CREED SERMON -2 "I BELIEVE"

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

                                                                                                    (Hebrews 11:  6)

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she came to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. 
       
The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

A Sunday school teacher was asking her students some questions after a series of lessons on God's omnipotence. She asked, "Is there anything God can't do?" All were silent. Finally, one boy held up his hand. 
       
The teacher, on seeing this, was disappointed that they had missed the point of the lesson. She sighed and asked, "Well, what is it you think God can't do?" The boy replied, "He can't please everybody."

Have you ever realized that the Bible declares God’s existence but it does not attempt to prove it. Certain things are so true that philosophers call them “properly basic.” They are so true that you can’t properly understand reality without them. From a biblical standpoint, the existence of God falls into that category. Either you believe in God or you don’t.

According to a recent Fox News poll, 92% of those surveyed say they believe in some sort of God. Other polls in recent years have returned the same overwhelming numbers. Nine out of ten Americans say they believe in God. There are some atheists out there, and their numbers may be growing, but they are still a tiny minority.

Most Americans believe in God, even if they can’t agree on what kind of God they believe in. If that’s true, then it may seem unnecessary to devote a sermon to the first phrase of the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in God.”

This may seem like a kindergarten lesson, a truth we learned in Sunday School many years ago,  But I think it’s always dangerous to take our faith for granted, so we start at the beginning.

Let’s look at the phrase, “I believe in God,” and discuss five statements about it.

1. Basic Declaration: “God is” is the central fact of the universe. The very first verse of the Bible establishes this truth in these majestic and simple words: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1: 1). This is the start  of divine revelation. Everything God wants us to know starts right here. This verse is a declaration—not an argument. Once you get it settled in your heart that “God is,” a lot of other problems will be solved as well.

2. Logical Implication: All things owe their existence to God the Creator.

Because God is the Creator, he is also the owner of all things. If I make a toy boat, I can truly say, “This is mine. I made it and I own it.” Since God made us, he has the absolute right of ownership over us. He can do with us as he pleases.

That’s not a popular topic in contemporary American life. We want to do our own thing, go our own way, live the way we want, do whatever we feel like doing, whenever we want to do it, and no one has the right to tell us what to do. But if God created us, he owns us. If he owns us, then we are accountable to him for everything we say and do. That’s not a happy thought for many people.

3. Inescapable Revelation: The truth about God has been made known to everyone. This fact comes from Romans 1: 19-20. “Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Twice in verse 19 Paul uses the word “plain” to describe God’s revelation of himself to all mankind. Then in verse 20 he adds that the truth about God is “clearly seen” in nature.

We can say it this way: If everyone knows there is a God, then the people who say they do not believe in God are deceiving themselves. God created all that we see around us. He created the sun and the stars and the moon and the planets. And God hung each one in space and calls each one by name.

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Psalm 147: 4. No wonder Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

This world is God’s house. He’s left clues everywhere about what kind of God he is. When you stand at the Grand Canyon, you can’t help but be overwhelmed at the mighty power of God to create such magnificence.

God has left his fingerprints all over this world. Truly, Psalm 19 tells us: “This is my Father’s world,” and every rock, every twig, every river and every mountain bears his signature. He signed his name to everything he made. The earth is marked “Made By God” in letters so big that no one fails to see it. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

That’s the point of Romans 1: No one fails to see it. Everyone knows something about God! No one has ever lived who missed this revelation. It doesn’t matter whether they consciously thought about it or not. The truth IS there for all to see, so plainly laid out that no one could miss it.

It doesn’t matter whether you were a headhunter on some South Pacific island or an upscale yuppie in downtown Baltimore. No one can miss the truth about God and no one has ever missed it because God made the truth about himself as plain as day.

That’s why Paul says in verse 20, “They are without excuse.” He means the whole human race knows about God. No one can say, “I didn’t know.” Everyone knows. That explains why every culture on earth has some idea of a Supreme Being—however flawed that conception might be. Man was made to look for answers outside of himself. He is incurably religious by nature.

The French philosopher, Pascal, said that inside the heart of every man there is a “God-shaped vacuum.” Augustine said, “O Lord, you have made us for yourself. Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has put “eternity in the hearts of men,” meaning that the longing for ultimate answers comes from God himself.

