TRINITY SUNDAY – 31/05/15

Old Testament Lesson:- Isaiah Ch. 6 v 1 – 8 Gospel:- St. John Ch. 3 v 1 – 17

TEXT:- The Apostle’s Creed.

The creed was used by the Early Church frequently, especially with converts in preparation for Baptism; and is today still an important part of our Baptismal Service! That very early Roman Church had a creed which starts like this “ I believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Christ Jesus Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary.” As you can see it bears a very close resemblance to our modern version of the Apostles Creed. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven & Earth.” Those Jews from early times, followed by the Christians, believed very firmly in God the Maker of Heaven & Earth, they lived and saw the ordered nature of it! The bounty of life it possesses and gives to all! The infinite power involved in Creating a Universe, that does not overlook the smallest detail in keeping the balance of life as it should be. A God from whom all life comes, and to whom it goes to at the end. Yet, He is not just a God of Extreme power, Jesus tells us in St. Matthew Ch.5 v 16 & 45 that God is our Father in Heaven! In Romans St. Paul tells us that we are God’s Children, while Jesus told us to pray “Father, may Your Holy Name be honoured” St. Luke Ch. 11 v 2. In St. Matthew, Jesus told His disciples “Love Your enemies.” Ch. F v 43 – 48, reminding them & us that His love is for all, “For He makes the Sun to shine on the good AND the bad, and gives rain to both those who do good and to those that do evil.” St. John tells us in his 1st letter he says that God’s love is so great that we are His children Ch.3 v 1 & 2; in Ch. 4 v 7& 8 John reminds us that Love comes from God, that God is love!God the Father who is the source of ALL life. A God who is both powerful AND a God of love for ALL! As Jesus said our Father in Heaven is perfect and knows us!

“And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord” Jesus the Messiah that God intended from the very beginning to bring us back to reconciliation with Him, John the Baptist was the first to call Jesus the Son of God in his description of the baptism of Jesus St. John Ch. 1 v 29 – 34 “ I have seen it, and I tell you that He is the Son of God.” Are his words to his disciples. Gabriel also tells Mary that Jesus shall be called Emanuel- “The Son of the most high God St. Luke Ch.1 v 32 and again in v 35 He shall be called the Son of God! Jesus Himself constantly referred Himself as one with His Father, who was one with Him! St. John Ch. 10 v 30 & St. John Ch.17 v 22. One in thought, one in love, one in intention of bringing the Human race back into their relationship with GOD! Jesus is Lord because Christians belong to Christ, bought at a price! We belong to Him because He paid the ransom of the Cross for OUR sins, because of love for His Father, and for love of us to become God’s children! We are His through His settlement of our debt to God, bought by Love. Jesus the Son of God as St. John describes as the Word in His gospel Ch. 1 v 1 – 10 was there at the very beginning of creation and lived among us in this earthly life, bringing His Grace & truth to us. He is the relationship t o God the Father, to the history that led to His coming, and to His relationship to ourselves. He is a man among men, fully human, the Son of God in a unique relationship with the Father shared with NO ONE else, relationships of overwhelming love.

“ I believe in the Holy Ghost” That the Holy Spirit is there from the beginning is not in doubt , listen to Genesis Ch. 1 v 2 “The Spirit of God was moving over the water” So, He was there at the very beginning. The third person within the Godhead, He is God, knowledge of whom relies on the revelation of the Father and The Son, He proceeds from both of these: He spoke by the Prophets and appointed them to their role in God’s plans to reconcile US back to Him. It was through Him that “The word was made Flesh” and atonement for our sins was through His agency! He is the life-giving presence within the Church; He communicates His power to each individual Christian, is the Mediator to them of the new birth and of forgiveness. He strengthens them and purifies them and knits them into the Body of Saints and bringing them into eternal life though Resurrection! Read Isaiah Ch. 11 v 2 – 9; but listen to v 2 “The spirit of the Lord will give Him wisdom, and the knowledge and skill to rule His people. He will know the Lord’s will and honour Him.” In the Old Testament to Holy Spirit is central to many of the prophecies & incidents recorded. The Spirit is God’s person & power through whom God makes all things new! Through Him comes to some the leadership they had! It was the Spirit that gave men of God the will and ability to proclaim God’s message to the people! In the Old Testament it is the Holy Spirit by which God entered into our world and lives! Which continued into New Testament times. The Book of Acts is full of the influence of the Holy Spirit, starting with Ch. 2 with Pentecost which we celebrated here last Sunday, The Acts has been called by some as the Gospel of the Holy Spirit because every incident and guidance is credited to the Holy Spirit, it is the record of people guided by the Holy Spirit and of their deeds! It demonstrates to us the Church as a Spirit filled and guided community! In Acts the Holy spirit is associated quite clearly with Baptism, with the work of committed leaders and missionaries, it brought the power of God to the tasks that that Early Church had to undertake, it gave them wisdom and above all guidance in what they did! Nothing was undertaken without the Holy Spirits involvement! In the events recorded in the Book of Acts we see that the Holy Spirit is the birthright of ALL Christians, so does the Gospel of St. John! In Ch. 14 Jesus says that God will send the Holy Spirit, He will be the Spirit of Truth, and will guide you in all truth! It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that responsibility for the whole process of Salvation comes to us.

So, a study of the Holy Scripture show us that our Triune God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) are one within the Godhead, and more importantly are an experience that we share with ALL other Christians, with the Prophets and people of history, it is not just a collective experience but also a personal one, personal to each of us when needed, when asked for, and when following God’s will in His Work.Amen