I believe in Jesus Christ.

John 1:1-14   

When Vince Lombardi became the coach of the Green Bay Packers, he had a meeting with his players.  He began by saying, “We will begin with the fundamentals of football.”  Then he held up a football and said, “This is what you call a football.”

One of the veteran players responded, “Coach, will you run through that again.  I didn’t get it!”

The Apostles’ Creed is fundamental to my faith.  I need to review what I believe.  There are truths in this creed that aid my living.  As a matter of fact, by stating that Jesus the Christ is my lord, I am going to have my life directed in ways that I may not have thought about or considered.

As part of knowing whom I believe in, I realize that as I am baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I also state my faith in God in the same fashion.  I say this belief is in the Trinity.  That is God expresses himself and I relate to God as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The Apostles’ Creed expresses this.  My living reflects what I believe.  It is in the Trinity, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, that I live and move and have my being.

1. In Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-11)
   1. “In” – not just believe, a deeper meaning
   1. “Jesus” – God saves, God delivers
      1. He was born, lived, suffered, died, & rose again
      1. He brings relief from punishment for sins & deliverance from sin
   1. “Christ” – the anointed of God, the Messiah
   1. Israel was looking for the anointed of God
   1. Followers of Jesus believe he is such!
   1. He emptied himself (Phil. 2:7)
   1. He was obedient, even to death (2:8)
   1. His name is above all else
   1. Irenaeus (130-200 AD) – “The Church, though scattered through the whole world to the ends of the earth, has received from the Apostles and their disciples the faith . . . in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation.”
   1. There is much meaning in Jesus’ name. Saying that I believe in Jesus Christ is saying that he is not only important to me, but that his life gives my life a foundation for living.  I am saying that my knowing Jesus Christ allows me to know God the Father.  I am saying that Jesus gives me salvation and receive this from him. It is like you can go to Jamboree Foods, but it is when you go in to the store that you get what you need.  I get what we need for life when I believe in Jesus Christ.  Who is this Jesus?

• His Only Son (John 1:1-14)
  • The Son of the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth
  • Only – there is no other, the Greek is “only”
  • Son – straight from God, we get God!
  • God has come to live among us!
  • When we see Jesus’, we see the Father – Glory!
  • Jesus is God living amongst us.  God knows my suffering, my success, and my life here on earth.  God was willing to give his only Son so that I may become a child of God. God wants me to be with him.  So, as I follow Jesus, then I get to be with God.  Yet, God wants me to live a certain way.  I learn that way as I am under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

• Our Lord (Psalm 110)
  • “Kyrios” – Paul uses the term over 250 times!
  • Same word used for God’s name in the Old Testament
    • YHWH (tetragrammaton)
    • “I am” – Exodus 3:14
    • “I am” sayings of the Gospel of John
  • Indicates power, sovereignty, the ability to rule
  • The Holy Spirit enables us to say, “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians12:3)
  • His enemies become his footstool (Psalm 110:1)
  • Jesus can be my savior.  He is also my lord.  He may even be telling me today what told the woman caught in adultery: “Go and sin no more.”  C.S. Lewis wrote about Jesus: he is either a lunatic, an imposter, or he is who he says he is.  If I am going to believe in him, then I will accept his direction, his rules in how I live.  If he is who he says he is, then I have reason to obey him.  The consequence of not obeying is that I become his footstool.

As a Christian, who is trying to live as a disciple, I believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man.  I believe in Jesus Christ as God’s only Son. That is Jesus is God coming in the flesh to help get all flesh to be with God. 

As I accept Jesus Christ, then I also give my life over to him.  He becomes the one who directs my talking, my walking, and my singing.  Every aspect of my life is informed and challenged to display Jesus Christ as being more important than anything else.