He is Risen!
He is Risen, Indeed!
Today marks one of the highest and holiest days of the Christian Calendar. It is a day for jubilant rejoicing, as we celebrate our great King’s triumph over death, sin, and the grave.
Do you know this Savior? Have you met this Risen Lord?
If not, you may wonder…
What’s the Big Deal? Why do Christians make such a fuss over Easter Sunday? You see them rejoicing like they won the lottery, decked out in their Easter best, singing, feasting, and in some circles, remarking to one another the Ancient greeting: “He Is Risen!”, to which we reply: “He Is risen, Indeed!”
Having just grappled (as best as is possible, in our human capacity) the sacrifice of the cross, and what it means, we Christians then experience the wild rejoicing of the best thing ever: our Lord was raised from the dead.
Not resuscitated, like those He brought back to life. They had to just die again. (Sorry, Lazarus).
Christ was resurrected, in His eternal spirit body, as we one day will be, as well. He lives forever, to reign with His Father. His body would not undergo decay. He conquered death’s finality.
The horrors of Good Friday are bearable only because He did not stay dead.
A big part of Christian rejoicing is raising our voices in song. So, let’s raise them! Twice!
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Today’s first addition to our Practice of Praise is none other than the classic Easter hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today.
It was penned by the prolific writer and preacher Charles Wesley, (as was our Good Friday hymn a few days ago.) Wesley wrote this within the first year of his conversion and simply named it: “Hymn for Easter Day”.
I hope it blesses you, today.
But wait — there’s more!
Living Hope
To round out the day’s festivities, we must include this modern Easter Hymn, one which — who knows? — may enjoy as long a run as Wesley’s.
Living Hope by Phil Wickham points to the finished work of God in Christ, accomplished on that day. Catch the depth and power of these lyrics:
Then through the darkness, Your lovingkindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope…Phil Wickham
The song goes on to worship our Risen Lord with many a Hallelujah, and rejoicing about How His work accomplished our freedom. We believers are set free from the power of sin and death.
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:54b-55
Regarding the power of sin, it was broken through the sacrifice of Jesus. Read just a part of what Paul says in Romans 6. Or, better yet, look up the whole chapter!
Sin’s Power Is Broken
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:1-11
By the way, Phil Wickham offers on his website the background of many of his songs. Here is a link to his devotional message on this song.
For our second song for today’s Praise Practice, click below. Blessed Resurrection Day, my friends!
