1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,640 But to a new kind of religion and belief in supernaturalism, a belief, a religion for 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,880 the new age. 3 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,920 New age religion is nothing really new. 4 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:25,880 It's actually old age stuff that is dressed up in new clothes. 5 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:33,040 The new age religion does not have a singular charismatic leader, nor does it have a headquarters 6 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,280 located somewhere. 7 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,840 It is not identified with any particular denominational title. 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:49,600 Therefore some people have a hard time realizing that we are in fact facing a genuine movement. 9 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,320 But a movement it is. 10 00:00:51,320 --> 00:01:01,840 The new age is mostly an informal networking of many persons, organizations, and some churches. 11 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:10,840 The unifying factors of the new age include reincarnation, holism, and what is called 12 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:19,080 the higher consciousness or the Christ consciousness which they say is in every person. 13 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:29,320 Arising out of Eastern mysticism and especially Hinduism, the theology of the new age is essentially 14 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:34,480 God is all and all is God. 15 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:45,360 In other words, the new age is actually pantheism that is dressed up in 20th century style. 16 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:55,520 This religion is insidious, being packaged in seemingly harmless, even helpful ways. 17 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:08,480 Books, tapes, and seminars for mind control, relaxation, consciousness raising are offered. 18 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:19,240 Those would be EST or the seminar as it is now called the forum by Werner Erhard. 19 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:28,320 There are other self-help seminars like these which corporations buy as a package with the 20 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,840 thought that they are going to help their employees, but in fact what they are doing 21 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:39,920 is proselytizing them to a new age religion. 22 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:47,800 The new age encourages contacts with ancient masters or spiritual guides who give direction 23 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,120 and counsel for life. 24 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:56,640 Shirley MacLaine is one of the more popular writers and well-known actresses who espouses 25 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,680 getting in touch with your spirit guides. 26 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:06,960 These of course are nothing less than demon spirits in disguise. 27 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:13,560 The new age is a religion that is absolutely contradictory to the Christian faith. 28 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:19,160 It is the antithesis of the theology of the Bible. 29 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:27,780 Today as we study the doctrine of the Trinity, we must recognize there has never been a time 30 00:03:27,780 --> 00:03:35,400 in our culture when this doctrine has been more seriously under attack than right now. 31 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:41,960 For if what we say we believe and what we are going to talk about this morning is true, 32 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:48,080 and we know it is, then it stands in stark contrast to all of the other religions of 33 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:55,160 the world and most especially the new age religion. 34 00:03:55,160 --> 00:04:02,520 The truth about the Trinity is both a mystery and it has meaning. 35 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:07,640 I would like for us to center our thoughts around those two words this morning, mystery 36 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,680 and meaning. 37 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,800 Think with me first about the mystery of the Trinity. 38 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:21,580 Let me read a statement by J. H. Large who said, one cannot meditate on the awesome and 39 00:04:21,580 --> 00:04:28,940 insoluble mystery of eternal and infinite being without being made to realize that any 40 00:04:28,940 --> 00:04:36,640 inquiry into the nature of God and the mode of his existence must be entered upon with 41 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:46,240 reverent caution and utter dependence upon what God has been pleased to reveal. 42 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:52,200 And so as we think about the Trinity this morning, it must be with humility that we 43 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,600 approach this subject. 44 00:04:54,600 --> 00:05:01,880 It must be with reverence that we use the terms that we do as we think of God as the 45 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,240 triune one. 46 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:14,840 It is good for us to begin by recognizing our own limited capacity to comprehend God. 47 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:22,160 After all, the Bible reveals a God who is infinite. 48 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:30,080 That means he is without any bounds as to his natural attributes. 49 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,040 We on the other hand are finite. 50 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:39,060 We have many boundaries and limits placed upon us. 51 00:05:39,060 --> 00:05:43,600 But God is without any limits. 52 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:50,920 The Trinity is a matter of God-initiated revelation. 53 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:57,640 The Trinity is not something that man discovered, nor could he in his wildest imaginations create 54 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,600 such an idea. 55 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:07,060 The doctrine of the Trinity is something that God has revealed to us, and we must go to 56 00:06:07,060 --> 00:06:12,680 his revelation alone to attempt to understand it. 57 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:19,320 You will look in your concordance in vain to find a reference for the word Trinity. 58 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:24,680 It is a word that is not used in the Bible's vocabulary. 59 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,760 That is not unusual. 60 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:33,400 There are several words that theologians use to describe what the Bible teaches while that 61 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,800 word itself may not be found in the Bible. 