Believe - God

Introduction

Bob Vernon, formerly with the Los Angeles Police Department, tells of how the Department would demonstrate to rookie officers the value of bullet proof vests. Experienced officers would place them on mannequins, then fill them full of bullet holes at the end of a shooting range. When they were done with their target practice, they'd check to see if any of the rounds penetrated the vests. The result was unmistakable. The vests would pass the test with flying colors. Vernon would then turn to the rookie officers and ask, "so who wants to wear it now instead of the mannequin?" When those new officers hit the street, they knew that they could believe in the bullet proof vests to save their saves. Similarly, we put our faith in many different things every single day. We put our faith in our alarm clocks to wake us up at the right time. We put our faith in our vehicle to get us to where we need to go. We put our faith in our chairs and pews to hold us up while we are sitting down.

Today we’re kicking off a combined Sunday School and sermon series that looks at what we believe. What we believe shapes who we are and how we live. In this series, we’re going to step back from looking at what God teaches within one specific passage from scripture. Instead we’re looking at the whole of scripture. What does the whole of scripture teach about God, salvation, patience, or worship. As we do, we see how the entirety of scripture is God revealing himself to his people and teaching them about what we believe, what we should do, and who we should become, all of this is in light of who God is. In studying the Bible, each book contributes to a larger understanding of God. When looking at what we believe, it’s important to look at the whole of scripture, rather than basing an entire belief on one or two passages of scripture. One of the ways that we do that is by using the historic creeds of the faith such as the Apostles’ Creed or Nicene Creed. There are also historic confessions of the faith such as the Westminster Confession of Faith or the Scot Confession of faith. Each of these historical, theological documents span centuries of faithful followers of Christ. They bring together the entirety of the scriptures to teach core doctrines of the faith, such as who is God? What is the Trinity? What is the Chief End of Man? To that end, we will be using a document called the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which provides simple questions about the faith and answers to those questions to teach what we believe. Today, we begin, well, in the very beginning. We learn about God, which is also where scripture begins.

Who is God?

Genesis 1:1 ESV

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The first four words of the Bible are “In the beginning, God.” Before creation occurred, God existed. Even before time existed, God existed. God created all things from time to the heavens and earth to us. The Bible starts with God and his creating of all things and ends with the recreation of all things in Revelation. In learning about what we believe, it must start with God. Creation itself declares the wonder and majesty of God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism’s Question 4 asks, what is God? The answer is, “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.”

Psalm 19:1–4 ESV

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,

The Psalmist not only sings the praises of God, but he shows how creation itself reveals the power, the majesty, and the beauty of God. Em Griffin shares the story of a kindergarten teacher who told everyone to draw a picture of what was important to them. In the back of the room one student began to labor over his drawing. Everybody else finished and handed in their picture but he didn’t. He was still drawing. The teacher graciously walked back and put her arm around Johnny’s shoulder and said, “Johnny, what are you drawing?” He didn’t look up; he just kept on working feverishly at his picture. He said, “God.” “But Johnny,” she said gently, “no one knows what God looks like.” He answered, “They will when I’m through.” All believers have a picture of God. Some are more accurate or more biblical than others. This understanding of God changes everything about how we live. If we picture a God who is stern and waiting to zap you for sin, you will live a life of attempted perfection. Trying your hardest to be perfect as he requires, which can simply lead to giving up. On the other hand, if we picture a God who is amiable, along the lines of the “Jesus is my homeboy,” we live a laid back life of live and let live. If we picture a small God who is helpless to care for his people, it leads to trying to rugged individualism. If God is small, then we must become big. This leads to us trying to put ourselves in the place of God. The question today, and really the question for this whole series is, how do you understand God? And, how do misconceptions or unhealthy understandings of God creep into your belief and therefore, into your daily life?

What is the Trinity?

