John 1:1-4, Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 4:1-6, 1 Peter 1:1-2, Matthew 3:16-17
Introduction
- Today in the Christian church calendar we celebrate the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- This is a day traditionally celebrated by western Christian churches the Sunday after Pentecost
- The Trinity is probably the most difficult theological concept that we will ever consider.
- Probably the best way to think about them is the picture on the screen.
- What we see are three separate loops that overlap in the center.
- Each loop represents one of the members of the Trinity, but they also are the same.
- They each have unique areas of focus, but they all are connected.
- One perspective is that they should be concentric circles on top of each other.
- But that would be wrong.
- They each have enough uniqueness as to not completely overlap.
- The Father is unique in His planning and seniority as the other two defer to Him.
- The Son is the Word, and it is Him who is the human face of God and the sacrificial lamb
- The Holy Spirit is the extension of God that connects Him to each believer internally.
- They are simultaneously equal; sharing in the power and glory of God; and simultaneously different – it is impossible for our human brains to fully comprehend.
- There are two things that we need to understand about the Holy Trinity:
- Teamwork
- Relationship
1. Teamwork
- Teamwork makes the dream work, doesn’t it?
- What is teamwork? Working together, groups, variety
- Merriam-Webster defines teamwork as:
work done by a group acting together so that each member does a part that contributes to the efficiency of the whole.
- I like to think of teamwork in terms of synergy that leads to the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
- We have teamwork here at Biltmore; we would be lost without it.
- No single one of us can do it all; we need the diversity of skills and experience we have.
- Think about those NASCAR pit crews that can change four tires, fill the gas tank and wash the windshield in 18 seconds.
- One guy jacks up the car, while another unscrews the lug nuts, then another guy yanks the tire off, and another guy slaps a new tire in place.
- Then the process is repeated for the other three tires.
- Meanwhile another guy is dumping in two big containers of gasoline.
- The Holy Trinity is a team with diverse parts as well.
- One guy makes the plans and calls the shots,
- While another guy spoke the world into existence, then died on the cross to save His creation.
- And then another guy takes up residence in the heart and mind of every believer.
- They each have their focus areas, but ultimately, they are still one.
- All three were together and existed before the world was created.
- It was Jesus who did the creating based on His Father’s plan.
- Jesus is the Word – that’s His role in the Godhead. From John’s Gospel:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
- When Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28, we see the Trinity coming together as a team for the purpose of Baptism when He says:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
- In 1 Peter 1, Peter spells out the various roles of the Godhead:
who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood.
- We see here Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with each having very specific attributes.
- The lesson from the Godhead is how divine teamwork makes the Trinity effective
2. Relationship
- Despite their diversity and uniqueness, the Holy Trinity remains in a constant state of RELATIONSHIP.
- This relationship was demonstrated on so many occasions by Jesus, functioning as a human.
- What did we see Jesus demonstrate in His relationship to the Father?
- Prayer was something that Jesus frequently did in communication with the Father.
- We know that the Holy Spirit, living in each believer, make constant prayer on behalf of us to the Father.
- In Matthew 3:16-17, we see the relationship these three have for each other
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
- God is sending the Spirit onto Jesus and telling the world how much He loves His Son.
- In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about their relationship when he says:
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
- Again in Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul tells us how we should also live in relationship:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- This is why church is so important: it is where we live and work in relationship with each other.
- As the Godhead lives in a constant state of relationship, so should we live as a church.
- Don Ramsey posts on Chase Oak Church’s website about “Five Ways to Deepen Your Relationship With God”:
- Give your heart to God – Until you give your heart and fully surrender to God, you cannot have a deep relationship with Him.
- Allow Him to take charge – You must put God first. You must allow Him to take charge of your life so that you can live the life He wants for you.
- Spend time in the Word of God – Schedule time to read His Word on a daily basis. Don’t just read the Bible; study it.
- Take the time to memorize Scripture – By memorizing Scripture, you will be able to call on His Word during difficult times.
- Pray, pray, pray – Pray all the time. Don’t just pray in times of need, but pray to give thanks. Pray for others. Spend time in conversation with our Father. By talking with our Father on a consistent basis, you will deepen your relationship with Him. Think of it as any relationship you have with people in your life. The more time you spend with them, the deeper your relationship becomes.
- God has demonstrated to us through the Trinity what it means to work as a team and live in relationship.
May we strive as individuals and as a church to draw nearer to God in our teams and our relationships.