Sermon Tone Analysis

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

I believe in the holy catholic Church.

I believe in the holy catholic church.

All good Baptists should also believe in the holy catholic church.

Now, before you break out the tar and feathers, or before the deacons convene a secret meeting to discuss my theology, or before you begin to wonder if your pastor is really committed to the distinctives of Baptist doctrine and theology, let me explain.

I know many of you are troubled by the word “catholic” because you think it has something to do with the Roman Catholic Church.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our Roman Catholic friends believe that this phrase of the Apostles’ Creed refers to them.

With all due respect to the Roman Catholic, they are in error.

They believe that they are the one true church and that all believers outside of their fellowship are wayward brothers.

As a people called Baptist, we are in sharp disagreement with them on this issue.

There are several reasons:

* The basic form of the Apostles’ Creed was being used by Christians within 100 years of Christ’s death and resurrection.

This was about 350 years before the beginnings of the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today that began to be developed under the leadership of Pope Leo 1st.

It was Leo who first began to assert the universal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome over all the churches.

* The Apostles’ Creed recites that we believe in the holy— lower case-“c”—catholic church not the Holy Roman upper case “C”atholic Church.

* When we repeat I believe in the holy catholic church, we mean that we believe in the worldwide fellowship of true believers.

The word catholic simply means universal.

To believe in the holy catholic church simply means to embrace all true believers everywhere as brothers in Christ, regardless of their denominational affiliation.

The 19th century biblical commentator, Matthew Henry, once said, /“When we take God for our God, we take His people for our people.”/

Do you believe that?

If so, then you can confess with a good conscience I believe in the holy catholic Church.

It was that sense of Christian unity that inspired Timothy Dwight to write: /“I Love Thy Kingdom Lord.”/(Hymn 354).

In order to xplain this particular /I Believe”/of the Apostles’ Creed, I’ve chosen Matthew 16:13-18 as my text: /Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."/(Matthew

16:13-18, ESV) This text teaches us two fundamental truths about the church.

!

I.

I BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS A HUMAN INSTITUTION

#.

Jesus informs Peter—and the other disciples—that He is going to build His Church

#. it will not be built upon Peter, but upon the faith of men like Peter

#. in verse 18, Jesus is using a play on words

#. the name Peter, comes from the Greek word Petros, and means a small stone

#.

Jesus then says, upon this rock, using the Greek word petra which means a foundation boulder or even bedrock

#.

Christ is the foundation of His Church and the Head of His Church and it is a mistake to think that either of those roles belong to the Apostle Peter

#. the church will not be built upon Peter, but upon the solid rock of faith in a living Savior and Lord

#.

Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost

#. when the sinner comes to Jesus in repentance and faith, we are then adopted into the Family of God

#. it’s a family made up of all true believers in all places regardless of the denominational label they may associate with

#. the humanity of the Church is expressed in a number of ways

!! A. WE ARE THE EKKLESIA

#. in the New Testament the Greek word /ekklesia/ is the most common word that we translate /church/

#. the word literally means /to call out of/ for the express reason of joining a /purposeful assembly/

#. it implies a physical assembly of God’s people together

* Hebrews 10:24-25 /“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”/

NIV