Jesus Showed Himself

He showed Himself. “After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias” (John 21:1). The risen Jesus did not hide. He came to His friends and let them see Him.

Two times before. Jesus had already come to His disciples twice, both times behind shut doors (John 20:19, 26).

The third time. Then came the morning by the lake. “This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead” (John 21:14).

Chosen witnesses. Later Peter told a Roman officer named Cornelius about it. “Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God” (Acts 10:40-41).

Openly. Showed Him openly means God let Jesus be plainly seen. The witnesses were not guessing. They saw Him with their own eyes.

Chosen before. God chose those witnesses ahead of time. Seeing the risen Lord was not an accident. It was part of God's plan.

Slow hearts. “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen” (Mark 16:14).

A rebuke. A rebuke is a firm warning to stop doing wrong. Jesus told His friends plainly that their unbelief was wrong.

He kept coming. Even after that rebuke, Jesus did not give up on them. He came to them again and again until they were sure.

Meals with Him. Peter said those witnesses were the ones “who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead” (Acts 10:41). By the lake they took bread and fish from His hands (John 21:13).

Many proofs. Luke wrote that Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days” (Acts 1:3). Infallible proofs are proofs that cannot be wrong.

Shown, not found. No one found the risen Jesus by searching for clues. He showed Himself to the people God chose, and their report is written down for us.

Why it matters. “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But Christ is risen, so His payment for sin is complete and His promises are true.

What this means for you. Jesus showed Himself to people who were slow to believe. He is patient with you too. Read about Him in the Bible, and ask Him to help you be sure of Him.

The same word. When John wrote that Jesus “showed Himself” by the lake (John 21:1), he used a word that means to make something plain to see. The Bible uses the same word for why Jesus came at all.

Why He came. The Bible says, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

Manifested. Manifested means shown or made plain. God the Son came into the world where people could see Him.

To take away our sins. Jesus did not come only to teach or to heal. He came to take our sins away.

No sin in Him. Jesus never sinned, not even once. Because He had no sin of His own, He could carry ours.

Planned long ago. “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:20). Foreordained means chosen ahead of time.

Before the world. Before God made the world, He already planned to send His Son to save us.

Plain to see. God did not keep His plan hidden forever. He showed it in Jesus, so that people could see His love with their own eyes.

For you. Peter wrote that Jesus was manifest “for you.” God had you in mind when He sent His Son.

Raised and given glory. Peter went on: “who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21).

Once for all. Hebrews says that “once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). Jesus does not need to die again. His sacrifice was enough.

The devil's works. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

The good news. Jesus came, died for our sins, rose again and showed Himself alive. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven.

He will appear again. One day Jesus will come again. “To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:28).

What this means for you. Jesus showed Himself by the lake so His friends would know He is alive. He was shown to the world so that your sins could be taken away. Trust Him, thank Him, and wait gladly for the day He appears again.