SERMON: THE NICENE CREED #5: THE RETURN OF THE KING

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Luke 24:50-53

 

Luke 24:50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

 

            -- as we have discussed ad nauseum, we find ourselves living in unprecedented times – every day, we wake to find disheartening news of violence and war and crime – of injustice and unfairness and discrimination – of poverty and famine and starvation – of sickness and disease and death -- of natural disasters affecting thousands and thousands of people – of wonders in the skies that we have never seen in our lifetimes

– just think about what we’ve seen and experienced here in our local community – with two hurricanes and a tropical storm over the last two years that devasted this region – of the tornados and flooding and droughts that affected so many – of the news of increasing crime and violence, even in sleepy little towns like Naylor and Valdosta – and consider that we had the aurora borealis visible in south Georgia this past year – and then we had the fireball from the meteor that streaked across South Carolina and Georgia and Alabama this week – with pieces from the meteor crashing into a home in Henry County

-- if you just step back and just consider what we’ve been going through – not just across this globe, but even here in own backyard – you just have to wonder what’s going on – where is this going to end? – what is going to happen to us in the future?

-- we don’t like uncertainty – humans are not good with that – we like to be in control – we like to know what is going on and to think we have some semblance of control in our lives

-- but there is no one who feels that right now, anywhere in this world

-- and that’s why so many people are reacting the way they are – people are lashing out – they’re angrier than they’ve ever been – just the littlest thing sets them off – that’s why you see so much road rage and so many fights in stores and in other places – that’s why you see and hear so much hatred and vitriol on social media, in the news, in public, in politics

-- it all goes back to the fact that we feel this world is out of control – and it’s affecting our emotions, our behaviors, our actions, and our lives

 

            -- if you remember, it’s been a little over seven years since Bill York collapsed and died during the chapel service out at Camp Tygart – I was in the room with him that day when it happened, along with about 50 teens and a handful of adults – it was chaos – and I was supposed to be one of the leaders of the event – and I remember looking at one of the other pastors there in the room and I could tell we both had the same thought – “We need an adult here – we need someone to step up and take control and tell us what to do” – we both felt lost and out of control and clueless and didn’t know what to do in the moment

            -- that’s where society is today – we’re lost and out of control and lashing out and just looking for someone to step up and show us the way – for someone to step up and speak peace into our midst and to tell us that everything is going to be okay – for someone to step up and say, “I am in control – I’ve got this – don’t worry”

            -- thankfully, the Bible tells us who this Someone is – we just need to remember and stop worrying and have faith in Him

            -- this morning, we are continuing on in our series on the foundations of our faith, using the Nicene Creed as the outline for our messages – we find ourselves today considering the final words about Jesus from the second paragraph of the creed

            -- if you would, let’s turn to the creed now and recite it together – you can find it on Page 880 in our hymnal or you can refer to the handout that I gave you earlier

 

The Nicene Creed

 

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

 

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son

is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism

for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 

            -- the section of the creed that I want us to focus on this morning comes at the end of the second paragraph:

 

            -- On the third day He rose again, in accordance with Scriptures; He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.

 

            -- so, in the midst of the uncertainty and confusion in this world today, the Bible affirms two truths about Christ – after His atoning death on the cross in payment for our sin debt and His resurrection from the dead in victory over sin and death – the Bible tells us that Jesus ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father – and it tells us that He will come again in glory at the end of the age to judge the living and the dead and to set up a Kingdom that will have no end

            -- promises that should give us hope and peace in these turbulent times

            -- I want us to look at each of these separately today, as we finish up this section of the Nicene Creed

 

II.  The Ascension of Christ (Luke 24:50-53)

            -- the story of the ascension of Christ is given to us in three main passages – the first is in the gospel of Mark – and then Luke gives us a brief account here in Luke 24 and a more detailed description in Acts 1

-- all three passages describe the moment when Jesus physically returned to heaven in the sight of His disciples following His death and resurrection

            -- so why is the ascension of Christ important?

 

-- as Kevin Miller wrote, what the disciples witnessed and recorded for us in the Bible was the “triumphal return of Jesus Christ to heaven, His enthronement at the right hand of God”

            -- this marks the end of Jesus’ physical ministry on earth and the transition to the end of the age -- as we experience the Kingdom of God within us in the presence of the Holy Spirit and as we look forward to the renewing of our souls and spirits and all creation with the coming of a new earth and a new heaven

            -- from this point on, Jesus no longer appears physically to His disciples -- we see no more physical resurrection appearances – and the time of Jesus teaching His disciples from the Scriptures after the resurrection has ended

 

-- look back at verse 50-51

 

Luke 24:50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

 

-- we read in the Bible that after the resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples for a period of 40 days from the Scriptures – explaining to them the prophecies and showing them the promises of God for restoration and renewal and reconciliation with the Father from the Old Testament

-- after this period of intense instruction, Jesus led His disciples back out to the Mount of Olives – if you remember, it was on the Mount of Olives that Jesus began His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, riding on the back of a donkey to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God

-- He takes His disciples back to the Mount of Olives and it is from this place that Jesus returns to the Father in the sight of all those who are gathered there – He lifts up His hands – He blesses them and, as we read in Acts 1, promises to send the Holy Spirit to them – and then is taken up into heaven

            -- so, while the disciples were talking with Him, Jesus literally began to rise from the ground -- His physical body was lifted up above them while He blessed His disciples with raised hands, and the amazed disciples watched as Jesus rose higher and higher above the Mount of Olives, until a cloud hid Him from view

            -- Mark expands on this and tells us in Mark 16:19 that Jesus was taken up into heaven, where He then sat down at the right hand of God – so, with the ascension, we see the Father’s acceptance of the work of Christ -- when Jesus ascends to heaven in the sight of His disciples to sit down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, it tells us the Father has accepted His atoning sacrifice for us and that no more sacrifices are needed to pay the penalty for our sins

            -- His ascension into heaven and into the very presence of the Father is evidence to us that He has made a way for us and is a promise that we, too, will one day join Him in heaven with the Father forever

            -- so, the ascension of Christ is the final exclamation point on His earthly ministry and marks for us His victory over sin and death, once and for all, and points the way to the establishment of His final kingdom on earth and our eternal life with Him forever

 

            -- but what does this mean to us today? – in light of the turmoil and uncertainty and chaos that we’re experiencing now in this world, what are we supposed to do with the ascension?

