The Apostles' Creed: I believe in God

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator 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; On the third day '
He rose again from the dead; 
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the 
right hand of God the Father almighty; 
From there he will come to judge 
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
The holy catholic Church, 
the communion of saints, 
The forgiveness of sins, 
The resurrection of the body, 
and life everlasting. Amen. 

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:13, Romans 10:9

Intro:

• Drawing maps: High school, hometown.
• What makes a good map? Boundaries, landmarks.
• How would we map the message of Jesus?
• Apostles’ Creed: A map of essential Christian truths.

What is a Creed?

• “Creed” from Latin “credo” (I believe).
• Everyone has a creed: beliefs shaping their worldview.
• Even atheists have “non-commandments” revealing their beliefs.
• The question is not if we have beliefs, but what and why.
• Beliefs dictate behavior (Romans 10:9).

Origins of the Apostles’ Creed:

• Not written by the Apostles, but summarizes their teaching.
• Used in baptism preparation: confession of faith.
• Third-century baptism ritual: immersion and questions of belief.
• A pledge of allegiance to Jesus.

Importance of the Apostles’ Creed:

• Pledge of Allegiance: Rejection of worldly narratives (materialism, fatalism, etc.).
• Connection to History: Links us to the global, ancient church.
• Determines Primary Truths: Fosters unity around essentials.
• Fights Heresy: Emphasizes truth, not just refuting error.

Illustration: Snow Ropes:

• Midwest snow ropes: a guide in blinding blizzards.
• The Apostles’ Creed: a rope guiding us through life’s storms.
• “Ignore the rope at your own peril.”

Call to Action:

• Recite the Apostles’ Creed.
• Memorize the creed.
• Reflect on its meaning.
• Communion: Remembering Christ and his apostles’ words.
• The creed is a guide to God.