Trinity Sunday

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Godly Abiding Spiritually in Jesus Changes the Meaning of What we See Worldly When Not Abiding in Jesus.

Spirituality is our innate ability to feel the difference worldly or godly thinking makes to the way scripture translates to our daily life and relationships.

All Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God. He is the complete revelation of God’s will of grace for salvation. Grace is the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life.

The Gospel of grace is: rather than trying to be more faithful to become faithful, we become faithful by feeling the Faith God already has for and in us.

The Strength of Christianity is Grace

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Another name for Jesus is "Grace". Another name for God is "Grace". We are saved by GRACE. "Love" is not Love if it is not grace. This is true for "Faith", "Hope", "Joy" and all other theological words of significance in the scripture.

Until someone experiences the grace gift in their lives, all other theological words have no real meaning. Why not begin to use the word "grace" in place of "Jesus", "God", "the Spirit", "Love" and so on? It might seem inappropriate to do so. However, until it is actually experienced it will make no sense at all.

That is what this year is all about. Grace, did you get it?

Better Love for better living through grace.  The feeling of the Love of God changes us so that we aren’t controlled by our rational thought about an event, but are enabled by the Wisdom that comes from being in the event.

Pray this prayer from the Collect for this Sunday:

”Almighty God, you have given to us your servants grace, bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory.”

Now quietly move into God's Presence and pray the prayer again:

“Almighty God, you have given to us your servants grace, bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory.”

Did you feel the difference?

Matthew 28:16-20 “Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

The Meaning of Trinity

Trinity Sunday offers us the opportunity to view scripturally the “Three in One doctrine”. It creates a problem because while God is one, God is also three. How can that be more confusing? How can that be important? There are those who have had a close experience with one of the Three Persons and are content to stop there. Belief in all three as compared to just one does not make a person better. The belief comes through experience. All of us have had the experience. We just have not had the name to go along with the experience.

Knowing the Bible references can be helpful here. John’s Gospel opens with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We want to say, “Make up your mind is He God or is He with God”. The answer is. He is both. The biblical theology behind the answer is important to understand. The simple answer is that the difference does not make a difference. He is both with God and He is God.

When Jesus told the Apostles He was going to send them the Holy Spirit, He said I am sending you “another” comforter.

“Another” means it is different from the first but it does not make a difference. Jesus is the comforter. The Holy Spirit is “another” comforter.  It would be like a young child on a hot day enjoying their popsicle when it melts and falls to the ground. The young child is crying. The Mother comes out to say, “Do not cry. I will give you ‘another’ one.” The other one is not the same as the first one. It is different but it does not make a difference.

In Galatians 4:6, Paul writes that “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba! Father!’” We have within, the Spirit of Jesus which leads us to the Father.

In the Great Commission from Matthew just before the ascension of Jesus, He gave the Apostles their marching order. He said, “Go therefore.” The translation of the word, “go” is a participle. It means going. It refers to us not to necessarily just go but it is as we are going along. Jesus rarely went out of His way to minister. God sent Him the ones He was to minister to. We need sometimes to be more aware of who God has sent to us to do ministry. Many times we find them in our own family.

In the old King James the next verse was to “teach all nations.” The meaning of the exact translation is to “make disciples.” We have been teaching and not making disciples. I believe Jesus weeps when going through our country visiting His Churches. We have made many Christians but few disciples.

He tells us how to make disciples. First, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then teach them everything I have commanded you. We are used to teaching everyone first about a spiritual experience that can only make sense once we have experienced it.

What did Jesus command us to do? The Two great Commandments were to Love God and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The New commandment is to love one another as I have Loved you in the Presence of God’s Love.

He told us to “remember, I am with you always.” This refers to the Last supper. We take the Eucharist because we already have the Presence in us, but we need to be constantly reminded. When we are in His Presence this makes much more sense then when we are out. What we believe depends on how we believe.

All of us all the time do not need therapy. Most of us all the time do not know if we need therapy. When we need the therapy of grace, it is there. It only needs to be put on.

Did you get the grace?

“Almighty God, you have given to us your servants grace, bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory.”

THE DISCIPLE-SHIFT: The Virtual Small Group: Members share once a week with their group through the internet when a shift from being out to being in the Presence made a difference.