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HAILSHAM LENT COURSE – The Outgoing God
Week 4: THE TRIUNE GOD
RECAP: Knowing God is the stuff of life – (John 17:3; 2 Peter 1:1-11)
We know God in Jesus – He is the Word, the Image, the Way, Truth and Life of God
Therefore it’s Jesus who introduces us to an otherwise invisible Father.
Jesus shows us God’s true glory, lordship, majesty, strength, wisdom and holiness.
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THIS WEEK: We will directly study a truth we’ve been circling around: The Trinity
We do this because understanding Trinity is the only way to understand Jesus:
Jesus is most commonly called “The Christ, the Son of God.”
Christ means “Anointed with the Holy Spirit.”
Son of God means “Eternally begotten of the Father.”
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Therefore to know Jesus is to be introduced to two other Persons
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Knowing Jesus means knowing Trinity - knowing Trinity means knowing Jesus
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GALATIANS 3:26-4:7
The difference between slaves and sons (4:1-3):
Slaves earn, perform, choose, decide, obey.
Sons rest, enjoy, depend, rely, trust.
Slaves have a Slave-driver over them.
Sons have a Father over them.
Slaves look to their performance to know what they’re worth.
Sons look to their Father’s love know what they’re worth.
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What was God doing in the beginning?
They were enjoying each other’s company! (John 17:24)
NOT the Omnibeing – the God of Jesus is not the god of the philosophers.
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The Trinity – Three Persons United in Love (Galatians 4:4-6)
Serving our God is very different!
God the Son becomes God our Brother (v4)
He works out our salvation in our name and on our behalf (v5)
We are “clothed in Him”
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Clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:26ff)
Like Genesis 3
Like Genesis 27
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Filled with the Spirit (Galatians 4:6)
He is the Spirit of Adoption – the Spirit of the Son
He sweeps us up into the Son’s communion with the Father
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Calling on our Father (Galatians 4:6-7)
Through the Spirit, we can call God Most High what Jesus calls Him: Abba!
And we now inherit from Him as true sons!
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Now we ‘participate in the divine nature.’ (2 Peter 1:4)
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If God was not Trinity then
God is not Father... He can only be a Slave-master
Jesus is not Divine... He can only be an Example
The Spirit is not a Person... He can only be a Force
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But no – God is my Father. He loves me with an everlasting love.
Jesus is my Brother. He brings me into an unbreakable fellowship.
The Spirit is my Comforter. He personally reassures me of my place in God!
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The Trinity is NOT a maths problem.
It’s the good news that God is Love. And we’re invited in!
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