WE BELIEVE
Text: Hebrews 11:1-6
Introduction
1. Every week we all recite the Apostle’s Creed together. But I can’t begin to tell you how many times people have come up to me and asked, “why do we say that and what does it mean?”
2. Over the next couple of months, we will explore the Apostle’s Creed line by line, and look not only at what it says, but also what does it mean.
3. Why is it important? Because it’s important not only to know what you believe, but why you believe it.
4. Read Hebrews 11:1-6
Transition: Let’s take a journey together through…
I. What We Believe
A. What is the Apostle’s Creed? Why do we recite it together every Sunday?
1. First, a creed is a summary statement of what we believe as Christians.
2. The creeds were written at a time when most people were uneducated and unable to read.
3. So, the creeds gave them easy lists of belief’s they could memorize and help them to know what Christians believed in.
B. The Apostle’s Creed was not written by the Apostle’s, but it is a summary of their teachings, and a number of them wrote letters and gospels that are part of the Bible.
1. The original form was written in the second or third century, but the form we use today was written and finished between the fourth and eighth century.
2. While it was not written by the apostle’s, it is based on what they did write. As we know, a number of the apostles wrote many of the books in the New Testament
3. So, as we will see, the Apostle’s Creed is based on biblical principles.
C. Why do we recite the Apostle’s Creed?
1. Today, many churches don’t use the Apostle’s Creed. They would rather make up faith statements of their own, kind of like writing your own wedding vows.
2. But in reciting the Apostle’s Creed, we are joining with the historical, and traditional Christian church.
3. The “I” believe,” refers to the body of Christ around the world that stands on the historical and traditional teachings of the church.
4. Instead of separating the church, it unites us with others who believe what we believe. It’s not just what “I” believe, but what “we” believe.
D. To understand what it means to believe, we need to turn to the Bible. The best place to turn is Hebrews 11 - the faith chapter. In Hebrews 11:1 it says, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
1. In this amazing chapter, we are told that faith shows the reality of what we hope for.
2. Faith begins with believing in God’s character, that He is who He says He is.
3. It means that we believe in God’s promises, that He will do what He says He’ll do.
4. The word “reality” comes from a Greek word that means “a standing under,” and was used as a technical term as a “title deed.”
5. A deed is the proof that you own a piece of property. In other words, faith is proof of what we hope for.
6. Now, biblical hope is different than what we think of when we talk about hope. We say things like. “I hope we have nice weather this week.” There’s an uncertainty about it. However, biblical hope is a desire based on reality. It’s not something we wish for, but something we know is real.
7. Our daughter learned at an early age that shot oven will burn you because she set the palm of her hand on the inside of a hot oven door. She knows that a hot oven will burn you because she touched the heat.
8. We know the reality of faith because we have been touched by the one in which we believe.
9. Additionally, faith is the evidence of what we cannot see. This means that we have complete confidence that God will keep His promises, even when we can’t see the evidence with our eyes, but we know it with our hearts.
10. This means we have confidence in heaven, eternal life, future rewards, and other things we can’t see, touch, or smell. This confidence allows us to believe in all of God’s promises by faith.
E. Next, the writer of Hebrews tells us in v. 2, “Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.”
1. People of faith God make God happy. However, faith is not something we do to earn salvation because we can’t do anything earn salvation.
2. If we could earn salvation through faith, it would just be one more deed that won’t save us.
3. “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” (Gal. 2:16).
4. Instead, faith is a gift that God gives us because He is saving us.
5. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Eph. 2:8-9).
6. In OT times, people were saved by grace, not actions. From Abraham to David, the people were saved by God’s grace and not because of what they did.
7. We are saved by Jesus’ death on the cross, and when we accept that gift we are saved from our sins.
8. God wants us to take the gift of faith He has given us and have confidence that what God said concerning it is true.
F. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in v. 3, “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”
1. What he is telling us is it’s by faith that we understand that God created the world.
2. God created the world from nothing by His word alone. This is a theological term “ex-nihilo,” which is a Latin term that means “from nothing.”
3. All of creation was new and not made from pre-existing materials. It didn’t come from things that were already here, but rather from nothing and God spoke them into existence.
4. It is by faith that we believe these things. The world can’t accept this because they don’t have faith. They believe that the world was created by some “primordial soup,” or a cosmic “big bang.” That’s more faith than I can muster.
5. But faith tells us that God created the world from nothing!
G. Another important thing that the writer tells us about faith is in v. 6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
1. He tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, not unlikely or difficult, but impossible!
2. This was probably a warning to those whose faith was wavering at the time he was writing. No one can please God without faith! It is an absolute requirement.
3. All of the rituals mean nothing without faith.
4. In order for us to come to God we need two things: 1) We must believe that there is a God. There are a lot of people who say they believe in God, but their actions say otherwise. Remember that James tells us, “Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” We must remember that faith is an action, and your actions need to match your belief.
5. 2) We must believe that God rewards those who sincerely seek Him. God wants more than an acknowledgement of His existence. He wants a person, dynamic personal relationship with you that will change your life.
6. Faith is not an abstract idea, but a relationship that changes us into whom God wants us to be.
Transition: Now, let’s look at what…
II. This Mean to Us?
A. Knowing why we believe what we believe starts and ends with the Bible.
1. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
2. “It is dangerous to depart from Scripture…most of the controversies that have disturbed the Church have arisen from people wanting to be wise above what is written, not contented with what God has plainly written there.” (John Wesley).
3. If you believe something that cannot be supported by Scripture, get rid of it!
4. The bible is our measuring stick, and we judge everything we believe by it.
5. Notice what Paul says, “All Scripture is inspired by and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong…”
6. It teaches us what to believe and what not to believe.
7. It all starts here!
B. Belief is more than just mental; it’s a passion of the heart.
1. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jer. 29:11-13).
2. In addition to Scripture, what we believe is based on a relationship with the Lord.
3. Here God is calling us to seek for Him, to passionately desire a close, personal relationship with Him.
4. This involves a consistently passionate prayer life. God says when we pray, He will listen. But His desire is for us to come to Him every day and work on furthering our relationship with Him.
5. In order for us to have a good relationship with anyone requires spending time with them.
6. The same is true in our relationship with God; it means putting forth the effort for that relationship to grow.
7. At the very minimum this means prayer and bible study on a daily basis.
8. Like our bodies require food for fuel, our spirits require prayer and study to fuel our souls.
9. Make seeking after God the most important thing in your life!
C. Belief requires action.
1. “Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” (James 2:18-19).
2. I’ve had so many people tell me, “Oh, my faith is personal.” Well, if your faith is personal, it’s not biblical faith.
3. Show me one verse in the bible that shows that our faith is something we should keep to ourselves!
4. Jesus said, “Go, and as you are going make disciples.” What about that sounds personal to you?
5. True belief or faith requires action. James tells us that true faith requires us to do something about it.
6. When I was a young man, I attended a home bible study led by a local businessman. He would put it this way, “Don’t tell me about your faith, show it to me!”
7. The best way you can show someone your faith is to go out and tell them about Jesus!
8. Put your faith into action!
Conclusion
What’s the point preacher? The Apostle’s Creed is a statement of what we believe as Christians. But it more than just mental belief; it’s a commitment to action that shows our faith to others. Don’t just tell me about your faith, show it to me!
