Alleluia! Christ Is Risen!

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

Easter Hymn

Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed!

To Jesus Christ, Our Living Lord
© 2009, M. Justin Wainscott

To Jesus Christ, our living Lord,
This grateful song we bring;
For He has conquered sin and hell,
Removed death's awful sting!

With steadfast hope and boundless joy,
We celebrate today;
The bonds of death are broken all,
The stone's been rolled away!

Death's hostile hold could not contain
His power o'er the grave;
Christ rose again in victory,
Our wretched souls to save!

No longer slaves to fear and death,
Triumphant let us be;
The victory that Christ has won,
He won for you and me!

Though death's the final enemy,
Its end is drawing nigh;
And though it's reigned for far too long,
It too shall surely die!

So let us all with cheerful hearts,
Be free from anxious gloom;
Let's set our minds on Christ above,
And on His empty tomb!

Let's think on heaven's blissful joy,
And on the death of death;
For that shall be our blessed hope,
When draws our final breath!

The Hope of Spring and the Hope of the Gospel

Death Brings Resurrection
© M. Justin Wainscott, 2010

The fallen leaves
From autumn trees,
Descend to their earthly tomb;
Yet limbs which shed
Their leaves all dead
Trust new life again will bloom.

‘Cause little mounds
Of lifeless browns
Are only half the story;
For, lively green
Will soon be seen
With Spring and all its glory.

‘Tis all a sign
Of truth divine
Revealed for our reflection;
As one life ends,
A new begins –
Yes, death brings resurrection.