Triune God - Presence, Purpose, & Power Matthew 28:16-20 Pastor Dan Matasovsky Dear Friends in Christ Jesus; The famous preacher of the past, Charles Spurgeon tells a story about a young man fresh out of the seminary came to a new congregation just prior to Trinity Sunday and said that he would preach the following week. He said he would spend the week studying the Bible and then next Sunday he would help the congregation to know and understand the Trinity. This young preacher went out by the seaside to study and prepare for the next Sunday s sermon. As he began to study he spotted a young man from the congregation doing a very strange thing. He was busy with a spoon going out to the sea, filling the spoon with water and pouring it into a hole he had dug on the beach. This young preacher watched for a few minutes and then couldn t stand it any longer so he went over to him and asked: What are you doing??? "The young man said: 'I intend to bring all the sea into this little hole I ve dug! "This young preacher answered.., 'Why do you attempt such an impossible task, and waste your time?' "The young man looked the young preacher in the eye and said: You said last week you would help us understand the Trinity. I believe I have a better chance of bringing all the sea into this hole then for you to explain the Trinity to us. Both are impossible! But I believe I have a better chance of success. Your talking about three persons and ONE GOD.. You can t explain it you simply believe it! It s an article of Faith, either you believe it or you don t believe it. David penned this words in the Psalms: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare His Mighty Acts... David concludes by saying...god knows what is going on in the world... He is the ruler of the universe and knows all of His chosen people and looks out for their eternal welfare. This morning I don t intend to explain to you the Trinity. But I would like to look at the Triune God from a little different perspective. This morning I want you to see His PRESENCE among us..his PURPOSE for being here and HIS PROMISE that is so critical in your life and mine.. But where do you find such information about God. People today want to look everywhere but in the Bible. Some would say: Look into yourself? The thought is that each individual can search their own heart and determine who god is and what he does in his life They call it the god within! I would say: THAT IS NOT GOD! So where should we look: In science? You know the last flight of the Space Shuttle carried a special piece of equipment that will search outer space to see how this world came into existence. Is it going give us the answer? I can assure you the answer is: NO! They will come up with a bunch of theories but You and I know the answer to that problem. It s not 1 P a g e
found in science! So where do we look for answers to our Spiritual Needs. In the Occultism, in Astrology, in gurus and Allah of today. In gods of this world. Many would say that when it comes to spiritual needs we ought to be thankful that people believe in something.. and since all roads lead to god anyway. To that I would say: NONE SENSE! We go to one source: the Word of God, the Bible, the author is the Triune God who created and sustains this world.. There is only one source of Spiritual Energy, and that is the Triune God. From Him and Him alone comes the power that creates and sustains life. This is Trinity Sunday, and the reality of the true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is and always will be the only source that we need in our lives. FIRST LET S LOOK AT HIS PRESENCE.. It began as we say in the Apostle s Creed which tells us that God is the Creator.. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth. Paul says in Col 1:6 By Him (God) things in heaven and earth visible and invisible were made. In Psalm 36:6 O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. God watches over His creation and He knows what is happening in your life and mine right now. Furthermore He Owns it all. Ps. 50:10 Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills are mine. So God still owns this world in which we live. We are users not abusers of God s world.. We are placed here to be administrators in His Kingdom. We are called by God to take care of His world, to use it and urge others to do the same. It really belongs to Him. But the world from the beginning has gone contrary to the Lord at every turn so that we are lost eternally without Him. His presence is clearly seen in what we as Christians see in His sending of His only Son Jesus Christ into this world born of a woman to do for us what we were unable to do. This Jesus of Nazareth, walked on this earth, eventually was crucified, died, and was buried. Yet, in His glorious resurrection he can stand here and exclaim in our text All authority in heaven and on earth has been give to me.. He can also say: Lo I am with you always, to the close of the age The disciples caught the vision of this Risen Lord and