{"id":14692,"date":"2017-04-14T16:17:03","date_gmt":"2017-04-14T20:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=14692"},"modified":"2017-05-25T14:16:14","modified_gmt":"2017-05-25T18:16:14","slug":"pastors-ponderings-christ-the-lord-is-risen-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=14692","title":{"rendered":"Pastors Ponderings: Christ the Lord is Risen Today!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pastor Jim submitted the following reflections about Easter on 4\/12\/17…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Greetings Friends:<\/p>\n

PLEASE READ: Matthew 28:1-10<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. <\/span><\/p>\n

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. <\/span><\/p>\n

The angel said to the women, \u201cDo not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, \u201cDo not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of the great hymns of Easter is “Christ the Lord is Risen Today<\/a><\/span>.” It is a hymn with wonderful words and features an upbeat, even “bouncy” music. It is a joyous hymn and appropriately sung on Easter Sunday in many Christian churches.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Below is a feature on this hymn from Joe Iovino which briefly explains this great hymn of Charles Wesley. It is interesting to note that Wesley’s original composition contained 11 verses<\/span>!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I pray that we all are blest by this feature. I am also looking forward to singing this song with all of you this Sunday!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Shalom,<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Pastor Jim<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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A Wesley Hymn Devotion for Easter<\/span>\n feature by Joe Iovino*<\/span><\/p>\n

Many churches of all denominations begin worship on Easter Sunday by singing \u201cChrist the Lord is Risen Today<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/a>.\u201d Charles Wesley\u2019s lyrics wonderfully celebrate how Jesus\u2019 resurrection is God\u2019s victory over death, and call us to tell the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

A little history…<\/span><\/h4>\n

Charles and John Wesley, two of the historic founders of The United Methodist Church, published the beloved hymn in their first hymnal, Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739. A section toward the back of the hymnal includes songs for special days where \u201cHymn for Christmas-Day,\u201d which we know as \u201cHark! the Herald Angels Sing<\/em><\/strong>,<\/span>\u201d is just a few pages away from \u201cHymn for Easter-Day\u201d that we sing as \u201cChrist the Lord Is Risen Today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who know our United Methodist Hymnal well, reading the words Wesley penned can feel incomplete. The alleluias we are used to singing at the end of each line aren\u2019t there. A later editor added them to make the lyrics fit the tune and to give added opportunities for praise.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Entering the Story<\/span><\/h4>\n

Wesley writes about the Resurrection in the present tense, inviting us into the biblical narrative. As we sing, we easily picture ourselves standing among the witnesses of the empty tomb on that first Easter morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n \u201cChrist the Lord is ris\u2019n to day,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sons of men and angles say,<\/span><\/p>\n

Raise your joys and triumphs high,<\/span><\/p>\n

Sing ye heav\u2019ns, and earth reply.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n Participating in this moment, we are also aware of the magnitude of the Resurrection. In this opening verse, Wesley introduces a theme that runs through the hymn. The Resurrection is celebrated both on earth and in heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our United Methodist Hymnal includes an edit to the second line. \u201cEarth and heaven in chorus say<\/span>\u201d replaces \u201cSons of men and angels say<\/span>.\u201d According to United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, this change updates Wesley\u2019s language to be gender inclusive and emphasizes the Resurrection\u2019s impact throughout the world and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe entire universe sings the triumphant chorus,\u201d writes United Methodist scholar the Rev. Paul Chilcote in The Song Forever New: Lent and Easter with Charles Wesley, \u201cwith earth and heaven shouting their praise back and forth in ecstatic joy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n Life in the Midst of Death<\/span><\/h5>\n

Earth and heaven sing because in the Resurrection we know death is not the final word. Wesley writes,<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n Love\u2019s redeeming work is done,<\/span><\/p>\n

Fought the fight, the battle won\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Lives again our glorious King,<\/span><\/p>\n

Where, O death, is now thy sting?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n In a podcast interview for UMC.org\u2019s Get Your Spirit in Shape<\/a><\/span>, Chilcote says, \u201cDeath seems to be a final word in the life of every human being. Seems to be, I say, a final word, because it isn\u2019t,<\/span><\/strong>\u201d he continues. \u201cThe final word is life, not death. The final word is resurrection. The final word is eternal life with God who loves us.<\/span><\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wesley calls us to live into eternal life every day…<\/span><\/p>\n

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Soar we now, where Christ has led?<\/span><\/p>\n

Following our exalted head,<\/span><\/p>\n

Made like him, like him we rise,<\/span><\/p>\n

Ours the cross\u2014the grave\u2014the skies!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n In a later verse, not published in our United Methodist Hymnal, he reiterates our call to follow Christ more closely each day:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ris\u2019n with him, we upward move,<\/span><\/p>\n

Still we seek the things above,<\/span><\/p>\n

Still pursue, and kiss the Son<\/span><\/p>\n

Seated on his Father\u2019s throne;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n Life Still to Come<\/span><\/h4>\n

In the final three of Wesley\u2019s 11 verses, the hymn\u2019s focus shifts to our hope of a day of resurrection yet to come. Wesley returns to the theme of earth and heaven singing praise on that day:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hail the Lord of earth and heav\u2019n!<\/span><\/p>\n

Praise to thee by both be giv\u2019n:<\/span><\/p>\n

Thee we greet triumphant now;<\/span><\/p>\n

Hail the resurrection thou!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jesus is the resurrection who brings new life to all of creation, and will bring it to completion.<\/span><\/p>\n

We receive new life in Christ by God\u2019s grace and are to share God’s love with the world. We do this by joining the song with our voices and lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n King of Glory, soul of bliss,<\/span><\/p>\n

Everlasting life is this,<\/span><\/p>\n

Thee to know, thy pow\u2019r to prove,<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus to sing, and thus to love!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n Living Easter Every Day<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u201cWe experience so many little deaths, don\u2019t we, in our lives?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\u201d Chilcote asks in the podcast interview. Some are literal deaths like the loss of a loved one, but we also experience other griefs. Relationships end. Jobs are lost. \u201cChrist the Lord Is Risen Today\u201d proclaims that Jesus has conquered all those deaths.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe central message of our faith,<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\u201d Chilcote concludes, \u201cis the Cross and the Resurrection. Its earliest proclamation of a God who is in the business of raising us from the dead. Oh, if that isn\u2019t good news, I don\u2019t know what good news is.<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When we gather for worship on Easter Sunday and sing \u201cChrist the Lord Is Risen Today,\u201d we celebrate Jesus\u2019 resurrection, God’s good news that life conquers death. As his disciples in the world today, we must raise our joys and triumphs high to invite others to join us in this new way of living.\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

Sources<\/p>\n