Three in One

As Janet mentioned earlier, if you are joining us tonight maybe for the first time

or if you haven't been around for the last few weeks,

we are in week five of a series in the Trinity

and it's a bit of a furphy that we're finishing tonight

because technically I'm going to drag it out for another week next week

just because we're all having so much fun.

So next week in the combined service we'll be looking at a particular aspect of the Trinity

but we will kind of wrap up tonight as well

and hopefully pull together some of the things that we have been wrestling with for the last four weeks.

So how about I pray because obviously this is a task beyond us

and we'll ask God to reveal himself to us.

Father God, we thank and praise you for bringing us here tonight.

We thank you for your word.

We thank you that you're a God who wants to be known

and Father we ask that now as we sit and we wrestle with you as Trinity

that you would show yourself to us in a way that we may love you more,

that we may see you more clearly,

that we may grasp more of your majesty

and that we might be better equipped to live lives in response to your glory.

Father we thank you for drawing us here tonight

and ask that you would send us out as different people for your sake.

Amen.

I went to a conference sometime last year

with a few people from this church, some musos

and there was some really great stuff we learnt that day

but there was one line that stuck with me that irritated me

and I couldn't figure out why.

The line that kept getting kind of put out there was that

the truth of God is in the in-between.

I get what the preacher was getting at

but it continued to annoy me more and more and more

and as we got to this series I think I understand why it's annoying me.

The premise that he was putting out there is that

that the Christian life is one of paradox.

So we are forgiven freely and completely

and yet we are called to work hard and do good works.

We are called to feel safe in God and called to fear God.

And so he was talking about how you can't stay at one end

or the other end, you need to be in between the two.

And again I see what he's getting at

but I think he's actually missing something.

I think if we jump in the middle we're actually reducing either extreme.

Whereas the Bible doesn't do that

and throughout this series we've been focusing on the distinction that is in God

that there is three persons that are unique and distinct

and have a unique role

and tonight we move to focus on the one God.

And so it would be dangerous for us to just kind of try and jump in the middle

because it's awkward for us to hold three and one at the same time.

But the truth is not found in the middle.

The truth is found holding firmly to what Scripture affirms that God is three

and firmly to what Scripture affirms that God is one.

And so just like I've begun the last few weeks of the series

except for last week

I want to begin by stating four things that are true according to Scripture.

The first one is there is only one God.

Second one, that God is also three persons

Father, Son and Spirit.

Each member of that Trinity is equally God

eternally God

and fully God

and lastly

each member of the Trinity is a distinct personal expression

of the one undivided divine nature.

There is a lot wrapped up in those four statements

and again I want to affirm that it is incomprehensible for us

but it's still important.

That it is difficult to wrestle with

but it's true.

And so we're going to have a go tonight.

So let's just quickly think back through where we've been throughout this series.

We've begun with the Father who is supreme

over the Son and the Spirit

and over all creation.

It is the Father who has absolute authority

authority and it is also the Father who shows love to the Son and the Spirit

who is generous in including the Son and the Spirit in His work

and is generous in including us in His work.

We looked at the Son who submits to the Father

who joyfully submits to the Father

even though He has been exalted.

We looked at the Son who reveals the Father

the Son who substitutes for us

so that we can know the Father

and last week Glenn Davies took us through

looking at the Spirit

who submits to both the Father and the Son

whilst at the same time empowers the Son

and also empowers us for the life that God has called us to.

So, so far all of our focus has been on the distinct persons of the Trinity

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

and on one level breaking it down like that

has made it much easier to stomach

because it's easy to say

the Father is supreme and has authority

if we stop there.

And it's easy to say the Son submits

and the Son reveals

and the Son does all this thing

if we stop there.

And it's easy to say that the Spirit is the one

who submits to both

and has a unique role to play

and He kind of brings the benefits of Jesus to us

if we stop there.

But the challenge is

or the tensions appear to become more stark

when we try and bring those three things together.

Because the Father is God

the Son is God

and the Spirit is God

and so immediately we have this uncomfortableness

how can one have authority and submit?

How can one send and go and remain one?

And so there are apparent issues for us

and this is the point where all the illustrations and analogies

that we come up with in the Trinity begin to fall down.

