For Those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scriptures b=read before the Message. This day they were Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15.
There is a story .... about a little girl in Sunday school .... who was drawing a picture ... using all of the crayons ... in her box.
Her teacher asked her ... what she was drawing.
"I'm drawing a picture of God," the little girl responded.
"But nobody knows what God looks like," her teacher said.
To which the little girl replied, ... "They will when I'm finished." (Pause)
To draw a picture of God, ....to know what God looks like, ....to know what God is all about ....is what one hopes ... and that one expects ... is behind this place .... we call Church.
This is Trinity Sunday, .... the Sunday after Pentecost, .... a day that the Christian Church historically has celebrated ...... as one of its central beliefs.........that of ......a triune God.
As the glorious Hymn states: "God in three persons, .... blessed Trinity,".
The very first Anglican Article of Religion states: "There is but one living and true God.... The maker and preserver of all things ... both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead .... there are three persons...... of one substance, power and eternity; ......Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
Trinity: ... God in three persons.... Each person is divine .... Yet there is only one God.
Normally.... when we use the word person, .... we understand it to mean.... physical individuals .... who exist ... as a separate being ... That is ... as separate entities.
But in God ......there are not three entities.
God is a...... (Slow) trinity of persons .... consisting of one substance .... of one essence.
Yet God is numerically ......one.
And, within the single divine essence .... There are three individual subsistence's (sub-sis-ten-ce's) .... that we call persons.
And ... each of the three persons ....... are distinct ... from the others.
Each of the three persons ....is completely divine in nature ...yet each person...... is not alone the totality ......of the Godhead. (Long Pause)
Now.... The specific word "trinity" ... is not found in the Scriptures.
But this does not mean .... that the concept.... is not taught there.
In fact, .... the word "Bible" is not found in the Scriptures either.... yet we use it.
Likewise, ... the words "om-nis-cience," which means "all knowing," ...."om-nip-o-tence," which means "all powerful," ...... and "omni-presence," .... which means "present everywhere," .... Also ... are not found ... in the Scriptures.
Yet we use these words to describe ......the attributes of God.
So, to say .... as some cults do.... that the Trinity is not true .... because the word "Trinity" is not in the Scriptures ...... is an absolute ......invalid argument. (Long Pause)
And others ... dismiss the divinity of the Son ....and the Holy Spirit ......because there is.... a subordinate order .... in the Scriptures.
Is there subordination ... of the persons ... in the Trinity?
The Scriptures are clear, ...... there is a subordination within the Trinity ... in regard to order .... but not in regard to...... substance.
The Father is not begotten, ... but the Son is (John 3:16).
The Holy Spirit ......proceeds from the Father (John 15:26).
The Father ......sent the Son (1 John 4:10).
The Son and the Father.... send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26).
The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Galatians 3:13), .... the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Romans 15:16).
This subordination of order.... does not mean .... that each member of the Godhead .... is not equal ......or divine.
For example, .... we see ......that the Father .... sent the Son.
But this action ......does not mean...... that the Son is not equal to the Father in essence ... and in divine nature.
Jesus said, BIBLE "... I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, .... but the will of Him ... who sent Me" END (John 6:38).
By further analogy, .......... a king and his servant both share.... a human nature.
Yet, .... a king .... sends the servant ....to do his will.
Just because someone is sent, .... does not mean ......they are different than the one .... who sent them.
Critics of the Trinity .... reason that if Jesus were truly God, .... then He would not be subordinate to the Father ......in any aspect.
But this objection .... is not logical.
If we look at the analogy of the king and the servant.... we certainly would not say ......that the servant was not human .... because he was sent.
Being sent ... does not negate ......sameness ... or essence.
A servant is surely still human...... even though they are sent.
Likewise ... The fact that the Son is sent ... does not impact ... his divinity.
Any more than ... when my wife Lee .... sends me to the store to get bread, .... That I ......am know not human. (Pause)
Saying that there are three persons in the Godhead ......leads some people to think ......that there are three gods ......who work in partnership.
That is called Tri-theism (three gods) or Polytheism (many gods) as - opposed to Monotheism, ... one God.
The doctrine of the Trinity ......is a difficult...... yet an essential doctrine ......of the faith.
Augustine ......one of the greatest and earliest theologians of the Christian faith...... shared this insight concerning the trinity:
"Anyone who denies the Trinity ......is in danger...... of losing their salvation, ......and anyone who tries to understand it ......is in danger.... of losing their mind.
