Concord United Sermons

The early church learned of Jesus through the Apostles’ verbal teaching and later their writing. Eventually, the church accepted the Old Testament as Scripture because Jesus seemed to accept it as scripture. As the church gathered writings about Jesus, they created a criteria for which writings would be considered Scripture: 1) Apostolic Origin – related to someone who knew Christ, 2) Orthodoxy – the teachings align with the other teachings of Jesus’ followers, 3) Widespread Usage within the early church communities, 4) Antiquity – written in the first century. Early Church Councils at Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD) helped establish a unified canon of New Testament scriptures. To discern truth, United Methodists teach that  truth is found primarily in scripture and that scripture is interpreted through tradition, reason, and experience. 

Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The early church learned of Jesus through the Apostles’ verbal teaching and later their writing. Eventually, the church accepted the Old Testament as Scripture because Jesus seemed to accept it as scripture. As the church gathered writings about Jesus, they created a criteria for which writings would be considered Scripture: 1) Apostolic Origin – related to someone who knew Christ, 2) Orthodoxy – the teachings align with the other teachings of Jesus’ followers, 3) Widespread Usage within the early church communities, 4) Antiquity – written in the first century. Early Church Councils at Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD) helped establish a unified canon of New Testament scriptures. To discern truth, United Methodists teach that  truth is found primarily in scripture and that scripture is interpreted through tradition, reason, and experience. 

Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

In the ancient world, most people believed in multiple Gods (polytheism), often with geographic jurisdictions. A couple smaller religions (Judaism & Zoroastrianism) taught belief in one God (monotheism). The early church taught belief in One God in Three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the trinity was co-equal and co-eternal. They did not teach this belief to be socially and philosophically respectable – it was not. They taught it because it was the God who had been revealed to them through the life of Christ. (The heresy of Modalism was rejected because it did not respect the uniqueness of each person of the Trinity. The heresy of tritheism was rejected because it presented the Trinity as 3 gods rather than 1 God.)

Scripture - Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14

In the ancient world, most people believed in multiple Gods (polytheism), often with geographic jurisdictions. A couple smaller religions (Judaism & Zoroastrianism) taught belief in one God (monotheism). The early church taught belief in One God in Three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the trinity was co-equal and co-eternal. They did not teach this belief to be socially and philosophically respectable – it was not. They taught it because it was the God who had been revealed to them through the life of Christ. (The heresy of Modalism was rejected because it did not respect the uniqueness of each person of the Trinity. The heresy of tritheism was rejected because it presented the Trinity as 3 gods rather than 1 God.)

Scripture - Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14

The Church was Jesus’ idea. It was not the disciples plan to institutionalize the message of Jesus. It was their response to Jesus’ directions to establish the church as a hospital for sinners not a hotel for saints. (Donatism is a heresy rejected by the early church because it sought to offer church membership based primarily upon the degree of obedience of believer – a hotel for saints – rather than simply on their acceptance of Jesus’ grace – hospital for sinners.) In contemporary times, the church has had to battle against the heresy of individualism – the idea our relationship with Christ is primarily individual and private and that we can be faithful Christians without being a part of the life of a local church. Instead, the church has taught that personal relationship with Christ establishes the common ground necessary for a church community of equality among members in which each member is dependent upon God and the community for spiritual nourishment.  

Scripture - Matthew 16:13-20, Hebrews 10:24-25

The Church was Jesus’ idea. It was not the disciples plan to institutionalize the message of Jesus. It was their response to Jesus’ directions to establish the church as a hospital for sinners not a hotel for saints. (Donatism is a heresy rejected by the early church because it sought to offer church membership based primarily upon the degree of obedience of believer – a hotel for saints – rather than simply on their acceptance of Jesus’ grace – hospital for sinners.) In contemporary times, the church has had to battle against the heresy of individualism – the idea our relationship with Christ is primarily individual and private and that we can be faithful Christians without being a part of the life of a local church. Instead, the church has taught that personal relationship with Christ establishes the common ground necessary for a church community of equality among members in which each member is dependent upon God and the community for spiritual nourishment.  

Scripture - Matthew 16:13-20, Hebrews 10:24-25

As the early Church reflected on the nature and character of God made known through Christ, they quickly came to a conclusion that would have been shocking to the ancient societies in which they lived. God’s essence, God’s most fundamental nature was not power – though God was all powerful. Nor was it wisdom, though God was all-wise. The nature of God was, and is, love!

Scripture - 1 John 4:7-12

As the early Church reflected on the nature and character of God made known through Christ, they quickly came to a conclusion that would have been shocking to the ancient societies in which they lived. God’s essence, God’s most fundamental nature was not power – though God was all powerful. Nor was it wisdom, though God was all-wise. The nature of God was, and is, love!

Scripture - 1 John 4:7-12

Jesus was truly God and truly human. If Jesus were not truly God, he could not save us and forgive us. (Heresies such as Arianism and Ebionitism were rejected by the early church because they did not recognize Jesus as fully God.) If Jesus were not fully human, he could not be the authoritative example for faithful living. (Heresies such as Docetism, Gnosticism, Apollinarianism, Monophysitism, and Marcionism were rejected by the early church because they did not recognize Jesus as fully human.) As fully human and fully God, Jesus can fully relate to our struggle and has the power to fully save us.   

Scripture - John 1:14

Jesus was truly God and truly human. If Jesus were not truly God, he could not save us and forgive us. (Heresies such as Arianism and Ebionitism were rejected by the early church because they did not recognize Jesus as fully God.) If Jesus were not fully human, he could not be the authoritative example for faithful living. (Heresies such as Docetism, Gnosticism, Apollinarianism, Monophysitism, and Marcionism were rejected by the early church because they did not recognize Jesus as fully human.) As fully human and fully God, Jesus can fully relate to our struggle and has the power to fully save us.     

Scripture - John 1:14