He Is Not Here—He Is Risen Forevermore
The Victorious Resurrection Morning Across the Four Gospels Rendered in Grand Classical Rhyme and Sacred Depth

In this unique collection, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is retold through four majestic narrative poems in classical rhyme. Each poem faithfully follows one Gospel—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—honoring its distinctive voice and details while sharing the same elevated style and triumphant spirit.

From the women’s trembling joy at the empty tomb to the risen Lord’s appearances, commissions, and abiding presence, these poems weave sorrow into wonder, fear into faith, and doubt into worship. Together they form a harmonious quartet that proclaims the eternal good news:

He is not here — He is risen forevermore.

A Devotional Reflection

On that first Easter morning, the tomb stood empty — not as a place of defeat, but as the birthplace of everlasting hope. Each Gospel tells the story in its own voice: Matthew with royal authority and a worldwide commission, Mark with urgent awe and trembling faith, Luke with burning hearts on the Emmaus road and the comfort of Scripture, and John with tender intimacy as the risen Jesus calls Mary by name and breathes peace upon His fearful disciples.

These four classical rhyme poems invite us to linger at the empty tomb with the women, walk the dusty road to Emmaus, touch the scars of the risen Lord, and hear His commissioning words afresh. In every stanza we are reminded that the resurrection is not merely an event in history — it is the turning point of all history, the defeat of death, and the dawn of new creation.

May these verses stir your heart to worship, strengthen your faith to believe even when you have not seen, and empower you to go and tell others:

He is not here — He is risen forevermore.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Matthew 28
He Is Not Here—He Is Risen Forevermore: An Extended Classical Rhyme of the Resurrection, the Mountain Commission, and Christ’s Abiding Presence in Matthew Twenty-Eight

Behold the dawn of resurrection morn,
When Sabbath’s solemn silence met the light;
Two faithful Marys, hearts with sorrow torn,
Approached the garden tomb in morning’s quiet.
With spices sweet of myrrh and aloes rare,
They came to honor Him who hung upon the tree—
The Lamb of God, whose cross had borne our care,
The suffering Servant, crushed for you and me.

The earth itself in holy tremor shook,
As if creation groaned and stirred anew;
A mighty angel from the courts above
Descended swift, his face like lightning true.
His raiment white as snow on Hermon’s peak,
He rolled the massive stone with sovereign might;
The Roman guards, arrayed in steel and pride,
Fell down as corpses, pale with mortal fright.

For fear of him they trembled, weak as dust,
And lay like dead men in the breaking day;
The angel sat upon the stone, in trust,
A conqueror enthroned where death once lay.
“Fear not, ye women seeking Him who died,”
The heavenly herald spoke with thunderous grace,
“I know ye seek the Lord once crucified—
He is not here; for He is risen, as He said in every place.

“Come, see the spot where once the Master lay,
The linen cloths are folded, neat and still;
The napkin wrapped apart, as if to say
That death could never bind the Father’s will.
Go quickly now, and tell His own the word:
He goes before you into Galilee;
There shall ye see their risen, living Lord,
The Firstborn from the dead, forever free.”

With mingled fear and overwhelming joy,
They hastened forth, their feet scarce touching ground;
When suddenly the risen glorious Boy—
The eternal Son—before them stood, crowned.
“All hail!” He greeted with compassion kind,
And they fell down and worshipped at His feet.
“Be not afraid,” He spoke with voice refined,
“But go and bid My brethren come to meet.

“Tell them I rise to My Father above,
Your Father too, My God and yours the same;
In Galilee they soon shall see My love,
And know the power of My risen name.”
Meanwhile the keepers, roused from death-like trance,
Hastened to the city with their fearful tale;
The chief priests gathered in a dark advance,
With elders plotting how the truth assail.

With silver coins—echo of betrayal’s night—
They bribed the soldiers’ tongues with crafty lies:
“Declare His friends stole Him by stealthy flight,
While we in slumber let the body rise.”
Thus falsehood spread its shadow like a blight
Across the land that once had known the Lord;
Yet heaven’s truth no human scheme can bind,
The stone is rolled forever from the sight.

The grave is spoiled, the serpent’s head is crushed
Beneath the heel of David’s greater Seed;
The curse of Eden, long in sorrow hushed,
Now breaks beneath the Victor’s righteous deed.
The veil once torn within the temple’s heart,
The way to God forever open stands;
Creation groans no more beneath the smart
Of death and bondage—life eternal commands.