-- in Acts 1:10-11, Luke tells us that the disciples just stood there on the Mount of Olives – looking up at the sky where Jesus had disappeared – but two angels appeared to them and said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

            -- the important question to the disciples was, “Why are you standing here?” – this was a call to ministry – this was a call to live out our faith in the risen and ascended Christ and to share the good news of the Kingdom of God with this world – to be His ambassadors of peace and reconciliation – to be His heralds in the world today

-- when the angels told the disciples to quit standing there looking up into the sky, they were basically telling them, “Go – do something – start living in the knowledge and faith and hope of the Lord Jesus Christ”

-- and that’s what the disciples did

 

-- verse 52-53

 

Luke 24:52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

 

-- after the ascension of Christ, the disciples didn’t just stand there waiting – they didn’t just spend their days looking up at the sky for the coming Christ – but they lived out their faith

-- empowered by the Holy Spirit that Jesus would send to them in just 40 days on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples spent their time worshiping Jesus – they were filled with joy – they were filled with anticipation and excitement – Luke says they stayed in the temple, praising God – and, as we know from the Book of Acts, they preached the good news of the Kingdom – they lived in harmony and peace with one another in a new community of faith – the church – and they shared the message of hope with everyone they met

-- now think for a moment about how we’re living today – think for a moment about what I just mentioned – about the fear and worry – the uncertainty and lack of control – that we see all around us – that we see in ourselves

-- is this the way we should be living? – or should we be like the disciples after they descended from watching Jesus go back into heaven on the Mount of Olives?

-- what does the world see in us when they see us live lives of worry and fear, just like everyone else?

-- we, above all, should be examples of peace and faith and tranquility in a world gone mad

 

-- when John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was on his way to Georgia with his brother Charles, the ship he was sailing on got caught up in the middle of a terrible storm – it was being tossed back and forth – the waves were crashing over the deck – the main sail was ripped off by the mighty winds -- everyone was in fear for their lives, Wesley included

-- and understand that Wesley was an Anglican priest – a man of faith – a man who God was using to call out the people to live real lives of holiness and obedience and not just go through the motions of church, like most people in his day

-- of all people, you would have expected Wesley to be the one who was like the Apostle Paul during the storm in the book of Acts, when Paul’s ship was destroyed but Paul remained calm and peaceful and without fear

-- but Wesley was just like all the others – he thought he was going to die – he was filled with fear – he went below deck and there, to his amazement, he found a group of Christians – the Moravians – who were holding a worship service -- singing hymns and praising God – even in the midst of the storm

-- Wesley wrote in his journal about this experience, noting the contrast between the terrified English passengers and the peaceful Moravians -- He asked one of them if they were not afraid, and the Moravian replied, "I thank God, no." -- He further inquired if their women and children were afraid, and the answer was, "No; our women and children are not afraid to die."

-- This encounter with the Moravians, and their unwavering faith in the face of death, deeply impacted Wesley and highlighted a lack of assurance in his own faith.

 

            -- I know we live in chaotic and dangerous and unprecedented times, but the way we live – the way we act and the words we speak – say volumes about our faith and trust in Jesus

            -- Wesley learned about his lack of true faith on the ship that day, and it changed how he lived the rest of his life and the message that he taught others about living lives of holiness and obedience in light of Christ’s victory

– in the same way, the disciples lived in a harsh world, ruled by the Romans, and subjected to the persecutions of the Jews – their world was no less dangerous or uncertain or chaotic than ours – it was probably worse, in all actuality -- but they approached their world in faith and they lived out their faith in Jesus completely

– they lived peaceful and joyful lives – they continued to worship and praise God -- despite all the violence and persecution and harm that came against them and the early church – they lived without fear, because they had seen the risen Christ and they had watched Him ascend to heaven, where He sat down at the right hand of God the Father in victory over sin and death

            -- what fear can this world hold in light of the victory of Christ? – what concern or worry can we have knowing that Jesus has conquered sin and death and that we are waiting for His return, so we can live with Him in His kingdom here on earth forever?

            -- which brings us to the second truth of Christ that I want us to consider this morning – His second coming

 

III.  The Second Coming of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:5-12)

-- the creed proclaims, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.”

 

-- turn over to 2 Thessalonians 1, and we’ll end there – 2 Thessalonians 1, beginning at verse 5-7a

 

2 Thessalonians 1:5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.

 

-- understand this – contrary to what the prosperity preachers claim – we are going to face trials and tribulations in this world today – we are going to have troubles and face suffering in this world

– that’s why Peter said in 1 Peter 4:12, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you”

-- this isn’t strange – this is expected – we may be living in unprecedented times right now, but the troubles we are going through – the trials that we are facing – they’re not out of the ordinary – it’s a part of life – and the closer we get to the end – the closer we get to the return of Christ – the worse it’s going to get because the Bible tells us that the devil knows his time is short and so he’s going to throw everything he has at us in the final days

-- so, what we are going through is normal – storms of life and trials and tribulations are normal – things are not going to get better until Christ comes again – the question is what we do about it? – how do we live in light of these trials and storms that we are facing?

