Apostles Creed: Article 2

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Sabina movie night?

*CHURCH UPDATES: Digital and paper connect Card

DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

SVCC is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, and we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit.

Prayer for… MARRIAGES IN FEB.

INTRODUCTION:

Review:

WHY?…

TODAY: We want MORE of Jesus… I believe in Jesus

Historic Creeds and Confessions Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 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 thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead

I believe in the Holy Ghost

I believe a holy catholic church; the communion of saints

The forgiveness of sins

The resurrection of the body

And the life everlasting. Amen.

Opening Scripture:

Matthew 1:21 NLT

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus Christ

a personal name with a title (both are revelation)

Jesus is Gk equivalent of Hb. Joshua and means “The God of Israel helps”

Christ is Gk translation of Hb. Messiah, the Anointed, and was expected in the last days to come and free Israel.

The anointed/elected by the Father to be prophet, priest, and king (see Jesus anointing at the baptism by John in Matt 3; Heb. 1:2, Heb. 7, Rm. 8:38-39)

*God’s Only Son

The elect of God (Eph. 1:4-6)

God himself revealed in Jesus who is God

Matthew 3:17 ESV

17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

*Our Lord

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This is again pointing to the decision of faith that comes after meeting God who come to us!

“Jesus Christ is Lord” is believed to be on of the earliest confessions of the Church!

“Our Lord” is recognizing a change of allegiance and the commissioning to tell the world about Jesus.

The Mystery and Miracle of Christmas

The incarnation where God becomes man…fully God and fully man!

Luke 1:32 ESV

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

Hebrews 4:14 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Suffered

"From Bethlehem to the Cross he was abandoned by the world that surrounded Him, repudiates, persecuted, finally accused, condemned and crucified.” (Barth, 104)

Takes our place to reconcile us

*under Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:14)

*was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into hell (1 Pt. 3:18-22)

*the third day he rose again from the dead (Rom. 4:24)

*He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of god the Father Almighty (Rom. 8:34)

Acts 3:18–21 ESV

18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

The Coming of Jesus Christ the Judge

Coming to judge the living and the dead (i.e. men of all time)

“Judgment means: to establish, to set up, to proclaim the lawful right” (Barth, 116)

Matthew 25:31–46 ESV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 3:5 ESV

5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

It is all about Jesus!

“To fear the last judgment is a pagan (Persian, for instance), not a Christian idea” (Barth, 118)

Conclusion/Reflection:

Titus 2:13–14 ESV

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Sources:

Barth, Karl. The Faith of the Church: A Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed according to Calvin’s Catechism. Edited by Jean-Louis Leuba. Translated by Gabriel Vahanian. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2006.

Ensminger, Sven. Karl Barth’s Theology as a Resource for a Christian Theology of Religions. Edited by John Webster, Ian A. McFarland, and Ivor Davidson. Vol. 28. T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology. London; New Delhi; New York; Sydney: Bloomsbury, 2014.

Goldingay, John. Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel. Vol. 1. Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 2003.

Green, Michael P., ed. Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 Sermon Illustrations Arranged by Topic and Indexed Exhaustively. Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989.

Grenz, Stanley, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling. Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999.

Grudem, Wayne A. Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know. Edited by Elliot Grudem. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.

Historic Creeds and Confessions. Electronic ed. Oak Harbor: Lexham Press, 1997.