Sunday, October 14, 2012

Four Truths that separate us from the World から私たちを引き離す四つの真理


On the third day He rose again;
He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
三日目に死人のうちよりよみがえり、天にのぼり、全能の父なる神の右に座したまえり、かしこより来りて生ける者と死ねる者とを審きたまわん。

He Rose From The Dead  彼は死からよみがえった
He Ascended into Heaven  彼は天に昇って
He Sits at the Right Hand of the Father  彼は、父の右に座っている
He will return again to judge all. 彼はすべてを裁くために再び戻る

1. He Rose From The Dead彼は死からよみがえった
     a. What we believe about this何を我々がこのことに関して信じているか
It is important for each of us to get into the Bible and find our for yourself what you truly believe.  Would it be fair or even healthy for you to put your trust in something that was put together by another person? Or would it be better to not only seek the information but also to firmly believe it as well.  So many cults around the world and from all ages have forced its members to believe all sorts of things.  Bath water to be use in communion.  That the leader preexisted with Creator God.  That he was the final messenger from God with a better plan that what the Bible has.  The list goes on.  But the details of the ends time are one area that has so many different views.  I will not deal with those today but will look at what the Creed speaks to in these words we have before us today.
     b. Why is this important  なぜこれが重要であるか  Doctrinal significance of the Resurrection   復活の教義上の意義
                •   insures our regeneration 私たちの再生を保証 
1Peter 1:3   Here Peter directly connects the resurrection of Jesus with our own regeneration or new birth.  When He rose from the dead, His body was different, it was the “resurrection life” in a human body and a perfect human spirit that was created for an eternal fellowship and obedience to the Father—forever.  In this resurrection, Jesus earned for us a new life just like His.  The body is not ours—not yet—as our bodies are still in conflict with life—in that we are still subject to weakness, aging and death.  But the good news is that our spirit will be changed in our resurrection.  We have the Power of the Resurrection at work in us now.  The proof is found in Paul’s comments in Eph 2:5-6  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
     Col 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  When God raised His Son, He now looks upon us as deserving of the merits Christ received when He came from the Grave. 
There is a great Spiritual power at work in us and many don’t even know about it! Read with me Eph 1:19-20 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms. The same power that was at work in the dead body of Jesus IS at work inside of us…. WHEN we put our trust in Him.  Do you know THAT kind of power?
An illustration from the garden: Once there was a brier growing in a ditch and there came along a gardener with his spade. As he dug around it and lifted it up the brier said to itself, "What is he doing? Doesn't he know I am a worthless brier?" But the gardener took it into his garden and planted it amid his flowers, while the brier said, "What a mistake he has made planting me among these beautiful roses." Then the gardener came once more and made a slit in the brier with his sharp knife. He grafted it with a rose and when summer came lovely roses were blooming on that old brier. Then the gardener said, "Your beauty is not due to what came out but to what I put in."  Are we allowing Jesus to put His Power into our lives?
Paul ALSO sees us who have placed our faith in the Risen Savior as being raised with Him.  Romans 6:4We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life., 11 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. This power can be used by us to gain more and more victory over remaining sin in our lives. (Romans 6:14 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.)  But some of us do not go there.  We are satisfied with our lives---but we are living in the dump when the Lord wants us to live in His luxury!  This has nothing to do with riches or power…this has everything to do with Spiritual power over sin! See Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” . This new power that is at work in us is used by His Spirit to bring about a change in our life style, in proclaiming the Gospel, or working miracles and having a triumphful reality over the enemy.  That is what so important about the regeneration. 
   insures our justification 私たちの正当性を保証
Now, there are a number of words in this study that we don’t use every day.  This is one of them, at least not on a daily use.  Even in the Bible, there is only one verse that connects the resurrection of Jesus Christ with our justification and that is found in Romans 4:25 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification..  (justification means our receiving a declaration that we are NOT guilty but righteous before God.) We have sinned and we are guilty of that before a Holy God.  Jesus stepped into the mix as the substitute for my sin—taking the punishment instead of me—and that His doing that was 1000% covered the penalty for my sin.  Jesus was indeed “put to death for our trespasses” AND He was “raised for our justification.”  When God raised His Son from the dead, it was a sign that He approved Christ’ Work on the Cross—the dying for us part—and that His work is them finished.  No wonder Jesus cried out on the Cross: “It is finished!” Now that He did that, He no longer needed to remain dead.  The ransom was paid in full. In the resurrection of the Son of God, God in effect is saying: “I approve of what You have done and You find favor in My sight!”  Not the first time God said that to His Son.  “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”  No guilt remains!  We are truly set free!  Justification!  Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I am free at last!~ Martin Luther King Jr quotes from a Negro Spiritual. 
    What is justification? It is the declared purpose of God to regard and treat those sinners who believe in Jesus Christ as if they had not sinned, on the ground of the merits of the Savior. It is not mere pardon. Pardon is a free forgiveness of past offenses. It has reference to those sins as forgiven and blotted out. Justification has respect to the law, and to God's future dealings with the sinner. It is an act by which God determines to treat him hereafter as righteous--as if he had not sinned. The basis for this is the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ, merit that we can plead as if it were our own. He has taken our place and died in our stead; He has met the descending stroke of justice, which would have fallen on our own heads if He had not interposed. ~Albert Barnes was born in Rome, New York on December 1, 1798. He was an ordained pastor.
   insures our resurrection bodies 私たちの復活の体を保証
This is called “The Blessed Hope” of the Believer…when we are raised in the last days.  And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His Power” 1 Cor 6:14.  In like manner, 2 Cor 4:14 gives us even more assurance when it says: “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence.”  And when that final harvest takes place, We are called “the First Fruits.”  1 Cor 15:12-58 gives us big picture of a time when our resurrected bodies will be like when, in God’s final ‘harvest’, He raises us from the dead and brings us into His presence.
After Jesus’ resurrection, He still had the nail prints on His hands and feet and the spear stab in His side.  They are His trophies.  His Mark set Him apart from all else that was made.  The scars from the crucifixion are ever so unique because they are an external reminder of His sufferings and death for us.  We on the other hand, will not have those marks of injury or deformity as our new bodies will be perfect, “incorruptible” raised “in glory 

