The Three Ecumenical Creeds: The Apostles’ Creed

Further Thoughts on the Apostles' Creed from the Hospital Bed

In my last posting on the Baptismal Creed, I mentioned that the legend developed in some of the early Church fathers that the Apostles’ Creed was just that - each of the blessed Twelve on Pentecost Day took their turn adding an article, therefore answering, so to speak, the question of what in the world are we going to preach and teach concerning God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thus some have divided the Creed not by three parts by each person of the Most Holy Trinity, but by twelve petitions or assertions…

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, died and was buried. He descended into hell. 

The third day He rose again from the dead. 

He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 

From thence He will come 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.

When I woke up from Covid slumber now almost thirteen months ago, around about the 10th of October, 2021, after two months asleep (six weeks of which were on the ventilator fighting to live), I testify (read more here) that although I had lost fifty pounds (mostly muscle - I do NOT recommend this diet method!), indeed God had preserved this Jonah/Lazarus in mind, body, and faith in Christ. I distinctly remember taking stock of my hospital bed and room at Kindred Hospital, Indianapolis. Thanks be to God, I remembered my family, my friends, my catechism, my Scriptures, my hymns, and my prayers.

That day, I prayed through the Small Catechism of Dr. Luther, and I came to the Apostles’ Creed. And you know what hit me hard?

The third day He rose again from the dead. 

Jesus, my Savior, has risen from the dead. And you know what, Sutton? He has awoken you from (nearly) the dead - and there must be a reason. There must be. He rose again from the dead. Our gracious Lord in His providence decided - and I know so many who did not make it through their battle with Covid, and with other diseases - for me, there would be more time in this vale of tears. Time to serve Him. Time to live under Him in His Kingdom and serve Him.

So it became my ongoing prayer: Lord, you raised me to live on in this temporal life. If it is your will, raise me as well up out of this hospital bed, raise me to walk in my own home, raise me so that I might once again serve You, my wife, my sons, my family, my friends, my Church family…

It became a real mantra for me. He rose again from the dead. You have, and you will. And if He has done what He has already done, He can do even more if He wills it. “Lord, you have this.” And He did, and does. And within a few nights, God began waking up my sleeping body - my hands, arms, torso, legs, and as of right now, I’m still waiting patiently on my right foot (it still drops but I can walk on it). And God allowed me eventually to walk back into my own home. And into my church. And He’s even given me an opportunity or two to preach His blessed Gospel once again.

You too will rise from the dead. “Because I live, you also shall live,” promises Jesus. (St. John 14.19) We know, one pastor I respect once preached, what Jesus has done with death beds - and hospital beds I’ll add - “He’s gotten death done and over with.” Not to mention smaller things, like learning to talk again, eat again, breath again, sit up again, stand up again, walk again.