“…the holy catholic Church…”

The Church, is the community of all believers in every time and place. A belief in the holy catholic church, restates that in three words. The Church is holy, only because it came about as the continued Body of Christ working on Earth to bring about God’s Will and God’s work. Is it perfect? Are any of us perfect? The answer to both questions is, “No.” But we try each day to conform our lives and the world to God’s way of love and redemption.

It has been said that the Church, and religion in general, are no longer relevant. I disagree. Throughout the millennia, the Church has been a moderating influence upon society. The problem we face is that we are listening too much to society and too little to the One we are to follow. Somewhere along the way we have forgotten that the word, “catholic,” means universal. If we think the Church is universal, we cannot ignore the impact it continues to make in areas of the world where people are persecuted for their beliefs.

With every post, I reread previous posts. The preceding post to this one dealt with a belief in the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that in areas where the Church is viewed as irrelevant, it is a cry for us to recover and renew our belief in the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words…” (Romans 8:26 NRSV). For the church to remain holy, universal, and relevant, I believe we need to let that Holy Spirit pray for us and open our ears to hear the responses.

Gracious and loving God, the Church needs to listen for your voice more today than ever. Please Lord, in our weakness, hear the voice of your Spirit praying for us. Grant us ears to hear and understand how we can work each day to keep your church holy and catholic. Amen.

“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”

     A believe in the Trinity implies a belief in the Holy Spirit.  While John’s gospel refers to Jesus as the “Word” of God, scripture  contains multiple references to
God’s Spirit at work as well.  In the Old Testament, important events and messages are delivered by the prophets.  In many instances these messages are proceeded by the phrase, “And the Spirit of the Lord came upon…”

    During his time with the disciples, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would remain with us to comfort us and guide us throughout our days (John 15:26).  On the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is reported to descend upon the twelve as “tongues of fire”  (Acts 2:1-5).  As a result, Peter and the others were able to spontaneously speak and be understood in a variety of languages.

  In mainline Christianity today I often see two extremes regarding the Holy Spirit.  Either we ignore the work of the Spirit, because we are afraid of the great deeds we can do when empowered by God’s Spirit or we rely on it so totally as to lose contact with reality.  Healthy Christian living needs both of these in some balance.

    As people of faith, we have to allow room in our lives for God’s Holy Spirit to work in and through us.  We have to allow quiet times to hear the “still small voice” of God when it reaches out to us.  In order to hear and comprehend what God is telling us we need to harken to Eli’s guidance to Samuel.  “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening'” (1 Sam 3:9).  Perhaps if we did so more often, we would have a different sense of what God is asking of us each day.

  But getting the message is only part of the equation.  In every instance where God’s Spirit has spoken to people of faith it has been a call to action.  That action may be on a personal or a communal level.

     I am frequently reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   He was without a doubt a prophet of God.  His “I have a dream” speech was an example of what happens when an individual is filled with the Holy Spirit and called to action  on a global scale.  The message was not one of superiority of one group over another, but rather a message of submission by all to God.  This I feel is the ultimate message of the work the Holy Spirit, we are all called by God to do God’s work for the betterment of all God’s people, no matter who or where they are.

Merciful God, grant us the stillness in our hearts to hear your voice.  Let your Holy spirit work in us each day to guide us and call us to your will and your way.  Fill us with the courage to speak and act boldly in your name to bring all honor and glory to you, while demonstrating your love for all your children.  This we ask in teh name of Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

                  “… and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;  from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”

          Many people, both Christians and non-Christians want to forget that Christ is co-eternal, and co-equal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  We don’t believe in three gods, just one God.  And God has chosen to reveal Himself to us as the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.  We do not believe that there is a ranking or priority within the godhead.  Instead, we believe they are all equal.  For many people this is one of the hardest things to comprehend in all of Christian faith.

            For me, the only challenging part of this section in the Creed relates to the fact that there will come a time when we each will be judged by God.  For some, this is a scary proposition, for others it is a time that we anticipate with joy.