62 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,840 The Trinity is an example of that. 63 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:42,600 The idea is clearly presented in the Bible. 64 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,120 It is suggested in the Old Testament. 65 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,760 It is presumed in the New Testament. 66 00:06:50,760 --> 00:07:04,920 Please open your Bible first to Deuteronomy, the sixth chapter, the fourth verse. 67 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,500 Already this verse has been referenced in your worship folder, but I bring your attention 68 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:18,320 to the context of it. 69 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:29,920 Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one, and 70 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,880 you shall love the Lord your God. 71 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:41,960 Notice the response that is called for just after this revelation of monotheism. 72 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:48,920 The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. 73 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:56,880 Now it is interesting that the word one in verse 4 is not the Hebrew word for simple 74 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:05,240 oneness, but rather for compound or complex oneness. 75 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:14,800 Leaving room here for some plurality concept to be involved in the oneness of the Lord 76 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,240 our God. 77 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:24,320 It is the same word for one that is found in Genesis 2 and verse 24, where God says 78 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:31,160 regarding man and woman that they too shall be one flesh. 79 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:39,320 That is not simple unity, but compound or complex unity. 80 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,400 We could look at numerous other passages in the Old Testament. 81 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:49,960 Even the very name God, Elohim, is a plural name for God. 82 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:57,520 The end of it, I am, in the English is a plural form of that word. 83 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:05,920 Here we bring together in this very verse the name Lord, Yahweh, the one God, with the 84 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,720 other word God. 85 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:17,440 So we see even in this one verse two names that strike at the unity and yet the plurality 86 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,880 of God. 87 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:28,520 And yet we do not see here a clear reference to the Trinity, that God is three in one. 88 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:30,400 For that we need to come to the New Testament. 89 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:37,360 I invite you to come to Matthew chapter 28. 90 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:45,320 To this familiar commission of our Lord that we sometimes refer to as the Great Commission. 91 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:52,520 And in verse 19 he says, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing 92 00:09:52,520 --> 00:10:03,920 them in the name, notice the singularness of that, the name of the Father and the Son 93 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,800 and the Holy Spirit. 94 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:14,000 And so in the very formula that our Lord gives to us for baptism in this age, we find the 95 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:22,520 Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit given as the name into which converts are to be 96 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:28,360 baptized or by which they are to be identified. 97 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,320 Then of course there is the great benediction of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, the 98 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:43,600 grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be 99 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,960 with you all. 100 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:52,440 Those are but a couple of the many references in the New Testament to the fact of the Trinity, 101 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:57,400 a fact that is actually presumed in the New Testament. 102 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:06,900 We speak of God as being one who has eternally existed in three persons. 103 00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:12,800 And yet we are not to think of that word persons in the same sense as which we are personalities. 104 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:25,640 But it is perhaps the best word which has been found to express the real, eternal and 105 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:32,960 ineffable distinctions in the one divine being. 106 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:36,560 The Bible reveals the Father as God. 107 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:38,640 It reveals the Son as God. 108 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:43,240 It reveals the Holy Spirit as God. 109 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:51,800 I remind you of how Paul begins Ephesians, blessed be the God, the Father of our Lord 110 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,120 Jesus Christ. 111 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,320 They're saying that the Father is God. 112 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:03,420 And in chapter 4, verses 14 through 16, he goes on to say that he bows his knees before 113 00:12:03,420 --> 00:12:08,960 the Father after whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. 114 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,160 The Father is God, is to be worshiped as God. 115 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,560 And then of course the Son. 116 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:23,160 Jesus himself accepted the title of God as he was worshiped. 117 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,760 In Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 8, however, we find God the Father speaking to him and 118 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,680 calling him deity. 119 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:31,840 Maybe you'd like to look at that with me. 120 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:38,760 Hebrews chapter 1. 