Resurrection Fruits What were the results/benefits/outcomes/ consequences/fruit of the Resurrection of Jesus for the first disciples?
1.Initial feelings of: fright, fear, confusion, worship, doubt, disbelief, joy 2.Jesus’ living presence with his followers 3.Jesus’ peace – “peace be with you/my peace I give” 4.Jesus’ forgiveness 5.Jesus’ commission to go out with his message 6.Jesus returned to his Father from where he would send his Spirit to his followers 7.Jesus’ empowering for his followers & miracles 8.Full understanding of Jesus’ teaching & Scriptures 9.Death is no longer the enemy it was 10. Jesus will return! 11. All of these produce....Christian hope.
Dictionaries define hope as “the feeling....that events will turn out for the best.” Christian hope is not based on wishful thinking but on God’s promises and God’s actions in history, especially the resurrection of Jesus. Author John Piper identifies four fruits of Christian hope: True joy Sacrificial love Boldness Endurance
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement [the decision] that something else is more important than fear.” Hope gives us courage! Be joyful. Love beyond what is reasonable. Be bold. And endure. You are not like those who have no hope. You live on the other side of the Resurrection.