S2E29 – The Apostles’ Creed, Part 6: Our Living Hope

Hello, my friends, and welcome back to the Spray UMC Podcast.

I'm Hoyt.

Today we come to the final episodes in our journey through the Apostles' Creed.

Over these past weeks we have walked through the great truths of the Christian faith.

We began with God the Father Almighty.

We followed Jesus from Bethlehem to Calvary.

We stood before the empty tomb, celebrated His resurrection, His ascension, His present ministry, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now the Creed brings us to its final words.

I believe in the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

These are not simply the last lines of an ancient creed.

They are the destination of the gospel itself.

Everything we have studied has been leading us here.

The forgiveness of sins is more than God pretending our sins never happened.

At the cross, justice and mercy met.

Scripture tells us that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John reminds us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive.

Have you ever met someone who believed God could forgive everyone except them?

The cross answers that fear.

If Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to save the worst of sinners, then it is sufficient for you and for me.

Grace is not a reward for good people.

Grace is God's gift to those who know they need a savior.

The creed does not merely promise life after death, it proclaims the resurrection of the body.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul declares that because Christ has been raised, those who belong to him will also be raised.

Death is still an enemy, but it is a defeated enemy.

For the Christian, the cemetery is not the end of the story.

One day Christ will make all things new.

Our hope rests not in wishful thinking, but in the empty tomb.

When we hear the words everlasting life, we sometimes think only of endless time.

Jesus describes eternal life as knowing God and living forever in His presence.

Revelation gives us a beautiful picture of that future.

God will dwell with His people, He will wipe away every tear, death shall be no more.

Mourning, crying, and pain will pass away because Christ makes all things new.

That is the future every believer has in Christ.

For many years I thought following Christ meant climbing a ladder high enough for God to finally accept me.

But the gospel teaches something entirely different.

Grace is not a ladder we climb.

Grace is the hand of God reaching down to us through Jesus Christ.

We are not saved because we climbed high enough.

We are saved because Christ came down low enough to rescue us.

Six episodes ago we began with two simple words.

I believe.

Those words are more than a statement to memorize.

They are an invitation to trust the living Christ.

My prayer has never been that you would simply learn the apostle's creed.

My prayer has been that through the creed you would come to know the Savior, it proclaims.

If somewhere someone listening to these episodes opens a Bible, discovers Jesus Christ, and finds hope in him, then every hour spent studying, writing, recording, and praying has been worth it.

Because of Christ, our past is forgiven, our present is filled with hope, our future is secure.

That is the gospel.

The Creed itself cannot save us, only Jesus Christ can.

The Creed faithfully points us to Him, but He alone forgives sins, raises the dead, and gives everlasting life.

As we conclude this series, may these words never become routine.

May they deepen our faith, strengthen our witness, and remind us every day that our hope is not built upon an ancient confession, but upon a living Savior.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, thank you for forgiving our sins, for conquering death, and for the promise of everlasting life.

Thank you that our hope rest not in ourselves, but in your finished work.

Help us to live as people of hope, proclaim the good news with humility and courage, and faithfully follow you until the day faith becomes sight.

In your holy name we pray.

Amen.

Thank you for joining me today.

If you do not have a church home, we would love to have you worship with us at Spray United Methodist Church, located at eight oh three Morgan Road in Eton, North Carolina.

We are a loving church where we love God and love people.

All people.

Until next time, may the grace of God rise before you and keep you safe.

Goodbye.