If Jesus Rose Not from the Grave

If Je­sus rose not from the grave

The faith of all His saints is vain:

That He can have no pow­er to save

If death de­tains Him still

is plain.

If Je­sus rose not from the grave

We’re guil­ty still

our sins re­main:

The hope is vain His peo­ple have;

If Je­sus rose not

hope is vain.

If Je­sus rose not from the grave

His foes were right in all they said:

For He to all as­sur­ance gave

That He would rise

and leave the dead.

If Je­sus rose not from the grave

Then all He said was emp­ty boast:

His claims no good foun­da­tion have;

And they who sleep in Him are lost.

If Je­sus rose not from the grave

The thief that per­ished by His side

As just a claim as He would have

To be the sin­ner’s hope and guide.

But now is Je­sus ris­en in­deed:

The first fruits He of those who sleep:

Rejoice ye saints

the Pris­on­er’s freed;

For who could such a pris­on­er keep?

He fought with Death

the saints’ last foe:

And though He seemed to lose the day

’Twas Death sus­tained the ov­er­throw

Subdued by Him who seemed his prey.

Doubt then no more

ye saints

nor grieve

The Lord is ris­en

is ris­en in­deed;

Because He lives

His saints shall live:

Shall live with Him

their glo­ri­ous head.

He sits at God’s right hand above

The dread of foes

the joy of friends;

Supreme in pow­er

in truth

in love

His king­dom

one that nev­er ends.

The glo­ri­ous day is draw­ing near

When He who lay in yon­der tomb

With crowds of an­gels shall ap­pear

And take His wait­ing peo­ple home.