Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: So to start today, I want to ask a question, see what you guys think. If there are different answers to this.
Is there anything about the Bible that if it weren't true, that would be, like, a deal breaker?
That would make you say, I don't think I can be a Christian anymore. Is there any, like, one thing that you can think of that might be a deal breaker, Jonah?
The Resurrection? I think. I think that's true. Obviously, that's what we're going to be talking about. Are there any others that you can think of?
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:00:43] Speaker A: That God's real. Yeah, I guess that would be. That'd be true, too.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, Caden?
[00:01:00] Speaker A: Yeah, I think all of those are absolutely essential. And even thinking about if anything were a lie, you know, if there are errors in the Word, which some people, progressive Christians do believe, that they don't know what's true or false. And we talked about that some months ago on a Sunday morning, talking about how the Bible was without error. So I do think there is more than one answer to this. But it's no secret that in the Bible itself, we hear that the Resurrection specifically is named. As if this is not true, we're in trouble. We're fools. We're wasting our time.
Well, we believe in the Resurrection and the Ascension and session the exaltation of Christ.
And we believe and can be confident that these things are true and real and did happen and are happening even now for some of those.
But let's begin before we get really into the meat of this, with a review.
Haven't been doing a review every week to give us a break. But let's just remember, what is theology?
Studying God. Okay, does anyone have anything to add?
I'm sorry.
Yeah, that's how. Yeah, that'd be one way to study theology.
[00:02:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: Is there anything else that I always add to this? Studying God.
Yes. Studying God to become more like him.
Because I believe if you know God, that is to begin to be transformed into his image. Those apart from God who don't have the Spirit are not being sanctified, can't fully know God. They lack the faith to truly study the Word and to know Him. So they can't actually do theology. So we want to make sure that we're looking at our lives and making sure we're being conformed to the image of Jesus as we study. It's not merely a subject you would study in school, like math or something. It's so much more, it changes your very life.
Now, what does systematic theology mean? That's kind of what we've been doing, I haven't used that much. What does that mean, the word systematic?
[00:03:30] Speaker C: So they need to go through like certain categories like the Church or the Holy Spirit or sin.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: Yeah, that's exactly right. So there's. It really just means there's a system to it. We have categorized all of what we found about God in the Word to make it easier to understand. And so that's really what we've been doing, we've been going through. Now, what are some of the major, even the smaller lessons that we've done?
There's a lot. So we're not going to name them all. But what are just a few that you maybe remember?
Yeah, angels and demons. We studied that. Studying God's creatures.
Yeah, the Trinity. That was a big one. Really important.
[00:04:25] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: The offices of the Son was just a couple weeks ago. Now he is a prophet, priest and king.
Any others? Levi Providence. That's great. Yeah, that one was longer ago too. So that's a good memory. Yeah.
Yeah. So there are a lot, you know, we got a couple from creation and God's creatures. We are currently still in studying God the Son, the doctrines of God the Son. We studied the doctrine of the Word first. So that was a long time ago. That's when we learned that the Bible is without error and those sorts of things. We learned about God's attributes. And now we have been studying God the Son. And this is, I believe, actually the last week we'll be in studying God the Son before we take a little bit of a break.
But yeah, that's where we are now, the last part of God the Son Christology.
And so we've studied, you know, the first part. But this is now after his work of humiliation is what you might say. This is just referring to his humble work on earth, putting on flesh, living life, dying is what you know, you might see the words humiliation. This does not mean he's embarrassed. It just means the humbling of God the Son. But now we're moving to that first word, exaltation, which I don't know. Can everyone. Can anyone over here see what's on the board at all? Okay, good. Exaltation. Now here's the main idea for this lesson. After his crucifixion, the last stage of his humiliation, Jesus Christ entered the stage of exaltation, being resurrected, then ascended and now enthroned.
That's the key basic belief that I want you to walk away with that. After his life and death, Christ resurrected, then ascended and is now enthroned. In heaven, he entered this exaltation, as we're calling it.
