II. The Trinity

2nd Corinthians 13:14, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. This is the word of the Lord may be seated.

You may have heard it said before that. If you try to figure out the Trinity, you'll lose your mind. But if you deny the Trinity You'll Lose Your Soul Calibur heard that quote before. I think there's quite a bit of Truth to that. Now you may be familiar with several of the different popular analogies that we as human beings try to come up with try to explain who or what the Trinity is. One of them is the classic example of an egg. So also newsflash the erwins brought some eggs out there. So if y'all want some eggs are y'all are welcome to grab some afterwards or what is an egg arguably has three components three parts that the shell of the egg white and the egg yolk, but it's collectively one egg. Another popular analogy is that of water rights water is one thing it's H2O, but water can exist as water. Why does a liquid solid and a gas? But I'm a better one that I've heard is the Trinity is like the sun sun the actual one in our solar system that is think of it like this. The father is the actual Sun itself. Jesus is like the light that illuminates the Sun and creation and the spirit is the heat which warms and affects creation. Can a helpful way to think about it? Another popular example, is that of the triangle? Okay, so the Little Triangle so in the middle, what we have is God Almighty is in the middle. There's a line from each point connecting to the middle. So we got father son and spirit. And on this the the lines we have is not but connecting to the middle is a word is right to follow me. The father is not the sun. The sun is not the spirit. The father is not the spirit and so on and so forth all the way around but the spirit is God. The son is God. The father is God if it's a decent way to think of it. One of the best ones that I've come across is one that's known as the Trinity as a spiritual organism may not heard that one before. What I mean by that the father son and spirit are so closely linked together. So tightly interwoven together interdependence of is a good word that they cannot exist independently. They cannot exist separately. For example, take the human body. Think about the heart the brain and the lungs No human being can live without one of those and now of course, there's apparatus is right off a card or fake long as they can. Keep a person alive, right? So I'm not talking about that. Right just understand brain heart longest. You need all three to live to be a living person. But also the heart in the nuts elf is not a person the lungs and of itself is not a person and the brain and of itself is not a person you need all three collectively to bring in to be a person to be human life a similarly with God Almighty with the Trinity of the father son and spirit. They Supply each other with life is one person said, none of the three could be without each of the other two. It's not as though you can have the fog and you can take away the Sun the spirit that just completely ceases to exist to be gone. You need all three at the same time to be gone. Now all of those analogies that I just shared every single one of them Falls very short because after all we are finite human beings attempting to grasp the infinite. It's like a tiny little ant trying to understand the complexities of the human brain and how it works. It's impossible for the fully happen. But if it's impossible, why should we try? The phone never fully figure out the Trinity. Why in the world should we try in the first place? J.i. Packer, whose English Canadian Theologian. He passed a couple years ago, but he emphasized and he wrote this our main business is that we are mean business that we are here for is to know God. That is why we exist in the world to know God. Now immediately you hear that some of you might think okay, but that sounds kind of dull and boring and I like watching movies knowing God isn't necessarily invigorating to my soul. Does it seem like that's why I exist. It's really not day-to-day why I exist I exist to make money and so on and so forth. What is John 17:3 say? This is eternal life. This is Jesus speaking. This is eternal life that they know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent. What is eternal life?

What is eternal life? It's knowing him. It's knowing god. It's knowing Jesus Christ who got his scent and also think about the greatest commandment. Love God with all your heart soul mind and strength. So yes in part. We are called to love God with our minds with our intellect with our will with our rational way of thinking. So if you and I are going to experience eternal life and love God with our minds by John 17:3 woman experience eternal life that may sound weird to you. But again, that means experienced an abundant life of a field life a meaningful life a rich life. And if we are going to love God with our minds a very practical way to do that is by rustling through the doctrine of the Trinity together. To do that three questions for us this morning. Number one. Where is the trinity in the Bible or is it Trinity biblical in the first place number two, who is the trinity? Or how does the Trinity function in Salvation history, then finally what difference does it make the first place firstly is the Trinity biblical? No, we're going to do a few verses in the New Testament. Let me ask you this Bible trivia for you. Where is the first occasion in the New Testament of the Trinity the somebody know that perchance?

