Make sure everyone gets notes and Bibles.

We’re going to be going through one of the most difficult passages of Scripture we’ve ever gone through. We’re going to talk about the Trinity.

Now, before we get started, I want us to all understand a couple things.

We won’t be able to understand it fully!

A theologian named Augustine wrote a nine volume series on the Trinity and couldn’t finish because he couldn’t figure it all out.

One of my professors was one of the foremost scholars on the Trinity, when he was asked to explain the Trinity in ten minutes, he said he couldn’t do it, and he was known as one of the smartest guys on the Trinity alive!

We wont be able to define everything!

We’re only taking one small passage, so there is a LOT more to talk about on the Trinity, this is just going to be some helpful starting points. So, if you wanted to talk about something else regarding the Trinity, I’m always happy to talk about it, but this space just isn’t the space for that.

John 14:15-31.

What is the Trinity?

Hard to understand, but we’ll do our best!

3 Characters (Persons) in ONE God

Father

16,20,26

Son

15, 19, 25, 28

Holy Spirit

16-17, 26

They all must be one (God is One), but there are Three.

GRAPHIC

So then, the question is what do they do in this passage?

We won’t be able to talk about everything that they do, but there’s some hints in this passage as to some of the things that these three Persons in the One God (or Godhead, Trinity) do

What does the Father do?

Loves

vs 21, 23

This isn’t only the Father’s job, but it is something that He does so wel.

God the Father loves us, and so He acts

He isn’t some vengeful, rage-filled God, He’s loving

That love will mean that He reacts to sin and evil with wrath, but He is not primarily wrath.

In this passage, the main thing we see the Father doing is loving His children.

Sends

16, 24 ,26

One of the ways that the Father loves us is by sending His Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit.

The Father doesn’t levae us alone!

You could never have a right relatinoship with God the Father without God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and so He sends them.

He loves you so much that He sends His Son and the Spirit so that you can be with Him.

God the Father, in His loves for us, provides everything we need to be with Him, and some of that is found in sending.

What does the Son do?

Commands

15, 21, 23

Jesus gives us a lot of different things to do!

They aren’t just dumb homework assignements or something to make you good enough to earn God’s love

It’s a lot more like a Christian who loves Jesus would do the things that He says, like

Love Him, love others, believe in Him, wash feet, forgive, give to others; there’s a lot in there!

If we want to claim that we are Christians, we should live like one, which means doing what He says.

It also means knowing what He says, so we need to be in our Bible!

You can’t know what He says if you don’t read what He’s said.

Gives new life

19, 21, 23

Jesus doesn’t give us commands just because He wants to! He gives new life, and that new life means we have to live differently!

How can we have a new life if we don’t live like it

Jesus doesn’t leave you where you’re at!

He won’t abandon you to a life that ruins you! He can bring you into new life!

He won’t leave us as orphans (18), He brings us into family and belonging!

It’s because of this new life that we have the love of the Father and the commands!

But then, how do we receive this new life and these commands?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

First, the Holy Spirit is the most confusing Person of the Trinity, so we’re just barely scratching the surface here, and if you have any questions, I’d love to talk to you about this after!

Indwells

16-17

Vs. 17 talks about how the Spirit will live in you. We call that indwelling.

So, you have God living in you if you’ve become a follower of Jesus!

But what does He do?

He is our great Helper, Advocate, and Counselor

We have God the Holy Spirit in us drawing us closer to Jesus.

Every step we take that brings us closer to loving God more is the Holy Spirit nudging us.

Every time you’ve found comfort in tragedy, it was the Holy Spirit helping you.

Every time you’ve made the hard decision to follow Jesus instead of following yourself, it was the Holy Spirit guiding you.

Teaches and Reminds

26

The Bible is great, but without the Holy Spirit we could never grasp it! We need God the Holy Spirit to teach us about the Bible.

Have you ever read the Bible and not gotten it, then left and came back and understood it a little better? That’s the Holy Spirit!

He’s also why we have the rest of the New Testament.

The only reason any more Books of the Bible were written after Jesus’ death is the Holy Spirit! He gave the words and understanding to the people who wrote it to teach us!

How about have you ever been doing something you shouldn’t, or you’re about to, and then you remember that this isn’t going to go well?

God the Holy Spirit is reminding us of His call to holiness!

Peace

27

It seems like Jesus says that He will leave peace with us when He leaves and goes to the Father.

Do you know who He leaves? The Holy Spirit!

Peace is found in Him

More important, the peace of God is found in Him!

That’s why Jesus says not to be troubled

You can’t just not be worried on your own, but, with the Holy Spirit, fear and anxiety can start to ease.

What’s the point?

You have a whole God working in your life for your good.

That is best exemplified in the cross.

On the cross, God the Father gave up God the Son in love, God the Son sacrificed Himself to provide new life to those who love Him and follow His commands, while God the Spirit indwells His followers and teaches and reminds us to follow Him and gives peace instead of fear. You are so loved that all of God works on all of you!

Questions

Where is one place you’ve always wanted to travel to?

Why should we try to understand the Trinity if He’s so hard to understand?

Read vs. 23. What does it mean that Jesus and the Father will “make our home” with us?

How can the knowledge of the Trinity change your faith this week?