And the words you see, resurrection, ascension, I think we might understand. Session is just a word referring to his enthronement. Now turn to John, the Gospel of John, chapter 20, and we'll read about the resurrection going to start in verse one of John 20.
Now, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him. So Peter went out with the other disciple and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together. But the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen clothes lying there and the face cloth which had been on Jesus head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in and he saw and believed, for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes and we'll stop there. We could keep reading this, but this is one of the four accounts of the resurrection, which is our first point that we're going to talk about. So we're just going to talk about the resurrection.
And I see that I did not write these words. The stage of his humiliation, when he completed, that he moved into.
Oh, this is exaltation.
Exaltation.
And now he is enthroned.
Okay, so about the resurrection, though.
What are some theories that, you know, people have invented in order to deny the resurrection that you've heard?
[00:09:15] Speaker C: Jesus body was stolen.
[00:09:17] Speaker A: His body was stolen. Okay, now we'll take these in turn. But Jesus's body was stolen. What might be an issue with that theory? Seth or anybody can answer the giant stone.
Sure, sure. But, you know, people rolled the stone in front.
Yeah. There were guards there. So how could it have been stolen?
[00:09:42] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
[00:09:47] Speaker A: There were witnesses that saw him afterwards.
Okay, yeah. And, you know, did we think that the disciples could have fooled or outwitted or, you know, defeated all of the guards? Seems very, very unlikely, actually. Probably just impossible.
Okay, yeah. So the claim that he. They stole him and then claimed he rose again Again, we might ask why, you know, why would they then take this, this lie so far unto their own deaths?
They much lowered the quality of their life by doing that.
So, yes, it is a weak, terrible theory for that reason. What's another theory? Caleb, I saw your hand, actually.
Yeah. So Jesus faked his death.
Okay. What might be the problem with that? That seems like. Yeah, what if he did? Maybe they stabbed him in his side.
[00:10:46] Speaker B: Okay, yeah, yeah.
[00:10:51] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:10:58] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
[00:11:06] Speaker A: What are you guys going to say?
If he never died, then it never. Would it cost more?
Yeah, yeah. I mean, of course that's true.
Yes, I think. Are there any other problems? You have a different one. This is kind of what he's saying.
[00:11:23] Speaker C: The Roman.
[00:11:25] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:25] Speaker A: They knew what they were doing. Pro killers, you might call them.
[00:11:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:30] Speaker A: So again, it would be strange for us to really hold this theory. It would take a lot of faith to hold that theory, wouldn't it?
What's another theory?
David, you had your hand up. Did you have a different theory that people have that he never existed? Yeah. What would be an issue with this?
His historical accounts. And even more and more, no credible scholar, even liberal scholar, denies his historical existence.
Okay, other theories.
Yeah, yeah, he died and they just kind of made it up again. So we kind of answered this earlier. What would be an issue with that?
People saw him. People saw him.
They brutally lost their lives, with the exception of John, who lived in exile on an island.
So it really does seem strange why they would go to those lengths.
Any others that you guys have heard of? There actually are a couple others.
Let's go over a couple others. The women went to the wrong tomb and found it empty. Yes, some people do think this. They just got lost. I think that's maybe an offensive stereotype, but I don't think that's. There's just no way that this happened. Plus, as well as if you're imagining the guards, they knew where he was buried. A friend buried him. So this also doesn't make sense. Another one. Jesus and some others wanted to fake his death, but then he actually died. And so they had a guy pretend to be the risen Jesus. Yes, some people do believe this as well. This is just an absurd conspiracy yet again. And then the last one that I know of, again, there might be more. The last one I know of is that the disciples just hallucinated or imagined this. Again, a large group hallucination or imagination seems maybe the most odd of the bunch.
Again, would take absurd amounts of faith to believe.
So we know from all of this and from Historical accounts as well as the Gospels, which are themselves history.
Jesus was certainly dead. He was certainly buried. He certainly rose again. And he was witnessed in his resurrection body by over 400 people.
