Devotion
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Risen our victorious head!
Sing his praises! Alleluia!
Christ is risen from the dead!
Gratefully our hearts adore him
as his light once more appears;
bowing down in joy before him,
rising up from griefs and tears.
Refrain
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Risen our victorious head!
Sing his praises! Alleluia!
Christ is risen from the dead!
Christ is risen! All the sadness
of our Lenten fast is o'er;
through the open gates of gladness
he returns to life once more;
death and hell before him bending
see him rise, the victor now,
angels on his steps attending,
glory round his wounded brow. Refrain
Christ is risen! All the sorrow
that last evening round him lay
now has found a glorious morrow
in the rising of today.
See the grave its first-fruits giving,
springing up from holy ground;
Christ was dead, but now is living;
he was lost, but he is found. Refrain
Christ is risen! Henceforth never
death or hell shall us enthrall.
We are Christ's, in him forever
we have triumphed over all.
All the doubting and dejection
of our trembling hearts have ceased;
hail the day of resurrection!
Let us rise and keep the feast.
"Christ is risen! Henceforth never death or hell shall us enthrall." Now that Christ has defeated death, it is no longer a threat for us either. Easter is not only about Christ—it's also about us. Every wondrous thing God has done through Christ, God has done for us.
In our creeds we confess that we believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. All God's people will rise from death to live with God eternally. It is Jesus' resurrection that sets in motion this future reality. Because Jesus defeated death, we too are set free from death, and we will all share in the glory of Jesus' resurrection. "Be we Christ's, in him forever we have triumphed over all!" Christ's resurrection is not just a glorious event to be admired from a distance-It is for you!
Prayer
Almighty God, you raised your Son Jesus from the dead and so freed your people from the power of death. Let us evermore rejoice in this great victory, and live in its certain hope, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.