Sunday service August 25th 2019 (WHAT WE BELIEVE - THE TRINITY: No:2)

The three persons of the Christian Godhead; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
There is actually nowhere in the old or new testament where it states that God is
Triune: ie. 3-persons in one, but the biblical support for this is overwhelming.
So, this morning i aim to show (through the scriptures) and if you remember from last
week that we believe, as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) that:16 All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.
PS: If at any time you hear me, Tony or anyone who tries to prove anything outside of
the scriptures, please ‘gently’ correct us, not that we can’t use something secular to
illustrate a spiritual truth, this is something regularly done throughout the bible. Ref
the standard one kilo I mentioned 2-weeks ago (mention University Challenge)
Platinum & Iridium?

So, where is the first evidence of this doctrine?

We don’t have to wait very long in fact it is in the first book of the bible,
Genesis 1:1-3 NKJV Headed, ‘The History of Creation’
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without
form, and void; and darkness [a]was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God
was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and
there was light.

So, it seems that the holy spirit was involved in God’s first act of creation-light. I have
no reason to believe that the holy spirit then left the scene, because still in chapter
one we again see in v26 & 27 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image,
according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over
the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [a]all the earth and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the
image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Us and Our speak of God in the plural, we already know that the holy spirit was there
at the scene.

Then we read: Colossians 1:15-20 (NKJV) headed ‘the pre-eminence of Christ’

‘15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in
him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created
through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to
reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
This is clearly showing that Jesus was intimately involved in creation, v16 “for in Him
all things were created”
In John 1:1-3 (NIV) we read:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.

Only a Creator can make something, Jesus is the maker and Creator of all things
visible and invisible. He was the third person of the trinity, one of the US spoken of in
Gen 1:26

May I just take this opportunity to remind ourselves that “we are created in the image
of God” we have this imprint inside of us, a void nothing else can fill, though we still
try, we think “if only I could have this, or that, or the other my life would be complete”
Please let me encourage you, me, us to seek the Lord with all our hearts, to pursue
Him first and foremost as the first in our heart.
As another aside I would like to mention that the Jehovah’s Witnesses (who I’m sure
we all recognise as false Prophets) change the word, God (capitol ‘G’) to god, (little
‘g’) which is such a fundamental change, reducing the one who created all things
(Jesus) to a god. The bible clearly teaches there is only one God (albeit in 3-persons)
clearly relegates Jesus to a false god!! Psalm 96:5 clearly states: 5 For all the gods of
the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
So, a conclusion of the bible texts show very clearly that all 3-members of the trinity
were active participators in creation:
Now to Jesus divinity: In Matthew 2:11 (NKJV) it says;11 And when they (the 3-Kings)
had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell
down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they
presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Exodus 20:3-5 (NIV)3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.4 “You shall not
make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth
beneath or in the waters below.5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for
I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.
Matthew 4:8-10 (NIV)8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give
you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from
me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[a]”
Satan’s desire is that we can worship anything, anyone, any object, any purpose
rather than GOD himself, that is why he is not too worried about us worshipping pop-
stars, footballers, movie stars, computer Games, nature (those who want to save the
world) Anything that dominates our time, money, heart, strength etc, etc. is a god.

Many times people fell down and worshipped Jesus, there is no reference to Him
objecting to the worship offered to Him, which surely if He was not God He would have
objected to it! When His disciples fell down to worship Him:

Matt 28:99 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him,
clasped his feet and worshipped him.
In John 20:24-28 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Appears to Thomas, 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the
Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him,
“We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where
the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.
Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said Peace be
with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out
your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him,
“My Lord and my God!”

Compare this to Peter in Acts14:8-18 who vehemently objected to any form of worship
made to Him;
Acts 14:8-18 New International Version (NIV)

Paul & Barnabus In Lystra and Derbe

8
In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had
never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him,
saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that,
the man jumped up and began to walk.
11
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language,
“The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and
Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus,
whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates
because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and
rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are
only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from
these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the
sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he
has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from
heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your
hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from
sacrificing to them. Give credit where it is due, worship belongs to God alone, this was
Satan’s downfall, that he tried to usurp God and direct worship to him, it upsets me
when I hear of people describing their personal hero’s as almost god-like, the most
common word I hear in this respect is so & so is awesome!! Even Angels will not
accept worship:
In Revelation 22:8-9 (NKJV)
Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to
8 [a]

worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9
Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant,
[b]

and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book.
Worship God.”

Let us remember that all praise, glory and honour belongs to God alone, He is the only
valid option for worship, we were created for, and to worship God alone.

So, lets read about the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:1-5 (NKJV) Headed lying to the
Holy Spirit: 5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a
possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of
it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said,
“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep
back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your
own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived
this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5
Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear
came upon all those who heard these things.
1 John 5:7 (NKJV)
7
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy
[a]

Spirit; and these three are one.

John 10:30 (NKJV) 30 I and My Father are one.”
John 10:33 (NKJV) Jesus was threatened with stoning by the Jews because “you a
mere man claim to be God” Note: He did not correct them.
John 14:9 (NKJV)9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have
not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say,
‘Show us the Father’?
Another time in Matthew 3:16 (NKJV)16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [a]He
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Matthew 4:1 (NKJV) Headed Satan Tempts Jesus;
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
John 14:26 (NKJV)
26
But the [a]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He
will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Here we see all 3-members of the trinity involved: There is a constant movement
between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The body of evidence for the Trinity
is overwhelming, what I’ve presented today is just a small %age of what is there.