Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The “Easter ‘A’ word” returns in full force in our Hymn of the Week: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today. We sing it four times in each stanza. Why? We are celebrating! Easter has come, and our Lord has risen!

Although Jesus once suffered “upon the cross” to “redeem our loss”, we now celebrate this “triumphant holy day”. We are subsequently invited to sing “hymns of praise…unto Christ, our heav’nly king”. For he “endured the cross and grave” to “redeem and save” all sinners, and “the pains which he endured…our salvation have procured”. Our cries of “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday have been answered! We have been saved!

Remember how Jesus entered Jerusalem last week? “No Tramp of Soldiers’ Marching Feet” told us that he did NOT enter with banners, drums, music, bells, or with city gates flung open wide. Remember Pilate’s words to the crowd? “Behold, behold your King!”. But Jesus did NOT enter Jerusalem as a king, for he is not an earthly king. He is our heavenly King! And, as the hymn says, “Now above the sky, He’s king…where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Finally, we end the hymn with a doxological stanza, a stanza about the Trinity. You can easily see this by the triangle right before stanza 4, but you can also notice how the stanza ends with praise to “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”. We are praising God for his wonderful gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Review questions:

1. Why can we now sing the Easter ‘A’ word?

2. Why did Jesus NOT enter Jerusalem as a king? Is he reigning as king now? Where?

3. Why is there a triangle at the beginning of the last stanza?