Christ is Risen
A song by Phil Wickham.
[use links below to listen while you read]
The song starts with the familiar words of the most well-known and enduring Christian hymn of all time, Amazing Grace, but to a different, simple descending melody.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me
For I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
For the singer, myself included, it is a startling, painful confession: I was a wretch, lost and blind. These are not words I could have identified with prior to becoming a Christian: back then I thought I was pretty good (and aspired to be great), could find my own way, and could achieve my dreams through my own means. Then I started to see. It was disorienting. Could this be true? I needed a saviour? I couldn’t make it on my own? I’m a wretch? (Romans 7:24) It’s not an easy pill to swallow. Until we experience and acknowledge the brokenness of the world and more importantly, ourselves, these words will not ring true. The only thing that will enable us to “see” is Amazing Grace. And, again, more importantly, the source of that Amazing Grace: God through Christ (2 Corinthians 13:14).
The profoundness of this deep confession is timeless, which is why the original hymn still remains the top hymn in the world today, and why these same words have been used in more than one modern worship song. However, at this point our new song heads in a different direction than the hymn:
Hallelujah Christ is risen from the grave
Hallelujah Christ is risen from the grave
Christ is risen from the grave.
This changes everything. Forever. We were the prodigal, we were the sinner, and now:
The prodigal is welcomed home
The sinner now a saint
For the God who died came back to life
And everything is changed
The song’s bridge starts with a quotation from 1 Corinthians 15:55:
Oh death, where is your sting? Oh fear, where is your power? For the mighty King of kings has disarmed you
The second line alludes to a passage from 1 John 4:18:
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear...
Death no longer has the final word concerning life. The one who conquered death, Jesus the King of Kings, now has the final word, and he has revealed that death itself will one day be put to death (Revelation 20:14). Fear no longer has power over us, because God’s perfect love won the showdown with fear at the cross. Fear of death, fear of God’s wrath, fear of sin, fear of the future, fear of change, fear of COVID-19, fear of <you name it>, is no match against God’s perfect love. Because now, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39). And how should we respond to all of this?
Delivered and redeemed
Eternal life resounds
Oh praise His name forever Hallelujah…
And all throughout eternity
Our song will be the same Hallelujah
The conclusion: we will never stop praising Him. Have you already started?
Hallelujah Christ is risen from the grave
