I Am Alive Forevermore
The sermon emphasizes the importance of focusing on the resurrection and the glory of Jesus Christ, rather than just the death and suffering, and living a life that is ever new and full of eternal life.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the transformative power of the resurrection in his sermon 'I Am Alive Forevermore.' He contrasts the perspectives of the cross, urging believers to focus not on Christ's death but on His eternal life, highlighting that life precedes death in the message of the resurrection. Simpson encourages Christians to embrace the glory of the risen Christ, allowing their own lives to reflect this resurrection power, thus forgetting their sorrows and living in the light of eternal life. He calls for a complete crucifixion of self that leads to a vibrant, death-born life that is forever alive in Christ.
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Here is the message of the Christ of the cross and the still more glorious and precious Christ of the resurrection. It is beautiful and inspiring to note the touch of light and glory with which these simple words invest the cross. It does not say, I am he that was dead and liveth, but I am he that liveth and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore. Life is mentioned before the death. There are two ways of looking at the cross. One is from the death side and the other from the life side. One is the Ecce Homo (behold the man) and the other is the glorified Jesus with only the marks of the nails and the spear. It is thus we are to look at the cross.
We are not to carry about with us the mold of the sepulcher, but the glory of the resurrection.
It is not the Ecce Homo, but the Living Christ. Our crucifixion is to be so complete that it shall be lost in our resurrection, and we shall even forget our sorrow and carry with us the light and glory of the eternal morning. So let us live the death-born life, ever new and full of a life that can never die because it is dead and alive forevermore.
Sermon Outline
- The Message of the Cross and Resurrection
- The Importance of Focusing on the Resurrection
- Living the Death-Born Life
- A Life that Can Never Die
- A Life that is Ever New
- Looking at the Cross from the Life Side
Key Quotes
“It does not say, I am he that was dead and liveth, but I am he that liveth and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore.” — A.B. Simpson
“Our crucifixion is to be so complete that it shall be lost in our resurrection, and we shall even forget our sorrow and carry with us the light and glory of the eternal morning.” — A.B. Simpson
“So let us live the death-born life, ever new and full of a life that can never die because it is dead and alive forevermore.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We should focus on the resurrection and the glory of Jesus Christ, rather than just the death and suffering.
- Our crucifixion should be so complete that it is lost in our resurrection, and we should carry the light and glory of the eternal morning with us.
- We should live the death-born life, which is ever new and full of a life that can never die because it is dead and alive forevermore.