I grew up singing about Christ’s resurrection in songs like “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”, “The Old Rugged Cross”, “There Is Power in the Blood”, “I Stand Amazed” and other old church hymns. Many of today’s Christian artists share how they are captivated by the resurrection in their songs. From the love flowing like a flood in Chris Tomlin’s “At The Cross (Love Ran Red)” to how Jesus has taken our sin in Brandon Heath’s “Jesus, Son of God,” songs proclaiming Christ’s sacrifice are some of the most moving worship songs.
Here are 11 songs that celebrate the power of Christ’s resurrection.
God has been showing me what true love looks like the past few years and I’m shocked at how unloving some people (including myself) have reacted when things haven’t gone according to plan. The lyric “Love like this the world has never known” is so true because no one can love perfectly all the time. The beautiful truth though, is that God can transform you into loving like Christ when you surrender to Him.
Favorite Lyrics
You took our sin
You bore our shame
You rose to life
You defeated the grave
Love like this the world has never knownOn the altar of our praise let there be no higher name
Jesus, son of God
You laid down your perfect life
You are the sacrifice
Jesus, son of God
You are Jesus, son of God
Christ died, but He now reins in glory; still perfect and full of love. “You are my everything and I will adore you” is my favorite line from this song because it’s true. God opens my eyes and shows me His wisdom the stronger my faith grows and I am often left in awe. I adore how He takes care of me in the little and big ways. The four feet of snow in my back yard has finally started melting and the birds are returning to the thawing tundra I get to call home. After months of snow-filled grey skies, God brought a sunrise with blended colors that the finest painter could not create – simply breathtaking. I adore His work around me and through me.
Favorite Lyrics
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You
Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King
Christ’s death and resurrection are stronger than the power of sin. Sin can take you further than you can imagine, but Jesus conquered all when He arose from the dead. The way to stop sinning is to fall on your knees and cry out to Jesus. Try it – it works.
Favorite Lyrics
There is love that came for us
Humbled to a sinner’s cross
You broke my shame and sinfulness
You rose again victorious
Faithfulness, none can deny
Through the storm and through the fire
There is truth that sets me free
Jesus Christ who lives in me
You are stronger, You are stronger
Sin has broken, You have saved me
It is written, Christ is risen
Jesus you are Lord of all
This song reminds me of how Christ will lead you to the cross if you let Him. This didn’t become real for me until He broke the chains of legalism and “religion”. Freedom in Christ starts at the cross.
Favorite Lyrics
Lead me to the
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to you
Lead me, lead me to the cross
You were as I
Tempted and tried
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin to death
Now You're risen
Do you know of a king who defeated their enemies by dying? This is backwards in human terms, but it’s how God works. What doesn’t make sense to us (in this moment) is part of a bigger plan.
Favorite Lyrics
Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!
The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
his perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated
The line “Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree, and took the nails for me,” hurts as it sinks in deep. I think about how I would have endured the cross. How unfair and unjust I would have felt my death would have been. I still make mistakes and I would not have been a perfect lamb. Christ took my place because He loves me. You know what? He didn’t complain about it and He was concerned for the criminal next to Him. Incredible.
Favorite Lyrics
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
Death is no match for Christ! It’s a little ironic to me that in order to live in Christ we must die to ourselves. You mean I can overcome Satan by letting go of my “perfect” expectations and my will? Yes! As Queen Elsa in Frozen would say, “Let it go”. Control usually comes from a place of selfishness and not God’s plan.
Favorite Lyrics
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead
He's alive! He's alive!
I sang the old church hymn version of this song growing up countless times but I didn’t quite understand what “Jesus paid it all” meant as a child. I owe everything to Christ because I would be hopeless without Him, but this doesn’t mean I have to live with a weight around my neck waiting for Him to collect what I owe. I realize more and more that Christ is all I need – yes, even more than coffee and sleep after comforting my own child from a bad dream in the middle of the night.
Favorite Lyrics
I hear the Savior say
“Thy strength indeed is small
child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all
‘Cause Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Nothing can separate me from God. No speeding tickets. No unjust ruling. No negative opinion from others. Calvary covers it all and this is where hope is found. Mercy and grace abound and overtake all sin and shame as the line “my sin and shame, don’t count anymore” declares.
Favorite Lyrics
No power on Earth
Not even the grave
Could separate us from mercy and grace
He is faithful to save, oh His blood never fails
Calvary covers it all
Calvary covers it all
My sin and shame, don't count anymore
All praise to the One who has ransomed my soul
Calvary covers it all
I absolutely love the line “Death has lost and Love has won”! Christ sacrificed Himself in a manner that no one had before and ever can again. He was the image of perfection and still gave His life for this mommy who can be impatient when tiredness sets in and coffee has run low.
Favorite Lyrics
Alive! Alive!
Look what Mercy's overcome
Death has lost and Love has won
Alive! Alive! Hallelujah, Risen Lord
The only One I fall before
I am His because He is alive.
Who could speak
And send the demons back from where they came
With just one Name?
What other heart
Would let itself be broken every time until He healed mine?
You. Only You
Could turn my darkness into dawn
Running right into Your arms
Shame used to grab hold of me deeming me powerless and feeling less than enough. Give up working for the approval of others and something powerful happens. Christ comes in and His love fills every heartache, every disappointment, and every part that feels less than enough. God created me in His image and this is possible because His love flows like a flood.
Favorite Lyric
There's a place where sin and shame are powerless.
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.
Where all the love I've ever found.
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.
Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down
The power of the resurrection means you are enough. It means God loves you so much that He provided a way to give you endless hope. Christ’s death on the cross is a gift available for everyone and one that should be honored each day in reverence and submission. Accept the freedom as I have to love Christ because you want to – not because your wife is dragging you to church. Is there a song about the resurrection that overwhelms your soul?
I am a Christian writer and editor that lives in northern Michigan and thoroughly enjoy music, movies, TV shows, books and other entertainment with a Christian focus. My favorite song is "Oceans" by Hillsong United because it reminds me that has big plans for me and everyone else who puts their trust in Him. There are many movies that have impacted my life, but a few include God's Not Dead, The Shunning and Letters to God. When I'm not writing I enjoy watching movies and laughing with my busy toddler and husband.