I Believe in Jesus Christ

SERMON TITLE:   “I Believe in Jesus Christ”   (The Apostles’ Creed Series)
SERMON TEXT:    Philippians 2:1-11   (also used Jesus’ baptism and Heb 1:1-5 in the service)
PREACHER:           Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:           January 13, 2018, at First UMC
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                When I was in high school in the late 70s, one evening my boyfriend and I went to see the first Rocky movie.  That was the fictional movie in which upstart Rocky Balboa won a boxing match against the world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.  I probably won’t ever forget that movie because my date got so excited and engaged in the action of the movie that he accidentally punched my glasses and knocked out one of the lenses.  In the 40-some years since that memorable movie, the Rocky franchise has produced a total of six movies with the Rocky name, many of them including the aging character Apollo Creed.  Then, in 2015, the Rocky franchise produced a movie under the name Creed.  This Creed wasn’t Apollo the father, however, but Adonis Johnson Creed the son.  This illegitimate son, who seemed to come out of nowhere, had all the instincts and natural talents of his father and wanted very much to prove his “legitimate” relationship.  In the most recent Creed II movie which has been in theaters this winter, Adonis the son continues to show the strength and vitality of his father’s tradition and legacy.
                I’m telling you this story of Apollos and Adonis Creed because their name and story goes well with this sermon series on The Apostles’ Creed.  The word creed means belief, and we began last Sunday with “I Believe in God.”  Reflecting on an experience of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts, we talked about our Christian belief in only one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and affirmed that believing that our one God exists is still a viable option and significant help to us in the 21st century. 
                Today we move on to the second big phrase of The Apostles’ Creed, from the Father to the Son.  Using Paul’s New Testament letter to the Philippians, let’s think about what it means to say:  “I believe in Jesus Christ.” 
 
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