There are few songs that seem to stir the hearts of a congregation like Gospel songwriter, William Gather’s, Because He Lives. Read the beautiful words of the first verse and chorus:
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
My friends, the great hope in this song is the truth that Jesus is Alive! For Christians, we are not serving a dead deity! We serve the Living Lord Jesus Christ! All our hope and faith is in the resurrection of Christ.
I. Because He Lives You Can Have HOPE!
a. You don’t have to live a life dominated by worry
Matthew 6: 25-31
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (31) "Therefore do not worry, NKJV
b. You can be forgiven of your sins!
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." NKJV
1 John 2:1-2:
"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." NKJV
II. Because He Lives You Can Face LIFE!
Hebrews 4: 15-16: "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
NKJV
We are victorious in life because He was victorious in life. When we come to Jesus, He understands. What a great truth!
III. Because He Lives You Are NEVER ALONE!
Matthew 28:20: Jesus said; “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. NKJV
IV. Because He Lives You Can FACE DEATH!
1 Corinthians 15: 55; 57
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
James S. Hewett once said: “What death did to Jesus is nothing compared to what Jesus did to death.”
V. Because He Lives You Can Go To HEAVEN!
John 14: 1-3:
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." NKJV
What about you? Can you face your concerns? Your fears? Can you face Life? Death? Are You Prepared for Heaven? If not, you can be. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sins by faith. He is alive and you can face life, death and eternity when you follow Him!