That's what the father-son spirit all mentioned.

Yes, the baptism of Jesus. This is the first instance in the New Testament of the Trinity clearly being on this play Matthew 3416. Please turn there so you can see with me. So I'm an avid advocate of memorizing scripture and everybody most everybody knows John 3:16. So this is another 3:16 verse that you can file in your mind. If you don't know what verbatim remember the reference Matthew 3:16, this tells us about the trinity. Matthew 3:16 to 17 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 a lighting on him and a voice from Heaven said, this is my son whom I love with him. I am well pleased all three members are clearly there the father blesses the sun through the spirit of God. City slightly differently the Father in Heaven. He publicly affirmed the the Divinity of the goodness that Perfection of Christ the son. But how did the father do that? What was the tangible sign to tangible means by which heat from the Sun by the spirit of God descending down from heaven? the father-son spirit of clearly there too fast forward Matthew chapter 28

verses 18 to 20

fascinating that Matthew 3:16 the trinity in connection to baptism and then Matthew 28, we see the Trinity coming up again very clearly in connection to the baptism something significant there. Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20. This is Jesus says some of Jesus is very last words on Earth before he descended back to Heaven Matthew 28 verse 18. Then Jesus came to them and said all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me 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 teaching them to obey everything. I have commanded you and surely I Am With You Always to the very end of the age. Before Jesus left, what was it important for him to communicate? Make disciples. What is a disciple? Follower of Jesus simply that help others follow Jesus help others. Come to know me and help them to Faithfully live for me make the seiples. How do you make disciples? What does that mean? What does that look like? What are the components of making disciples? Jesus doesn't leave us in the dark. He's very clear Make Disciples of all Nations, then firstly baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, She noticed the precise wording there it says. Baptizing them in the name of it's a singular word in the name of the father Son and Holy Spirit. It's not in the names of but in the one name of the father Son and Holy Spirit to Jesus yet again, alluding to the three and one and the one in 30 in a sense is God one. Absolutely Deuteronomy. 6:4 hear o Israel the Lord Our God the Lord is one but in the sense God is also three, but there's three persons to this one God. Baptizing them in the name of the father Son and Holy Spirit. What is baptism? What's the purpose of it? I'm here. Let me hear you somebody else. What's the purpose of baptism? Yes. Jesus said to do it right? I got that but why what's the significance of it?

Our demonstration of an internal change, okay.

thoughts on that

To become God's children or to demonstrate. We're God's children.

To unite our lives with Christ. Yep, especially that's a good point. Especially think about Jesus. It's Jesus was baptized but it's not as though Jesus was sinful and he needed to repent of sin and be cleansed of sin know when you think about when Jesus was baptized I think in large part it was about identification. Both the father to the Son and the son of the father in other words being baptized in frosted a baptism is in part about identifying with God. It's a very public thing to do that you say to the church to the community to the world. Hey, I belong to God, but which God who's the god you're identifying with the god the pretty generic term that has many religions that believe in God many people believe in God. Which car are you talking about? That's why I think the Trinity is so closely intertwined with that because I want to identify with God not just any random. I want to identify with the Triune god with the father son and spirit as revealed through the scripture. So that's where the Trinity is in the Bible, right? It's right there. But by far I think the clearest text on the Trinity come from The Gospel according to John the Fourth gospel. One scholar said in the Book of John. We see quote the Supreme biblical pattern trinitarian thought. And John 10 verse 30 Jesus simply said I and the father are one.

