Apostle’s Creed
Father and Son Together Again
June 20th, 2010 Apostle’s Creed Series 09 (Father’s Day) Hebrews 1:1-12 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created…
Read MoreIf Jesus Worked Miracles by His Divine Power, then He Cheated and I Can’t Follow His Example
Apostle’s Creed Series John 3:34 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.[1] My parents raised us 3 boys in a very conservative Baptist church where all the pastoral staff had graduated from Bob Jones University. My parents were very impressed by the faith and…
Read MoreWhy Does the Apostle’s Creed Profess Faith in Pontius Pilate? — Luke 1:1-4
Reverend Anthony R. Locke June 27th, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church of Tucker Luke 1:1-4 Apostle’s Creed Series 10 English Standard Version 1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of…
Read MoreJesus told Mary, “I am Not Yet Ascended” — Didn’t He Already Go to Heaven?
Jesus makes two ascents. Take a moment to think this through. There are two events when Jesus ascends into Heaven.
First, after His death on the Cross Jesus immediately ascends into the congregation of the saints in heaven. Jesus told the thief hanging next to Him that they were both going to heaven.
This answers the question, “Where was Jesus during the three days His body was in the grave?”
The second ascent is recorded in the Bible in Acts 1:3-11. This is called the Ascension.
The difference is that in the first ascending of Jesus in Heaven He does so as a Man. He joins with the saints for three days without a resurrected body. He then goes back and forth to heaven for 40 days with a resurrected body.
The Ascension is different entirely. In the Ascension God answers Jesus prayer in John 20:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
This is why Mary couldn’t cling to Jesus and keep Him for herself. He wasn’t yet fully ascended.
Read MoreDid Jesus Really Descend into Hell?
Confessing that Jesus descended into Hell tells us what really happened in the darkness. It is the real story told from God’s perspective. Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” tells the story from Man’s perspective, but Jesus descended further. Jesus descended into Hell.
We all learned this in grade school. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It’s like saying, “step back from the trees and see the forest.”
The Apostle’s Creed provides the visible pieces to the puzzle. Jesus was crucified, died and was buried.
Not step back and get the big picture from God’s perspective — Jesus Descended into Hell.
This sermon also explains John Calvin’s position
Read Moreand the Life Everlasting — John 17:1-3
People join the church for lots of good reasons, but if people come to church and do not embrace Jesus, then they still miss out on eternal life.
If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. If we are not abiding in a relationship with Jesus by living according to this book, then the promise of eternal life is not directed toward us. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. Who has eternal life? Those who hear and abide in Jesus.
It’s as simple as the verse in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. If we place faith in Jesus then we have life everlasting. If we do not have saving faith in Jesus, then we do not have eternal life.
Read MoreThe Forgiveness of Sin
September 19th, 2010 Apostle’s Creed Series 1 John 2:1-12 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but…
Read MoreElders: Leading Us Into the Light
Reverend Anthony R. Locke August 15th, 2010 www.FirstPresTucker.org at the First Presbyterian Church of Tucker. Titus 1:5-2:2 Apostle’s Creed Series 16 English Standard Version 5This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach,…
Read MoreA Dwelling Place for God — Ephesians 2:11-22 Apostle’s Creed
The Apostle’s Creed defines a Christian as someone who believes in God the Father Almighty, in Jesus Christ the Son, in the Holy Spirit and in the holy catholic Church. If we wish to claim the Christian label then we must believe in the Holy catholic Church. To not believe in this essential doctrine is to morph the Biblical faith into a new religious group undeserving the name Christian.
The word catholic is Old Elizabethan English and it means universal. We are not claiming to believe in the Holy Roman Catholic Empire, led by the Pope and headquartered inside the Vatican. We believe in one holy universal church. One catholic church.
All believers are members in this one global people of God that Jesus leads and outside of this Church there is no salvation. Gentiles, Jews, Armenians, Turks, Arabs and all others are brought near by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. We are made equal brothers and sisters in the family of God. The Jewish laws are abolished. The Spirit has brought all humanity together in Christ.
So why do so many self proclaimed Christians never practically join the local church?
Read MorePower from On High
Do we know when the Spirit of God is missing?
Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The prophet Zechariah assures Zerubbabel that the kingdom of God and His church would be built. No mountain would stand in the way. Zechariah 4:6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
The pouring out of God’s Spirit is the only way to build the Lord’s eternal Kingdom. Isaiah 44:4-5 I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit upon your children, and My blessing upon your offspring.
It is the outpouring of the Spirit that brings us to repentance and renewed obedience and fellowship with the Father. How can only 25% of American Christians believe in the reality of the Holy Spirit? I will try to answer that in a minute. Let me continue with the doctrine from the Old Testament . . .
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