121 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:48,960 The writer is quoting from the Old Testament here showing the superiority of the Son. 122 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:59,560 And in verse 8, it says, but of the Son he says, that is God says this, thy throne, O 123 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:02,720 God, is forever and ever. 124 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:12,360 In other words, God the Father is in this verse from Psalm 45 speaking to the Son. 125 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:19,480 And God the Father says to God the Son, thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. 126 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:25,040 And the righteous scepter is the scepter of his kingdom. 127 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:31,520 So God the Father calls him God, calls him deity. 128 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:39,440 And one who comes to Jesus Christ for salvation must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that 129 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,160 he is God in order to be saved. 130 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:52,800 One cannot be a Christian and deny the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son. 131 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:54,880 And then the Holy Spirit is called God. 132 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:00,840 In Acts chapter 5, I simply remind you, we will not take time to read it, that in that 133 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,920 text Peter speaks to Ananias and Sapphira. 134 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,720 And in verse 3, he speaks of the Holy Spirit. 135 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:15,600 And in verse 4, in the same context, calls the Holy Spirit God. 136 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:21,840 My point is simply this, that the Bible reveals God in three persons. 137 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,940 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 138 00:14:25,940 --> 00:14:35,360 Each of them is referred to as deity in individual passages and worship is prescribed and appropriate. 139 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:42,300 While the Bible does not give a full explanation of the Trinity, it does reveal its reality 140 00:14:42,300 --> 00:14:44,720 to us. 141 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:51,880 We must be careful of not falling into tri-theism, which says that we worship three gods. 142 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:58,200 That is a false teaching and enemies of our faith accuse us of that. 143 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:07,040 We do not believe in three gods, but one God who has eternally existed in three co-equal 144 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,200 persons. 145 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:15,280 Nor are we Unitarians. 146 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:19,300 Unitarianism is not the Christian faith. 147 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:22,000 It denies the God of the Bible. 148 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:27,480 It denies Jesus Christ as God and the Holy Spirit as God. 149 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,520 Unitarians are not Christians. 150 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,600 They are not of our faith. 151 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:41,200 We are those who worship God as a triune eternal being. 152 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,720 When we worship God this way, we are worshiping him as have true believers down through the 153 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,320 centuries. 154 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:55,720 All of the orthodox creeds of our faith refer to God in this way. 155 00:15:55,720 --> 00:16:02,920 Even perhaps the most ancient of them, the Apostles' Creed, says, I believe in God the 156 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:11,760 Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, and 157 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,840 in the Holy Spirit. 158 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:21,800 The most ancient creed of the Church is Trinitarian in its expressions. 159 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:27,940 All orthodox Christians must be Trinitarians. 160 00:16:27,940 --> 00:16:35,080 There are analogies that we have from time to time pointed to which help us to get over 161 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:41,340 some of the mental difficulties associated with this thought, this revelation. 162 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:46,260 There is no analogy that does not have shortcomings. 163 00:16:46,260 --> 00:16:48,800 Every analogy ultimately breaks down. 164 00:16:48,800 --> 00:17:03,040 But some of the more popular ones are H2O, which can be found in three forms as gas, 165 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:10,680 as liquid, as solid, but all of it is the same essence, H2O. 166 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:16,240 The only problem with that is it's not all three at the same time. 167 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:24,840 The triune God is deity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally. 168 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:29,120 And then there has been pointed out to the dimensions of an object that any object has 169 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:37,040 height, it has depth, it has width, all being part of the one object. 170 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:44,400 Or the sides of a parallel triangle, all being equal, each vital to the object, the geometric 171 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,200 figure that is in view. 172 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:52,040 Whatever analogy helps you, that's fine. 173 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:56,040 But remember that just because something is difficult to understand, it does not mean 174 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,360 that it's untrue. 175 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:06,360 However long you study the Trinity, ultimately you will come away by saying this is a mystery. 176 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:10,020 And indeed, it always will be. 177 00:18:10,020 --> 00:18:15,480 Whether in heaven we will one day be able to fully grasp the triunity of God, I do not 178 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,040 know. 179 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:24,040 But that is the way God reveals himself in the Bible, and we are to accept that, to understand 180 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:29,420 it as much as we can, but be careful not to deny it. 181 00:18:29,420 --> 00:18:34,160 Someone has said you try to understand the Trinity and you'll lose your mind, but if 182 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,680 you deny the Trinity, you lose your soul. 183 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,680 It's that critical. 