Apostles' Creed pt. 1 - I Believe

Thank you. All right, so you can turn in

your Bibles to well we're going to be a while getting there.

But what is the first verse? I'm gonna have you turn to this

morning. First place.

You're going to go as John chapter 6 so you can go park

John 6 · chapter mention

there if you want. You'll be there a while today.

We're starting our series on the Apostles Creed That's been

dropped into Voxer for you. So that, if you're, if you

follow along with us on Boxer that app that we use as a

church, then you'll see if there, if not, it's okay, you

don't have to have it memorized today.

But if you want to read along here in a little while, you'll

be able to do so. So the Apostles Creed is a

doctrinal statement, it's not scripture, it's not the Bible

and we're not going to treat it like scripture.

We won't treat it like the Bible but it's one of the earliest

summer. Murray's of the Christian faith.

The Apostles Creed was written around 200 years after Jesus,

ascended, and went to heaven, the Apostles.

Creed is not written by the apostles, obviously, because it

was written about 200 years after Christ ascended.

So, why is it even called the Apostles Creed, it's called the

Apostles Creed, because it's a great summary of what the

apostles taught of what the New Testament teaches us through the

Holy Spirit through the Apostle. So that's why it's called the

Apostles Creed. You know why?

You know, when it was written, you know what it is a little

bit. Now, the why behind it?

It was probably a statement that was used to unite Believers to

bring everybody around the core things, the things that matter

most, where the body of Christ go, hey, there's a lot of

things. There's a lot of secondary or

tertiary issues, that means second and third, there's a lot

of other things we could talk about and some things that

should matter. But there's some things that are

Central, there's some things that are primary.

So let's unite around those and Let's use this to train new

converts. This is a way that you could

bring somebody into the kingdom. And not just say, hey believe in

Jesus, he's the Messiah and they said, okay, I'm I'm born again.

God has done a miracle. My life is that it?

Well, that's that's important. But that, no, that's not it.

That's not it. There's a lot more to it.

So, this was used to train new converts.

There were multiple heresies. That means false Doctrine lies

about God. Heresies taught by Heretics.

Oh. All over the place.

So, the Apostles Creed is something that we could say that

the church fathers said, hey, let's bring something cohesive.

Let's bring something that we can send out a tweet saying,

hey, this is primary. This is Christian doctrine.

If you don't believe this, you can't, you're not a Christian.

It's not to say that. You might not be ignorant.

You might be immature. You're not yet know, all of

these things but these are primary Christian doctrines.

That all Christians would and should believe.

So this is an organized understanding of good Doctrine.

Some people get weirded out by creates, like just the Bible, no

Creed but scripture and and that's true.

Like we don't we don't value anything the way we value

scripture, but the way I explain it is this, if somebody was to

ask you what the Bible teaches, would you just be quoting them

versus explicitly? And you say this, first, this

first, this verse or would you actually put it into words of,

put it into your own words and communicate the idea that's all.

Creed's attempt to do. That's all a good create

attempts to do. Like, we're not, we're not Creed

stuff and some Churches. There's, there's different

backgrounds. Many of us have Pentecostal

backgrounds, charismatic, backgrounds, generally.

Most of the time do not have a lot of strict, adherence, strict

adherence, to Creed's most of the times they're very, very

loose when it comes to creates, then brothers and sisters and

other denominations are very very strict with the Creed's,

the Creed's show up. There's all kinds of creams that

have been written but the Creed's We use regularly for

their teaching, regularly for their instruction, for their new

members, all kinds of scenarios where Creed's are.

So you kind of got different camps when it comes to the

Creed's. But now you've heard my

Approach, like, we know about the Creed's, we don't reject the

Creed's, where, where they can be Embrace where they can serve

us? Well, we embrace them, but they

all everybody would agree. All Christians would agree.

Creed's are not the word of God creates are just ways that we

can make practical where we can and bring summary and bring

something else to bring more clarity to something that the

word has taught. So when it comes to the Apostles

Creed, all Christian denominations, agree on the

doctrines in the Apostles Creed, if there is a Christian

denomination, then they would agree with the Apostles Creed.