-- do we live like the rest of the world – in worry and fear and anger and lashing out at everyone around us – or do we live like the disciples and the Moravians in the midst of the storm? – living lives of faith and trust in God, despite the storms raging around us

 

-- these verses give us the same promise we read of in the Psalms – eventually, all things will be made right – the unrighteous will be judged – the trouble that we were given will be paid back and we will find relief –everything will be made right in the world forever – and there will be no more pain or suffering – sorrow or tears

-- look at the second part of verse 7

 

2 Thessalonians 1:7b This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

 

-- we talked about this in our series on After Life, as we looked at what was going to happen to us after we die – at heaven and hell and everything in-between

-- in the Bible, we read that there will be a final reckoning – that there will be a final judgement at the Great White Throne – where everything and everyone who is evil will be judged and found guilty for their sins – where righteousness and justice will prevail – and where sin and death will finally be destroyed in the Lake of Fire, along with Satan and his demons

-- this will occur at the end of the age, when Jesus returns to claim His bride and to establish His kingdom on earth forever

-- and this should be good news for us – it says right here in verse 9 that on this day – on the day that Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives in the same way He was taken up on the day of His ascension – that He will be glorified in His holy people and be marveled at among all those who have believed – and Paul tells the Thessalonians and tells us that this includes us – it includes all Christians -- because we have believed in the gospel of Christ and have received forgiveness of our sins and been reconciled to the Father through our faith and trust in Jesus

-- the second coming of Christ should be something that we long for – that we are looking for in anticipation and excitement – the same way little kids look for the coming of Christmas morning

-- the disciples were that way – they stood there so long on the Mount of Olives staring up into the sky after Jesus’ ascension that angels had to tell them to go and get busy – and all throughout the New Testament we read of how the people of faith are looking forward to the day of Jesus’ return – they are looking forward to His coming again

-- but that’s not what I’m hearing in the church today

 

IV.  Closing

            -- last weekend, the U.S. bombed Iran and it resulted in an increase of fear and uncertainty – President Trump’s base – the MAGA people – were actually split in their opinion of whether Trump should have authorized the bombing or not – and not for the reason you think – it had nothing to do with politics or whether it was justified or whether the US had the right to bomb Iran

            -- instead, some people felt the US shouldn’t get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran because it might start a war in the Mideast, which would then usher in the end of days and the return of Jesus

            -- believe it or not, there were many in the MAGA base and many Christians who opposed the attack on Iran and the U.S.’s involvement in the Middle East, simply because they felt it would hasten the coming of Christ – there was fear in their voices – they were scared at the thought of Jesus returning – and they said that we shouldn’t be doing things that might make Jesus come back soon

-- but, as some pundits on a Christian podcast I follow noted, “if this really is a prelude to Christ’s return, as many online end timers claim, why are they stoking panic and fear? Shouldn’t Christians welcome this news?”

 

            -- as we read here and as we read throughout the New Testament, the coming of Christ is a good thing – the culmination of our faith – the moment when evil and sin and death are completely destroyed forever and the kingdom of God is finally established forever – that’s a good thing! 

            -- so, why the fear? – is it because we don’t understand how wonderful the coming of Jesus will be? – is it because our faith is weak, like Wesley’s?

 

            -- the Bible makes it clear that the coming of Jesus is a good thing – for with His coming, we see the completion of our salvation and redemption – we no longer have this sin nature still residing in us and we no longer have the temptations of this world or the devil trying to lure us away from Christ – but we will live in complete holiness and righteousness and perfection in Him for all eternity

            -- we will see the renewal of the earth and the heavens – right now, this world is broken – our climate is broken – and all of these natural disasters and other things we are experiencing is not what God had planned in the beginning – these are all the result of the fall – and the farther we get from Creation – the farther we get from the paradise of the Garden of Eden – the worse things will get here on earth

            -- but when Jesus returns, He will recreate the earth again – there will be a new heaven and a new earth, for the old earth and the old heavens will pass away – we will live with Jesus forever in the paradise that He originally intended for us to inhabit – we will experience earth and Creation as God planned it – before sin entered this world and corrupted everything – that is something I am looking forward to

            -- can you imagine going out into nature without experiencing mosquitoes and sunburn and poison ivy and dangers from wild animals or earthquakes or volcanos or hurricanes? – we will be able to live in total harmony and peace in God’s creation, enjoying it forever

            -- and when Jesus returns, we’ll see the fulfillment of all prophecy and the fulfillment of all the promises of God – as we talked about, there will be no more sin or death – no more sorrow or tears – we’ll know what it means to live in a society at peace – with justice and righteousness the norm

            -- and, finally, when Jesus returns, we’ll be able to spend eternity with Him – just being in His presence – just knowing Him and experiencing Him – as it says here in verse 10, glorifying Him and marveling at Him

            -- can you image walking with Jesus by the seashore? – can you imagine sitting at His feet while He talks? – can you imagine what it would be like to see Him and hear Him and know Him in a real and personal way?

 

            -- why are we scared of that? – why are we in fear of His coming? – why are we worried about the future? – it is going to be everything that we ever hoped for or longed for or dreamed about – it will be the ultimate life

            -- this is not something to fear, but something to look forward to – something to be excited about – something to tell others about

 

            -- I know there’s a lot of fear and worry and concern right now – but I’m telling you – don’t let that happen – live above it – live your life as a true believer in Christ – live in faith and trust – know that He has this – that our future is firm and fixed in Him – and that we are only walking through momentary troubles as we face a future of perfect holiness and righteousness with God forever

            -- people are watching you right now – they’re looking to see how you are responding to the events of this world – to the things that are happening in your life

            -- we are all walking through troubles right now – we’re all facing scary times – the things we are going through are not fun – they’re real and they’re hurtful and they’re not good

            -- but we have to look past the storm to the sunshine and the rainbow – we have to look past the storm to the moment when that storm breaks and we are welcomed into the very arms of Jesus – either through death or when He returns to gather His church and to establish His kingdom on earth again today

            -- we need to live as the disciples did – in faith and in trust of the One who died for us and rose again – who ascended into Heaven and who will come again to usher in the final kingdom of God

            -- that is really what Paul is praying in the final verses of our passage this morning – look back at verse 11-12

 

2 Thessalonians 1:11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ

 

            -- may that be us – may we live lives worthy of our calling – may we walk by faith and in His power – may we desire goodness and do good things for Him – may God be glorified in us and through us – and may we be agents of His grace in this world today

            -- and, with that, we will close

            -- let us pray

SERMON: THE NICENE CREED #4: THE INCARNATE SAVIOR

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Colossians 1:15-23

 

Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

 

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

 

            -- once upon a time, three blonde women died and found themselves standing before the pearly gates -- St. Peter met them there outside the gate and told them they must pass a test before they could pass through the gates and enter heaven – Peter said, "all you have to do is answer one simple question -- What is Easter?"

