Title: The Overflowing Love of the Father
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Text: Galatians 4:4-6
Overview: In this Sunday teaching, Pastor Nate Holdridge explores the overflowing love of the Father as revealed in Galatians 4:4-6. This passage highlights the Trinitarian nature of God and its profound implications for our relationship with Him, our understanding of salvation, and our call to live in unity and mission. Join us as we unpack the depths of God’s relational and self-sufficient love, which overflows to transform lives and restore relationships.
[00:00:05] Thank you for listening to the Calvary Monterey Podcast. To learn more about our church, please visit calvary.com. And for additional resources from our lead pastor, Nate Holdridge, please visit nateholdridge.com. Teaching today is our lead pastor, Nate Holdridge.
[00:00:24] All right. Good morning, church. Good morning, church. Great to see you today. Let's take out our Bibles this morning and turn to the book of Galatians together, the book of Galatians together, Galatians chapter four, if you would.
[00:00:40] And as you're turning there, I just want to reiterate the announcement that we've been making about our Calvary Kids ministry.
[00:00:49] It really is one of those pivotal ministries in the church that we cannot move forward as a fellowship without a strong kids ministry, taking care of our kids, serving the families of our community.
[00:01:03] And I've been praying that the Lord would touch around 30 people to say yes during this recruitment push to be involved in Calvary Kids.
[00:01:13] I'm looking for some people who'd be willing to say, you know, each week I want to elongate my Sunday morning.
[00:01:20] I'm going to attend a church service and I'm going to serve at a church service.
[00:01:25] And then I think I'm also looking for some people who would say, you know, I can't do that, but I'd like to a couple of times each month serve in that ministry.
[00:01:35] So every other week I'll go to church and then every other week I'll go to church and serve it in the Calvary Kids ministry.
[00:01:45] And then I think I'm also looking for some parents who you're in a solid place in your life.
[00:01:51] Perhaps you're currently enjoying the fruits of Calvary Kids ministry.
[00:01:55] You've been blessed by it.
[00:01:57] And those who are serving your children or you have been blessed in the past and you're in a place in your life where you could say, you know what, once a month I'll be there to help out in one of these classes.
[00:02:08] You can count on me.
[00:02:10] We would love to train you, get you involved and put you on the schedule.
[00:02:15] If you were to go to calvary.com slash serve today and sign up, which is what I'm wanting you to do.
[00:02:23] So if you were to do that, you would probably, if you responded to your emails and you made appointments to follow up and you did all the things that you need to do to be qualified to serve in our kids ministry.
[00:02:34] We're not just going to throw you in there.
[00:02:35] We need to make sure that you're ready and qualified and background checked and all that kind of stuff.
[00:02:39] You'd probably begin in February serving in our Calvary Kids.
[00:02:44] So if today you're thinking like, well, I've got a real busy Christmas, don't worry about it.
[00:02:48] Just sign up today. We'll get you through the process and then probably at about that time, we'll get you plugged into the schedule.
[00:02:56] So we're, like I said, this is just an important ministry in the church.
[00:03:00] It's hard for any church to move forward without having a strong kids ministry.
[00:03:05] And we have a great one here at Calvary and we want to continue to have a great one for years to come.
[00:03:12] All right, today we're in Galatians 4 verse 4 to 6, like I shared with you.
[00:03:16] And last week we finished our study in the book of Philippians, just going verse by verse through Philippians.
[00:03:23] Over the next couple weeks I'll talk to you about the series that we're going to get into in the new year.
[00:03:28] But today we're going to start a brief little three-sermon study on God is love
[00:03:35] in thinking about the triune God and how Christmas is the byproduct of who God is.
[00:03:43] It's the offshoot, the overflow of the very nature of God.
[00:03:47] That God is love and so overflowing from Him comes the Christmas story.
[00:03:54] And that phrase, God is love, comes from not culture and not society,
[00:04:00] but it comes from 1 John, 1 John chapter 4.
[00:04:03] John said God is love a couple of times in his letter to the churches at that time.
[00:04:09] Now John was not saying that love is God,
[00:04:12] nor was he saying that his readers understood and had the appropriate definition of love
[00:04:20] and therefore that's what God is.
[00:04:22] I think what John is saying is if you really want to know what love is,
[00:04:27] you've got to go to the Word of God, you've got to look into the pages of Scripture,
[00:04:32] and you need to see who God is.
[00:04:34] And when you discover God, you're going to discover true, powerful, potent, real, legitimate love.
[00:04:42] And so that's what we're going to think about in the coming weeks.
[00:04:45] So today we're going to think about the love of God, the Father overflowing to us,
[00:04:51] and then we're going to think next Sunday about the love of the Son, the Christmas story.
[00:04:57] And my friend Tyler Bakwe from Southern California,
[00:05:01] who is planting a church in Pismo Beach this next year called Everlight Church.
[00:05:07] He's a surfer, so when he was praying about where to go plant a church,
[00:05:10] I'm like, well, you know you need to pray about someplace about 45 minutes or less from good surf, right?
[00:05:17] And so he landed on Pismo Beach.
