Each year, the Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, the Sunday that we consider the three aspects of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: words Jesus himself used, words we use regularly at church; simple words but an amazingly complex idea, this theology of the Holy Trinity. It’s a distinctly Christian theology, yet there is no explicit doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible. Over time the theology of the Trinity came to be developed, as people tried to better understand Jesus, the Son of God, in relationship to God, whom he called his Father and to God’s Holy Spirit.
And when we try to understand something that is complex, sometimes pictures or diagrams help us with understanding.
The image above illustrates a way of looking at the Trinity, one that I kind of like. This diagram brings forward the idea of the Godhead, the three ‘aspects’ or the ‘three persons’ or ‘personas’ within the one God Almighty—a way to help us understand the doctrine of the Trinity, which is truly one of those very difficult theological conundrums that is nigh on impossible for us to fully wrap our intellects around. Yet on most Sundays Christians will say the Apostle’s Creed; and we regularly say that we believe in One God, the Father, the Almighty, ... and we believe in the one Lord Jesus Christ, son of God... and we believe in the Holy Spirit. Meaning that as Christians we believe that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are manifestations of the One God. Although if asked to explain it, we`d be hard pressed to do so! It’s one of those beliefs that over time, if you really spend any time considering this at all, you do get a sense of it -- kind of within yourself, in your heart, your soul, but to rationally explain it—well according to one source I read: we shouldn’t feel bad about it if we don’t really ‘get’ it completely, or are not able to explain it, because the church fought about it for over a century before they came up with an agreed upon Doctrine of the Trinity.[1] There is no explicit doctrine of the Trinity In the bible per se; this was developed by the church years later after decades of many scholars diligently working on it.
This image above of the Godhead, of course, is not perfect, how could we as humans come up with a perfect image of God?! However, it shows the connection between the three aspects or personas of God, who all together are God. This image shows that there is an ever flowing relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who together are the fullness of God, in the centre of the overlapping is God, where they are together in one. They are by their very nature relational, and invite us into that relationship with them. How do know we are invited into that relationship with them? In the story from John’s Gospel of Nicodemus coming to meet Jesus at night, Jesus says to Nicodemus “the wind blows where it chooses”. And we know that the word ‘wind’ when used in the bible can mean the Spirit of God and/or the breath of God. And the wind, as we know, we sometimes can hear it, we feel it, but can`t see it. We see the effects of the wind, what the wind is doing or has done. That is a bit like the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we can feel her, we see the effect she has on us, and on others and the results of her presence. But we`re not always fully aware of her presence, or completely understand that presence when it blows over us. But the Holy Spirit nudges us none the less. A bit like in Nicodemus’ situation--he had been touched by the Spirit`s presence working in Jesus. He knew there was something about this man; something was nudging him on to find out more. So he sought Jesus out, at night, on the sly so the other religious leaders wouldn’t know—for if they found out, he would put himself and his position as a leader of the synagogue at risk. He just knew that he needed to know more about this special man from God. Yet, when Jesus tried to explain it to him, he found it too challenging to jump on board totally with Jesus’ teachings--this went against his training as a Pharisee, as a teacher to the Jews. Being re-born into the faith it seems isn’t any easier than being born from the womb!
Jesus is inviting Nicodemus into a new faith with him, inviting him into relationship with him, the Son of God, and with God the Father through the indwelling of the Spirit. That’s what Jesus means by being born again. A new life, a life directed by God’s Spirit living in us. This coming to faith, this being infused by the breath, the Spirit of God and being so full of the Spirit of God changes your life to being God-centered in your living. That is the re-birth of oneself as a child of God -- to be in constant relationship with all personas of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to have the love of God within you guiding your life, your decision making, your interaction with others, instead of your own ego and personal agendas and other worldly influences guiding your life.
God wants nothing more than for us to be in relationship with God. How do we know that? Just even the briefest look at the bible, shows us a book full of writings by many people`s experiences with God over thousands of years, how God affected them and their lives. Over and over God calls us back to relationship with God. Through Moses God presented God’s people with laws to guide theirr lives as people who can live in God’s ways. However over the centuries people fell away from living in God’s ways, adapted the laws to suit themselves. So what did God do? God sent prophets to bring God’s word to the people, reminding them to return to God’s way. Then God became incarnate, was born in human form and walked among God’s people as the person of Jesus to once again show us the way. And when Jesus left the earth, he sent the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Comforter so that we would not be without God’s presence. Why does God do this? After all this time why would God even bother? Because “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believe in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” What is Eternal Life? Eternal life is not endlessly living, eternal life is life with God at our center, nudging us, guiding us, empowering us with the Father, the Creator’s life giving love, a love that gives us strength, a love that forgives us and guides us into the ways Christ showed us, the breath of the Spirit surrounding us with loving comfort. It is the way of Hope.
To end with you a Celtic Trinitarian Prayer: May the eye of God dwell within us, may the foot of Christ give guidance to us, and may the shower of the Spirit pour upon us, richly and generously. Amen
[1]David Lose: Dear Working Preacher column: http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=3254 ACCESSSED May 22, 2018