Apostles' Creed Sermon - 1

Apostles’ Creed – I Believe

Romans 10:9-10

1. Introduction – New Year, new goals. I have two very important goals for our church – at least for the first 6 months of this year.

a. First, I would like us to root and ground ourselves deeper in our knowledge of God. I want us to spend a considerable amount of time looking at what it means to be a Christian…

i. What it looks like and how our lives should look different than the world around us.

1. For the first few months of this year we are going to get back to basics, studying the historic, yet timeless truths of Scripture.

b. After spending time looking at what it means to be a Christian, we are then going to spend a few weeks looking at what it means to be a Baptist church.

i. We are a Baptist church, we are associated with other Baptist churches, in the Elgin Association of Baptist, our denomination is the CBOQ, we are affiliated with CBM and with the BWA.

1. What does that mean? What do Baptists believe? What does it mean and look like to be a Baptist church? In the spring, we are going to explore the distinctives that make us Baptist.

c. But, from now until Easter Sunday, we are going back to basics. For some of you, this study will be a refresher that will hopefully reinvigorate your spiritual fervor.

i. For others, it will be an exercise of discovery as you explore the foundational truths of the Christians faith.

d. But with so many truths, how do we decide what to study? Where to we even begin?

i. Well, if we want to move forward with our Christian walk, sometimes it helps to look back. And in order to guide us through this back to basics series, we are going to employ an ancient document as our tour guide.

1. We are going to use a centuries old document called the Apostles’ Creed.

a. This creed, and others like it, gives a concise summary of some of the key truths of the Christian faith.

e. Its original form was a question/answer format, and in its early existence it was used as a baptismal confession.

i. Listen to the amazing words of this creed. In following weeks, we are going to say it together, but for today, listen as I read these words, and then I’ll explain a few things about it.

1. For some, these are familiar and comforting words. For others, if this is your first time hearing them, they may have seemed a little odd.

f. This morning, I simply want to set the tone for this study. I want to explain to you why I think this is an important document to study.

i. I want to explain to you how it can help us and I’m going to close by making one very important distinction.

g. But before discussing the importance of this creed and what it can do for us, we need to be on the same page about what this creed is not.

2. Not Exhaustive – First, I want you to know that this creed is not exhaustive in its content.

a. It doesn’t contain all the truths and all the doctrines that are taught in the Bible.

i. It contains all the necessary information to lead one to salvation, but it doesn’t contain all the information about living a Christian life, or who God is.

1. The Creed is not minute in its detail; it paints more with broad sweeping strokes.

b. It’s not exhaustive in its content, nor is it meant to be; its purpose is to list the subjects that are of primary importance to a Christian.

i. Here is the Creed written out, I want you notice something. Do you see it. I’ll zoom in on it.

1. Do you see that comma there? That comma represents the entire earthly existence of Jesus.

a. Born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate.

i. 33 years of earthly life. Countless sermons, hundreds of miracles, all that Jesus ever said and did, summed up with a single punctuation mark.

c. Now, we are actually going to spend a week studying all that that comma represents, but this creed is not exhaustive, it’s not an ending point, but a launching point to dive deeper into the trust of God.

3. Not Authoritative – The second thing I want to point out about the creed is that it is not authoritative.

a. And what I mean by that is this. In and of itself – on its own – the Apostles’ Creed has no power. It has no power to shape or rule your life. It is not divinely inspired.

i. We believe that the 66 books of the Bible were written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As such, we believe that when we read the Bible, we are reading the very words of God.

1. However, when we read the Creed, although the words of this creed are incredible and true, these words don’t carry the same weight and authority as the words of Scripture.

a. The power of the creed comes in what it reflects.

b. I’ve heard it explained this way. Think of the Apostle’s Creed like the moon.

i. Now here’s an astronomy lesson for you – the moon has no light of its own; it is completely dark – it doesn’t and can’t generate its own light.