The water one

it's solid, gas and liquid

but it's not three and one at the same time

at least in our experience.

Again I give credit to Nicole Smith

who assures me that that is possible

but in my experience it's not.

But in God

as we wrestle with what is uncomfortable

and it's okay for us to acknowledge that

that it is awkward

in God we don't find tension.

I understand why we feel the tension

but we don't find tension.

If we look closely as we have been

what we find is majesty.

The difficulty of understanding the God that we follow

feeds our worship.

It shouldn't belittle it

it shouldn't put barriers in

what we do is we begin to understand

the depths of a God

who is beyond our understanding

but a God who wants us to know Him

and a God who has revealed Himself

sufficiently

so that we can know Him.

The tension that we feel

doesn't need to be tension.

It can be a gift

as we begin to see

the majesty of a God

that is bigger

and greater

and more complicated than us

and particularly tonight

as we see the love

that binds the three

into one.

Have John 17

open in front of you

and I want to fairly quickly

run through

and pick out a few things

that show us

the love of God

that makes the three one

and then I'm going to try

and leave a decent chunk of time

for us to all wrestle with it

with some questions.

When we look at God

the Trinity

when we look at God

Father, Son and Spirit

we can understand love

because in God

love is expressed

and even enhanced

by the distinction

that is there.

For us

the three

is a barrier

to being one

but in God

the three actually

is what supports

the oneness.

In music

there is

lots of terms

I'm not very musical

and I won't pretend that I am

but there are lots of terms

that describe

the way that you can

layer music

and add different effects

and that sort of thing

the vocalist

can correct me

if I'm wrong

but you can have unison

where everybody sings

exactly the same thing

and that has a value to it

and a beauty to it

and a power

and a force

but what you can also have

is harmony

where you have three people

singing slightly different things

but to the same song

which actually gives a breadth

and a depth

and a layering

and a complexity

to the same song.

I'm not going to try

and demonstrate

because that would not work

but in God

we could have

a father who does something

a son who does the same thing

and a spirit who does the same thing

but what we have instead

is a harmony

of purpose.

They read the same song

but they sing different parts

and what we see at the end

is not

not a barrier

but it is something

that opens up

to see the beauty

of the oneness

that is God.

I'm aware that that's a word

that I'm making up

but it is a good word.

There is threeness

and there is oneness

in God

and when we look

at the three

and their different roles

we find them

very intertwined

and we find them

following the same tune

the same purpose.

In the threeness of God

in the Father, Son

and the Spirit

we find an equality

with submission

and authority.

We talked about this

when we looked at Father

and when we looked at Son

and when we hear submission

or we hear authority

we instantly think

that is a barrier

to us being equal.

For us submission

means being lesser

but God unveils

that submission

and authority

can exist between equals

because Father

and the Son

are the same God.

They are equally God

they are fully God

they are eternally God

and yet the Son

joyfully submits

to the Father.

And so we see

that these layers

these three

can actually contribute

to us getting

a full understanding

of the complex God

that we follow.

The love of God

is expressed

and enhanced

by the distinction

that exists in him.

If it was just God

doing the same thing

it would still be love

it might still be impressive

but it is not

as beautiful

it is not

as majestic

as God managing

to express himself

in the three persons

in differing roles

in relationship

in perfect harmony.

In God

we find a love

that unifies.

Look at John 17

with me

beginning where Jesus

begins his prayer.

Father the time has come

glorify your Son

that your Son

may glorify you.

You granted him

authority over all people

that he might give

eternal life

to all those

you have given him.

Now this is eternal life

that they may know you

the only true God

and Jesus Christ

whom you have sent.

I have brought you glory

on earth

by completing the work

you gave me to do

and now Father

glorify me

in your presence

with the glory

I had with you

before the world began.

There is this amazing picture

in these first five verses

and if you look back

through John chapters 15

John 15 · chapter mention

and 16 as well

where the Trinity

is so committed

to one another

that they are

giving themselves

to one another.

So Jesus' prayer here

is that he would be glorified

but to what end?

That the Father

would be glorified.

The Father's agenda

has always been

making himself known

he is the ultimate

he is the supreme

and in the Son's request

to be glorified

is actually a request

for the glory

of the Father.

