A Summary of Our Christian Faith and Historical Documents of the Christian Church

 

 There is one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God the Father made all things through the Son, sent the Son for our salvation, and gives us the Holy Spirit.

 The Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, and is the perfect revelation of the Father and the perfect representative of humanity. He suffered and died on the cross for all human sin, was raised bodily on the third day, and ascended to heaven. Standing in for all humanity before the Father, Jesus Christ provides the perfect human response to God. Since he died for all, all died in him, and all will be made alive in him.

 The Holy Spirit brings sinners to repentance and faith, assures believers of their forgiveness and acceptance as God’s dearly loved children, and works in them to conform them to the image of Jesus Christ.

 The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God that testifies to Jesus Christ. The Bible is fully authoritative for all matters of faith and salvation.

 Salvation comes only by God’s grace and not by works, and it is experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians respond to the joy of salvation when they gather in regular fellowship and live godly lives in Jesus Christ.

 We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.

 Historical Documents of the Christian Church

 A creed is a brief statement of faith used to enumerate important truths, to clarify doctrinal points, and to distinguish truth from error. Creeds are usually worded to be easily memorized. The word creed comes from the Latin word credo, meaning, “I believe.” The Bible contains a number of creed-like passages. For example, Jews used the Shema, based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9, as a creed. St. Paul wrote simple creed-like statements in 1 Corinthians 8:6; 12:3; and 15:3-4. 1 Timothy 3:16 also appears as a creed, a concise statement of belief.

 As the early church spread, there was a practical need for a statement of faith to help believers focus on the most important doctrines of their Christian faith. 

The Apostles’ Creed is appropriately named not because the original apostles wrote it, but because it accurately reflects the teaching of the apostles. Church fathers Tertullian, Augustine, and other leaders had slightly different versions of the Apostles’ Creed, but the text of Pirminius in A.D. 750 was eventually accepted as the standard form.

 As the church grew, heresies also grew, and the early Christians needed to clarify the defining boundaries of the faith. In the early 300s, before the canon of the New Testament had been finalized, controversy developed over the divinity of Jesus Christ.

At the request of Emperor Constantine, Christian bishops from across the Roman Empire met at the town of Nicea in 325 to discuss the matter. They wrote their consensus in the form of a creed, called the Creed of Nicea. In 381, another major council was held at Constantinople at which the Creed of Nicea was slightly revised to include a few more doctrines. The resulting Creed is called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, or more commonly, the Nicene Creed.

 In the next century, church leaders met in the city of Chalcedon to discuss, among other things, questions about the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ. The result was a Definition of Faith they believed to be true to the gospel, true to apostolic teaching, and true to the Scriptures. This statement is called the Definition of Chalcedon or the Faith of Chalcedon.

 Regrettably, creeds can become formal, complex, abstract, and sometimes equated with Scripture. When properly used, however, they facilitate a concise basis for teaching, safeguard correct biblical doctrine, and create a focus for church fellowship. These three creeds are widely accepted among Christians as consistent with the Bible and as statements of true Christian orthodoxy, or right teaching.

 The Nicene Creed (A.D. 381)

 We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.

 We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father.

 Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

 He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

 We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.

 We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.

 We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 (Translation based on The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)

The Apostles’ Creed (c. A.D. 700)

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

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

 He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

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

 (Translation based on I Believe by Alister McGrath, Downer’s Grove, Il.: InterVarsity Press, 1997)

 The Definition of the Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the Person of Jesus Christ (Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451)

 Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach people to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in humanness, truly God and truly human, consisting also of a  reasonable soul and body; of one substance (homoousios) with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his humanity; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his humanity begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only–begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the Fathers has handed down to us. Amen.

 (Translation from The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)

  The Athanasian Creed or Quicunque Vult=(Whosoever will) (350-415? AD)

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence.

 For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Spirit.

 The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Spirit unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty.

 

So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Spirit Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the common religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten.

 The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshiped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

 Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.

 This is the common faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

 There are some uncertainties as to who put the Athansius' Creed together, however the Theology found in its text reflects Athansius'.

  Benediction:May we each and all, regardless of which Church, ministry, association, tradition or denomination we are bound to ever rejoice in the preservation of these historic documents which keep us grounded in Orthodox Christian beliefs and which speak to us of  all that our Lord Jesus has accomplished for us as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

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                       “If It's Not About Jesus, It's Not About Anything"

Jesus Ascended

 "While He was blessing them, He parted from them and ascended into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God."  Lk: 24:51-53

After the Resurrection Jesus spent time with his Disciples speaking to them about the Kingdom of God and how as followers of Jesus, they, and all believers should live.

Jesus, in many ways, demonstrates to them that it is he himself. They know that he lives and there is no doubt in their minds that this is true.

The Son of God

The disciples come to understand, through the reality of the resurrection that Jesus is the Son of God, and that Jesus is worthy of all reverence and worship, that is, Jesus is ascended in their minds, he is lifted up.

"and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord," Rm:1:4

The Resurrection has confirmed Jesus' divinity, that he is fully God even as he is fully human. The Resurrection has also confirmed the power of the cross, for without the Resurrection the cross would have no meaning.