talked with people about God s presence again and again. In fact the disciples were so impressed with Jesus that they often said: What manner of man is this that the wind and the waves obey Him! And again: What manner of man is this who drives out evil spirits! And again: What manner of man is this that He can raise people from the dead. They were thrilled by what he said and did. He had ability to save and restore.. This is what no force on earth can do.. It could and did remove the stains of sin and guilt from the followers of Jesus Remember Peter, who was always challenging the Lord, and the Lord forgave Him. Or think of John Mark who after traveling with Paul on the first missionary journey opted out of the mission work when he saw the mountains they would be traveling through. but later we find he is helpful to Paul when He is in Jail and brings Paul his cloak. This is the kind of Savior we have who was visible among His people. Jesus presence among them was proof beyond a shadow of doubt that he had been successful. As a result, His familiar presence was totally new and conveyed the assurance that he 2 P a g e
had done what no political maneuvering could do. He did something that no wind Turbine, no solar panel, no nuclear plan could produce. Namely reconciliation between an angry God to an ungrateful and rebellious world. No one.. not the presidents, or congressmen or women, or leaders, or preachers could heal the broken relationship between God and mankind. Only God s Son, Jesus Christ who suffered and who died innocently was the one who could, and has resurrected what he had promised long ago. Jesus said just before his crucifixion to the disciples: You will be grieved when I die, but when you see me again, your joy will be full, As he stood with them on the familiar hill in Galilee, and even after he ascended back into heaven, there was nothing missing in the completeness and the happiness of the disciples. No matter how difficult it would get on this earth they knew and believed what Jesus said. Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world. And then after this life you will be with me in glory. So it is among us even today when the road in life becomes long and hard for us. The presence of the Lord helps us press on, reminding us of what He has done and giving us from time to time a mountain top experiences to strengthen and sustain us. One day our weakness will become our strength our fear will be turned to confidence.., and our defeats to victory. WHY? As Jesus said: All authority is mine.. and the Father, the Spirit and the Son will never leave you. This is His presence among you and you and you.. and me even today. BUT WHAT WAS HIS PURPOSE We see it in the life of the disciples following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Suddenly there was a new sense of purpose in the lives of the disciples. For purpose is power. A well aimed and purpose directed life is potent stuff. An aimless life, even with all kinds of gifts and abilities, has no punch. This is what Paul meant when he said: I don t just shadow box when I fight. In other words, Paul knew what to say and how to say it.. Just read the 13 epistles he wrote to the churches and individuals and you will understand. The purpose is life itself. What gives meaning to life? How can it be displayed? Paul used both word and example as he talked to the Christians again and again. etc. He talked about their willingness to live the faith.. To celebrate it together.. to keep their focus not just on this life but on the life to come with God in Eternity. Paul wanted to see a unity between the people as they helped one another in the Lord. Look at what he said to Timothy: GOD WANTED ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. In other words that God had sent His Son for one purpose To die for the sins of the whole world. That probably shocked the people of Paul s day for they didn t think the Gentiles should be a part of the Kingdom unless they became Jews. So today we have a hard time thinking of others in the world who seem to hate us as being someone for whom Christ has died and rose.. But God would have no one lost. So too we need to understand that difference. We know and believe that Christ objectively died for all people. Every person on the face of the world has an out when it comes to sinfulness and rebellion against God. Christ Died for All. No one is exempt from receiving the benefits of His death and resurrection. But that faith must become subjective in the lives of people. People need to accept the fact of what Christ has done for them. If they refuse to believe that what Christ has done for them 3 P a g e