The second question for today is, what is the Trinity? This can be a confusing concept, but once again the Westminster Shorter Catechism helps us to understand the teaching of scripture. Question 6 is, how many persons are there in the Godhead? The answer is, “there are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.” From the beginning there was God. This doesn’t simply mean God the Father, but rather the Godhead. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The first time we encounter the Holy Spirit is in the second verse of the Bible, which says,

Genesis 1:2 ESV

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

In verse 2, the Holy Spirit was already hovering over creation. But if the Trinity is made up on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, what about the Son? We learn that from

John 1:1–5 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Instead of referring to the Son as “the Son” or as “Jesus,” John calls him the “Word.” This is because Christ was the living Word of God. All the scriptures that came before points to Christ as the living Word, and all of the Bible that follows him points back to him. He was there in the beginning. Paul tell us that he created all things. The Trinity didn’t start partway through scripture when Jesus arrived on earth. The Trinity has always been. The three were involved at the baptism of Jesus — the Father spoke at his baptized, the Son was, well, baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son. Throughout the centuries, followers of Jesus have come to call the one true God the Trinity, three persons who share one being. As difficult as this concept is to understand, it is important to our faith. There are a few reasons for this. First, the work of Christ rescuing us from our sins is a Trinitarian work. The Father in heaven mapped out the plan and sent the Son. The Son arrived on earth, died for our sins, and rose again. The Holy Spirit tended to Christ throughout his earthly ministry. Today, the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to our lives. A simpler way to say this is, the Father planned for Jesus to accomplish the Gospel. Jesus accomplished Gospel. The Holy Spirit applies the Gospel. Another reason the Trinity is important is that we learn relationship within the Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit live in perfect communion together. Jesus and the Holy Spirit live in submission to God, and the Father generously answers their requests. There is unity and love within the Trinity. Similarly, our relationships should be characterized by unity and love. Thirdly, it’s important because role doesn’t change importance. Just because the Father is the man behind the scenes, doesn’t mean that he’s more important than the Holy Spirit who dwells within believers. Or, just because the Holy Spirit isn’t the one who died for our sins doesn’t mean he’s less important than Jesus. As the answer says, “these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.”

How then shall we live?

Since our understanding of God touches and changes everything, how then shall we live? There are many oversimplified answers. The best answer is in learning about what the chief end of man is. Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, what is the chief end of man? The answer is, man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Paul speaks about this a couple of times in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 11:36 ESV

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

God wants Christians to flourish. As we talked about during our Gentle and Lowly series, Jesus is on our side fighting against sin with a heart of love for those who follow him. In order to that, we are designed to glorify him and to enjoy him forever. Robert Morgan shares a story about missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat. For ten years this couple labored faithfully in an area that is now Botswana. For ten years they did it without one ray of fruitfulness in their ministry. For ten years, they were missionaries who could not report a single convert. Finally the directors of their mission board began to question whether or not the work there should continue. The thought of leaving their work was devastating for this couple. They were steadfast in their belief that God was in their labors and that they would see people turn to Christ in due time. So they stayed, despite their lack of missionary success. For a year or two longer, the disappointment continued. One day a friend in England sent word to the Moffats saying that that she wanted to send them a gift. She asked what they would like. Trusting that in time the Lord would bless their work, Mrs. Moffat replied, “Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed.” In other words, send us what we need for having a church of converts. Well, God honored that her faith and perseverance. The Holy Spirit moved. Soon a group of six converts was united to form the first Christian church in Botswana. Then a snag hit. The communion set from England was delayed. The Moffats and the new, tiny church waited. On the very day before the first commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, the set arrived. God honored their years of putting him first in their life. What does it mean to glorify God? It means centering ourselves wholly around love and obedience to God. It means persevering when it’s much more tempting to give up and go home. God wants to see believers flourishing. For us to flourish, we must glorify him and enjoy him forever.

Conclusion

When those new officers hit the street, they knew that they could believe in the bullet proof vests to save their saves. Their belief in their equipment was strengthened by their experience with the vests. Similarly, when we study the scriptures and learn about the God, we should grow in our love for him and in our awe of him. J.I. Packer used to say that theology (the study of God) should lead us to doxology (the praise of God). Theology should lead to doxology. For that reason, we started our series with what or who God is, then what the Trinity is, and finally how we are to live in light of who God is. So we are going to conclude with the three questions that we’ve talked about in relation to God.