Trinity Sunday - The Mystery Of The Trinity Series

TRINITY SUNDAY

Today on Trinity Sunday, we gather to celebrate the Holy Trinity of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The concept of the Trinity is a profound mystery that theologians have grappled with for centuries.

While we may not fully understand it, we must believe by faith what God has revealed to us because His word is truth.

Through progressive revelation, God revealed more about the Triune nature of Himself throughout the writing of the Bible over 1,500 years - from around 1450 B.C. (the time of Moses) to about 100 A.D.

From the earliest verses of Genesis to the closing words of Revelation, we see glimpses of the Trinity’s presence and activity.

The Old Testament hints at it, and the New Testament reveals it more clearly, culminating in the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

In the Bible, we see examples that clearly teach the truth of the co-existence of the Trinity. For example, in Matthew 3:16-17, After His baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

This interaction between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is just one glimpse of the Trinity’s existence, just one example of where the Bible clearly teaches the truth of the co-existence of the Trinity.

Belief in the Trinity is essential to our faith, even if we do not fully understand the complexity of the Trinity.

The Trinity - The Triune nature of God is difficult for us to comprehend - It is a mystery.

There are many mysteries in life that we accept without fully understanding.

We take medication without comprehending how it works or understanding its chemical composition,

we use a microwave without knowing its inner workings and drive cars without understanding the intricacies of the engine.

However, the Trinity is not a mystery we can overlook because, without it, we lose the truth and power of the Gospel.

We believe in the truth of the Trinity by faith, even though there are aspects of God we cannot fully grasp.

We may not fully understand the mystery of the Trinity yet we must believe by faith what God has revealed to us because His word is truth.

Over the centuries, theologians have tried to understand and explain the nature of the Trinity.

St Augustine spent almost thirty years of his life writing a fifteen-volume work called “About the Trinity”.

15 volumes...

How long am I allowed to preach this evening?

A single sermon is not enough to explore every aspect of the Trinity but I hope that what God has laid on my heart will benefit you.

The Bible teaches us that by our nature, we are sinful and deserving of God’s wrath.

But Jesus, the Son, came to Earth to take the punishment for our sins upon Himself.

Through faith in Jesus, He imputes His righteousness to all who believe, making reconciliation with the Father possible.

We know because of what Jesus did at the Cross, reconciliation with Father God is possible.

After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven, and the Holy Spirit came to empower His disciples to live for God’s honour and glory.

Each person of the Trinity plays a role in our redemption. Without the Trinity, there would be no salvation and no possibility of a restored relationship with God.

But how can God exist as three distinct persons yet still be one God?

It is a mystery beyond our full comprehension.

The term “Trinity” may not be found in the Bible, but the Triune Nature of God is taught and demonstrated.

Here in Matthew 3:16-17, we witness the Father speaking, the Son being baptized, and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove.

All three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit together at the Baptism of Jesus.

All three co-exist and are co-eternal.

While we may grasp the concept of the Trinity, we can never fully understand it – three persons in one God, each fully God.

People have used various examples and illustrations to try and explain how the nature of the Trinity.

Some have said that the Trinity is like water.

Three phases of one substance are steam, liquid, and ice.

Some use the analogy of a three-leaf clover - one leaf three parts.

Some describe the Trinity as the same person with three different titles, for example, I am a Husband, a father and a Son.

None of those illustrations or analogies is really an adequate description of The Triune Nature of God. In fact, each of them are an expression of ancient heresies that falsely communicate who God is.

In the 18th Century the German, Gerhard Tersteegen said this: ‘A God understood, a God comprehended, is no God.’