(Updated) He Wouldn't Stay Dead - Easter - Resurrection Sunday

Update: Hat Tip to my brother, Steve Boggs for finding the author of the poem below.  It is an awesome poem and the author certainly deserves the credit. His name is Willard G. Thomas according to two different websites that include this poem. (Note: Outside links may expire or change content over time.)


Praise God for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We as Christians celebrate the fact that Christ arose every day of our Christian experience. Today, Easter or Resurrection Day, is a day of special remembrance of the momentous occasion when the Son of God, God in the flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord conquered death, hell and the grave! He died to pay the penalty for our sin and He rose again that we might have new life! Praise God He is Alive!

Below is a poem that I have quoted in my preaching for many, many years.  It was written by a Baptist preacher from Georgia. I heard him quote it in person long years ago. It spoke to me then and it speaks to me every time I think of it. I have lost the name of the man who wrote it but I love this poem. I added the last stanza when I started quoting it myself.

May God bless you on this Easter. If you are not a Christian, may you be moved by the fact that Jesus Christ died for you and then got up out of the grave for you as well.

Davy

He Wouldn’t Stay Dead

by:Willard G. Thomas

They laid His body in Joseph’s new tomb

And filled His disciples with sorrow and gloom

They did not remember what He had said

That He would die, but He wouldn’t stay dead

Mary came at the break of day

And found the stone was rolled away

She saw an angel and in terror fled

And told His disciples that He didn’t stay dead

In that cold dark tomb He would not stay

He conquered death and walked away

And now that old grave has lost it’s fear and dread

He lives again! He wouldn’t stay dead

Full atonement and pardon were made

And forever the sin debt was marked fully paid

The price was His blood as it flowed crimson red

And I’m thankful today that He didn’t stay dead!

Let’s go to our churches and cry aloud

Let’s go to the marketplace and talk to the crowd

Let’s go to the mission fields that lie up ahead

And tell the whole world that He didn’t stay dead!

Because if Jesus Christ had only died

Then the gulf between us and God would still be wide

But thank God He did what He said

He got up out of the ground, He couldn’t stay dead!

Last Stanza by Davy Boggs