Imago Dei Community

The final stanza of the Apostles’ Creed is, “I believe in the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” The early church paired its belief in the church with its belief in forgiveness and resurrection. How do these two things relate? How can thinking about forgiveness and resurrection help us be more firmly committed to Jesus’ church?

At first glance, the Holy Spirit seems to get the least press in the Apostles Creed, just a single line. But the Holy Spirit actually pervades the entire creed, starting with the first two words: We believe.  The Holy Spirit has been working through all of history and is the power that brings us to belief. But how often do we turn to the Spirit for help, guidance, companionship and power? Regardless of the varying beliefs around the Holy Spirit, the church can all agree that there would be no church without the Spirit, and that same Spirit is working today through the church.

“He will come to judge the living and the dead.” This is the final line about Jesus in the Apostles’ Creed. We often think of judgment as a terrible aspect of God’s nature and work, but Paul told the church in Thessalonica to “encourage one another” in issues around the second coming of Christ. How is God’s judgment good news? And how can we encourage one another as we await his return?

This week, we look at the line, “And in Jesus Christ, His Only Son…He suffered…crucified…descended…rose again and ascended…” from the Apostles’ Creed. Everyone today is trying to answer profound questions of life. Most often, we look to elite thinkers, culturally aware artists, and educated professionals to guide us. What does the Christian story have to offer to answer these deep questions about living? And why is the story of Jesus—an ancient rabbi and carpenter—still a story today that both explains history and transforms humanity? What happens when we confess Jesus as our Lord?

This week, we look at the line, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,” from the Apostles’ Creed. What do we mean when we say we believe in God? Which God is this? The Apostles’ Creed leads us to the one who laid the foundations of the earth, who precedes time and space. To be a Christian is to be one who acknowledges creatureliness. We are not our own; we are made. What are the implications of believing we were not only created, but created by the same God who created everything and everyone else? How might having a Maker bring meaning to our lives?

Text: 1 Timothy 6:20-21Preacher: Chris NyeDescription: “I believe” is the starting point of the Apostles’ Creed. It is a declarative statement used to this day by all kinds of people for all kinds of things. In the Western world, we use “I believe” as a precursor for self identification, but in the ancient world, saying “I believe” was a way of identifying with others. Early Christians pledged allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord, which caused them to both lose and gain a lot. How does our declaration of faith differ from anything else today and why does that matter?

Michelle Jones finishes the series on Sacred Spaces.

Pastor Michelle Jones preaches on experiencing the "hereness" and nearness of God.