We're going to have a church dinner in two weeks on November 9th, have lunch with each other after the service. Every message I preach, whether Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, ought to be the most important message I've ever preached. And if my attitude is right, that's the way I will feel. And every message you hear ought to be the most important message you've ever heard.

Now may the Lord give us that attitude, both the preacher and the hearer, as we consider this verse I just read. I've entitled this message, Because I Live, You Shall Live Also. I hope the Lord speaks to each heart here. saying to each heart here, because I live, you shall live also.

In verse 19, John chapter 14, yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more. Now he is talking about his death. He knows in 24 hours, he's going to be hanging on a cross and he's speaking to his people. And he says in a little while, just a short time, the world is going to see me no more. The world are those who do not believe.

In John chapter 17, I'd like you to turn there, verse nine. Look what the Lord says. Verse nine, I pray for them. Speaking of his elect, those who believe the gospel. I pray for them. The reason you believe is because he prayed for you. The reason you believe is because he lived for you. The reason you believe is because he died. for you. The reason you believe is because he was raised from the dead for you. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou has given me the elect, for they are thine.

Look in verse 16 of this same chapter. They, the people I'm praying for are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Isn't that an amazing statement? He's talking about every believer. They're not of the world. Even as I am not of the world.

Now the world, they see me now, but it's only going to be for a very short time because he was going to die according to God's purpose. Now the world only saw him as a man. They knew his mom and dad. They knew his address. They knew what he did for a living. He's a carpenter, the son of a carpenter. We know his brothers and sisters. Many believed him to be a good man, even a powerful man by the miracles he performed. They saw him perform these miracles and they couldn't explain it. He controls the weather. He heals the sick. He gives sight to the blind. What kind of man is this that can do these things? They witnessed this. They didn't deny that he did them. They were taken up with this man because of his works of power, his wisdom, Manner of speech, never man spake like this man. They were impressed with him as a man.

The Pharisees heard the implications of what he said perhaps more clearly than most. Look in John chapter 10. This is why they hated him so much. He said in verse 30, Of John chapter 10, I and my father are one. I'm one with God, the father. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. They picked up rocks. They were gonna kill him. Jesus answered them, many good works have I showed you, from my father, for which of these works do you stone me? The Jews answering him, saying, for a good work stone we thee not, but for blasphemy, because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. This is what they were upset with. This is just a man. And he's saying he's one with the father. He's saying he is God. They understood what he was saying. And that's why they were going to stone him. They saw him to be nothing more than a man.

Now all who are under this group, the world who would see him no more had this in common. They believe Jesus of Nazareth to be nothing more than a man. Where do you fit into this? What are your thoughts concerning him? Do you believe him to be nothing more than a man? Maybe a great man, a philosopher, a man who did inexplicable miracles, but still just a man.

Now he said to his disciples, back to our text in John chapter 14, verse 19, yet a little while after my death, the world who sees me as nothing more than a man will see me no more, but you see me. You don't see me as the world sees me. You see me as a man, yes, but you see me as more than a mere man. You see me as the God man, the son of God, the second person of the blessed Trinity.

And Jesus Christ of Nazareth is a real man. And the Pharisees were correct when they said of his humanity, you're not yet 50 years old, and yet you say I've seen Abraham? And his reply, before Abraham was. I am. And they knew exactly what he was saying. He was saying, I am the one who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. I am that I am. And if you believe not I am, John 8 24, he said to these same people, if you believe not that I am, you shall die in your sin. I am that I am. He is eternal God. Every disciple knows that.

In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Do you believe that? I'm asking you, do you believe that Jesus Christ is God? Somebody says, no, I don't. Well, you don't believe him then. But every believer believes he is the great I am. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Now before his incarnation, now there was a time when he became flesh. Before his incarnation, he was not a human being. throughout eternity in his fellowship with his Father and with his Spirit. He was Spirit. And on a particular date, a particular second in time, the Word was made flesh. He became a one-celled being in Mary's womb, conceived by the Holy Ghost. And he spent nine months, the God-man spent nine months in her womb, in the darkness of her womb. On a particular day, his date of his birth, somebody says, is that Christmas day? There's no way of knowing that. Nobody knows when he was born as far as that day. But on a day he was born, God manifest in the flesh. And do you know that when he became incarnate, he became that way for eternity. There's a man in glory right now, the God man.

Now listen real carefully. Two distinct natures in one person, coming through one personality, the God-man. He's not a blend of God and man. He's not 50% God and 50% man. He is 100% God, just as if he were not man at all. And he is 100% man. Just as if he were not God at all, Colossians 2.9 says, in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, in a body.

Now, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world had to come in time to be slain. That's why it came. This was God's purpose in creation. This was God's purpose for making the universe. This is God's purpose for Christ the lamb slain before the foundation of the world to come in time to be slain.

This one person with two distinct natures. That's what a believer is too. One person, one personality. with two distinct natures. The nature he was born with, the sinful nature. and the nature he was given in the new birth, the nature that does not sin. Two distinct natures coming out of one personality. That's hard to grasp, isn't it? We believe it because the scripture teaches it. Do we really understand that? Not much.