184 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,240 Let's think something about the meaning of it. 185 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:45,640 So God is triune. 186 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,880 What does that mean to me today? 187 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:57,440 Let me suggest in the first place, a salvation has been provided for you by a God who is 188 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,200 triune. 189 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:08,720 And who as the Father and as the Son and as the Holy Spirit is active in your redemption. 190 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:14,360 It was God the Father who sent the Son. 191 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:22,340 It was God the Son who came and paid the redemption price on the cross of Calvary and rose again 192 00:19:22,340 --> 00:19:26,960 from the dead and ascended back to heaven. 193 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:35,800 It is God the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sin, who gives us new life by regeneration, 194 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:42,280 and who applies to us the blessings of our salvation. 195 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:52,980 The triune God will indwell you and will fill you if you will receive him as an act of faith. 196 00:19:52,980 --> 00:19:57,200 You say God as the triune God will infill me? 197 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:58,360 Absolutely. 198 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:03,720 The Holy Spirit indwells us permanently as the seal of our salvation. 199 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:10,200 But the Lord Jesus said that he and the Father also would come to us. 200 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:16,280 And so God as the triune God indwells us as believers. 201 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:21,600 If you have not trusted in the triune God who provided for your salvation, I call upon 202 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,560 you to do that today. 203 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:33,280 And as an act of faith to give your life to him and allow him to fill you, control you. 204 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:41,280 Someone has put it this way, the Father thought it, the Son bought it, the Spirit wrought 205 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:48,400 it, the Bible taught it, the devil fought it, but faith brought it and I got it. 206 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,560 That pretty well summarizes it, doesn't it? 207 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,480 The triune God has provided the salvation for us. 208 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,680 The Father has chosen us, said Peter. 209 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:07,840 The Holy Spirit sanctifies us unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 210 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:12,000 First Peter 1, 2. 211 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:17,220 Let me say secondly as to the meaning and the importance of this doctrine. 212 00:21:17,220 --> 00:21:24,600 It means that you have a God who has entered into your experience as a creature and who 213 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:32,000 can therefore sympathize with all of your creaturely concerns. 214 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:40,900 God the Son came into this world in the person of Jesus Christ. 215 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:49,040 So God not only knows what it is to be a creature because he created us, but also because he 216 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:59,960 came and lived among us and experienced what it means to be human but without sin. 217 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:07,780 Therefore he knows your every thought, your every emotion, fear or joy. 218 00:22:07,780 --> 00:22:16,000 Even before you can frame these in the words of your mouth, God knows them. 219 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:23,200 As your creator he understands exactly what makes you tick and he understands how you 220 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,120 feel because he came. 221 00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:34,920 As the incarnate Savior he came to fully experience for himself all that being human means. 222 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:41,180 So never think of God as up there and away from here somewhere. 223 00:22:41,180 --> 00:22:43,120 He is separate from his creation. 224 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:45,220 That is the lie of the new age. 225 00:22:45,220 --> 00:22:49,120 God is not all and all is God. 226 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:54,560 God is the creator who put into place the time, the matter, the space that make up the 227 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,640 universe and he is separate from that. 228 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:09,000 But at the same time he pervades his universe and he is here in this room this morning. 229 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:14,000 And he knows you and he knows me and he understands what it means to be human because he came 230 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,760 and was a part of the creation he made. 231 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:25,040 That's why Peter says we may cast all of our care upon him for he cares for us. 232 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,040 He does care. 233 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,240 That's why he came. 234 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:33,400 There is nothing that you cannot share with him. 235 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:40,820 You can be absolutely confident that he knows and he sympathizes with you. 236 00:23:40,820 --> 00:23:46,920 If you have needs this morning and who amongst us would say we have no needs, I remind you 237 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:53,280 that Jesus said your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 238 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,600 He knows. 239 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:04,240 He understands those longings within your heart. 240 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:10,400 He understands the disappointment that you might feel. 241 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:14,440 He understands the anxiety. 242 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,560 The fear that some hope of yours will not be realized. 243 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:25,040 He knows that because he is triune. 244 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:31,600 As God the Son he came. 245 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:37,280 This brings me to a third significance that I want to point out. 246 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:45,560 You are created and loved by a God who is inexpressibly great and who is worthy of your 247 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,720 thoughtful worship. 