Jesus Ascends

They have come to see Jesus as no mere "Earth-bound" personality, that is, “just a man ", rather they have come to see who Jesus is; the Son of God. Jesus has not just bodily changed locations, that is from Earth to Heaven, rather Jesus has ascended in their hearts and minds.

Jesus is lifted up, that is "exulted" in their view and understanding of who Jesus is he has drawn them to himself and they worship him.

"And I, when I am lifted up (Exulted) from the earth, will draw all people to myself." Jhn: 12:32

Through  Jesus' saving work for each and all humanity, Jesus is exulted, he has drawn all humanity to himself, which means, Jesus has accomplished all of our salvation, which none of us could have done. Salvation is freely offered if we will but freely recive it through faith in Christ and by grace alone.

 At The Throne of God

Jesus is ascended and we now see him there at the throne of God as our Great High Priest on our behalf.

But with, and through Jesus, our Lord has ascended "humanity", all of us, within himself in his glorified Resurrected state, this means, in Jesus we now are raised up and ascended along with Jesus.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph: 2:4-10

The Great God, through the glorified humanity of his Son Jesus Christ, views each of us to be with him and present in Jesus' glorified person.

This was made possible by the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity taking on our humanity in the Incarnation.

Understand, Jesus is not the Son of God because He was sent, but rather, Jesus was sent because he is the Son of God.

The Incarnation, that is, Jesus' humanity, God in the flesh, makes the cross and His death and resurrection possible. By being one of us, that is being fully human, Jesus could die for all of us and being fully God, his life is worth more than the sum total of all humanity, this is why Jesus' blood has a greater value than any others and the sum total of all.

The value of the blood is found in the value of the life it sustains; the blood of Jesus sustained the life of God in the flesh therefore is of infinitely greater value than the sum total of All humanty.

When Jesus was resurrected, he did not leave his humanity in the tomb, but rather Jesus' humanity was glorified, and Jesus is, even now, still both fully God and full human. Humanity and deity have been given union in Jesus.

 The Vicarious Humanity of Jesus

It is in Jesus being "one of us" he can be our perfect representative for all who will but freely receive it, so that when God looks upon us, the Father sees Jesus and when he looks upon Jesus the Father sees us. This is partly what the ancient church called "the vicarious humanity of Jesus" that is Jesus, provides us each and all who but freely receive it, with the perfect human response for each and all of us to God and accomplish our salvation, we can enter this salvation by simply receiving it freely.

Jesus is "God with us" through the presences of God the Holy Spirit, who manifested in the lives of the Disciples ten days after Jesus' bodily Ascension on Pentecost, He is "us with God" in his glorified humanity.

This speaks to each and all of us that when Jesus is Ascended in our hearts and minds, that means when we see him for who he is, the Spirit of God then manifest in the lives of believers.

Believers Ascended

Believers are even now with Jesus in the Heavens this is what the Apostle St. Paul was speaking of in Ephesians, that we believers share in Jesus' Son-ship even now, that is Jesus has "drawn all men to himself".

" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; "Eph:1:3-7.

When we enter eternity, it only shows us what is already true for us in Jesus.

Gifts for Us

When Jesus ascended, he bestowed upon us "gifts" through the Holy Spirit that we may use to live out his ministry and life upon the Earth, we, the Church, Christians, do collectively what Jesus did personally.

"Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and  Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Why he said, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ":Eph:4:1-13

Preparing A Place

Our Lord is even now working with, in and for us as Jesus oversees our salvation. Jesus is preparing us for eternity and eternity for us. That place is under preparation and will be fully ours when we enter Eternity, but it is ours even now in and with Jesus.

Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also"Jhn:14:1-3

Jesus is there as us "not just one of us”, that is humanity thru him, is with God, Jesus is there to being for us everything we need Him to be, we shear in His ascension in His humanity's He is there for each of us if we will freely receive it.

 Being Our Priest

Jesus has passed into the Heavens and is therefore us that we can approach our God in times of our need, Jesus acts on our behalf. Jesus has walked this Earth and understands our life for he has lived it, God has seen our human existence thru our eyes, not just witnessed it from afar or remotely.

Jesus knows what the human condition is our Lord has faced life's challenges Jesus knows what we all go through from first hand experiences. Therefore, we can be assured of divine assistance when we are in need.

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"Heb:4:14-16

His Ascension is Ours

The Ascension of Jesus into the Heavens is not just about his Ascension alone, Jesus has not left us behind to spiritually "fend for ourselves", but rather in him we have ascended with Jesus and even now.

Jesus' Ascension guarantees, that ultimately our place in eternity is there, of which he is now in preparing for us and in us.

When Jesus is Ascended in our hearts and minds, we worship him and can be fully assured that we will join Him in glory, fully experiencing the Ascension that we have in him, that Jesus is for us.

The Ascension of Jesus not only grants us a future confidence but even now a present confidence here in this life knowing that Jesus is there standing for and with us and being "Us with God" and "God with Us"

We then will worship , for  Jesus has  Ascended  ......Jesus' Ascension is Our Ascension......