            -- the three blonde women all sighed in relief -- the first blonde turns to St. Peter and says "Oh, that's easy! Easter is the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and give thanks for all they have" -- "No, I'm sorry -- you're wrong!" St. Peter replies

            -- he turns to the second blonde and asks her the same question, "What is Easter?"  -- she replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and drink eggnog." -- St. Peter looks at the second blonde, shakes his head in amazement, and tells that her she's wrong, too

            -- he then peers over his glasses at the third blonde standing there before him and asks, "What is Easter?" --The third blonde smiles confidently, looks St. Peter in the eyes, and says "I know what Easter is -- Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover -- Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper in the Upper Room and then went to the Garden of Gethsemane -- He was arrested, and then Pontius Pilate sentenced Him to death -- He was forced to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands -- He was stabbed in His side with a spear -- He died on the cross for our sins and was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder."

            -- St. Peter smiles broadly with delight as the third blonde has answered correctly so far – but then she continues, "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out...and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."

 

            -- so many people have it wrong about Jesus – they just don’t understand who He is or why He came to live among us – and so there are many false teachings and heresies concerning the person of Jesus

            -- some people today still follow Arius’ lead and think that Jesus was simply a good man – a good moral teacher – a created being -- but not God

            -- others think Jesus wasn’t real and is only a myth or a fable – others continue to believe like the Gnostics, and say that Jesus was only a spiritual being and wasn’t a man

            -- and others think Jesus was just a conman and a magician, who fooled his disciples and the crowds with tricks and faked his own death and resurrection

 

            -- we are in the midst of a sermon series on the Nicene Creed because of these misunderstandings and false teachings about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit – in this day of fake news and deliberate misinformation, we need to know the truth – we need to know the foundations of our faith – so that we can ascertain in our hearts who Jesus is and why He came and so that we can tell others about the hope and the faith that we have in Him and in the gospel plan of salvation

 

II.  Who is Jesus?

            -- this morning, we are continuing in our study by looking again at the second clause in the Nicene Creed that concerns the Lord, Jesus Christ – last week, we dove into who Jesus was in relation to the Trinity – how He was not a created being but was God from the beginning – the second person of the Trinity – of the same substance and nature and being as God the Father Almighty and the Holy Spirit

-- that’s why the writers of the Nicene Creed made sure to proclaim that Jesus was “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father” – and that through Him, all things were made

 

-- look back at verse 15, and you will see a passage that corresponds to this teaching in the Nicene Creed

 

Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

 

            -- going back to our foundational truth of who Jesus is as the Second Person of the Trinity, Paul writes here that Jesus is the "image" of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation – Paul is affirming here that Jesus is one with God the Father – one in substance – one in essence – one in being – Jesus is the physical manifestation of God the Father – the Word made flesh

            -- these verses go on to describe the role of Jesus as the Creator of all things – verse 16 tells us that it was in Jesus and by Him that all things were created – things in heaven and on earth – visible and invisible – all things were created by Him and for Him

            -- that means that Jesus – as the "firstborn over all creation" – existed before creation and cannot be a created being – He was and is and shall always be the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity

– so, contrary to the teachings of Arius, Jesus was not a created being – contrary to what the Mormons teach, Jesus was not Satan’s brother and not co-equal with Satan – Satan was created as Lucifer by Jesus and they are not brothers

– and, finally, contrary to the teachings of the Gnostics who said that everything physical was inherently evil, we see here that all things – visible and invisible – were created by Jesus – God does not create evil, so the physical world as Jesus created it was not evil

            -- these verses sum up what we talked about last week and what the Bible makes so clear -- Jesus is God Himself – the Creator of all things – of one being and essence and nature with the rest of the Trinity

 

-- but we know that Jesus was also a person – a human – who was born in Bethlehem to the virgin Mary – that He ministered on this earth for about three years – and that He died on a Roman cross because of the will of the Jewish leaders

-- even secular historians support this truth – from the Jewish historian Josephus all the way up to modern historians, most are in agreement that Jesus was a real person who was born and lived and died in Israel in the first century

-- so, what does this mean? – how do we rectify the fact that Jesus was a literal man who lived and died in the first century AD with the fact that the Bible tells us that He was one with God and that He was God?

-- that’s what the next section of the Nicene Creed discusses – it tells us who this Jesus was and why He came and what that means for us as humans today in the 21^st century

-- the creed proclaims: “For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.  For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried.  On the third day, He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.”

 

            -- so, the first thing we see is that Jesus was originally found in heaven – He was in heaven as God Himself – the second person of the Trinity -- that is what we talked about last week – and Paul brought that point home in verses 15-17

 -- but the creed tells us that Jesus “came down” from heaven – what does that mean?

