Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1778
Listen as you read. This is a short but beautiful cello version.
He is risen! It is just as true today as it was on Sunday, and Tuesday for that matter, so we continue our celebration as we think about the last two lines here. There is an interesting juxtaposition of extremes I had not noticed until a little deeper reflection.
Innermost Alleluia
So here in the context of lifting our Alleluia’s to the risen Christ, we are implored to “Raise (our) joys and triumphs high”. Though the instruction is to lift these things, consider the fact that they begin as in inner response to external circumstances. We can not raise from within what we have not perceived.
Consider it from this perspective.
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV
Through His resurrection, Christ has accomplished the salvation of our souls. When we believe this, we obtain the outcome of our faith. This brings us to a point of rejoicing, albeit with an ineffable joy. Even though we may not be able to fully or completely express this “inexpressible” and glory-filled joy, we can not help but try.
This may be the epitome of the expression, “the heart sings”. There is effectively a remarkable inner alleluia that we feel and attempt to utter. This third line encourages that activity, an outward expression of an inward reality which begins at the very core of our being, intimate and personal, quiet and tender, our heart.
Outermost Alleluia
On the heels of this very micro expression of praise comes the instruction to a very macro one. From the heart to the heavens.
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
This instruction is very scripturally sound.
Isaiah 49:13 ESV
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.
Why are the heavens and the earth commanded to sing and exult (present tense)? Because the Lord has comforted his people (past tense) and will have compassion on his afflicted (future tense).
All the tenses make sense, but it is curious that the heavens and earth are to praise because God has had and will have compassion on his people. The implication here is that his compassion will overflow and have an impact of not only God’s people but the whole of His creation.
Whether the subtle pink cross above or the overt one here, these images give expression to the fact that creation is indeed doing what Scripture has commanded it to do. So the macro scale of our Alleluia seems to be on track.
What about the micro? Are you as faithful to lift your “Alleluia” as the other works of His hands? If you are like me, you want to be, even without the command to raise your joys and triumphs high. So let’s cultivate such a mind for just a moment.
Think about your joys and triumphs. What comes to mind? Now take a few moments and give Jesus praise for them. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you keenly aware of them throughout your day. And then do it all over again every time He does.
Alleluia!
Jesus, thank You for giving me something to sing about, even though it truly is inexpressible. Just the same, give me words and others ways to express it today, even as I respond to Your work in my life revealed through every joy and triumph. In Jesus name. Amen.
Grateful Thinking!
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Podcast 5.1 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Matthew 28:5-6 ESV
…the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
The empty tomb declared it. The angels explained it. Those first disciples witnessed it and died still declaring it. May our lips and our lives echo it, “He is risen indeed!”
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Revelation 19:1 ESV
After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
Though this is a scene from the end of the story of Scripture, it is made possible through the resurrection. Do not wait until you are around the throne to join the great “Alleluia”! Praise Him right now!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Because of what Jesus has accomplished through His resurrection, the salvation of our souls, we should rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible. I love how we are instructed to rejoice, even though our joy is inexpressible. We may not be able to completely or perfectly express it, but we will not let that stop us from trying, with our songs and our lives.
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Isaiah 49:13 ESV
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.
He could not have showed us more compassion or comforted us better than He has in redeeming our souls through His resurrection. Sing heaven, and earth reply or echo that exultation, for Jesus has not only redeemed our souls but has begun the process of making all the wrong things right.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.
Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
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