The truth is .... there is great mystery ... concerning ......the tri-unity of God.
And Most pastors ... would prefer to preach on any other subject ... than the Trinity.
Perhaps we should heed the advice of Brother Elric, a 12th century monk, .... who, after badly botching a sermon on the Holy Trinity ... took a vow of silence ... for the rest of his life.
While full comprehension ... may elude us, .... And as the Scriptures state ... "we see through a glass, darkly", (1 Corinthians 3:12)
The fact remains .... that there is much in the Word of God .... that we can grasp .... concerning the Trinity.
Someone might raise the challenge: .... "Does it really matter?
Does accepting.... or not excepting.... the tri-unity of God matter?
If you are a follower of the Christ .... the doctrine of the Trinity ....is central ... to your faith.
The Foundation of our faith.... is built on the Godhead...... Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... It is based on the Trinity.
God in three persons...... Blessed Trinity. (Pause)
The sense of Trinity ......is implicit throughout the scriptures ......from Genesis ... to Revelation.
The Believing Church Is Clear...... God Is ...... "One in Substance.... And Three in Person".
One of the key verses in God's Word .... held as centrally sacred by the Jews ...... is Deuteronomy 6:4.
The Jews call it "The Shema" (sha-mah): Normally said with the hands covering your eyes. (Slow) BIBLE "Hear, O Israel: .... the Lord our God, .... the Lord is ...One!" END (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Judaism and Christianity ......are both thoroughly committed to the belief.... in One God, .... and One God alone.
The first commandment God gave to Moses was very clear: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).
That does not mean.... "before Me" .... as in .... "ahead of Me".
God was not saying ......He is to be .... the most important God .... on their list.
"Before Me" ... literally means.... "Before My Presence".
You are not to entertain other gods ......because .... there are ......(Slow) no other gods. (Pause)
Yet, ... within that One God, ......within that One Supreme Being, .... there are three distinct Persons.
And this is revealed ... from the opening chapter of Genesis. BIBLE "Then God said: 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.'" END (Genesis 1:26)
NOTE: ... There is only ONE image, ... and there is only ONE likeness (Singular).
But the Plural is also used ... "Let US -- plural -make man ...in OUR image -one image-, ... according to OUR likeness" one likeness.
What we have in Genesis ....is a revelation of the communion......the fellowship of the Godhead ... at Creation: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"Let Us make man .... In our Image".
The Father the first Person of the Trinity ......is God.
And ... Jesus the Second Person of the Trinity ...is God.
Jesus is Not just a good man; ... Jesus is Not just a ...prophet.
(Slow) Jesus is .... God. ...... The second Person of the Trinity.
Co-equal ... and co-eternal with the Father.
John's Gospel Begins with this acclimation of truth: BIBLE "In the beginning ... was the Word, ...and the Word was with God, ....and the Word was God." END (John 1:1)
Unbelievers can do all the translation gymnastics they want to, ...... but No Reputable Greek scholar .... would translate this verse ....to read any other way...... than the Scriptures declaring .... Jesus to be ......God.
And Jesus states this clearly when he said...... "Before Abraham was ... I am." (John 8:58)
And the Pharisees and the Sadducees clearly understood .... what Jesus was saying ......in the proclamation ...... "I am".
For God almighty said to Moses ......" tell them...... I am .... sent you." (Exodus 3:14)
Jesus himself affirms .... that he is...... the I am.
(Slow) That He is ... God.
(1 Finger) So...The Father ... is God, (2 Fingers) Jesus the son is God (3 Fingers) and the Holy Spirit ... the third Person of the Trinity Beloved ... is God.
The Holy Spirit is Not .... a "force".
The Holy Spirit.... is Not ......an "It".
The Holy Spirit is a Person... the third Person of the Trinity.
The Holy Spirit is...... The all-knowing... all-seeing, every-present God.
(Pick up the Bible) Remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira?
Before Ananias was struck dead, ... Peter told him:
BIBLE "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? . . . You have not lied to men; ......(SLOW) but to God." END (Acts 5:3-4)
The Scriptures are Crystal clear ......lying to the Holy Spirit ... is lying to God.
We also ... see other Scriptural evidence ......that the Holy Spirit is God.
We are told that:
The words of God ......are words .... Inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The Scriptures tell us that ... One born of the Spirit .... is said to be .... born of God.