Benediction: May we each and all ever look to Jesus who is ascended in our hearts and minds, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

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                       “If It's Not About Jesus, It's Not About Anything"

 

 

The Ascension: Jesus’ Going

 

“But very truly I tell you, 

it is for your good that I am going away.” John: 16:7a

Part of the Great Fifty Days of the Season of Easter is the Ascension which is observed Ten days prior to the Day of Pentecost

As Jesus was awaiting his arrest, he gave his Disciples words which they would need in order to understand the events which they had, and would be part of. Jesus tells them that he himself would be personally and bodily leaving them as a result of the events which were about to unfold.

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going” Jhn: 14:1-4

 As the conversation with the Disciples progresses, Jesus explains that his purpose for departing and “going” is ultimately an advantage for those who would follow him.

The Advocate

Jesus then introduces a whole new dimension to the Disciples relationship with himself and his Father which his “going” will provide for them.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (16-18)

This new relationship of the coming Advocate is vital for the Disciples and all who would come after them . This Advocate would work in their lives in ways that ,up till this time they had not experienced but had seen modeled in the person of Jesus himself.

It because of Jesus’ “going” that the Disciples would exceed even Jesus' own works which he had done among them.

“whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”. (12)

 Jesus wanted the Disciples to understand that his “going” should not be interpreted as abandonment, but rather, that the Advocate would manifest Jesus’ presence in the  lives of his Disciples in an all-new way, giving depth to their relationship with God which had not been previously available to them or even to some of the servants of God in the past.

Jesus tells them that the Advocate whom would come, would bring a new understanding about Jesus and who he is and what he did and said.

 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” Jhn: 15:26-27

For the Good

Jesus sensing the disquieting a rising in the hearts and minds of the Disciples hr then assures them that his “going” is for their benefit.

“None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” Jhn:16:5b-7

Jesus tells the Disciples that this is all for the good , that he goes in order that the Advocate might come and bring this deeper relationship to them.

The work of the Advocate in their lives would provide Jesus’ Disciples more than they understood that his “going” was and is truly a blessing.

The conventions of the flesh which had limited the Disciples' relationship with Jesus were now surmounted. Jesus would be, through Jesus’ “going” and the Advocates coming, a Lord who would guide them and teach them and bring an intimacy which they had not known before. This is why Jesus tells his Disciples that his “going” is for their good.

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.” John: 16:7a

In the Heart

The coming of the Advocate into the very heart of the worshipers of the Creator God was foreseen long ago by the Prophet Ezekiel.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws”. Ezk: 36:26-17

The Advocate’s coming at Jesus’ “going” , would transform his Disciples and lead them to live as God had always intended humanity to live. Being guided and led not by an external cause, that is, seeing and following a risen Jesus “in person” ,which means seeing and interacting with him, but rather worshipers of God would be led by the indwelling Spirit who intimately speaks to and transform them from within giving believers an all new heart conformed to the true intent of God’s Holy Law to live by and an all new level of relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit who indwells the heart and speaks to us from within our own being and united us to God and to one another.

Hearing Jesus’ Voice

Jesus as the Good Shepherd tells us that his flock hears his voice

  “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice and My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me”. Jhn: 10:4, 27

That is , the Holy Spirit along with Scriptures ,speaks to the believer and leads them to follow Jesus. This guidance in the lives of believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit is hinted at in through the Prophet Isaiah.

 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isa: 30:21

The unseen presence of our Lord through his Spirit is there to lead us in the way which we are to go in life.

St. Paul attested to the truth that believers experience a new and deeper relationship as the Children of God through being led by the Spirit.

 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God”. and “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” Rm: 8:14,16

Over time, as we gain experience and are led by the Holy Spirit we being to be transformed and live out of our relationship with Jesus. We begin to be able to discern and understand God’s will for us and his best intent for our lives not through a codified statement of moral or ethical tenets but we begin to understand and be able to navigate deeper issues seeing what is or is not approved by God.

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Heb: 5:14

His Going

Jesus has gone and has ascended in glory to the heights of Heaven leaving a visual and bodily vacancy which has been filled through Jesus sending us his very Spirit to lead us.

“By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Jhn: 7:39

Over time we find that we have grown in our relationship with our Lord in ways which having him bodily present would have kept us from having in this life time and this side of eternity.

Even at his “going” Jesus blesses his Disciples and assures them that they are not alone and nor will they ever be that though there is a visual vacancy created by his bodily “going” he yet ever present with his people even until the end.

 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."Matt:28:20b

We have been joined to Jesus and to each other in an ever more intimate way than the conventions of the flesh could accomplish. This is why Jesus tells his Disciples throughout the ages. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.”.

This new and deeper more intimate relationship with Jesus is what God had always intended for us, not a just a relationship which could be limited by the conventions of the flesh but one which grows even more intimate with our God and one another all made possible by Jesus’ going and the Spirit’s coming.

Benediction: May we each and all ever grow in the intimate relationship which his going has provided for any who will but receive it, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If It's Not About Jesus, It's Not About Anything"