(SERMON) Incarnation, Apollonaris, and Nestorius: John 6.35-51

The doctrine of the incarnation—God in the flesh—is utterly foundational to Christianity.  The belief that Jesus is 100% God and 100% human, that he is the God-man, is the truth upon which our hopes and salvaiton rest.

But what does all of this actually mean?

The Early Church was divided between the teachings of Alexandria and Antioch, between the errors of Apollonarianism and Nestorianism. It had to find the biblical middle ground and did so at the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD—what was taught there, and is taught in the Bible, should impact our daily lives and even our theology of the Lord's Supper.

(SERMON) The Heresy of Arianism: 1 John 1.1-18

In the streets of Alexandria in 318AD a mob was chanting "There was a time that Christ was not!"  This heresy - Arianism - is alive and well around the world and church today.  Athanasius would spend most of his 46 years as a bishop in exile for fighting it.  Why was he so determined to fight the good fight and why should we be today?

We must stand firm because Scripture teaches that Jesus is truly God, begotten not made.

We must stand firm because if the person of Jesus is a created thing, no matter how exalted, all our worship is idolatry.

We must stand firm because unless Jesus is truly, fully, God - and not just close to God or like God - then our sins have not been forgiven.

We must stand firm because in this  truth is great comfort and blessing: knowing that God is a loving Father and not a distant and cold loner.