That's why it's like, hey, what do you believe?

What do you believe? This is where Colts would differ

from us. This is what separates us from

those. Who would still claimed it were

Christian to something that Mormons frequently say, except

that they're not why not. Well, the Apostles Creed was,

Show multiple areas where they would differ with us and they go

well we're Christians but no to this and no to this and no to

this to which we would say, right?

So not Christian or Jehovah's Witnesses things that are like

well there's they use the name of Jesus, a lot indeed they do

and yet there is more to it. There is a significance when it

comes to these doctrines which is why we're going to go through

them week by week, and we're going to say, what is this

about? What is this about?

What is this about? Why does this matter so much?

Why does it matter so much that he had to be born of a virgin?

Why does the deity of Jesus Christ matters so much?

Why does his eternal, why is the Eternal sonship of Christ

matter? Why?

Is it matters so much that he was begotten, but he was not

born that he has no beginning and he has no an why is this so

significant? All these things are going to be

answered. We're going to see how all this

ties in beautifully. So the Apostles Creed does a

great and concise job of teaching.

These things for all Christians, the body of Christ has been

using the Apostles Creed as a way to express truth.

And establish unity in the body of Christ for almost 2,000

years. Many churches, recite it

regularly every single week as a part of their liturgy or what we

would call our church service. So, being in God's family, we

were part of something significant.

I want you to see that, I want you to see were part of

something Global, something ancient, something, Eternal, and

something awesome. And the Apostles Creed is one of

those things that we can Unite with the body on and go, there

are their churches, every single Sunday, WHo recite the Apostles

Creed just like the Lord's Prayer or other things that the

body of Christ would say, hey, we want to continually pray,

this or continually say this remind ourselves of what Central

in which true the Creed helps us to focus on the things that are

primary not secondary. As Christianity is falling out

of popularity. In our society, it will become

more important and more helpful for us to unite with others.

In the body of Christ around what is foundational in our

faith, as opposed to what is particular to our specific

churches. So as a church, we have

particular values and yet we want to embrace those while also

unifying with the rest of the body of Christ saying, we all

agree that we should be focused on these things.

So these are what we would call the big rocks, the Apostles

Creed answers. Who is God, what has he done?

And why does it matter? A lot of times we are tempted to

only be practical like our marriage series that we just

finished. Like I just want like man, it's

just super, super practical. Like I want to know how to

better do this. I want to know how to better do

that. It's not a wrong desire but

sometimes it can reveal and immaturity in us and I'll

explain what I mean by that. We've been trained to only value

sermons and teaching that we feel like will help us today but

I've got two responses to that number one Foundation.

Is matter more than finishing touches.

And what I mean by that is the foundations are the core

doctrines in the finishing touches?

Are the other doctrines, or even the individual Church values?

Like a, like I said, salt Church.

We've got our seven different salt Church particular values.

They're very Christian, they come from scripture and yet

they're not, they take for granted, they make the

assumption that we would believe the basics of the faith first,

and then they move on past that. So that's my first Some point

today. I like I just want more

practical, like I don't necessarily just need theology

or doctrine, but my second point is Doctrine is practical.

It is so I want more practical will good.

We're about to have a really practical series because

Doctrine is practical because what you believe about God is

the starting point for all of your practical behaviors.

It is. So my belief, my deep belief, or

my deep unbelief, it is why I do the things that I do.

You look at John Michaels life. It is totally and completely

directed about what he believes and so is yours good.

I don't like what that represents well, Well, it

represents what you believe, always, you can't escape it.

You're not like, I had a sidestep, this phenomenon, you

can't, you're living in it at all times.

Your life is always a representation of what you

believe For Better or Worse. It's just it's the play, it's a

plain and simple thing. So if you believe for example

that you have an Almighty father who loves and provides for you

like we were talking about with the offering a minute ago as we

prayed then that would change the way you go through your work

week, wouldn't it for instance, you don't have to work for seven

days. Grinding yourself into dust

anymore because you know you have a heavenly father who tells

you to rest and who gives you peace.

You can actually give tithes and offerings And worship and in

gratitude and in Freedom. Why?