[00:05:20] So him and his wife Veronica, they're great young people.
[00:05:23] God has a huge calling on their lives, and we're going to support them as a church in 2025.
[00:05:27] So he's going to be here next Sunday sharing the Word with us.
[00:05:31] And then on Christmas Eve, we'll think about the third person of the Trinity, the Spirit,
[00:05:37] and how he's involved in the Christmas story as well, the welcoming heart of the Spirit.
[00:05:43] Now, maybe another place that we could go to before I read our text that we'll be in would be 2 Corinthians 13, verse 14.
[00:05:51] We'll put it on the screen there for you.
[00:05:53] Paul closed out his letter to the Corinthian church by saying,
[00:05:57] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
[00:06:07] This final word to the Corinthian church.
[00:06:09] And right there, you see the outline for where we're going as a congregation over our next three messages.
[00:06:16] He talks about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:06:20] We're going to think about that next Sunday when we think about the sacrificial love of the Son.
[00:06:26] He talks about the love of God.
[00:06:29] We're going to think about that today when we think about the overflowing love of the Father.
[00:06:35] And then he talks about the fellowship of the Spirit.
[00:06:38] And what we're going to think about there on Christmas Eve is the welcoming love of the Spirit.
[00:06:44] Fellowship.
[00:06:44] He wants to bring us in, not just to fellowship with each other, but fellowship with the triune God.
[00:06:50] First things first, get restored to God so that we can be restored to one another.
[00:06:56] So that's the order that we're going to follow.
[00:06:59] You might be looking at it on the screen there, 2 Corinthians 13, and saying to yourself,
[00:07:03] Well, Nate, you're messing up the order because number one is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:07:08] You should be preaching that message this week.
[00:07:10] Number two is the love of God the Father.
[00:07:13] And number three is the fellowship of the Spirit.
[00:07:15] Why are you messing up the order?
[00:07:17] Well, you'll see in a second in our Galatians 4 passage that order that I'm following is going to be found in the text we look at.
[00:07:24] But also, I'm just a really nice friend.
[00:07:27] And Tyler said he could come next week, and so I wanted to give him Jesus.
[00:07:31] All right?
[00:07:31] So that's part of what I'm doing.
[00:07:33] I'm giving him the real good stuff for us as a church.
[00:07:36] But here's the passage that he and I are really going to be rooting our thoughts in.
[00:07:42] Galatians 4, verse 4 to 6.
[00:07:45] But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
[00:07:57] to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons.
[00:08:05] And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
[00:08:20] I hope they're just looking at those verses on the screen or in your Bibles that are in your hands.
[00:08:24] You can see the entire triune God in operation.
[00:08:29] There's the Father, God sent, he says.
[00:08:33] He sent forth his Son.
[00:08:36] The Father is the one sending his Son.
[00:08:39] The Son then comes, and what does he do?
[00:08:42] He is born of woman.
[00:08:44] He becomes one of us.
[00:08:45] He becomes a man.
[00:08:47] And he's born under the law.
[00:08:49] He's subject to the requirements of humanity.
[00:08:53] He embraces our limitations, and he's born under the legal code that God places upon the human heart and conscience.
[00:09:02] And he comes in order to redeem those who are under the law, that's us, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
[00:09:15] We might become like him.
[00:09:17] We might get his position before the Father.
[00:09:20] And when we do, when we believe in him, trust in him, lean upon Christ, we then are given the Spirit of the Son.
[00:09:29] There's a third person of the Trinity, the Spirit.
[00:09:33] We're given the Spirit of the Son coming to live inside of us.
[00:09:38] He says, in our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
[00:09:44] Abba is the Aramaic word that Jesus used when he cried out to God in heaven, Father, Father.
[00:09:51] It speaks of a closeness and an intimacy.
[00:09:54] So what you have here is you have God who sent God the Son, who became one of us,
[00:10:04] who then died to redeem us so that if we believe in him, we could have the Spirit living inside of us,
[00:10:11] who causes us to then point ourselves back to the very God who initiated with us in the first place.
[00:10:20] We were, this last Thursday, we had the blessed opportunity as staff here at the church to partner with the bridge ministry
[00:10:32] and with our chaplain ministry at the Monterey County Jail and hold Christmas services at the jail.
[00:10:41] We were able to go there with a bunch of the inmates and serve them a great tri-tip meal and potatoes.
[00:10:50] And I've sat down, I asked some of them, I'm like, is this better than what you guys normally eat?
[00:10:53] And they're like, oh yeah, this is way better.
[00:10:57] And we got to just love on them for a little while, just try to declare to them, you know, your life has meaning and purpose.
[00:11:06] And it was beautiful.
[00:11:07] We had a moment where one of the women in our church was able to share her story and testimony
[00:11:15] and talk about how there was a moment in my life where I was here.
[00:11:20] I was in stripes, like all of you.
[00:11:24] And the Lord grabbed a hold of my life.
[00:11:26] I started going to Calvary.
[00:11:28] I started going to the bridge.
[00:11:29] I got saved during a church service at Calvary.
