[This evening I gave a talk to my UMD students on God the Son, specifically breaking down the Nicene Creed that we say on Sundays, what the Incarnation is, why it's such a big deal, and the historical awesomeness of the what the Eucharist means. The Holy Spirit flowed and people stayed in small groups longer than I expected discussing and digesting who is God the Son and how that matters to them personally. For me to be an instrument to this light makes me believe I have one of the best jobs in the world. Praise God! The following was my outline. I should've recorded it, but this is the next best thing.]
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| This... is a big deal. |
God the Son Talk
Summary:
Read the Nicene Creed together
Break down each sentence
What is the Incarnation? Why is this is a big deal?
Why did God have to become man?
The four reasons from the Catechism.
Does this matter to us?
Do we know of Christ or do we know Christ?
Reference texts:
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
Jn 1: 1-5
In the beginning* was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.a
2He was in the beginning with God.
3* All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.b
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;c
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Jn 1:14
And the Word became flesh*
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.k
Breaking down the Nicene Creed about God the Son
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
What does Jesus Christ mean? In Hebrew, Jesus means “save us”, Christ means “anointed one”. Therefore Jesus Christ is the “anointed one who saves us”
the Only Begotten Son of God,
What does “begotten” mean? From the Father
born of the Father before all ages.
What does before all ages mean? Jesus was the Son of God in God’s time which does not follow chronological time
God from God, Light from Light,
What does God from God mean? Light from light? Jesus is a God like God, He is light like God the light from Genesis and John 1
true God from true God,
What does this mean? Not only is Jesus a God, but he’s THE God from THE God
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
What does consubstantial mean? Of the same substance
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
(bow)
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
Why do we bow? Because this is a big deal.
What does incarnate mean? In means in caro means flesh. In the flesh.
Jn 1:14
And the Word became flesh*
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.k
Why did God became man? 4 reasons from the Catechism.
1. Save us
2. Know God’s love
3. Live by His Example
4. So we can partake in Him
457 “The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God”
Old Testament: Egypt God saves the Israelites from slavery
New Testament: God becomes man (sends Jesus) to saves our souls, save us from our sin
458 “The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God’s love”
According to the bible, what is the greatest way to show one’s love?
John 15:13 “No one has greater love than this,j to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
459 “The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness”
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth* and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.b
Does that matter to us?
460 “The Word became flesh to make us partakers of the divine nature”
“For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.”
How do we enter into communion with God? Eucharist.
Here’s the exciting part
To understand the New Testament, the Good news of Jesus Christ, we have to look at the Old Testament
Let’s go back to the time of Moses, and the Israelites, and Egypt.
Who wants to explain Passover? (When God passes over the ones who sacrificed a Lamb, the highest sacrifice, for Him)
Fast forward, at the Last Supper, what were Jesus and the apostles celebrating? Passover
How does Jesus change the Passover prayer:
Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you (cf. Mt. 26:26-28).
Jesus becomes the ultimate sacrifice, THE Lamb of God.
This is what every Mass is all about. Why we bow why we kneel. When we look at the priest who has become persona cristi, becomes Christ, lifting His body up. In Scott Hahn’s Rome Sweet Home he talks how this is either complete heresy or complete and total truth. No in between. When we look at the Eucharist: Are we worshipping bread? Or are we worshiping God the Son?
Does this matter?
What would you do, how would you live, how would you act, how would you breath, if you remembered someone died for you, that someone died so that you may live?
Why did God become man?
Save us
Know God’s love
Live by His Example
So we can partake in Him
This Lent I challenge you to not just know of Christ, but to know Christ.
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