Wesleys Web: Easter
In the latest installment of UM Communications’ animated take on the Wesley Bros, John and Charles have an impromptu song-writing session. I especially love what animator Jonathan Richter did with Charles’ Charlie-Brown-ish shirt!
“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” is an Easter favorite, not just for the inspirational words and melody, but also it’s so freaking long it gives everyone time to come forward flower the cross the first ten minutes of the Easter service. The hymn was first published in 1739 (the same year that the Wesley Bros took to field preaching for the first time).
Many have noticed that the most striking feature of this hymn is that it is written in the present tense: Christ the Lord IS risen TODAY. We’re not singing about a historical event in the past only, but a reality that surpasses time. Charles and John had experienced the power and presence of Christ who died “for me” less than a year before compiling this song. The present-tense nature of the hymn emphasizes that it is not only Mary Magdalene and the Twelve who saw the risen Christ centuries ago. I too am a witness to the risen Christ.
I have seen him, and I can take you to him. The promise of Scripture is made alive and new with each new person who meets the risen Christ…not as an idea or a story from an old book, but as the person of God awakening them to a new reality. With the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:55 we proclaim our present reality: “Where O Death is now thy sting? Where’s thy victory boasting grave?” Salvation is here now, eternal life is here now, because Christ is risen now…Christ is here now.
Yes, it may feel like we’re jumping the gun on Holy Week, but homies, it’s been a long Lent and I’m eager to sing this hymn. Peyton Strouth makes a solid commentary on this hymn: it’s not directing our attention away from the present reality suffering and oppression. It’s not saying look to the sky, Jesus will make it all better so your suffering doesn’t matter. Strouth says, “The skies are exciting, but we also need to be willing to follow Christ to the cross and the grave even if we know that we will be triumphant over them.” Wesley ends the hymn reminding us that our response to this incredible resurrected Christ is to follow his resurrecting presence and prove it’s real through the way we live in love to others.
1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! / Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! / Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! / Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
2. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! / Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! / Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia! / Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! / Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! / Once he died our souls to save, / Alleluia! Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! / Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! / Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! / Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
5. 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!
6. 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!
When not drawing the Wesley Bros cartoon, the Rev. Charlie Baber, a United Methodist deacon, serves as youth minister at University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, N.C. His cartoon appears on United Methodist Insight by special arrangement.