I am the father are one and if you remember brother George visiting us last week from Southeast Asia. He said there's a phrase at the very beginning of the sermon. He said God is a Unity not unit. I think it's a very helpful way to think about about it. Is it Unity? Not a unit? So Jesus is identifying with the father. I and the father are one John 14 verse 10. Jesus also said don't you believe that? I am in the father and the father is in me. Then all three members of the Trinity or in John 15:26 when The Advocate comes. Who's the advocate the spirit of God? When The Advocate Comes Who Am I Jesus is speaking when the spirit comes from Jesus whom I will send to you from the Father. The spirit of Truth goes out from the father. He referring to the spirit will testify about me. All three members are clearly working together right there in John 15:26. And then the last one I mentioned for now is 2nd Corinthians 13:14. Just read it to open up our time together May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. So these are few places that somebody's you're talking to somebody. How do you make sense of the Trinity? Where is it in the Bible? You just made that up? No, here it is. It also is piggybacking off of what brother brother George said last week. There's some cultures that have a hiccup with the trinity. We said it slightly differently in your own personal walk with the Lord. If you're Faithfully following Jesus or if you're just exploring Christianity and thinking about it have any of you personally had a huge pick up with the trinity. I'm talking about having a true stumbling block with it. Yes, all of us in here. Nobody is fully wrap their heads around it. But I'm talking about you read the Bible you examine the claims of Christianity you come across the Trinity and you think I'm not becoming a Christian because that is a sword. I doubt anybody in here is thought that if you have I be interested to hear thought process and how you feel become that your brother. George was saying for the majority of Muslims. If not, all of it. They all have to pick up with the Trinity. How is the father? How does the father have a son? The father doesn't have a wife. So how does he have a son from all of eternity and Y 3 + 11 + 3 that makes no sense. It's completely illogical you Christians are foolish to think that there's only one God is name is Allah. Took the Trinity is something that is a stumbling block for many people it. So this is right a few little apologetic tools that you can have it help show people where the Trinity is in scripture. Where's the trinity in the Old Testament? Right? If the Trinity is true, why don't we find it clearly in the Old Testament? Well, I've heard it said before like a lot of doctrines the Trinity is foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but it's on clear display in the New Testament. I think of it vividly the doctrine of the Trinity buds in the Old Testament or the New Testament it burst into a full flower. This is how God reveals himself right in a little by little by little and it's Timothy George notes when you read the Old Testament, you don't need to look for a three leaf clover and every verse I should just be be cautious about that, but there are some evidence in the Old Testament. If you'd like to know some talk to me afterwards. I'd be glad to share those with you. to the Trinity biblical Is it in the Bible? Do we see it in the Bible? Absolutely number two, who is the trinity? How does the Trinity function in Salvation the Baptist faith and message we're going to recite this together at the end. But it says the Eternal Triune God reveals himself to us as Father Son and Holy Spirit with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature essence or being think of it like this each person of the Trinity is United together in essence and in glory and then purpose the father is fully God. The spirit is fully God. Jesus is fully God and they all have the exact same Mission which again brother George mentioned it last week you open up his time. What is the mission of the Triune God concerning the world? It's to bring the loss to himself the father son and spirit are all working together to do that. They all have the same amount of Glory and Honor and they're all worthy of Praise. All the Trinity is united in glory in a sense. They do differ in their roles and functions in a sense. Might be one. How is that weird? I see that in the Bible. Turn the First Peter chapter 1. I want you to see this one with your eyes.

This is another wonderful verse for where the Trinity is in the Bible.

