Difference between revisions of "Sermon for September 8th, 2019"

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====He Descended to the Dead====
 
====He Descended to the Dead====
This is probably the most controversial statement in the Apostles' Creed.  Some churches leave it out of the creed altogether.  Older English translations render it as " He descended into Hell" and that perhaps explains the difficulty.  In the popular imagination, "Hell" has long been the place reserved for those who are damned, punished, and utterly cut off from God.  But that notion of Hell took a long time to develop, and was not fully developed in the earliest days of Christianity.   
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In the 20th century, this was probably the most controversial statement in the Apostles' Creed.  Some churches leave it out of the creed altogether.  Older English translations render it as " He descended into Hell" and that perhaps explains the difficulty.  In the popular imagination, "Hell" has long been the place reserved for those who are damned, punished, and utterly cut off from God.  But that notion of Hell took a long time to develop, and was not fully developed in the earliest days of Christianity.   
  
 
The original Greek text of the Creed simply says that Jesus descended into κατώτατα, which means literally, "down below."  In both ancient Jewish and ancient Greek belief systems, "down there" was where all dead people went (good and bad) primarily because that's where you put their bodies when you buried them. The idea of two separate afterlives--a bad place "down there" and a good place "up there"--is a rather late idea, and the Apostles' Creed is at least in part responsible for that division.  More on that later.   
 
The original Greek text of the Creed simply says that Jesus descended into κατώτατα, which means literally, "down below."  In both ancient Jewish and ancient Greek belief systems, "down there" was where all dead people went (good and bad) primarily because that's where you put their bodies when you buried them. The idea of two separate afterlives--a bad place "down there" and a good place "up there"--is a rather late idea, and the Apostles' Creed is at least in part responsible for that division.  More on that later.   
  
In our scripture passage from Luke, Jesus tells the thief on the cross next to him that "today you will be with me in paradise."  Today.  In other words, two entire days before Jesus ascends "up" into what we often call heaven.  So clearly, for Jesus, "down there" can be a paradise, a good place.  Or perhaps Jesus meant that any place is a paradise compared to suffering on a Roman cross.  
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In our scripture passage from Luke, Jesus tells the thief on the cross next to him that "today you will be with me in paradise."  Today.  In other words, two entire days before Jesus rises from the grave and ascends "up" into what we often call heaven.  So clearly, for Jesus, "down there" can be a paradise, a good place.  Or perhaps Jesus meant that any place is a paradise compared to suffering on a Roman cross.  
  
 
What I think is important to remember about this phrase--and the idea that the earliest Christians were trying to get across--is that Jesus wasn't willing to leave anyone behind, even those who died long before he walked the earth.   
 
What I think is important to remember about this phrase--and the idea that the earliest Christians were trying to get across--is that Jesus wasn't willing to leave anyone behind, even those who died long before he walked the earth.   
  
 
====On the Third Day He Rose Again====
 
====On the Third Day He Rose Again====
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In the 21st century, this is probably the most controversial statement in the Apostles' Creed.  Maybe not for the rapidly decreasing number of people who were raised in the church, people for whom faith and belief comes naturally--but for analytically, scientifically minded skeptics (like me), this is hard.  People don't come back to life once they are dead.
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Yes, I know there are plenty of anecdotal stories, near-death experiences, testimony of people who "went into the light" and came back, people who were declared "brain dead" for a few minutes or even a few hours who were then resuccitated...  But as far as I know, modern medical science has no documented, verified instances of anyone who has been declared legally dead for three days coming back to life.
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====He Ascended Into Heaven====
 
====He Ascended Into Heaven====

Revision as of 13:50, 6 September 2019

Luke 23:39-43 (NT page 89)

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Mark 16:19-20 (NT page 55)

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.

John 5:22-23 (NT page 98)

22 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

The Apostles’ Creed – I Believe in Jesus, Part 3

Last week we talked about the part of the Apostles' Creed which covers the birth, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. Today we'll be talking about his resurrection. I'm reminded of the story about the Sunday School teacher who asked her young students if they knew what the word "resurrection" means? One little boy raised his hand, and when called upon said, "I don't know what it means, but I know that if it lasts for more than four hours, you're supposed to call a doctor!"

The part of the Creed we're talking about today, the final part in the section about Jesus, reads: "He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead." That's five different clauses, so let's jump right in and look at each one:

He Descended to the Dead

In the 20th century, this was probably the most controversial statement in the Apostles' Creed. Some churches leave it out of the creed altogether. Older English translations render it as " He descended into Hell" and that perhaps explains the difficulty. In the popular imagination, "Hell" has long been the place reserved for those who are damned, punished, and utterly cut off from God. But that notion of Hell took a long time to develop, and was not fully developed in the earliest days of Christianity.

The original Greek text of the Creed simply says that Jesus descended into κατώτατα, which means literally, "down below." In both ancient Jewish and ancient Greek belief systems, "down there" was where all dead people went (good and bad) primarily because that's where you put their bodies when you buried them. The idea of two separate afterlives--a bad place "down there" and a good place "up there"--is a rather late idea, and the Apostles' Creed is at least in part responsible for that division. More on that later.

In our scripture passage from Luke, Jesus tells the thief on the cross next to him that "today you will be with me in paradise." Today. In other words, two entire days before Jesus rises from the grave and ascends "up" into what we often call heaven. So clearly, for Jesus, "down there" can be a paradise, a good place. Or perhaps Jesus meant that any place is a paradise compared to suffering on a Roman cross.

What I think is important to remember about this phrase--and the idea that the earliest Christians were trying to get across--is that Jesus wasn't willing to leave anyone behind, even those who died long before he walked the earth.

On the Third Day He Rose Again

In the 21st century, this is probably the most controversial statement in the Apostles' Creed. Maybe not for the rapidly decreasing number of people who were raised in the church, people for whom faith and belief comes naturally--but for analytically, scientifically minded skeptics (like me), this is hard. People don't come back to life once they are dead.

Yes, I know there are plenty of anecdotal stories, near-death experiences, testimony of people who "went into the light" and came back, people who were declared "brain dead" for a few minutes or even a few hours who were then resuccitated... But as far as I know, modern medical science has no documented, verified instances of anyone who has been declared legally dead for three days coming back to life.



He Ascended Into Heaven

He Is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father

He Will Come to Judge the Living and the Dead

  • We worship a God in motion (down, up/remain, up, remain, down)