            It is not that I have lived a perfect life, far from it.  The truth of the matter is that I am as much of a sinner as any one else.  Just like any sinner, I only deserve God’s judgment. 

The 18^th century preacher Jonathan Edwards explained it better than I can in his sermon titled:  “Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God.”  In this work, Edwards stated our condition this way:  “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.”

This is the truth and it helps me find hope and comfort in Christ’s coming judgment.  I know without a doubt that only Christ’s mercy and grace keeps me from the fate I deserve at any moment in time.

I am often asked about the criteria we will be judged against.  I cannot answer that with absolute certainty.  However, Scripture does give us some clues.  Psalm 15 states:

 “ O Lord, who may abide in your tent?  Who may dwell on your holy hill?  Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent.  Those who do these things shall never be moved.”

-Psalms 15:1-5 (NRSV)

            There are other Scriptures that say this just as well.  But in every case the underlying message is the same.  We are judged not on how we live, but in how we live in response to the love we show for God and one another.  Micah 6:8 states it this way:

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

-Micah 6:8 (NRSV)

            The ultimate focus is not so much when is Christ coming to judge, but the knowledge that he will come and judge.  Until that day arrives, our sole responsibility is to live in the way we know we should as an outpouring of our love for God and for one another.

 Merciful God, we are nervous to be judged by Christ, scared that we will never measure up.  But at the same time, O Lord, we know that you are full of mercy and grace.  Help us, Lord to find comfort in the knowledge that you love is bound less for all you children.  This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Podcast coming soon!!!

“he ascended into heaven…”

            One of the greatest challenges, when trying to study sections of the Creed, is:  “Where does one separate the thoughts?”  This is no exception.  We could have included this with Christ’s resurrection, but I believe the Ascension needs some attention of its own.  Christ arose, we have no doubt about that.  But then, there was another action that was unheard of in human experience.  He ascended in to heaven.  Luke records it this way:

“When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”  He told them, “You don’t get to know the time.  Timing is the Father’s business.  What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit.  And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
These we^“re his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud.  They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes!  They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.””

-Acts 1:6-11 (MSG)

            In all of Scripture, there are only two incidents of someone lifted bodily in to heaven.  The first is Elijah and the second was Christ.  Christ’s Ascension state quite clearly for anyone who has ears to hear that Jesus was not just a holy man.  Indeed, he is God Incarnate.  

            As people of faith, we don’t often give enough attention to the Ascension.  We are either people who focus on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, or people who focus on the empty tomb and the resurrection.  But it is the Ascension of Jesus that tells us without a doubt that Christ will return!

            The debate continues today as to when Christ will return.  For some it will be following the Rapture, others take it on a more individual basis.  To be honest, it matters not how or when, just knowing that Christ will come.

            That great hymn of faith, “How Great Thou Art,” puts it this way:

“When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation,   And take me home, what joy shall fill my Heart!” 

            And the Book of Job states it thus: 

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!”

-Job 19:25-27 (NRSV) 

           The point for me is this, when Christ returns does not matter.  What matters is the knowledge that Christ will return.  And the knowledge that even though he ascended, he is still here, alive and watching over each of us every minute of every day!  And the best news for me is that when my life is over, I will behold my Savior forever!

Loving God, thank you for your Son and the promise that because he lives, so shall we.  Bless us each day and give us the courage and strength to live boldly as your children.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Podcast coming soon!!!

“the third day he rose again from the dead…”

            In the course of the Apostle’s Creed most everything that was said about our beliefs was pretty normal and straightforward.  At least up until now.

            Think about it, God created and that’s normal.  Jesus was conceived and born.   Again, that’s pretty normal, even though the means seems a bit different.  He was tortured, killed, and buried.  Once again, all within the norms of human experience, even though it seems extreme. 