1st Peter chapter 1 verses 1 and 2

Again, the question is what does each person of the Trinity do what does Jesus do? What is the spirit do who's the father? What are they all kind of do how do they differ in some of their actions? 1st Peter 1 verses 1 and 2 Peter and Apostle of Jesus Christ to God's elect Exile scattered throughout the provinces of pontus. Galatia Cappadocia, Asian, Bethania. Who's 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 Grace and peace be yours in abundance. What did Peter just say they're so Peter is riding to God's elect to God's people to Christians to to Christians to you brothers and sisters you who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God. Who have been Sanctified through the same Define work of the spirit for the purpose of being obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood. So who is the Trinity who's each person? There's a helpful way to think about it from right there. Number one the father. He arranges The Plan of Salvation by three days for you. The father arranges The Plan of Salvation. If you will God the father is the architect. He's the orchestrator. He's a he's the one with the Divine mind who came up with everything the Divine Plan of Redemption. He orchestrated salvation regions chapter 1 Echoes that God the father is The Sovereign planner for the father chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love. The father predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. Who's the father? What does he do in a sense? He is the architect. He's the one who arranged your salvation number to the Sun. What does the Sun do the sun achieves or complices salvation? God the Father arranged it planted the son executed it and made it possible. Peter mentions 1st Peter verse 2 to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood. 2 Peter is talking and pointing back to the cross and answer the resurrection as well. Keep in mind. What is the Father's goal? What does the father want to do? Think about the image of the Prodigal Son? We are all like prodigal sons. What does the father want us to do? Come home. But how is that possible? How can the father receive us? The we are filthy the we've been wallowing around in the mud like pigs. How does the father receive us into his perfect home? See the cleansing work of Christ through the sprinkling of his blood over our sin at owning for our sin covering over our sin. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 11 it tells us the father's Eternal purpose has been accomplished in Christ. Jesus our lord. Thirdly, who is the spirit? The spirit applies salvation to you. The father arranges it Jesus accomplished it accomplishes it the spirit applies it to you personally. This isn't just something out there and randomly, you know just in general know the spirit makes it personal to your own life and Peter mentions the sink to find work of the spirit. What does that mean? How's the spirit sanctify us? Well, John 16:8 when the spirit comes he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. How does the sphere of sanctify you he conviction of sin? He gives you a conscience. He softens that conscience and helps, you know, hey, you're sinning, you know better you're dishonoring God. What else disappeared do the spirit illuminates our hearts see the truth fusions 117 Paul saying I keep asking the god of our Lord Jesus Christ The Glorious father may give you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation so that you may know him better. Spirit there's capitalized you might have the Holy Spirit so that you might know him better. And then also the spirit empowers us to live a Godly life Romans 15:13 a beautiful verse May the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. All these things synonyms for sanctification. I think the vacation means being set apart, right if we are all walking off the cliff Edge right there the Holy Spirit sanctifies as he sets us apart brings us on the right path cleanses us purifies that's caused us to follow Christ. Those are all different ways this year. Does that go to the Trinity is but before I move on to the last question to be clearer each person of the Trinity works together with one another. They're all intertwined together. For example. When Jesus walked in the world is a question for you. Would you just came to preach to perform miracles? Who did the Miracles or how did Jesus do those miracles?

Did he rely upon his own strength, or did he live on the spirit of God?

I think more so the spirit but I think in a sense he did rely upon himself as well. I think that's one of those both fan, right? Cuz Jesus is fully Divine. But again the spirits quite clear that to 12:18. I will put my spirit on him and he will Proclaim Justice to the Nations. Nothing. Also Matthew 12 verse 28. This is what Jesus said if it is by the spirit of God that I drive out demons in the kingdom of God has come upon you. Another word. She says to say I drive out demons by the spirit of God by his power. And then also in Romans chapter 1 Paul talks about how Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is all working together, but also think about the Old Testament is the only one I'm interested in Old Testament Genesis chapter 1 That's a creation narrative. In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth and then verse 2. Now the earth I want to make sure I get this right now the Earth was formless and empty Darkness was over the surface of the deep in the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said let there be light and there was light. The Trinity you can find hints of him of it. You can find hint of the trinity in Genesis 1 God the Father then you see the spirit hovering over the waters then how did God actually create? Are you do? He used words. He spoke and who is the word of God Jesus Christ is the word of God. So again, the Trinity all works together at all times and all places, but ever since have different distinct roles. For example, the Holy Spirit did not die on the cross. That was Jesus a slight distinction, but they're unified together. If I help to explain the Trinity a little bit or post more questions for you than not they're not answers. The last question. We asked what difference does it make? What difference does it make if there's the Trinity as you've been describing as we see in the God's word or if it's just one God and one person we don't have to fool with all this triangle mess that you brought up today. What difference does it make for me? few reasons for you number 13 right in front of the Triune, right? Catch up on that the three points number one understanding the Trinity helps us know why we're here. It helps us know why we're here.

