Sermon Tone Analysis

-We are looking at creeds and confessions of the faith which help churches to define important theological truths that are touched upon throughout Scripture, giving statements that summarize what the Bible teaches about important topics of faith and practice.

We are looking at the Apostles’ Creed which gives a bare minimum look at what an orthodox faith entails.

It is split into three sections, each corresponding with a member of the Trinity.

There is first a section on God the Father as Sovereign Creator and Sustainer.

Then there is a section on the Son, Jesus Christ, and we have spent several weeks looking at what it says about His person and His works.

Let’s look at what it says in these first two sections.

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord;

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

Born of the Virgin Mary;

Suffered under Pontius Pilate;

Was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell;

The third day he rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

-We have previously considered His names and titles which bear witness to His nature and person.

Then the creed highlights important events of His life which bear witness to His essence and important work in God’s plan of redemption.

His birth bears witness to His uniqueness as the God Man.

His death is the substitutionary atonement for our sins.

Then the creed reminds us that Jesus rose again, ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of God and He is going to return one day just as He came.

-Jesus bodily rose from the dead, which is an important part of the gospel.

The Scriptures represent the cross and resurrection as one unified saving act.

-When Paul summarizes the gospel, it always includes those two aspects.

For example:

-Calvin explains why the cross and resurrection go together, and how what they theologically mean for us when he says:

Sin was taken away by his death; righteousness was revived and restored by his resurrection.”

For how could he by dying have freed us from death if he had himself succumbed to death?

How could he have acquired victory for us if he had failed in the struggle?

Therefore, we divide the substance of our salvation between Christ’s death and resurrection as follows: through his death, sin was wiped out and death extinguished; through his resurrection, righteousness was restored and life raised up, so that—thanks to his resurrection—his death manifested its power and efficacy in us.

-The resurrection demonstrates the satisfactory character of Jesus’ sacrificial death, and it is the power of our justification and regeneration.

There is no salvation without the resurrection just like there is no gospel without the resurrection.

Jesus died for our sins, but He did not stay dead, He is alive.

But Jesus did not stay on the earth.

The Scriptures testify that Jesus ascended into heaven.

-Jesus returned to the heaven from which He left.

But it was not merely a change of address for Jesus.

His going to heaven was His coronation to the glory, supremacy, and exaltation of being crowned King of kings and Lord of lords.

The right hand of God is a metaphor for power and authority that has been given to Jesus.

Jesus is given supreme authority over all of creation.

Paul describes this:

-By seating Jesus at the right hand, God the Father affirms that everything that Jesus did accomplished what He set out for Him to do.

Jesus carried out the redemptive plans of God to perfection, and everything is brought to fulfillment.

There is a new kingdom of God, and it is through Jesus Christ alone, who is the one that sits on that throne.

-But not only does the ascension inaugurate Christ’s authority, it also reminds us that Jesus Christ sits as our advocate before the Father for all of eternity.

He is ever interceding on the behalf of those who come to faith in Him.

-Listen to this:

-The job of a priest is to be the go between of God and the people.

Jesus is the High Priest who does that for us always.

His priesthood is permanent, so is advocacy for believers is permanent.

The apostle John concurs:

-Jesus satisfied God’s justice and advocates for God’s children.

Therefore, we cannot be condemned no matter what accusations fly our way (and usually the accusations are true).

But, because Jesus ascended and advocates for us, we cannot be condemned

-So, the ascension is important because it reminds us of the certainty of our salvation, and we can live boldly for God on this earth knowing we are secure in Him no matter what might happen on this earth.

-But Jesus will not remain where He is all the time, because the Father will send Him back to earth to get His bride, to defeat His enemies, to usher in a new heaven and new earth, and to judge the world.

The creed tells us that Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead.

That covers every human who exists or whoever existed.

You are either living or your dead—either way, you will be judged by Christ.

Those who have believed in Christ will be judged for their reward, and those who did not believe in Christ will be judged for their condemnation, This is depicted for us in:

-Jesus will give out perfect justice—it will have fallen on Himself for those who believe, or it will fall on the head of the offending part for those who did not believe.

Al Mohler gives three reasons why the final judgment must come:

First, this judgment will display God’s sovereignty and his glory cosmically, so that every single human being—past, present, and future—comes face-to-face with the reality of the display of God’s glory in the judgment of the Son.

Second, this judgment is necessary because, as Scripture makes clear, God will judge through Christ in such a way that there are gradients to his judgment by means of blessings for the redeemed and judgments upon those who did not believe.

Third, it is necessary that this judgment take place because there is a necessity for personal judgment.

It’snot just judgment against groups or nations.

It is judgment of every single human being.

A verdict will be declared for every single human being.

For those who are in Christ, the verdict (by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ) will be unto salvation and eternal life.

For those who are without Christ, the verdict will be damnation.

-This is not a popular teaching, but it is the truth and needs to be shared.

We all will give an account, and if you are not covered by the blood of the lamb, you will pay for your sin.

-Even so, even Christians must consider themselves and what they might lose of reward because of unfaithfulness.

So, we leave here tonight considering our lives.

First, have we believed and is Jesus our advocate?

If not, then believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we also consider how are we living our lives in light of these truths?