Easter, Vol. 2

Passion Week is here again, and while things are slowly opening back up the world is still not quite back to normal. The one thing that is certain, though, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the whole reason Christians observe and celebrate Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. The songs chosen for this year's Easter post are no less powerful than last year's, but I'm glad to say personally that instead of clinging to them in the middle of a dark, desperate, and scary season like last year I am clinging to them as I and everyone else in the world makes their way back to living life.

Like last year, each song has a verse or passage of Scripture to go along with it for you to get some extra insight. Note: All Scripture is from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.

The Cross Medley: Jesus Paid It All/The Old Rugged Cross by Anthem Lights (written by E. Hall, G. Bernard)

Featured on their 2018 album Hymns, Vol. 2, Anthem Lights knocks it out of the park with this beautiful classic hymn mashup. Jesus endured that horrid death on the cross in order to save us from a fate far, far worse - eternal separation from God.

I hear the Savior say/Thy strength indeed is small/Child of weakness, watch and pray/Find in Me thine all in all/Jesus paid it all/All to Him I owe/Sin had left a crimson stain/He washed it white as snow/On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross/The emblem of suffering and shame/And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best/For a world of lost sinners was slain/So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross/’Til my trophies at last I lay down/I will cling to the old rugged cross/And exchange it someday for a crown

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”

How Great Is Our God/Our God/How Great Thou Art by Caleb and Kelsey (written by C. Tomlin, E. Cash, J. Reeves, M. Redman, C. Boberg)

Featured on their 2018 album Worship, Caleb and Kelsey Grimm beautifully arranged two modern worship staples with another classic hymn in this mashup. It's so awesome to know that the God who defeated death and rose from the grave is always on our side.

You’re the Name above all names/You are worthy of our praise/And my heart will sing how great/And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us/And if our God is with us, then what could stand against/Name above all names, worthy of all praise/What could stand against/And my heart will sing how great/‘Cause our God is greater, our God is stronger/God, You are higher than any other/Our God is healer, awesome in power/Our God, our God/Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee/How great Thou art, how great Thou art/Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee/How great Thou art, how great is our God/Awesome in power, our God, how great Thou art

Romans 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Rise Again by Dallas Holm (written by D. Holm)

Featured on his 1988 album Beyond the Curtain, this song from singer-songwriter Dallas Holm is one of my mom's all time favorites. Because Jesus rose again after three days, we as his children are also given the gift of eternal life when we accept Him as our Savior.

Go ahead, drive the nails in my hands/Laugh at me where you stand/Go ahead and say it isn’t me/The day will come when you will see/‘Cause I’ll rise again/Ain’t no power on earth can tie me down/Yes, I’ll rise again/Death can’t keep me in the ground

Micah 7:8 Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

Only King Forever by Elevation Worship (written by C. Brown, M. Brock, S. Furtick, W. Joye)

Featured on Elevation's 2014 album Only King Forever and featuring vocals from worship leader Chris Brown, this is one of my favorite songs to worship to year round. God truly is eternally victorious and will never be shaken by anything that happens in this world.

Our God, a firm foundation, our rock, the only solid ground/As nations rise and fall/Kingdoms once strong now shaken, we trust forever in Your name/The name of Jesus/We trust the name of Jesus/You are the only King forever/Almighty God, we lift You higher/You are the only King forever/Forevermore, You are victorious/You are the only King forever/Almighty God, we lift You higher/You are the only King forever/Forevermore, You are victorious

I Timothy 1:17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal king, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

RATTLE! by Elevation Worship (written by B. Lake, C. Brown, S. Furtick)

Featured on Elevation's near perfect (IMHO) 2020 album Graves Into Gardens and featuring vocals from worship leader Chris Brown, this song is so amazing on so many levels. God's power rattles bones in their graves, always letting death know Who is really in charge.

Pentecostal fire, stirring something new/You’re not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon/Resurrection power runs in my veins, too/I believe there’s another miracle here in this room/This is the sound of dry bones rattling/This is the praise make a dead man walk again/Open the grave, I’m coming out, I’m gonna live, gonna live again/This is the sound of dry bones rattling

Matthew 28:5-6 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was laying.”

King of Kings by Hillsong Worship (written by B. Ligertwood, J. Ingram, S. Ligertwood)

Released by Hillsong as a single in 2019 and featured vocals from worship leader Brooke Ligertwood, this has become one of my favorite worship songs over the last six months. The message of Jesus's story from beginning to end, manger to cross, is so powerful and comforting that it's hard not to break out into praise when listening to it.

In the darkness, we were waiting without hope, without light/’Til from heaven, You came running, there was mercy in Your eyes/To fulfill the law and prophets, to a virgin came the Word/From a throne of endless glory to a cradle in the dirt/Praise the Father, praise the Son/Praise the Spirit, three in one/God of glory, majesty/Praise forever to the King of kings

Luke 24:1-8 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that he had said this.

It Is Finished by Passion ft. Melodie Malone (written by B. Younker, B. Ligertwood, C. Quiala, K. Stanfill, S. Ligertwood)

Featured on Passion's 2019 live album Follow You Anywhere and featuring vocals from worship leader Melodie Malone, this is a song I wasn't super familiar with before this week but now think is really excellent. When Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, the sacrifice portion of the weekend was complete, and the resurrection on Sunday is able to wipe clean the slate of God's children.

The cross is my beginning, the line drawn in the sand/The end of all my striving, now I am born again/There, Jesus was forsaken, so I will never be/His grace is my salvation, the gift of God, the work of Calvary/It is done, it is finished/Christ has won, He is risen/Grace is here, love has triumphed over death forever

John 19:30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

However you are able to celebrate this year, I hope you have a wonderful Easter. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!