            Now we get to the part of our beliefs that sets Jesus apart from anyone before or since.  The part of what we believe that defies human comprehension and illustrates God’s action and identification of Jesus as the Son of God beyond a reasonable doubt.

            From time to time, we hear of people who are comatose for a long period, or perhaps actually are clinically dead for a short period.  We are amazed and astounded when they seemingly come back to life.  However, we recognize it was only a brief period.

            Jesus was very different.  Many people witnessed his execution.  He was stabbed, just to ensure his physical body was truly dead.  Then, cold and lifeless, his body was placed in a tomb.  And to be sure that no could disturb the body, a stone was rolled across the entrance and an armed guard posted.

            As we know, the story doesn’t end there:

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.  So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”  Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.  The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead… But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”

-John 20:1-9, 11-16 (NRSV)

            In the movie “The Greatest Story Ever Told” John Wayne has one line as the guard who administers the death blow to Christ on the cross.  His line is:  “Truly this is the Son of God.”

            When we consider Christ’s resurrection that is all I can say.  For someone to rise physically from the tomb after 3 days is well beyond our understanding.  It is truly an act of God and only known to have happened one time in recorded history.  The amazing truth of this event is not to be found in the act itself, but the effect of the event on those who witnessed it and on believers in every age since.  Peter and the disciples, went on to do amazing things after the resurrection that were totally alien in contrast to their life before.  Even today, believers undergo transformative events, all because they believe in Christ who was raised from the dead!

Loving God, you brought Jesus from the dead and raised him to new life.  Help us, we pray to be transformed through our belief, to do your Will this day.  We ask this in the name of our Risen Lord.  Amen.

Podcast coming soon!!

“…he descended in to hell…”

            For many of us, this short phrase in the Apostle’s Creed is troublesome.  The very idea that our Lord and Savior descended in to hell does not make much sense.  If Jesus is truly the Son of God and is sinless, then why did he descend to the place of eternal punishment?  What useful purpose could this serve?

            In many denominations and congregations, this part of the Creed is omitted.  Personally, I feel that is a mistake.  Following Christ is never easy.  Jesus himself told us that we would be challenged, persecuted, mocked, and ridiculed for his name’s sake (Luke 21:12).  Sometimes that comes about by not being able to adequately explain or rationalize, tough aspects of what we believe.

            So then, what does this little phrase say about our faith?  How do we get it to make sense?  For the most part, I would suggest we should not worry about it.  Jesus gave us an answer for that situation.  He said: 

“This will give you an opportunity to testify.  So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.” 

-Luke 21:13-15 (NRSV)

            As always, Scripture has to provide us with the first clue to our answer.  I feel the passage above serves to give us the courage to not be afraid when we are asked to explain aspects of our faith.

            Throughout the millennia, scholars and theologians have had many answers and opinions concerning this little phrase in the Creed.  For some, it represents the time when Christ, gathered all the people of faith from the Old Testament and took them to heaven.  For others, including John Calvin, this passage has another meaning.

            Calvin felt that this phrase referred to something special in our relationship to Christ and Christ’s work on our behalf.  And it is an action that expresses God’s love for us like no other.

            In my own walk of faith, I have come to believe that God will ever abandon us.  It is a fundamental part of Reformed Christianity to believe that God’s love never fails or falters.  Paul wrote:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our  Lord.”

-Romans 8:37-39 (NRSV)

            So then, how does this relate to the passage we are considering?  Calvin suggested that the three days between Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection were spent completely cut off from God.  In other words, Christ paid the price we deserve for our sin for three days.  And he did so, in order that we would not have to!

Almighty God, we give you thanks for the work of your Son.  We praise and bless you for the price he paid for our sin and we seek you forgiveness, grace and mercy each day.  May we always recall what you do for us and never forget your lace in our lives.  Amen.

Podcast coming soon!!!

Who was conceived…

“And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the

Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was

crucified, dead, and buried …”

To just say that Jesus is the Son of God, only begins to tell what we believe about him Christians acknowledge that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. In other words, he was not the product of a normal sexual relationship.

