Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to break down The Nicene Creed and look at a couple of other Creeds to help you understand what we as Christians believe. Our hope is that it will ground you in your faith so that when you hear lies you can recognize them. So that when you people ask what you believe, you know what to say, and it’s yours.
Let's get started!
Week 1
Day 1
What is a creed? A formal statement of beliefs that help define and guide a person or religion.
Nicene Creed Part 1
We believe in ONE GOD, THE FATHER, Almighty maker of heaven and earth…
Read: Deuteronomy 6:4
We only believe in ______ God.
Not Polytheism– Many gods
Pantheism– everything is god
Henotheism– many gods but a supreme god
Why are creeds important?
What does it mean that we only believe in one God?
Day 2
- Why do we need a creed?
- It helps you know what you believe.
- It helps you spot truths and lies.
- It helps you recognize family.
- It protects you from creating your own false teaching and deceiving yourself and others.
- It keeps you from worshiping a false god.
- Knowing what you believe helps you share what you believe
Read: Deuteronomy 5:31
God is God! He makes the rules. His ways are right and His ways are best.
What do we get if we obey?
Why do you struggle to obey God?
Repent and choose to obey and follow God’s ways!
Day 3
The Father is the first person of the TRINITY aka TRIUNE GODHEAD. One God but 3 PERSONS. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. All equally God and worthy of worship.
Read: John 10:30; John 14:9-18
The Trinity is a mystery that the human mind can’t fully comprehend, but that’s what makes God, GOD! One simple, but not complete example is an egg. You have 3 distinct things: yolk, white, shell but ONE egg.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show the amazingness of the Trinity. Write down anything He shows you.
Day 4
Read: John 3:16; John 14:6; John 16:26,27
The Father LOVES YOU!
How does it help you to know how much the Father loves you?
Take time to pray and talk directly to the Father. Thank Him that He hears you.
Write down your experience doing this:
Week 2
Day 1
Read Romans 3:23
What that verse means is that we have all caused separation from God. we all have sinned and created a gap between us and God, a gap between us and the life God intended for us. Not only that, but in separating ourselves from God we separated ourselves from heaven. We don’t like to talk about it a lot because it's uncomfortable and seems scary, but eternity is a real thing. There’s a real heaven and a real hell. Because we
have sinned, we are all deserving of death and hell.
Based on this verse, is there anyone who has ever lived a perfect life?
Look at this verse again, what is the standard we are being judged by?
Why is that worse than using our own standard?
Why do you think it could make it fairer to use a perfect standard instead of our own?
Take some to remind yourself that you were a sinner in need of God’s grace, and so are all the people around you. Even the ones you don’t like. Ask God to help you see them differently and give you more gratitude for His forgiveness.
Day 2
Read Romans 6:23
The problem is we cannot be good enough to get back to God on our own. There had to be someone who was both God and man. God so that they overcome sin and were on this side, human so that we could be redeemed from our sinful flesh. We don’t have to go there but can instead have life and go to heaven with Jesus!
If your salvation was based on your good deeds, how many good deeds would you have to do to outweigh your bad ones?
How close are you to achieving that?
Salvation based on Jesus brings the security we need to walk confidently in His love and our salvation.
Take time to worship God and tell Him to thank Him for being your sacrifice.
Day 3
Read John 1:1-14
If Jesus was ONLY man then he would just be a great teacher and not a savior. But we see that Jesus was also fully God!
Read these verses a few more times. Ask Holy Spirit to show you more about Jesus, your savior. Write down what He shows you.
Day 4
Read Romans 5:8
How amazing is that! We didn’t have to be good enough. We didn’t have to earn it but God’s outstanding, radical love saves us. This is called Grace. Grace is the free gift of salvation. Getting something that we do not deserve.
Is there anything in your life you need to repent for? Do it now?
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Thank God for His grace and that you can live free!
WEEK 3
Day 1
On the third day He rose again in accordance with Scriptures:
Read Isaiah 53:1-10: Luke 24:44-48
Jesus ROSE FROM THE DEAD! This is huge! Hundreds of years before He came to earth it was prophesied. He fulfilled it now it means so much for us.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:13-23
Write down why Paul says the resurrection matters.
How does the resurrection matter in your life knowing this now?
Day 2
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Read Acts 2:33; Romans 8:34
Where does Acts 2 say Jesus is right now?
What’s He doing according to Romans 8:34?
Jesus is praying for you! His blood constantly stands as proof of your salvation and forgiveness before the Father.
Don’t hide your sins, shortcomings, or failures from God. Boldly bring them to His throne knowing that Jesus is praying for you and the Father loves you, and the Holy Spirit is empowering you.
Day 3
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Nothing you do goes unnoticed by God. How does it make you feel knowing you’ll be judged for everything you do?
How will you live differently knowing that you will receive rewards or judgement for your actions?
Now, don’t live in fear. Your eternity isn’t at stake if you have truly put your faith in Jesus, but how you enter heaven does matter. Will you walk in with rewards because you obeyed Him, or empty-handed because you built your life on things God did not value?
Day 4
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Read Philippians 2:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
Often we live for the here and now. What do these verses say we should be living for?
An eternal focus gives us hope because this isn’t all there is. How will having an eternal mindset change the way you live?
Why is it hard to change your thinking from “the earth is your home” to “heaven is your home”?
Ask the Holy Spirit to begin to change your perspective.
Week 4
Day 1
We believe in the Holy Spirit, The Lord, giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Who with the Father is worthy to be worshipped and glorified.
Read John 3:6; John 15:26; Galatians 4:6;
The Holy Spirit gives us one more and final implementation to the promise “God is with us”. God the Holy Spirit lives in you and isn’t Going anywhere.
How does knowing the Holy Spirit is with you help you in how you view life. Take some time to think about it.
Take time to talk to the Holy Spirit and worship Him. Tell Him thank you for being with you. Now listen and ask Him to speak. What do you hear or sense in your Spirit from Him?
Day 2
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of Sins.
Read Romans 6:3-4
What does this verse say joins us to Christ in His death?
What died?
This means you don’t have to sin anymore! Baptism gives you the grace to LIVE IN CHRIST!
If you need to get baptized or re-baptized, call your pastor this week and let them know you want to get dunked!
Day 3
Read Matthew 3:11; John 20:22; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4
John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would baptize them in fire of the Holy Spirit. In John 20:22 Jesus told them to receive the Holy Spirit, but in Acts 1 it says they will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. Obviously, these are different things.
Have you received the Holy Spirit? This would mean that you’ve chosen to believe and follow Jesus and He’s forgiven you of your sin. If you haven’t, do it now.
Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? This is where the power is. Jesus promised to give it to us. Start asking God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit! Keep asking till you get it no matter how long it takes. Write a prayer for the Baptism below.
Day 4
Read Acts 4:31; 1 Corinthians 12:1-7; Ephesians 5:8
After you’ve been baptized, you have the job of staying filled. The infilling of the Spirit is a daily practice of submission, obedience, worship, and allowing Him to use you.
The gifts of the Spirit are tools the Holy Spirit gives you to help the body of Christ and declare the reality of God to the world.
Start today and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and help you live a life of obedience and worship.
Get plugged into your church so you can start discovering your spiritual gift and using it to benefit the church and the world.
Great job making it through the Creeds! We hope you've learned a lot about what you believe and why. May you be bolder in your faith and share the good news of Jesus with your friends!
Check out this devotional on Walking In The Spirit by Kailey to go deeper!