First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge

Christ died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

There is the whole Third Day Christian life put into one sentence. That we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who for our sake died and was raised. There was something that happened in the world. The world of history. The world of place and time. Jesus lived. Jesus died and was buried. Jesus got up. He was raised on the third day. The glorious impossible happened.

Gerrit Dawson

God himself rolled up his divine sleeves and said, “All right, I’m on the way. Nobody can fix you but me. And it’s going to take an ingenious fix. An extraordinary rescue. An expensive solution. But I’m coming to do it.” Crucified. Dead. Buried. It’s emphatic. The only Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit underwent a human death. No wonder the earth quaked and the sun went dark. God died. The wonder is that the universe did not go out of existence when the worst impossible happened.

"Crucified, Dead and Buried"
Gerrit Dawson
1 Corinthians 15: 1-6

Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried. Our God is not a stranger to our pain and suffering. He is not aloof from our tears. He rode the crazy train. He rode the crazy train of the world of Pontius Pilate until it ran right off the rails into a cross.

The paradox at the heart of our faith: Our savior and Lord Jesus is fully God and fully man. He is of the same stuff as any ordinary person. He is of the same stuff as the only true God. This is the mystery of the incarnation.

The desire for God without the knowledge of God allows for idols.

Ben Cunningham
"Created to Know Him"
Acts 17: 22-27

The Christian understanding is "I am THOUGHT, therefore I am" (Joseph RatzInger) rather than "I think, therefore I am." The meaning of life cannot be found in isolation as a choosing individual. It's only found in relationship. God the Creator thinks of you. All the time. You only exist because God thinks of you. He holds us together by always holding us in his thoughts. "Creator of Heaven and Earth"

For all who call upon the name of the LORD will be saved. Your heavenly Father loves you. He just wants you home. He just wants you to turn to him, for the first time or the millionth time.

"The Father Almighty"
Gerrit Dawson

So how do you know the correct way to interpret the Bible? What’s the key to faithful interpretation? How do you keep from going wrong when you read the Word? One core story is the key that unlocks the whole story. The Creed is the story that pulses with energy. It leads us to meet Jesus, the real Jesus of history, the one Redeemer and Lord of all.