He Lives

lyrics and music by alfred ackley

He Lives Lyrics

 

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

 

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

 

In all the world around me I see His loving care,

And tho' my heart grows weary I never will despair;

I know that He is leading thro' all the stormy blast,

The day of His appearing will come at last.

 

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

 

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!

The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,

None other is so loving, so good and kind.

 

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

 

 

He Lives Guitar Chords

 

 G                           Em             G    

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

  G7                         A7           D7         

I know that He is living whatever men may say;

  G                        Em                G   

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

    A7              Em             A7     D        

And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

   G                       C             G       

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

   D                 G              A7                 D  

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

   G                   C         B7        

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

    E7           A7                G         D     G      

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

Scripture References

  • Matthew 28:6 - He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
  • Romans 8:9-11 - You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
  • Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
  • Revelation 1:18 - I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

The Story

 

Alfred Ackley was born on January 21, 1887. As a young man he was a gifted musician, studying composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London and recognized as an accomplished cellist. He decided to join the ministry, attending Westminster Theological Seminary and becoming ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1914, serving congregations in Pennslylvania and then California. Throughout his ministry he always kept up his interest in hymns and hymn tunes. Word is that he wrote over 1,500 hymns in his lifetime, "He Lives" being the one that has become a favorite we still sing today.

 

One day in 1932, Ackley held an evangelistic meeting where he spoke about Jesus. A young Jewish man was in the audience. During one of their conversations, the young man asked the question, "Why should I worship a dead Jew?"

 

In today's politically charged times such a question would probably start an argument or at least a loud, heated, and defensive exchange. But Ackley could see the sincerity in the young man and gave a loving and enthusiastic response:

 

"He lives! I tell you, He is not dead, but lives here and now! Jesus Christ is more alive today than ever before. I can prove it by my own experience, as well as the testimony of countless thousands."

 

Not long after, Ackley was at his home preparing for the Easter Sunday service when a famous radio preacher from New York came on the radio. He was astonished at the message this preacher gave. "Good morning! It's Easter! You know, folks, it really doesn't make any diference to me if Christ be risen or not. As far as I am concerned, His body could be as dust in some Palestinian tomb. The main thing is, His truth goes marching on."

 

Ackley was incensed when he heard this message going out to countless people on the airwaves. "It's a lie!" he shouted. His wife heard the ruckus and asked him what was wrong. "Didn't you hear what that good-for-nothing preacher said?" Ackley responded.

 

He delivered his Easter message that day, but at night he was still agitated. His wife finally challenged him to do what he did best: write a song about it. The scriptures he used to prepare for his message, the testimony of the innumerable cloud of witnesses, and the burning in his own heart came together to form the lyrics and music of "He Lives", which we are still singing eighty years later.

 

It's funny how 80 years later not much has changed. These days you will hear radio and TV commentators and even theologians and so-called clergy talk about Jesus as "a Jewish philosopher", nothing more, nothing less. They put Him in the same category as the ancient philosophers and classify his ministry as no different than other religious movements.

 

But for those who really know and serve Jesus, they experience not a 2,000 old religious movement, but with the Holy Spirit within them they can feel renewed every day. They can feel his mercy, his care, and his guidance. They feel comforted in sorrow and protected in trouble.

 

What's the difference between being a follower of Christ and a follower of other philosophical and religious movements? The difference is that every religious philospher and leader of a movement died, and was buried, and their bones remain where they were buried. But with Christ the stone was rolled away from the empty tomb. And what a difference it is.

 

 

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