Triune Christianity

May 30, 2010
Trinity Sunday
Peace With Justice
Memorial Day Weekend

Triune Christianity
...There are three that testify: 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. – 1 John 5:7-8


My sermon outline:

• The first of the Articles of Religion upon which The UMC is founded:
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

• John Wesley himself had nothing particularly exciting to add to the doctrine of the Trinity; he joined spiritual forebears in affirming it, declaring it central, and declaring it mysterious. Said we need not understand the sun to believe in it or receive its light and heat, we need not understand that Amazing love how can it be that Thou my God shouldst die for me but we can believe in the sacrificial love of Jesus and celebrate God because of it.

• Also not just one God three different hats like I am pastor husband and father, but God the Father is distinguishable from God the Son, etc. And it’s one God not three. The Father is Almighty, the Son is Almighty, the Spirit is Almighty, but it is not three Almighties but one Almighty.

Indeed we do not speak of Trinity because we can with authority, but we speak of Trinity because we must.

• Tis a doctrine born from scripture... JW believed one could not read the NT without constantly hearing of the sending of the Son by the Father and the Spirit’s enabling and fulfilling of the mission of the Son.

• Inasmuch as Trinity is not three different hats of the same God, we children of God are not God, and we can and do wear different hats, and there are multiple aspects of our life of faith that are important, without which our religion would be lacking. Part of our religion, our life of faith, is the confession of belief in Trinity, believing in God our Father who sent his Son Jesus who saves us and empowers us with the gift of God the HS.

• Part of our religion, our life of faith, is the sharing of the gospel, the good news that God loves the world, is in relationship with it and its inhabitants and that God both seeks and makes possible reconciliation, reconciliation between God and man and reconciliation between people. People who know you should know that you believe that God is real and that God is loving and that God takes an important place in your life. By the power of the HS make disciples of all nations...

• And part of our religion, part of our life of faith is mission to the world... to Is 58, to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the prisoner free, to share food with the hungry and provide the poor with shelter and clothes...
Not just people we like or people who believe like we do, but people.

• One of the ways we’re involved is Special Sunday Peace With Justice.
The Special Sunday supports programs that advocate peace and justice at home and around the world.

The United Methodist Church declares that peace with justice will be celebrated when all people have access to adequate jobs, housing, education, food, health care, income support and clean water. The denomination will further celebrate when structures and systems that reflect economic exploitation, war, political oppression and cultural domination no longer exist.

• Jessica is a 12-year old girl in Los Angeles, who every day deals with the stresses and abuses of the large school district she’s a part of. Jessica has also attended a Peace camp that was funded in part by The UMC’s PWJ offerings.
PWJ offerings make possible camps and courses that teach children and young leaders conflict resolution and communication skills, empowering them to bear peace and light in contexts we’re removed from.

• As Ascension people we are hands feet eyes mouths and wallets of God... we remember that we are lovingly created by our father, redeemed by our savior, and sent forth with power by the HS.

May Spirit of Gentleness add to your understanding of our Triune God and God’s calling on our lives.

• Hymn insert: Spirit of Gentleness


- Pastor Kerry

This Sunday: 73 in worship.