SPEAKER_00: Hello, my friends, and welcome back to the Spray UMC Podcast.
SPEAKER_00: I'm Hoyt, and I'm grateful you've joined me today.
SPEAKER_00: Last time we began our journey through the Apostles' Creed by looking at the opening words.
SPEAKER_00: I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
SPEAKER_00: Today we take the next step and focus on these words.
SPEAKER_00: And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Now that may seem like a short sentence, but packed into those few words is the very heart of the Christian faith.
SPEAKER_00: Who is Jesus?
SPEAKER_00: Why did he come?
SPEAKER_00: And what does it mean to call him Lord?
SPEAKER_00: Let's spend a few minutes together exploring those questions.
SPEAKER_00: When I read this line of the creed, three words stand out to me Jesus, Son, Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Each one tells us something important about who Christ is.
SPEAKER_00: The name Jesus means the Lord saves.
SPEAKER_00: That tells us something about his mission before he ever speaks a word.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus did not come simply to teach.
SPEAKER_00: He did not come simply to inspire.
SPEAKER_00: He came to save.
SPEAKER_00: Think about that for just a moment.
SPEAKER_00: Before Jesus healed the sick, before he preached the sermon on the mount, before he called his first disciple, God had already declared why he came.
SPEAKER_00: He came to save.
SPEAKER_00: Everything Jesus did flowed from that one mission.
SPEAKER_00: And the title Christ means Messiah, the anointed one, promised by God.
SPEAKER_00: The Creed reminds us that Jesus is the long awaited Savior and promised Messiah.
SPEAKER_00: The Creed then calls Jesus his only Son.
SPEAKER_00: This speaks of his unique relationship with the Father.
SPEAKER_00: When we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus, how Jesus treats people, how Jesus forgives, how Jesus shows compassion, how Jesus welcomes the broke and the hurting.
SPEAKER_00: Watch how he touches the leper.
SPEAKER_00: Watch how he welcomes children.
SPEAKER_00: Watch how he restores those who have failed.
SPEAKER_00: If you want to know the Father's heart, look at the Son.
SPEAKER_00: If you ever wondered what God is like, start with Jesus, our Lord.
SPEAKER_00: And finally the Creed calls him our Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Most people are comfortable with Jesus as a teacher.
SPEAKER_00: Many admire him as a good man.
SPEAKER_00: But the creed goes further.
SPEAKER_00: It calls him Lord.
SPEAKER_00: To call Jesus Lord is to say my life belongs to him, not just on Sunday morning, not just when things are going well, but every day.
SPEAKER_00: Every morning we all make a choice will I follow my own will or his?
SPEAKER_00: The Creed reminds us that Christians have already answered that question.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
SPEAKER_00: The good news is that the one who is Lord is also the one who loves us.
SPEAKER_00: The Creed places Jesus at the center because Jesus belongs at the center, not our opinions, not our accomplishments, not our plans.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: When we say, and in Jesus Christ his only son, our Lord, we are not simply repeating ancient words.
SPEAKER_00: We are making a personal confession.
SPEAKER_00: Our hope is not found in ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: Our hope is found in Him.
SPEAKER_00: Christianity is not built upon an idea.
SPEAKER_00: It was built upon a person.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus Christ, the one who came for us, the one who saved us, the one who died for us, the one who rose again for us, the one who walks beside us every day, the one who never lets go.
SPEAKER_00: And that is why Christians have confessed these words for centuries, not because they are old, because they are true.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pray.
SPEAKER_00: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, we confess today that you are our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer, and our hope.
SPEAKER_00: Help us to know you more deeply, trust you more fully, and follow you more faithfully.
SPEAKER_00: When life is uncertain, remind us that you are Lord.
SPEAKER_00: When we are weak, remind us that you are strong.
SPEAKER_00: When we lose our way, draw us back to yourself.
SPEAKER_00: Shape our hearts, guide our steps, and help us live each day in the light of your love.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me today.
SPEAKER_00: If you do not have a church home, we would love to have you worship with us at Spray United Methodist Church, located at 803 Morgan Road in Eden, North Carolina.
SPEAKER_00: We are a loving church where we love God and love people.
SPEAKER_00: All people.
SPEAKER_00: Until next time, may the grace of God rise before you and keep you safe.
SPEAKER_00: Goodbye.