Because you're not the ultimate provider that belief of do you

have a Heavenly Father? Yeah, I know that I do.

I didn't ask if, you know it, I asked if you believe it because

when you believe something, it changes the way that you live

and this has, so every Doctrine has a million 10 million times,

10 million possibilities of how that's going to show up in daily

life. If I believe that there is a God

who forgives that will change Change the way that I handle

people when they sin against me. So what we're going to do now is

I'm we're going to read the Creed, for those of you who have

it in front of you, if you want to Google it, you can do that.

But we'll read it together. It's in Voxer where we dropped

it for you. The Apostles Creed.

Let's read it together. I believe in God, the Father

Almighty creator of Heaven and Earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son our Lord, who was

conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was

buried. He descended to Hell.

The third day. He rose again from the dead.

He ascended to 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 the

life Everlasting. Amen.

Amen. This is what we believe this is

Christian doctrine. So let's get into it now.

We're not going to go into anything beyond today is I

believe, that's where we're starting.

So part one of this sermon series is I believe, what do we

see in the Creed when it comes to, I believe?

Well, the phrase I believe is in the Creed 3 different times and

this is how the Creed starts. This is Meaningful.

This is not coincidental why? Because we are described in the

Bible in the word of God, As Believers that word is commonly

used in the New Testament to describe what we call a

Christian. The word Christian actually came

as an insult from the world. They were mocking Believers

people who call themselves Believers.

Another thing that Christians were calling themselves was

followers of the way but throughout the New Testament you

see the term. The term Saints used.

Most of the time, they're called Saints after that, they're

called Believers. Hey to the Believers here to the

Believers there. So and so was an unbeliever.

Oh, but so and so became a believer that this idea of being

a Believer. It's almost lost on us.

We almost missed it and we don't recognize the significance of

that's that's a Identity marker, that's who we are.

So that is commonly used to describe who we are.

We are the children of Abraham. The Bible says the true children

of Abraham because we believe like he did, the word says, that

Abraham believed God. And that believing is what was

counted to him as righteousness. It was the believing that was

counted to Abraham as righteousness.

So the true God has always put a priority on his people,

believing him. And this makes God's people

different. This makes Christianity unique

from every other religion in the world.

Every religion in the world is different.

All the kids, all the children. Look at me.

How can you know that Christianity is better?

How do we know which world religion is, right?

They believe this, they believe that because there is only one

religion. It's different from all the

others and multiple ways every other world, religion requires

you to be the hero. This religion says, you're not

the the hero you can't be you never were Christ is King,

Christ is Lord. In addition to that every other

world religion tells us what we must accomplish Christianity

says, what Christ has accomplished, what must I do

believe. That's it.

Yeah, it crushes, the human ego. It's not a religion that man

would have built because man gets no glory from it.

God gets the glory from it. So God is always put a priority

on his people. Believing him every other

religion tells you what you must know and what you must

accomplish. But we believe God's word and by

believing we are saved by believing.

We are transformed and by believing, we are filled with

the Holy Spirit. I told you go to John.

I was wrong. Go to Hebrews.

Looking through, I was like, I thought we started hating her

husband. Hebrews chapter 11, We're

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

looking at the priority of believing.

Hebrews 11. Yes, we're going to read verses

1 through 12, Hebrews 11 chapter, 1, Hebrews 11:1.

Hebrews 11:1

Now, Faith is the Assurance of things.

Hoped for the conviction of Things, Not Seen for by it, he

saying by Faith by it, the people of old received their

Commendation by faith. We understand that the Universe

was created by the word of God. So that what is seen?

Was not made out of things that are visible by faith Abel

offered to God, a more acceptable, exact refine, a more

acceptable acceptable sacrifice than Cain through which he was

commended as righteous God, commending him by accepting his

gifts. And through his faith, though,

he died, he still speaks by faith.

Enoch was taken up so that he did, he should not see death and

he was not found because God had taken him.

Now, before he was taken, he was commended as having, please God,

and without faith. It is impossible to please him.

For whoever would draw near to, God must believe that he exists.

And that he rewards, those who seek Him by faith, Noah being

warned by God, concerning events as yet.

