One Lord Jesus Christ

Recap series so far...

Looking at ancient confession of faith called Nicene Creed. Early church was facing confusion over what was essential to Christian faith, and in particular, challenges by a bishop named Arius that Jesus was created by the Father, not co-eternal with the Father. The Creed defined what Christians should believe at a minimum.

We still live in a time where there is still great confusion over what is “Christian” and what isn’t.

With the Nicene Creed, the early church has thrown us a rope that can help lead us back home.

I have a confession to make: For the most part, I only look at headlines...

Most headlines are ho hum. Don’t really affect my life. It’s just news. I pulled some random examples from my news feed this week:

Angel Reese becomes first pro athlete to walk in Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Who?

Radio City Rockettes ready for holiday season. OK.

Horse lover Pope Leo receives purebred Arabian from Polish donor.

Some of these headlines might be interesting, but they have no real effect on my life. They’re just news.

But some headlines are monumental. Some headlines proclaim something that is so important that, as a result, nothing will ever be the same again:

Cure for polio.

The Berlin Wall has fallen.

Or being a bit of a WW2 buff, The liberation of France (newspaper pic) “the allies have gained a foothold on French soil”. Had been occupied by Nazis. Allies have come! As the Allies liberated one village after another, the people came out in mass to celebrate (celebration pic) “and it was liberation”. At times they were very thankful (kissing pic). This is good news. This is the kind of news that changes everything. News that demands a response.

The next section of the creed that we will begin looking at this morning announces this kind of good news - but it is of a magnitude that swamps all other good news. It announces the beginning of our liberation.

As we did last week, before we get into this week’s teaching, can we recite this creed together?

Recite the creed…

Pray …

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By any measurement, Jesus is the most influential person who has ever lived.

There’s been more books written about him than anyone else.

There’s been more art depicting him.

Time Magazine said “Jesus is the most persistent symbol of purity, selflessness and love in the history of humanity.”

Even our calendars are influenced by him - 2025 AD - anno domini.

As historians have noted, Jesus achieved this vast influence without wealth, a military, or political power. He never traveled more than 30 miles from his hometown, he wrote no books himself, yet his impact dwarfs that of the most powerful kings and empires in history.

No legitimate historian denies that Jesus was a real person who lived in the first century. The question is, “who is he?”

I shared last week that there is much confusion about this answer - even in the evangelical church. 100% of Evangelicals believe that salvation is through Jesus alone. But a staggering 69% believe that he was created by the Father. That somehow a created being - and not God - could redeem humanity.

Who is Jesus and why does this matter for us? The Creed, summarizing what scriptures teaches, gives us the answer.

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“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ...”

What are we saying about Jesus in this statement?

Lord = Jews would not speak the covenant name of God - YHWH - so they substituted Adonai - Lord. In calling Jesus “Lord” they are confessing that the sovereign God and Jesus are the one. But they’re also using the word in another way. Caesar called himself “Lord” - kyrios in Greek. What they and we confess in the Creed is that Jesus, not Caesar or some other ruler, is the world’s true Lord.

Jesus = Yeshua - “The Lord saves”. If Lord is about being the sovereign One, Jesus is about him being the saving One.

Christ = Not his last name. He isn’t Jesus the the some of Joseph and Mary Christ. It is a title. It is from the Hebrew word “mashiach”, or Greek Christos, both mean the same thing. The anointed one or the anointed king. Anyone watch the coronation of King Charles a few years ago? Of course not, we’re ‘mericans. I confess, it did. There was a point in the ceremony where Charles went behind a screen and was anointed by the archbishop. There is this long-standing tradition stretching all the way back to Bible times that to be anointed is to be king. Jesus is the anointed One.

Taken together, what is this part of the Creed proclaiming? This is the first thing we must confess as Christians: Jesus is the only saving King.

This is the heart of the gospel message. It is the headline that overshadows all other headlines. It is the announcement that the world has a new Lord.

The good news is not that Jesus has come so you can go to heaven when you die if you believe in him. The good news is that the God who made everything has come himself in the flesh to make things right again.

Euangelion is the Greek word gospel or “good news”. It’s a word in ancient times that announced momentous events. There’s an ancient inscription dating from 9BC that announces that the Roman empire was changing their calendar to honor Augustus Caesar’s birth (inscription pic). The inscription refers to Augustus as “Savior” and that his reign was “the beginning of good news” - the euangelion. The claim is that everything, including time, is different because Caesar was born.

