He’s Alive

In the mid-1980s, when I was a young believer, I heard a song called “He’s Alive” by Don Francisco. This song tells the story of Easter morning from the viewpoint of Peter, and as I drank in the story through the song, I cried and cried. Throughout my years as an ESL teacher (of adults), I sometimes played this song for my students, and some of them cried as well; regardless of their emotional response, they were very attentive, taking it all in. What is it about this song that is so powerful? Listen to it for yourself here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWD-VbJIWEw The lyrics are in the video, but I’m also printing them here; there are some slight differences in wording for accuracy. As you listen, imagine that you were Peter on Easter morning.

The gates and doors were barred and all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness and rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow and half in fear, the day
Would find the soldiers breaking through to drag us all away

Just before the sunrise, I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle, and a voice began to call
Hurried to the window, looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches and the sound of soldiers’ feet

There was no one there but Mary, so I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me as she told us where she’d been
She said, “They’ve moved him in the night and none of us knows where
The stone’s been rolled away, and now his body isn’t there”

We both ran toward the garden, then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and the empty tomb just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped him in was just an empty shell
And how or where they’d taken him was more than I could tell

Something strange had happened there, just what I did not know
John believed a miracle, but I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation couldn’t lift me very high
‘Cause I’d seen them crucify Him, and then I saw Him die

Back inside the house again, the guilt and anguish came
Everything I’d promised Him just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices, I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive, it wouldn’t be the same

But suddenly the air was filled with strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere drove shadows from the room
Jesus stood before me with His arms held open wide
I fell down on my knees and just clung to Him and cried

He raised me to my feet and as I looked into His eyes
Love was shining out from Him like sunlight from the skies
Guilt and my confusion disappeared in sweet release
And every fear I’d ever had just melted into peace

He’s alive, He’s alive, He’s alive, and I’m forgiven
Heaven’s gates are open wide
(Repeat last two lines)

I can feel the fear at the beginning of the song as Peter and Jesus’ other followers are in hiding in a locked house, afraid that the Roman soldiers are coming to take them away. Peter hears the rattling gate and a voice, but it’s Mary, who tells him that Jesus’ body is gone. Peter and John run to the tomb and confirm what Mary had said. John believes a miracle has happened, but Peter, in large part because of his denial (3X) of Jesus after He’d been arrested, is weighed down by confusion, guilt, and anguish. Then back inside the house, Jesus appears to Peter in a bright light; Peter runs to Him and clings to Him. Jesus raises Peter to his feet, and when Peter looks into His eyes, he sees Jesus’ love and forgiveness.

If you read John 20:1-9, you will see that Don Francisco has included many of the details from that passage in this song. It is not recorded in Scripture that Jesus appeared to only Peter as described in the climax of this song, yet we can imagine that it could have happened.

On the most fundamental level, this song has been very powerful to me because it’s all about Jesus’ forgiveness–of Peter and everyone else who has ever put their trust in Him. And Jesus’ resurrection is proof that He is Who He claims to be: the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah.

If you are already a believer, may you experience Jesus’ love and forgiveness in a special way during this Holy Week. If you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus, I pray that you will investigate more about Him.

If you’re interested in reading about Palm Sunday and Good Friday, especially in relation to understanding the shouts of the crowds on those two days, you can read something I wrote here: https://keithpetersenblog.com/2022/04/07/give-us-barabbas/ If you’re interested in reading about evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, click here: https://keithpetersenblog.com/2021/03/24/evidence-for-the-resurrection/

Regardless of whether you have already put your faith in Jesus or not, may you have a very blessed Good Friday/Easter weekend!