Say differently. Have you ever wondered what was God doing before he made the world? Have you ever thought that what in the world was God doing before he made the world? The Trinity as revealed in Scripture that helps us understand that question. Before everything existed God Almighty existed interdependently with himself. The other words the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. We're having perfect communion and fellowship with one another. So it's not as though God was lonely. It's not as though God was bored in heaven or I mean he created having to tell us that God is just bored and lonely know God was perfectly content to himself. He perfectly delighted in one another in each member of the Trinity. So then why did he create everything? Well, it wasn't out of selfishness again. It was not of loneliness. It was out of love. God is love for Sean for tells us the essence of who God is love but for love to exist you, you know this for love to exist there has to be a subject and object. Somebody has to give love somebody has to receive love. There's no such thing as self-love for say right that's self-obsession. That's arrogance. That's Pride, but the father is not life or arrogant. It's got the Trinity It's Love by three persons all sharing all loving one another and the reason he created us was to share that love as an overflow. I thought as a bubbling Fountain of water just needs to overflow. That's why God created us in understanding the Trinity helps us understand why we're here. This is a beautiful thing about Christianity other religions in the world. They portray God as lacking or is lonely or is bored and that's why he created the world other religions say that the whole world is such a thing in the first century contacts the world came about because the Gods in heaven were feuding they were fighting and the world is simply a byproduct of all their anger and rage. The Bible is unique in that the world was born out of love. I think it's a beautiful thing. Trinity helps us know why we're here number to the Trinity helps, you know, what makes Christianity distinctive It's very different from other world religions that Islam and Judaism. They are monotheistic through and through there is only one God Hinduism on the other hand polytheistic. There are many gods millions of God's Buddhism or the other hand is pantheistic meaning everything is gone more or less. So it's not on either extreme like the Trinity. There is one God three persons. It is the only religion that claimed anything like that. It's extremely unique in that regard. And then lastly the Trinity helps us understanding the Trinity helps us better relate to God. Helps us better relate to him have a deeper relationship with him. Our men's bible study for reading a book called enjoying God by Tim Chester. The whole premise of the book is helping us understand the Trinity better that we might have a richer life and enjoyment of him. And I'm just asking why practically was that me and what we talked about. Who do you pray to When you pray? Do you pray dear Lord? You're gone. Maybe your father Our Father in Heaven. What do you say? What do you call him? Mike ridgmont / challenge for you. This week is to pray to each person of the Trinity if you've never done that before. Pray to the father as you should thank him for daily provision pray for that daily provision that you need as a good father would give his child. Pray to Jesus directly thank him for his sacrifice. Thank him for coming into the world for living that perfect life for doing everything for you. Thank him for that and also pray to the Holy Spirit ask the Holy Spirit. I need you. I need some strength. I need some wisdom. I need some comfort. I need some help. I need some help. Pretty each person of the trinity in the same breath the same prayer, but it's just something to think about to enhance your fellowship with the Trinity are trying God. Brothers and sisters as we wrap up. This is Vision conclusion. When you and I come across hard doctrines in the Bible. We cannot have the attitude. Of the defeatist attitude. I'll never figure it out. So I'm not even going to try. You might be tempted to think that with the Trinity and I think a lot of us might be tempted to think that with the end times. I'll never figure out Revelation. So I'm not even going to read it. I'm not going to try to study it. We cannot do that as Christians. We are called to love God with our minds. Are we going to figure it out perfectly course not but we have to try we have to strive to do that. the goddess called as to so are we? If you want to go to the next flight Sophie will conclude by reading at this was kind of intro part 2 the father-son spirit. This was prefaced that will read this together in conclusion and then wall close with our doxology. Lifetime. This is what we declare about God almighty. There is one and only one living and true God he is an intelligent spiritual and personal being the Creator Redeemer preserver and ruler of the universe God is infinite in Holiness and all other Perfections. God is all-powerful and all-knowing and is perfect knowledge extends to All Things past present and future including the future decisions of his free creatures to him. We owe the highest love reverence and obedience the Eternal Triune God reveals himself to us as father Son and Holy Spirit with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature essence or B. The closing prayer and benediction the first we opened with 2nd Corinthians 13:14. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the love of God The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Church where you stand with us as we sing the doxology.