Monday Faith...
This Easter, we heard an incredible message at church. A retelling of the greatest moment in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But what stood out most wasn't just the moment he rose from the grave. It was what happened right before.
Despite Jesus telling his followers repeatedly that he would suffer, die, and rise again on the third day, no one was tailgating outside the tomb on Sunday morning. No crowd had gathered to witness the most glorious event since time began. Instead, the disciples, those who knew him best, were hidden away in fear and grief.
The first to encounter the risen Lord wasn’t Peter, or James, or John—it was Mary Magdalene. In one deeply personal moment, Jesus simply says her name: “Mary.” (John 20:16). She runs to tell the others. But look at how they respond:
“She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.”
—Mark 16:10–11
Later that evening, Jesus appears to the disciples for the first time. Where are they?
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’”
—John 20:19
They were afraid. They were filled with unbelief. These men had walked with Jesus for three years. They had heard his teachings, witnessed his miracles, and been told exactly what would happen. And still...they hid.
But then everything changed.
Once they saw the risen Christ—once they touched the wounds, heard his voice, and received the Holy Spirit—these same men became unstoppable. Fear turned into faith. Cowardice turned into courage. Silence turned into boldness.
And they would go on to give everything, even their lives, to proclaim the truth of Jesus.
Here’s how some of the disciples’ lives ended:
Matthew was killed by a sword in Ethiopia.
Peter was crucified upside down, feeling unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.
James (Jerusalem) was thrown from the temple to a massive death fall and then beaten to death with clubs when he survived.
James (Son of Zebedee) was beheaded and preached Jesus up until the axe fell —his Roman guard even converted because of his great faith and was executed alongside of him.
Bartholomew (Nathaniel) was flayed alive with whips in Armenia.
Andrew was whipped and crucified on an X-shaped cross, preaching to his executioners for two days as he slowly expired.
Thomas was speared to death in India.
Matthias (who replaced Judas) was stoned and beheaded.
Paul was tortured and beheaded in Rome after a long and brutal imprisonment.
John survived being boiled in oil live for Romans to be entertained - survived and preached the gospel to them while being boiled, was exiled to Patmos after the Roman Emperor was overcome with fear of him where he wrote the book of Revelation, and died of old age—the only apostle to die peacefully.
These men once trembled in fear. But after encountering the risen Christ, they could not be silenced. Nothing mattered more than telling everyone who would listen about Jesus. They poured out their lives, their energy, and their every breath for the Kingdom.
And here's the question this Easter Monday:
What about us?
Most of us will never face a cross or a whip. But we have our own “costs”: our reputations, our bank accounts, our calendars, our social media feeds. These reveal the story of our lives—and whether we’re living for ourselves or for Christ.
So let’s not just celebrate Easter with Sunday faith.
Let’s live with Monday Faith—the kind of faith that moves from private belief to public conviction. The kind that doesn't hide in fear, but boldly proclaims, in word and deed, “Jesus is Lord.”
Our time on earth is short, but our mission is clear:
Glorify God. Love others.
Use your gifts. Live the gospel.
And help as many people as possible encounter the risen Christ.
May this Easter Monday be more than just a post-celebration.
May it be the beginning of a bold, joyful, Spirit-filled life—
the kind that can only be lived by someone who has seen the empty tomb
and knows that Jesus is alive.
Let’s go live like it.
Let’s live with Monday Faith.
-Mark
