What We Believe



Our Statement of Faith

For centuries, the Christian church has subscribed to the full teachings of Scripture by professing to one another its basic teachings in the words of an ancient statement of faith called the Apostles’ Creed. Messiah Lutheran Church and Preschool continues to share and profess this faith in our Triune God.

 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.

On the third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,

from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. 

Who is Jesus?

This question can’t possibly be answered in a few lines, but there are some things we know about Him that make all the difference. 

● He made you. He carefully put you together with all the abilities and skills you have – those you like and those you’re not so sure about. He put them together in a miraculous and marvelous way to make you the person you are.

● He knows you. He knows you through and through – deeper and better than you know yourself. Psalm 139 tells us that all the days of our life are written in His book before one of them came to be.

● He loves you deeply… sacrificially. In spite of His knowing all of who we are (yes, even those things), He loves you… enough to offer Himself as a sacrifice on your behalf.

● He wants you to know Him. The very fact that you’re reading these words suggests that He is reaching out to you to draw you into a real and vital relationship with Him that makes all the difference in the world… now and forever.

● He is alive. Even though He died a criminal’s death some two thousand years ago, Jesus lives. He is the Son of God who came into this world as a man to break the hold that sin has on people and give them the life they were made for.

● You were made for this life, too. The people and churches who connect with each other through this web site stake their lives on these things. They have something to share with you and a place for you in their community.


Lord Jesus, We offer this prayer on behalf of the person reading these words. We thank You for Your deep love for all of us, and we pray now that You would draw this person to Yourself. Open their heart to receive the gift of life You have already prepared for them. In Your precious name, Amen.



Baptism

Following Jesus is all about relationship. Living in relationship with a person that you cannot see is not always easy. But the compelling thing about Jesus is how consistently he takes the initiative with us. A pastor during the first century once wrote that Jesus loved us before we were able to love him. That is how we understand baptism: Jesus taking the initiative, loving us before we are able to love him. Using water, we baptize people of all ages in God’s name just as he told us, realizing that it is always Jesus who takes the initiative to establish relationship.

(Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Luke 18:15-17; John 3:5; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 6:4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5-7)

Want to go deeper? 

To explore becoming a member of our Messiah family or to learn more about what we as Lutheran Christians believe, teach and confess, Messiah offers an Adult Inquirer's Class several times per year. If you are interested in attending an Inquirer’s Class, send us a note or call (813) 961-2182, or email

tnunes@messiahtampa.com