Hearing the Word of the Lord

Pray: Psalm 2

Read: Mark 15:1-16:8

Sing: Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice (Lutheran Worship #353)

The Apostles’ Creed

The Second Article

Merciful and everlasting God the Father, who did not spare your only Son but delivered him up for us all that he might bear our sins on the cross, grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in our Savior that we may not fear the power of any adversaries; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week, Lutheran Worship, p. 42)

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I.       I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord,

True God, begotten of the Father

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

Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)

He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father?" Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?" And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." (Hebrews 1:5-6)

True Man, born of the Virgin Mary

There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. (Luke 24:39)

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12)

II.     Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death,

Redemption

For you know that is was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

Humiliation / Exaltation

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, RSV)

 Christ's Humiliation - The Perfect Substitute Sacrifice for Sin

I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. (John 10:17-18)

Through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

 The Deliverer from Death

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)

The Conqueror of the Devil

I will put enmity between you (the devil) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel. (Genesis 3:15)

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. (1 John 3:8)

A High Priest Who Offers His Blood

The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

For this reason He had to be made like His brothers 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. (Hebrews 2:17)

For All People

He died for all. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)

Christ's Exaltation - To Proclaim His Victory

In Hell

[Christ] was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison. (1 Peter 3:18-19)

Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)

In the World

God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witness whom God had already chosen- by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. (Acts 10:40-41)

He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:4-8)

[He was] declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)

Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19)

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

From the Right Hand of God

While He was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)

God seated Him [ Christ] at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:20-23)

He ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. (Ephesians 4:10-12)

[Christ] is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:24)

If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (1 John 2:1)

Until His Visible Coming in Glory on the Last Day

As lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:27)

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. (Acts 1:11)

The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-32)

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:22)

III.    That I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness,

Your were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20; RSV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

IV.    Just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)

Let this article, then, be summarized in this way: the little word" Lord" simply means as much as Redeemer, that is, the One who rescued us from the devil to bring us to God, from death to bring us into life, from sin to bring us into righteousness, and now keeps us safe where He has brought us (Large Catechism, 71).

Pray the Catechism

Gracious Father in heaven,

Adoration:            You sent your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from our sin, from death, and from the power of the devil with His innocent suffering and death on the cross,

Confession:          We confess that we have not lived in the freedom of His death and resurrection, but have tried to make up for our sins by our own works;

Thanksgiving:     We thank you, that of your great goodness Christ has made full atonement for all our sins so that we might be your own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in eternal righteousness, innocence, and blessedness;

Supplication:        Grant us a confident faith in your Son Jesus Christ, that we may draw from Him all comfort and assurance when our sins oppress us. Bury our sin and our sinful selves in His death and burial, so that we may rise to live with Him forever when He appears in glory.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.