248 00:24:49,720 --> 00:25:01,680 I repeat you are created and loved by a God who is inexpressibly great and who is worthy 249 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,840 of your thoughtful worship. 250 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:11,960 Any revelation of God should bring us to worship him. 251 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:18,560 Any new understanding of himself that God gives us should bring us to respect, fear, 252 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:24,680 serve, and praise him. 253 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:31,800 When he revealed himself as the God who is one, the very next thing he said to Israel 254 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:40,400 was and you shall love the Lord your God. 255 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:45,560 Most of you have heard for most of your lives that God is triune. 256 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:51,600 In the doxology that perhaps you sung as you grew up as a child in that church, you praise 257 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,320 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 258 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:55,320 Amen. 259 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,320 But do you understand the uniqueness of that? 260 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:06,920 Do you understand that there is no religion in all of the world like the one where you 261 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:11,600 are today in your faith? 262 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:18,360 There are those on the one hand who have many gods who are not monotheistic. 263 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:23,640 The Hindus, for example, have millions of gods. 264 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:34,080 On the other hand, you have Islam who believes in one God but denies the Trinity. 265 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:35,080 His name is Allah. 266 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,520 It is not the God of the Bible. 267 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:46,840 Your faith is unique in all of the world in that your faith rests upon a revelation of 268 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:56,200 a God who is one in his substance, in his essence, but who eternally and co-equally 269 00:26:56,200 --> 00:27:00,920 exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 270 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,600 The three in one. 271 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:11,960 As we begin to probe that with our minds, it ought to bring us to reverence before God. 272 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:18,600 As we come together for worship as a congregation, it means that we ought to come with care and 273 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,040 with forethought. 274 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:28,160 That we ought not to rush into worship without first reminding ourselves why we are here 275 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:35,000 and who it is that we are worshiping. 276 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:41,240 We need to remind ourselves furthermore as we come that we are not here to receive something, 277 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:54,520 but that we are profoundly here to give something, to give worship to the God who is one in three. 278 00:27:54,520 --> 00:28:02,520 As we worship a triune God who is one, let us remind ourselves that the Son prayed that 279 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:10,100 we might be one as he and the Father are one. 280 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:19,120 Just as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit do not quarrel with each other. 281 00:28:19,120 --> 00:28:27,720 Just as there is perfect harmony and agreement among the persons of the Godhead, so ought 282 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:37,040 we to be in harmony with one another, with other believers. 283 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:43,080 We are not to allow differences that bring division. 284 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:50,920 Now there will be differences, but we are to lay them aside so as not to create division. 285 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:57,120 It is the Holy Spirit who brings that unity to us and we are to guard it because it is 286 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:05,200 that unity in our fellowship which speaks of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 287 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,480 as one. 288 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:14,720 Because we are one. 289 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:21,760 As we worship the triune God who is fully content with himself, so ought we to be content 290 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:26,600 with his provisions for us. 291 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:37,080 There is an old monologue that is written picturing God as a lonely God who one day 292 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,440 desired to have some company. 293 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:46,280 And so he created the sun and the moon and the earth and a man so that he could be fulfilled. 294 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,520 What blasphemy actually. 295 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:55,080 It's a rather entertaining monologue, but in the end it's blasphemy because God lacks 296 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:56,800 nothing. 297 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,460 God did not need to create us. 298 00:29:59,460 --> 00:30:03,880 He does not need our worship today. 299 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:16,000 He is a God who is entirely content with himself and not sinfully. 300 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:30,440 God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit need nothing beyond himself. 301 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:37,080 God is the God that we worship, the God who is perfectly content. 302 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:47,480 And his desire is that you and I might learn also in life to be content with him. 303 00:30:47,480 --> 00:31:02,360 Content with his ways, content with his will, content with his provision. 304 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:11,560 When we are anxious, when we are restless, when we are frustrated, in those moments we 305 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:20,440 are not reflecting the God that we worship, who is content. 