After the resurrection of Jesus, a small group of fishermen began preaching something that would change the world.

Men like Saint Peter and Paul the Apostle traveled city to city proclaiming one message:

Jesus Christ is Lord.

At first, the Church was tiny.

Christians met in homes.

They celebrated the Eucharist quietly.

And often they had to hide, because being Christian could cost you your freedom… or even your life.

For nearly three hundred years, Christians faced persecution under the Roman Empire.

But something remarkable happened.

Instead of disappearing, the Church grew.

By the early 300s, Christianity had spread across the entire Roman world.

And then a dramatic moment in history occurred.

The Roman emperor Constantine the Great legalized Christianity after his victory in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

Suddenly, Christians were no longer hiding in the shadows.

The faith that once met in secret was now public.

But with this new freedom came a new problem.

Not persecution from outside…

but disagreement from within.

Christians everywhere believed in Jesus.

But they didn’t always agree about who Jesus actually was.

One priest in Alexandria named Arius began teaching something new.

He said Jesus was holy.

He said Jesus was powerful.

He said Jesus was the Son of God.

But he also said something radical:

“There was a time when the Son did not exist.”

In other words, Jesus was created.

Not eternal.

Not truly God.

And the problem was… people started believing him.

Cities were divided.

Christians argued.

Even bishops disagreed.

So the Church did something extraordinary.

The bishops from across the Christian world gathered together to answer one question:

What is the truth about Jesus Christ?

They met in the year 325 at what we now call the

First Council of Nicaea.

After prayer, debate, and discernment, the bishops wrote a statement of belief.

A creed.

They declared that Jesus Christ is

“God from God, Light from Light,

True God from True God,

Begotten, not made,

Consubstantial with the Father.”

In other words:

Jesus is not a creature.

He is God Himself.

And every Sunday around the world, Christians still stand and proclaim this truth together in the

Nicene Creed.

But creeds actually existed in the Church even before this council.

Long before Christianity was legal… long before churches were built… Christians were already professing their faith.

When someone was baptized in the early Church, they were asked a series of questions.

Do you believe in God the Father?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ His Son?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

And the person would respond:

“I believe.”

Over time, those baptismal professions were formed into what we now call the

Apostles’ Creed.

It likely developed in the 2nd century in the Church at Rome and was used especially for baptisms.

Now here’s something interesting.

The Apostles’ Creed was not literally written by the apostles themselves.

But early Christians believed it perfectly summarized the faith that the apostles preached.

There is even an ancient Christian tradition that says each apostle contributed a line.

For example:

Saint Peter — “I believe in God the Father Almighty…”

John the Apostle — “And in Jesus Christ His only Son…”

Thomas the Apostle — “He descended into hell…”

Now historically that story is probably more symbolic than literal.

But the point is powerful.

The creed is called the Apostles’ Creed because it faithfully reflects the teaching handed down from the apostles themselves.

And there’s something even deeper about how the creed is structured.

It follows the very life of God.

The Trinity.

The first part speaks about God the Father, creator of heaven and earth.

The second part speaks about Jesus Christ, His Son — His life, death, and resurrection.

And the third part speaks about the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.

So when Christians stand and proclaim the creed, they are doing something profound.

They are stepping into a 2,000-year-old confession of faith.

The same faith proclaimed by martyrs.

The same faith defended by bishops.

The same faith preached by the apostles.

The creed is more than a prayer.

It is the Church saying together:

This is what we believe.

Not because it is easy.

Not because it is popular.

But because it is true.