“Trinity Sunday”
Topical
05/22/2008
By
Dcn. Chris Nerreau
TITLE: Three in One, One in Three
SERMON TYPE: Topical
DATE: 06-17-2008
INTRODUCTION
• Have you ever noticed how pragmatic society is today?
o We say we only believe in those things that we can touch, feel, see or understand.
o But I do not believe this for a moment
Illustration
o We use a microwave but who can explain how it works? We drive cars daily, but do all of us understand the intricacies of the modern engine? We take medicine yet I’ll bet none of us know the working ingredients or the chemical composition in the pills that make us well.
o We believe in Love but can anyone here show me love? We are patriotic but what is that really?
• In many cases we believe because we see the effects:
o My popcorn pops, I get from point (A) to point (B) and I feel better.
o I have experienced love and my hat comes off during the national anthem.
• Today is “Trinity Sunday”, it is a time to celebrate the most Holy Trinity of God. Of all the Christian doctrines the Trinity is the most difficult to comprehend, it is the mystery of mysteries.
• While a full grasp of the doctrine of the “Trinity” eludes us all, we see His effects daily and as such can believe apart from a full understanding.
Proposition
We do not have to understand the mystery of the Trinity in order to believe and experience Him.
Orientation
Today’s sermon will be broken into three parts as we study:
o The Trinity - What does it mean
o The Trinity - Where did it come from
o The Trinity - Why does it matter
I. THE TRINITY – WHAT DOES IT MEAN “When I say God, I mean Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” Gregory Nazianzen (4th century)
Explanation
• “Tri” + “Unity” and is literally the Tri-unity between the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
• Within the Godhead there are three "persons" who are neither three Gods nor three parts of God, but coequally and coeternally God.
• The doctrine of the “Trinity” serves to answer two very important questions about God.
• 1. What is God (Gk. Ousia) – A oneness of divine substance
o God is one - The ultimate reality of perfect power, love and goodness.
(Jer. 23:24) “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.”
(Deut. 6:4) “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
(Acts 17:28) “Live move and have our being”
• 2. Who is God (Hypostases) – Threeness of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
God is three – In expression of this power, love and goodness.
• At Creation – Genesis 1:1-3
• At Christ’s Baptism – Matthew 3:16
• Apostolic Benediction – 2 Corinthians 13:14
• So we see a tension developing between the oneness and Threeness of God.
Illustration
• This is difficult for us to understand because it violates the law of non- contradiction. If you asked a married couple if they were having a baby and one said yes and the other said no, you may think a few different things:
o One knows something the other does not, One of them is lying, One of them is mistaken. You would never think they are both correct, this is the law of non-contradiction. Something cannot be (A) and (B) at exactly the same time in exactly the same way.
o So we see that the term “Trinity” means “Tri-Unity” and that is an attempt to try and explain the biblical principles of God’s oneness (Ousia) and His Threeness Hypostases).
II. THE TRINITY – WHERE DID IT COME FROM
• Ask if anyone can name a passage that uses the word “Trinity.”
• Term Trinity does not appear in scripture
• Discuss Tertullian –
o 3rd century – Son of a Roman Centurion – Raised Pagan
o Prolific writer and apologist for the church - Wrote
o Most Famous writing – Apologeticus was a defense of the Christian faith and a call for legalization.
o Tertullian debated at the highest levels of Roman authority for the freedom of Christians.
o Later in life Tertullian joined a heretical movement called Montanism which claimed that prophetic words had the same level of authority as the written Word of God and sacred tradition. Strict adherence to law.
• Tertullian “Coined the phrase “Trinity” approx. 200 a.d.”
o Tertullian provided a definition that was true to the scripture’s
It accounted for the three and One
It did not attempt to remove the mystery
• This definition was confirmed by the Church universal in 325 at the Council of Nicaea. It can be seen today in the creed.
• Carried by the Church to defeat heresy – (Arianism, Modelism)
Illustration
One of the attractions to buying rather than building a new house is that everything is done. The yard, the fence, the pool ect. Everything is ready to go. But it’s easy to forget all the work that went into that house.
As we read the creed each week, I call upon us to read it with a heart of gratitude. The early church struggled through the tensions of the doctrine of the trinity, much suffering has occurred and many gave their lives for it.
III. THE TRINITY – WHY DOES IT MATTER?
• Without the Trinity we lose the story of redemption and the gradual revelation of God to Humanity:
o God the Father Creates – We see the creative Power of God
o God the Son Saves – The Salvific Power Of Christ
o God the Holy Spirit Redeems – The Redeeming Power of the Spirit
• Imbalance of the Trinity causes unstable people
o Pagan’s – Reject God the Father and live with an internal fear of damnation.
o Jehovah witnesses – Reject the Deity of Christ creating neurotic people who try desperately to earn their salvation.
o Cessationist- Reject the power of the Holy Spirit and believe God cannot do the miraculous today causing hopelessness.
• Cannot Answer the two questions
o What is God – He is one
o Who is God – He is three (Just Creator, Loving Savior, Powerful Redeemer)
Illustration
Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Through the doctrine of the Trinity, God has revealed Himself in this way – As the sun begins to rise we see red and orange streaks shoot through the darkness of night, then the first glimpse of the sun can be made out until finally the sun stands in the full light of day.
The Trinity consists of the Father who is the first glimpse of God who is just and righteous. Then we see the Son who is merciful and loving and finally we see the sun in the full light of day as the Holy Spirit is poured out equipping the saints with power from on high.
CONCLUSION
Review
• The doctrine of the “Trinity” states: Within the Godhead there are three "persons" who are neither three Gods nor three parts of God, but coequally and coeternally God.
• You do not have to understand the “Trinity” in order to believe and experience it.
• The way you view the Trinity will have a direct impact on how you understand yourself.
• The entire story of Creation, Salvation and Redemption can be lost with a faulty understanding of this crucial doctrine.
This “Trinity” Sunday:
• Take time to consider the doctrine of the “Trinity”
• Understand it’s significance and the role it plays in your life
o As you understand the grace, mercy, power and justice of God.
• Pray to the Trinity, Worship the Trinity and put all of your hope in Him for the Trinity is God.
Closing Illustration
Often times people view the mystery of the Trinity as something negative, that since they cannot get their minds around it then it cannot be true. But I want you to leave today considering the Trinity from a different perspective. Consider the mystery to be a requirement of God. Mystery does not disqualify God as such but rather enforces the fact that He is the unfathomable God. Mystery is a requirement when the finite tries to consider the infinite.
Amen.
