The Trinity

House group notes on the Trinity: week beginning June 12th , 2022

Ice breaker:

Can you imagine trying to describe and explain 'dancing', to the proverbial  'alien from Mars'?  Take a moment or two to try.

It might go something like this...

Me: Well, dancing is moving your body around to coincide with the vibrations of sounds made by other people on various contraptions they have made.

Alien: If you need to move your body why don't you use a transport machine?

Me: Oh, no, it's not to get to anywhere else, -not unless it's a square dance or a circle dance. [Then, you move  to somewhere else in the room, but end up back where you started!] You just move different parts of your body in different directions, fast or slow, according to the speed of the sounds produced.

Alien: …........Why?

Me: Oh to show we are happy...

To celebrate something good...

To be part of a pair-bonding ritual....

As an expression of beauty …..

To worship our God.....

Or just for sheer joy!......

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            To define dancing, -to explain it and to analyse it, -rather defeats the purpose. Yet, we have a word for it, -for what we all naturally understand.

            'Trinity' is a word to describe something which is impossible to pin down, difficult to 'understand' as such, -open to so much misunderstanding. But it is the most natural concept to live with for a Christian.

The Study:

John 3.16 and Romans 8.12-17

            Trinity is a word to describe a mystery of sorts, but not a remote mystery that we cannot grasp. It's about God as community;  and how we relate to the God who made us, redeemed us and is always present with us.

It's part of the 'dancing' of our faith experience.

Q: Do the following three sentences help to unravel  the mystery a bit? Discuss how far each helps you, -or not. How do they relate to each other?

1.The Holy Spirit is God the Creator at work in the world.

2.Jesus is the Fullness of God the Creator in a human life.

3.The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.

Q. When you imagine God, what does he look like?

Q. Is he a 'he'?

Q. For you, where is the balance between Jesus being God and Jesus being a person like you?  How do the scales tip, on this one?

 The word 'Trinity' describes a God who is, Himself, a community. Three 'Persons' communicating; including; working in harmony; 'being' in perfect peace and understanding; loving each other.

Here are some images to help you:

Rublov's icon of the trinity shows the three figures, each looking at another in an endless circle; sitting at a table, at which there is an empty place, nearest the viewer, and the figure on the right is almost turned in invitation towards the  viewer, to come and take a seat.

The texts: 

Read: John 3.16

Q1: What does it say about God ?  [Loved; gave; those who believe will have...]

Q2: Who/what is 'The World' he loved?

Q3: Who/what did he 'give'.   What does this suggest about their relationship?

Q4: What exactly is meant by 'everlasting/eternal life'?

Q5: What exactly is meant by 'perish'?

Q6: How does the answer to Q2 fit with the answer to Q5? [Remember: the vast majority of human beings in history have never heard the name 'Jesus']

Q7: How might you describe the extent of God's love?

Q8: This verse names God [Father] and Son. Where does the HS come in here?

Read: Romans 8.12-17

This passage has strong words of relationship:

Q: Spend a few minutes identifying them and how they inter-relate.

Q1:To what does this relationship give us access?

Q: What are the pros and cons of this relationship?

In summary:

So.., there is only one God, but known in three Persons.

Maybe one day the Church will come up with a better name for it, but at present, 'The Trinity' is the best we have.

And it's not just an exercise in semantics!

It gives a whole new way of understanding our God. A new lens through which we can see him and understand him/[her?] better.

Does this 'separation' of the  Persons help you?, - or would you rather think of them all together as just  'God'?

To end... perhaps say the grace together:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore.

Amen.