From Fear to Fire
John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, was there for all of it. He stood near the cross when Jesus was crucified. He helped care for Jesus’ mother in those final moments. He heard Jesus say the words, “It is finished.”
Now imagine the story through John’s eyes for a moment. Imagine what it might have felt like to stand there that day…
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I still remember the sound of the hammer.
It echoes in my mind even now.
We had followed Jesus for years. We had watched Him heal people, calm storms, feed thousands, and speak with authority none of us had ever heard before. Somewhere along the way we started to believe He really was the one we had been waiting for.
The Messiah.
But on that Friday, everything fell apart.
I stood near the cross as the sky turned dark. The crowds shouted. The soldiers mocked (John 19:25–27). And the man we believed would change our future hung there bleeding. Then He said, “It is finished.” And just like that…He was gone.
We helped lay His body in a borrowed tomb. No one spoke much. What was there to say? Every hope we had, seemed buried with Him.
The next few days were quiet. Heavy. Confusing. We locked ourselves in a room, afraid the same people who killed Jesus might come for us next. Fear does that to you. It shrinks your world. Then something happened none of us expected.
Mary came running to tell us the tomb was empty. Peter and I ran there ourselves (John 20:3–8). Sure enough, the stone was rolled away, and the grave clothes were lying there. Still, we didn’t fully understand.
Later that evening we were back in the safety of the room, the doors locked, trying to make sense of it all.
And then Jesus stood among us (John 20:19). No warning. No knocking. One moment we were alone, the next moment He was there. Alive. We could see the scars in His hands. The same Jesus we had watched die was standing in front of us. His first words weren’t correction. They weren’t disappointment.
He simply said, “Peace be with you.”
Then He looked at us, the same group that doubted and hide in fear, and He gave us a mission.
“Just as the father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) That moment changed us.
The fear that had kept us locked in that room didn’t have the final word. The resurrection meant death wasn’t the end. It meant Jesus really was who He said He was.
And if that was true, then the world needed to know. The resurrection didn’t just give us hope. It gave us a purpose, a story to tell. A story that we were now a part of that needed to be shared.
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That moment changed everything for them.
But the story doesn’t stop with John and the other disciples.
That same resurrection story is still unfolding today.
None of us were standing at the cross. We didn’t run to the empty tomb that morning. But many of us have our own story of how Jesus met us somewhere along the way when life felt hopeless.
He pulled you out of a season of darkness.
He gave you peace when life was falling apart.
He forgave something you thought would follow you forever.
If Jesus has changed your life, even in a small way, that story matters and others need to hear it.
You don’t need to be a preacher or have all the answers. The first disciples didn’t either. They simply told people what they had seen and experienced.
This Easter there’s a good chance someone in your life is asking deeper questions or could use some hope. A coworker. A friend. A neighbor. Someone in your family. You might be the person God uses to point them toward the only person who can bring peace Jesus.
So, here’s a simple challenge.
Think of one person in your life who could use some hope right now. Then share a small part of your story with them. Tell them what Jesus has done in your life. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be honest. Because the same Jesus who walked out of that tomb is still changing lives today…And sometimes the way people discover that is through someone like you simply telling parts of their story.
If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.