Can you imagine the first Passover? The Death Angel flying through the land, taking every firstborn male from the cattle in the pen to the son of Pharaoh in the palace. Mothers crying. Fathers cursing. And, the eldest son of every Hebrew family quivering in a corner of the room. Waiting to see if the blood of the Lamb really saves.

Can you imagine the final Passover before Jesus died? Judas betraying with a kiss. Peter denying with a curse. The Marys weeping. The soldiers jeering. The ones who loved Him best believing all was lost.

And, can you imagine Easter morning? The first. The fresh. The unbelievable, miraculous, beyond comprehension morning when the women came back to town with a tale of Jesus coming to life again. This story was better than anything ever told around the table during the feasts. And yet, could it be true? Like the boys who waited on that first Passover night, the friends of Jesus waited once again. Could the blood of the Lamb really save? Could the Son of Man truly conquer the greatest enemy once and for all?

Was death dead?

My words may not be enough to stir your imagination into faith, but maybe the words of songwriter Don Francisco can. Listen to this recounting of the first Easter sung by the incomparable Dolly Parton: “He’s Alive.”

For real.