Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. My health is improving little by little. I am thankful to the Lord for allowing me to post this message.
Today, as we approach a new year, I am beginning what will be a rather extensive series of messages focusing our attention on the attributes of God. We will look at what qualities and characteristics make up the God of the Bible. I believe that this is of vital importance, because we need to know who the God that we worship is. There are a lot of people who worship a God of their own invention, but their God is not the God that is presented to us in the Scripture and fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
Our first message in the series will focus on the fact that the Bible presents God as one God in three persons. This is most often referred to as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. I know that there has been much debate over the course of Church history in the East and in the West regarding how the Trinity is defined. Let me say this. No one will ever be able to fully understand the doctrine of the Trinity. It is a holy mystery. We have to accept a lot of the doctrine of the Trinity on faith believing what the Bible does reveal to us about it.
First of all the Bible is clear that there is one God. Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us, "Hear O Israel the Lord is One." We serve and worship one God not three gods or many gods as those in some religions do. We also see in Scripture the doctrine that there are three persons in the Godhead. John chapter 1 tells us clearly, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. This shows us the Father and the Son. Galatians 4 tells us that in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is God's Son and the final and ultimate Word of God to this world. Colossians 1:16 lets us know that all things were created by Jesus, through Jesus and for Jesus.
One of the passages in the Bible that most clearly demonstrates the doctrine of the Trinity occurs in the events surrounding the baptism of Jesus. Jesus went down into the water with John. When Jesus came up out of the water, a voice from Heaven said, "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." At that same moment, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Jesus. In this event we have the voice of the Father, the Son being baptized and the Holy Spirit coming down as a dove upon Jesus all revealed.
Jesus taught the doctrine of the Trinity when He gave us the Great Commission. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I believe that there could not be anything clearer.
There are some who try to deny the doctrine of the Trinity. This is known as the unitarian position. Most, not all, unitarians deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. Some unitarians believe in what is called the Jesus only doctrine. Unitarianism is not supported by the Bible. I believe that the few verses that I've shared with you today clearly demonstrate that God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer Requests
My health is improving little by little each day. I thank the Lord for that, and I thank you for your prayers.
Let us remember to pray for those in the US affected by the terrible winter storms. Pray that people can recover and get any aid that they need in order to recover.
Please continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Ukraine, Syria and Yemen really need our prayers.
Pray for an end to the drought in Somalia.
Pray that the sickness outbreak in the US and other parts of the world will end. We are dealing with flu, coronavirus and RSV in the US. Other places in the world are dealing with coronavirus, cholera and ebola. Pray that the sick will recover and that these sicknesses will come to an end.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray that those who live in the nations of Bhutan and Algeria will hear about the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our new sermon series. I will post the verses on Tuesday, and I will try to post a review midweek. May God bless you all.
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