“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary”

What we believe about the conception of Jesus is as supernatural as what we believe about His resurrection.

Matthew 1:18-23,Luke 1:26-38

Jesus began life experiencing the womb and birth, and grew up from an infant to a man, as a human.

1 John 4:2, 2 John 7,John 1:14

Hebrews 4:15 – Jesus, even though He is fully God, is able to empathize with our weaknesses.

There are those who believe that Jesus was a good man, a rabbi, or a prophet. The virgin birth does not allow us any of those options.

Jesus is God made flesh, the union of humanity and divinity.

“Suffered under Pontius Pilate”

Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate in a way that we will never fully understand.

Mentioning Pilate by name roots the crucifixion of Jesus as a historical event.

Pilate had the final authority from Rome to order the crucifixion.

“Was crucified, died, and was buried”

That Jesus was crucified around 30 AD is seen by many as an uncontested historical fact.

The crucifixion was a horrible death, one of the most sadistic and brutal forms of capital punishment ever invented by the darken hearts of humans.

Matthew 27:50,John 19:30 – Jesus, of His own volition, gave up His spirit and died.

“He descended into hell”

This is the most misunderstood line of the Apostles’ Creed.

Jesus went to a place called Hades or Sheol: the place of the dead.

Jesus did not go to Heaven between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. John 20:17

As fully human, Jesus experienced death the same as all humans: His body was dead and buried, but His spirit was separated from it.

“The third day He rose again”

He did not stay in a separated state of body and soul. Death and Hades could not contain Him!

Acts 2:31-32,Revelation 1:17-18

We believe that Jesus was physically raised from the dead.

His spirit was reunited with a transformed body.

1 Corinthians 15:50

Jesus’ resurrection is crucial to our salvation and our new life everlasting.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 1Corinthians 15:17,Romans 4:25, 1Peter 1:3

Our justification, forgiveness, new birth, and new life are possible because of both the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Why?

Love –John 3:16-18,Romans 5:8