I like this illustration. When you have a faucet with cold and hot water They're coming from two different places. They come out of the same spigot. We have these two natures coming from this one person with the Lord Jesus Christ. Two natures, the divine and perfect human nature. And this one, not this two, but this one said, because I live. You shall live also.

The one reason you shall live is because I live. It's true that we're alive this moment because he as God causes us to be alive. That breath you just took, he willed for you to take it. You weren't aware of that. But the only reason you took that breath is because he willed you to take it. And he can remove your breath whenever he is pleased to do it.

The only reason you're alive right now is because he lives. You know that. You believe that. But he's referring to his life after his death. Because I live. I'm gonna die, and I'm gonna live. Because I live, you shall live also.

Now turn with me to Revelation chapter 1. He says to John in verse 18 of Revelation chapter 1, I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and death. Now only God can say this. I am he that liveth. And I was dead. Graveyard dead. I was dead and I'm alive evermore and have the keys of hell and death. Let me tell you what that means. As to whether or not you'll be in hell or heaven, it's up to me. That's what the Lord means. I want you to think about the implication to that. Your eternal destiny is in my hands. It's not in your hands. You don't have any control of this. I have complete, absolute control.

Now look back at verse 10 of Revelation chapter one. He says, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last Letters in the Greek alphabet. Everything spells me. I am the first and the last.

Now what thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches that are in Asia. Go down to verse 12.

And I turn to see the voice that spake with me. I love that. How do you see a voice? He's the word of God. I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I love that, I turned, how come? Because I was being turned. Being turned, if you turn, it's because he turned you. That's why Jeremiah said, turn me, and I'll be turned. Can you say that? Lord, turn me, and I will be turned.

And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. And we know, as we read down in the chapter, that refers to the seven churches he was writing to. And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, the churches, local churches, he named them. In the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man."

You know the Lord Jesus uses this title of Himself more than any other title. The Son of God calls Himself the Son of Man. Clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. Now this represents His kingship and his priest. He's the king priest. He's the king, king of kings. He's the priest. If he represents you before the father, you must be saved.

His head, verse 14, and his hairs were white like wool as white as snow. This speaks both of his eternality, he's old, he's eternal, and it speaks of his absolute holiness and purity, wider than the snow. And his eyes were as a flame of fire, his omniscience, his feet like a defined brass, as if they burned in a furnace.

Now, his feet, that which carried him was like fine brass. Brass is an alloy, copper and tin. What was used to make the altar? Brass. What was the serpent made of in the wilderness? The brazen serpent. This speaks of the human nature and the divine nature of Christ. His feet burned in a furnace. This speaks of what He accomplished on Calvary's tree as the Lamb of God being sacrificed, burned under the wrath of God and His voice as the sound of many waters.

Talking about the waves of the ocean, they sound so powerful. Oh, he's got the voice that wakes the dead. Lazarus, come forth! I pray he says that to somebody this morning. Come forth! He that was dead came forth. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and that's the angels of the churches. We read that at the end of this chapter. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, the word of God, and his countenance was as the sun that shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, what else could he do? I fell at his feet as dead. If I ever see him, I'm gonna hit the dirt. If you haven't hit the dirt, you've not seen him. You see him, you'll do what John did. I fell at his feet as dead. There isn't anything else to do. And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me, fear not. I'm the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen. And at the keys of hell and death.

Now, he identifies himself as I am he that liveth and was dead. One of the great mysteries of the gospel, is that Jesus Christ could die. He's God. He's man. He's a God-man. And he died. Now, there's only one reason for death, sin. That's the only reason. What that means is the sins of God's people became his sins. And he died. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree and he put them away. He really did die. The God-man died.

Now, let me ask you a question. What if I volunteered to die for your sins? Can't be done. You know why? Because they wouldn't be my sins. You only pay for your own sins, not somebody else's. I'll take his place. I'll take her place. I can't do that. If you sin, you're the one that you die. Is that not so? That's God's justice. And as far as that goes, I can't take your place anyway because I got sins of my own. I can't do you any good. The only one who can do me and you any good in dying is the God man.

On Calvary's tree, he died. Graveyard dead. He did something that nobody else has ever done in His death. The moment He died, He never saw the process of decay. The moment you and I die, we're gonna start decaying and rotting and we're gonna turn back into dirt. Not Him. Because the moment He died, the moment the God-man died, complete satisfaction was made. He was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again for our justification. When he was raised from the dead, Todd Nyberg was justified before God. God justified him. I stand before God, having never sinned, not guilty.

Yes, he really died, but he's now alive forevermore and has the keys of hell and death. And our eternal destiny is in His hands. Now He says, because I live, you shall live also. Turn with me for a moment to Romans chapter five. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us exactly what that means. Because I live, you shall live also.

Verse 10. Romans chapter five, verse 10. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. if, when we were enemies. Romans 8, 7 says the carnal mind is enmity against God. You and I were born into this world enemies of God, haters of God. Somebody says, now wait a minute. I don't feel that way. Well, if you don't understand that about yourself, it's really because you never heard the gospel in the first place. If you ever hear the gospel, you're going to know it's true about yourself. And the proof of that is the cross. When men were left to do what they wanted to do, and this is me and you, somebody says, but I didn't do it. You would have, though. You would have. This is what God holds me and you guilty of, murdering His Son. Why? Because we hated Him. Nailing Him to a cross.