 

-- hold your place right here and turn over to Hebrews 2:14-18

 

Hebrews 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

 

-- there’s a lot going on in these verses, so let me unpack this for you – as you remember, our whole problem started with the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden – when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world and into us – from that point on, all mankind was born with this sin nature inside of us that separated us from God and that caused us to disobey His word and sin against Him

-- but the problem was that we could not get rid of this sin nature on our own – as flawed and sinful human beings, we were incapable of following the law and of paying the penalty for our sins – and just like it says in Romans 3:23, because of that, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – all of us are sinners and stand condemned because of our sinful nature and the sins that we have committed – and there was nothing we could do about it

-- we couldn’t earn enough to buy our way out of sin – we couldn’t do enough good things to make up for the bad that we did – we were lost and condemned and separated from God the Father with no way out

-- and because of God’s holy and righteous nature, He could not just forgive us out of hand – that would not be righteous – that would not be fair – that would not be just – we did wrong and we had to pay the penalty for the sins that we committed

-- the problem was that there was no human anywhere who could live a sinless life and fulfill the law and pay the penalty for themselves, much less for the rest of humanity

-- and that’s where Jesus comes in – it says right here in verse 14 that since the children – us – humans – since we have flesh and blood – Jesus shared in our humanity so that He could live a righteous and holy life in our place and by His death break the power of sin and death in our life – reconciling us to the Father through His own sacrifice on the cross

-- look at verse 17

 

 Hebrews 2:17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 

 

– for this reason – for our salvation – Jesus had to be made like us in every way – fully human – so that He might become our merciful and faithful high priest and make atonement for our sins

-- so, the Word became flesh – Jesus became a man – the technical term for that is “incarnate” – we see that in the creed – it reads that Jesus came down from heaven and was “incarnate” of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human

-- in order to save us, He had to become one of us – the Word made flesh – fully human – and fully God – that was the only way we could be saved

-- so, that’s what the creed is affirming when it says that He “came down from heaven” and “became truly human”

 

            – He didn’t just appear in spiritual form and appear to be a human – it wasn’t a mirage or a trick or a mask He put on – no, the Bible makes it clear – Jesus became one of us completely – He shared in our flesh and blood – and was made like us in every way

            -- that’s what Christmas celebrates – and that’s what we affirm and proclaim every Sunday when we light these two candles on the altar – they represent Christ in His dual nature as fully God and fully human

 

-- the Creed tells us that Jesus came down from heaven, “for us and for our salvation” – we see in that phrase the two-fold ministry of Jesus that we have already alluded to in our study so far

-- first, Jesus came for our salvation – He came to pay that penalty for our sins that we could not pay – so that through Him we might have everlasting life with Him

-- that’s John 3:16 in a nutshell, right? – “For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”

-- verse 17 goes on to say that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him

-- Jesus came down from heaven and became Man so that we might be saved from our sins and receive forgiveness and eternal life through grace by faith in His death on the cross

 

-- we read the same thing here in Hebrews – look back at Hebrews 2:14 – it says that Jesus shared in our humanity “so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death”

-- Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin are death – and that was the penalty that we all faced because of our sin nature and the sins that we committed against God – we lived in bondage to sin and death – we lived in slavery to sin and death – and Satan held that power over us because he was the one who originally tempted Adam and Eve and led to the introduction of sin into this world

-- but now Jesus has come to free us – to bring us salvation – by dying on the cross for us – by making atonement for our sins – atonement literally means that the payment for sin has been made – Jesus literally sacrificed Himself for us so that He might pay the price for the penalty of sin that we each owed

            -- that’s the main reason Jesus came – the Bible makes that clear – but Jesus also came for another reason, and the writers of the creed point that out when they say that Jesus not only came for our salvation, but He came for us

            -- this phrase points to the change that comes when we believe in Jesus and receive Him as our Lord and Savior – Jesus didn’t just come to die on the cross for us – He came to also show us how to live for God now in His power and strength

            -- through His death and resurrection, Jesus replaced our sin nature with a new nature – He removed our hearts of stone and replaced them with new hearts that were filled with His presence – and with this new nature inside of us – with this power over sin and death that we have, we can live our lives free from sin and in obedience to God

            -- for three years, Jesus lived among us as a righteous man – showing us how a human – remember, Jesus is fully human – how a human could live in righteousness and obedience to the Father – how we could live full and abundant lives right now as God intended

            -- we do that by relying on Him and His strength and by being part of His church on earth – turn back to Colossians 1:18-23

 

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

 

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

 

 

            -- in the previous verses, Paul spoke of Jesus' divine nature -- here he turns his attention to Jesus' physical nature and His position as the Creator of the new covenant

            -- through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus created the church -- bringing all those who believe in Him and put their faith and trust in Him into His fold and making them part of His body -- when we express our faith and trust in Jesus' death and resurrection, the righteousness of Christ is given to us and we become one with Him

            -- He was the first to rise from dead never to die again -- and with His body and blood He offers us eternal life with Him -- as we look forward to His return when all things will be placed under Him in His kingdom

 

            -- in verses 19-20, we read of how Jesus reconciled us to the Father through His death on the cross – the same thing we read about in Hebrews

            -- through His death on the cross and the blood which was shed, Jesus removed the curse on creation, destroyed the power of sin and death, and bridged the gap that had separated man and God since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden

            -- the Bible tells us that once we were God's enemies -- once we were separated from God and alienated from His blessings -- but through Christ, we have been reconciled – and now live in peace with God because of the blood that was shed on the cross for us

            -- and that means that we can now live in righteousness with God – we are no longer bound by sin and death – we are no longer held by sin’s grip, but are freed to live our lives as God intended

            -- the power to do so is there – and Jesus lived among us for three years as a man in righteousness and obedience to the Father so that we would know how to live in the same way – now we have to make the choice as to whether we will live this way or not

 

            -- even on this side of the cross, a lot of people still live with a victim mentality – “I can’t help but sin – I’m only a human – it’s just who I am – I can’t do anything else” – to quote Pastor Jeff Shreve, the Hebrew word in response to this is “Baloney” – that’s just an excuse so that we can continue to sin and live sinful lives in disobedience to God

            -- in verse 23, Paul tells us here that we should continue in our faith – established and firm – and to not move out from the hope we have in the gospel – that means we are to live out our faith everyday – to believe the Bible when it tells us that Jesus has overcome sin and death and that we no longer have to live our lives trapped by temptation and sin

