Father, 11 January 2026
11 01 26 Filed in: Sermons | The Nicene Creed
One God, the Father, the Almighty
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
The Creed
January 11, 2026
Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 42:5-7
Series Big Idea: The ancient Nicene Creed offers a valuable summary of our faith.
Big Idea: God the Father is good, faithful, and one Person of the Trinity.
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 42:5-7
What’s the greatest thing you’ve ever made? Perhaps it was a song, a painting, or a poem. Maybe it was cookies, a gourmet meal, a shed, or a pinewood derby car. When considering the question, I thought of our children, though technically I co-created them!
The first verse of the Bible states,
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
After an introduction last Sunday, today we dive into the text of the Nicene Creed, a summary of the Christian faith assembled 1701 years ago in a city in modern day Turkey designed to clarify the teachings of the Bible and unify Christians. Today, it is a statement affirmed by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians (with one small exception we’ll discuss later). The creed begins,
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
I realize some of you might not believe this—or any part of the Nicene Creed—and that’s fine. We’re glad you’re here and we invite you to explore what 2.3 billion people around the world believe. This is a safe place to bring doubts and questions.
The statement itself has several parts we will explore. First, we believe in one God. This may not sound radical, but throughout human history there have been atheists who do not believe in God, polytheists who believe in multiple Gods, and monotheists who believe in one God. The Greeks had many gods and temples that were the backdrop for much of the writing of the New Testament. Obviously, Christians are monotheists, though some have questioned whether we believe in three Gods. We do not.
For thousands of years, Jews have recited a prayer known as the Shema, a declaration of faith. It begins,
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
We believe in one God who exists in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There have been many metaphors to explain what we call the Trinity. We’re describing God, so we shouldn’t be surprised it’s mysterious or overwhelming. Someone said if we could fully understand God, we would be God!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
When we look at this verse in the original Hebrew, the word for God is Elohim. It refers to one God but is grammatically plural. We don’t have time to explore the details, but this is one of about 2600 times elohim is used as a singular noun.
My favorite metaphor for the Trinity is my son, grandson, and myself. We are three different people, but we are all 100% Mr. Schneemann. If the three of us were together and someone said, “Mr. Schneemann!” we would all respond. I’m not more or less Mr. Schneemann than the others. We have distinct personhood, but we’re all one family. This is not a perfect metaphor, but it’s my favorite. To clarify, we are NOT God!
Our theme today focuses on God the Father.
We believe in one God, the Father…
We believe in one God, the Father. Tragically, the word Father has negative connotations for some based upon their biological dad. As a result, some have replaced the noun with mother, but the scriptures consistently use the male word.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty. The Hebrew word for Almighty is Shaddai.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)
Almighty—Shaddai—is a title for God. He appeared to Abram to announce he would become a dad…at nearly one hundred years of age! Only God Almighty could accomplish this!
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible. I think that covers everything!
This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: (Isaiah 42:5)
Potters create with clay.
Baristas create with coffee.
Musicians create with instruments.
Legoists create with…Legos!
God creates with…His voice! From nothing!
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)
Some of the rabbis believe God sung creation into existence, which gives me the chills!
The rest of our text from the prophet Isaiah says,
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42:6-7)
Here’s where this gets exciting: Almighty God, Creator of the universe, uniquely created you and me for—wait for it—a relationship with Himself. I’ve heard this for more than five decades, but it never ceases to amaze me. The One who put the stars in the sky, created the giraffe, made the redwood trees, spoke into existence the sun, moon, and planets…He wants a relationship with you! And me!
If that’s not enough, Isaiah says He has work for us to do. We’re on a mission from God! I love how one writer describes this: invitation and challenge. God invites us into relationship—to sit on His lap, so to speak—and then gives us an assignment.
“…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Don’t miss that last sentence. He is with us. Always. That’s relationship. He goes with you when you leave today. He’ll be at the office, rec center, or classroom tomorrow. He’s always available, always listening, always eager to hear your voice, always good, always faithful, always loving…and He’s all-powerful, ever-present, and all-knowing.
