Jesus Lives! The vict’ry’s won!

 Death no longer can appall me;

 Jesus Lives! Death’s reign is done!

From the grave will Christ recall me.

 Brighter scenes will then commence;

This shall be my confidence. (LSB 490:1)

    Have you ever noticed how many of our Easter hymns and songs also talk about death? On the surface, it seems that Easter and death don’t have much in common. Easter is celebrated at sunrise, the promise of a new day; death is seen as a sunset, the end of life well-lived. Easter is people coming together in bright, pastel colors; death is people gathering in the simple black clothing of mourning. Easter is about a tomb a full tomb being found empty; death is about an empty tomb being made full. About the only similarity between the two is flowers, Easter and death are filled with flowers. At first glance, Easter and death don’t go together.

    The poets and musicians who have written our hymns and songs know better, though. No doubt they have felt the grief, pain, and loss of a loved one dying and, using their God-given artistic talents, they have found ways to channel those emotions into some of our most beloved songs. Christian Fürchtegott Gellert gave us the words of the hymn above to show the connection between death and Easter, how the resurrection should inspire confidence in our hearts and joy even in the face of death. Claude Ely expresses that confidence in his chorus, “Ain’t no grave gonna hold this body down,” words that were sung by both Johnny Cash and Bethel music. This simple idea is in the same vein as Job’s powerful profession: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God…” (Job 19:25-26). These words from Job probably have you humming another Easter hymn!

    Easter’s official name is “The Sunday of the Resurrection,” and the Church  celebrates it every year to remind herself of the truth Paul shares in 1 Corinthians: But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. “Firstfruits” are followed by secondfruits and thirdfruits, which will be all who have fallen asleep in Christ. Death has been defeated by Christ. It no longer has any power over us. We will rise with Christ, in our flesh we shall see God, and there ain’t no grave gonna hold this body down!

    Easter and death will be joined together until Christ returns because death has been defeated by Christ. Even though we may die before His return, we know that we will follow Him out of our own graves. “If you walked out of the grave, I’m walking too,” is how Molly Skaggs sings it.

    In Christ,

    Pastor Tom Vanderbilt