So close is the relationship

between Father and Son

that what matters most

to the Father

has become

what matters most

to the Son.

It's the same as

when we experience

relationships here on earth.

You begin a relationship

there may be things

that you've never thought

about pouring your time

or interest

or energy into

but the joy of relationship

is that your care

for the other person

enables you to learn

to love and care

for the things

that they love

and care for.

One of Sal's passions

as a younger girl

was gymnastics.

Now I'm not there yet

but I'm convinced

that eventually

I might be able

to love that

out of my love for her.

In our own relationships

as we get to know

one another more.

As we give access

to ourselves increasingly

we learn to love

what the person

we are in a relationship

with loves.

And here we see

a picture of the Son's

love for the Father.

His desire

his prayer here

when he asks

to be glorified

is

put me on the cross.

That's what he's asking

the Father to do

in this prayer.

That is the ultimate

glorification of the Father

is Jesus dying

and so he prays

please Father

kill me

so that you

get glory.

It is no sense

of divine child abuse.

It's not God

please don't.

It's God

I want

what you want.

Father

I know

this is your plan

and I want it.

I love you so much

and I know

your love in my life

so much

that I want

what you want.

Within the Trinity

what matters to one

matters to the others.

and so we see

this unifying love

that draws them

into a common purpose

to see the Father

glorified.

Now we're going to unpack

glorifying the Father

a little bit more

next week

so I'm going to leave that

to the side

just for now.

But I want you to see

that as you look

at the different members

of the Trinity

and we've found this

as we've gone through

each week

as you look at one

you can't help

but look at the others.

So close

is their relationship

that as you look

at the Son

all he does

is point you

to the Father.

All he does

is say

the Father

is the one

that matters

it's not about me

the object

of my love

the purpose

of my life

is the Father.

As you look

at the Spirit

all he wants

to do

is point you

to the Son

because the object

of his love

the object

of his desire

is that the Son

be glorified.

