The Apostles' Creed: The Father Almighty

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator 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, died, and was buried; 
He descended into hell; On the third day '
He rose again from the dead; 
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the 
right hand of God the Father almighty; 
From there he will come to judge 
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
The holy catholic Church, 
the communion of saints, 
The forgiveness of sins, 
The resurrection of the body, 
and life everlasting. Amen. 

Sermon Notes: I Believe in God, the Father Almighty

Scripture: Exodus 3:13-15, John 14:6-10, Colossians 1:15, Philippians 2:5-8, Revelation 4:8

Intro:

• Church is going through the Apostles’ Creed line by line.
• Focuses on the phrase: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty.”
• Brief review of the Apostles’ Creed and its history.

Clarifications on the Creed:

• “Holy Catholic Church” means the universal Christian church, not the Roman Catholic Church.
• “Descended into hell” is debated: 
  • Early versions lacked this phrase.
  • Some interpret it as Jesus’s burial, not torment.
  • 1 Peter 3:19 is an obscure reference.
  • Jesus’s suffering ended on the cross.
  • John Piper suggests omitting the phrase.

God’s Self-Revelation:

• The Bible is a story of God making Himself known.
• Genesis: God reveals Himself through various names (El Elyon, El Shaddai, El Roy).
• Exodus 3:13-15: God reveals His name as Yahweh (“I am who I am”). 
  • Yahweh means self-existent, creator, unchanging, eternal.
• New Testament: Jesus reveals God as Father. 
  • Jesus uses “Father” 165 times.
  • Jesus is the clearest revelation of God the Father (John 14:6-10).
  • Colossians 1:15: Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
  • Philippians 2:5-8: Jesus reveals God’s heart through His sacrificial love.

God as Father:

• God revealed as Father 15 times in the Old Testament, 252 times in the New Testament.
• Jesus opens the door to knowing God as Father.
• God’s fatherhood is fundamental to His nature.
• God was always a Father, Son, and Spirit, delighting in each other.

Application:

• Have a vision to know God as Father.
• God’s fatherhood is His most fundamental attribute.
• Revelation 4: The living creatures’ worship. 
  • They have eyes to see God.
  • They never stop worshiping.
  • Knowing God leads to unending worship.
• If we’re bored with God, we don’t truly know Him.
• Seek a deeper revelation of God.

Call to Action:

• Communion: Remembering Jesus’s sacrifice, revealing God the Father.
• Prayer for a vision to know God.
• Worship.