            -- this means that we can choose to live obedient and holy lives as part of the church of Christ on earth today – to be His body – His arms and feet – showing others how to live as Jesus lived and how to find peace and reconciliation and salvation through Him

 

            -- we’ve been studying Romans 6 in Bible study – and this whole chapter is about saying “no” to sin and living lives of righteousness through Jesus – as it says in Romans 6:2, “we are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” – and in Romans 6:11-12, we read, “in the same say, count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus – do not let sin reign in your mortal body…”

            -- in other words, stop making excuses and start choosing to live lives free of sin – it is a choice that we now have as Christians because of the power and presence of Christ within us – and He showed us how to live this way during the three years He lived and ministered to Israel with His disciples

            -- so, the main take-aways that I want you to get today are these:

 

            1.  Jesus came down from heaven to be incarnate for us – He became fully Man and fully God

            2.  He came down from heaven for our salvation – He came to die on the cross and to pay the penalty for our sins through His atoning sacrifice in our place

            3.  He came for us – He came to claim us as His own and to show us how to live for God as His body on earth today – as the church – and that through His power and presence in our lives today, we can choose to be holy and righteous inside and out – and learn to say “no” to sin

 

            -- that is what the Nicene Creed is affirming when it tells us “For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.  For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried.  On the third day, He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.”

 

            -- next week, we’ll be looking at Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the promise that He is coming again in glory in the end of days

 

IV.  Closing

            -- let’s wrap this up -- I read about this family who took their first-grader on a car trip to Canada -- To help pass the time, the little six year old boy practiced his new reading skills by calling out road signs -- He fell asleep just before they entered Quebec

            -- a short while later, he woke up and looked out his window at the highway signs, which were all written in French -- he was quiet for a moment and then said in a worried tone, "Mom, I think I forgot how to read while I was asleep."[forwarded by Michael Grice]

 

            -- One of the reasons that the early church gave us the Nicene Creed was so that we don't forget what we believe and so we might not get led astray by the many false teachings that surround us everyday

            -- C.S. Lewis wrote that more people leave Christianity because they have drifted away the truth and not because they have been argued away – and, in the same way, a lot of Christians fail to live holy and righteous lives today because they have fallen for the lies of the devil that we can’t do any better – that we can’t say “no” to temptation and sin, even though Jesus died for us to give us that power and to make us His body on earth to live out the truth today

            -- this creed reminds us of who Jesus is and what He has done for us -- these truths were taken from Scripture itself and put in a form that distilled it down to its basic elements so that we might continue on in our faith and not drift away from the truth that both saves us and helps us live righteous lives in His name

-- so, as we close today, remember who Jesus is and why He came – and remember who you are in Christ – of the power you have in Him – and of the ability that we have to say “no” to sin in our lives today

-- may we hear the word of God and receive it in us today and live the abundant and full lives that He wants us to live

-- let us pray

SERMON: THE NICENE CREED #3: THE SON OF GOD

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- as we begin this morning, I would like to invite you to recite with me the Nicene Creed, which is found on page 880 of your hymnal or you can follow along on the printed handout I gave you

 

The Nicene Creed

 

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son

is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism

for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 

            -- this morning, we are continuing in our sermon series on the Nicene Creed, the statement of faith that all Christians everywhere affirm from east to west – from Catholic to Protestant – even those who claim to be noncreedal churches

            -- last week, we talked about the first statement of faith proclaimed in the creed – our belief in one God, the Father Almighty – this morning, we’re moving forward to the second great statement of faith in the creed, which addresses the second person of the Trinity – the Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God

            -- if you remember what we talked about in the introduction to this series, creeds and statements of faith are written for a purpose – they define who we are and what we believe – they give us a list of standards, by which we live our lives – and they unite us together as one church and one body on earth, whether we are Protestant, Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox

            -- the Nicene Creed is no different – and this morning, we are going to look at the main reason why the early bishops in the New Testament Church met to formulate this particular statement of faith

 

            -- it all began in 325 AD, seventeen-hundred years ago, when the ecumenical Council of Nicaea met under Emperor Constantine to discuss the preparation of a unifying statement of faith to counter the various heresies and false teachings that were being spread throughout the empire

            -- in the days of the Apostles, the main heresy the church had to combat was Gnosticism – the teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh, but only came in a spiritual form – and that all matter, including the physical body, was evil and corrupt

            -- you’ll see reference to that throughout the New Testament epistles, especially in the letters of John – 1, 2, and 3 John

            -- now, in 325 AD, the issue is not Gnosticism, but a new heresy put forth by the priest Arius and widely taught and accepted by some in the church

            -- Arius taught that Jesus was not God – He was not deity, but He was a created, divine being who came to earth to show us the way to the Father – so, according to Arius, Jesus had not always existed and Jesus was always subservient to the Father – they were not equal – they were not one

            -- controversy about this teaching raged throughout the Roman Empire – so, Emperor Constantine called together the council of bishops in Nicaea in 325 to address this question – now understand, Constantine’s interest was not theological – he was simply trying to unify his empire so there would be no division, even religious division – but for the Bishops who gathered under Constantine to discuss this issue, this was a fundamental threat to their understanding of salvation and who Jesus was

            -- so, the council met to discuss two main questions raised by Arius’ teaching:

 

-- Has the Son always existed eternally with the Father, or was the Son begotten at a certain time in the past?

-- Is the Son equal to the Father or subordinate to the Father?

