God is Three in One (Chantilly Sermon)

The Trinity

Why should I care?

• The Apostles cared (point of the NT letters)
• The early Church cared (Council of Nicaea)
• The Church worldwide still cares (persecution)

What is the Trinity?

• Father, Son, Holy Spirit
  • Perfect in Unity
  • In eternal community
  • Mystery! (God is God)

Does the Bible really talk about the Trinity?

Old Testament

• Genesis 1:1-2, 26-27 CSB – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
• Numbers 11:24-30 CSB -Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He brought seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord descended in the cloud and spoke to him. He took some of the Spirit who was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they never did it again. 26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad; the Spirit rested on them—they were among those listed, but had not gone out to the tent—and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”28 Joshua son of Nun, assistant to Moses since his youth, responded, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets and the Lord would place his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
• Joel 2:28-29 CSB – After this
  I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity;
  then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
  your old men will have dreams,
  and your young men will see visions.
  29 I will even pour out my Spirit
  on the male and female slaves in those days.
• Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 CSB – “As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of his head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire.10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from his presence. Thousands upon thousands served him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.13 I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.14 He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

New Testament

• Luke 3:21-22 CSB – When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”
• Matthew 28:18-20 CSB – Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• John 1:1-5, 14 CSB – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.5That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 14:15-18 CSB -“If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you
• 2 Cor 3:16-18 CSB – but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit

Ok. So what?

Apostle’s Creed