they will be lost eternally. In other words you and I need to get the word out to people and help them understand that this is critical to their daily life. This powerful purpose is available to you and me for our life and work through the means of grace that God has given to us. So Jesus could say: Go and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Triune God and teach them to observe all that I have given you You and I do have the Word of God so we can read it together study it get our direction from it.. and use it to help our family and friends to see the love that God has for each of them. In that way his purpose becomes fulfilled as we reach out to the whole world and make God available to all people so they can see the love that God has for you and me. FINALLY LET S LOOK AT THE POWERFUL PROMISE GOD HAS MADE. GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS GREAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU AND ME.. FIRST He made the world and when everything fell apart he developed this great plan to free us from the corrupted of sin in our life. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to come down to this earth really in work clothes of our nature to hammer out the product of salvation by living, dying, and rising again for us. But God now goes a step further. He sends the Holy Spirit to impact our lives by not only living within each one of us but by pointing us again and again to the work and reconciliation that takes place in Jesus Christ. These are his mighty acts. This is his name. A Christian is saturated with that name, literally in Baptism. He is wrapped in these mighty acts to the inspiration of and instruction in the gospel which sustains faith in these mighty acts. This is his daily promise even today. This great God still comes to you and me, on Monday, Tues. Wed. Thurs. Frid etc. telling us that our Great God is concerned about our life. He is concerned that you see His name as vital, but yet we are not disappointed when things don t go as we think they should go in our life. It is His world not ours. We are His servants! And His Promise is to be with us forever. I have a book in my library that was given to be by my DCE at Emanuel a number of years ago and I have referred to that book often. It is entitled: KEEPING THE SABBATH WHOLLY. It is written by Marva J. Dawn. She speaks to Educators and I know has spoken a number of years ago to our DCE at a conference in Colorado. The just of the book is that we need to see our weeks differently. She talks about Sunday as being the MIDDLE OF THE WEEK-- NOT THE END OR THE BEGINNING OF OUR WEEK unless our desire is to become WEAK-- in our faith. She says: After worship we should spend the next 3 days living on the strength that we received from worship that day.. The music, message, prayers, scripture readings should form a foundation for our daily living Then when we get to Thursday we begin to anticipate our time together the following week by reading the Scripture passages for the service up coming, and by talking with friends about what we need from worship in the coming week. IF WE SEE SUNDAY AS THE MIDDLE OF OUR WEEK WE CAN REMAIN STRONG IN THE LORD. MARVA DAWN HAS IT RIGHT.. THAT LEADS RIGHT INTO WHAT OUR TEXT SAYS WHEN IT GIVES US THE promise of the imperative GO MAKE DISCIPLES Jesus Christ never told anyone to do what can t be done. If he says: Do the impossible, it will happen! You can t do it alone, but, then you are never alone. 4 P a g e
And that brings us to the JOY of this promise. WHEN JESUS SAYS GO MAKE DISCIPLES.. HE IS NOT SENDING US OUT ON A BLIND ENDEAVOR. His promise is this: I WILL BE THERE.. I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS TO SAY I WILL BE YOUR GREAT GOD.. When Jesus says: I am with you always, to the close of the age.. He s not just saying that he will be there to watch, or even just to encourage. He will be there as an active participant. You won t be alone, witnessing to his presence He will be giving you the words. What God calls you and me to do is to SHARE OUR FAITH SHARE WHAT JESUS CHRIST MEANS TO YOU AND ME AND THEN LET THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVINCE AND CONVICT THEM OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIFE. You are not alone, convicting anyone of his sin; that is the work of the Holy Spirit. You won t have to convert anyone to faith. He will take care of that also. This is sheer power, this is a promise. You and I are called to be living witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means we are not here just to enjoy life although God wants that for each of us but our real mission is to be about His task of sharing the love of God.. his desire for all to be saved.. and the commitment to go before us so we can be instruments in the hands of the Lord. We need energy in our world.. Spiritual Energy.. Until we see that in our daily life, participate in it with one another, we will not see how God is actively involved in our daily life. Our Triune God is alive, active, and powerful beyond imagination. HE IS PRESENT IN OUR LIFE HE HAS A PURPOSE AND HE HAS A POWERFUL PROMISE FOR YOU AND ME. What a joy that we can pray. O Lord, who used your power chiefly in showing mercy.. may we make use of His power as we live and move in our Gracious Lord s Name. Do you believe that then say AMEN. 5 P a g e