Now to the mountain Jesus had assigned,
The eleven journeyed through the Galilean fields;
When they beheld their Master, some inclined
To worship deeply, while some doubt still yields.
The Lord drew near, His wounds of love displayed—
The nail prints speaking grace beyond all price;
And spoke with majesty that fills the glade
And echoes through the ages’ vast device:

“All power in heaven and on earth is laid
Into My hands by My Father’s wise decree.
No realm, no throne, no force can stand arrayed
Against the King who conquered death for thee.
Go therefore into every land and tongue,
Make disciples of the nations far and wide;
Baptize them in the Name forever sung—
The Father, Son, and Spirit, unified.

“Teach them to keep all things I have commanded,
The royal law of love, the narrow way;
The beatitudes of mercy, pure and splendid,
The call to take the cross and follow day by day.
The parables of Kingdom seed and pearl,
The Sermon’s light upon the mountain height;
The charge to love as I have loved the world,
And lay down life for brethren in the fight.

“And lo, I am with you, though worlds be branded
With trial and tempest, fire and raging sea;
Through every storm, through every trial handed,
My presence shall abide eternally.
Even to the closing of the age’s night,
When stars grow dim and time itself shall cease,
I walk beside you in the darkest fight,
And bring you safely to the place of peace.”

O glorious Gospel! The tomb could not confine
The Lamb once slain who now as Lion reigns.
He broke the bars of death by grace divine,
Fulfilling every prophecy and pains.
The firstfruits of the harvest now arise,
The guarantee that all who sleep in Him
Shall wake in glory when the dead shall rise,
And put on immortality undimmed.

His Church He sends with resurrection dawn
To every shore beneath the boundless skies;
From Judah’s hills to continents unknown,
The banner of the cross shall wave on high.
He lives! He reigns! The King of kings adored,
Emmanuel forever by our side.
The grave is vanquished, death’s dark reign ignored,
And we in Him are raised, His spotless bride.

Proclaim abroad the resurrection story,
From shore to shore, from age to age the same;
The risen Christ, the King of endless glory,
Abides with us—Emmanuel His name.
Hallelujah! Death has lost its sting;
The Lord is risen—let the heavens ring!

Mark 16
He Is Not Here—He Is Risen Forevermore: A Majestic Classical Rhyme Retelling of the Resurrection Morning, the Angel’s Tidings, and the Worldwide Mission from Mark Sixteen

When Sabbath’s holy rest had passed away,
Three women rose before the break of day;
Mary Magdalene, with sorrow deep and true,
Mary the mother of James, and Salome too,
Bought spices fragrant, rich with myrrh and aloes rare,
To anoint the body of their Lord with tender care.

Very early on the first day of the week,
Just as the sun began its golden light to seek,
They came unto the tomb with trembling feet,
And whispered low in sorrow’s shadowed beat:
“Who shall the massive stone for us unseat?
For it is very great—who rolls it hence?”
Yet when they lifted up their eyes to meet
The entrance, lo! the stone was rolled aside immense.

They entered in, and there, to their alarm,
A young man sat upon the right-hand side,
Clothed in a robe of purest shining white,
And they were sore amazed, with terror wide.
“Be not affrighted,” said the heavenly youth,
“Ye seek the Nazarene who once was slain,
Who on the cruel cross was crucified—
He is not here; behold, He rose again!

“Come, see the place where once the Master lay,
The linen cloths alone remain behind;
The napkin wrapped apart, as if to say
That death could never bind the living Mind.
But go your way, and to His own convey
This word of life that fills the morning wind:
Tell His disciples—and remember Peter too—
He goes before you into Galilee;
There shall ye see Him, as He promised true,
The risen Shepherd calling each by name anew.”

They fled the tomb with fear and great amaze,
Trembling and astonished all their days;
They said not anything to any man,
For terror held their lips in silence’ span.
Yet grace would loose what fear had bound so tight—
The risen Lord appeared in glorious light.

First to Mary Magdalene He showed His face,
From whom He cast seven demons by His grace;
She went and told the mourners, grief-oppressed,
That He was living, and by her was blessed.
They heard, but wept and mourned, and gave no heed,
For resurrection seemed too strange a deed.

Then to two others walking on the way,
He manifested in another form that day;
They told the rest, yet still they disbelieved,
Till Jesus came where the Eleven grieved.
He upbraided them for hardness of their heart,
Because they trusted not the women’s part,
Nor those who walked the Emmaus road apart.