[00:11:32] And now I'm walking with Jesus and God has redeemed and restored my life.
[00:11:36] Just had a little baby, got married.
[00:11:38] My husband's on staff at the church now.
[00:11:41] Like just all these cool things, you know.
[00:11:43] And it was just so life-giving to be able to just be a little bit of an encouragement to hopefully some brothers and sisters in Christ,
[00:11:52] some future brothers and sisters in Christ to share the good news of the gospel with them.
[00:11:56] But we were just thinking about that together with them during the service.
[00:12:01] That there is a God.
[00:12:02] And what I said to them is I said, you know, I'm sorry if you heard that the Bible is a book that teaches you how to initiate and pursue God.
[00:12:14] The Bible is actually a book that talks about how God created and then initiates and pursues you.
[00:12:22] And then when you respond to his pursuit, it teaches you then how to turn with the aid of his spirit back towards him.
[00:12:32] To reorient yourself in that Godward fatherly direction.
[00:12:38] And so this is the passage that I'm thinking of this Christmas as I just think about what we're celebrating.
[00:12:45] You know, all the gifts aside and all of that aside, we're thinking about that God sent the son to redeem us from the law.
[00:12:55] And by the way, you know, I know everybody does a lot of different stuff when it comes to like gift giving and stuff like that.
[00:13:00] I've learned over the years not to assume that people do that, you know.
[00:13:04] And some people are very proud of it when they don't do it.
[00:13:09] You know, like, well, we don't do that, you know, kind of thing.
[00:13:11] And you're like, whoa, I'm sorry, I'm carnal enough that I do do that.
[00:13:17] But, you know, for me, like it's always been kind of this spirit of there's a father who gives.
[00:13:24] There's a son who gives.
[00:13:26] There's a spirit who gives.
[00:13:28] He wants me to become a giver.
[00:13:31] And that's just kind of been the spirit that I've had at least about that.
[00:13:35] And if you can't adopt that, that's fine.
[00:13:37] You don't, you can be Scrooge McDuck this Christmas.
[00:13:40] No, this is fine.
[00:13:41] We all have to have our convictions.
[00:13:43] But just that idea that there is this giving, generous God.
[00:13:51] So I just really want to ask two questions in our time together that remains this morning.
[00:13:56] I just want to ask the question, what God is this?
[00:14:00] And I think in that question, I want to get a little theological.
[00:14:03] But then I'd like to just pull back and think of the implications of this theology.
[00:14:09] And then the second question that I want to ask is, what love is this?
[00:14:14] What love is this?
[00:14:16] So what God is this?
[00:14:18] We're going to talk for a few minutes this morning about the Trinity, about the triune nature of God.
[00:14:25] Like I said, in this passage or in this text, we see that God the Father sent forth his Son.
[00:14:30] The Son was born of woman under the law and the Spirit comes to dwell within us.
[00:14:35] What does the Scripture say about this God?
[00:14:40] Well, one thing that you would say is that the Scripture says that God is one.
[00:14:44] That God is one.
[00:14:46] All throughout the Bible, God is portrayed as singular.
[00:14:51] That he is one.
[00:14:52] The great Shema that the Jewish people would quote and celebrate comes from Deuteronomy 6, verse 4 and 5.
[00:15:00] Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
[00:15:07] You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
[00:15:11] This is a beautiful truth and reality, especially in the cultures that they lived in,
[00:15:15] where there were a multitude of gods that cultures were worshiping.
[00:15:19] Creating gods left and right.
[00:15:21] We've got a God of that valley.
[00:15:22] We've got a God of that mountain.
[00:15:23] We've got a God of these rocks.
[00:15:25] We've got a God of this forest.
[00:15:28] And they're worshiping all these gods of their own machination, their own making.
[00:15:32] And here comes the people of Israel.
[00:15:34] There's one God.
[00:15:36] It was a contrary message.
[00:15:40] There is one God.
[00:15:42] Not just our God, the God.
[00:15:45] There's one God.
[00:15:47] Right?
[00:15:47] And the whole Bible backs up this concept of who God is.
[00:15:53] We could go through dozens of scriptures in the Old Testament.
[00:15:56] But fast forwarding to the New Testament, Jesus said,
[00:16:00] here's the most important commandment.
[00:16:03] And he's talked about loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
[00:16:05] But he said, at the beginning, he said,
[00:16:08] hear, O Israel, the Lord our God.
[00:16:10] The Lord is one.
[00:16:12] He backs up the Shema.
[00:16:14] Paul does the same thing.
[00:16:15] If we're just to go back one chapter in Galatians,
[00:16:17] he says, God is one.
[00:16:20] James says in James 2, verse 19,
[00:16:22] you believe that God is one, you do well.
[00:16:26] So the Bible teaches about the oneness of God.
[00:16:30] All of scripture bears witness to this concept.
[00:16:33] In the Ten Commandments, God said,
[00:16:35] you shall have no other gods before me.
[00:16:37] I'm the only one.
[00:16:39] Deuteronomy 4, verse 35, 1 Kings 8, 60,
[00:16:42] the Lord is God.
