Liz Henderson--Program Team Assistant

Happy Easter!  I hope that you enjoyed a great Easter weekend with friends and family celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus.  I love Easter for a variety of reasons.  The most important reason is that God sent Jesus to earth to die for my sins.  But he didn't stay dead!  In the words of the Easter Song:  "Quickly now, go tell his disciples that Jesus Christ is no longer dead!"  What a profound statement!  Jesus was dead, but he is no longer dead.  He's alive!  He rose from the dead so that we could have new life in him. 

I also love Easter because of the opportunity to sing some of my favorite songs and hymns that celebrate the resurrection of Jesus: He's Alive, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Up From the Grave, Morning Sun, Easter Song, Arise My Love, In Christ Alone, etc.

A few months ago I was introduced to a song by Keith and Kristyn Getty called "The Power of the Cross."  While the song itself is actually several years old, it was new to me and has quickly become one of my favorites, not only because of the beautiful music and instrumentation, but because of the powerful lyrics. 

Oh, to see the dawn

Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus:

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev’ry bitter thought,

Ev’ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

Final Chorus:

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Today, let's live in the joy and reality that we stand forgiven at the cross.