I don’t know about you, but Easter is my favorite holiday. I know some like the food of Thanksgiving, some like the presents and decorations of Christmas, and others like the smoking grills and explosive fireworks of 4th of July, but for me nothing gets better than the joy of Easter. Now I’m not exactly a morning person, but there’s nothing more joyous than to enter into the church on Easter morning as the sunshine pours through the church windows, as the scents and the beauty of the Easter lilies adorn the sanctuary, and as an overflowing congregation joins their voices together to sing beloved Easter hymns. There is such a transformation from the saddened tones of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to the joyful hymns and greetings of Easter.
Nothing says Easter morning more to me than the hymn “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.” It simply bursts forth with the joyous message that Christ has triumphed over the grave, emerged victorious over the attacks of Satan, and has left our sins buried in the tomb. The
hymn directs all attention, all praise, and all glory to Jesus for what he did on our behalf, leading to this “triumphant holy day.”
But my favorite line of the hymn—a line that slips by too quickly—says “Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia...” The entire hymn rightfully directs all glory, honor, and praise to Jesus for what he has accomplished, but it also directs our
attention to the significance of that news for those now singing. After all, at Easter we aren’t just celebrating Jesus’ victory over death and the grave, but our victory as well. Because of what Christ did on the cross and through the tomb, all Christians can call Easter “our triumphant holy day.” This is the reason why I like Easter so much, for Easter is the celebration that Jesus rose from the dead and so shall we!!! On Easter we are given the unshakeable promise of resurrection from the dead. Following the message of Easter we no longer need to fear death. We no longer need to fear the grave. We no longer need to hang on to our grief over loved ones who have gone before us, for all who have been united with Christ through Baptism are resurrected to a new life both in this life and the next. We are now able to live each day with the attitude of the Apostle Paul, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phillipians 1:21). There is no more powerful message of the Gospel than the message of Christ’s triumph over death and the grave. May this Easter and every coming Sunday be a celebration of “our triumphant holy day” given to us through the life, death, and resurrection of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the first fruits of what is yet to come.
May we throughout this season and throughout the year ahead, joyfully greet one another with those words of Easter morning, “Alleluia, Christ is risen…He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Amen.