[00:16:43] There is no other besides him.
[00:16:45] Isaiah 44 and 45,
[00:16:47] besides me, there is no God.
[00:16:49] Isaiah 45, verse 5 and 6 and 18,
[00:16:53] I'm the Lord.
[00:16:54] There is no other.
[00:16:56] Jesus in John 17,
[00:16:58] this is eternal life that they know you,
[00:17:01] the only true God.
[00:17:04] Ephesians 4, one God.
[00:17:07] And in 1 Timothy 5, 2, verse 5,
[00:17:10] for there is one God.
[00:17:12] So I put all these cross-references online
[00:17:16] in case you just broke your wrist
[00:17:18] trying to write down all those cross-references
[00:17:20] as I was machine-gunning them out to you.
[00:17:22] But all of scripture testifies
[00:17:25] to the oneness of God.
[00:17:28] However, scripture also then declares
[00:17:32] that the Father is God,
[00:17:34] that the Son is God,
[00:17:35] and that the Spirit is God.
[00:17:38] People don't normally argue
[00:17:39] with the concept that the Father is God.
[00:17:43] That's usually taken for granted.
[00:17:45] Like we saw there in John 17, verse 3,
[00:17:47] Jesus' prayer to the Father,
[00:17:49] you're the only true God.
[00:17:51] Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8, verse 6,
[00:17:54] there is one God, the Father,
[00:17:57] from whom are all things
[00:17:58] and for whom we exist.
[00:18:02] But then, of course,
[00:18:03] the Bible teaches that Jesus is God,
[00:18:06] that the Son is God.
[00:18:08] Some places that you would find that
[00:18:10] would be places like John chapter 1.
[00:18:14] John 1, verse 1 says,
[00:18:16] in the beginning was the Word,
[00:18:17] and the Word was with God,
[00:18:19] and the Word was God.
[00:18:21] And then down in verse 14,
[00:18:23] he goes on to say
[00:18:24] that the Word became flesh
[00:18:26] and dwelt among us.
[00:18:27] So there is this figure,
[00:18:28] this being called the Word.
[00:18:30] He was with God,
[00:18:31] but he also was God.
[00:18:35] So he is God,
[00:18:37] and he became flesh,
[00:18:38] dwelt among us.
[00:18:40] He took on humanity.
[00:18:41] That's Jesus.
[00:18:43] John 5, verse 18,
[00:18:45] we learn that one cannot be equal with God
[00:18:47] without being God,
[00:18:49] and Jesus claimed to be equal with God.
[00:18:53] If you are equal,
[00:18:56] if you're anything less than God,
[00:18:58] if you're different from God,
[00:18:59] then you're just not God.
[00:19:00] So he's claiming inequality with the Father.
[00:19:05] John 10, verse 30,
[00:19:06] Jesus said,
[00:19:07] I and the Father are one.
[00:19:09] Thomas in John 20, verse 28,
[00:19:11] proclaimed about Jesus,
[00:19:12] my Lord and my God.
[00:19:14] Probably one of the more powerful ones,
[00:19:16] John 8, verse 58,
[00:19:17] Jesus equated himself with the great I am.
[00:19:20] Remember the whole burning bush episode
[00:19:22] in Exodus chapter 3,
[00:19:23] where Moses sees this bush
[00:19:25] that is burning yet not consumed,
[00:19:26] and he asks,
[00:19:27] you know,
[00:19:27] who are you?
[00:19:28] And he's like,
[00:19:28] I'm the Lord.
[00:19:29] I am.
[00:19:31] It's the name of God.
[00:19:33] And Jesus attributed that to himself.
[00:19:36] Before Abraham was,
[00:19:38] he said,
[00:19:38] I am.
[00:19:40] Colossians 2, verse 9,
[00:19:41] for in Jesus,
[00:19:42] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.
[00:19:46] Sounds like God.
[00:19:47] Hebrews 1, verse 3,
[00:19:49] declares Jesus as the radiance of God's glory,
[00:19:52] the exact imprint of God's nature,
[00:19:54] and the one who upholds the universe
[00:19:57] by the word of his power.
[00:19:59] That's Jesus.
[00:20:00] That's what he's doing.
[00:20:01] Again, divine.
[00:20:02] Mark 2, verse 10,
[00:20:05] declares that Jesus has the authority
[00:20:08] to forgive sins.
[00:20:09] That is God business.
[00:20:12] And Paul identifies Jesus
[00:20:14] as the creator and sustainer of everything
[00:20:16] when he says in Colossians 1, verse 16 and 17,
[00:20:19] for by him all things were created in heaven
[00:20:22] and on earth,
[00:20:22] visible and invisible,
[00:20:23] and in him all things hold together.
[00:20:27] And then, of course,
[00:20:28] in Philippians chapter 2,
[00:20:29] which we looked at a few weeks ago,
[00:20:31] we saw Jesus,
[00:20:32] God,
[00:20:33] becoming flesh,
[00:20:34] dwelling among us,
[00:20:36] humbling himself,
[00:20:37] emptying himself,
[00:20:38] found in human form,
[00:20:39] dying on the cross for us.
