Sermon Series – New City Catechism: Basics of Christian Beliefs in 52 Weeks

July 16th, 2023

Late August 2023 marks the beginning of a new Sermon series based on the New City Catechism. The word “catechism” may sound like an old timey or ritualistic word but it simply means “to teach by word of mouth.” It’s a method to teach and learn Christian doctrines and beliefs in a Q&A format.

And guess what? Our Kids and 180 Students will be using this also! That means everyone, no matter their age group, will be learning and working together on the same topic. How cool is that?! We want to encourage parents to ask their children what they learned, talk about what you learned, discuss the Q&A throughout the week, and use the app to reinforce, meditate upon, and perhaps even memorize the Biblical truths being learned!

For a bit more introductory info, see this “Scott‘s Thoughts” where our Lead Pastor gives a brief explanation and introduction to why we’re doing NCC.

Structure of the New City Catechism
The New City Catechism (NCC) is comprised of 52 questions and answers, one Q&A for each week of the year. We will be doing NCC in 3 separate parts, alternating with the Exodus series we began in January 2022.

Its 3 Parts are divided into key doctrinal headings that follow the main trajectory of Scripture:

Part 1: God, Creation and Fall, Law – 20 weeks
Part 2: Christ, Redemption, Grace – 15 weeks
Part 3: Spirit, Restoration, Growing in Grace – 17 weeks

Also helpful to notice is that there are 3 categories in each of the 3 parts, and that they correspond to each other in a vertical manner. The first words are the Trinity—God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—which is about how God relates to Himself. The 2nd category of vertical categories is a statement about the condition of the world relative to God and His plans—Creation & Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. And the 3rd category speaks to humanity’s condition relative to God and His work in Christ—being condemned under God’s law, under what God commands, under His grace, and then growing in grace.

More specifically, each week’s content…

starts with a Question that focus our attention on a key doctrinal or theological theme.
provides an Answer that is a Biblical and time-tested truth. This will, in effect, be the bottom line of each week’s sermon as well as each week‘s kids’ and students’ teaching and curriculum.
highlights a Key Bible Verse/Passage that will guide our Sunday sermons (as well as the kids and students environments).
includes a short Devotional Commentary developed from the writings or sayings of both a past and contemporary preacher/theologian, to help us reflect on the topic being explored.
ends with a short, original Prayer.
can be simplified and even includes a song when in “Children’s Mode” (see below.)

And One More Thing: There is an NCC app with everything above for handy reference! It’s great for throughout-the-day reference, for yourself, with your spouse, with your kids, during Life Group, etc. That being said, we will also be printing out each week’s content and making them available on that particular Sunday. (And no, we cannot compile them for you. That’s called a “book” and we don’t have publishing rights for that.) But, all that being said. we will have a hardcopy of NCC available for purchase at cost at The Hub at every campus!

Download the NCC Phone/Tablet App here.
Access the NCC Web App here.

If you will be using this with your children, be sure to turn on “Children’s Mode,” which simplifies the content and includes a song.

PART 1: GOD, CREATION AND FALL, LAW
Fall/Winter 2023

For each week below, the link will take you to the online/web app version of the New City Catechism and For easy access to all the sermons, go to the “Watch” tab on the bottom of our FCC Greene app (fccgreene.org/app) or click here.

