What We Believe: Christ 2

Introduction

For the whole of this term, we’ve been looking at the Apostle’s creed. This journey has given us occasion to look at what belief is like, who God is, and most recently, who Jesus is.

And before I get into what we did last week, let me ask you a question: Do you ever wish that you had been around during Jesus’ ministry? Do you wish you had seen or met him? Do you wish he was still around today, as he was about 2000 years ago?

I know that for a long time my answer would have been yes. I really wanted to see Jesus, and to hear what he would say to me. I was sure that things are worse now than they were when he was on earth. But then I came across this text in John 16:5-7

John 16:5–7 NIV

but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Quite something, isn’t it. Jesus is talking to his disciples, who are obviously distraught that he is leaving. But he actually says to them it is better for him to leave. The reason he gives here is because the Advocate is coming, and this is something we will explore during our talk, but what I want to suggest for us this evening is this: Jesus’ leaving is the very best thing that could have happened for us as Christians.

Before I explain what might seem to be a surprising statement, let me just back up and reiterate some of the things we said last week. Last week we laid the foundations for this talk by speaking about who Jesus is and what he did during his life on earth.

Firstly, let’s remind ourselves who Jesus is. We saw three things about who Jesus is. Firstly, he is the Son of God. This is a title that points, in many cases, to Jesus’ standing as the Second Person of the Trinity. He is God almighty, come in the flesh.

The second title we saw is that he is the Messiah, the Son of David. David was considered the greatest ruler of Israel, the one who established the kingdom to its proper boundaries and the one who ruled it with the blessing of God. Throughout the OT there were promises that God would send a Son of David who would inaugurate a new, holy kingdom of God for Israel. One of the main contentions of the NT is that Jesus is that Son of David, and that his work on earth was all towards establishing that new kingdom.

Finally, we saw that he is the Son of Man. This is a title that Jesus uses for himself. In fact, he calls himself the Son of Man more than he calls himself anything else. This sounds like its pointing to his human nature, but it’s actually pointing to a prophecy from the book of Daniel, where one like a son of man is given dominion and lordship, and the people worship him.

All three of these together show us that this Jesus is not only an exalted figure by his nature, but that he plays the central role in what God is doing in the whole world. And, to give evidence to this, the creed points to two supernatural events. Jesus’ birth of a virgin, and his death and resurrection. This last one, in particular, was incredibly important. By this death and resurrection, Jesus has opened the way for us to come to God, to know him and love him as we ought.

Given that Jesus is all that, what does that mean for us? Well, I want to show you three important things that Jesus bought for us when he died and rose again. They are the next couple of things in the creed, and we’re going to tak them out of order.

He Sits at the Right Hand of God for us.

He Sent the Holy Spirit for us.

He is coming to judge the living and the dead.

He is Seated at the Right Hand of God

So, after Jesus rose again, he didn’t stay on earth. This much is obvious. He actually ascended into heaven again. We have an account of this in Acts 1:6-9

Acts 1:6–9 NIV

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

And when he ascended into heaven, he was taken up to the right hand side of the Father. We see this in a couple of places in the scriptures. For example, we see it in Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 NIV

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This is a poem that exalts Jesus’ place as servant. Although he was God, he nevertheless didn’t hold on to his status, but let it go for our sake. And, when he did that, and served his Father faithfully, by dying on the cross, God exalted him and brought him back to himself.

We see this also in Acts 7:54-56

Acts 7:54–56 NIV

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Here Stephen, one of the very earliest Christians, is about to be executed, and what does he see?

He sees the Son of Man (remember, a title for Jesus), standing at the right hand of God.

This firstly tells us that he is very highly exalted. Not just anybody gets to sit at the right hand side of God. But it also tell us something else. Think about a typical movie scene set in a court room. Who would be standing and who would be sitting?

The judge is sitting, but the attourneys, and most often the defense attourneys, are standing.

This is exactly what we are meant to understand from this picture. Jesus is there pictured standing because he is defending Stephen before his Father. To give it its technical, theological name, he is interceding for Stephen. And the truth is, that is what Jesus is busy doing for us even now. He’s busy interceding for us. Every day. So, what is interceding?

Generally speaking, interceding is when a third party stands between two others, making a case to one on behalf of the other. Think, for example, of a courtroom. There is a defendant and a judge. Between them stands the defense lawyer, making a case on behalf of the defendant. The defense lawyer, in this case, is the intercessor. He is interceding.

So, what does it mean for Jesus to intercede? Well, to understand that, we need to understand the two parties in between whom he is standing. In other words, to whom is he speaking and on whose behalf? The answers are that Jesus is speaking to God, on our behalf. But wait, some of you might be saying. Didn’t Jesus cleanse me once and for all on the cross? Didn’t he finish his saving work there, and rise victorious? Well, of course you’d be right. He did do that, and now he is applying that work. We see this, for example in Romans 8:33-34

Romans 8:33–34 NIV

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

He is at God’s side saying “Father, I love this person. I love them so much I died for them. Now I’m asking you to look at me and my sacrifice, and trust in the work that I did.” Now, you must understand that this isn’t something that is tough for Jesus, or something he dislikes doing. Look at Hebrews 7:25

Hebrews 7:25 NIV

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

So, we must understand that just as Jesus bought our salvation on the cross, as he loved us each enough to die for us, so now he is using that same love, that same care to apply, and bring about, that salvation to us. The same love that had Jesus dying on the cross for us, is the same love that now moves him to plead for us to God, and that sees God delightedly accepting that pleading, and inviting us into his family.

The Holy Spirit

The second thing that Jesus won for us, and that makes it a great thing that we live this side of his coming, is that the Holy Spirit has come for us. You’ll remember that in John 16, which we looked at earlier, Jesus said that it was good for him to go because his going would mean that the Holy Spirit was coming to his disciples, and then to us. We also saw this promise just before Jesus ascended, in Acts 1.

Later, in Acts 2:1-4, we see the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is described like this.

Acts 2:1–4 NIV

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

And throughout the book of Acts, we have the amazing truth repeated that whosoever should accept Christ into his heart, at that moment, becomes a temple for the Holy Spirit. Put another way, if you are a Christian today, the amazing truth is that the Holy Spirit lives inside you. Look, for example, at 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NIV

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

The temple was traditionally the place where God’s Spirit dwelt among his people. Now, however, the wonderful truth is that God doesn’t simply live among his people. But actually in us.

Okay, you might be thinking, but what does that mean for me? Well, a lot. Too much to say here, actually, but here is a quick list:

Gives us the new birth that saves us (John 3:6-7)

Convicts us of sin (John 16:8)

Empowers us with gifts to serve him (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

Helps us to understand that we are God’s children (Galatians 4:6)

Leads us into God’s will (Galatians 5:18; 25)

Helps us bear the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

Helps us kill sin (Romans 8:13)

Prays to God for us when we don’t know what to pray (Romans 8:26-27)

Shows us truth (John 16:13)

Transforms us into Christlikeness (2 Corinthians 3:18)

So much. And we ought to be grateful for every single moment of the life we enjoy.

Judgement

Okay, now the last thing the creed says about Christ, and the thing he is going to do in the future, is judge the living and the dead. What does this mean?

Well, there are many passages that will show us what this means, but Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31–46 NIV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

So, here you see a vision of the end of the world. And what is going to happen is that Jesus is going to sit as judge, and split people into sheep and goats. The sheep will go off to eternal life, and the goats to eternal death.