306 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:25,320 You begin to think about your life and how the triune God, the worship of him, should 307 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:26,320 impact it. 308 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:32,180 You'll be amazed at some of the things that come to your mind because of the uniqueness 309 00:31:32,180 --> 00:31:34,440 of our God. 310 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:38,880 In all of the world our faith is unique. 311 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:47,960 And coming to a deeper understanding of him should bring us to genuine and profound worship. 312 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:57,680 I invite you to join me in bowing our heads as we worship him in song. 313 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:21,520 Father, we adore you, lay my life before you, how I love you. 314 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:48,400 Jesus, I adore you, lay my life before you, how I love you. 315 00:32:48,400 --> 00:33:16,560 Spirit, I adore you, lay my life before you, how I love you. 316 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:27,160 Could you address God in the sanctuary of your heart right now and speak to the Father, 317 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:50,040 the Son, and the Holy Spirit, words of love and devotion. 318 00:33:50,040 --> 00:34:02,480 Our Father, we confess that as we study this doctrine in the Word, it is a mystery to us. 319 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:11,920 But oh the meaning and how relevant it is in our day. 320 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:22,380 I pray that you will in fact draw us to true worship of yourself. 321 00:34:22,380 --> 00:34:31,640 And I pray also that you will make us faithful ambassadors of the triune God and of the redemption 322 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:37,880 that you have provided for us through the Son. 323 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:47,000 Tell us we pray with the Holy Spirit that we might be powerful and energized to represent 324 00:34:47,000 --> 00:35:01,200 you and to live a life with the likeness of Jesus in the midst of a dark, a perverse generation. 325 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:09,440 Cause us to shine forth as the sons of God. 326 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:20,700 Oh God, the Lord who is one, we worship you. 327 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:27,200 We worship you as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 328 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:35,560 Amen. 329 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:39,360 The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 330 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:43,500 And we want to praise you Lord, you three. 331 00:35:43,500 --> 00:35:48,760 And let's do so by singing together number 46, praise ye the triune God. 332 00:35:48,760 --> 00:36:05,720 Please stand together as we sing. 333 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:21,360 Praise ye the Father for his loving kindness, Tenderly cares he for his erring children. 334 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:29,680 Praise him ye angels, praise him in the heavens. 335 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:37,640 Praise ye Jehovah. 336 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:45,640 Praise ye the Savior, great is his compassion. 337 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:54,200 Graciously cares he for his chosen people. 338 00:36:54,200 --> 00:37:03,120 Praise ye the young men and maidens, Ye old men and children. 339 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:11,560 Praise ye the Savior. 340 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:28,400 Praise ye the Spirit, Comforter of Israel, Sent of the Father and the Son to bless us. 341 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:37,160 Praise ye the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 342 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:46,560 Praise ye the triune God. 343 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:52,520 You seated. 344 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,960 Well in the name of the Lord we again welcome you to the service and we ask all of you to 345 00:37:56,960 --> 00:38:01,360 complete the registration form and to put it in the offering plate when it's passed 346 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:03,560 in just a moment. 347 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:10,960 I hope you'll be back tonight at 6 o'clock for our service which will focus on baptism 348 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:15,680 and the testimonies of those who are following the Lord in obedience. 349 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:20,240 There will also be some good music, it will be a great evening and we hope that you'll 350 00:38:20,240 --> 00:38:23,680 join us in this time of fellowship. 351 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:29,840 Please notice that this Wednesday night begins our summer life ministry. 352 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:34,400 It starts at 7 o'clock, not 6.30 as indicated in the newsletter. 353 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:40,080 Please take note of that, 7 o'clock under the capable leadership of Steve Hinkle this 354 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:46,600 ministry to children entering kindergarten up through the sixth grade this fall will 355 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:55,320 continue each night usually from 7 to 8 o'clock and that will occur through August the 16th. 356 00:38:55,320 --> 00:39:00,800 Children may register the first night this week and there is no nursery that is available 357 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:05,320 on Wednesday night, those notes from Pastor Bartlett. 358 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:10,240 So I hope that you'll plan to have your children here and they'll enjoy a great time under 359 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:15,760 the leadership of Steve Hinkle and his helpers. 360 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:21,740 By the way in the back of the newsletter today there are a number of summer changes that 361 00:39:21,740 --> 00:39:23,160 you'll need to notice. 362 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:33,080 A few of those will affect you, most of you I should say and that starts on June the 4th. 363 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:38,200 Now while you're reading that just out of the other ear, notice that this Thursday is 364 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:40,120 our St. Paul Fellowship luncheon. 365 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,320 We'd like you to be a part of that if you work in downtown St. Paul. 366 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:46,840 Please call us at the office to let us know. 367 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:51,280 Those of you who normally come should get a call this month, this week I should say, 368 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:53,520 reminding you about it. 369 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:57,280 But if you have not been a part of that before and would like to come, we can give you the 370 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,940 details if you'll just call the office. 