June 16, 2019 - Trinity Sunday -

This past Sunday was Trinity Sunday and whereas earlier in the week I had not intended to comment too much upon the Trinity, I changed my mind.  I did not go in depth into the Theology of the Trinity, I did more of that two years ago and the link is provided below.  I did talk a bit about two of the Creeds that have been used by the Church through the years, which is an item that traditional Disciples and Baptist don't know a whole lot about as both traditions are non-creedal.

At the end of the sermon, I took a bit of a veer into another lane and talked about our connection to places, specifically sanctuaries and church buildings... take a listen and see how I (tried to) weaved this together with heavy theology and the like.  I mentioned here the Methodist Church back in Reliance, SD; a small nondescript little building where so very many important things in my life have transpired.

Last Sunday was, of course, also Father's Day and I was very happy and blessed that Maddie and her boyfriend Brandon came over to visit for the weekend.  I am a very lucky father to have such a beautiful and intelligent daughter, she is and has always been the apple of my eye.  Thank you, Maddie, for coming to visit and for you and Brandon coming to worship.

Thank you all for swinging through this tiny corner of the Internet.  Please have a blessed day and please...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy

Athanasian Creed (4th or 5th Century)
1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith;
2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.
5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.
6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.
8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.
9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.
10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.
11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal.
12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible.
13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty.
14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty.
15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God;
16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord;
18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord.
19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;
20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords.
21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten.
22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten.
23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another.
26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal.
27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.
29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man.
31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world.
32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood.
34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ.
35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God.
36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ;
38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead;
39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty;
40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies;
42. and shall give account of their own works.
43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.

Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ,  the only begotten Son of God,  begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,  begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;  by whom all things were made;  who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried;  and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;  and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead;  whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Live, who proceedeth from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church;  I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.  

Arius
Born: 256 AD, Ptolemais, Cyrenaica, Libya
Died: 336 AD,  Constantinople
More About Arius

First Council of Nicaea - convened by Emperor Constantine the Great in 325. 
More about the 1st Council of Nicaea

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria
Born: 296 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
Died: May 2, 373 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
More about Athanasius

Romans 5:1-5 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Results of Justification
5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access[b] to this grace in which we stand; and we[c] boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we[d] also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Footnotes:
a) Romans 5:1 Other ancient authorities read let us
b) Romans 5:2 Other ancient authorities add by faith
c) Romans 5:2 Or let us
d) Romans 5:3 Or let us


John 14:16-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[a] to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in[b] you.

Footnotes:
a) John 14:16 Or Helper
b) John 14:17 Or among

John 14:26-27 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
26 But the Advocate,[a] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Footnotes:
a) John 14:26 Or Helper

John 15:26 (NIV)  The Work of the Holy Spirit
26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

John 16:7-8 New International Version (NIV)
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

John 16:12-15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

United Methodist Church, Reliance, SD