If we're going to seek after Jesus and make our way to the cross, we're going to have to do our best to discover who he was, not only as a man, but as God. Today, we move on to know Jesus as the Son of God, fully realized in the doctrine of the Trinity.Does that sound a little heavy? We thought so, too, so we decided to allow another youth pastor to help explain "the Trinty" and how Jesus fits into all of this. :) The following excerpt is from a blog post of Chip Dean, pastor of students at Capshaw Baptist Church in Capshaw, Alabama. Feel free to visit his blog and read his student ministry's strategy. Okay, here we go:
What does it mean that God is Trinity? The term Trinity speaks of the one, true God existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person of the Trinity is fully and equally God, but also They are different from one another in their Personhood and role. In other words, God the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. They are distinct from each other. Also, they each have different roles such as (but not limited to) the Father is the creator, the Son is the sacrifice, and the Spirit is the life-giver. They are distinct (the Father did not die for us).I think it’s so important for us to see that God exists in Trinity (one God in three persons) all the way from eternity past to eternity future. He has never and will never cease to exist as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If He ceases, then He is no longer God and we no longer have salvation through Him. We see in eternity past that God existed as Trinity by God the Father creating the universe, the Spirit is present and hovering over the waters, and the Son is the one Word the Father created everything by and for (John 1:1-3, 17:24). In the New Testament at Jesus’ baptism, we see the Son being baptized, the Father speaking out, and the Spirit indwelling Jesus as a dove (Matt 3:16-17). In eternity future, we see the Father and the Son (the Lamb) ruling from the throne, and we see the Spirit continuing life like a river does for fish, plants, etc (Rev 22:1-2, Ezekiel 47:1-12). Forever and ever, God is Trinity. Do you know Him like this? Do you pray to the Father, through the power of the Spirit for the glory of the Son (Eph 3:15-17)?
See what we mean? It's hard to get your mind around the nature of God. The trinity doesn't even seem rational sometimes - 1 in 3? 3 in 1? What's all that about?
Following the person of Jesus to the Cross requires faith. It's why some guy named St. Anselm (he lived a long time ago) coined the term "Faith seeing understanding." Though it seems risky to trust the nature of God by faith, it's when we take that step toward the cross that we begin to believe and understand the Trinity.
O God, help us to believe about you what we naturally don't understand. Give us eyes and mind to grasp the nature of our Creator. Allow us to know you that we might fall in love with you in a whole new way.
Amen.