371 00:39:59,940 --> 00:40:06,080 The roses on the organ this morning are in honor of Tyler James, born on May the 13th 372 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:14,700 to Bruce and Debbie Dahl, and Elizabeth Rose, born on the 19th to Rob and Jill Burton. 373 00:40:14,700 --> 00:40:17,680 We congratulate them. 374 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:23,600 Also enclosed in your newsletter today should be a copy of our summer preaching schedule 375 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:25,880 in the morning services. 376 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:30,640 Summer is often looked upon as a time to sort of relax and sit back and maybe even take 377 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:31,640 off. 378 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:36,880 I want to encourage you to make this summer a time of spiritual advance. 379 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:38,980 Have a summer adventure. 380 00:40:38,980 --> 00:40:43,680 Along with the topics that you see covered here which focus on the Christian life, there 381 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:48,800 are some other things that we're going to be doing that I hope will enhance your spiritual 382 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,480 adventure through this summer. 383 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:52,840 So join us, won't you? 384 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:55,520 June 4th right through September 3rd. 385 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:59,900 Recognizing you'll be out of town for vacation some, but when you're in town be faithfully 386 00:40:59,900 --> 00:41:05,160 here with us and worship at Grace Church. 387 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:11,340 The greatest thing that I can do for you as your pastor to increase your joy in the Lord 388 00:41:11,340 --> 00:41:14,520 is to encourage your generosity and giving. 389 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:18,260 For it is that generous heart that God blesses with joy. 390 00:41:18,260 --> 00:41:23,200 I want to encourage you today to be a joyful giver and to know the blessing of God in your 391 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:24,200 life. 392 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:27,440 Let's bow together as we pray. 393 00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:33,560 And now our Lord as we bow together, we want to remember John and Lydia Rhodes. 394 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:41,320 How grateful we are for this couple who have poured out their lives in evangelism and discipling. 395 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:45,880 We pray that you will bless their resettlement in Oregon. 396 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:51,720 And we also would pray for their disciples, the young men who are scattered throughout 397 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:57,200 Asia, evangelizing and planting churches. 398 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:04,800 Particularly do we think of our friend whom we helped as a church, Chaya Robahi in Indonesia. 399 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:09,880 As he comes to the end of the school year there and the young men that he's trained 400 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:12,360 scattered throughout that nation. 401 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:15,760 We pray that your hand will be upon them. 402 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:20,240 You would go before them and lead them to the villages where they ought to evangelize 403 00:42:20,240 --> 00:42:21,700 and plant churches. 404 00:42:21,700 --> 00:42:25,400 Provide the needs we pray for that work in Indonesia. 405 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:29,840 And Father, our minds are upon China this morning. 406 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:35,100 In this time of unrest in that populous. 407 00:42:35,100 --> 00:42:39,940 We believe that somehow your sovereign hand is working there. 408 00:42:39,940 --> 00:42:44,800 May the outcome of it be the advancement of the gospel. 409 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:50,440 We do pray for increased freedom, but only if it will serve the purposes of the kingdom 410 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:52,880 of God. 411 00:42:52,880 --> 00:43:01,600 How we pray that multiplied millions in that land would come to Christ and find in him 412 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:06,600 their eternal hope of salvation. 413 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:14,640 And we think too of your work in Russia and those nations behind the Iron Curtain in Eastern 414 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:16,300 Europe. 415 00:43:16,300 --> 00:43:24,040 Many of whom are experiencing days of unparalleled freedom in recent years at least. 416 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:28,520 And we pray that your people will take advantage of this for your work. 417 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:37,960 But particularly we pray for the believers in Bulgaria, in Romania, and for the very 418 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:42,560 few apparently that are in Albania. 419 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:50,560 God we pray that they will sense today your support in this time of persecution and hardship. 420 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:58,020 Father, we commit to you the ministry to our children in the midweek. 421 00:43:58,020 --> 00:44:00,600 Bless Steve and the others who will be leading that. 422 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:07,400 May this be a profitable summer of teaching important principles to the children and just 423 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:11,040 having fun with them in a godly way. 424 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:17,700 Use the example of the leaders to reinforce what the parents are teaching in the home. 425 00:44:17,700 --> 00:44:21,480 May that be true in Sunday school as well, right through the summer. 426 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,280 We pray that you will raise up the workers that are needed to fill the holes here and 427 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:26,280 there. 428 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:29,880 Lord, you are doing great things in our midst. 429 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:33,540 Thank you for those in recent days who have trusted the Savior. 430 00:44:33,540 --> 00:44:38,480 We pray for their growth and their encouragement in the things of the Lord. 431 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:40,120 And now bless each one who gives. 432 00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:45,360 Fill them I pray with the joy that you have promised because of their generosity. 433 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:56,880 In Jesus name, amen.