It was Holy Week. I was preparing a message on how the resurrection of Jesus Christ had become the theology centering point of St. Paul (in 1 Corinthians 15); the key eschatological moment in history. I prepared a message based on the little versicle from the Book of Common Prayer, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” The affirmation of faith that summarizes the essentials of the Christian faith is now moving around the earth as the missional cry of a liberated people. I wanted to create a song that reflected that movement. It needed both energy and an infusion of world music. I laid down the guitar track and some lead embellishments. We added Caribbean drums and some other instruments. Some of the children from my congregation came into the studio. The sound of children’s voices layered over my voice, with the percussion and guitars had it going in the direction we wanted. Then, we enhanced the song with and soothing voice of Cindy Gibbs, my long-time vocal partner. The multi-talented Fred Schendel of GlassHammer fame added a pitch-perfect male voice to Cindy’s backing vocals. The simple and poignant affirmation, “Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ will Come Again,” becomes an undeniable repetition of reality: the Gospel is now encircling the earth in our own generation.
We hope your listening provokes prayer and praise to the King of Kings. Listen. Can you hear?
“They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps he has already landed,” [said Beaver]. And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different… At the name of Aslan, each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer” (C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [1950; this edition from The Essential C.S. Lewis, Touchstone, 1996]), Chapter VII, 88-89.
“Christ is Risen.” Words and Music © 2018 Michael Anthony Milton (Bethesda Music, BMI), CCLI.
Lyrics
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
The Spirit is moving across the world
Bringing His children in
The Kingdom came to Asia Minor
The Kingdom came to Europe too
The Kingdom came with power
A divine appointed hour
And all who saw
Were all who knew
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
The Spirit is moving across the world
Bringing His children in
The Kingdom crossed the ocean
The Gospel news to bring
To the shores of North America
To the peoples of inland Africa
And now in the East
They’re beginning to sing
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
The Spirit is moving across the world
Bringing His children in
And now in the East
They’re beginning to sing
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
The Spirit is moving across the world
Bringing His children in
