I am God by healing the sick and turning water into wine!" What would you say? Be honest. You would not believe this person because:

<sup>1. Everyone has seen all sorts of "faith healers" who can "heal" the sick. And we all know that this sort of "healing" is quackery. If it were true, then we would not need doctors, hospitals or prescription medicines.

2. Turning water into wine. . . . Doesn't that sound like something that[b] Ogaga[/b]-want to be magician would do in a nightclub act? There are a dozen ways that you could stage things to make it look like water is turning into wine. There is no reason why a normal person would accept a magic trick as proof that someone is God.

3. Neither of these miracles can be scientifically tested today. Not one of Jesus' miracles left any tangible evidence for scientists to study.</sup>

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[size=13pt]BADLEE  I feel you. . . You are new here but didn't fail to make sense in your first post on this thread. you see, i've got so many thing to handle but i create some time to share with this Maykelly that call herself Christian woman but really knows nothing. . .  She never pay attention to intelligent and truthful words at all, very very stubborn with her belief and full of ignorance. . .Please dont insult her but up building words are most welcome to make peace always reign in our midst . If incase she insult you, just do as you didn't notice it. . . .  [/size]

I like the font u r using, Ogaga.

[size=13pt]muhsin  Thanks. Ok,i love using the old man book style font. . .  i see you like it too. [/size]

Jesus made as many appearances as He needed to, to convince them that He resurrected as you say.

The rest of us are supposed to believe by faith, including the many churches that a witness (Paul) wrote to.

It's what you call blindness/brainwashing, its what we call faith.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and those who believe in Him must believe that He is, whether they have seen Him or not.

[size=13pt]In addition, Jesus promises that he will appear to you. All that we have to do is pray to Jesus like this: "Dear Jesus, please appear to us, as you did to Paul and the 500 brethren, so that we can see the evidence of your resurrection. In your name we pray, amen." Here is what Jesus has promised us in the Bible:

^{Matthew 7:7 Jesus says:}

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

^{In John chapter 14:14:}

Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

^{In Matthew 18:19:}

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Jesus is actually in our midst. So he is right here already, supposedly. Yet when we pray to him to physically materialize, as he did to hundreds of others, nothing happens.Is it not odd that Nothing happens, given the fact that Jesus promises us that something will happen? Is it not odd that Nothing happens when, supposedly, Jesus is right here with us already, and materialization would be trivial for him? Is it not odd that Nothing happens when, supposedly, Jesus was happy to appear to hundreds of others? [/size]

@poster,
[size=18pt]Now I know, that you’re[b] total ignorant[/b], badly informed, rude, bad-mannered, impolite of the HOLY BIBLE[/size]

@ogaga;

He has appeared to us who know Him, we have had a personal experience with Him . . . but more importantly, Jesus declared unlimited happiness to those who have not seen Him, but yet believed in Him.

[size=13pt]Nezan tell me when has Jesus appeared to you? stop lieing please let be honest here, you claim Jesus appear to you but there's never been a reasonable Proof, not even a single proof or evidence. . . I think believe without seeing is still all about the ^FAITH thing. and that's a blind path you choose my dear. . .

If the resurrection were true, then Jesus would be answering prayers as he promises in the Bible. He would appear when people pray to see him. The reason why he does not appear is simple: Jesus is death and gone forever and God is imaginary. [/size]

@ogaga;

You can read this for keeps . . .

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.
She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again,
There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. 'Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I'm nobody special, I don't have anything to offer.'
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.
'Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.'
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.
Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.'
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk, leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.
Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

'Hey lady, can you help us,lady?'
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.
A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
'Look lady, I ain't got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda
hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it.'

Ruth looked at them both.
They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
'Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.'
'Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.'
The man put his arm around the woman's
shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.
As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
'Sir, wait!'
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
'Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest.'
She handed the man her grocery bag.
'Thank you lady. Thank you very much!'
'Yes, thank you!' It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering
'You know, I've got another coat at home.
Here, why don't you take this one.'

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.
Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street, without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
'Thank you lady!
Thank you very much!'
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front
door, and worried too.
The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
'That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day.'


Dear Ruth:

It was so good to see you again.

Thank you for the lovely meal.

And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,

Jesus


Jesus can appear to you in any form, any day, any time . . . He did appear to me too!

[size=13pt]Well, i have once heard about this joke . . . . Though, it sound so funny.[/size]

@Nezan , now you kn, that a FOOL with ignornat will PERISH. you are coming up gradually with the demond.

[size=13pt]May kelly . . . If you dont have anything saying here then, keep silent and stop responding no- sense on my thread. i need matured minded persons to share their wise opinion on this issue please , you're ready to make some sense let me know so that we discusse. [/size]

LOL.
How can anyone in their right mind take your story serious Nezan? Are you aware that there were two beggers in the story? Two. Not one. So which of them is your jesus?

[size=16pt]You will PERISH, If you continue to Use foul language about your creator. You must PERISH[/size]

I once read a story abt a man of God where he said Jesus appeared to him to come and save the world  and he cried cos the task was kindda of heavy,
though i cant really remember the story but its more of a comedy when i read stuffs like dat 

I'm sure they can tell u they see Jesus

I laugh in Hausa. . .

I wonder why athests/muslims are now desperate on seen Jesus . . . . una don see satan/mohammed do una?

You will see Jesus if you cultivate a personal relationship with Him.

I guess you have a personal relationship with him (Jesus), have you seen him(Jesus) before?

Just curious

^^^^^^ Before I answer you, let me know your believes ; are you atheist or muslim?

My signature says " I'm a muslim by choice" after being lost as a christain for  XX no of years.

I remember those days of waiting for holy ghost during church services where u will see pple falling and speaking in tongues, i waited for mine he/she neva came.

Pls dnt giv me dat crap of i wasn't religious enuf or my heart wasn't ready cos then i was as innocent as a dove,born again, did lots of church activities with all my heart and always waited for him to come.

Glad to let u knw i'm no longer waiting, 

You were never a Christian, because God is a spirit and Christians worship Him in spirit and in truth. If you were a Christian, you would have recognised not to slander the Holy Spirit because Jesus Himself said that any body that grieve the Spirit will not be forgiven in this world or the one to come.

Been a muslim by choice, have you ever seen mohammed? How can you choose to follow a dead person whose dead bones rotted away in an arabian grave against a Saviour that died and rose up?

A muslim by choice

please which one of the christian are you?

The one of  "Jesus is God himself" or

"Jesus is the Son of God".

Im just curious  as i have had to watch christians display their jokes,

. . . And which of the allahu akbar groups do you belong to?

shi'ite?
sunni?
. .
. .
e.t.c.

or the ahmadiyya movement who believed ahmad was a messiah?

or dont you know the islamic sects?

Hmmmm, dis is the reason why i prefer to sit back and read posts on Nairaland

It is always a question for a question no such thing as answer for a question.

^^^ See delusion at its best . . . you never answered any of my questions but was quick in accusing me of the same. Hahaha, you want to ask stupid questions about other religions and get answers, but never to answer any about your religion . . . hypocrite!

@Mary kelly abi what is your name, I hope that your comment was not directed to me.
@nezan,
what do you mean how can we follow a dead person whose bones rotted instead of following Jesus? Who told you we worship Our prophet the way you christians worship Jesus? We dont. We worship only God, not Muhammed (pbuh).
@Aisha, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Good thing you left that religion.