If that language sounds familiar it’s because we find it in the opening lines of Mark’s gospel:

Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ...”

The early Christians rip the headline from this political propaganda statement by the Empire and said “not true of Augustus, totally true of Jesus".

Often we treat the gospel like it is good advice. I come to church bc maybe it can help me live better. Or maybe it can help my marriage. Maybe it will offer tips on getting ahead financially. But the gospel is not good advice; it’s good news. It announcement that Jesus is the only saving king.

We see this in the very first sermon preached after the resurrection of Jesus. Peter is preaching to the crowd at Pentecost and says:

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. [Christ]” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” [OK, I believe Jesus is the only saving King, what do I do? Peter tells us.] Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:36–38, NIV)

The first response to this good news is Surrender - Give your allegiance to King Jesus. The appropriate response to Jesus as the only saving king is full surrender. You may be listening and the truth is that you’ve only given a partial surrender. You come to church. You can be pretty Jesus-y for an hour or so. You like the idea of going to heaven when you die. But you don’t want Jesus to interfere with your life. You want to go to heaven, but you also want to do what you want with your body. You want to do what you want with your money. With your free time. You want to be Lord of your life. But only Jesus is Lord. And you know this, and today is the day to stop playing around the edges and enter fully into life with this saving King. I’d like to lead you in prayer this morning if you are ready to make this commitment.

Heavenly Father, I know I have done wrong. I know I deserve the suffer the consequences of my actions. But I believe Jesus died to take my place, and that he suffered death for me so that I won’t have to. I am making the decision today to surrender myself to you and making Jesus my Lord. Please forgive my sin and make me your child forever. Amen.

If you prayed that with me this morning, please come talk to me or fill out a Connect Card and I’ll reach out to you to talk about next steps.

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The Creed goes on to say...

“...the only 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.”

Here is the primary reason the Nicene Creed was crafted - to answer the question “Who is Jesus?” A bishop named Arius was teaching that Jesus, while the Son of God, was not the same as God. He was lesser and created. He said Jesus was

homoiousios - of similar essences with the Father. He’s divine, just not the same kind of divine as the Father.

But drawing language straight from the NT, the overwhelming majority of the bishops present said was the scripture taught that Jesus was:

homoousios - of the same essence as the Father. One letter different, but makes all the difference in the world.

Forgive me this little bit of theology, but this is the most important question in the world. It is essential that we get this answer correct. Here’s what we must say and not say.

Father and Son, along with the Holy Spirit that we’ll get to later, all share in one essence. Christians are mono-theists - we believe there is one God. This One God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Spirit. Not three Gods, not One God acting in three different ways, but three distinct Persons sharing in one essence.

It also means that Jesus is not a created being. Here lately I’ve been having several Mormon missionaries stop by my house. It’s interesting to hear them talk bc they sound very Christian. They talk about Jesus as a savior and son of God. But what they - along with JW - mean is totally different. They are actually modern day Arians - they believe Jesus is created. That there was a time when he didn’t exist. But listen, a created being could not save us. Only the eternal God could save us.

The second thing we must confess as Christians is that Jesus is the eternal Son of God.

Look at how the NT affirms this language:

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Colossians 1:15–17 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [rank or status] of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Hebrews 1:1–3 “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.”

When I read texts like this it dawns on me that my vision of Jesus is not too large. It’s too small. I think sometimes we imagine Jesus as a little bobblehead Jesus. I need some help and he’s shaking his head. Buddy Jesus. Homeboy Jesus.

But scriptures says we’re praying to the one who made it all, who holds all things together. This is the cosmic, grand Jesus. This vision of Jesus made John fall to his knees in worship in the book of Revelation. Maybe this morning God is wanting to awake a bigger vision of Jesus in your life.

I think the second response this morning is Worship - Gain a bigger vision of Jesus for your life. He is the worthy One. He is worthy of your praise and adoration. The One who holds the universe together is the same one who can hold your life together. This morning maybe you realize that you treat Jesus too casually. Let worship of Jesus guide you into a bigger vision of Jesus.

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Look at the last part we’ll cover this morning...

“For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.”