Unseen in reverent, fear constructed an ark for the

saving of his household. By this, he condemned the world

and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by

Faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed.

When he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive

as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing

where he was going by faith. He went to live in the land of

promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and

Jacob heirs with him of the same promise for he was looking

forward to the city that. Has foundations, whose designer

and Builder is God by faith, Sara herself received power to

conceive, even when she was past the age.

Since she considered him faithful who had promised their,

for from one man and him as good as dead were born, descendants

as many as the stars of heaven, and as many as the innumerable

grains of sand by the seashore, So in Hebrews 11, we see another

reminder that God has built people and built his kingdom in

such a way. That belief is required for

participation. There is no participation in the

kingdom of God. Apart from belief, there is no

physical external thing that we can do, apart from the internal

thing, that then will lead to the physical and external

things. This is again, different from

every other world, religion, every other world, religion will

say, hey There are some things you can do to guarantee your

Eternity. For example, if you, if you keep

the five pillars of Islam, if you make a trip to Mecca, if you

pray five times a day, if you accomplish XY and z, or if you

want to shortcut, this whole thing, if you will die for Allah

in a holy war and you will kill yourself, you instantly

guarantee. Look at all the physical things

that I can do to ensure my salvation and these false

religions and these doctrines of demons.

But when it Comes to Christianity.

What can I do to be sure? You can believe on the Son of

God. Believe on the name of Jesus, I

want to be sure though. You can be sure and you will be

assured by the holy spirit because he will fill you with

his presence and with Assurance of your salvation.

No. But I want to you want to be

sure then believe because faith is the evidence of Things Not

Seen. So, what else do we see here?

We see that Believing is what we do.

Because Believers are who we are in verse 6 without faith.

It is impossible to please him for whoever would draw near to,

God must believe that he exists and that he rewards, those who

seek him. So let's separate knowing from

believing here for a second. I'm defining knowing as we could

call it Muirhead knowledge just a mental acknowledgement of this

is a fact Because it is a fact God's Resurrection is a fact,

his Ascension is a fact, his return, all these things are

facts but that doesn't necessarily mean that a person

is living in a heartfelt belief. So a mere head knowledge looks

like I know that there is a God, but does that knowing actually

change a person's life, does that?

Knowing transform, your identity.

I know that I'm on my phone too much.

Okay, that's a fact. Has that become transformative

in my life though? Or is it just a fact with no

power facts with no power or just that they haven't done

anything? They haven't transformed

anybody. You and I both know people,

maybe you and I have been people.

Maybe right now you are people who would say, I know, that's

true. I know that I know that, I know

people who say, I know the whole Bible is true.

I know it. And they also say, but I know

I'm not a Christian and I'm not following and I'm not walking

with the Lord. He knows the facts, he knows he

knows it all. But unfortunately, it hasn't

transformed and why? Because he won't believe he can

believe he can, he has the ability to but he won't.

It's an issue of the will. I won't believe that to the

degree where I'm transformed to the degree, where I'm submitted

to the degree where I'm change. Yeah, I know God is good.

I know God is good, but do you really do you really?

Because if you knew God was good and believe that God was good,

there would be nothing stopping you from pursuing him and loving

him with all your Your heart soul, mind and strength.

If there's unbelief at the root of every sin, there's unbelief.

So we're separating knowing from believing, that's how that's how

we think about. Knowing.

Yeah, I know it. It's a fact without power.

Go to Romans also not John. Chapter 6 yet.

John 6 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 10. Matthew Mark, Luke John acts

Romans 10 · chapter mention

Romans. Romans chapter 10.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

Verses 9 and 10. Because if you confess with your

mouth, that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart, that God

raised him from the dead, you will be saved for with the

heart. One Believes and is Justified,

and with the mouth one confesses and is saved, I'll read it again

from verse 9. Because if you confess with your

mouth, that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart, that God

raised him from the dead, you will be saved for with the heart

One Believes. Believes and is Justified.

And with the mouth one confesses and is say, that's what we saw

about Abraham, right? He believed God and that was

counted to him as righteousness. But when you believe God, there

will be outward action confession with the mouth.

