The Jungfrau. Photo taken near a farm outside Grindelwald, Switzerland, in June 1980. We had taken the trip with heavy cloud cover until this picture was taken. It is as if God reached down with His holy light, so that we could actually see the Swiss Alps.

April 1, 2026 / 0 comments

Vespers – Apostle’s Creed – God, the Father Almighty

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

  • John 3:16

“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,

  • Matthew 6:9

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

  • Exodus 3:14

Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,

  • Exodus 4:22

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

  • Apostle’s Creed

Exodus 4:22-23 ” Moses was to tell Pharaoh that the Lord said, Israel is my firstborn son (4:22). In other words, the ethnic group that the king was abusing wasn’t just some random group; Creator God saw them as his son, making himself their Father. The firstborn held a position of honor in the ancient Near East. Pharaoh had enslaved those to whom God demanded that he show respect. He would pay a high price: the life of his own firstborn son (4:23).”

  • Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary

The Message

There is one God and three persons.  We start with the Father God.  Jesus said for us to pray to Him and call Him, Abba, Father.  Abba is a familiar name, like Daddy.  This does not mean that we become irreverent with God, but we should know that He loves us.  He wants the best for us.

God loves us, but He wants to be surrounded by people who choose to love Him.  Thus we accept His Son and trust Him.

In John 3:16 we see that God (the Father) loves us and sent His Son to earth so that if we believe and trust in Jesus we will have eternal life with God in Heaven.  This establishes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Then in Exodus 4:22, God tells Moses to identify all of Israel as God’s firstborn.  This is prophetic in that Moses also says that if Pharoah does not let His people go, his firstborn will be killed.  The Tenth Plague is the first to be prophesied.  But we too are children of God in the same vein.

God is our Father in the He loves us and is sovereign over the universe.  He cares for us and protects us.  God provides our needs.

God does perfectly what our earthly father should do.

And now let us sing.

The following song is How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.  This is sung by Hymns of Grace. The tune is played through on French Horn before they begin to sing.

 

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We believe in You.  We trust You.  We owe our lives to You.  Please, Lord, as You have promised, never let us go.  In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.

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