It happened again this past Sunday. A group of Christians from all around our community came together at sunrise to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
And as it has happened in Winter Haven for a couple of decades, Rev. Cliff Dollison (pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church) and I helped to plan this Community Easter Sunrise Service. Often, the musician from one of our two churches will join clergy from around the town to lead people in worship and praise. As we were picking out the songs for the morning, it seems that people in his church and mine knew at least one of the old, old Easter songs:
Low in the Grave He Lay ….
Up from the Grave He Arose
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
It happened again as God’s people sang of the greatest news they knew.
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Prayer
Almighty God, we praise you for Your power over sin and death. And we praise You for giving us an abundant life here and in eternity for us as followers of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.
