What Gift Did the Resurrected Jesus Give?
In Matthew 12:38-40, we see that one day, the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” At that time, Jesus answered them, “No sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days, so the Son of Man would rise again after three days in the heart of the earth. Therefore, there is no greater miracle than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, we will explore what kind of gifts the resurrected Jesus gave to His disciples.
- What gifts did He give?
- He gave them the gift of peace
The Jews who had crucified Jesus were proud and determined to arrest and kill all His followers. The disciples were terrified, hiding in a room with the doors and windows shut out of fear. Thus, the first gift the resurrected Jesus gave them was what they needed the most-peace (Jhn 20:19; Luke 24:36).
Today, even in Jewish or Christian culture, “Peace be with you” is often used as a greeting. But Jesus never spoke meaningless words. There was never such a thing as mere formal greetings from Jesus. In the beginning, when God said, “Let there be light,” there was light. The Word of God has the power of creation-bringing something out of nothing. And that creation always happen. Likewise, in Jhn 14:27, Jesus said that peace He gives is not the kind the world gives.
- He taught them the Scriptures (Luke 24:32-34)
After Jesus was crucified, two disciples who had lost all their hopes were on their way back to their hometown, Emmaus. Then, the resurrected Jesus appeared and walked with them. If we paraphrase their conversation: “We believe Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. We thought He would solve everything for us. But He died on the cross without fulfilling anything. How could He be our Savior? Now, we have no hope. We don’t know what to do.”
These disciples knew the Messiah that the world spoke of. But when Jesus opened the Scriptures to them, they encountered the true God-the true Messiah revealed in the Word. When their spiritual eyes were opened, they realized that the man walking with them was indeed Jesus. They came to know that He had not perished, but was alive and eternal. That is why their hearts were burning within them. So, having the Word opened to us, and our hearts set ablaze, is one of the gifts the resurrected Jesus gives. And we must receive this gift. Because throughout history, the church has grown through people whose hearts are on fire.
In 2 Cor 11:2, the word jealousy comes from the Greek word ‘zelos’, derived from ‘zelo’, which means “to boil” or “to be hot.” Paul was a man set ablaze with passion. In 1 Cor 9:16, Paul confesses that he cannot bear not doing God’s work.
- He taught them how to catch fish
It is a great misunderstanding to think that God only cares for our souls and gives only spiritual blessings. The resurrected Jesus also appeared when His disciples were unable to catch any fish, and He taught them how to catch fish-showing that He provides not only for our souls but also our physical needs (Jhn 21:1-6).
When the disciples followed the timing, direction, and method that Jesus instructed, they caught so many fish that their nets could not hold them-though just moments before, they had caught nothing. If we also receive this kind of gift from the resurrected Jesus, our lives will be abundantly blessed.
- What Attitude Should We Have When Doing God’s Work?
As we reflect on the final scene where Jesus taught His disciples how to catch fish, we can learn how we ought to approach our livelihood and what kind of attitude we must have when doing the work of God.
- Be faithful
The Bible records that the disciples went out fishing in the evening and worked all night but caught nothing. Surely, they must have felt like giving up for many times. However, because they remained at the sea until Jesus came to guide them, they were able to receive His direction. Likewise, in both our daily work and in God’s ministry, we must not give up halfway. If nothing happens in the evening, try again at midnight. If nothing at midnight, try again at dawn. We must pour out our hearts into it, sweat for it, and give our best effort.
God commands us to work diligently for six days (Exo 20:8-10: 2 Thess 3:10). Just as we cannot expect worldly success without hard work, so as the work of God cannot be accomplished without the same kind of effort, time, and investment of resources.
- Earn rightly
Jesus told the disciples to cast their net on the right-hand side of the boat. This was because He knew the fish were gathered there. But if we look at it spiritually, the right-hand side in the Scripture always symbolizes righteousness and justice.
This means that even in our business and livelihood, we must earn through righteous and honest methods. Only then will the blessings of God accompany our work. The same principle applies when we do the work of God.
- Rely on the Word
The disciples worked all night and caught nothing. But when they obeyed the Word of Jesus, they caught so many fish that their nets began to break (Luke 5:1-6). The same principle applies both to our livelihood and to God’s work. When we rely on our own strength and efforts, often things do not work out. But when we rely on the Word of God and follow His commands, I believe that we will witness miraculous results-both in our work and in our service to God.
Conclusion:
We Must Receive the Gift of Peace (Matt 8:24)
Even though the storm was violent and the boat was rocking, Jesus was at peace. Let me ask you: Is the storm greater, or is Jesus greater?
Though the disciples faced a storm so fierce it seemed the boat would sink, when Jesus said, “Be still,” the storm ceased (Mark 4:39).
When we are with Jesus, I believe the same blessing will be given to us. At His one word-“Be still”-every storm in our lives can become calm, and His peace will enter our hearts.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 