Here is the hinge of the Creed. I’ve said the last couple of weeks that the Creed isn’t just some fun facts. It tells a story, and here is where we enter the story. Something has been done for us and for our sake. The apostle Paul says it like this:

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

The last thing we must confess as Christians is that Jesus came for us.

Notice something with me; besides Jesus, the only names mentioned in the Creed are Mary and Pilate. And they show up in the paragraph about Jesus coming “for us”. Mary the peasant girl that represent the lowest rung on the socio-economic ladder. Pilate, who while not at the very top of the empire, was the highest official in that area. A person of status and privilege. Who did Jesus come for? Both, and everyone in between. From peasant girl to politician, Jesus came to save all.

Or you can look at it another way, from holy mother - Mary the symbol of purity and obedience to God - to corrupt ruler - Pilate ruthless and power hungry - Jesus came for all.

I bet you’re not as holy as Mary. And I bet you’re not as bad as Pilate. You’re somewhere in between. And Jesus came for you.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him… the Word became human and made his home among us. ” (John 1:1-3a, 14, NLT)

Notice one other thing is this paragraph. It says Jesus was “crucified” and “suffered death”. Seems redundant. They wanted us to know that Jesus truly died. He didn’t just pass out and then woke up later in the nice cool tomb and felt better. The one who was fully God became fully man and fully died. It means that Jesus entered into ever bit of your life and experience.

Story of man who fell in pit: priest - I’ll pray for you - throws a prayer in the pit, doctor - looks painful - writes Rx, friend comes by jumps into the pit with him. He’s like “you idiot now we’re both in the pit”, Friend, “yeah but I’ve been here before and I know the way out.”

Why does it say Jesus was crucified, died, and buried? Bc Jesus got all the way into the pit with you. He went all the way to the very bottom with us in our failure and shame and brokenness.

But the good news the Creed proclaims is that Jesus doesn’t just know the way out, he IS the way out! Jesus went all the way to the bottom with us so that he could save us.

The final response this morning is Trust - Trust Jesus to lift you from the pit. You may feel like life is the pits right now. The pit you’re looking at may be a dire diagnosis. I prayed with someone Wednesday who is likely nearing death. But Jesus has already climbed into that pit - and won. He knows the way out. Your pit this morning may not be physical. It could be emotional, a struggle with depression or with a situation in your life that just doesn’t seem to be getting better. Maybe it’s an addiction that controls you. Whatever it is, Jesus knows the way out of that pit.

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Viewed this way, it is impossible to treat the Creed as just a cold statement of faith. It is the heart of what the good news is. The gospel of Jesus is not just one headline among other headlines. It is the greatest headline of all time. Jesus the only saving King, Jesus the eternal Son of God, this Jesus came for us. And as a result nothing will ever be the same again.

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Invite people to stand. Ask for worship, ministry, and Communion team to come down.

Every Sunday we close our time by receiving Communion together. This symbolic meal reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice. It proclaims the gospel that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again. It is the source of our spiritual nourishment. We believe Jesus is present with us as we receive his body and blood.

We think Jesus invites everyone to this table. If it’s your first time, or you’re not even sure yet where you stand with Jesus, we think he would welcome you here. If you would like to participate, after I pray step into the nearest aisle. Someone at the front will take a piece of bread dipped in wine and offer it to you as the body and blood of Jesus. If you prefer not to have wine, close your hands together and that will be the sign for them to give you a sealed container with grape juice and a wafer.

What is the Spirit doing this morning?...

As we go into our time of Communion let’s prepare our hearts to receive by confessing our sins together:

Merciful God,we confess we have sinned against you,in what we have thought and said,what we have done, and what we have failed to do.

We haven't loved you with our whole heart,and we haven't loved our neighbors as ourselves.

[Take a moment to confess any sins you’re aware of.]

We are sorry and we repent.

For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, so we can follow your will and live in ways that honor your Name. Amen.

Thank God for his forgiveness. For his patience in our struggles. To move us deeper into a life of faith with him.

Thank him that through the blood of his cross he has washed our sins away. Through his victorious resurrection he has guaranteed us eternal life. Through his ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit he has made us one with you.

We remember Him who for us and for our salvation, on the night that he was betrayed...

Come Holy Spirit and overshadow these elements. Let them be for us your body and blood so that we can participate in your redemptive work for us. May we find mercy, healing and salvation through the finished work of the cross. Amen.