And then He spoke with resurrection power:
“Go ye into all the world this very hour;
Preach the Gospel to every creature born,
That whosoever believes shall not be torn
From life eternal, but from death set free.
He that believes and is baptized shall see
Salvation’s dawn; but he who will not trust
Shall face the judgment, turned away to dust.

“And these signs shall follow those who do believe:
In My name shall they cast out devils dire,
New tongues they’ll speak with heaven’s holy fire,
And serpents they’ll receive without harm entire;
If deadly thing they drink, it shall not hurt;
On the sick they’ll lay their hands, and they shall rise alert.
Thus shall My Church go forth with power divine,
Confirming every word with wonders that combine.”

So then the Lord, after He thus had spoken,
Was taken up to heaven’s throne unbroken;
He sat down at the right hand of the throne
Of God the Father, making intercession known.
And they went forth, the disciples bold and true,
And preached the Word in every place they knew;
The Lord worked with them, confirming all they said
With signs and wonders following where they tread.

O glorious dawn! The tomb could not confine
The conquering Christ who broke death’s iron chain.
He rose triumphant, victory divine,
And sent His Church to herald grace again.
From fear to faith the women’s terror turned,
From silence broke the news that all the world has learned.
The empty tomb now echoes through the years,
Dispelling doubt and drying every tear.

Creation groans no more beneath the curse,
The serpent’s head is crushed beneath His heel;
The Firstborn from the dead has burst the hearse,
And bids His followers the Gospel seal.
No longer bound by stone or Roman seal,
The risen King commands the nations kneel.
He lives! He reigns! The Lion and the Lamb,
Whose blood has purchased souls from every land.

Proclaim abroad the resurrection story,
From shore to shore, from age to age the same;
The risen Christ, the King of endless glory,
Abides with us—Emmanuel His name.
Hallelujah! Death has lost its sting;
The Lord is risen—let the heavens ring!

Luke 24
He Is Not Here—He Is Risen Forevermore: A Majestic Classical Rhyme Retelling of the Resurrection Morning, the Road to Emmaus, and the Commission of Light from Luke Twenty-Four

When Sabbath’s holy rest had passed away,
The women rose before the dawn’s first ray;
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary too,
The mother of James, and others with them drew
Sweet spices they had prepared with loving care,
To anoint the body of their Lord laid bare.

Very early on the first day of the week,
They came unto the tomb with hearts that seek,
And found the stone already rolled away;
They entered in, but where the body lay
Was empty now — no sign of Him they mourned.
Perplexed they stood, with wonder newly born,
When lo! two men in garments dazzling bright
Stood by them, filling all the tomb with light.

The women, terrified, bowed faces low;
The heavenly ones spoke gently, soft and slow:
“Why seek ye here the living with the dead?
He is not here; remember what He said
While still in Galilee, in days gone by:
The Son of Man must be delivered nigh
To sinful men, be crucified and slain,
And on the third day rise alive again.”

They recalled His words, and hastened back with speed,
To tell the eleven and the rest in need.
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and the rest
Proclaimed the news, yet seemed an idle jest
To those who heard; they trusted not the tale.
But Peter rose and ran without avail,
Stooped down and saw the linen cloths alone,
And went away, marveling at what was shown.

That very day two disciples walked the road
To Emmaus, seven miles their heavy load;
They talked of all these things that came to pass,
With faces sad and hearts like shattered glass.
A stranger joined them, asking of their grief;
They told of Jesus, mighty Prophet brief,
Whom priests and rulers crucified that day,
Yet hoped He was the one to Israel’s sway.

Then He, beginning with Moses and the Prophets all,
Expounded how the Scriptures did foretell
That Christ must suffer, then in glory rise —
The Lamb once slain now claims the eternal prize.
Their hearts burned warm as He the pages turned,
Yet still their eyes were held till bread He earned
And broke it, blessing — then they knew His face:
The risen Lord, revealed in that holy place.

He vanished from their sight; they rose with haste,
Returned to Jerusalem, no time to waste,
And found the eleven gathered with the rest,
Who cried, “The Lord is risen indeed — blest!”
And as they spoke, the Lord Himself stood near,
“Peace be unto you,” He said without fear.
They trembled, thinking spirit they did see;
But He showed hands and feet, and said, “Touch Me.

“A spirit has not flesh and bones as you
Behold in Me — come, see that it is true.”
Then, while they joyed yet wondered still, He took
A piece of broiled fish and ate — the proof He shook
All doubt away. He opened then their mind
To understand the Scriptures, pure and kind:
Thus it is written, Christ must suffer sore,
Rise on the third day, and forevermore

Proclaim repentance and remission of sin
To all the nations, beginning from within
Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses true;
Behold, I send the promise of the Father to you —
But tarry in the city till ye be
Endued with power from on high, set free.
Then He led them out to Bethany’s height,
Lifted hands and blessed them in the fading light.

