I Believe – Week 6
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell.The third day he rose again from the dead.He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.From there, he will come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal) church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
“He Descended, He Ascended, and He’s Coming Back Again”
“He Descended”
· Gehenna - A valley south of Jerusalem was where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire” (sacrificed their children) to the Canaanite god Molech. In later years, Gehenna continued to be an unclean place used for burning trash from the city of Jerusalem. Jesus sometimes used Gehenna as an illustration of hell.
· Hades – Is the New Testament term for the intermediate realm of the dead, equivalent to the Old Testament Sheol. It represents the place where departed spirits wait, often depicted as encompassing both a place of comfort and a place of torment before the final judgment.
1 Peter 3:19-20 – For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison
Why does this matter?
1. The Descension tells us that Jesus gets us.
2. The Descension tells us that death is not the end.
“He Ascended”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 - For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.
Why does this matter?
1. The Ascension shows us that Jesus is in Charge
Philippians 2:9-11 – For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
1 Peter 3:22 – (Jesus) has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Bruce Metzger – “Ascension Day proclaims that there is no sphere, however secular, in which Christ has no rights—and no sphere in which his followers are absolved from obedience to him.”
2. The Ascension shows us that Jesus is praying for us.
Romans 8:34 - Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
Hebrews 7:25 - Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
“He’s Coming Back Again”
Acts 1:11 - They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”
Why does this matter?
1. The 2nd Coming promises that all that is wrong will one day be made right.
Revelation 21:3-4 - Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:, Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.“He will come to judge the living and the dead”Michael Bird –“Jesus is not coming back to inflict apocalyptic carnage on a bunch of innocent agnostics; rather, he is coming to bring heavenly justice to a world that is submerged in wickedness and mired in corruption.”