"There’s Something about That Name"
by Tom Goodman
October 4, 2006

Jesus said, “Believe in God; believe also in me.”

He was challenging us to trust him like we would trust God (John 14:1).  The Apostles’ Creed leads us to say the same thing:

       I believe in God the Father Almighty,
       Maker of heaven and earth;
       And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord.

Believe in God; believe also in Jesus.

Last Sunday, we discovered some practical truths about God.  In response, I got a note from one of our young adults this week:  “Just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed the sermon this morning.  I've had a difficult time with Father's Day in the past because I don't really have a great relationship with my earthly father.  Now I can celebrate Father's Day by celebrating how God has loved and provided for me.  Gives me a whole new perspective toward Father's Day this year.  Just wanted you to know that because it's a big step for me.  The Anchor Course is working!!!”

Now that we’ve looked at the practical impact of belief in God, this Sunday, we will look at the practical impact of belief in his Son.

Jesus claimed to be the only one who can really tell us who God is.  He said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27, NIV).  In fact, he said, “To see me is to see the Father” (John 14:9, Msg).  The earliest Christians said the same thing.  Just a few years after Jesus walked the earth, Paul wrote, “We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen” (Colossians 1:15, Msg).  This is all the more remarkable considering that earlier in his life Paul had persecuted his countrymen who made these claims.  Another Scripture says that Jesus “perfectly mirrors God” (Hebrews 1:3, Msg).  According to Jesus and to those who have believed him, to know what God is like we must look to Jesus.

So, a large part of understanding the Christian faith involves understanding Christ.  Jesus was everything it means to be a man, and everything it means to be God.  This Sunday, I will explain how that truth impacts your daily life.

As I've said before, our sermon series is a study of the Bible, not a study of my book.  Still, you will get more out of the sermon series if you keep up with the book readings.  This week, read chapters 7-10 of The Anchor Course to learn more about Jesus.  If you haven't received your free copy, be sure to pick one up this Sunday.  You might also want to check out my article, “Jesus in History and the Bible.”  This article shows that even without a New Testament we can learn seven things about Jesus from the writings of non-believers in the first and second century.

Join us this Sunday at 9:30am or 10:45am for this important study.  To catch up with the series, listen online (iTunes or website).  You can receive a free book when you attend Hillcrest during our current sermon series, or you can order copies online.  To learn more about the book, read the introduction or check out the website.

—Tom


Links to Your World

Roger and Carol Lawhon are new members in our church, and they’ve jumped in with both feet!  Their son has a ministry in Brenham you might want to know about.  Read about it here.