For example, will be one response.

You won't just go here. I am believing, when you believe

something, you'll talk about it, when you believe something, you

will make confession, you will make profession with joy with

joy with excitement with zeal. With hope with expectation.

Believe this word believe here is defined as to trust him.

So, this is how it separate from just the head knowledge to

believe in the New Testament idea of belief.

It's not just I know that that is a fact, but it is.

I actually trust in. So, to believe, means to trust

in to put one's faith in with an implication that actions based

on that trust may follow. So, that's what new testament

belief is. I believe that, I believe that,

I believe, that not so fast. Has that impacted the way you

live? Yes, it has.

Then you absolutely believe it. Now, of course, what is the

thing that we always have to struggle and fight against its

unbelief? And we see that all the time in

scripture Jesus, getting frustrated with people because

of unbelief, Jesus being blown away by people because of Faith.

Wow, I'm impressed. You believe, God, I hardly ever

find anybody who believes like that, but yeah, it'll be done as

according to your belief, what? He's just like throwing out

miracles. Nilly, it seems like just

because somebody believed people are like, right in their own

terms here. Um, if I just Touch the Hem of

His Garment, I'll be healed says, who, what scripture Are

you standing on sister? Where'd you get that promise

from? Well, I just what she believed

in the nature and the character of God, she believed in Jesus

goodness and that led to something he goes, well, yeah,

it's done, actually, he didn't even permit it in the sense.

That he said, who touched me? Who touched To me, she's like,

oh, I had this thing that I determined.

Can we go too far with this? What I'm teaching right now?

We absolutely could, you could go into some weird places, so we

won't go too far and yet. It happened, didn't it?

And it's in the word of God, isn't it?

I didn't just shoehorn it in there.

So, God values belief, God values.

People who say, I trust him. I know his character and now is

it, is that a bit presumptuous? I don't know.

Did Jesus rebuked her for it? Jesus is perfect.

Theology Church. Did G's go.

What do you think you're doing? Just making up your own terms

and Promises, give me that Miracle back.

Go, keep bleeding. No, according to your faith,

it's done for you. He said the same thing, too many

people who believed, but they didn't just believe that God had

the ability to. They believe he had the will to

they believed and they trusted him.

They put their faith in belief, is the implication and that

actions based on that, trust are going to follow what you believe

will change the way you live. Believing is done from the

heart, not the head. That's the difference.

Am I really believe in God? For this brother sister you can

check you can know is it is it is it in the heart or is it up

here man? It's just up here, it's okay,

it's okay. I mean we don't want to stay

there but acknowledge the truth of where you're at acknowledge

the fact that I'm in my head right now, I know the facts.

I would get this right on a paper test.

Just does. God want to do this?

Has God said that is Jesus coming to is Jesus returning.

Have I been saved by grace through faith?

I can get all that right on a paper test, but it's with the

heart that I believe and it's with a mouth, that confession is

made. So where it will, where do I get

this belief from? I'm so glad you asked, you

always ask great questions, you get it straight from God's word.

That's where faith comes from. I can't just Faith myself into

something, but the word of God can Faith me into anything.

And Thing that I need to be faith into.

That's where belief comes from the ability to believe the

gospel travels with the gospel, they come together in the same

truck. So if the gospels driving, you

got a whole truckload of faith that saying, hey, this is for

you. It's for it's at your disposal

now and that's the moment where we go from.

I will believe, or I won't believe, but it's at that point,

it becomes an act of the will, which is why the Lord rebuke

people for lack of belief. Because of my belief was

determined By God and preset my ability to believe or my ability

not to believe. If it was just preset, he would

have no place and he would be unjust.

And rebuking me, rebuking us for our unbelief, you set the

standards, you set my cap, I'm only allowed to believe this

much. You set me up.

It's been preset. So I'm a computer program.

You can't get mad at the computer program for doing

exactly what its limitations have been said at.

But the Lord says, believe, this is the expectation.

And this is what is this is the Cyril, State for the believer.

Why? Because they're a believer.

I'm a believer. I'm a Believer.

This is a good confession for us church.

I'm a Believer when we're struggling.

When we're stuck to be like that.

