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A Resource by Mark D. Roberts |
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Easter Blogging:
A Collection of My Posts for Easter (2004-2007)
by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts
Copyright © 2004-2007 by Mark D. Roberts
Note: You may download this resource at no cost, for personal use or for use in a Christian ministry, as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All I ask is that you give credit where credit is due. For all other uses, please contact me at mark@markdroberts.com . Thank you.
Easter 2004: Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
Posted at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2004
| But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man |
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Stained glass window of the Resurrection, from the Duomo in Florence, Italy. |
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must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12) |
"Easter Morning" by the contemporary Christian artist, James Janknegt. For more information, see his website. |
Easter 2005: Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today, Alleluia!
Posted at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2005 for Easter Sunday
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One of the great traditions of Easter in my Christian experience is singing Charles Wesley's marvelous Easter hymn. It was once called "Hymn for Easter Day" and contained eleven stanzas. Today most of us sing four or five of these verses, with alleluias added. I found an eleven stanza version on the Internet. I can't be positive that this represents Wesley's original, but the wording sounds quite a bit like Wesley. If you want to hear a clip of this hymn, click here (.mov 366K. If you want to order this recording, click here).
1. Christ the Lord is risen today,
Sons of men and angels say.
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, ye heavens, and, earth, reply.
2. Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er;
Lo, He sets in blood no more.
3. Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ has burst the gates of hell.
Death in vain forbids His rise;
Christ has opened Paradise.
4. Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O Death, is now thy sting?
Once He died our souls to save;
Where's thy victory, boasting Grave?
5. Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted Head.
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
6. What though once we perished all,
Partners in our parents' fall?
Second life we all receive,
In our heavenly Adam live.
7. Risen with Him, we upward move,
Still we seek the things above,
Still pursue and kiss the Son
Seated on his Father's throne.
8. Scarce on earth a thought bestow,
Dead to all we leave below;
Heaven our aim and loved abode,
Hid our life with Christ in God;
9. Hid till Christ, our Life, appear
Glorious in His members here;
Joined to Him, we then shall shine
All immortal, all divine.
10. Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to Thee by both be given!
Thee we greet triumphant now:
Hail, the Resurrection Thou!
11. King of Glory, Soul of bliss,
Everlasting life is this:
Thee to know, Thy power to prove,
Thus to sing, and thus to love.
Now that's what I call an Easter hymn!
Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
Hallelujah! |
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This painting of the resurrection is by the 16-century German artist, Matthais Grünewald. It is part of a masterpiece known as the Isenheim Altarpiece, which contains several different paintings, beginning with the Annunciation to Mary on the left, including the death of Jesus on the bottom, and the resurrection on the right. |
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Below is a close-up of the resurrected Christ.
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For a different musical representation of Easter, here is a part of Bach's Easter Oratorio. The German you hear means: "May praise and thanks remain, Lord, your song of praise." To listen to this excerpt, click here ( .mov 266K. To order the Easter Oratorio, click here.) |
I Know that My Redeemer Lives 
Posted for Easter Sunday, April 16, 2006
Happy Easter!
One of my favorite Easter hymns, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" was written by Samuel Medley in 1775. It has been sung to several different tunes. In my church we usually use "Duke Street." We don't sing all of the original eight verses, but I'll print them all here because they capture the truth of Easter.
If you would like to hear a short clip of this hymn, click here [349K, .mov file]. This clip comes from Hymns in the Vineyard, a wonderful resetting of classic hymns in a contemporary idiom. |
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Early on Easter Morning, Irvine Presbyterian Church
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I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.
He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.
He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint. |
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He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives! |
Easter 2007: Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today, Alleluia!
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007
A couple of years ago on Easter Sunday I posted the lyrcis from my Easter favorite hymn, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today." Most of us sing only four or five verses of Charles Wesley's original eleven, which is just fine, though the full eleven pack quite a theological and emotional punch. So, once again, I will post all of Wesley's original verses. If you want to hear a clip of this hymn, click here (.mov 366K. If you want to order this recording, click here).
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1. Christ the Lord is risen today,
Sons of men and angels say.
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, ye heavens, and, earth, reply.
2. Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er;
Lo, He sets in blood no more.
3. Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ has burst the gates of hell.
Death in vain forbids His rise;
Christ has opened Paradise.
4. Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O Death, is now thy sting?
Once He died our souls to save;
Where's thy victory, boasting Grave?
5. Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted Head.
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
6. What though once we perished all,
Partners in our parents' fall?
Second life we all receive,
In our heavenly Adam live.
7. Risen with Him, we upward move,
Still we seek the things above,
Still pursue and kiss the Son
Seated on his Father's throne.
8. Scarce on earth a thought bestow,
Dead to all we leave below;
Heaven our aim and loved abode,
Hid our life with Christ in God;
9. Hid till Christ, our Life, appear
Glorious in His members here;
Joined to Him, we then shall shine
All immortal, all divine.
10. Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to Thee by both be given!
Thee we greet triumphant now:
Hail, the Resurrection Thou!
11. King of Glory, Soul of bliss,
Everlasting life is this:
Thee to know, Thy power to prove,
Thus to sing, and thus to love. |
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"The Resurrection of Christ"
by Pieter Pauwel Rubens
1611-12
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Now that's what I call an Easter hymn!
Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
Hallelujah!
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