If when we were enemies, we were enemies. Look at it again, Romans 5.10. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. When were you reconciled? Well, when I accepted Him as my personal Savior. When I believed, no, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. How were we reconciled? By the death of his son. Now, do you hear that? When Jesus Christ died, complete reconciliation was made. Now I want us to look at two passages of scripture with regard to this. I'm not gonna say a lot about them, but I'd like you to turn and look at them.

Colossians chapter one. Verse 20. and having made peace through the blood of His cross by Him to reconcile, here's that word, all things unto Himself. By Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight.

I turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Verse 18, and all things are of God. You can't take that too far. All things are of God. In the context of this, he's talking about reconciliation. He's talking about the new birth. In verse 17, he said, if anybody being Christ is a new creation, that's of God. Who's the only one who can create? God. You know, we talk about creative people, and I know what we mean by that, but there's only one who can create. God.

All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation to wit, namely, that God was in Christ. reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's name, be ye reconciled to God. Quit being his enemy. Put down your objections. Be ye reconciled to God, for he hath made him Sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. That's why He died. Complete reconciliation accomplished.

Now, go back to Romans chapter 5. This verse of scripture is so, well, I remember one time preaching on this many years ago, 20 years ago, Romans chapter five, verse 10 on reconciliation. And I remember I felt like the Lord blessed the message. I was feeling good. Go back to that. door to Greek people and somebody came up and after I preached that message said, how do y'all handle discipline? It's like somebody dumped ice water all over me and I thought, well, is that what you got out of this? How do you handle discipline? I wish, next time somebody asked me that, I've said this before, with a weed eater. That'll take care of the problem right on the back of your legs.

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Now this is what the Lord meant when He said, because I live. You shall live also. His life. In John chapter 14, verse six, he said, I am the life. And because he lives and his life is mine. That's my life before the Father. That's the only way I stand before the Father. His life. Not my preaching. Not my motives. Not my intentions. Not anything about me. His life is my life before God. Because He lives. I shall live also.

Paul said in Galatians chapter 2 verse 20, Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Now, I know this. The life that I have is Christ living in me. It doesn't have anything to do with me. It's Christ living in me. What a glorious thought. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. I'm living off his faithfulness because I live. You shall live also. You see, his life is in himself as independent God. As the father raises the dead and quickens them, gives them life, even so the son gives life to whom he will. And he gives his life to every believer. We live also being possessors of eternal life. If I live, you shall live also.

But here's what I know he means also. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we should be saved by his life. Now what he's talking about is his intercession. Because he lives before the Father. That's why I live also. I love the verse of Scripture. 1 John 2, verse 1. These things write unto you, John said, that you sin not. Is there ever an excuse for sin? Is there ever a justification to sin in action, in thought? No, no. These things write unto you that you sin not when you do. If any man sin is also translated when any man sin. When you do, we have an advocate with the father. And here the term advocate has something to do with a lawyer. We have a lawyer with the father and he's no corrupt lawyer. He's Jesus Christ the righteous. He's a righteous lawyer. and this lawyer's never lost a case. Wouldn't you like to have a lawyer like that? He's incapable of losing a case. Wouldn't you like to have a lawyer representing you like that? Oh, what an advocate with a father. And the judge is his father. What a relationship he has with the judge. It's his father. Now, this is the one, because I live, you shall live also. If he's your advocate, And this advocate makes all of his clients to plead guilty. Guilty as charged. Every one of them, that's all they plead. Guilty as charged. And yet this lawyer causes them all to be justified. Cleared of all guilt. What a lawyer.

And here is his argument. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. The sin removing, sin atoning sacrifice. Those sins have been removed. There's nothing to condemn us for because I live. You shall live also.

Who is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died, yea, rather, that's risen again, who's even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for them. Right now, While I'm speaking to you, there is a man in glory seated at the right hand of the Father with five scars. The two in his hands, the two in his feet, and the one in his side. In his glorified body, he bears these five scars, and that's all that's needed as his intercession. I lived for him. I died for him. I was raised for him. Case dismissed. Nothing else needs to be said.

Because I live, you shall live also. That's why you live. That's why you'll be accepted. Now listen to this, as we speak, not only did I speak of our great advocate and intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's also a great crowd in heaven. 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. And they're singing the praises of the Lamb.

Are they saved to the uttermost? You bet they're saved to the uttermost. Can't get more saved than they are, wherefore he's able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession with him. They're saved to the uttermost, and they're no more saved than any believer is right here on earth. I'm saved to the uttermost. Why? Because there stands one in glory as my great intercessor, and he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him.

Do you come to God by him? Not in your own works, in his. Not even pleading him, although you do plead him. But you realize the only way you come to God is Him coming to God and you being in Him. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Can you see the glory of this statement? Because I live. That's the only reason I live. Because I live, I was dead, I now live. Because I live, you shall live also.

Let's pray.