October 24 Sermon Discussion Guide
On Sunday, we looked at the Creed’s final statements about Jesus, including what the Church confesses about his final acts on earth, what the Church confesses he’s up to today, and what the Church confesses he will do in the future.
Luke’s gospel offers account of both the first Easter morning and Christ’s ascension. In both episodes, there are two white-robed figures present to explain to confused audiences what they’re witnessing.
At the empty tomb, the white-robed figures ask the women, “Why do you seek the living among the dead” and proceed to proclaim that he has risen. They instruct the women to “Remember” what Jesus had told them prior to his death.
Likewise, after Jesus’ ascends, the figures ask the gathered disciples, “Why do you stand looking into heaven” before reassuring them that he will come again.
Luke links these episodes through the witness of the white-robed figures, whose questions and statements not only propel the first witnesses, but also provide the first articulation of language that eventually finds its way into the Apostles’ Creed.
The dual instructions these figures give—to remember Jesus’ death and to look forward to his return—also happen to be what the Church does each time we commemorate the Lord’s Supper (see 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
When we recite the Creed, we conclude our statements about Jesus by affirming his current location (ascended to the right hand of the Father) and his future activity (returning as judge).
Jesus’ place at the right hand of the Father should lead us back to what we’ve previously confessed; namely, that God is Creator, and Jesus is Lord. These truths helps us to direct our thinking about Christ’s return and final judgment in at least two ways:
Christ will indeed come again, but his ascension to God’s right hand doesn’t mean He’s absent. Rather, when we confess that Jesus is Lord now, we mean that he’s present in a new way, having put rulers and authorities (the Pontius Pilates of the world), and even death itself, under his feet.
God in Christ will not only offer judgment in the future, but also does so now. Luke Timothy Johnson offers a helpful framework for what this moment-to-moment judgment sounds like: “If God brings the world into being at every moment and sustains it by his power, then at every moment, the human heart is called into question by God and asked, ‘Whose creature are you? To whom do you belong?’”
Questions for reflection
What do the witnesses to the empty tomb and ascension have in common? What in these accounts of the women at the tomb and the disciples at the ascension do you find relatable to your own experience and life of faith?
What do you find comforting about the description of Christ’s current location and future activity as expressed in the Creed? What do you find troubling?
When it comes to Jesus’ return and final judgment, the Creed is notably silent on questions of how and when, focusing instead on the question of who will do the judging. Have you encountered unhealthy or unhelpful patterns of thinking about the second coming and final judgment? How might the Creed help correct or reorder your thinking?