Father, Son, Holy Spirit

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So our time together in God’s Word this morning is going to help us focus on two things. ONE - We’re going to look at who our Heavenly Father really is…His heart so to speak…and what He has done to reconcile, or bring us back to Him. In a way reminding all of us who are dads of what our mission is… and then TWO - learning just a bit more about our second “statement of faith” as a church family.

So Happy Father’s Day to all of our dad’s out there. Happy Father’s Day to my dad as well. Being a dad today is not an easy task is it? But, considering the purpose we’ve been given as parents, in raising young imagers of God, that’s a huge task.

That’s probably why God, in His big 10, the 10 commandments asks us to Honor our Father and Mother. And its the first of the 6 that allow us to look at what a world without sin, families and communities without sin, what that world would look like.

Honor your Father…why? Because there’s a big responsibility placed on the shoulders of a mom and dad. Point to God. Point the way to God.

That’s big isn’t it? And you know why? Because, and I’ll be the first in here to admit it, dad’s aren’t perfect…I’m not a perfect dad. Just ask my family…no don’t....because I’m sure they have so many illustrations to share with you. My hope is that I’ve in some way, like my dad, my parents did with me…point me to Jesus. Pointed me to the value of being in a church family. To stay interested in things of God. Imperfect people pointing to the Heavenly Father.

But it is hard. But…we’re going to talk about how we have help.

And like I said before on Mother’s day, I know there are stories out there about how this day is very hard for some because of situations and past hurts and loss. In all of those things we have father who loves us…I think you’ll see that today too. So if honoring is hard to do for you, look to honor your heavenly father.

But we do our best …through successes and failures…to be the best that we can be. Course correcting when we realize we need to …and then starting over again.

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Malachi 4:6 (CSB)

6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.

This is from an Old Testament passage. A prophesy about what God is going to be doing in the future.

Remember what we lost in the beginning. That’s always one of our main reference points for reality. We lost our intended relationship with God, with other people, and with all of creation. We see the effects of that don’t we.

But now, a restoration is in process. God won’t only be making a way for us to get back to Him, He’s going to help all of us restore relationships with others and with all of creation as well. And there’s a reason and method. We’re going to investigate both of those things today. What do these things mean…how are we involved?

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2 Corinthians 6:18 CSB

18 And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

Will be…meaning there’s a time when this will be accomplished. And for sure we’re in that time. Paul is simply repeating God’s word here.

Here’s God speaking through Isaiah…I love this passage.

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Isaiah 43:6–7 CSB

6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”

God is making a way for us to be back with Him. A father and his children.

Father’s Day - and our statement of Faith. I think you’ll see how we can do both today. Let me read to you our statement of faith for the day.

“We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to look at the trinity and then look at the role of God the Father. Because it is helpful for all of us as fathers, grandfathers, dad-figures future fathers…to see God’s role as a father…and then relate that to us..

My dad taught me to make the little things count. So now I teach math to mice.

The trinity....Math…so how do you get three in one and one in three?

Ministers and theologians have tried over the ages to make sense of this oneness among three distinct entities that we see in scripture when it comes to the Trinity.

Now…the word Trinity is not in the Bible.

So with that, there are some versions of Christianity, and other religions too, that point to that and then say ...

“well, you can’t say three in one because it never says that.”

Or “Jesus isn’t really God.”

Or...”He does say He’s God, so there, You don’t worship one God, you worship three.”

So in our best efforts we come up with ways to describe this oneness…but separateness. The problem is, we have to use human terms and imperfect human brains, and created things to try to describe something, someone, who is:

eternal, completely holy, unchangeable, perfectly just, perfectly loving, perfectly…you can add to that list.

So here are some things we’ve used that get close but are still very far from the truth.

Three in one. The easiest is the egg example.

One egg…but shell, yolk, and white. But one egg. But in that there are three separate things that can exist by themselves without the other if taken apart…you can see the problems. You can’t pull apart the trinity.

Um…Water. liguid, solid, gas. Now here we have the same substance, just different uses. So that might give us an idea of how something can be the same but different.

Then you have the ideas that God is one, but is described differently in roles…Father (fatherhood stuff), Son…the role of Jesus, and then Holy Spirit…guide, conscience, connection etc. Much like I can be a son, and a father, and a husband all at the same time.

But that doesn’t seem to quite fit the largeness of God.

One God

One Will - The three don’t do what they want to.

One essence - They are God.

One God.

Let’s just look at some verses where this is kind of described for us.

Right away, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when He was baptized by John, we see the three parts of God participating. You, obviously have Jesus…and He is described in the text.

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Matthew 3:16–17 (CSB)

16 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.

17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

So here we have a snapshot of the Father, who’s spirit descended (like a dove), saying, “This is my son...”

You have the three parts of God acting and speaking right there.

It’s interesting that at the end of Jesus ministry, we have Jesus giving His disciples instructions before He’s taken back up into Heaven. What’s He say?

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Matthew 28:19 (CSB)

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...