The Holy Spirit the third Person of the divine Trinity ......is God.
God ... the Father... God ... the Son ... and God ... the Holy Spirit.
God in three persons.... blessed Trinity. (Pause)
Beloved ... There is a false belief .... called "Modalism" ... that I believe you need to understand...as a follower of the Christ.
I mention this...... because some sincere Christians ......fall into this error .... without even realizing .... That modalism ... is heresy.
Modalism basically states: ......there is One God .... that manifests Himself ....at different times .... in three different Modes.... or Persons.
Now if you were not listening carefully ......that might sound .... OK.
The Modalist's state ......God has appeared at times ....in the mode of the Father.
For instance, ....it was the voice of the Father .... that spoke out of the burning bush to Moses.
At other times, ... they state ...... God appears ....as the Son.
For instance, .... when He came in the mode of the Son ....and lived on earth.... for thirty-three years.
And then at other times...they state...... That God.... came in the mode of .... the Holy Spirit.
Yet ... Do you see what is wrong?
With Modalism ......you do not have three distinct Persons, .... (Slow) you have One Person ......being revealed ....in three different ways.
And that is not the historical faith ......of the Church.
The Church believes.... that the three distinct Persons of the Godhead ... co-exist together .... ....at all times...... (Slow) Beloved ... at all times.
Modalism ....is easily shown ......to be wrong ....by just one scene .... from the Scriptures:
At the Baptism of Jesus.... all three persons of God .... are present ......at the very same time.
The Son ....is in the water... being baptized.
The Holy Spirit .... descends as a dove.
The Father's voice .... sounds from heaven.
All three Persons ...are present ...at very same time.
God in three Persons...Blessed Trinity.
Though nothing in our world ... Nothing on this side of eternity ... can fully illustrate the Trinity, ... teachers and theologians through the ages ... have offered several analogies.
Analogies ... drawn from the realms of nature and mathematics ... in order to ... help explain ... the unexplainable.
There is the analogy of the Egg.
(Fingers) The Shell -- The Yoke -- The White.
The shortfall of this ... and others like it, ... is that God cannot be divided into ... "parts."
Another common illustration uses water as the example: ... water exists as a solid (ice), .... a liquid, .... and a gas (water vapor).
No matter what physical state water is in, ... it is still H2-O.
Though closer ... The problem with this illustration ... is that liquid water, when it freezes, "switches" ... from liquid to solid, ...and, when it boils, ... it "switches" to vapor.
However, ... God does not "switch" states ... or modes.
Liquid water can become solid or gas, ... but God the Father never becomes ... the Son or the Spirit.
Beloved ... We see through a glass dimly ... yet We are called ...to look through the glass ... as dim as it might be at times.
We are created.... "in the image of God". (Genesis 1:27)
And God .... has Never been .... without fellowship.
Before anything was created; .... before there was a single angel, .... or any other being, .... there was God.
Was He alone? NO.... Never!
When there was nothing but God, ......there was always .... fellowship.
There was always the eternal communion.... of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
And We to .... are created ....in God's image.
(Slow) We to.... desire fellowship....... fellowship with each other .... Yet most of all .... fellowship with the Triune God.
Jesus prayer to the Father was that his disciples be one as he was one with the Father. (John 17:21-22)
Yield yourself to God ... experience the presence of the Triune God fully in your Life.
Beloved ... Allow the Father ... allow the Son ... allow the Holy Spirit to permeate your life ... to permeate your very being.
For we serve a living God ... a triune God.
(Sing) God in three Persons, .... blessed Trin-i-ty."
Amen and Amen!
(Another Illustration Below)
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(Illustration)
As I thought about Trinity ...Tri-unity it brought to my mind ... a fresh baked pie ... right from the oven.
Do you enjoy pie? ... I love a good cherry or apple pie.
My grandmother made a great apple pie.
I love apple pie ...especially when it is hot ... with the filling oozing out ... when you removed a slice.
Imagine for a moment that the pie is sliced ... in the pan ... into three large pieces.
I would surely enjoy eating a piece that Big.
In fact, ... I probably have eaten ... a piece that big.
Well ...Imagine three large pieces of pie ... that are sliced ... yet left in the pie pan.
There are three pieces ... yet one pie.
And the filling ... the internal substance ... is the same for all three.
Just as the essence the eternal substance of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the same.
Though closer ... even this illustration falls short ... of the essence of Trinity.
