The Jesus Way Session 9 – Follow His Teaching

Introduction First believers: –prioritised the apostles’ teaching –were humble and ready to learn Jesus gave the apostles authority to pass on his teaching They have deposited it for us in the Bible If submitted to Jesus, must submit to his apostles

Creeds The New Testament is very varied Believers tried to summarise its teaching These brief summaries are called ‘creeds’ Not intended to add to the Bible Reliable guides within which to read it

The Nicene Creed – God the Father First section – there is only one God God is the creator: –We should value his creation –He intends to renew creation –He values our humanity One God: in Old and New Testaments God is ‘Father’: to Jesus and to us

The Nicene Creed – God the Son Brief mentions of the work of Jesus More emphasis on his identity: –Key point under dispute at the time –Jesus did not just perform the actions of God –Shared in God’s eternal being Creed underscores apostles’ teaching: Jesus was fully human and fully divine

The Nicene Creed – God the Holy Spirit Spirit as divine person Eternal: before Pentecost ‘Spoke through the prophets’ We find the Spirit’s teaching in the Bible

The Nicene Creed – The Church Believers in Jesus must be baptised They become part of a community marked by repentance, holiness and faithfulness This community is a worldwide family

The Nicene Creed – The Trinity Threefold structure to the Creed God in Three Persons Often challenged as ‘unbiblical’ Apostles do not use actual word ‘Trinity’ but speak in terms of a ‘threefold’ God Bible-believing Christians know God as a Trinity

Conclusion We must prioritise the apostles’ teaching The Nicene Creed summarises much of what they taught us to believe Are we ready to submit ourselves to their teaching?

Building-block 9 in following Jesus his way: Follow His Teaching – It’s the Only Way to Freedom!