Benediction Church, #HamOnt

January 19, 2020: Week One This week we kicked off our series in John's amazing Gospel. Each week is an opportunity to consider how Jesus corrects the bad ideas we all - churched, unchurched, or de-churched - have about God. As the Word-made-flesh, Jesus Himself is what God wants to say, Jesus has shown us.

Introduction: "We Believe" This week we begin our study of the Apostles' Creed by exploring its background and asking what creeds are for. What do we even mean when we say "We believe"? What are the risks and rewards of becoming familiar with the Creed?

"I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth" What did the Apostles believe about God the Father? (Like, is He more like a father than a mother?) And how "all" is God's "almighty"? Finally, what are we meant to believe about God's role in Creation? Is it as simple as some Bible teachers make it sound? This week we consider the differences it'd make if we believed in Him as we...

"I Believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried." What difference does Jesus' incarnation make? Why did He become flesh? This week we look at what Scripture teaches about Jesus, and consider whether it's more important to know that Jesus is God, or that...

"I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body, and Life Everlasting, Amen." What have we learned from generations of individualistic, revivalist, turn-or-burn preaching? What messages have we picked up about God that need to be put down? What truths have been lost that need to be picked up again? This week we conclude up our study of the Apostles' Creed by reminding ourselves what followers of Jesus...

"I believe Jesus descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead." Each of us has a flawed image of Jesus. What could be worse for worship, mission, and community than if we all know our image of Jesus is flawed, but we're afraid to allowed to talk about it? Th...

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy, catholic, Church, the communion of saints" How can we know whether the our beliefs - the images of Jesus we each walk around with - are true, helpful, and good? In the Creed, the Apostles have given us a three-part test we examine this week.

"I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins" How does the cross actually result in forgiven sins? Scripture provides many helpful pictures, yet many of us have chosen to hold onto just one. The Cross expresses our deepest beliefs about who God is. Wouldn't you want to know if your view was distorted, or unbalanced? Wouldn't you want to know if the Good News is better than you'd imagined?