If you look

at the Father

all he wants

to do

is point

to the Son

and say

here is my Son

whom I love

this is the one

I delight in

this is the one

I will glorify

and raise

above every other name

so connected

are the three

that the distinction

almost disappears

almost

it's still there

and it still matters

but so close

are they

that in one

you begin

to see

the others

the fancy word

that theologians

use for

the closeness

of the Trinity

is a word

called perichoresis

and the best

illustration

anyone can come up

for is

a dance

those of you

who were on kick

last year

will remember

that we learnt

that

dancing

is a funny

illustration

for a

white

male

the only

experience

of dancing

that I can

think of

is usually

forced upon me

it usually

happens towards

the end

of a wedding

reception

and I remember

at my own

wedding

there's this

description

on the order

of service

that we're

going to have

a bridal waltz

ours was at

best

was a bridal

shuffle

and from all

the weddings

that I've been

to that's

the general

pattern

most dancing

that we experience

isn't particularly

beautiful

isn't particularly

unified

but when it is

it's amazing

to watch

when two people

can move

in perfect unity

knowing where

the other person

is going to go

and when they're

going to go there

and not stepping

on each other's

toes

it is a beautiful

thing

and that is

the picture

we have

of the Trinity

and just to make

it extra complicated

there's a third

member

the Trinity

dances in

perfect unity

in perfect timing

in perfect harmony

completely joined

in purpose

joined

in love

that is the

picture

that scripture

gives us

of the oneness

that we find

in God

we find a love

between father

son and spirit

that brings joy

and delight

in John chapter

John 15 · chapter mention

15

Jesus prays

that his disciples

might remain

in the father's

love

because by

remaining in his

love

they'll know

the joy

that the son

knows

in the father's

love

the son

has been

obedient

to the father

and he

wants them

to experience

the full joy

that he

has

in Luke

Luke 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

as Jesus

is baptized

the father

expresses

his delight

in his son

and even

though the spirit

seems to not

get much of a run

through much

of the bible

the spirit

in no sense

feels like

it's missing

out

there is no

hint

anywhere in

scripture

that the spirit

wishes it had

a bigger

billing

the spirit

joyfully

points to

the son

1 John 4

tells us

this is how

we know

that it's

the spirit

of God

because it

testifies

that Jesus

is Lord

the proof

that it's

the spirit

is it's

pointing to

the son

there is

an absolute

unity

and there is

a delight

in the

relationships

between

the father

son

and spirit

there is

love

in perfect

relationship

that

opens a

challenge

for us

I think

because

we like

to believe

and we

like to

be told

that God

made the

world

because he

wanted a

relationship

with us

but if the

father son

and spirit

are already

in perfect

relationship

he doesn't

need to

God is

already

absolutely

complete

within himself

the father

is being

perfectly

loved by

the son

and spirit

he is

expressing

perfect

love

towards

the son

and spirit

everything

is unified

it is

joyous

it is

delightful

it is

fantastic

God

doesn't

have to

there is

no need

in God

that warrants

creation

let alone

salvation

and yet

it happens

the creation

of which we

are a part

and the salvation

for which we

are thankful

is an overflow

of the love

and delight

and unity

that exists

within God

creation

creation

is an expression

of that

perfect love

creation

is designed

to be

a delight

to the

creator

and the

creator

is a delight

to creation

when we're

willing to

see him

creation

is an

overflow

of the

loving

relationship

within

the God

head

love

breeds

love

God's

perfect

love

breeds

love

it's like

when you

go to

a wedding

and suddenly

every person

that's been

dating longer

than three

weeks

is feeling

a pressure

to also

get married

something about

the romance

at a reception

but the love

that is on

display at a

wedding

suddenly stokes

the fire

in at least

one member

of every

couple

in the

room

God's

love

produces

creation

creation

is an

overflow

of who

God

is

and it's

more than

just a

model

of what

love

should

look

like

have a

look at

John 17

John 17:20

verse 20

Jesus gets

to the end

of this

prayer

and he's

had prayed

for his

disciples

and he

turns

as Glenn

told us

last week

to pray

for us

he says

my prayer

is not

for them

alone

I pray

also

for those

who will

believe

in me

through

their

message

that all

of them

may be

one

father

just as

you are

in me

and I

am

in you

may they

also be

in us

so that

the world

may believe

that you

have sent

me

I have

given them

the glory

that you

gave me

that they

may be

one

as we

are one

I

in them

and you

in me

may they

be brought

to complete

unity

to let

the world

know

that you

sent me

and have

loved

them

even

as you

have

loved

me

love

has

drawn

us

in

the

relationship

that God

has

desired

and desired

for you

is not

something

other than

the relationship

he has

within

himself

Jesus

comes

to draw

you

into

the

perfect

delightful

love

and joy

and unity

that is

the Trinity

that is

God's

design

for you

not that

you might

know him

over here

on the

side

while they

continue

to have

perfect

unity

the prayer

is

may

they

also

that's

us

be in

us

the

father

and

son

so

that

the

world

may

believe

that

you

have

sent

me

God

wants

to

draw

you

into

that

kind

of

love

he

wants

you

to

know

him

the

way

the

son

knows

him

he

wants

to

love

you

the

way

he

has

loved

the

son

and

revealed

himself

to

the

son

and

shown

himself

to

the

son

we

were

chatting

about

this

in

staff

meeting

this

week

and

Steve

I think

he read

it

somewhere

but we

gave him

credit

as a

wise

man

said

that

it's

a bit

like

a

group

hug

the

father

son

and

spirit

are

enjoying

each

other's

company

and

affection

and

through

what

Jesus

has

done

the

spirit

draws

us

in

so

that

we

are

in

that

group

hug

so

that

we

are

not

next

to

it

we

are

not

near

it

but

we

are

part

of

the

incredible

love

of

God

we

are

drawn

into

who

he

is

now

in

part

but

eventually

completely

and

eternally

that

is

the

picture

of

heaven

is

all

of

God

all

of

his

goodness

all

of

his

love

with

no

barrier

forever

what a

gift

that

a

complete

God

would

do

everything

that

he

has

done

in

creation

in

sending

his

son

in

giving

us

his

spirit

simply

to

draw

us

into

a

love

that

was

already

complete

what a

generous

and

gracious

God

but

that

has

challenges

that

go

with

it

as

well

I

was

reflecting

this

week

and

I

do

feel

a

slight

sense

of

awkward

ness

I

feel

less

awkward

because

I

believe

it's

the

testimony

of

scripture

but

I

do

feel

a

slight

sense

of

awkwardness

as

we

reflect

on

what

that

means

for

us

as

a

community

what

that

means

for

me

as

a

pastor

and

for

you

as

members

of

St.