While blessing, He was parted from their sight,
Carried up to heaven in glory bright.
They worshipped Him with joy that overflowed,
Returned to Jerusalem with hearts bestowed
In praise and blessing in the temple courts,
Continually — the King of kings reports
His victory won, the tomb forever spoiled,
New creation dawning, sin and death recoiled.

Proclaim abroad the resurrection story,
From shore to shore, from age to age the same;
The risen Christ, the King of endless glory,
Abides with us—Emmanuel His name.
Hallelujah! Death has lost its sting;
The Lord is risen—let the heavens ring!

John 20
He Is Not Here—He Is Risen Forevermore: A Majestic Classical Rhyme Retelling of the Resurrection Morning, Mary Magdalene’s Encounter, and the Breath of Peace from John Twenty

The first day of the week, while darkness still held sway,
Mary Magdalene arose before the break of day;
She came unto the tomb and saw with grieving eyes
The stone was rolled away — the sepulchre open lies.
She ran in haste to Simon Peter and the one
Whom Jesus loved, and cried, “They have the Master taken!
We know not where they laid Him — our beloved One!”

Then Peter and the other disciple swiftly ran;
The younger reached the tomb before the older man.
He stooped and looked, saw linen cloths that lay inside,
Yet entered not; but Peter, bold, stepped in with stride.
He saw the linen cloths, and saw the napkin too,
Not lying with the cloths, but wrapped and set anew —
A silent witness folded in its place apart,
As if the risen Lord had left with measured art.

The other disciple then went in, beheld, believed;
For as yet they knew not the Scripture that received
That He must rise again from death’s cold, silent hold.
Then they returned unto their homes, the story told.

But Mary stood without the tomb, and wept alone;
She stooped and looked again into the empty stone.
Two angels in white sat where the body lay —
One at the head, the other at the feet that day.
“Woman, why weepest thou?” they gently asked of her.
“They have taken away my Lord,” she answered clear,
“And I know not where they have laid Him — this my fear.”

She turned herself, and saw a figure standing near,
Yet knew Him not — supposed He was the gardener there.
“Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” He said.
Supposing still it was the gardener, she pled:
“Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid
My Lord, that I may take Him — let not His body fade.”

Then Jesus spoke her name: “Mary!” — soft and clear.
She turned and cried in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” — drawing near.
“Touch Me not,” He said, “for I am not yet ascended
Unto My Father; but go tell My brethren, intended
To say: I ascend unto My Father and your Father,
To My God and your God — the same for one another.”

Mary Magdalene came and told the glad report:
“I have seen the Lord!” — with joy her heart did court.
That evening, the same day, the doors were shut for fear
Of the Jews; the disciples gathered, trembling here.
Then Jesus came and stood among them, in their midst,
And said, “Peace be unto you” — the words they sorely missed.
He showed His hands and side; the disciples then were glad
When they saw the Lord — their sorrow turned to joy unclad.

Again He said, “Peace be unto you; as the Father sent Me,
Even so send I you.” Then, breathing on them gently,
He said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost this hour;
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted with power;
Whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

But Thomas, called Didymus, was not with them when
The Lord appeared; the others told him, yet again
He said, “Except I see the print of nails in hands,
And thrust my hand into His side, I will not understand.”

Eight days later, doors again were shut; the Lord once more
Stood in their midst and said, “Peace be unto you” as before.
Then to Thomas: “Reach hither thy finger — see My hands;
Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side — understand.
Be not faithless, but believing.” Thomas then replied,
“My Lord and my God!” — in worship, awe, and pride.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed;
Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence
Of His disciples, which are not written in this sentence;
But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
The Son of God, and that believing ye might have life in His name — the highest.

O glorious dawn! The tomb could not confine
The Word made flesh who conquered death’s dark shrine.
He rose triumphant, breathing peace and power,
And sent His own to carry forth the hour
Of grace and truth to every tribe and tongue,
That all who believe might join the ransomed throng.
From Mary’s tears to Thomas’ glad confession,
The risen Lord brings faith beyond all question.

Proclaim abroad the resurrection story,
From shore to shore, from age to age the same;
The risen Christ, the King of endless glory,
Abides with us—Emmanuel His name.
Hallelujah! Death has lost its sting;
The Lord is risen—let the heavens ring!