WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:03.279 Let's pray together, family church. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:16.399 Heavenly Father, we bow before you, acknowledging you as our creator, as our King, as our Lord, as our Savior, as our friend. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:21.600 We've gathered to meet with you, and we need to hear you speak to us. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:31.679 God, this morning, as we open your word, as we study the ancient truths that we believe as Christians, would you open our minds? 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.600 Would you strengthen our hearts? 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:35.280 Would you strengthen our faith? 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:39.280 And I pray for some in the room who may not know Jesus personally today. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:44.799 I pray that today might be the day that they put their faith and their trust in Christ. 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:49.439 But we pledge to receive everything you have for us from your word this morning, and we receive it all. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:51.119 We receive it by faith. 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.280 And we receive it in Jesus' name. 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:55.920 And all God's people say, Amen. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:56.880 You can be seated. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:58.159 Welcome again to Family Church. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:00:59.600 My name is Jimmy Scrogins. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:00.479 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:04.799 If I've never had a chance to meet you before you leave today, I hope I get a chance to meet you. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:06.560 I'm glad all of you are here. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.560 I know we have a lot of family church regulars. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:09.519 This is your church. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:11.599 We have some new people who are checking us out. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:13.280 We have some people from out of town. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:14.799 And some of you just wandered in. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.439 I don't know why you're here, but I'm glad all of you are here. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.159 And what we do every Sunday at Family Church is we have a Bible study. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:21.920 We're going to have our Bible study right now. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:23.680 So we're going to get your Bibles out. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.079 Turn your Bibles on on your devices. 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:30.560 Grab a Bible from the pew in front of you and open up to the book of Acts, chapter 10. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:32.079 The book of Acts, chapter 10. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.120 The book of Acts is in the middle of the New Testament. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:39.840 And we've already had a great time together gathering as a church family in this room. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:48.079 We've had uh babies dedicated up here on the platform, which is a sign of God's blessing and God's favor on our church, and we're very grateful for it. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:53.760 And it's our uh weekly reminder that if you're thinking of having another baby, no time to get started like today. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:03.840 I also want to just uh cheer for all of you who have teenagers here and elementary kids here, all of you who were in uh college and you're connected with our church. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:05.439 This church is made for you. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.280 This church is here so we can pass our faith on to new generations. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:20.319 This church has stood here since 1901, right here in this neighborhood, and we're going to be here until Christ comes back, passing our faith on one generation uh to the next. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:25.120 Now, we're studying a series for five weeks on the Apostles' Creed. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:36.080 Normally we teach through books of the Bible at Family Church, and in this series, every message will have a foundational text, for instance, today from Acts chapter 10. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:39.120 But we're studying through the Apostles' Creed. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:43.599 Now, how many of you guys grew up memorizing the Apostles' Creed? 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:44.319 Would you raise your hand? 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:46.000 Some of a few of you guys, right? 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:49.120 Uh, how many of you guys grew up uh Catholic? 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:50.319 Anybody grew up Catholic, right? 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:51.120 We got a lot of Cat. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:51.919 I know, I know. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:52.960 Proud of all of you guys. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:54.159 Glad you're here. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:55.520 Really good. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.120 Because uh in the Catholic Church they do a lot with the Apostles' Creed. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:05.599 Now I grew up Baptist, and in Baptist churches like I grew up in, we didn't recite anything, we didn't learn any creeds. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:09.840 I did not know the apostles' creed existed until I was in my 20s. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.240 But now here we are because it's so important. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:21.840 It's a great summary, it's like an executive summary of the most important teachings of all of the apostles that you can find in the Bible. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:33.439 Now, Pastor Derek kicked off our series last Sunday, and I'm so grateful that we have a leader and a pastor at Family Church downtown like Pastor Derek, who can teach the Bible as powerfully as he did last Sunday. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:35.759 And Derek, that was really, really good. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:37.280 And I love watching it. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:42.240 Uh I love watching it myself, and if you haven't seen it, you should go back on our YouTube channel and check it out. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.680 But our focus this morning is the part of the creed that talks about Jesus. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:56.319 The creed opens up like this I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:03.919 And let me just ask you, people on the floor and people in the balcony, what do you believe about Jesus? 