 

-- remember those questions – remember the main points that the bishops were discussing in the meeting – because you can see how the Nicene Creed was carefully worded to affirm the traditional orthodox view of Jesus as the second person of the Trinity

-- with that said, let’s turn in our Bibles to John 1:1-3 and read that passage together

 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

 

II. Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God

            -- in the opening words of John’s gospel, he gives us several theological statements that are the basis for our understanding of who Jesus is and when Jesus came into being

            -- in verse 1, John opens with the statement, “In the beginning” – the same words that our Bibles open with in Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”

            -- what does John mean by “the beginning?” – he means the beginning of time and creation as we understand it – that is the moment that our brains can comprehend and understand – that, at some point in eternity and infinity, God brought about His creation and time began

            -- but the thing that both John and the writer of Genesis point out here is that before the beginning – before anything else existed – there was God

– God has always been here – He was here before the beginning – He was here in the beginning -- because He is the One who brought about the beginning of all creation and time – as it says in Genesis 1:1, “in the beginning, God…”

            -- and John begins his gospel by echoing Genesis 1:1 and telling us, “In the beginning was the Word” – what do we learn there about the Word? – since the Word was there in the beginning, that tells us that the Word was present before the beginning of creation, just like God the Father – this means that the Word has always existed and has always been present – throughout all eternity

            -- and, beyond that, John goes on to tell us that not only was the Word present in the beginning, but that the Word was God Himself – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”

            -- plain as day – the Word has always existed – He was not created -- the Word was with God throughout eternity and infinity and was there at the creation of the world – not only that, but the Word was God – that makes Him co-equal with God the Father

 

            -- and who is this mysterious Word that John speaks of here? – look at verse 14

 

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

            -- the Word is the One who became flesh and made His dwelling among us – who is that? – who does the Bible say became flesh – God incarnate – God with us?

-- it’s Jesus – Jesus is the Word who was there in the beginning – who was with God – and who was God

-- John describes the Word here as the “one and only Son” of the Father – or, as the KJV puts it, “the only begotten of the Father” -- who came to us full of grace and truth and as the only source of salvation, redemption, and reconciliation to the Father

 

            -- I know this is basic – Christianity 101 – but this is foundational and non-debatable – men and women have died over this truth – empires and countries have risen and fallen over this truth – and it is vital that we don’t just dismiss it out of hand

            -- we need to know and to believe with all our hearts and minds and soul and strength that Jesus was the Word – He was with God in the beginning – and He was God

            -- that’s the very thing that the Council of Nicaea met to discuss and to affirm in the face of Arius’ heresy

            -- like I said, Arius taught that Jesus was not eternal – He was not coequal with God – but that He was a created being – that there was a moment before time began that Jesus did not exist – that there was a time when Jesus was not present

            -- so, that’s why the wording in this section of the Nicene Creed was so carefully put together

            -- look at the Nicene Creed with me now, beginning with the words, “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ” – look at what it says – it says Jesus is the only Son of God – “eternally begotten of the Father” – eternally – that means Jesus was always present with the Father – He was there eternally – throughout eternity – throughout infinity

            -- the creed goes on to declare that Jesus is “God from God – Light from Light – true God from true God – begotten, not made”

            -- do you see the foundational truth that the Council was trying to put across here? – contrary to what Arius taught, Jesus was not a created being – He was “begotten, not made” – He was with God eternally – and He was God

– as John puts it here in verses 1 and 2 -- Jesus was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God – He was with God in the beginning

 

-- you’d think this would be plain as day, but even now, in our community, we have people and groups that do not agree with the clear teaching of Scripture but who still hold firm to the teaching of Arius – the Jehovah Witnesses, for instance, do not believe that Jesus was God and that Jesus has always existed with the Father, even before the beginning of time and all creation

-- the Jehovah Witnesses teach that Jesus was a created being – in fact, they teach that Jesus was the archangel Michael, who God sent to earth to assume the form and person that we know as Jesus – they believe him to be a lesser, although mighty, god – but not God and not equal with God the Father

-- and the Mormons – the Latter Day Saints – while they do not teach that Jesus is a created being, they teach that he is the literal son of God through procreation – that there was a time when Jesus did not exist – and that he is the offspring of the eternal Father and the eternal Mother – and that God the Father was a human who became exalted and became God by following the Law

-- so, this is important – it is vitally important for us to get into our heads who Jesus is and who the Bible says He is – He is the eternal Word – the begotten Son of the Father – who was and is and always will be -- God from God – Light from Light – true God from true God

-- and it’s important for us to know that when other people and other groups talk about Jesus, they may not be referring to the Jesus that we know – the Jesus the Bible proclaims – and the Jesus that the Nicene Creed affirms as the one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God

-- remember – it was because of false teachings such as this that the Council of Nicaea was called and the reason for the writing of the Nicene Creed as the church’s unifying statement of faith

-- so, when the Jehovah Witnesses knock on your door, pull out your Bible, turn to John 1, and keep the Nicene Creed in your thoughts

-- please don’t follow the example of Santa Claus – St. Nicholas – who was there at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD – when the Council allowed Arius to stand and present his teachings before the group and the Emperor, Nicholas listened and got more and more agitated at the heresy that Arius was putting forth

-- he got up from his seat – went and stood right in front of Arius as he was teaching – and, all of sudden, hauled off and whacked Arius in the head – the emperor had to have Nicholas taken from the hall by the guards

-- so, when people show up at your door and try to spread false teachings about Jesus to you, don’t hit them in the head – instead, use your words and the Scriptures to share the truth of the gospel and the truth of who Jesus is to them

 

-- look back at verse 3

 

John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

 

-- not to belabor the point, but notice what John tells us here about Jesus as the Word, who was with God in the beginning – John says that all things were made through Him – all things were made through Jesus – without Him, nothing was made that has been made

-- in other words, Jesus – as the Word of God – present with God and present as God in the beginning – was the source of creation and the Creator

-- going back to Genesis 1, we see the repeated phrase, “And God said” – God spoke, and creation was brought into existence – God spoke, and His Word went forth, creating all things

-- so, as John says here, all things were made through the proclaimed Word of God – and without the Word, nothing was made that has been made

-- that is why Jesus Himself declares in Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end”

-- the Word is the source of our Creation – and all creation springs from Him

 

-- the reason this is brought out in Scripture and the reason the writers of the Nicene Creed made sure and included this truth in their statement, “through Him all things were made,” was to counter the false claim that Jesus Himself was created

-- if Jesus was created, then all things were not created through Him – if Jesus was created, then there would be something that was made that He did not create – Himself

-- that is what Arius was teaching – that is what the Jehovah Witnesses teach – that Jesus was created by the Father – but the word of God is clear, and the Nicene Creed affirms that truth for us, as well

 

-- there’s another major point in the creed that was affirmed in opposition to Arius’ teaching that Jesus was a created being – and that is His relationship to God, the Father Almighty

-- the Bible tells us that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God – what does that mean?

