Because I Live, You Also Will Live – John 14:19
April 5, 2015Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Speaker: Jerry Cisar
Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19 NIV)
Rebecca West, British author and journalist, astutely opined, “If the whole human race lay in one grave, the epitaph on its headstone might well be: ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Or to put it in redneck terminology, “What was He thinking?” Looking at the state of the world, some may be inclined to agree. Jesus’ declaration in John 14:19 offers hope–hope for a different conclusion.
It is the very night of Our Lord’s betrayal; the hour has come. Death is in the air, yet Jesus is speaking of life. He has spoken of his crucifixion as His glorification. And in this verse, He speaks of his resurrected life as if it were already present. Not because I will live, you also will live but, “because I live, you also will live.”
The verse begins, “A little while” making it clear that Jesus is speaking of a future time, a time that is very close. Vs. 20 starts with, “In that day…” also making it clear that it is still future. Yet Jesus speaks of it in the present tense, as if it is certain. His resurrection is so close He can taste it. “Because I live, you also will live.”
In what sense do we live because of the resurrection? You may be more familiar with the truth that because Christ died, you live. In that we understand that an exchange takes place: He bore the punishment for my guilt. But what is it about Christ’s resurrection that brings us life? How does the resurrection offer hope in a world where much appears to be failing?