Session 2

The Apostles’ Creed - Session 2. 07/05/25​ - I believe in a sovereign, triune God (SC)

God is one being with three persons 

He can reign over us, live among us and live within us!

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

OPENING PRAYER ….

INTRODUCTION

The Apostles’ Creed reflects the triune God. It starts with a section on the Father, moves on to the Son, and concludes with the Spirit.   It began life as a statement of faith made by people who wanted to be baptised.  Jesus said “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:10) So the creed is an explanation of what it means to be baptised in the name of the Trinity.

Read John 17:20-26 - Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a]known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Q.1. What does Jesus say about his relationship with the Father? How long has the Father loved the Son and what does this tell us about Jesus? 

Q.2. In verses 21, 24 and 25, what does he say that suggests the Trinity is more than a family of separate individuals?

READ John 15:26 

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

John 16:12-15

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

In these verses Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as an “Advocate”, or helper, to testify to us about who Jesus is, and to guide us into all truth. 

Q3. What does he say about the relationships between the three of them and about His own relationship with the Spirit?

Q4. How does this triune God differ from many commonly held beliefs about God, and how would you respond to someone who says that ALL religions lead to the same God?

In Ephesians 1:3-4 Paul describes God’s eternal plan to save sinful beings and make them his people. In verses 3-6 he focuses first on the Father, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 

Then, in verses 7-12 he focuses on the Son, 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

And finally, in verses 13-14 he focuses on the Holy Spirit. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Q.5. In this passage, what are the roles of the three members of the Trinity?

Q.6 Do you struggle to believe that God is in control of events today?

The Sovereign God -  Psalm 33

God is the creator, who rules over His world through His word and He is also the Father, who watches over His people in love

Psalm 33

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous, it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars[a]; he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,  who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Q.7. It tells us to sing joyfully to the Lord because he is right, true, and faithful in all he does. He loves righteousness and justice and the earth is full of his unfailing love. How do life’s difficulties cause us to doubt what this psalm tells us about God?

Q.8. Moving on to verses 10-12 What does this tell us about how God is involved in the world he has made?

the Lord foils the plans of the nations, he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Q.9. And finally verses 13-22 tell, us about God’s relationship with the world, with humanity, and what his sovereignty means for those who trust Him.

If this Psalm is true, and going back to our earlier question, why does God allow bad things to happen?

Romans 8:28-30 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

CLOSING PRAYER