Saturday, April 22, 2017
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
SING ALLELUIA!
In 1435 the Council of Basil forbid the singing of hymns in the vernacular during the church service. Parts of some older hymns, however, still lived in the memory of the common people and were sung outside of the church, when people went on pilgrimages and processions, or buried their dead. Luther revived some of these old medieval hymns, when he and the other reformers reintroduced congregational singing in worship services.
Luther's resurrection song "Christ ist erstanden" ("Christ is now risen again") is one such hymn. It was included in the first Lutheran hymnal under the section "Songs, made by the elders". The German words seem unwieldy and even strange to the modern ear (though they are rooted in the Scriptures), but the song exudes Easter energy.
Jesus was in the prison of death for our crimes and He paid the price for our sins. But death could not hold the Lord of Life. Jesus wins that terrible struggle as our victorious sacrifice. So it is that we the redeemed of every age sing ALLELUIA to the Lord whose victorious rising declares His gift of eternal life to every believing heart!
"Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands," by Martin Luther:
Christ lay in Death's dark prison, It was our sin that bound Him;
This day hath He arisen, And sheds new life around Him.
Therefore let us joyful be And praise our God right heartily.
So sing we Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
O'er Death no man could prevail, If mortal e'er came near him;
Through guilt all our strength would fail, Our sinful hearts did fear him.
Therefore Death did gain the day, And lead in triumph us away,
Henceforth to dwell imprisoned. Hallelujah!
Now Jesus Christ, the Son of God, For our defence hath risen.
Our grievous guilt He hath removed, And Death hath bound in prison.
All his might Death must forego. For now he's nought but idle show,
His sting is lost for ever. Hallelujah!
How fierce and dreadful was the strife When Life with Death contended;
For Death was swallowed up by Life And all his power was ended.
God of old, the Scriptures show, Did promise that it should be so.
O Death, where's now thy victory? Hallelujah!
The Paschal Victim here we see, Whereof God's Word hath spoken;
He hangs upon the cruel tree. Of saving love the token.
His blood ransoms us from sin, And Death no more can enter in.
Now Satan cannot harm us. Hallelujah!
So keep we all this holy feast. Where every joy invites us;
Our Sun is rising in the East, It is our Lord Who lights us.
Through the glory of His grace Our darkness will to-day give place.
The night of sin is over. Hallelujah!
With grateful hearts we all are met To eat the bread of gladness.
The ancient leaven now forget, And every thought of sadness.
Christ Himself the feast hath spread, By Him the hungry soul is fed,
And He alone can feed us. Halleluja!