Father, who said to the Lord Lord, I do believe.

Help my unbelief. We know that we've got flesh.

We know, we've got the temptation to be pulled down to

be pulled into the realm of exclusively, head knowledge.

But we believe, This is why the Apostles Creed is powerful for

us because we're saying, I believe these things with the

heart and even if I wasn't, maybe I wasn't mindful of these

things, but I need to bring myself back into remembrance

just like when we pray the Lord's Prayer, we're going, whoo

like this morning. As we were praying, The Lord's

Prayer went poof, then holding on to that, then hold onto that.

I needed to forgive somebody. I said I released him, I forgive

him because I hadn't been. I would I'd been I had been had

been defeating him in the argument.

I know none of y'all have ever done this stuff because y'all

are holding, no, no. Y'all ever driving down the road

just like, oh, I should have said this, who I'm gonna you,

wait till I get back on Facebook, I'm going to say it

like this and I can weave them right into a trap.

Expose them in front of everyone, you know, with the

right heart mole. I say that because some of these

things you know, arguing is not always wrong.

But again I knew my heart was offended.

So that's why this morning, I needed to release this person.

I can still go back and interact with that person.

Mike, in my case, it was a someone accusing and lying and

online for me, but, uh, but now, I've released him of the

offense. And now, if I choose to go back

and interact with this person, I can truly do with a pure heart.

that was the whole segue hero that was for free will keep we

keep going back where we were Believing is done from the

heart, not from the head, believing brings power,

believing brings conviction. Believing brings breakthrough,

believing actually moves something believing, actually

accomplishes something. That's how you know, believing,

there's power present with believing a my head and I'm in

my heart. Is there any power or does it

feel like a dry riverbed cracked?

Okay. Well, then you have had

knowledge for whatever the thing, maybe, but what do I do?

That's a good question. That reveals.

Humility go. To the father and take it to him

and say, Lord, refresh me, Lord, bring me bring me fresh manna

from your word so that I can walk it out because believing

brings conviction. Do you feel conviction about the

thing or do you just know the facts about the thing?

I know, I know that Jesus is returning.

I do too. Do you have conviction about it?

Because if you have conviction, that Christ is returning, that

will change the way that you live your entire life versus if

you just know that. That's a fact.

Yep. It's it's a fact.

Right. But is there any conviction for

you? Yes.

Okay. Then that's belief that that it

leads to something, it changes. Something about you, believing

brings breakthrough. Is there anything changing is

there anything moving? Are you seeing the power of God?

Are you seeing prayers answered? This is what belief actually

does. The Lord does.

Obviously his grace is the power through our faith.

Through our belief believing will actually change the way you

live because you don't believe something.

Unless it has changed the way that you live I know God,

forgives sins. I know he is merciful, but if

you don't believe with your heart, that God forgives your

sins, if you don't believe in your heart, that God is

merciful, then your unbelief will still keep you from his

presence when you sin, when you sin, do you find yourself

pulling away and hiding from the Lord that's unbelief?

What is it? I don't believe that God is

good. I don't believe my father loves

me, I don't believe Jesus. Paid the full price.

I do believe that okay, act like it run into the process of the

father. Confess your sin, knowing that

you'll receive Grace knowing that you'll receive Mercy,

that's what a Believer would do well, but I feel ashamed.

Do you believe that Jesus took your shame on the cross?

I do then that belief would lead to action that takes you right

back into the presence of the Lord.

That's what belief does. That's the difference between

knowing and believing and we've Been there, right in my cinema.

I'm a reject it. I'm the prodigal son.

He's rehearsing his speech. I'm not worthy to be your son.

I'll be a just be a slave in your house.

He didn't believe in the goodness of his father, he was

he a degree. He'll let me be a slave but not

the fullness of who his father really was.

But when we believe the whole truth of God, this is why the

Creed matters. I believe in God the Father

Almighty. I believe in God we could park

there and I believe in God the Father.

Father, he chose this language. He is the first father by the

way. It's not like Earthly fathers

were invented and he's like, hey that's a good metaphor.

Hey guys, I'm like a father to, that's not what happened.