[00:20:41] And in the book of Revelation,
[00:20:42] you know the title that Jesus gives to himself?
[00:20:44] The Alpha and the Omega.
[00:20:46] The beginning and the end.
[00:20:47] Those are God titles.
[00:20:49] Those are deity titles.
[00:20:51] Okay?
[00:20:52] So, the Bible teaches
[00:20:53] that the Father is God
[00:20:54] and that Jesus is God.
[00:20:56] By the way,
[00:20:57] let me ask you guys,
[00:20:58] this is first service
[00:20:58] so I can fix things for second service.
[00:21:00] Would it have been helpful for you guys
[00:21:02] if I just had those verses the whole time
[00:21:03] as I'm shotgunning them at you?
[00:21:05] You just liked them verbally like that?
[00:21:06] Some people are like yes.
[00:21:07] Some people are like no.
[00:21:09] They're all online
[00:21:10] if you want to get them
[00:21:11] at nateholdridge.com.
[00:21:12] Just shameless little plug there for you.
[00:21:16] Okay, so the Father is God.
[00:21:18] The Son is God.
[00:21:19] But the Bible also teaches
[00:21:20] that the Spirit is God.
[00:21:23] There's a lot less mention of this
[00:21:26] in the Bible.
[00:21:28] Okay?
[00:21:28] You're going to find
[00:21:29] a lot of scriptures
[00:21:30] about the Father being God,
[00:21:31] a lot of scriptures
[00:21:32] about the Son being God,
[00:21:34] fewer verses
[00:21:35] about the Spirit being God.
[00:21:37] And I think there's a reason for that.
[00:21:40] The Bible teaches
[00:21:41] that the Spirit's job,
[00:21:43] one of the Spirit's roles,
[00:21:44] is to promote the Son.
[00:21:48] So it would make sense
[00:21:50] in the book that he's authoring,
[00:21:52] the biblical authors
[00:21:53] were carried along,
[00:21:54] the Bible says,
[00:21:54] by the Spirit.
[00:21:56] So as they're carried along
[00:21:57] by the Spirit,
[00:21:58] the Spirit is not into
[00:22:00] drawing attention to himself.
[00:22:02] He is into pointing to the Son,
[00:22:05] exalting the Son,
[00:22:07] lifting up,
[00:22:08] if you will,
[00:22:08] the Son.
[00:22:12] So it stands to reason
[00:22:13] that the book that he penned
[00:22:14] would not draw
[00:22:15] as much attention
[00:22:16] to his being.
[00:22:17] But there are a few passages
[00:22:18] pointing to the truth
[00:22:19] of the Spirit's divinity.
[00:22:23] In Hebrews 9, verse 14,
[00:22:26] he's given the attribute
[00:22:28] of eternality.
[00:22:30] That is a divine attribute.
[00:22:31] He's called the eternal Spirit
[00:22:34] in Hebrews 9, 14.
[00:22:36] In Psalm 139, verse 7 to 10,
[00:22:40] he's given the attribute
[00:22:41] of omnipresence.
[00:22:43] Where can I go
[00:22:45] from your Spirit,
[00:22:47] David says.
[00:22:48] No place I can go
[00:22:49] to get away from your Spirit.
[00:22:51] You are omnipresent.
[00:22:53] He's also given omniscience,
[00:22:56] knowing all things,
[00:22:58] in places like 1 Corinthians 2,
[00:23:00] verse 10 to 11,
[00:23:01] where he, it says,
[00:23:03] comprehends the depths of God.
[00:23:05] He knows the mind of God.
[00:23:07] Not like you or I
[00:23:08] know the mind of God.
[00:23:09] Like learning the book,
[00:23:10] studying it.
[00:23:11] He has the mind of God,
[00:23:13] in other words.
[00:23:14] And is able to communicate it
[00:23:15] to us.
[00:23:16] So he's omniscient.
[00:23:17] He is also omnipotent.
[00:23:20] He's there at creation
[00:23:21] in Genesis 1, verse 2,
[00:23:23] participating in it.
[00:23:25] And Job,
[00:23:25] in Job 33, verse 4,
[00:23:27] credits him with giving life.
[00:23:29] And in fact,
[00:23:30] at Christmas time,
[00:23:31] we celebrate the glory
[00:23:32] of the incarnation
[00:23:33] by drawing attention
[00:23:34] to the angel Gabriel
[00:23:36] who declared to Mary
[00:23:37] that the power
[00:23:38] of the Spirit,
[00:23:39] the power
[00:23:40] of the Most High God
[00:23:42] would come upon her.
[00:23:43] That's the Spirit
[00:23:44] of God.
[00:23:46] Omnipotent.
[00:23:47] And the Spirit
[00:23:48] is explicitly
[00:23:50] referred to as God
[00:23:51] in places like Ephesians,
[00:23:52] or excuse me,
[00:23:53] Acts 5,
[00:23:53] verse 3 and 4,
[00:23:55] where Peter,
[00:23:56] talking to a man
[00:23:57] who was lying to God,
[00:23:59] said,
[00:23:59] why are you lying
[00:24:00] to the Holy Spirit?