 

-- the key word here is “begotten” – it’s a word that we don’t use in our normal, everyday conversations – but it is an important word

-- thinking about our use of “begotten” reminds me of what President Trump said about the word, “groceries,” in an interview -- “It is an old word – an old-fashioned sound – but a pretty accurate term”

-- the same is true for begotten – it’s an old word – an old-fashioned sound – but it’s a pretty accurate term for what the Holy Spirit was impressing on the writers of Scripture and what the authors of the Nicene Creed were trying to get across

 

-- in the KJV, John 1:14, we read, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”

-- in John 1:18 it says, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him”

-- and, of course, in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”

 

-- what does the Bible mean by “begotten” and what point is the Nicene Creed trying to make when it affirms that Jesus was “begotten, not made?”

-- the term literally means “to bring into existence,” and when we use it to describe parents bringing forth children, we mean that they were begotten or made or brought into existence by the parents

-- think for a moment about children – today is Father’s day – so, when children are born to a father, what is their relationship – what exactly is going on in regards to their being and existence? – in a very real literal sense, children are created in the essence and substance of their fathers and mothers – in other words, a child’s DNA and being comes from their parents – so, their essence – their substance – comes from their parents – everybody understanding that?

-- that’s why we can say when we see a baby, “they’ve got the mother’s eyes” – or “they’ve got their father’s smile” – it’s because the DNA – the essence – the substance – of the parents is passed on to the children and they are one with the parents in that way

 

-- the Bible uses the term begotten in a similar way – in this case, the Bible uses the term to speak of who Jesus is in relation to the Father – as the only begotten Son of the Father, Jesus is of the same substance or essence of the Father – are you with me?

-- Jesus has the same divine nature of the Father – that is why He could tell Philip in John 14:9, “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? – Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

-- Jesus and the Father are one and the same – Jesus and the Father are of the same divine essence – of the same divine substance – that is why John told us in John 1:1 that the Word was with God and the Word was God – Jesus and the Father share the same substance because they are both God – they just exist in two separate persons, as part of the trinity and the Godhead

-- the technical term for this is consubstantial – it means that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is of the same substance, essence, or nature as God the Father -- He is not a lesser deity or a different kind of being, but shares in the same divine essence as the Father

-- so, the Father is God – Jesus is God – and, as we’ll talk about in a couple of weeks, the Holy Spirit is God – they are all God and all share the same divine essence, nature, and substance

-- for that reason, the Bible says that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God to make it clear that Jesus is God

 

-- now, that truth flies in the face of Arius’ teaching that Jesus was a created being and was not God – this is the main critique of his heresy and the main critique of those cults like the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons who exist around us

-- Arius claimed Jesus was created and was not God – but the Bible clearly says that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God – the Word made flesh

-- it is critical for us to know this and to understand this and to not get blown away by false teachings that say otherwise

-- that’s why the wording in the Nicene Creed is so specific here – this section of the creed says, “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father”

-- it goes on to say what “begotten” means – “God from God – Light from Light – true God from true God – begotten, not made, of one being with the Father”

-- do you see what the authors of the creed were trying to say?

-- Jesus is begotten because He is of the same divine substance as the Father – that makes Him one with the Father – and that makes Him God

-- this is foundational – this is non-debatable – this is critical that we get this and understand this

-- Jesus is God – no if’s, and’s, or but’s – God in the flesh – God incarnate – Emmanuel – God with us

 

            -- next week, we’ll go on to discuss the theological understanding of Jesus as fully man and fully God – and what that means for us – the heart of the gospel and of the truth of God’s word and salvation for us today

 

III.  Closing

            -- on January 12, 2007, the world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell was visiting Washington, D.C. and riding on the D.C. Metro – when his train stopped, Bell got off and positioned himself against a wall next to a trash can – most of the people there saw him, and didn’t give him another glance – by most measures, Bell was nondescript – a young white man wearing jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap

            -- he opened his case and removed his violin – he put the open case at his feet, threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, and began to play – for the next 45 minutes, people streamed past Bell as he expertly played classical music, such as Mozart and Schubert – a few stopped to listen – a few added a little cash to his case – but most just walked on by without sparing a glance

            -- if they had paid attention, they might have recognized Bell as the world-renowned violinist he is – they might have noticed that the violin he was playing wasn’t just an ordinary violin, but a rare Stradivarius, worth over $3 million dollars

             -- just a few days earlier, Bell had sold out the Boston Symphony Hall, with ordinary seats going for $100 – but today, people passed by without stopping – they heard him – they looked at him – but they didn’t recognize him [Modified from Gene Weingarten, "Pearls Before Breakfast," The Washington Post (4-10-07)]

 

 

            -- the same was true for Jesus – even His own disciples did not fully recognize Jesus as God or know Him for who He was until after His death and resurrection – they missed God in their midst because they were not looking for Him

            -- Arius did the same thing – he missed who Jesus was and assumed that Jesus was a created being who was sent to earth by the Father

            -- but the Bible makes it clear to us just who this Jesus is – He is the Word made flesh – the only begotten Son of God – God from God – Light from Light – true God from true God – of one being with the Father

            -- and, so, if we have seen Jesus – if we have known Jesus – we have known the Father – for they are One

 

            -- as we close this morning, let us remember who Jesus is – and let us affirm with the universal church the deity of Christ – and let us share the good news that Jesus is God and Jesus has come with all that we meet this week

            -- let us pray