And the Bible that we see written was at least, if not completely written and completed while there were still living witnesses on earth, all of them.
So his resurrection was certainly true. And as we said at the beginning, we need it to be. We need it to be. But thankfully it is.
And as mentioned before, if the resurrection is not true, then our faith is worthless. Like Paul writes in First Corinthians 15:14, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
And now I want us to think about why this might be. Why is it so central? Yeah, we know it's central, right? You know, the Christian symbol that most people would recognize is a cross.
Specifically, at least in Reformed or Protestant traditions, it's an empty cross. There's no man on it because he's been raised. He's not still dead.
And so this is important. We know it's important, but why?
Well, I think it's because something actually happened again when he died. Yes, in the moment, the people there would have been sad. But looking back, we know that this moment was triumphant. It was not just a depressing moment when he died. And we thought all was lost. But atonement was accomplished when he said, it is finished, that work was completed. Finished. But the resurrection was still important because it it further completed and consummated his work in a special way.
So here are some of the ways that his resurrection is important for salvation and our belief. 1 Peter 1:3. If you want to write that down, 1st Peter 1:3 says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
So he has caused us through this resurrection, to be born again. Right. Atonement covered. But the act of being born again and given new life in Christ is accomplished at resurrection. So this means what we call regeneration or conversion is only possible because he rose again.
And we need new birth if we want to be saved. This is so important to our faith. Another verse that helps us understand why the resurrection is important is Romans 4:24 25, which says, it will be counted to us who believe in him, who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and, and raised for our justification.
The justification is a different category which, you know, we'll study in time when we get there. But this is the legal declaration that you are righteous. Christ's righteousness is credited to you. So the Father looks on you with his righteousness. And Paul is saying, this is not possible without the resurrection of the dead. This completes that work of justifying every single believer in Christ.
A third reason that this is important for our Faith comes from 1 Corinthians 15:12, 17. 1 Corinthians 15:12, 17.
Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God, that He raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. So again, he repeats that salvation is important, but more than that, the resurrection in the last days.
Without the resurrection of Christ, there is no resurrection in the end. But we all remain dead. Not with renewed and glorified bodies existing in eternity, as God intended people to exist, as embodied souls. But this very belief central to eternity goes away if Christ is not raised. But more than that, justification and conversion also are gone.
Now, finally, for the resurrection, I want us to think about what we practice in the local church that depicts the resurrection. Is there anything we do regularly or periodically that depicts the resurrection?
The Lord's Supper. Yeah. Why does the Lord's Supper represent that?
[00:19:29] Speaker C: It was representing his sacrifice whenever he died on the cross.
[00:19:39] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:19:39] Speaker A: And I think, what do we say? We take this. When we take it, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Until he comes means we believe he's alive. You said Easter. Yeah, that's a great answer. We also celebrate that every single year. And that's remembering. Is there anything else?
Baptism. Yeah, exactly.
So last week, I had a bunch of people raise their hands if they have been baptized, you know, who you are. The. The act of doing it, which I think is reaffirmed here, typically by the baptizer saying that you are buried with Christ in death and raised to walk in a new life, in newness of life, is often how it's said. This is depicting the resurrection. You're dying to your sins. You're alive in Christ we do this publicly for the sake of obedience and for that individual. But all of us there watching are watching the gospel. Just as we sing the gospel and preach the gospel and read the gospel and pray the gospel, we are witnessing it when we practice baptism or the Lord's Supper.
That's great. And Paul says in Romans 6, 3, do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
So this means that if you have partaken this, you have died to your sin and have been raised to new life in Christ.
As we study this, I want us to reflect on our lives too. Does your life reflect that? When you look at your life day to day, does it look like a life that has really died to sin and is alive in Christ?
Or does it maybe look more like you are still kind of living in sin? You are still holding on to those things. You're not willing to put them to death.
Though we still struggle with sin, Baptism doesn't make you perfect. Are you willing to put that sin that you're holding to death, or are you still worshiping it? Are you unwilling to let it go and turn from it?
That's something to think about.
