He Descended to the Dead. On the third day he rose again.

Due to a couple of odd Thursdays, it has been three weeks since we have discussed the Apostles' Creed.  We spent more time on review than usual, but they jumped back in after the refresher.  I don't know how much they got out of our discussion, but I know they'll remember the movie clip.  If a picture says 1,000 words, a good movie clip can say much, much more.

Apostles' Creed Week 7

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And 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, dead, and buried; he descended to the dead.  On the Third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

Review

"He Descended to the Dead.  On the third day he rose again."

Main point: Jesus conquered death as death tried to hold him but could not.

Why is important that Jesus descended to the dead? (Possible Answers)
He was actually dead
Evil actually did its worst (ruined his body, then killed him)
Only in death was Jesus able to defeat death

Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead?
He conquered death
We can participate in his death and resurrection

Follow up Question:
Why does Jesus’ resurrection bring forgiveness of sins?
Jesus defeated death, allowing us to also be free from sin and death
Jesus is the “pioneer” of our faith and did what no human could do
now, we can find freedom in him and become enslaved to Christ Jesus
Jesus give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)

Read 1 Cor 15:12-28

Watch Chronicles of Narnia, from Aslan's Death to shortly after Aslan's resurrection (about 20 minutes, but its exciting there's a lot of action)

Why do you think Aslan rose from the dead?

There is a phrase here, where Aslan is explaining his death.  He talks about a deeper magic than the one the witch knew.

“If the witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she might have interpreted the deep magic differently.  But when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor’s stead, the stone table will crack and even death itself will turn backwards.”

 How do you think this relates to what the Bible says about Jesus’ death?

What about Aslan’s death makes it unique?

Hebrews 2:14-15
“Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.”

What does this verse have to say about Aslan’s death

The witch tells Aslan, “Did you honestly think you by all this that you could save the human traitor? You are giving me your life and saving no one.  So much for love.”

The witch just doesn’t understand Aslan because she works out of death, out of evil.  Yet who wins?  And how is Aslan victorious?

There’s an incredible scene a little bit later where Aslan roars at the witch and the movie kind of makes it look like Aslan eats her.  But its an incredible image of this idea that the Word of God goes forth and abolishes death.  He destroys the one who has the power of death, not with death, but with breathing so much life into death that death is abolished.  This is what the resurrection does!  It breathes so much life into the world that death is abolished.  Death is conquered, it is no more.

What does this mean for us?

Close in Prayer