And He knows your name! He knows my name! Can I get a witness up in here?!
Last week I challenged you to seek to understand who God uniquely created you to be with the homework to describe yourself in ten words or less. We are exploring who is God? in this series, and if you can answer who are you, clarity will emerge about meaning, purpose, and joy.
To assist you, we are hosting a powerful four-week workshop entitled Refocus on Purpose. There’s info in your bulletin and in the lobby. This is a perfect next-step for you as you not only step into this new year but literally the rest of your life.
So What?
Whenever we talk about God, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. As I said on Christmas Eve, God is truly awesome, arguably the only One worthy of such a description. It’s incredible that the Creator of heaven and earth would tolerate us, much less embrace us. I can barely conceive of the reality that a holy God would want to have a relationship with a broken, sinful, ragamuffin like me. But the good news gets even greater!
Three of the four gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—record a miraculous event that occurred the moment Jesus died. Matthew wrote,
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:50-51a)
This curtain separated an area called the Holy of Holies from the people. Only the high priest could enter this space, and only once a year. This was the most special place on earth where God’s presence dwelt. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can go there, into the presence of Almighty God.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
We are invited in, to know the Creator of the universe, to do life with Him. That’s why we were created, to know God and glorify Him.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
Followers of Jesus are related by blood—the blood of Jesus. We have a good, good Father who knows us by name, knows the number of hairs on our heads, knew us before the foundation of the world, and who will welcome us into His presence for eternity.
Do you know Him? If not, today can be the day you say “yes” to Jesus, the one whose death and resurrection reconcile us—reconnect us—to our Creator. No matter what words you use to describe yourself, your greatest identity will always be “child of the most high God, the Almighty, creator of the universe.”!
What’s the greatest thing God ever made? It’s you…and me. Unlike trees, angels, or dolphins, we were created in His image with dignity, value, and worth…and He invites us into His throne room, into a relationship with Him now and forever. He’s a good, good Father.
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
The Creed
January 11, 2026
Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 42:5-7
Series Big Idea: The ancient Nicene Creed offers a valuable summary of our faith.
Big Idea: God the Father is good, faithful, and one Person of the Trinity.
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 42:5-7
What’s the greatest thing you’ve ever made? Perhaps it was a song, a painting, or a poem. Maybe it was cookies, a gourmet meal, a shed, or a pinewood derby car. When considering the question, I thought of our children, though technically I co-created them!
The first verse of the Bible states,
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
After an introduction last Sunday, today we dive into the text of the Nicene Creed, a summary of the Christian faith assembled 1701 years ago in a city in modern day Turkey designed to clarify the teachings of the Bible and unify Christians. Today, it is a statement affirmed by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians (with one small exception we’ll discuss later). The creed begins,
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
I realize some of you might not believe this—or any part of the Nicene Creed—and that’s fine. We’re glad you’re here and we invite you to explore what 2.3 billion people around the world believe. This is a safe place to bring doubts and questions.
The statement itself has several parts we will explore. First, we believe in one God. This may not sound radical, but throughout human history there have been atheists who do not believe in God, polytheists who believe in multiple Gods, and monotheists who believe in one God. The Greeks had many gods and temples that were the backdrop for much of the writing of the New Testament. Obviously, Christians are monotheists, though some have questioned whether we believe in three Gods. We do not.
For thousands of years, Jews have recited a prayer known as the Shema, a declaration of faith. It begins,
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
We believe in one God who exists in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There have been many metaphors to explain what we call the Trinity. We’re describing God, so we shouldn’t be surprised it’s mysterious or overwhelming. Someone said if we could fully understand God, we would be God!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
When we look at this verse in the original Hebrew, the word for God is Elohim. It refers to one God but is grammatically plural. We don’t have time to explore the details, but this is one of about 2600 times elohim is used as a singular noun.