[00:24:03] And on 2 Corinthians 3,
[00:24:05] 17, verse 18,
[00:24:06] which says,
[00:24:07] the Lord is the Spirit.
[00:24:09] His divine authority
[00:24:10] is evident in his role
[00:24:11] inspiring Scripture,
[00:24:12] that's God business,
[00:24:14] empowering believers,
[00:24:15] that's God business,
[00:24:17] and distributing
[00:24:17] spiritual gifts
[00:24:18] as he wills.
[00:24:20] The Father and the Son
[00:24:21] say,
[00:24:21] Spirit,
[00:24:21] you decide who gets
[00:24:23] what gifts.
[00:24:24] That's your domain,
[00:24:26] your role.
[00:24:27] The Spirit,
[00:24:28] 1 Peter 1,
[00:24:28] verse 2,
[00:24:29] sanctifies believers.
[00:24:31] He, Romans 8,
[00:24:32] intercedes for them
[00:24:33] in prayer.
[00:24:34] And in John 3,
[00:24:36] he works in the process
[00:24:38] of our regeneration
[00:24:39] and our renewal.
[00:24:42] This is why
[00:24:42] there are Trinitarian formulas
[00:24:44] in the New Testament,
[00:24:45] like in Matthew
[00:24:46] or the one we read there
[00:24:47] in 2 Corinthians 13,
[00:24:48] where the Father is mentioned,
[00:24:50] the Son is mentioned,
[00:24:51] and the Spirit is mentioned.
[00:24:52] The Bible would not do that
[00:24:54] if the Spirit was not considered
[00:24:55] on that same plane.
[00:24:57] You would never, like,
[00:24:57] give a little Trinitarian formula
[00:24:59] where you're like,
[00:25:00] you know,
[00:25:01] there's the Father
[00:25:01] and there's the Son
[00:25:02] and then there's Nate,
[00:25:03] my pastor.
[00:25:04] Like,
[00:25:05] you just wouldn't do that.
[00:25:06] That'd just be an awkward thing.
[00:25:07] You gotta start
[00:25:07] new sentence,
[00:25:09] now let's talk about
[00:25:10] this other guy
[00:25:10] who's outside
[00:25:11] of that first group.
[00:25:13] But the Spirit is included
[00:25:15] in talk of God
[00:25:17] or the divine,
[00:25:18] the Father and the Son
[00:25:19] and the Spirit.
[00:25:20] So the Scripture presents
[00:25:21] the Holy Spirit
[00:25:22] as a distinct person
[00:25:24] who shares the essence
[00:25:25] and attributes
[00:25:26] and authority
[00:25:27] of the one true God.
[00:25:28] So what am I trying to say here?
[00:25:30] I'm just giving you guys
[00:25:31] a little, like,
[00:25:31] teeny,
[00:25:32] systematic theology class
[00:25:34] on the Trinity today.
[00:25:36] Okay?
[00:25:37] So what does the Bible teach?
[00:25:39] That God is one,
[00:25:40] but also that He is divine
[00:25:42] in these three beings,
[00:25:44] the Father
[00:25:44] and the Son
[00:25:45] and the Spirit.
[00:25:46] So the Bible never uses
[00:25:47] the word Trinity,
[00:25:48] but it's the word
[00:25:49] that we use
[00:25:50] because we've concluded
[00:25:52] from looking at
[00:25:53] the biblical data
[00:25:54] that this is what God is.
[00:25:57] Now, I don't want
[00:25:59] to stop right there
[00:26:02] because I think
[00:26:03] it's good for us
[00:26:04] to then take a step further
[00:26:06] and ask the question,
[00:26:08] what are some implications
[00:26:09] then of God being that?
[00:26:12] I think for a lot of Christians,
[00:26:13] it's just like,
[00:26:14] the doctrine of the Trinity
[00:26:15] is just this interesting,
[00:26:16] like, oh, I don't know.
[00:26:17] It's kind of fascinating
[00:26:18] and it's cool to, like,
[00:26:19] get some Scriptures,
[00:26:20] like, buttoned down
[00:26:21] in my thinking.
[00:26:22] And so I know
[00:26:22] that God is one,
[00:26:23] the Shema.
[00:26:24] I know that the Father
[00:26:25] and the Son
[00:26:26] and the Spirit
[00:26:26] are all thought of
[00:26:27] as God in Scripture.
[00:26:28] So the triunity of God,
[00:26:30] yes, that's my doctrine.
[00:26:32] I have no idea
[00:26:32] how it impacts my life.
[00:26:35] I don't know why it's good,
[00:26:37] why it's beautiful,
[00:26:39] why that is right and true.
[00:26:41] I don't know those things,
[00:26:42] but I know that it's a fact.
[00:26:44] It's like a Bible fact,
[00:26:46] the triunity of God.
[00:26:49] But there are some great implications
[00:26:53] of this doctrine
[00:26:54] that I'd like to think about today.
