Easter Thoughts about the Trinity March 29 2007

I was praying for a friend today as I read John's gospel reading in the daily lectionary, from John 10. She is trying to get a handle on the reformed understanding of the Trinity, coming from a Pentecostal Christian tradition. (Even for us Presbyterian seminary trained folks, the Trinity is a tough doctrine to grasp, let alone articulate). Jesus is talking to the doubters and the believers about himself.
²⁷My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. ³⁰The Father and I are one."

Here's what came to mind as I enter Holy Week:

What God the Father gave Jesus was eternal life in God’s own self, and this is what God has given us who believe in Jesus as Savior-God, who embraced the agony of the cross for our salvation. God became human so God could gather the sheep near in a way God had never done before, so that God could be near to them in a real and physical way. So that God could save them, dying for our sins, once for all. Humans needed to hear God’s voice as a sheep hears the shepherd’s voice, and cares for them. So God became man. And in this man was all that God is, was and ever will be. John 1:1-12 – “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God…” God became human so we could identify with the passion of God, and suffering of God, and God with ours.

Then God sent the Spirit, after God died for us (In the Trinitarian sense, It was GOD who died for us in Christ), to be with us forever providing an endless source of faith, grace, forgiveness, power, strength, courage, wisdom, hope, knowledge, etc.

The Lord God who lived, died and rose is the Trinitarian God. The three are one. And in all of these acts as well as other mighty acts of God, they are one – in the creation of the world, in the incarnation, in the miracles and ministry on earth, in the death and resurrection, in eternity, at the judgment at the end of the age. Like water, steam and ice - one substance, three forms, various functions. The Trinity existed before time, and was manifested in one form or the other throughout time, and will be there for all time, even at the end of time.

Next week we will sing the old hymn, "Jesus Christ is risen today". Jesus reminds us,
"I and the Father are one." As Jesus rises to give us new life, so we are reminded of God's eternal character, and lasting promise that we who believe shall dwell with God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, on earth and in heaven, now and forever. Amen.

Long live the risen Lord.

First Thoughts March 27 2007

Psalm 34; Jer. 25:8-17; Romans 10:1-13; John 9:18-41; Psalm 25:1-22

Spiritual blindness can overcome us any time and it can stay with us even when we are given the truth. The man in John's gospel was blind from birth. After he was healed by Jesus, the Jews didn't believe he had been blind from birth until they talked to his parents. They insisted on checking it out for themselves. But they remained blind to the truth even after they heard it. They asked the man himself, how he could have been made to see, not believing what they could not understand. Even after they heard it from the healed blind man himself, "All I know is once I was blind and now I can see," they did not see the truth, nor did they want to:
He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again?

They had formed their conclusions about the truth. They were blind in their sin, though Jesus came for sinners. As I explore what is the will of God, I can often have my own perceptions about what is and what is not true. I can be blind to the truth of a matter or an issue, even when it is front of me. Even when there is proof. I think that is because receiving the truth means we might have to give up our own perceptions and convictions and realities. If we take the cup and drink it, we might have to confess we are blind and wrong about a lot of things.

God sees the heart of the matter and sees our hearts. If to others it seems impossible that a blind man can see, or that a simple person can be wise, or a marginalized individual can see the truth, or a sinner can have a word for us, To God all things are possible - salvation comes from hearing the truth when we cannot always see it.

I think we need to listen to the Spirit, so that we can see our circumstances from God's perspective. So we can see others as Jesus sees them - we are ALL blind from birth, and remain blind, without the love of Jesus touching us personally. We do not inherit the truth by gender, or heritage, or knowledge or power - we come to see the truth because Jesus touched us. And then we come to faith, and without shame, claim that HE is Lord, not our own agendas. ¹¹The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

The song, Open my Eyes That I may See, comes to mind. It is sung in worship together. May we not wink at the truth, or close a blind eye to the One who gathers us all together to praise Him as one:

³O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together (Psalm 25). Then let the truth set us free to see to the heart of the matters before us.

Reflection on the Psalm March 26 2007

Morning: Psalm 119:73-80

⁷³Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

⁷⁴Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,

because I have hoped in your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that your judgments are right,

and that in faithfulness you have humbled me.

⁷⁶Let your steadfast love become my comfort

according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;

for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸Let the arrogant be put to shame,

because they have subverted me with guile;

as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹Let those who fear you turn to me,

so that they may know your decrees.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in your statutes,

so that I may not be put to shame.

These are humbling words to this preacher. I read them right after I had received another email from a member telling me how much my message Sunday the 25th had spoken to her. She was not the only one. In fact, I was overwhlemed yesterday with feedback on my sermon about the journey with Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). Watch and pray with me, Jesus asked us. Stay awake with me. Watch me agonize over what I must do, even as I will agonize with you over what you must do in your life. Please don't fall asleep to God's will and God's heart, he pleads.

It appears my message woke up a few folks. Myself included. I had entered the Garden earlier in the week as I prepared the message. God led me there, where I wrestled to stay awake and prayed, a lot more than I usually do. Because this week, Jesus asked me to. My life with Jesus has formed my thoughts and practices, and given me understanding. I know Jesus is the only way to wholeness and hope, and that He will walk with me as I study and pray and deliberate and counsel in my ministry. Many decisons are hard; many people are broken; the church has challenges I don't have answers for. Many came with me into the Garden, weary and tired, discouraged and confused. But for such a time as this, like He did for David and Moses and Paul and Deborah and Esther, and others, God has given me understanding and compassion. God has given me faith and hope and wisdom. And God has given me a word for others.

Yesterday I brought it. And the people rejoiced. Not in me - but in the Word in me - that Jesus had had his way with me too, in the Garden and gave me the words I was to pass on: that God's judgments are right, even when they chafe. That our only hope is in the Lord, when other ways would be easier; that God's love is our only comfort, when people fail us, and trouble hounds us. I know it to be true in my life. And so I preached it, humbly, as one called out to stay alert to the needs of others, as I stay close to Jesus, my Lord and Savior, and pray with Him. For He prays for me, and He prays for them.

My words are His words, or may I be put to shame.