Wk 1 – Aug 20, 2023 – “What is our Only Hope in Life and Death?” (Romans 14:7-8)
Wk 2 – Aug 27, 2023 – “What is God?” (Psalm 86:8-10, 15)
Wk 3 – Sep 3, 2023 – “How Many Persons are There in God?” (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Wk 4 – Sep 10, 2023 – “How and Why Did God Create Us?” (Genesis 1:27)
Wk 5 – Sep 17, 2023 – “What Else Did God Create?” (Genesis 1:31)
Wk 6 – Sep 24, 2023 – “How Can we Glorify God?” (Deuteronomy 11:1)
Wk 7 – Oct 1, 2023 – “What Does the Law of God Require?” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Wk 8 – Oct 8, 2023 – “What is the Law of God Stated in the Ten Commandments?” (Exodus 20:3)
Wk 9 – Oct 15, 2023 – “What Does God Require in the First, Second, and Third Commandments?” (Deuteronomy 6:13-14)
Wk 10 – Oct 22, 2023 – “What Does God Require in the Fourth and Fifth Commandments?” (Leviticus 19:3)
Wk 11 – Oct 29, 2023 – “What Does God Require in the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Commandments?” (Romans 13:9)
Wk 12 – Nov 5, 2023 – “What Does God Require in the Ninth and Tenth Commandments?“ (James 2:8)
Wk 13 – Nov 12, 2023 – “Can Anyone Keep the Law of God Perfectly?” (Romans 3:10-12)
Wk 14 – Nov 19, 2023 – “Did God Create us Unable to Keep His Law?” (Romans 5:12)
Wk 15 – Dec 3, 2023 – “Since No One Can Keep the Law, What is its Purpose?” (Romans 3:20)
Dec 10-24 – Christmas Series
Wk 16 – Dec 31, 2023 – “What is Sin?” (1 John 3:4)
Wk 17 – Jan 7, 2024 – “What is Idolatry?” (Romans 1:21, 25)
Wk 18 – Jan 14, 2024 – “Will God Allow Our Disobedience and Idolatry to go Unpunished?” (Ephesians 5:5-6)
Wk 19 – Jan 21, 2024 – “Is There Any Way to Escape Punishment and be Brought Bank Into God’s Favor?” (Isaiah 53:10-11)
Wk 20 – Jan 28, 2024 – “Who is The Redeemer?” (1 Timothy 2:5)

PART 2: CHRIST, REDEMPTION, GRACE
Sermon links will be added as they become available.

Wk 21 – Apr 6, 2025 – “What Sort of Redeemer is Needed to Bring Us Back to God?” (Isaiah 9:6)
Wk 22 – Apr 13, 2025 – “Why Must the Redeemer Be Truly Human?” (Hebrews 2:17)
Q 23 – “Why Must the Redeemer Be Truly God?” (Acts 2:24)
Q 24 – “Why Was It Necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to Die?” (Colossians 1:21–22)
Q 25 – “Does Christ’s Death Mean All Our Sins Can Be Forgiven?” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Q 26 – “What Else Does Christ’s Death Redeem?” (Colossians 1:19–20)
Q 27 – “Are All People, Just As They Were Lost Through Adam, Saved Through Christ?” (Romans 5:17)
Q 28 – “What Happens After Death to Those Not United to Christ by Faith?” (John 3:16–18)
Q 29 – “How Can We Be Saved?” (Ephesians 2:8–9)
Q 30 – “What Is Faith in Jesus Christ?” (Galatians 2:20)
Q 31 – “What Do We Believe by True Faith?” (Jude 1:3)
Q 32 – “What Do Justification and Sanctification Mean?” (Romans 3:24–26)
Q 33 – “Should Those Who Have Faith in Christ Seek Their Salvation Through Their Own Works or Anywhere Else?” (Galatians 2:16)
Q 34 – “Since We Are Redeemed by Grace Alone, Through Christ Alone, Must We Still Do Good Works and Obey God’s Word?” (1 Peter 2:9–12)

PART 3: SPIRIT, RESTORATION, GROWING IN GRACE
More info coming later…
Sermon links will be added as they become available.

Q 36 – “What Do We Believe About the Holy Spirit?” (John 14:16–17)
Q 37 – “How Does the Holy Spirit Help Us?” (Ephesians 6:17–18) .
Q 38 – “What Is Prayer?” (Philippians 4:6)
Q 39 – “With What Attitude Should We Pray?” (Matthew 6:9)
Q 40 – “What Should We Pray?” (Ephesians 3:14–21)
Q 41 – “What Is the Lord’s Prayer?” (Matthew 6:9–13)
Q 42 – “How Is the Word of God to Be Read and Heard?” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
Q 43 – “What Are the Sacraments or Ordinances?” (Romans 6:4)
Q 44 – “What Is Baptism?” (Matthew 28:19) > Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Q 45 – “Is Baptism With Water the Washing Away of Sin Itself?” (Titus 3:5)
Q 46 – “What Is the Lord’s Supper?” (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)
Q 47 – “Does the Lord’s Supper Add Anything to Christ’s Atoning Work?” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17)
Q 48 – “What Is the Church?” (Ephesians 2:19–22)
Q 49 – “Where Is Christ Now?” (Ephesians 1:20–21)
Q 50 – “What Does Christ’s Resurrection Mean for Us?” (1 Peter 1:3–4)
Q 51 – “Of What Advantage to Us Is Christ’s Ascension?” (Romans 8:34)
Q 52 – “What Hope Does Everlasting Life Hold for Us?” (Revelation 21:1–4)