[00:26:56] And maybe as a way to set this up,
[00:26:59] I would talk about
[00:27:00] or think about, like,
[00:27:01] if you were to describe
[00:27:05] on a cold winter day
[00:27:08] a ray of sunlight
[00:27:11] coming into your home,
[00:27:14] how would you describe that?
[00:27:17] You know, if you're a scientist,
[00:27:19] you could describe it
[00:27:20] in all kinds of
[00:27:21] science-y kind of terms, right?
[00:27:23] You know, you could break down
[00:27:25] what light is,
[00:27:26] where it comes from,
[00:27:27] what it's doing.
[00:27:29] It's a fact,
[00:27:30] why it's, like,
[00:27:31] what we can see,
[00:27:32] what we can't see.
[00:27:34] Like, you could describe
[00:27:35] all of that.
[00:27:36] And I think what I would say is,
[00:27:37] up to this point
[00:27:38] in my little talk
[00:27:39] about the Trinity,
[00:27:40] that's the category
[00:27:41] that I've done.
[00:27:42] I've done more of
[00:27:44] the science-y part.
[00:27:46] But if you were my dog, Max,
[00:27:49] and you could talk
[00:27:50] about that ray of light
[00:27:53] coming into the home,
[00:27:55] shining on the living room carpet,
[00:27:57] you would not describe it
[00:27:59] with science.
[00:28:00] You would describe it
[00:28:01] as the most beautiful thing
[00:28:02] that you'd ever found
[00:28:03] in your entire life.
[00:28:05] You would describe it
[00:28:06] as this thing
[00:28:07] that warmed you,
[00:28:08] that zapped all of your energy
[00:28:10] and took it out of you.
[00:28:12] You would describe it
[00:28:13] as this thing
[00:28:13] that you don't understand
[00:28:14] why it moved away,
[00:28:15] you know,
[00:28:16] as the day went on,
[00:28:17] like, I found it
[00:28:18] and then it's gone.
[00:28:19] Like, you would describe
[00:28:20] its effects
[00:28:21] on your life.
[00:28:23] The warmth,
[00:28:24] the glow,
[00:28:25] the feeling.
[00:28:27] And
[00:28:29] I think
[00:28:30] that we could also
[00:28:30] do that
[00:28:31] when thinking
[00:28:32] about the tri-unity
[00:28:33] of God.
[00:28:33] So I want to give you
[00:28:34] 11 implications
[00:28:35] of the Trinity
[00:28:36] this morning.
[00:28:38] You might like
[00:28:39] all of these,
[00:28:40] you might believe
[00:28:40] in all these,
[00:28:41] you might believe
[00:28:42] five of these,
[00:28:42] but I'm going to
[00:28:43] throw them out
[00:28:44] to you anyways.
[00:28:45] I think the Trinity
[00:28:46] gives us,
[00:28:47] here's an implication,
[00:28:48] gives us a relational God.
[00:28:51] Christianity
[00:28:52] is not the only
[00:28:54] monotheistic religion.
[00:28:57] However,
[00:28:58] our God
[00:28:59] is inherently
[00:29:02] relational
[00:29:03] and has been so
[00:29:05] from eternity past
[00:29:06] because he is
[00:29:07] Father and Son
[00:29:08] and Spirit.
[00:29:09] He is three
[00:29:10] and one.
[00:29:12] So what you have
[00:29:13] in God
[00:29:14] is you have
[00:29:14] this relational
[00:29:15] being.
[00:29:16] That's his very nature.
[00:29:18] It's not something
[00:29:19] that on the day
[00:29:20] of creation
[00:29:21] when he made
[00:29:21] man and woman
[00:29:22] that he began
[00:29:24] to start being.
[00:29:26] It's who he's
[00:29:27] always been.
[00:29:28] So the Trinity,
[00:29:30] the doctrine
[00:29:30] of the Trinity
[00:29:31] gives us
[00:29:32] a relational God.
[00:29:34] I think I could
[00:29:34] also say this,
[00:29:35] another implication
[00:29:36] of the Trinity
[00:29:37] is that it gives
[00:29:38] us salvation.
[00:29:40] You say,
[00:29:40] what do you mean
[00:29:41] by that?
[00:29:42] Well,
[00:29:42] what was happening
[00:29:43] on the cross?
[00:29:45] The Father
[00:29:47] sends the Son,
[00:29:48] the Son
[00:29:49] pays
[00:29:50] the penalty,
[00:29:51] the Spirit
[00:29:52] then applies
[00:29:54] his righteousness
[00:29:55] to all who
[00:29:56] believe in him.
[00:29:57] The Son
[00:29:58] is satisfying
[00:29:59] something
[00:30:00] in the Father
[00:30:01] as he's dying
[00:30:02] there upon
[00:30:03] the cross.
[00:30:04] I think
[00:30:04] the very design
[00:30:05] of the Trinity
[00:30:06] gives us
[00:30:07] the glory
[00:30:08] of salvation.