Those are His words. As the three began the ministry, Jesus makes distinct reference for us, for His disciples to work in the name of all three parts…who happen to be God.

The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.

And Jesus, in John 17, praying through the spirit, is praying to (talking to) God the Father, about being one again with humanity.

Let’s quickly go over the parts…we’ll start with the spirit, then Jesus... and then to Father.

THE SPIRIT OF GOD

The spirit then…and I love to look at the spirit.

You’ve heard me talk about this before…you can track the spirit of God through the Bible and its a really really cool study.

Adam and Eve and God - Together…One

Adam and Eve Sin - God’s spirit and humanity’s spirits now cannot be together. God has to leave them.

However through OT history we watch God, in spirit, talk to leaders, leading His people. Then at one point in time God says, OK…its time for me to get closer. So build me a tabernacle.

My spirit will be in that place…in the tabernacle…but among the camp of the Israelites, my children.

This is pretty cool because we see, in a way…God making a way to be near his creation…near us…the father near His children.

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Exodus 40:34 CSB

34 The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

The spirit of God was now living among His people. Not like it was in Eden…but now He was there…to guide them. Visibly! Cloud by day fire by night.

From there, the tabernacle, God’s spirit moved to the Temple, the permanent “tabernacle” for God. His spirit was there among His people in the chosen city, Jerusalem.

Then at one point, after some warning, God’s spirit left the temple. And the people were overwhelmed that God left. They had not repented like they had been warned to.

Ezekiel tells us about this event in chapter 11 of his book.

God’s Spirit now not near His people…but promised to return. And in Ezekiel this is a reference to Jesus coming. God, by way of His son Jesus, is coming back to His people.

“Isn’t it cool that Matthew makes it clear at Jesus’ baptism that the spirit is back…and with His son now?” ....and then...

That’s a snapshot of the spirit of God…and His movement.

THE SON

Here’s what we know to be true, according to scripture and history. Jesus was born…born a son....who had a Father....and to Mary that was explained that it happened through the Spirit of God.

And in John 3:16 ....

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John 3:16 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 talks about Jesus mission. Born as a son who would take our sin away…giving us grace, forgiveness that we cannot earn on our own. Meaning…we have sin…and we need to get rid of it. So we have the son given for us…from the Father.

Make sense? This isn’t that hard to explain…mysterious in how it all works? Maybe…but more than likely because we’re on this side of things…we’re in the imperfect world.

And while Jesus was here…He worked with the Spirit working through Him. Here’s what He said about himself:

Luke 4:18 (CSB)

18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...

Jesus , throughout the Gospels, referenced that He worked and did miracles through the Spirit. Jesus’ connection to the Father was the Spirit. Please KEY IN ON THAT...

Before Jesus leaves the planet for Heaven, He promises the spirit to His followers.

From Eden, to the tabernacle, to the temple, to Jesus, to us....as sons and daughters of the Father.

Now…the Father.

Remember Jesus teaching His disciples to pray? Our Father…in Heaven...

Separated from His children, all of humanity.

Here’s what the Father did. Let’s zoom in on His actions.

He sent His son. For who?

What did He send His son to do?

Die...

Only die? Yes, that’s a huge piece! An essential piece. But Jesus said He was here to preach good news. And I believe to show good news as well.

He lived and loved and then said follow me…do as I do…with the Spirit’s help…and with the Father’s direction.

Jesus left Heaven to be here…this place. This place which no longer has the full presence of God, because of sin.

This past week we had a pretty substantial power outage. Many of you were affected.

Tethered...

Jesus, showing us how to talk, pray, live, tethered (here for now) through God’s spirit.

Us - now not far from but close to…tethered to God through the spirit.

why?

This is a picture of our Father’s heart.

The father can’t be with His kids like it was in the beginning…for now. But to remedy the situation, He sent His Son so we can be forgiven. Sin taken away…so there’s a way for His spirit to enter. Remember we’re looking at what the Father is doing to connect with us…to connect with you.

We’re tethered to the Father through the work of Jesus and the in-dwelling of the spirit.

That’s what the father wants…and it is through His love for you.

John records Jesus words in His prayer before the cross. Jesus prays this

John 17:20–21 CSB

20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

Being one together…so that…we can experience what we lost…again…and so that we can show others they way back to God.

The father wants you…and then he wants to shine through you.

Father’s Day - Dad’s have been given a huge opportunity…and it mimics what our Heavenly Father did for us. Help to tether our kids and our family to Heaven.

We show, through what we do and say…that the Father loves them, the Son died for them, and that the Spirit can live with them.

Heaven on Earth…for now…not like Eden quite yet.. And then with God forever.

We see all of this love and sacrifice through the work of what we call the trinity…God, three in one. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

IN CLOSING Let’s read this passage again…but together out loud.

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Paul is repeating God from the Old Testament.

2 Corinthians 6:18 CSB

18 And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

This is our Father and this is His heart.

Fathers and future fathers, lets do our best to point to our Father in Heaven.

Prayer-Response

Please stand and pray with me.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. [c]For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.