Title: What Do We Believe?
1. Introduction
Faith is ultimately a matter of the human heart. Therefore, it is a matter that transcends language. Even though all things in the world have no language and there is no sound, faith can reach faith only through faith, just as the sound of his voice goes through all the earth and his word reaches the ends of the world to testify that God is alive.
What is the content of the first faith that leads to faith today? That is, what do we believers believe? What is the content of the faith that the church believes in? We would like to share the grace while meditating on the problems we have.
2. The Apostles' Creed Summarizing the Contents of the Christian Faith
Just as today's churches are diverse with various denominations such as Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Holiness, Pentecostal, Catholic, Anglican, and Greek Orthodox, the early church also varied into Apollos, Pauline, Antioch, Corinth, and Jerusalem. Therefore, the early church sought to achieve unity among diversity, and the result was the <Apostles' Creed>.
3. The Apostles' Creed and John 14
Therefore, when standing in front of the question <What do we believe?>, we first think of the <Apostles' Creed>, but I here premise that <the content of Christian faith is the Apostles' Creed!> and the Gospel of John that Jesus Himself gave. Focusing on the words of Chapter 14, we are going to examine what we should believe and what we should believe.
John 14 begins with “Do not let your heart be troubled, because you believe in God, believe also in me” verse 1, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I give to you as the world gives. No, let not your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid, verse 27.
In the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John, the amazing words about <What should we believe?> are recorded in the upbringing of Jesus Christ Himself.
4. What Jesus told us to believe in John 14
first. Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus (verses 10-11). Believe that we are in Jesus and Jesus is in us (verse 20).
second. Believe that Jesus asked the Father and sent the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever (verse 16).
third. The one who keeps the commandments of Jesus is the one who loves Jesus (verse 15). Believe that he who loves Jesus will be loved by the Father, and that Jesus also loves him and reveals himself to him (verse 21).
fourth. Believe that Jesus prepares a place and comes again to receive us into his kingdom (verse 3).
Fifth. You have to believe that if you ask anything in the name of Jesus, Jesus will do it for you (verses 13-14).
5. The Message of John 14
At the beginning of John 14, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” How can a person be free from worries in life? The Lord told us to believe the five things listed above. And he said that these five things are not the words of Jesus, but the words of God the Father who sent Jesus.
Those who keep these five faiths will find the peace that Jesus gives. This peace is not what the world gives. It is not a peace that perishes. It is not a happy peace amidst misery. A sluggish midday is not a peace like laziness. It is not a peace where you can't know tomorrow, which will change if the government changes, if the stock falls, or if the person you trusted dies.
This peace that Jesus gives is like <Mount Zion will not be moved and will remain forever (Psalm 125:1). It is the peace that makes the stone rejected by the builders the cornerstone of the house (Psalm 118:22). He is not afraid of bad news, and his heart is at peace (Psalm 112:7-8). Peace that forgives all my sins and redeems my life from ruin, renewing me like the eagle (Psalm 103:3-5). Peace like a deep-rooted tree planted by streams of water (Jeremiah 17:8).
6. Closing story
<Faith> is obedience to Jesus' command to <believe>. Oh Lord, I believe. Oh, Lord, help my unbelief!. Help me! Help me! Amen.