God is Father, human beings were made in that image.

Then men were then had the gift in the ability to become

fathers, like the primary and the first father just like

marriage Christ in the church, is the primary thing.

Marriage is the secondary thing. So if you don't believe with

your heart, then your unbelief will keep you from God's

presence and unbelief is the root of all other sins.

Whatever it may be, whatever it may be.

If it's you name it, you name a sin, whatever.

Something that you think. Oh that's no.

My real issue is pride. Yeah but that pride comes from

an unbelief. Why am I prideful?

Why am I so showy? Why do I need everybody to look

at me? Why do I have to be the center

of attention? Why do I always have to one-up

somebody when they say something?

Why am I like that? Well, I'm Just prideful?

Well yes, your prideful, but what is it?

What is it the unbelief? It's going on here.

There's something you don't believe, you don't believe

you're loved. You don't believe that you're a

new creation, you don't believe that you're valuable to God.

And you need value, and you're seeking value from others.

You're looking for others. To go, your valuable, and you

go. Okay, you I needed puffing up.

Why? Because you weren't full to

begin with. Unfortunately, the puffing up

that humans do this is me using a pump, the puffing up, the

humans, do it, just fills us with air.

It's just hot air. We feel ourselves.

Why? It's a it's an unbelief in the

goodness of God. It's an unbelief in the love of

God. All of our sin can always be

traced back to some sort of unbelief.

What is the thing that I'm pursuing a materialistic?

I want the stuff. Well I want stuff because you

know, I want you know status or I want this like there but you

can always trace it back to there's some unbelief.

This is what we see in the garden.

This is the lie that is snake brought to Eve.

Hey, hey. Hey, God's holding out something

good and Eve had unbelief. It wasn't that she was just

confused. Oh, wait a second God said this,

but maybe he meant. That it was, huh?

Maybe we're missing out on something, I thought he was

good, but now I'm questioning it was doubt.

It was doubt on the goodness of God, he's given us everything

richly to enjoy, but maybe he is keeping us out on Somethin.

Satan says, no, no, he knows that.

If you eat this, you'll be like him.

Well, that's Pride. It is pride but it's also

unbelief. The route is, I don't believe

God's word. I don't believe he loves me

most. I don't believe he knows what's

best and he's holding out on me. This would have been Lucifer's

issue as well. I'm going to make my Throne like

that of the most high. Well you don't you don't

understand. You don't believe that your as

high as you could possibly get any way, you're already in a

position of serving the lord, you're doubting his goodness,

you're doubting his power, you're doubting his

righteousness, there's an unbelief here.

Here. And that allow that may room

that created a soil where Pride could then grow.

And then, of course not, you were already one of the highest

beings ever created Lucifer, but now you are crushed under the

feet of Jesus and you will suffer forever for it.

You will be made the lowest Because of unbelief.

Believers. This is what we do we believe

and we want to root out unbelief because it is so dangerous.

Turn in your Bibles. Guess where John chapter 6 We're

John 6 · chapter mention

closing here. John chapter 6.

John 6 · chapter mention

Verse 28 and 29. Jesus talking to the multitude

here. Verse 28 then they said to him

what must we do to be doing the works of God.

Jesus answered them. This is the work of God that you

believe in him whom he has sent Come on give me something.

No dude. No no.

We met like well can we do though?

What can we do? Jesus knows what they're after.

What can we accomplish? Come on man.

Like I want to I want to guarantee this thing.

Tell me what to do. They asked him what's the most

important commandment? Come on, what thing can I do?

He said love the Lord your God. Oh, it's another heart thing.

You always doing that Jesus? Yeah.

Almost like a changed heart. Art is the first thing that

leads to all the appropriate actions later, the belief will

come first. Loving God, is the primary

thing. Yeah, but like, what am I

supposed to do? There's plenty, that can be done

and plenty, that should be done. But nothing that you can earn

nothing that can make you deserve anything.

What are the works of God? What must we do to be doing the

works of God. Jesus answered them.

This is the work of God. Everybody leaned in when they

said it, he's about to tell us. This is the work of God.

Finally he's about to tell us believe in him who he has sent

believe. What's he doing?