But now let's move on to the Ascension, the second point, which will be shorter because there's much less scripturally on the Ascension. But we believe it to be true. So we'll go to a different gospel to Luke 24. So this should be the last chapter of Luke right before the Gospel of John, if you're still there.
Luke 24. And look at verse 50.
And he led them out as far as Bethany. And lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Now, why is it important that Jesus ascended?
[00:22:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:06] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it you. I think you're on the right track. At least it's important that he is in heaven now.
He is with the Father. He is. He is Lord. He is Christ. This affirms that he came from the Father as you witness. And all of those people witness him go back to the Father. That's really important.
And it reminds us for, especially as an encouragement for those of us who have Christian family members that have passed, that the dead believers are with him in glory. He is not just like somewhere hiding on the earth. He is in heaven. Those who die in Christ are with him there.
Second Corinthians 5, 6, 8 says so we are always of good courage. We know that while we're at home in the body, we're away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
This is so important for us to remember in our Christian lives. I think it should give us courage and confidence as we share our faith, not to be afraid of man, what other people might think, say or do to us or about us.
But we instead fear the Lord, knowing that to live is Christ and to die is gain. That to be with him in glory is indeed better if you do know him and have faith in Him.
So that's the ascension. Let's talk about the session of Christ while we still have the session or the enthronement.
The session of Christ refers to his crowning, his enthronement. We read about this in the Bible, Ephesians 1:20, 23. If you want to write that down or flip there. Ephesians 1:2023 says that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Now, what about Christ?
And you might need to flip there to look through it. What about Christ stands out in this passage? What are some of the features that seem to be important?
What stands out about Christ? What seems to be important about him and where he is According to Ephesians 1:20, 23?
Yeah, he is seated in the heavenly places, like we said. He ascended. And he is there.
Yeah, authority over everything. He is the ruler of rulers. Again, so important for us.
Yeah, it proves his dependency. I think that's true.
Anything else?
There are probably numerous other things, but at least one thing I also want to point out is that he's the head of the church. This is important. As you know, we are to worship with the church when we go across and gather together.
I think basically all of you, your families are involved in the church. This is a very relevant part of your lives.
It just is. And for him to be the head of the church, for the church to be his body means something for your everyday life.
You must obey the head of the church. He is the God who sits on the Throne. He has all power and authority over all things. Do you take that seriously?
Are you searching and studying the Word? And this would be one way to take it seriously, knowing that he is on the throne, he is in command of all powers.
Let's get to know Him. Let's try to learn how to study the Word. I know it's easier said than done, but this is a discipline that you really only get better at with practice and trial and discipline and consistency, studying and reading day after day after day after day.
But over time, with the help of others even, but also with the help of the Spirit, you know him greater and better and you are conformed into his image.
Another way we can obey this God who sits on the throne, take this seriously, is to do what we can to kill sin in our life. Not to cover it up from other people, but to bring it to light to trusted fellow Christians who will help us to avoid that sin.
You must value the Church because it is the Body of Christ. So I want you to think, do you love the Church?
Do you have maybe negative feelings when you're here?
Do you really love the Church? Do your actions show that you love the Church?
You cannot love Christ and hate his bride. It just doesn't work that way. You can't love the head and hate the Body because He loves the Church and we should love what he loves.
And that's important for us as we just reflect on all of these truths, is how is this going to affect our lives? Christ is risen. If you are in Christ, if you have turned to him in faith from your sins, you have new life in him. And you can have confidence as he has ascended and is enthroned even today with all power and authority while you wait for him to return, to establish forever and even more clearly his power and authority over the world.
Let's just remember this as we pray and as we worship with the Church this morning.
Father God, we thank you for the Word. We thank you for Christ.
God. You raised him from the dead and given new life to those who are found in Christ.
Lord, help us to be conformed to his image. Reveal to us the blind spots where we are living in sin. Give us the boldness to proclaim his name, to turn from sin, to live holy unto you. O God, help us to love the Church more and more. Today we pray this in Christ's name. Amen.
