It was in 1932 when Alfred Ackley, writer of “He Lives,” was preaching at an evangelistic meeting, and a Jewish student said: “Why should I worship a dead Jew?” This bothered Ackley and it stayed on his mind. He would soon write the glorious hymn “He Lives” that believers enthusiastically sing with all their hearts.
Using the Scriptures to witness to him, Pastor Ackley began
to explain to this young man how that Jesus was alive. “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.”
Alfred Ackley was born on January 21, 1887. His father
was a Methodist Minister who provided a strong foundation for him in
music. He showed great musical potential as a child.
He was tutored by his musician father and then went to New
York City to study and on to the Royal Academy of Music in London. There,
Ackley played the piano and cello and showed great promise as a composer.
After completing his musical training, Ackley returned to
the states to attend Westminster Theological Seminary in Maryland and was
ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1914. He never stopped writing hymns and
music.
As a young man, he began composing songs. He felt
called to the pastorate and graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary. He
pastored churches in Pennsylvania and California. Even while pastoring
churches, he never stopped composing and writing. He often composed with
his brother, Bentley DeForest Ackley. Ackley even worked alongside evangelist
Billy Sunday for a while.
But the question that young Jewish student asked continued
to bother him. One year after waking early to prepare his Easter Sunday
message, he was amazed to hear on the radio a famous liberal preacher in New
York say, “Good morning. It’s Easter! You know, folks, it really doesn’t make
any difference 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’s anger at this was displayed as he threw the radio
across the room, yelling, “It’s a lie!” causing his wife to hear the commotion.
His wife checked on him and encouraged him to pen out his frustration in the
form of music.
During the Easter service that morning, Ackley preached with
strength and urgency about the reality of Christ’s Resurrection. But later that
night, he continued to dwell on his Jewish friend’s words and the sermon on the
radio.
In his study, Ackley re-read the Resurrection account from
Mark’s Gospel in the Bible, and soon the words began to pour from him. A few
minutes later, he put music to the words, and answered the question, “Why
should I worship a dead Jew?”
The author compiled hymnals and songbooks for the Rodeheaver
Publishing Company, a leading publisher of gospel songs. He is credited with
1,500 hymns, gospel songs, and children's songs, as well as secular and glee
songs. In recognition for his contributions to sacred music, Ackley was awarded
an honorary Doctor of Sacred Music degree from John Brown University in Siloam
Springs, Arkansas. Alfred Ackley died on July 3, 1960 in Los Angeles,
California.
Alfred’s older brother, Bentley, was also a renowned gospel
songwriter, who traveled with the Billy Sunday/Homer Rodeheaver evangelistic
team as pianist. Bentley later became a composer and editor with the Rodeheaver
Publishing Company, writing over 3,000 hymns and gospel songs.
Enduringword.com, David Guzik: This is to be the great motto of the Christian life. Even as David challenged Goliath in the name of the living God, so our trust in the living God empowers us to accomplish great things for His glory . . . “But our God, in whom we trust, is a God with a great, warm, loving heart, a thinking God, an active God, a working, personal God, who comes into the midst, of this world, and does not leave it to go on by itself. Although he is a stranger in the world, even as His people also are strangers and foreigners by reason of the revolt that men have made against their Lord and Sovereign, yet it is still His world, and He is still in it.” (Spurgeon)
Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: The "agonizing"
battle that Timothy and Paul are engaged in is not pointless either because
Paul has confidence that he is fighting "the good fight" and that his
captain is "the Living God” . . . who is the Savior of all men, especially
of them that believe: The God in whom he and Timothy have placed their
trust is the Savior of the world and, in a special sense, the Savior of
believers.
Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: He encourages them not to fear by two striking considerations: first, that God takes care of sparrows, the smallest and least valuable of birds; and, secondly, by the fact that God numbers even the hairs of the head. The argument is that if He takes care of birds of the least value, if He regards so small a thing as the hair of the head, and numbers it, He will certainly protect and provide for you. You need not, therefore, fear what man can do to you.
Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: A good Shepherd is well acquainted with His flock; He knows them by name - He takes care to acquaint Himself with the spiritual states of all those that are entrusted to Him. He speaks to them concerning their souls, and thus getting a thorough knowledge of their state . . . He leads them out of themselves to Christ, out of the follies, diversions, and amusements of the world, into the path of Christian holiness: in a word, He leads them, by those gentle yet powerful persuasions that flow from a heart full of the Word and love of Christ, into the kingdom and glory of His God.
Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: The sentiment is beautiful and full of consolation. What can we fear if we have the assurance that the Lord is on our side, and that He will help us? Man can do no more to us than He permits, and of course no more than will be for our own good; and under whatever trials we may be placed, we need be under no painful apprehensions, for God will be our protector and our friend.
Biblehub.com, Matthew Poole’s Commentary: The Lord in the
infiniteness of His power, wisdom, and goodness, is a real, present, universal,
and permanent help against all trouble, and for all supplies in all cases, and
at all times, to every one of them
Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: the
Lord is my helper; He is able to help, and does help, when none else can; He
has promised to be the helper of His people; He has laid help for them on
Christ, who is mighty; and He has helped him as man, that He might help them; He
has set up a throne of grace for them to come to, where they may find help; and
experience confirms the truth of this assertion
Studylight.org, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible: The expression of such confidence begins with the statement that, “Jehovah is my strength,” of which Adam Clarke declared the meaning to be, “I have the fullest persuasion that God hears, will answer, and will save me.”
Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: Though I suffer for the
Gospel, I am not ashamed of the Gospel; nor am I confounded in my
expectation; His grace being at all times sufficient for me. For I know whom I
have believed — I am well acquainted with the goodness, mercy, and power
of Christ; and know that I cannot confide in Him in vain.
Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: Margin, “trusted.” The
idea is, that he understood the character of that Redeemer to whom he had
committed his eternal interests, and knew that he had no reason to be ashamed
of confiding in Him. He was able to keep all that he had entrusted to His care,
and would not suffer him to be lost.
Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: Notice Paul does not say "I know what I believe," but more personally, "I know Him whom I have been trusting." "Trusting all along," Lenski adds, "and trusting still.”
He Lives! 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.”