Atheism is the most unnatural philosophy on the face of the earth. Idolatry is more natural than atheism because at least the idolater acknowledges a higher power outside of himself. For a man to be an atheist he must not only deny the truth about God that he sees in nature, he must also deliberately and repeatedly suppress the truth about God found in his own conscience.

4. Saving Manifestation: God revealed himself in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not left to ourselves to decide who God is. He revealed himself in nature, and he revealed himself in the human heart.

Christianity also declares that God supremely revealed himself in Jesus. If we want to know God, we must come on his terms—through his Son. Jesus said in John 14: 6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

That verse isn’t very popular today—but God’s truth isn’t determined by majority vote.

As Christians we can’t even consider backing down from the truth. In this day of theological compromise and evangelical weakness, we must proclaim again the message that God’s love is broad, reaching to the ends of the earth, so that anyone can be saved. But we must also tell the truth—that salvation comes through Jesus Christ and for those who will not come to God through Jesus, there is no other way.

If you reject Jesus, God has no other plan of salvation. And if you believe that then every progressive, inclusive, politically correct Christian in the world will condemn and loathe the Bible you read. That's just too bad.

5. Personal Transformation: Once we meet God, our lives are changed forever. We started at Hebrews 11: 6 which says very clearly: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

There is a hunger for God in our day that is insatiable. That’s why people read everything they can that supposedly gives them God’s secrets except the Bible.

But God’s grace is free but it is never cheap. We must seek and find the promise of Hebrews 11: 6.

The Creed begins with the words, “I believe in God,” for a good reason. It’s the biggest step of faith you’ll ever take.

God rewards those who truly seek him. It’s not an easy road, but there is gladness along the way and joy at the end of the journey. Start seeking God with all your heart and your life will never be the same. Amen.

THE BASIC FAITH

Romans 10: 8-13

Most of us know what we believe and live it right? Did you hear that the “more-or-less-religious woman” was deeply shocked when the new neighbors came over on Sunday morning to ask to borrow her lawn mower. 
   
"The idea," she exclaimed to her maid, "of cutting grass on Sunday! Shameful! Certainly, they can't have it. Tell them we don’t have a lawn mower."

Today I am beginning a sermon series on The Apostles' Creed. We say this creed every Sunday as a statement of what the church believes about God. The word “creed” comes from the Latin “credo” which simply means “I believe.”

Knowing who God is and what God does is essential for your salvation. And we use the creed as a way of reminding ourselves who we worship.

There is an old legend about the Apostles Creed that has hung around the church.

In a sixth century sermon some pastor said that the Apostles Creed was written by the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost.

Supposedly, Peter said, “I believe in God the Father Almighty.” To which Andrew replied, “And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord.” James responded “Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”

John added, “Was crucified dead and buried.” And Thomas said, “He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.” James reminded them, “He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father.” To which Philip added, “And will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

Then Bartholomew said, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” And Matthew added, “The holy catholic church, the communion of saints.” Simon responded to this saying, “The forgiveness of sins.” Thaddaeus said “The resurrection of the flesh.” And Matthias finished, “Life everlasting.” And the crowd said, “Amen.”

Folks, it really didn't happen this way, but it is a good story.

There is a story of a young man who grew up in a plain vanilla church. At this church he was clearly taught right from wrong. He was taught to do his best, to always do what is right, and he always thought about what he did.

But as this young man grew older he began to fall into some bad habits.

He increasingly saw a difference between what the church was teaching and how he and others in the church were living their lives.

He hid it the best he could, but eventually everyone at church found out what he had been hiding. It became harder and harder to go to church knowing that people were judging him. So when he went off to college he stopped going to church at all.

While in college he began to feel an urge to go back to church. He confided all of this with friend who invited him to his church, a Baptist church, where he could be baptized and be born again into a new life. This sounded pretty good so he went to church with his friend, was baptized and born again.

He felt good for a while, but eventually he fell back into his bad habits and felt like a hypocrite sitting in church on Sundays and behaving like an unbeliever the rest of the week. He soon left that church.

Years later he expressed his desire to return to church to close friend after work one day. This friend invited him to his church, a Pentecostal church, where he would experience the power of the Holy Spirit.

