Welcome with me today, guest blogger Jerry Hixson, a graduate student of Biblical Studies at <a href="http://www.gsot.edu/" target="_blank">Grace School of Theology</a>.
<p style="text-align:center;">He Lives!</p>
<a href="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4534" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter.jpg?w=300" alt="????????????????????" width="300" height="213" /></a>In the midst of the Easter Season – 2014, we would all due well to note a few things about Christianity.

First, Christianity is not actually a religion.

When we think of a religion, we normally think of man’s attempt to reach God.

Christianity, on the other hand, is God’s reaching down to humanity in the person of His only Son, Jesus Christ.

Second, Christians are the only group of people who worship someone who is alive. Other religions worship long dead gods.

Third, Christians are the only group of people who look forward to a bodily resurrection. Others share some hope of a hereafter, but all speak of a spiritual hereafter, not a bodily resurrection.

<a href="http://nickel-notes.blogspot.com/2012/03/hymn-history-he-lives.html" target="_blank">Alfred Ackley's hymn</a>, <em>He Lives</em>, clearly communicates the meaning of Easter, particularly the first verse and refrain.

In case you’re not familiar with the song written in 1932, here's a video version.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOKAhuRH1vc?rel=0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]