1. Christ the Lord is ris'n today; Alleluia!
Christians, hasten on your way; Alleluia!
offer praise with love replete, Alleluia!
at the paschal victim's feet. Alleluia!
2. For the sheep the Lamb has bled, Alleluia!
sinless in the sinner's stead. Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia!
now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia!
3. Christ, the victim undefiled, Alleluia!
God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia!
when contending death and life, Alleluia!
met in strange and awesome strife. Alleluia!
4. Christians, on this holy day, Alleluia!
all your grateful homage pay; Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia!
now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia!
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At the end of each day we tend to ask ourselves or one another how well we dealt with it: "How was your day?" Whenever something ends, we judge it. We decide and act depending on whether it was good or bad. If the TV show was bad, we don't watch it again. If the food was bad, we don't eat it again. That is how we deal with bad things.
Jesus deals with us--we who are bad in that we trust other gods--in quite a different way. Jesus makes us good by declaring we are good, simply by his say-so. For he, the sinless one (the one who trusted God), died for sinners (those who don't trust God). What the law of God judges to be bad, Jesus died for. Jesus now lives as the Risen One on the side of those who are bad. We live by his promise that our trust in him is what makes us good in the eyes of God.
Loving Father, as Jesus makes us good, help us to deal with others with kindness, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and mercy. Amen.
Timothy Hoyer, '09
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Lakewood, N.Y., and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Falconer, N.Y.
THE LUTHER SEMINARY ®
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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