Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Bobby: Welcome to the Midweek Checkup. My name is Bobby Gilles, and I’m joined by Lindsey Blair. This past Sunday, Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Pastor Jonah Sage preached from First Corinthians fifteen, verses three through eight. He
Lindsey: Pastor Jonah said that creeds tell us what to say as Jesus' witnesses. If you’ve forgotten or you missed the sermon, pull up a chair for the Midweek Checkup.
Bobby: Jonah began by acknowledging that most of us are afraid to tell others about Jesus. If the Creeds form guardrails for thriving relationships, that includes guardrails for our words. Creeds tell us what to say as Jesus' witnesses. In the New Testament, just like the Old we saw last week, we find creeds. Simple, memorable summaries of what Christians believed.
Lindsey: They tell us what is most important, where to start the conversation Listen to the intro of this creed from First Corinthians Fifteen, verse three. I passed on to you what was MOST IMPORTANT and what had also been passed on to me.”
Bobby: There are two things you have to see about creeds. First, these are the essentials. When we think about what to say, we focus on the clarifying power of the essentials. Creeds tell us what to say as Jesus' witnesses.
Second, creeds are meant for relationships. Paul learned this Creed in a relationship and passed it on through relationship. Scholars believe Paul learned this from Peter and James in Jerusalem. You can read about it in Galatians One. Creeds are meant for relationships. They tell us what to say as Jesus' witnesses.
Lindsey: When people find out you’re a Christian, sometimes they asked you heated questions about politics and culture. Questions like that tend to be about building walls, not bridges. Those questions feel like someone slowly un-holstering loaded guns, ready to fight. What should you say? Well...a great response is "I'm curious, who do you think Jesus is?"
Bobby: Do you notice how everything about this early New Testament Creed is about Jesus? It is about who he is and what he's done. Questions of morality and ethics are pointless without answering this first.
Lindsey: You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to have Jesus. You're able to say things like, "That's a great question, and I don't know. I know Jesus loves us, so maybe we could follow him together to try and learn..."
Bobby: Do you know what the apostles and early church went and did?
They experienced something and shared what they experienced. The resurrection changes everything. It means Jesus is who he said he is.
It means he loves us and invites us near. It means we have a place to bring our questions and confusion to find peace. We have good news. The Creeds tell us what to say as witnesses of Jesus.
Lindsey: Next Sunday, we’ll continue our series called Orthodoxy: Guardrails for the Thriving Soul. And in Bible Fellowship, we’ll discuss Paul’s letter to Romans chapter Five, verses one through eight. Join us and bring a friend.