2. He Ascended into Heaven 彼は天に昇って
Death could not hold Him死は彼を抑えることができなかった
     This was the final act of God to break the power of Sin and Death.  Death indeed could not hold Him down BECAUSE He is The Life!  He left that place with His Father to provide the sacrifice that was necessary for ALL Mankind.  Now, His work on earth is over—as far as taking our place and setting us free. Now, His role is to …
3. He Sits at the Right Hand of the Father 彼は、父の右に座っている
His role now is to receive Honor and Glory from all creation.  The Father had lifted Him up—higher than
John 3:14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
John 8:28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on My own but speak just what the Father has taught Me.
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
Eph 4:9-10 9 (What does “He ascended” mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
     Strategic place as this is near to the Throne of God—His Holiness!
     Because this is the highest place of all creation.  Philippians 2:Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name,  10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
4. He will return again to judge all.  彼はすべてを裁くために再び戻る。   His future role 彼の将来の役割
Acts 1:9-11 9 After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? 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.”
     And when He returns, He will sit on the Throne to judge the living and the dead.  Even in the Old Testament, this is spoken about.  David wrote in Ps 110:1  The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
   When He returned to His Home, that part of the promise is fulfilled.  Heb 1:3 sums it up with The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. .”
     Now His work of Redemption is completed.  It would be like you and I when we finished our toils of the day, we sit down and rest ourselves from the hardships of the task.  We enjoy the rest.  A feeling of deep satisfaction fills our heart.  We have accomplished the work.  Now, comes the rest.  Jesus, too, sits down—but He sits at the right Hand of His Father and is the visible demonstration of His finished redemption work.  It truly is finished.
     This also indicates His total authority over creation.  Eph 1:20-21 again ___ . He enjoys being at His Right Hand, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.”  1 Peter 3:22.
Another factor is that at this time, the FULL power of His Holy Spirit will be “Poured outActs 2:33.
     From this position of authority, He will be engaging in Heavens activities.  To tell you the truth, all that is beyond my understanding, but I can tell you this, that will be Glorious.  His splendor and His majesty and His Power on display for eternity!
5. our response.  私達の受け答え
   Will you be with Him?  Do you know Him as your Lord?  Have you asked Him to forgive you for your sins? You have today’s choice to make now. It’s an important decision no one but you can make. Will you make your choice this morning to follow Jesus today?