The Creed: What We Believe - 7

July 25, 2021 Preacher: Series: The Creed: What We Believe

Scripture: Acts 2:42–45

Acts 2:42-45

Introduction
I believe in …The holy catholic church, The communion of saints.

“Creeds aren’t colorless facts we’re meant to recite and then ignore. They’re life-altering revelations of the God-man, Jesus Christ. They’re truth drawn from his Word, summarized for his people to learn and love. They remove us from a narrow, individualistic mindset and root us in the ancient community of Christians.” J. Ferris

The Church is One People and has One Message

I. The Church is One People
The church is not the invention of fallen human beings. Jesus himself is the founder of the church.

The Church is Holy:
1) It means to be ‘set apart’
We have been set apart from the profane for the purpose of a unique relationship with God in the person of Jesus Christ.

Ekklesia – the ‘called out ones’ – called out for a relationship and to kingdom work

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” 1 Peter 2:9

2) It means to be ‘morally ethical’
To be holy or morally clean only happens as we are in ‘union with Christ’ and empowered by the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit.

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, ‘Be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15,16

The Church is Catholic:
It means there is only one church because there is only one Lord.

The church is made up of every type of person: rich or poor, male and female, Jew and Gentile, slave and free.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave, nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28


The Church has Communion:
Love: We have love for one another. Laying down our lives for each other. Sharing life together.

Fellowship: When we have the communion of the saints we are rejecting the spirit of individualism that is seen so much in the church today. When we make our faith about ‘me’ we lose the power of the gospel.

Spiritual Gifts: Each person has been given a spiritual gift that is to serve the Body of Christ. But also we share everything in common, even our material possessions.

II. The Church has One Message
“The church is catholic because it preaches a catholic message. The gospel is not addressed to one particular social class or ethnic group.” Ben Myers

The message of the Gospel brings hope to all mankind. The Church, God’s people, live by that message.


III. Conclusion

More in The Creed: What We Believe

August 1, 2021

The Creed: What We Believe - 8

July 18, 2021

The Creed: What We Believe - 6

July 11, 2021

The Creed: What We Believe - 5