The young man went and loved the rhythmic music and eventually started to pray in tongues. He was told that this was his spiritual baptism. He hoped that the Holy Spirit would empower him to change and emerge from his sinful ways. It worked for a while. Then he went back to doing what he had always done and so he left the church.

Today he attends what’s called a “high” church and loves the beautiful liturgy and prayers. He thinks that at last he has found the “right” way to pray. But he is still living a life that he keeps hidden from his church. And he is fearful that one day they will find out who he really is.

WHY DOES THIS MAN STILL HAVE A PROBLEM?

The problem this man is facing is that he sees religion as something that is focused on him. Is he obeying the rules? Is he truly born again? Does he experience the Holy Spirit? Is he praying in the right way? As he asks these questions about himself he always comes up short. He is never good enough.

Friends, Christianity is not about you. It is not about who you are and what you do. It is about who your worship. The key questions are not about you. They are about God, who God is, what God does, and how we can follow. And this brings us to our Focus scripture from Romans 10: 8-13: 

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

According to Paul it doesn't matter if you obey all the rules. It doesn't matter if you are born again. It doesn't matter if you experience the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter if you pray in the right way. The only thing that does matter is that you believe in the right God.

And the Apostle says that the God we worship should be revealed to us in the “word of faith” that is proclaimed by church. We don't know exactly what this “word of faith” was in the Roman Church around 60AD. But we do know that within a hundred years they had developed a “rule of faith” which they used to prepare people for baptism.

An initiate into Christianity would spend two years being instructed from scripture, the Old Testament. Then, during the season of Lent, the good news of Jesus Christ would be revealed to them though the rule of faith which has come to be known as the Old Roman Symbol.

After their instruction, the initiates would be asked three questions.

1)   Do you believe in God, the Father, Almighty?

2)   Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord?

3)   Do you believe in the Holy Spirit.

If the initiate believed in this God they would be baptized on the Saturday evening before Easter, when the whole church would affirm their belief in this triune God as the initiate passed through the baptismal waters.

This Old Roman Symbol is the basis of our Apostles' Creed. It has been used in the church as a statement of our belief in God. And since Jesus commanded us to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit we use the Apostles' Creed to help us understand the God we believe in.

The creed was not written directly by the apostles. Rather, it is considered apostolic, meaning that it is consistent with the teachings of the apostles to the early church. It is affirmed to be an accurate representation of the God revealed to us in scripture and the world around us.

From time to time the church has changed the words of the creed slightly, and the final form of the Apostles Creed comes to us from the seventh century. The protestant reformers affirmed the importance of the Apostles Creed. They insisted that it be translated from Latin into the ordinary languages of the people so they would know the God they believe in.

Not every Christian believes every phrase in the Apostles Creed. Some churches erase one or more phrases from the creed. Other wish it said more. Some people recite the creed in church, but silently skip those passages that don't like.

There is an old story about a seminary student who went to his professor saying that he could not recite the creed in the daily service because he didn't believe all of it. His superior told him to recite it anyway.

A month later the student returned insisting that he be allowed to remain silent during the creed. But he was told to say it anyway. The student returned the following month with the same request, and was given the same response.

Finally the student asked, “Why should I recite something I don't believe in?” The answer given simply said the Apostles Creed is not a statement of personal belief, rather it is a statement of what the church believes. As a person you recite the creed because you belong to a church that believes it.

Our young folks continue learning about the God we worship through the Apostles Creed. I challenge them and you: If you list all this big events you can think of, all of the big things in nature, all the big objects you have seen, all the big feelings and fears you may have experienced, could you still say if God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, is bigger any of them?  

In the coming weeks we will look at each phrase in the Apostles Creed and think about what it says about the God we worship. Through this process our focus will always be on God, not ourselves.

My prayer is that through this process we will come to know the God we worship in this church. As we do this the Holy Spirit will initiate a life-long process of makings us more obedient to God.

As we understand more about God we will begin to experience a new birth into a new life and we will experience the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer. But our focus will not be on ourselves and our own shortcomings. Rather our focus will be on the God we worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Let us pray: Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, and Holy Spirit, we pray to you asking that you reveal yourself to us through your Holy Spirit.

Help us to study the Apostles Creed during our Lenten season and to know who you are and what you do. Make this a life changing processes for each of us. Accept our humble prayers. Amen.