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:11.120 You might tell me what your mom believes about Jesus, or you might could tell me what your grandfather believed about Jesus, but the real issue is not that. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:15.120 The real issue is what do you believe about Jesus? 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:25.040 Not even what you used to believe about Jesus, or what you wish you could believe about Jesus, what do you believe about Jesus right now? 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:36.560 Why, if you're a Christian, is what you believe about Jesus more true or more important or superior to what someone else may believe about Jesus? 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:42.399 If somebody asked you, because you're a Christian, hey, can you just explain to me what you believe about Jesus? 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:47.600 If I asked some of you that question right now, it's you do believe in Jesus, but if I said, well, what do you believe about Jesus? 00:04:47.759 --> 00:05:02.639 You would say, Ah, I don't know, there's like uh some prophecies about him, and then he's born of a virgin, but then uh feed the 5,000, and then uh he got crucified, but then uh I don't know. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:05.279 Jesus, I love Jesus. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:19.519 Wouldn't it be better as a Christian if you could summarize to anyone who asks you the most important things you believe about Jesus and say it in a concise way that hit the most important things. 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:21.920 That's what the Apostles' Creed does for you. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:23.360 And I want to help you do that today. 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:31.279 So we're gonna read from the Bible from Acts chapter 10 in just a moment, and then we're gonna recite the Apostles' Creed, and then we'll take notes and hopefully we can learn something. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.120 Now, when you get to Acts chapter 10, let me set the stage for you before we read this text. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.439 Acts chapter 10 is about Saint Peter. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:43.920 What we're going to read is a sermon that Saint Peter preached in somebody's house. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:50.160 Saint Peter in Acts chapter 10 was uh in this little town in Joppa. 00:05:50.319 --> 00:06:00.319 There was a lot of persecution in Jerusalem where he lived at the time, and he got forced to leave, and he went to this little town called Joppa, right on the Mediterranean Ocean. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:11.120 Uh, this is 10 years or so after Saint Peter started, he helped to found the first church in the world, the church in Jerusalem. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:19.279 And at this time in the world, the only church in the world was in Jerusalem, but Peter was over there in Joppa. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:20.800 Now, Jerusalem was a big church. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.199 It was what you would call a megachurch. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.639 So from time to time I meet people, they say, I don't like megachurches. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:27.920 I hate mega churches. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:28.959 Well, you would have hated St. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:33.040 Peter's church in Jerusalem because it had thousands and thousands of people in it. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:40.959 And they, all the people in the megachurch in Jerusalem, the first church, all of them were Jewish. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:54.079 They were either ethnic Jews who had been born Jewish, or they were Gentiles who had converted to Judaism, but the only way you could get in to that church was you had to convert to Judaism. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:07:00.639 So when you got saved back then, you say, I became a Christian, I turned from my sins, I put my faith in Jesus, same way you do now. 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:07.920 And then they say, okay, we need to be baptized by immersion in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, same way that you do now. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:15.279 And then they would say, but before you can do that, we got, if you're a guy, we got one more important conversation to have with you. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:19.040 At our church, we have a class when you want to join family church. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:20.319 It's called First Connection. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:22.720 They had a class, first disconnection. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:29.439 You had to have surgery, guys, before you could join this church. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.319 Well, Peter had been leading this church for a decade. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.720 The apostles were leading this church, but they hadn't figured out what to do with the Gentiles yet. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:43.839 Most of the Christians in Jerusalem, they believed you had to convert to Judaism before you could become a Christian. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:54.480 Gentiles were seen as, you know, uh uncircumcised, uh, hand sandwich eating, uh, mixed fabric wearing, uh, unclean people. 00:07:55.519 --> 00:08:00.079 Well, this guy that Peter's gonna meet today, his name's Cornelius. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:02.959 Cornelius was an Italian. 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:13.199 Cornelius was a Roman soldier, and he had a lot of authority, and he had a house in a little town called Caesarea, not too far from Joppa. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.600 And Cornelius had was a really good man. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.639 He had rejected the gods, the Roman gods he was raised on. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.920 He had actually embraced the God of the Jews. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:28.319 He feared God, he was trying to learn about God, he gave money to the poor. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.360 He was a good, good, good man. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.399 Maybe some of you would think of yourself like that. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:41.919 But he could never fully be accepted by the Jews because he wasn't circumcised, because he was a Gentile. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:47.840 But God wants to do a work in Peter's life to change Peter's mind about who can become a Christian. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:53.840 And God wants to do a work in Cornelius' life to help him understand what it takes to be a Christian. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.559 So God sends Peter to the house where Cornelius lives. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:10.879 And Cornelius knows Saint Peter is coming, and so he gets all of his family, his kids, and his grandkids, and his wife, and he gets all the people who work for him, all of his employees, and they gather in Cornelius' house. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:18.000 And Saint Peter arrives and he's about to preach this sermon to all of Cornelius' family and all of his employees. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.639 And Peter's gonna preach this sermon to people who don't know anything about Jesus. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:31.200 So when you read this text, you're gonna see the most important things to say about Jesus, because Peter is preaching to people who don't know anything. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:32.480 So what did he say? 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.559 Here's what the word of God says Acts chapter 10, starting in verse 34. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.799 This is the word of God. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:48.639 So Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly I understand that God shows no partiality. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:55.919 But in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:03.919 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:18.159 You yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:24.320 He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:32.559 And we are witnesses, we are witnesses of all that he did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.559 They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:51.200 But God raised him on the third day and made him to appear not to all the people, but to us, who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 00:10:51.440 --> 00:11:01.519 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:11.519 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:17.120 And this is the word of God, and we receive God's word at family church, and all God's people say. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:17.919 Amen. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:18.639 We receive it. 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:21.679 Okay, so now let's recite the apostles' creed together. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:30.879 And as we recite the apostles' creed, I want you to notice the similarities between the apostles' creed and the sermon that we just read that St. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.559 Peter preached in Cornelius' house. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:33.120 Are you ready? 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:34.879 Let's all say it out loud together. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:53.759 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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.960 The third day he rose again from the dead. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:02.879 He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:06.639 From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:18.720 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:19.679 Amen. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:24.000 Hey, let's uh let's restate that Jesus part, because that's what we're focusing on today, right? 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:24.639 Here you go. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:25.360 Say the Jesus part. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:26.000 Let's say it out loud. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:26.480 Are you ready? 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:27.679 We'll highlight it for you here. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:41.600 And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:51.039 The third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:55.519 From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:58.159 This is so powerful. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:19.440 If all of the people at Family Church would get a grip on what is taught and summarized by Peter's sermon and the Apostles' Creed, we would be a lot further down the road, understanding the power of Christianity, the core beliefs of Christianity, and we would be able to articulate those beliefs to others, and that's really important. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:24.799 So I want to show you side by side the similarities between the Apostles' Creed and St. 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:25.840 Peter's sermon. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:26.320 Check it out. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:27.679 Verse 36, St. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:33.440 Peter says, uh, Jesus and Christ, and he's our Lord, just like the Apostles' Creed does. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:36.799 Verse 39, the Apostles' Creed says Jesus is crucified. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:39.039 Peter says he's put to death on a tree. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.559 Verse 40, the Apostles' Creed said he was rose on the third day. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:45.039 Uh Peter says he was raised on the third day. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:48.639 Verse 42, the Apostles' Creed says Jesus will judge the living and the dead. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:48.960 St. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:52.320 Peter says, Jesus will judge the living and the dead. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:14:03.279 So you can see that this creed contains the most important things we believe about Christ, but the Apostles' Creed isn't just made up, it is drawn directly from the teaching of the Apostles. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:09.360 Now, if you're a Christian, this Bible study will help you summarize your beliefs about Jesus. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.000 If you're not a believer yet, and I know there are some of you in this room, you say, Well, I kind of I'm not mad about Christianity. 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:17.279 I showed up today, didn't I? 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.440 I I know, but you're not a Christian yet. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:26.480 You've never come to the point where you turn from your sins and turn to Jesus and receive Jesus by faith for yourself. 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:34.799 You believe some things about Jesus, you like some things about Jesus, but you've never made a decision where you turn from your sins and turn to Christ. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.080 And maybe today it'll give you some food for thought, and maybe you should do that. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:39.600 I hope that you do. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.080 But at Family Church, we take notes when we have a Bible study. 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:43.440 I hope you're in the habit of doing that. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:48.159 We've given you a program where there's some fill-in-the-blanks and a place for you to write things down for this Bible study. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:53.759 Here's some things I would like for us to learn this morning from Saint Peter's sermon and the Apostles' Creed. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:56.720 The Apostles' Creed declares certain things about Jesus. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:01.679 Number one, first thing I want you to see, the Apostle Creed shows us that Jesus is fully man. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.080 Jesus is fully man. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:04.960 When you read St. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:08.639 Peter's sermon, you see the humanity of Jesus. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:09.840 It jumps out at you. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:10.559 Look what St. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:12.960 Peter says in verse 37 of Acts chapter 10. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:17.840 He says, hey guys, you know what happens in Judea and Galilee. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:18.879 Why is that important? 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.559 Because that's where Jesus is from. 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.720 Jesus grew up in Galilee. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:23.039 St. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:26.000 Peter grew up in the same region, in Galilee. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:31.440 This would be like a guy from South Florida saying, Come on, guys, we grew up here in South Florida. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.120 You know what's happened in South Florida. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.759 You know what's happened to the dolphins every year in South Florida. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.799 You know this stuff. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:37.840 This is real life. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.399 This isn't things that you don't know about. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.440 And that's what St. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.159 Peter's saying. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:44.799 You know what happened in Judea and Galilee. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:45.519 Verse 38. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:47.919 He said, Man, Jesus grew up in Nazareth. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:49.519 Jesus grew up in Nazareth. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:52.879 Today, uh, when I was walking in, I met a guy. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:55.600 He came and reconnected with a guy in the room right now. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:02.559 And he and I went to the same high school, the Soto County High School, Arcadia, Florida. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:05.759 He said, Well, that's just a dumpy little town over there in Southwest Florida. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:06.320 I know. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.480 I went there, I would have lived there. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.360 But man, we were connecting back in and back. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:16.159 It's like, hey, only so many people know what happened in Arcadia, Florida. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:17.039 And that's what St. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:17.759 Peter said. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:22.080 He's from Nazareth, that little town out there outside of the Sea of Galilee. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:23.679 We know what happened out there. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:24.799 Verse 39. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.240 We're witnesses to this. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:27.519 We saw it. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:29.840 We saw him get crucified. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:33.919 And then to our shock and surprise, we saw him after he was raised from the dead. 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:34.879 We saw it. 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.639 Look what it says in verse 41. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.639 Not only did we see him after he was raised from the dead, man, we have meals with them. 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.000 We were eating and drinking. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.200 He wasn't a ghost. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.519 When he ate the food, it didn't fall on the floor. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.559 He ate the food, he died. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:47.759 He was a human being. 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.879 He's fully man. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:57.679 So you can see how important the humanity of Jesus was for the apostles like Peter, and how important it is for Christians of all time. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.360 That's why the Apostles' Creed emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.799 Look what the Apostles' Creed says. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:07.279 When you recite it, you're saying, we say, I believe in Jesus. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.359 Jesus is just a normal human name. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.079 That's a human name. 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:11.839 There were a lot of kids back then named Jesus. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.759 There are a lot of kids now named Jesus. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:15.599 I mean, it's not that unusual. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.720 It's a human name. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:18.400 He was born of Mary. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.519 That's important. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:21.359 Every kid in the world was born. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.480 He's born human. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:26.480 He had a mom who carried him in her belly for nine months. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:30.799 And she pushed him out of her body with all of the messiness and the pain of doing that. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.680 He was born like every other human being. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:34.880 He suffered. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:38.160 He suffered uniquely for sure, but every one of us suffers. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:40.079 You, some of you have suffered a lot. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:41.920 Some of you have suffered a lot. 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.759 Some of you are suffering right now. 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:47.119 Some of you have tremendous suffering in your future and you don't even see it coming. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:48.960 Jesus knows what suffering is like. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.960 He was crucified to death. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.599 He died. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.759 His death certainly had a special purpose. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:58.480 But he was crucified like many other people back then that were crucified by the Romans. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:00.400 He was dead like all men die. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.440 He was a human. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.680 He was buried like all dead humans. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:04.640 He was a human. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:10.559 Jesus is fully 100% a flesh and blood human being, a man who was born. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.519 He had a mom. 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:13.119 He had brothers and sisters. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:14.079 He grew up. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:16.559 He had to learn how to read and write. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:19.599 Just like these little kids up here on the stage will have to learn. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.559 He grew up and he asked questions about God. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.880 He had friends that he loved. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.440 He got tired when he'd been up too long. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:29.359 He got hungry when he hadn't eaten. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:32.000 He got thirsty when he hadn't had any water. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.039 He was tempted. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:36.960 He was really genuinely tempted, just like you and I are. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:41.440 He got sad when he went through hard things in life. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:48.240 Think about, you know, Pastor Derek this week after he preached so good on Sunday. 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:52.799 This past week he had to take his oldest daughter to college in Ohio. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.039 You think that made him sad? 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:58.480 I know Pastor Derek's a tough guy, but man, even Pastor Derek got sad. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:04.640 And this week I'm going to take my daughter to college in Virginia. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.640 You think that makes me sad? 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.279 I went and gave her a big old hug sitting right here on the front row while we were singing those songs. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:14.799 I thought, man, this is her last Sunday. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:16.079 But I've been counting it down. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:19.119 Like six weeks ago, I was like, well, only six more Sundays. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:21.440 Eventually it's got to happen, you know. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.079 But Jesus got sad when things happened in life. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:26.799 Jesus died when his body gave out. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:32.000 And in his dead human body was buried, just like yours would be buried one day. 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:37.440 And the Bible teaches, and the apostles' creed affirms, and Christians affirm that Jesus is fully man. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.279 And by the way, Jesus is still fully man. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:44.240 Jesus was raised from the dead, fully man. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.400 He ascended to heaven, fully man. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:51.599 He is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, fully man in his human body. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:56.319 And the Bible says when he returns to judge the living and the dead, he will not come back as a spirit. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:00.240 He will come back as a man, a human being in his flesh and blood body. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:05.279 He was fully man, he is fully man today. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:07.759 Christians believe that Jesus is fully man. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.319 But that's not all that Christians believe about Jesus. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:14.160 Number two, on your notes, Christians believe that Jesus is fully God. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:17.440 He's fully man, but he's fully God. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.880 Look what his Apostle Peter says about Jesus in Acts chapter 10. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:21.200 St. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.640 Peter said, verse 36. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:25.839 He says, listen, guys, Jesus is Lord of all. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.160 Verse 38, Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit and with powder. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:30.880 Verse power. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:34.160 Verse 40, Jesus is raised from the dead, no one else. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.920 Verse 42, Jesus is appointed by God to be the judge. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:45.039 So you can see what in the apostles' creed talks about Jesus, it's coming straight from the teaching of the apostles. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:49.519 And look at what the creed says about the divinity, the deity of Jesus Christ. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.640 It calls him Lord. 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:55.200 The Apostles' Creed is that we believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:56.720 He's King of all, like St. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:57.440 Peter said. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:02.079 The creed notes that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:06.480 The conception was miraculous and one of a kind in all of history. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.960 Jesus was raised from the dead according to the creed. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:09.920 He ascended to heaven. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.119 He's seated with God. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:16.000 All of these pointing to the unique status of Jesus, different from other men. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.960 Fully human, yes, but also fully God. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:22.079 And one day he will return to judge the living and the dead. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:24.000 Jesus is fully God. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:26.319 Now some of you are thinking, hey, wait a minute. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:29.279 I'm not great at math. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:34.960 But a hundred percent man and a hundred percent God, that doesn't work for me. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.319 He's not 200%. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.279 He's only one man. 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:43.759 How can we have one man, fully God and fully man? 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:47.039 Well, Christians have wrestled with this for 2,000 years. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:49.920 People have written a lot about it over the years. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:58.559 And here's how Christians have come to summarize what we believe about the way that Jesus is fully man and fully God. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.519 We say that He is. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.480 One person, but he has two natures. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:08.960 One person with two natures. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:15.200 His divine nature, because he's fully God, and his human nature, because he's fully man. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.880 Jesus is one person with two natures. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.880 You say, Well, that I'm still not sure I can get my mind around that. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:28.240 Aren't you glad that there is God who is bigger than your mind can comprehend? 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:34.400 Because if your mind could fully comprehend everything about God, he would be a lot less impressive, wouldn't he? 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:43.680 So to recap, to be a Christian, to be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:50.240 But the fully God part is what separates Christians from other religions. 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:52.640 Now look, I want to go ahead and tell you guys. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.000 This is America. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.240 I'm glad we have the freedom of religion. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:01.599 I am not for taking away American citizens' freedom to worship as they choose or not. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:08.480 However, I will articulate that I believe Christianity is superior to all the other religions. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:10.960 Our ideas and beliefs are superior. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:12.319 So I don't know if I like that. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:14.160 I know, but that let me let me give you an example. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:15.039 This is different. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:20.240 Anybody who tries to tell you all religions believe the same thing, they're not telling you the truth. 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:22.640 All religions do not believe the same thing. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.480 They believe contrary things. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.279 You can believe this or you can believe that, but you can't believe both. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:34.799 For example, Islam says that Jesus was a great prophet, but they deny that he was crucified at all, and they deny that he is God. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:44.400 Judaism, a lot of Jewish people will agree that Jesus is a good teacher, but they deny all the central claims about Jesus in the Apostles' Creed. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:48.319 They don't believe that he is the Messiah, and they certainly don't call him Lord. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:58.000 Jehovah's Witnesses kind of present as Christians in a way, but Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in the Trinity and they don't believe that Jesus is God. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:06.799 And Mormons also like to pasture themselves as evangelical Christians, but they don't believe in the Trinity either. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:10.480 And they reject the historic apostolic teaching about Jesus. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:20.160 And the Mormons are especially tricky because they they they they use the same vocabulary as you do, but they use a different dictionary. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:25.920 And so I'm not saying that to like, I know you have Mormon friends and Mormon relatives. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.359 I got Mormon friends too. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.119 I'm not mad at them for being Mormons. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:32.960 I'm just saying what they believe is fundamentally different from what we believe. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.240 It's not the same thing. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:37.039 You can't believe this and also believe that. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:38.480 It's different. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:53.039 So you see that many other religions do have beliefs about Jesus, and some even try to honor him in their own way, but they don't believe what the Bible teaches, and they certainly don't believe what the Apostles' Creed declares, and they can't affirm it. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:58.319 So anyone who tells you that these religions believe the same thing is not telling you the truth. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:04.079 Because these religions deny what Christians believe on the most important question. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:10.000 And the most important question for Christians is what do you believe about Jesus? 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:13.759 And we believe that Jesus is fully man, but we believe that Jesus is fully God. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:16.319 Okay, well, what's the implications of that? 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:18.240 This is gonna stretch some of you. 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:19.759 Number three, on your notes. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:22.000 Only Jesus can save. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:23.920 Only Jesus can save. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.759 That's what Christians believe. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:29.440 And the apostles' creed affirms that everyone needs to be saved. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:30.640 So I didn't see that in there. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:33.680 Well, it says he's coming to judge the living and the dead. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:40.160 If he's coming to judge the living and the dead, you better be ready for that day because everybody's gonna meet Jesus. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:46.799 The Muslims are gonna meet Jesus, and the Jehovah's Witnesses are gonna meet him, and the Mormons are gonna meet him, and the Jews are gonna meet him, and you're gonna meet him too. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:47.519 Are you ready? 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:48.960 Because that's the fundamental issue. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.799 He's coming to judge the living and the dead. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:54.720 And the Bible teaches in the creed affirms only Jesus can save. 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:55.279 Look what St. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:59.759 Peter preached in Cornelius' house, verse 36, chapter, Acts chapter 10. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:02.400 Jesus is Lord of all. 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.480 You mean just the Baptists? 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.039 No. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.680 You mean just the Americans? 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:10.240