Top of the morning to you!
So, if you're still pondering the mystery of the Holy Trinity this morning, perhaps you're wondering WHY it has to be that way? Why not simply remove ourselves from the realm of mystery and simply come down on one side or another--either God is ONE and that's that, or there are three Gods.
Well, in short, this is a classic example of living with paradox. The Scriptures have always presented God as one. The ancient 'Shema' (creed/confession) of Israel says as much: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deut 6:4). Yet the Apostle Paul, one of the most zealous Jews who ever lived, states in Col 2:9: "For in Him [Jesus] all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form..." Hence the paradox. Either the Bible is inconsistent and incapable of being trusted, or it presents a truth/picture of God that is beyond our ability to comprehend fully. I prefer the latter. I'm always ok with it when there's more God than what will fit in my box.
On the other hand, maybe you're wondering why my egg example used with the kids was less than perfect. Well, it gets the message across nicely that there is one-in-three and three-in-one (one egg=shell/yolk/white). The example breaks down, however, when one just looks at the PARTS. In looking at just the yolk, one is not viewing the entire 'eggness'.....one is just viewing the yolk. Ditto that with the white & the shell. In order to see the entire 'eggness' one needs all 3 together. This is not true of the Holy Trinity. In looking at Jesus of Nazareth, even tho he is the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, one is nonetheless looking at 100% of God (as opposed to 33.3%). The Father is likewise 100% God; the Spirit is likewise 100% God; and yet, to paraphrase the Athanasian Creed, God is not 300%, etc. Now we're back to the realm of mystery.
All of which supports my contention that while it is necessary that we are to KNOW what it is that we're supposed to believe, there's really no way we can COMPREHEND it........and in the end, the more important thing is that we've been touched by this God who is mysteriously one-in-three, than it is that we merely say the right things about this God.
cheers,
TM
About Me...what is an 'evangelical-catholic?'
- Pastor Tim Manwell
- Elk Grove Village, IL, United States
- I was born & raised in rural mid-Michigan (M-go blue!). Life & work have taken me to many different places. God has too, as I've come to learn that faith is a pilgrimage. I very much resonate with the label 'EVANGELICAL-CATHOLIC.' I was raised Baptist, but found myself drawn to the Sacraments & Liturgy of the Church. I appreciate very much the words of the Augsburg Confession: "...nothing has been received among us, in doctrine or in ceremonies, that is contrary to Scripture or to the church catholic." Evangelical-catholic is a term of self-designation used by Christians coming from a broad spectrum of theological perspectives and commitments, ranging from Lutherans, Anglicans, and various Evangelicals yearning for greater catholicity .....to faithful Roman Catholics longing for an evangelical renewal of the Church. Perhaps beneath the apparent denominational differences there lies a common...groaning of the Spirit of God, who is seeking to draw the members of Christ’s mystical body into a communal life that is both fully catholic and fully evangelical. One can always hope and pray!
Listen to Current Sermons (hi speed)
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Pentecost, morning after thoughts
Good morning!
Well, in a way I think that we did a pretty good job of wringing out that text from Acts 2 yesterday, so my thoughts this morning are more along the lines of the BROAD picture of the gift of the Spirit. Indeed some of the standout verses in my mind right now are from the SECOND reading, and how they could apply to Acts 2 & also to us today. For instance 1Cor 12:4 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;" and vs 11 "all of these are activated by one and the same Spirit..."
In other words, the point St. Paul is making in that passage is that the DIVERSITY of gifts/talents that we encounter in the Body of Christ (aka the Church), is a result of the working of a single entity, the Holy Spirit of God.
Now let's apply that thinking to yesterday's text in Acts 2. There were roughly 15 major geographic areas mentioned in Acts 2, but given the plethora of individual dialects etc., it is impossible to say how ALL-ENCOMPASSING this miracle of languages was. This is especially true if, as I've maintained, ALL [roughly] 120 members of the Jesus group received this blessing. Yet, however many different languages/dialects it may have been, it's interesting to note that what Paul says in 1Cor about the diversity of the gifts and the unity of the purpose still applies. Even if there were 120 different languages or dialects being spoken during this miraculous event, Acts 2:11b stands out: "in our own languages we hear them speaking ABOUT GOD'S DEEDS OF POWER."
And there you have it.....the DIVERSITY of the Spirit's gifts being used for a UNITY of purpose. ALL of those languages being spoken were for ONE purpose.
Last week we talked about the chronic problem of disunity in the church.
Where this is exacerbated, I would venture to say that people are ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Diversity within the church is nothing new. It's that way by design. That includes diversity of opinion. With all of those 1Cor 12 gifts floating around, one must expect a diversity of opinion on how to use them. This is fine....even healthy....so long as we always keep in mind our UNITY of purpose. This too is of the Spirit!
Later!
TM
Well, in a way I think that we did a pretty good job of wringing out that text from Acts 2 yesterday, so my thoughts this morning are more along the lines of the BROAD picture of the gift of the Spirit. Indeed some of the standout verses in my mind right now are from the SECOND reading, and how they could apply to Acts 2 & also to us today. For instance 1Cor 12:4 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;" and vs 11 "all of these are activated by one and the same Spirit..."
In other words, the point St. Paul is making in that passage is that the DIVERSITY of gifts/talents that we encounter in the Body of Christ (aka the Church), is a result of the working of a single entity, the Holy Spirit of God.
Now let's apply that thinking to yesterday's text in Acts 2. There were roughly 15 major geographic areas mentioned in Acts 2, but given the plethora of individual dialects etc., it is impossible to say how ALL-ENCOMPASSING this miracle of languages was. This is especially true if, as I've maintained, ALL [roughly] 120 members of the Jesus group received this blessing. Yet, however many different languages/dialects it may have been, it's interesting to note that what Paul says in 1Cor about the diversity of the gifts and the unity of the purpose still applies. Even if there were 120 different languages or dialects being spoken during this miraculous event, Acts 2:11b stands out: "in our own languages we hear them speaking ABOUT GOD'S DEEDS OF POWER."
And there you have it.....the DIVERSITY of the Spirit's gifts being used for a UNITY of purpose. ALL of those languages being spoken were for ONE purpose.
Last week we talked about the chronic problem of disunity in the church.
Where this is exacerbated, I would venture to say that people are ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Diversity within the church is nothing new. It's that way by design. That includes diversity of opinion. With all of those 1Cor 12 gifts floating around, one must expect a diversity of opinion on how to use them. This is fine....even healthy....so long as we always keep in mind our UNITY of purpose. This too is of the Spirit!
Later!
TM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
