Trinity Sunday – Sermon 266
Trinity Sunday
10.00am CW Holy Communion
22nd May 2016
Prayer to Start
May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ
AMEN
INTRODUCTION
The Trinity is one of the hardest things to explain in the Christian Doctrine – Tertullian – one of the theologians of the early church described it in the form of a metaphor – God the Father as a deep root – God the Son as a shoot that breaks forth into the world – and God the Spirit –who spreads beauty and fragrance
Understanding the Trinity is not easy – and although we recite the Apostles creed Sunday after Sunday- we only touch the surface as to what it really means –
Point 1 Proverbs & God’s wisdom
A little girl was at the seaside with her family – and decided to dig a hole in the sand-
She went down to the sea and brought some water back – but as soon as she poured it in the hole – the water disappeared – so she went back to the sea – and poured some more water into the hole.
But the same thing happened again and again –
She became exhausted and began to cry
Meanwhile the tide was coming in – and her father showed her how to make a channel – so that the sea would flow naturally into the hole – and fill it
The little girl couldn’t appreciate that the beach itself was in fact one big hole or sponge continually filling and emptying with sea water as the tide came in and out
And doing her utmost to put water into her small hole wasn’t having any effect
When it comes to understanding God and our situation – we too can be like that little girl – trying to fill our minds with ideas about God – and exhausting ourselves – trying to make them work
Left to our own devices – we conceive a God who is only a little better than we are, a little bigger than we are and one – we can explain and control.
We need to think bigger thoughts about God- and like the girl and the tide – wait on Him – knowing He will come to us –
Our OT reading is taken from the Book of Proverbs which is a down to earth book giving advice on how to live – and in this section we are encouraged to live wisely with God’s wisdom in mind –
Our passage mirrors the opening verses of Genesis and of God the Father’s creative powers –
It speaks of God’s Sovereignty and supremacy – His intimate presence and self-giving love – that He rejoices in his created and varied world –
God’s Spirit broods over the waters
His word goes forth to bring new life
God’s Law guides His people and His presence dwells within them
He established the heavens, made firm the skies – marked out the depths of the seas and the foundations of the earth – His wisdom and creation go hand in hand –
In our verses wisdom is presented as someone – who was there at the beginning – as a witness to it all – beside God at creation, “like a master worker” (or – depending on the translation “like a little child)- rejoicing before Him and rejoicing in His inhabited world.-
Wisdom is calling out in all places – to all people who are alive – for understanding – for them to listen to God’s call –
The passage tells us too – that it is God’s wisdom that draws us into a special relationship with Him – that – when we are guided by wisdom in God’s ways of righteousness – we are God’s special delight –
In these verses too we see a similarity between wisdom personified and the second person of the Trinity – Jesus – God the Son – the eternal word – who became human –
As John’s Gospel – reminds us – in his prologue –In the beginning – was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
Wisdom is the language of the OT writers – Word – and love and the person of Jesus Christ the language of the new –
Point 2 Jesus & Faithfulness
Nowhere in the Bible – is the fulfillment of God’s saving grace more clearly seen – than in His coming to this earth – as a human being – as Jesus the Son of God – and – in His providing – of salvation for His people through His death – on the cross –
Jesus is – God’s free gift of love – to His people – through Him we are reconciled with God – through Jesus we see what God is like – and how He wants us to live our lives – Jesus is the interpreter of the Father and – stretches out his hand to us – so that He might raise us to heaven -along with Himself –
As Paul reminds us – Jesus brings peace and reconciles us to God – He brings us the Father’s Grace and love and through Jesus we are enlisted into His service in working for His Kingdom –
God’s ultimate goal for our lives is not comfort – but character development – we often use the phrase – like Father like Son – well – God wants His children to bear His image and likeness – by growing up spiritually and becoming more like His Son Jesus Christ –
In our Gospel reading – Jesus knows He only has a short time to live – His disciples are afraid –and filled with grief – and He responds by talking to them – about what will happen when He returns to the Father –
“The Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth…… and He will declare to you the things that are to come”
Jesus’ disciples are about to plunge into a short sharp painful period when Jesus will be taken away from them – but they will see Him again – through the Spirit –
Jesus’ death and resurrection are the necessary events that will lead to His ‘going to the Father’ – and His sending of the ‘Spirit’-
As a man – Jesus can only reach those who see and hear Him – He is limited in time and space – As a Spirit – He is available to anyone – who is willing to receive Him –
Point 3 Our experience with the Holy Spirit
The Spirit will Glorify me says Jesus – because He will take what is mine and declare it to you – and all that the Father has is mine –
Here Jesus tells us – we can be assured that – the Spirit speaks not on His own Authority – but takes what belongs to the Father and the Son – and makes it known to us”
When we have the Holy Spirit within us – we have as much of Jesus as those early disciples had and more –
The Spirit is constantly with us – and is especially available to us through prayer – when we read our bibles – when we respond to God’s call –
Many writers remind us – about the similarity of the Spirit and the wind – we can’t see Him – but we know He is there because of the effect He has on us –
He can be like a gentle breath – or a mighty wind – ready to guide – and take the strain of our troubles – constantly working within us to change our hearts towards God –
The Ancient Celts had a different image for the Spirit – a bird – not a peaceful serene dove – landing on Jesus at His Baptism – but a wild goose – uncontrollable – loud – strong – and challenging
If we think of the impression the disciples made on the crowd at Pentecost – when people thought they were drunk and disorderly – then we realize that God spirit can be demanding – unsettling – altogether different when the spirit descends like a wild goose –
Sometimes we think – our faith is more about what God can do for us – rather than what we can do for God – And we need a Spirit that will remind us of the error of this – and convince us of our sins –
The Spirit is with us at every encounter – every bond of fellowship – the Spirit brings gifts and talents for us to use and like the girl on the beach – we need to wait on Him – and rejoice in what He provides –
Ending
In the Creed we affirm our faith to one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,- Trinity Sunday tells us that they are totally united – We do not worship three Gods but one – in our Christian experience three persons but in nature one God
joined in a unity of love – working together for our salvation
We encounter God as a loving Father – and sovereign and creator of all – as a human being who lived and died among us – yet rose again and is exalted to the right hand of the Father – as an inner reality – that fills us with peace – joy – hope and power for the future –
We cannot properly explain how all the pieces fit together – but we know that they do – because we have experienced their presence with us – for ourselves –
When we think of the Trinity – therefore let’s celebrate a great – diverse and wonderful God – and be thankful and joyful in His presence –
Closing Prayer
Amen