Free from the Grave

HAPPY EASTER!

We had a great worship service yesterday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To be honest, we don’t normally have any enormous production for Easter like some churches do. We did have the kids from my small group sing (including my three kids) — it was really cute.  They sang “Jesus is Well and ALIVE Today” (otherwise known as “Blue Skies and Rainbows”).

Actually, celebrating the resurrection is the reason Christians have come together not just on Easter but every Sunday for two thousand years.  Sunday was often called “The Lord’s Day” in early Christian writing.  Consider these quotes:

“But every Lord’s Day, gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving…” Didache (c. 80-140 AD)

“No longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day.” Ignatius (c. 105 AD)

“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together… Jesus Christ our savior rose from the dead on that same day.” Justin Martyr (c. 160 AD)

“A person keeps the Lord’s Day when he abandons an evil disposition and assumes the disposition of the spiritual man, glorifying the Lord’s resurrection in himself.” Clement of Alexandria (c. 195 AD)

Even though we celebrate the risen Lord every “Lord’s Day”, I still love Easter.  I wrote a song for Easter quite a while back called “Free from the Grave” that was sung from the perspective of Jesus to his followers following his resurrection.  A couple years ago I used that song, plus a few others to put together a whole album of songs all from Jesus’ perspective to us, organized chronologically through his ministry, betrayal, death, resurrection, and ascension.  It was so good for me spiritually to immerse myself in these final weeks of Jesus’ life and ministry.  Here are the songs and the scriptural references.

The Truth Will Set You Free
Luke 4:17-21, John 8:12-36

Ask Again
Luke 11:5-13, Matt 7:7-27

The Prodigal
Luke 15:11-24

The Wedding Banquet
Matt 22:1-14

My Father’s House
John 14:2

Prepare a Place for You
John 14:2-3

Remain in Me
John 14:23-15:17

We’re Family
John 15:15

Strong As Death
Matt 26:38-39, Song of Songs 8:6

Why Have You Forsaken Me
Psalm 22

Free from the Grave
Mark 16:14

You’re Not Alone
Matthew 28:20

Let Me Understand
Hebrews 4:15, I John 2:1

If you haven’t picked up the CD yet, I think it would minister to you.  It’s called “Remain in Me” and it is available on iTunes, Spotify, or on YouTube.

Here is a free download of “Free from the Grave” from the album, lyrics and chord chart.

Right click “save as” to download  Free from the Grave  (album version, Remain in Me)

or stream the song here
https://jbriancraig.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/11-free-from-the-grave.mp3″
drums – Pete Wade
bass – Malcolm Turner
piano, keyboards, guitars, percussion, vocals – JBC

FREE FROM THE GRAVE

Do you believe in what I say
Can your blind eyes see today
Death has been driven away
And I’m free from the grave

And in the blood that marked my pain
A burning universe has been bathed
to quench it’s flame
But I’m free from the grave

I’m free from the grave
It wasn’t my debt I had to pay
My love has overcome pain
And now I’m free from the grave
And it’s a brand new day
‘Cause I have opened up the way
My blood has cleansed the stain
And now I’m free from the grave

Life cannot be lived your way
The emptiness and dark dismay
won’t go away
‘till you’re free from the grave
Self will leave your soul enslaved
and when the fire’s gone what will remain
Why don’t you throw it away
and be free from the grave

Can you imagine the brightest day
No darkness, death, no fear or pain
Forever to stay
when we’re free from the grave
As the moon turns to blood
we’ll fly away
And one by one he’ll call our name
And after forever and a day
we will never remember the grave

We’ll be free from the grave
It was our debt he freely paid
His love has overcome pain
And now we’re free from the grave
And it’s a brand new day
‘Cause he has opened up the way
His blood has cleansed the stain
And made us free from the grave

FREE FROM THE GRAVE

Verse:
E / E / c#min / c#min
A / B / E / E

Chorus :
A / B / E / A
f#min / B / E / E
A / B / E / A
f#min / B / E / E

---