The abundance of vivid details (like the fact that John outran Peter on the way to the tomb) lends more and more credibility to the amazing Easter story. The most important thing for John, though, was that upon seeing the empty tomb, he believed. He knew with certainty that the One he loved, who loved him, was alive! 

John would live out the powerful impact of the Spirit’s work in him. He would write the gospel of John, possibly the most-read book of the whole Bible. He would write three pastoral letters to the church and be the one tasked with writing about the end of the age in a vision we call Revelation. He’d care for Jesus’ mother, become an elder for the Ephesian church, and influence the next generations. 

The greatest work in John’s life was that the one-time Son of Thunder—who previously wished to extinguish his political enemies with fire—became known for a different kind of power: love. The love John saw and believed in at Easter fueled his own love. This is exactly what Jesus’ death and resurrection do for you and me today!