1. The light that we see coming from the moon is actually sunlight reflecting off the moon’s surface, making the otherwise dark moon visible to us on earth.

a. The light that the moon has is simply a reflection.

c. So, think of the Apostles’ Creed like that, on its on it has no power or authority. But it’s power comes in what it reflects – and what it reflects to us in its short and powerful statements are the truths contained in God’s Word. The creed points outside of itself to the truths that are contained in the pages of Scripture.

i. The creed, though not authoritative on its own, generates its power by reflecting the light of Scripture.

1. When read, and understood on its own, it’s a manmade document, with no divine power to guide your faith walk.

a. But, when read and studied alongside what it is reflecting, the Bible, the Creed becomes this power tool – a pathway into a deeper understanding of God, of his Word and the truths that are contained in it.

d. As a result, I want to be very clear about something…over the course of this study, I will not be preaching the Apostles’ Creed. I will be preaching from the Bible, but the Creed is going to be our tour guide.

i. It will be our template, as we seek to root and ground ourselves in the historic and timeless truths of our faith.

4. What the Creed Does – And even though it is not exhaustive and on its own it doesn’t have authority, this creed, when read in parallel with the Bible, actually does 3 really important things for us as Christian.

5. Refocuses – First, the Apostles’ Creed refocuses us on God.

a. So often in the Christian life, we lack proper focus – or we begin to focus on the wrong things.

i. Maybe we begin to focus on all the things we should be doing, or maybe on the things we shouldn’t be doing.

1. Or maybe we’re focused on the things we should be doing but aren’t, or we’re focused on the things we shouldn’t be doing but are.

a. We focus on ourselves…and that’s not what the Christian life is about.

i. This Creed refocuses us; it reminds us that the Christian life is actually about God. I believe in God…

b. This creed reminds us that our main goal as Christians on this earth is to glorify God, we are to enjoy God’s presence in our lives, we are to enjoy the blessings that he pours out on.

i. Yes, there are certain things we do as Christians, but our primary responsibility as a Christian is to further and strengthen our relationship with God.

1. And we do that by focusing on who he is. We focus on his great works of the past, his mighty acts of the present, and the future work he will do.

c. Just look at how God-centered this Creed is. Look at how it is structured. It is thoroughly Trinitarian. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I believe in God the Father, In his only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I believe in the Holy Spirit.

i. The Father is praised, the Son is glorified, and the work of the Spirit is given honour.

1. This creed takes the focus off of us, and places is solely on God. It takes our misplaced focus and readjusts it to where it should be.

6. Well-Rounded – The next thing this creed does for us is that it gives us a well-rounded faith.

a. Notice how the creed paints with very broad strokes. It doesn’t focus in on any one subject too closely.

i. This Creed provides symmetry to our faith that is sometimes lacking.

1. A lot of times in our Christian life, we get focused on certain subjects. Many of you have certain areas that you like to study, where your primary focus is.

a. So in your life Christian faith, we have a lot of knowledge about one area, but lack knowledge in other areas. Your faith is asymmetrical.

i. You’re kinda like a pear. My goal is to turn you into an apple. Well-rounded.

b. Here are a few examples. For some of you here this morning you are so focused on this church, on the numbers, on attendance and finances, you’re so focused on those things that you have a hard time seeing that we belong to something much bigger than ourselves and this church.

i. We belong to the church universal, we belong to the kingdom and God. So the week we talk about believing in the holy, universal church – that’s going to be a stretching week for you. And hopefully it will help round out your faith and add symmetry to it.

1. Or for others of you, you are so focused on what we should be doing, as individuals or as a church, that you lost sight of the work that Jesus has already done for us.

a. You forget that the Christian life isn’t really about as at all.

i. For some of you, you are so focused on your own personal walk with Jesus, that you’ve lost sight of the fact that the Christian life is meant to be lived in community.

1. So when we study “I believe in the communion of the saints” that’s going to be a stretching week for you and hopefully it will add symmetry to your faith.

ii. Or for some of you, you may feel so guilty and shameful about your sins, past or present, that it’s hard for you to let go of them

1. So the week we study “I believe in the forgiveness of sins” hopefully that will be a freeing week for you and it will bulk up those areas of your faith that are underdeveloped.

c. My goal is to add symmetry to your faith. Teach you about areas of the Christian faith that you don’t necessarily focus on but are absolutely vital to a vibrant faith walk.

i. My goal is to take you from an asymmetrical pear shape and bulk up those weaker areas so your faith is well-rounded, like an apple.

