“the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”
Here we are back finishing the Apostles Creed and it has truly been a journey.
My prayer is that you have experienced a connection with the Creed and come to some understanding of the Scriptural connection of the Creed and our faith.
We know that the first piece of this CREED is “I BELIEVE” and so what we proclaim by our mouth we want that to also resonate in our hearts.
But we want you to know that is absolutely ok to still question and ask questions.
Today we will look at “the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”
I want us to jump in today to a Scripture passage. 1 John 1:5-9 and here is what it says,
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
· To say “the forgiveness of sins” in the APOSTLES CREED is to make a firm belief that you understand.
· Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and in that we have been forgiven.
· It is through CONFESSION of our sins that we find forgiveness of our sins in JESUS.
· Let’s go back to the passage:
VS 8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Ephesians 1:7 also says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
· So, when we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins….
· It is a moment of FORGIVNESS from those sins that we commit known and unknown against GOD
· AND a moment of REDEMEPTION of those Consequences
Consequences…I know you are saying ok now Sean what do you mean consequences?
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
· REDEMPTION CAME BECAUSE JESUS PAID the PRICE
· Jesus came to PAY our debt; a debt we could not PAY.
· As we say the CREED “the forgiveness of sins” We are believing that JESUS PAID THAT DEBT for US.
Colossians 1:13-14 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
· As a Christian we believe that a debt had to be paid for our sins and the CROSS was the way it had to be paid with JESUS’ LIFE.
· We also believe as we say the CREED that forgiveness is not just a receiving thing.
· I know we have focused on us personally receiving forgiveness of our sins but when it comes to forgiveness it is also about EXTENDING to OTHERS as well.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
I know that is hard but as we have received forgiveness, we are also to extend forgiveness.
C.S Lewis says,
“To be a Christian means to forgive the INEXCUSABLE because God has forgiven the INEXCUSABLE in you.” From The Weight of Glory
· We are SINFUL CREATURES…..and I mean as All Get Out
· But like the PRODIGAL SON STORY EVERYONE……let me say it again
· EVERYONE…..Deserves the Finest Robe, Ring on the finger, sandals on their feet.
· A meal with the fattened Calf
· A warm embrace from the FATHER.
· EVERYONE DESERVES THIS….
Luke 15:20-24 “So he (PRODIGAL SON) returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. (WATCH) “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
*** Hebrews 8:12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
All that said:
· It is through Jesus we receive VICTORY now over death and a FUTURE glory.
· Say what?
· I know….hang on….
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
· We will receive imperishability and immortality over death because of JESUS
· We receive a NOW GLORY and a FUTURE GLORY through Jesus.
This is a WIN-WIN
· HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? Well Scripture helps us…
Revelation 21:4 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[a] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
To say in the Creed…
“the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”
· This is a celebratory statement…it is a statement that should cause the Believer to be ALL IN.
· Do you Understand that PHRASE “All IN”…..(Just nod your head yes or no for me)
· Knowing about the resurrection of the Body and life everlasting” should cause us to live differently.
· Should challenge us, should say man one day I am going to meet God face to face and I believe this…
· So I better be ALL IN…. NOW and what helps me are verses like these.
1 Peter 1:14-16 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual, worship.
Luke 11:28 But Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
· Christian belief in the resurrection and eternal life should help us walk in greater OBEDIENCE.
· Knowing about “the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting”
· Are one thing…..but believing it is going to happen one day….should put a little kick in our obedience game
· Should challenge us to live a life more like Christ, a sanctified life, and try hard to do better each day even when we miss the mark.
· As we live this life in Christ, we CLING on to HOPE for what is to come.
· We are going to have good and bad days, mediocre days, blah days, amazing days.
· BUT THE BIGGEST THING in all days…..WE HAVE HOPE!!!
I love what Romans 8:18-20 says about this HOPE
Romans 8:18-25 NLT 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
· But until “the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting”
· We will wait patiently and confidently….do the Lord’s work….and believe that JESUS will return
· Why?
· BECAUSE WE HAVE HOPE…
· And that HOPE has a name……JESUS.
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