Because Jesus Lives

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

John 14:15

How often do we hear: Because of that and that, this happened to me! This seemingly unimportant word has changed the lives of many people. Because they came to the cross, they are new people.

Because God created heaven and earth, it was ALL very good. Because Eve listened to the serpent, we are a fallen race. Because people do not seek God, trouble, pain, and eternal separation from God is their lot in life. But, because Jesus lives, it does not have to be that way.

Because He lives, you and I can have eternal life!

Jesus said, because I live, you also will live. People today often feel that their time on earth is a struggle to sustain life. Therefore Satan said to God, “A man will give all he has for his own life” (Job 2:4). If a robber enters a bank, the teller will say, take it all but spare my life. Yet Jesus says, “whoever wants to save his life will lose it.” Although people have often shortened their life (Proverbs 10:27), we simply don’t possess the ability to extend our life. Without Christ’s resurrection, we would all be doomed to death. As punishment for sin, God promised Adam and Eve death. If Jesus had not been resurrected, we would all be dead in our sins. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says that without the resurrection our preaching would be useless. We would be the most miserable people (1 Corinthians 15:14-19). We would have destroyed ourselves long before now (Titus 3:3). But because Jesus rose from the dead, He now offers us eternal life (John 10:27-30).

But this promise is only for those who believe in Him, who have confessed their sins and asked to be forgiven. They have the assurance of being with Him in all eternity.

Because He lives, you and I can face tomorrow!

Just consider how our generation is beginning to worry and fret. Some people are devastated. They have lost everything that was valuable to them. People are being displaced. We hear of wars and rumors of war. Jesus said; “people [will faint] with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:26 ESV), yet the children of God are at peace because they know who holds tomorrow, the one who “[upholds] all things by the word of His power” – Jesus (Hebrews 1:3). 

The difficult question people ask today: What about our children? Gloria Gaither said: “Without Christ I would not bring a child into this world.” Without Christ our children would face a very insecure future,  but with Christ they can face all things because the Lord will bring them through. Jesus has promised to be with us and with them all the days of our lives and is pleading, “let the children come unto me…” (Matthew 19:14). Others are concerned about the future of the church. Certainly Satan is busy, trying to destroy the church, but Jesus has promised, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail  against it” (Matthew 16:18). Because He lives, the church has a future. It will be here on planet earth until  He comes again. Yes, we are surrounded by deception, seduction, false doctrines, and false unity, but Jesus will lead His church to victory until we see Him coming in the clouds.

Because He lives, you and I have an eternal mansion prepared for us! 

Jesus promised us a mansion in glory. Had He stayed in the grave, this promise would be null and void, but He said; “I am going and I will come again…”(John 14:1-3). He wanted to make sure that His disciples would see His ascension. No one could say that He just disappeared. We read in Acts 1:10-11 that they would see Him return even as they saw Him leave. My friends, this world has never been a very secure place.

We have no permanent dwelling here below. Even Abraham in the Old Testament realized that, and chose to live in tents because he was waiting for his eternal home. Jesus said; “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1 NLT). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words [My promises] will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Whatever may come, He is alive and  well and He rules over all things. 

Beloved, because He lives, we can live. Because He lives, the future can’t trouble us, and because He lives, we have an eternal mansion prepared in glory. May the Lord richly bless His children.

Harvey Elke

Kelowna, British Columbia