Why the Creeds Matter The following document is a rough copy of Pastor Drost s sermon notes of his message preached January 15 th, 2017 2017 Smythe Street Cathedral - Do Not Copy Without Permission
In the Gospel of Mark chapter 9, a very desperate father comes to Jesus pleading for his son. The boy was possessed by a demon. We pick up the story in Mark 9:19b-27 (NKJV) Jesus said, Bring the boy to Me. Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe (Lat. CREDO); help my unbelief! When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more! Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. The Gospel of Jesus Christ Jesus said to this man, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. And he responds with a very early church word, a word that has been part of the Christian Church for hundreds of years: CREDO -- which simply means: I believe. In 1988 Rich Mullins gospel song Awesome God quickly became the number 1 gospel song on the charts that year. Mullins early music was influenced by his Quaker upbringing, which was very anti-dogmatic, anti-traditional church. The Bible college he attended grew out of a movement whose foundational slogans touted No creed but Christ. Reading in Christian history, he was attracted to St. Francis of Assisi, a fellow poet given to spontaneous praise, a lover of spiritual freedom. Yet, as Mullins learned, Francis drew his poetry from a deep well of Church doctrine and liturgy from the creeds. Mullins fell in love with the creeds and started studying them and church doctrine before he died in a car accident in 1997. The music he produced in that last stretch of his life shows the change in his interior life. Among his most mature works is the song Creed, these are the words I believe in God the Father almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord He was conceived by the Holy Spirit Born of the virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate He was crucified and dead and buried CHORUS: And I believe what I believe Is what makes me what I am I did not make it, no it is making me It is the very truth of God and not The invention of any man Page 2 of 5 Why the Creeds Matter
In the North American consumerism Church culture, people are more apt to choose what church they attend based on the style of music, or because of its kids program, or based on its great youth program; rather than because of the particular set of beliefs it confesses. Not too many are interested in the CREDO -- the Creeds! Creeds! Do Creeds matter? Most, including many Christians, think that all that really matters is to be sincere, true to yourself and to do good to others and things like Creeds, doctrine, and theology are not that important, old fashioned and belong in the back room of an old church along with the outdated hymn books and out of tune pipe organs. The word creed comes from the Latin word CREDO literally translated: I believe! It s a confession of faith in who God is! If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. Romans 10:9 10 (RSV) This is the word that the father in our story said to Jesus: I believe That word opened a door for a miracle! It formed his future. Back to the words of Rich Mullin s CREED song: Is what makes me what I am I did not make it, no it is making me 1) CREEDS MAKE US WHO WE ARE One of the earliest creeds in the Church was Jesus is Lord That short CREDO excommunicated many Christians from their homes and their communities, landed thousands in prison, tortured for their faith, and cost many their lives. It made them who they were: Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. It wasn t some ambiguous wishy washy feel good comfortable faith. They were courageous and willing to die for their faith! Their CREDO made them who they were! As the Christian Church developed, there were several very simple short CREEDS that the early church used. But as the Church faced misunderstandings and threats of wrong teaching, it became necessary to respond with ever-clearer teaching on what Jesus and the Apostles taught, the fundamentals of the Christian faith, the key landmarks of what Jesus taught, who God was, who Jesus was, and the Gospel. They formed short statements of faith and creeds, that they confessed when they got baptized and entered the Christian faith. They had CREEDS before Christians had access to a Bible They had CREEDS before most Christians only had the opportunity to hear someone read one of the Epistles of Paul or one of the Gospels One of the earliest and most known of these very early Creeds is what is called the Apostles Creed. It was a baptismal creed later it became a confessional CREED (A constant reminder of the fundamentals of the Christian faith) Page 3 of 5 Why the Creeds Matter
It goes like this: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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, and resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. This is not all of what we Christians believe but simply a condensed version of the main key highlights. This is what it means to be a Christian! Illustration: A cube A cube is not a cube unless it has 8 corners There are certain fundamentals that are essential and define me as a Christian! - I can t say I believe in Jesus but I don t believe he rose from the dead and call myself a Christian - I can t say that I m a Christian if I don t believe that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary That is like calling something a cube that only has six corners! As Rich Mullin s CREED song says: I believe what I believe, it s what makes me what I am 2) CREEDS KEEP US FROM ERROR In my circle group we are using Andy Stanley s Guardrails. It is about how we all need guardrails or personal convictions in our lives to protect us from crashing off the road of life. Imagine driving down the Trans-Canada without any speed limits, lines, lanes, rules, or guardrails. Just drive however, wherever, in whatever way you feel like! Guardrails, lines, lanes, keep us safe on the highway! Page 4 of 5 Why the Creeds Matter The CREEDS are the guardrails of the Christian faith That is one of the ways you can identify a cult. Do they accept or adhere to the fundamental and basic Creeds of the Christian Church? There are certain fundamental truths that all Christians believe and have believed from the very early Church and the Apostles of Jesus. I believe them, Billy Graham believes them, Rich Mullins and St. Francis believed them, hundreds of thousands of Christians all over the world have confessed them over hundreds of years, in the Church s creeds. The Russian Orthodox believe them, the Anglicans believe them, the Baptist believe them, the Roman Catholics believe them, the Presbyterians believe them, the Pentecostals believe them, the Lutherans believe them all over the world! That is what makes us all Christians!
The Africans might beat the drum. The South Americans might worship with the maracas. In Louisiana they might strum the banjo while the monks in the monasteries chant their praise. Some may dance to fast choruses and lively bands. Others will solemnly and reverently sing their hymns while the pipe organs vibrate the Cathedrals of the world as the incense fills the room and the liturgy is followed. But when it s all said and done, they all stay within the same universal CREEDS of the Church keeping us all (like guardrails) within certain fundamental historical truths. All of us Christians! TRUTHS that started with Jesus our Lord and His Apostles, unchanging truths that matter, that have been passed down to us through the ages, the CREDO the creeds I believe That keeps us anchored to certain unchangeable truths! WE ARE PART OF A STORY 1) CREEDS CONNECT US TO THE CHURCH We are part of one historical and universal Church! In Asia, in Africa, in Europe, in South and North America in all the corners of the world! ONE CHURCH! Jesus said to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I believe (CREDO) that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. John 11:25 27 (NKJV) We are closing by inviting you to confess a CREED with thousands of Christians all over the world the Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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, and resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Page 5 of 5 Why the Creeds Matter