We understand this to mean that Mary, his mother, was a virgin when Christ was born. Until the last century, few could acknowledge the possibility of a virgin giving birth. This was a stumbling block for many in their belief in Jesus, Scientific developments in terms of ‘test tube babies’ and the artificial insemination of animals have caused many people to change their opinion about this.

Yet that is how Scripture describes Christ’s birth. It states that Mary was a virgin and that her husband did not have relations with her until after Jesus was born. In fact, Mary’s pregnancy was a cause for potential shame on her, Joseph, and their families. Matthew’s Gospel gives a clue how Joseph felt about this:

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.“

– Matt 1:18-25 (NRSV)

But the discussion of Jesus’ birth is only a part of the story. It is only the beginning of the greatest story ever told, the redemption of humanity and our reconciliation to God through our belief in Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord.

We acknowledge the complete humanity of Jesus. He was born, lived, suffered and died in a horrible, cruel death and was buried in a tomb as we shall be. These are human events and they happened to Jesus as they will happen to each of us. But if this was all we believed about Jesus, he would be just another prophet, a man of God, but not God incarnate, “Emmanuel” – “God with us.” Those truths are proclaimed in the rule of faith as well as we shall discover in the next section of this study.

Loving God, grant us continued faith to believe all that you have revealed of you love for us in Jesus Christ. Help us to recall his complete humanity, for he was one of us. But help us too as we wrestle with his complete Divinity, for he is God. Amen.

Podcast Coming Soon!!!

And in Jesus Christ

“And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord…”

There is such power in our words when we truly comprehend their meaning. This short phrase professes our faith in the second person of the Trinity and it says a great deal about Jesus.

To begin with we call Jesus “Christ.” Contrary to popular belief, “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. Instead it is a Greek word meaning “Messiah” or “God’s anointed one.” So then by professing faith in Jesus Christ, we acknowledge that he is more than the child of Mary and Joseph the carpenter. He is in fact our Savior and Redeemer.

This is powerful stuff. In some times and places, this proclamation was tantamount to a death sentence because it meant we found our only hope for salvation in someone other than the king.

But we proclaim more than our loyalty to Jesus. We acknowledge his choice by God and his relationship to God as the second person of the Trinity, God the Son. Only Christianity proclaims and accepts the Trinity. Most other faiths view the Trinitarian doctrine as a source of ridicule and polytheism (worship of many gods). But that is not what we proclaim.

When we say that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we proclaim that God is one being, who chose to make a self-revelation in three distinct persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We proclaim, to use the term from the Nicene Creed that the persons of the Trinity are of ‘one substance.’ This means they are the same person in essence but we experience God in three different ways.

At this point, I must admit that trying to adequately explain the doctrine of the Trinity is impossible. Theologians have tried to do so for centuries and every explanation falls short. But this too says something about God. God is more than we can comprehend and therefore some of our understanding remains a mystery of faith, something we accept and believe, but can not adequately prove or explain.

I have found several illustrations that seem to help in discussing the Trinity. First; the Trinity describes God’s relationship within the godhead to God’s self. It helps if we consider how we are viewed as individuals in our familial relationships. For example: I am my parent’s son, my children’s father, and my siblings’ brother. Three persons found in one individual. There are more relationships that describe me than this, but you should get the idea.

A second example is the egg. An egg can be described as having three distinct parts: the shell, the yolk, and the white. Each part is visibly different, yet each is also egg. The three persons of the Trinity are similar, each is different, yet always God.

Another example that comes to mind involves the substance we know as water (H₂O). It exists in three distinct states as solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam). Yet it always remains H₂O. God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; three persons but always God.

So then, when we say: “(I believe) in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord…” we profess a belief in Jesus as God’s anointed, the second person of the Trinity, equal and co-eternal with God. We acknowledge Jesus as being God just as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are God. Further, we pledge allegiance to Jesus as our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. And we proclaim Jesus as God’s self-revelation to us.