My favorite metaphor for the Trinity is my son, grandson, and myself. We are three different people, but we are all 100% Mr. Schneemann. If the three of us were together and someone said, “Mr. Schneemann!” we would all respond. I’m not more or less Mr. Schneemann than the others. We have distinct personhood, but we’re all one family. This is not a perfect metaphor, but it’s my favorite. To clarify, we are NOT God!
Our theme today focuses on God the Father.
We believe in one God, the Father…
We believe in one God, the Father. Tragically, the word Father has negative connotations for some based upon their biological dad. As a result, some have replaced the noun with mother, but the scriptures consistently use the male word.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty. The Hebrew word for Almighty is Shaddai.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)
Almighty—Shaddai—is a title for God. He appeared to Abram to announce he would become a dad…at nearly one hundred years of age! Only God Almighty could accomplish this!
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible. I think that covers everything!
This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: (Isaiah 42:5)
Potters create with clay.
Baristas create with coffee.
Musicians create with instruments.
Legoists create with…Legos!
God creates with…His voice! From nothing!
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)
Some of the rabbis believe God sung creation into existence, which gives me the chills!
The rest of our text from the prophet Isaiah says,
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42:6-7)
Here’s where this gets exciting: Almighty God, Creator of the universe, uniquely created you and me for—wait for it—a relationship with Himself. I’ve heard this for more than five decades, but it never ceases to amaze me. The One who put the stars in the sky, created the giraffe, made the redwood trees, spoke into existence the sun, moon, and planets…He wants a relationship with you! And me!
If that’s not enough, Isaiah says He has work for us to do. We’re on a mission from God! I love how one writer describes this: invitation and challenge. God invites us into relationship—to sit on His lap, so to speak—and then gives us an assignment.
“…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Don’t miss that last sentence. He is with us. Always. That’s relationship. He goes with you when you leave today. He’ll be at the office, rec center, or classroom tomorrow. He’s always available, always listening, always eager to hear your voice, always good, always faithful, always loving…and He’s all-powerful, ever-present, and all-knowing.
And He knows your name! He knows my name! Can I get a witness up in here?!
Last week I challenged you to seek to understand who God uniquely created you to be with the homework to describe yourself in ten words or less. We are exploring who is God? in this series, and if you can answer who are you, clarity will emerge about meaning, purpose, and joy.
To assist you, we are hosting a powerful four-week workshop entitled Refocus on Purpose. There’s info in your bulletin and in the lobby. This is a perfect next-step for you as you not only step into this new year but literally the rest of your life.
So What?
Whenever we talk about God, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. As I said on Christmas Eve, God is truly awesome, arguably the only One worthy of such a description. It’s incredible that the Creator of heaven and earth would tolerate us, much less embrace us. I can barely conceive of the reality that a holy God would want to have a relationship with a broken, sinful, ragamuffin like me. But the good news gets even greater!
Three of the four gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—record a miraculous event that occurred the moment Jesus died. Matthew wrote,
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:50-51a)
This curtain separated an area called the Holy of Holies from the people. Only the high priest could enter this space, and only once a year. This was the most special place on earth where God’s presence dwelt. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can go there, into the presence of Almighty God.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
We are invited in, to know the Creator of the universe, to do life with Him. That’s why we were created, to know God and glorify Him.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
Followers of Jesus are related by blood—the blood of Jesus. We have a good, good Father who knows us by name, knows the number of hairs on our heads, knew us before the foundation of the world, and who will welcome us into His presence for eternity.
Do you know Him? If not, today can be the day you say “yes” to Jesus, the one whose death and resurrection reconcile us—reconnect us—to our Creator. No matter what words you use to describe yourself, your greatest identity will always be “child of the most high God, the Almighty, creator of the universe.”!
What’s the greatest thing God ever made? It’s you…and me. Unlike trees, angels, or dolphins, we were created in His image with dignity, value, and worth…and He invites us into His throne room, into a relationship with Him now and forever. He’s a good, good Father.