7. Gives Perspective – The last point I want to make about the Creed is that it gives us perspective.

a. When we read, study or recite this creed, we are joining our voices with millions of other people who believe these same truths. Yes, this is a personal confession; notice it says “I Believe,” not “We believe.”

i. This confession is personal, but it is said together as a community of believers.

ii. We join our voices with people from the past 1800 years who have recited, lived by, and died for the truths presented in this creed.

b. Studying this show us that God’s church is way bigger than our church here, and being a Christian is way bigger than our own individual walks with God.

i. This creed reminds us that we aren’t in this journey or battle alone.

1. This creed reminds us that it is our turn to faithfully run the race that is before us, for as long as God wants us to.

8. Belief vs. Knowledge – As we close this morning, I want to make one very important distinction. Look at the first two words of this creed.

a. What does it say? I…believe. And it’s important to note that it says ‘ I believe’ as opposed to ‘I know,’ because knowledge and belief are two totally different animals.

b. While knowledge is important, ultimately knowledge doesn’t really affect your life.

i. There are all kinds of things that I know I should be doing, but I don’t.

1. I know that it’s a good idea to eat a high fibre diet, but I don’t. I know it’s probably not good for me to drink copious amounts of coffee, but I do, and I have the gitters to prove it.

a. You can know facts of things, and about people, but those facts don’t ultimately change or affect your life. Because knowledge is all in the head.

c. Remember what Romans 10:10 said, if you believe… not know, if you believe…where??? In your heart.

i. It doesn’t say, “If you know in your mind you will be saved.” The verse states, “If you believe in your heart.”

1. And that’s the difference between belief and knowledge. Belief requires both the head and the heart.

a. And belief, and the conviction that should come with belief, changes you.

i. It changes the way you think, act, how you structure your life, how you protect your marriage, how you raise your kids, your work ethic.

1. Belief, and in particular belief in God, changes who and what you worship.

d. And maybe for some of you here this morning, this creed contains a lot of information that you know, you know about Jesus; you know that he was born of the virgin Mary, you know that he suffered under Pontius Pilate… maybe you know these things, but that knowledge hasn’t translated into belief. You know about God, about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit. but you don’t believe in him.

i. Maybe for you, your creed is more accurate if it says, “I know about God the Father…” But my goal is to take that knowledge you have and change it into a belief.

1. So, that you can honestly and freely stand with us and say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty…”

a. When we say this creed, we are not simply giving mental assent to these facts, we are saying that our whole existence is structured around these fundamental truths.

9. Conclusion – I’ve heard it said that when this creed is recited, it is at the same time the greatest act of rebellion and the great act of allegiance a Christian can make.

a. When we stand and say together “I believe in God…” what we are saying is we don’t believe in all that this world teaches and has to offer.

i. In a way, we are rebelling against the ways of this world. Our would teaches that more is always better. More money, more house, more partners. But when we recite this creed, we rebel against what this world teaches and what the outside world stands for.

1. And we align ourselves with God. We stand and say, “I don’t believe in the consumerism and the materialism and the comforts of this world. That’s not what I believe in.”

a. When we say this creed, we align ourselves with the truth of God, “I don’t believe in that, but I do believe in God the Father Almighty.”

b. Who’s ready to do that? Who’s ready to rebel against and disassociate ourselves with the dissatisfying and disorienting ways of this world?

i. Who’s ready to fully align themselves with the God of this Creed?

1. Who’s ready to wholeheartedly and with full conviction stand and say, “I believe in God…”??

a. Who’s ready to take the journey into more? Into a more fulfilling Christian life? Who’s ready to take the journey into a more firmly rooted faith?

i. Who’s ready to explore the historic yet timeless truths or our faith? Who’s ready to boldly proclaim “I believe in God...?”