He's pointing to himself. Believed on him who he said

let's just keep reading because Jesus is so awesome.

Then they answered him or then he answered them.

This is the true work of God that you believe in him.

Whom he has sent. So they said to him that then

what sign do you do that? We may see and believe you what

work do you perform our fathers, ate the Manna in the Wilderness

at his her, as it is written. He gave them bread from Heaven

to eat, Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you.

It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my

father gives you the true bread from Heaven.

Who's he talking about the true bread him?

For the bread of God, is he who comes down from heaven and gives

life to the world. They said to him, sir, give us

this bread. Always, they're still thinking

about this manna that comes from Heaven, this physical thing that

they can eat. And Jesus said, I am the bread

of life whoever comes to me, shall not hunger.

And whoever believes in me, shall never thirst.

How do I come to Jesus? I believe, in Jesus.

What does believe mean to believe is to trust in?

To put one's faith in to trust with an implication that actions

based on that trust may follow. This is not an I know about

these things. This is, I believe in Jesus.

Christianity requires that you believe because to believe in

God is to love God. And to fear God to believe in An

Almighty. Father, will reshape your

identity and your life? If you believe you're loved and

you're protected, how would you live to believe?

Your father, is the creator of Heaven and Earth that will draw

you to worship, that will draw you to stewardship and to

exercising, his dominion and his kingdom over every square inch

of this creation, because you believe it's all his So you

won't be passive when it comes to the the kingdoms that are at

war with one another. You won't go.

Let's just put Christianity in this neutral box and we'll let

America do. It's like neutral thing.

You'll recognize there is no such thing as neutrality.

There it will always be a kingdom.

Raining, there is no neutral thing and Christians can live

here and devil worshippers live over there.

But like America could have like this.

This this can be this big nothing box that that's

nonsense. It's not reality.

T, as Christianity is pushed out of prominence.

There's there's, it's not a vacuum, it's not an empty place

where it's like, oh now nothing exists.

There is that what you see happening?

No, you see wicking that wickedness rising up.

Those are the options to believe in.

God will lead to wanting to see his kingdom.

Come in every place in every way it will not lead you to a.

So this is this is what my point here is Doctrine is is very

practical, what you believe becomes, very practical, it

changes Has everything it impacts every area of your life,

it impacts the way, you raise your children, it impacts the

way you vote. It impacts everything, all of it

comes from Doctrine. And by the way, everybody has

Doctrine, whether or not they follow Christ or not, everybody

has the doctrines that they believe.

So to believe your father is the creator will lead you To

exercise his dominion and Kingdom over every square inch

of creation because you believe it's all his.

And to believe in Jesus Christ will make you a new creation to

believe in the holy spirit, will fill you with God himself.

And this is what Jesus invites us to do.

He says I am the bread of Heaven.

Eat of me and they go. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, we're

not interested in all that stuff.

They still, they were listening but they still weren't hearing

believe, do the works of God. I want to do the works of God.

Believe he says that whoever believes in me will do the works

that I've done and even greater Works.

Will they do how because they believe believing matters to God

believing matters to us. So this is why the Creed starts

with I believe and this is why we're going to say it a couple

more times in the Creed will come back to it.

I believe. I believe, I believe, Heavenly

Father, we believe your word, we love you and we thank you for

for your perfect Kingdom. It crushes, the human ego but

raises the human Spirit to be made new.

It pulls us out of death and it brings us into right

relationship with you and right standing.

You make all things new Help us to trust fully, not just facts.

Not just a mere head knowledge, but a trust a transformation.

God where we've allowed unbelief to take root help us to drive it

out. We confess that sin, the sin of

unbelief. Right now, the root of all of

our sins. We rejected We see it crucified

on the cross. We see it as something to be

repented of not something, not something that that we can't

help, but something that we can, We believe your word, we love

you, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you for the Holy

Spirit. We believe that you're with us

right now and that you'll guide us to believe in to trust you

even more We love you. We honor you.

We thank you in Jesus name and now the Lord bless you and keep

you the Lord, make his face shine down upon you and be

gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance

upon you and give you great. Peace in Jesus name.

Amen.