From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead

The Ecumenical version of the Creed says it this way: “And will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

I am finding more and more reasons to prefer the ecumenical version (ecumenical is simply a term that means: “commonly agreed upon by many denominations.”), because it uses more common/familiar language.

For example, instead of saying “quick” it says “living.” “Quick” is an old English term, but when I went to Wikipedia I found a whole host of meanings related to the computer world: quick books, quicken, quick trip, quick weight loss, etc. But for the kind of “quick” we have here in the Creed, Wikipedia says this: “The use of ‘quick’ is extremely old and is recorded, as ‘cwice.’ In an Old English translation of the Orosius Histories, dating from around the 4thcentury.” It means “living.” More about that on Monday.

“And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father…”

To “sit at the right hand” is a way of saying: “shares in the power.” This is the Creed’s way of saying that the resurrection of Jesus was not a resuscitation or return to a mortal life, but that Jesus now and forever lives with God’s own life and power. And, rather than being absent from us, is more powerfully present than he was in his earthly ministry.

Jesus, who always was with the Father, for a brief time of 33 years was on earth, but has returned to be with the Father, and, actively engaged in the affairs of this world.

Live today, in the sure knowledge of God’s power, present to you through the living Christ.

He ascended into heaven.

This affirmation comes from the story at the end of Luke:

“Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.

While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.

And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.” (Luke 24: 50 – 53).

Luke, ever the careful historian, physician, wanting to make the appropriate connections, repeats the story of Christ’s ascension at the beginning of his second book: The Book of Acts (Acts 1:9, 10).

Here it is the prelude to His completing the promise of sending the Holy Spirit upon His followers, resulting in the formation and empowerment of the Church.

But what does this mean to us; what are the implications of His ascension?

I have a couple of friends who are members of Trinity UMC, who also fly airplanes, and on a few occasions have flown me to Kentucky for an Asbury Board meeting, back from Ohio, to Haiti. I love flying with them because they usually fly at between 3,000 and 5,000 feet high. Wow, at that height you are high enough you can see great distances and yet low enough to see what’s going on down on the ground. It’s wonderful.

When I think of Jesus’ ascension, I think of this; of His being in a position to see all things, yet also close enough to care about and engage with things here on earth; in my life, in yours.

The third day he rose from the dead

This is, by far, the single most dramatic phrase in human history! You may have recited this line from the Apostles’ Creed 5 times or 5,000 times, but I hope it never loses for you its awesome power. This the phrase that changed human history – and your personal history! Without the reality of his resurrection, Jesus would have been only a brilliant teacher, a miracle worker, a healer, a prophet of the highest order, but ONLY these things.

But, because He lives, we may live also. Amen

The Apostles’ Creed

“He descended to the dead” - An affirmation of The Love of God.

I’m coming to see and believe (as I hope you are) that this phrase, rather than being a foreboding embarrassment and therefore deserving of deletion from the Creed, instead conveys a very powerful message about The Love of God. God’s will is that no one should be lost. God loved us so much He sent His only Son…Between his death and his resurrection, Jesus went even to place of the dead to share with them his message of love, forgiveness, and grace.

Luke tells us that Jesus, in his inaugural sermon, quotes Isaiah 61:1, 2 as a summary of what his mission would be:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,

To release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

He did that in life; He did that even in death. What an amazing Savior. What an awesome God. No wonder we love Him so!

The Apostles’ Creed

He descended to the Dead (part 3)

If you google the phrase:  “harrowing of hell” you will find a lot of material about this.  “Harrowing of hell” is a very old phrase that spoke of the full victory of Jesus over Satan, even to the point of invading Satan’s own territory and even there extending the love of God!  Satan must have thought that the crucifixion of Jesus was the end, his great victory, and then he realizes that it was God alone who was victorious and all of this was part of the Divine plan to defeat completely all the powers of evil.

Ephesians 4:8 says it this way:  "When Jesus ascended on high He led captives in His train…”  Such is the unrelenting love of God that He extends the work and message and presence of Jesus to the depths of death itself, so that all who ever lived anywhere any time might have the opportunity to hear the Good News.

The Apostles’ Creed

“He descended to the dead.”

Yesterday we noted that this phrase about the time between Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection is a reference to I Peter 3:18-20 which has Jesus going to preach to those who had died prior to his coming.  It is also an echo of one of the most beautiful Psalms: 139, where David asks:

“Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths (Sheol), you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the morning, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’

Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,

For darkness is as light to you.  (Psalm 139:7-13).

No wonder Paul prays that we “may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp the width and length and height and depth of the love of Christ!   Oh, the measure of the immeasurable love of God!  That’s what this phrase says to me.

In years past, and still there are occasional, unfortunate echoes still today, people were taught – mistakenly by the Church or some in the church – that if someone took his/her own life that they would not be with God in heaven as this was such a terrible thing.  Oh my!  What a tragic and false teaching!   Surely for one who is enveloped in distress, fear, depression or darkness to such a point God’s love and longing to enfold into His arms is ever more the stronger!  It’s just as would be (or is) your love for your own loved one – when one is hurting your heart hurts, too!  Surely this Psalm is right:  “The darkness is as light to you, O God!”  And to your children in need.  Where can we go from God’s Spirit?  Where can we flee from God’s presence?  David says unequivocally, “Nowhere!!”  And the Apostles’ Creed puts adds the exclamation point.