Paul's

I

want to

suggest

two

things

firstly

we

are

the

community

of

God's

people

God

who

is

relational

who

loves

relationship

who

loves

serving

and

loving

and

giving

Ange

and

Rob

had

the

joy

of

beginning

their

new

family

very

recently

I

promise

I

won't

pick

on

you

all

the

time

but

you're

just

the

most

recently

married

an

important

thing

that you

guys

figured

out

in the

lead

up

to

your

marriage

is

that

you

need

a

second

person

for

it

it

would

be

a

significantly

less

exciting

marriage

if

it

was

just

one

person

down

the

front

making

some

promises

to

themselves

and

yet

that

is

the

way

that

so

many

of

us

approach

following

Jesus

God

has

called

us

to

be

in

relationship

not

just

with

him

but

with

all

of

those

that

he

has

called

to

himself

and

yet

so

often

our

version

of

relationship

means

turning

up

on a

Sunday

and

then

knowing

a few

names

that

are

sitting

around

me

we

were

not

saved

to

be

individual

or

to

be

isolated

now

I

understand

some

people

are

introverted

some

people

are

out

there

but

we

are

called

into

the

relationship

that

is

God

and

we

are

not

called

alone

if

you

are

called

and

I

are

called

we

are

called

into

one

relationship

the

God

relationship

that

is

ever

expanding

as

he

draws

people

into

himself

we

are

called

into

community

the

second

thing

is

that

community

needs

to

be

more

than

just

proximity

more

than

just

being

near

one

another

I

was

in

Chatswood

Chase

yesterday

the day

before

it was

raining

there was

a lot

of

people

there

I

was

very

close

to

a

whole

bunch

of

other

people

in

their

cars

but

you

can

rest

assured

there

was

nothing

loving

about

the

way

that

we

were

relating

to

one

another

I

saw

two

all

the

way

around

the

corner

connected

because

neither

one

wanted

to

give

in

the

point

is

just

because

you're

next

to

someone

maybe

even

touching

them

that

doesn't

mean

that

you

are

in

a

relationship

in

the

way

that

God

has

called

you

to

if

we

are

to

be

God's

people

if

we

are

to

reflect

the

relationship

that

he

has

called

us

into

then

we

need

to

love

like

he

loves

weeks

need

to

become

marks

of

this

community

not

instantly

not

completely

not

perfectly

but

by

the

power

of

God's

spirit

in

us

they

need

to

increasingly

become

the

mark

of

who

we

are

is

this

a

place

where

mutual

love

exists

where

people

just

love

to be

honest

and

transparent

and

open

themselves

up

and

invest

in

the

lives

of

others

can

we

recognize

that

we

are

equal

even

though

some

of

us

may

have

authority

can

we

rejoice

in

lowly

roles

or

lowly

positions

because

we

know

that

we

are

equal

in

Christ

can

we

be

just

as

excited

about

being

asked

to

work

in

the

car

park

on

a

Sunday

morning

as

we

are

about

being

asked

to

lead

the

service

because

we

know

that

we

are

equal

in

Christ

can

we

rejoice

in

the

fact

that

we

are

distinct

just

like

God

is

yet

we

are

unified

by

the

same

love

that

unifies

him

it

is

God's

love

that

draws

us

together

and

that

is

why

we

can

be

confident

that

we

are

equal

whatever

role

you

may

have

whatever

job

you

may

do

within

our

church

family

you

are

still

an

adopted

child

of

God

you

do

not

exist

in

so

much

as

you're

the

usher

or

you're

the

supper

person

or

you're

the

you

are

a

child

of

God

one

with

the

blood

of

Christ

and

drawn

into

the

group

hug

by

the

spirit

and

so

we

can

serve

wholeheartedly

and

enthusiastically

and

behind

the

scenes

and

without

thanks

because

we

know

that

we

are

loved

by

God

imagine

if

this

community

looked

like

the

community

that

is

God

imagine

if

this

community

just

tripped

over

itself

to

love

and

serve

one

another

imagine

if

not

just

on

Sunday