Jesus Lives, and So Shall I

Jesus is the Christian’s Trust

Jesus Lives, and So Shall I was written by the 18^th century German teacher and hymn writer Christian Gellert. The recurring phrase Jesus lives anchors the hymn in the biblical truth that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and fifty days later “. . . was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19 NKJV). And as the Nicene Creed teaches us, “He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.” Such is the hope that the Christian has because Jesus lives, and Gellert’s hymn unpacks some of the wonderful implications of this truth.

First, because Jesus rose from death and lives forever, the person whose faith is in Jesus will also live forever. The resurrection of Jesus assures the Christian that physical death in this life is just the gateway to life eternal with Christ.

Jesus lives, and so shall I; death, thy sting is gone forever!
He who deigned for me to die, lives, the bands of death to sever.
He shall raise me with the just: Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives and today reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords over all creation. Gellert reminds us in the second stanza of the message Mary received from Gabriel, that her son would “. . . reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33 NKJV).

Jesus lives, and reigns supreme, and, His Kingdom still remaining,“
I shall also be with Him, ever living, ever reigning.
God has promised: be it must: Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, Gellert reminds us, to deliver us from the condemnation caused by sin. The apostle Paul writes that “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NKJV). This is possible because “it is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34 NKJV). Right now, Jesus is praying for you and me, asking the Father to shower us with his grace and Spirit.

Jesus lives, and God extends grace to each returning sinner.
Rebels He receives as friends and exalts to highest honor.
God is True as He is just; Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

But there is a practical aspect to the fact of Christ living and reigning today. What encouraging words from Gellert: “Jesus lives, and by His grace, victory o’er my passions giving.” Christ’s intercession for us before the Father works out in our everyday living; our everyday struggle with temptation; our everyday spiritual warfare.

Jesus lives, and by His grace, victory o’er my passions giving.
I will cleanse my heart and ways, ever to His glory living.
Me He raises from the dust; Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Additionally, the Christian need not fear that, somehow, he or she will accidently offend the Almighty and lose out on these promised blessings. No! “Nought from Him my heart can sever,” Gellert writes. No, Jesus promised that nothing can separate the believer from him. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29 NKJV).

Jesus lives! I know full well nought from Him my heart can sever.
Life nor death nor powers of hell, joy nor grief, henceforth forever.
None of all His saints is lost; Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Gellert returns to the thought from the first stanza as he closes this hymn. Jesus lives, and one day we will be with him forever. “Death is now but my entrance into glory.” This was a phrase the drew contemporary pastor and author Timothy Keller to this hymn and prompted him to request it be sung in his funeral in 2023. Keller succumbed to a battle with cancer, but since death is just our entrance into glory, we can face anything in this life with courage.

Jesus lives, and death is now but my entrance into glory.
Courage, then, my soul, for thou hast a crown of life before thee.
Thou shalt find thy hopes were just; Jesus is the Christian’s Trust.

Gellert closes each stanza with the faith-filled affirmation that Jesus is the worthy object of all our hope and trust. Jesus is our hope and trust because Jesus is faithful. Jesus lives eternally and so shall every believer in Jesus. Jesus lives and reigns as the Sovereign King of the universe. Jesus lives to give you and me power over temptation and sin, and strength in every trial. He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV), so that we can face the worst experiences in this life with confidence and courage. Praise the Lord!

Enjoy this presentation of the hymn.
Jesus Lives, and So Shall I

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