The Rule of Faith, the Apostle’s Creed says this and so much more. I give thanks for the words of those who wrote it down for us and our understanding of it today.

Gracious Lord, we give thanks for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us as we continue to study this document to come to appreciate all the truths we express each time it is recited. This we ask in the name of Christ. Amen.

Podcast coming soon!!!

I Believe in God…

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth…”

Sometimes it is difficult for us to realize the power and the meaning our words convey. A prime example is the first several words at the beginning of the Apostle’s Creed. So, it is fitting that we begin our study of the rule of faith with these words at its beginning.

To say we believe is very special. It implies that we have complete faith and trust in the object of our belief. That faith and trust is acceptance of the truth that is found in the object of our belief. In this creed, we identify the object of belief in the first sentence. We believe in God, not just a god, but God almighty who created the heavens and the earth.

We acknowledge as true and absolutely correct God’s work in creating the heavens and the earth. This does not mean an acceptance of creation from nothingness, although many Christians do believe this. Instead, what the creed acknowledges is that however, the world came in to being; evolution, big bang, or creationism, God was the ultimate instigator of creation, responsible for all that is, was, and will ever be.

This is the same God who identified himself to Moses as: “I AM.” This is the same God who led the people of Israel out of Egypt and promised Abraham descendants ‘more numerous than all the stars in the heavens.’

When we identify God as “Father,” this identification has very little to do with gender and more to do with Creation. With this statement we join ourselves to every Jew, Christian, and Muslim on the face of the planet. For we all believe in one God, who is above all other gods. This central belief is a part of what makes this creed an ecumenical creed.

Only Christianity accepts the doctrine of the Trinity. With this sentence we acknowledge both the oneness of God and the belief that God has been revealed to us in the person of the Almighty Father, Creator of all. This is the God that Moses, Jacob, Abraham and all of Israel were so familiar with. This is God who led the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. And this is God whom Jesus called: “Abba.” This is the object of our belief and the first subject of the Rule of Faith, the Apostle’s Creed.

Almighty God, Creator of all that is, was, and will be, we come to you, believing in your love, your work and your wisdom. Help us this day to solidify our beliefs and our trust in you. This we ask in the name of Christ. Amen.

Podcast will be available soon!!!

The Rule of Faith

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the

Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was

crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose

again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right

hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the

quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion

of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life

everlasting. Amen.”

For centuries, the Apostle’s Creed has also been called; “The rule of faith.” What this means is that this creed, more so than any other, gives a good summation of what Christian faith is al about. The Apostle’s Creed has also formed the basis for many great theological treatises.

Contrary to some opinion, the Apostle’s Creed was not written by the apostles. It authorship is unknown but apparently evolved in the first and second century and reached the form we know now in the eighth century. Historically, it has been the creed most often used when bringing new members in to the Christian faith.

One way to think of this creed is that it reflects the missionary nature of the Christian church. We are all sent forth in faith as apostles (those sent out with a mission). Our calling is to make disciples for Jesus Christ and this is our statement of faith and our beliefs in their simplest form. Hence it is the “Apostle’s Creed” and the “Rule of faith.”

The Heidelburg Catechism divides this creed in to three major sections for further expansion: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the next several posts, I too will divide the creed into sections. I hope to explore this ecumenical creed and give some expansion for the truths of Christian faith that it expounds and encourage you to think about what it is you profess when you recite this creed.

In essence, I’ll be doing what several others have done over the years, using the creed as a basis for some theological thought. My efforts may not be as concise or well thought out as those of Calvin or Barth, but they will attempt to reflect my understanding of Christian faith as it is expressed in this creed.

Merciful God, you gave us this creed as a means of expressing our faith in words that others understand. Guide my writings and bless those who read this that we may all wrestle with our understanding of life as your servants. This we ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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