September 8, 2024 | "Creed: I believe in God the Father” | Rev. Vicki Harrison
9:30 AM Service
Summary:
In the sermon “I Believe in God the Father,” Pastor Vicki Harrison initiates the “Creed” series, focusing on the profound truths embedded in the Apostles’ Creed. This series, deeply rooted in the community and faith of New Hope, aims to fortify believers with a robust understanding of foundational Christian doctrines, guiding daily actions and strengthening communal bonds.
Pastor Vicki highlights the revolutionary nature of declaring the Apostles’ Creed, emphasizing its role in defining and defending core Christian beliefs against cultural and historical waves of materialism, consumerism, and relativism. By reciting “I believe,” rather than “I know,” she distinguishes our faith-driven convictions that actively shape our life choices, unlike mere knowledge which often fails to impact behavior.
The sermon beautifully unfolds the dual nature of God as the Almighty Creator and a loving Father, illustrating God’s power and parental care with scriptural backing and relatable analogies. This approach not only aligns with New Hope’s values of being “Rooted in God’s Word” and “Renewed by the Holy Spirit” but also reinforces the church’s mission to deepen the faith of its congregation and reach out to the world with the message of Jesus Christ’s love and salvation.
The call to action for the congregation is to engage deeply with the Creed study, ensuring that every member understands and lives out the truths of their faith, fostering unity and purpose within the community. This reflective and educational journey promises to equip believers to articulate their faith better and to live out the transformative power of the Gospel in every aspect of life.
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More Sermons in this Series
Explore what it means to be a part of the 'communion of saints' in our latest sermon from the Creed series, "We Are Saints!" Join us as we dive into the Apostles' Creed, challenging and deepening our faith.
Explore the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in Pastor Vicki Harrison’s sermon, as she unpacks its role in guiding, empowering, and renewing our faith. Discover how to actively engage with the Spirit in your life.
In this powerful sermon from the “Creed” series, Pastor Vicki Harrison unpacks the profound implications of the Apostles’ Creed, particularly focusing on the resurrection and return of Jesus Christ. She reinforces that the resurrection is not just a historical event but a cornerstone of our faith, offering us a new life and hope for eternity. Pastor Vicki emphasizes how this belief calls us to live dynamically, engaging actively in our mission to make more and better followers of Jesus Christ, by demonstrating God’s transformative power in our daily lives. The sermon invites us to embody the values of being rooted in God’s Word, renewal through the Holy Spirit, and reaching out to the world with Jesus’s message of love and hope. It culminates in a call to action, urging us to prepare for Jesus’s return by living out our faith boldly and visibly, making a tangible impact in the world.
Join Pastor Vicki Harrison as she explores the profound truths about salvation in Jesus Christ through the Apostle’s Creed. Discover the transformative power of His sacrifice and what it means for believers today.
In the second week of the Creed series, Pastor Vicki Harrison delves into the profound significance of Jesus Christ as affirmed in the Apostles’ Creed. She underscores the declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and our Lord, exploring each title’s deep theological roots. The sermon unpacks key scripture passages, including Matthew 16:13-16, to illustrate Jesus’ identity and mission. Through her message, Pastor Harrison challenges the congregation to recognize and affirm Jesus’ lordship in their lives, transcending mere acknowledgment as Savior to embracing Him as the ultimate authority over all aspects of life.
In the sermon “I Believe in God the Father,” Pastor Vicki Harrison initiates the “Creed” series, focusing on the profound truths embedded in the Apostles’ Creed. This series, deeply rooted in the community and faith of New Hope, aims to fortify believers with a robust understanding of foundational Christian doctrines, guiding daily actions and strengthening communal bonds.
Other Sermons from Pastor Vicki
Pastor Vicki Harrison opens Matthew 5:13-16 and shows us that being salt and light isn't something we do — it's who we already are as followers of Jesus.
Jesus opens the most famous sermon in history by calling the poorest people in the room blessed. Pastor Vicki Harrison launches New Hope Church's fall series in Matthew 5, and the Beatitudes turn every rule about who counts upside down.
Rev. Vicki Harrison opened Matthew 12 with a question that would have stunned the room in Jesus' day: "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Jesus points to the people around him and redefines family for good. "The church is not like a family," Vicki said. "The church is a family." On Promotion Sunday and the day before school started back, she showed what that means at New Hope Church — a household of households, led by Jesus, where the mask comes off and we actually learn to love each other. Then the whole church gathered for a family photo and prayed over its teachers.
On Communion Sunday, Rev. Vicki Harrison opens Matthew 26 — the night before the cross, where Jesus takes the oldest meal of God's people and fills it with new meaning. "This is my body… this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." The message walks through what actually happens when we come to the Lord's Table: we experience the grace of Jesus, we come together as one body, all people are welcome, and we return to it again and again. It is not a ritual to observe from a distance — it is grace we receive with open hands.
The water was at the front of the room, and one by one people stepped in to say it out loud: I belong to Jesus. Here's what Pastor Vicki Harrison taught about baptism on Sunday — and why the old really is gone.
James 1:19 is one of those verses that's easy to memorize and hard to live: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." In this message from the Words Matter series, Rev. Vicki Harrison pairs that command with James 3:13-18 — where James contrasts earthly wisdom (bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder) with wisdom from above (pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy). The result is a conviction not just about the tongue, but about the heart posture underneath it.
James 3 opens with one of the most arresting images in the New Testament: a small rudder steering a great ship. A tiny spark setting an entire forest ablaze. The tongue. In this message from the Words Matter series, Rev. Vicki Harrison opens James 3 to explore why the words we speak are not a minor issue — they reveal the state of our hearts, they wound or they heal, and they cannot be tamed by willpower alone. Only the gospel reaches deep enough.
Amos 9 brings the Let the Lion Roar series to a close with a hard word and a hopeful one: judgment is real, but God is not finished. Next Sunday, Pastor Vicki Harrison opens the final chapter of Amos with a message about rebuilding, restoration, and the kind of renewal that reaches all the way into the future.
Amos 5 confronts a people who have drifted so far from God that their religious activity has become hollow noise. But the prophet doesn't leave them there — he holds out an Escape Plan. This Father's Day, Pastor Vicki Harrison unpacks what it means to seek the Lord and live.
New Hope opens its new series in the book of Amos with a message titled "In Pursuit." Amos begins with God roaring like a lion — not in delight, but in righteous anger over injustice. The big question driving the whole series: does God care about injustice? The answer this Sunday is a clear yes — God is not silent; He is in pursuit.
Explore what it means to be a part of the 'communion of saints' in our latest sermon from the Creed series, "We Are Saints!" Join us as we dive into the Apostles' Creed, challenging and deepening our faith.