[00:30:09] And if you read
[00:30:09] Ephesians chapter 1
[00:30:11] verse 3 through 14
[00:30:12] you see the Father
[00:30:13] and the Son
[00:30:14] and the Spirit
[00:30:14] and the implications
[00:30:16] of the entire Godhead
[00:30:17] in the salvation
[00:30:18] process
[00:30:19] of our lives.
[00:30:20] I think the Trinity
[00:30:21] also gives us
[00:30:22] a God
[00:30:23] of love.
[00:30:24] You know,
[00:30:25] I've titled this series
[00:30:26] God is Love
[00:30:27] but if God
[00:30:29] was not
[00:30:30] triune
[00:30:31] then from
[00:30:35] eternity
[00:30:35] past
[00:30:36] who is he
[00:30:36] loving?
[00:30:38] Before we
[00:30:39] come onto
[00:30:40] the scene
[00:30:40] who is he
[00:30:41] loving?
[00:30:42] So what you
[00:30:43] have in a
[00:30:44] triune God
[00:30:45] is a God
[00:30:45] who that's
[00:30:46] just who
[00:30:46] he is.
[00:30:48] This is not
[00:30:49] learned behavior.
[00:30:50] This is not
[00:30:51] added behavior.
[00:30:52] This is not
[00:30:52] something brand
[00:30:53] new to God.
[00:30:54] It's something
[00:30:55] intrinsic to God.
[00:30:56] Alright,
[00:30:57] so you have
[00:30:57] God is love.
[00:30:59] I think also
[00:31:00] I could say
[00:31:01] it like this
[00:31:02] that the Trinity
[00:31:03] gives us
[00:31:03] a model
[00:31:04] for
[00:31:05] relationships.
[00:31:08] A model
[00:31:09] for
[00:31:09] relationships.
[00:31:11] When we're
[00:31:11] reflecting on
[00:31:12] thinking about
[00:31:13] the love,
[00:31:13] the mutuality,
[00:31:15] the unity,
[00:31:15] the fellowship
[00:31:16] and the
[00:31:17] outward focus
[00:31:18] within the
[00:31:19] triune God,
[00:31:20] I think we get
[00:31:21] guidance
[00:31:22] and inspiration
[00:31:23] for cultivating
[00:31:25] healthy,
[00:31:25] fulfilling
[00:31:26] relationships
[00:31:27] that mirror
[00:31:28] the beauty
[00:31:28] and harmony
[00:31:30] of the
[00:31:30] Trinity.
[00:31:33] There's not
[00:31:34] a selfish
[00:31:34] bone
[00:31:35] in the
[00:31:36] triune God.
[00:31:38] He's
[00:31:39] generous
[00:31:40] and giving
[00:31:41] and other
[00:31:41] centered
[00:31:42] and thinking
[00:31:43] outward
[00:31:43] beyond
[00:31:45] just
[00:31:46] himself.
[00:31:46] The father
[00:31:47] thinking of
[00:31:48] the son,
[00:31:48] the son
[00:31:49] responding to
[00:31:50] the father,
[00:31:50] the spirit
[00:31:51] glorifying
[00:31:52] the son,
[00:31:53] rejoicing
[00:31:54] in the father
[00:31:54] causing us
[00:31:55] to be elated
[00:31:56] about God.
[00:31:58] I think
[00:31:59] we could say
[00:32:00] in a sense
[00:32:00] we're relational
[00:32:01] and can be
[00:32:02] healthily relational
[00:32:03] because of the
[00:32:04] God who made
[00:32:05] us that way.
[00:32:06] The Trinity
[00:32:07] also,
[00:32:08] here's another
[00:32:08] implication,
[00:32:09] gives us
[00:32:10] transformational
[00:32:11] power.
[00:32:13] Transformational
[00:32:13] power.
[00:32:14] The father
[00:32:15] sends the son
[00:32:16] to redeem us,
[00:32:17] the son then
[00:32:17] sends the spirit
[00:32:18] to help us
[00:32:19] grow,
[00:32:20] to help us
[00:32:20] be changed,
[00:32:21] to help us
[00:32:21] be transformed.
[00:32:23] God is not
[00:32:23] just merely
[00:32:24] distant from
[00:32:26] us,
[00:32:29] we're his
[00:32:29] new
[00:32:29] tabernacle,
[00:32:31] his new
[00:32:31] temple,
[00:32:31] his new
[00:32:32] dwelling place
[00:32:33] and as he
[00:32:33] resides in
[00:32:35] us,
[00:32:35] he wants to
[00:32:36] empower us
[00:32:37] to become
[00:32:37] more like
[00:32:38] the son,
[00:32:39] the Jesus-y
[00:32:41] version
[00:32:41] of ourselves.
[00:32:43] The Trinity
[00:32:43] also gives us
[00:32:44] a basis
[00:32:45] for joy
[00:32:46] and fellowship.
[00:32:48] The father
[00:32:49] had joy,
[00:32:49] the son
[00:32:50] had joy,
[00:32:51] the spirit
[00:32:51] had joy
[00:32:52] and fellowship
[00:32:52] from eternity
[00:32:53] past.
[00:32:53] That becomes
[00:32:54] the basis
[00:32:55] of ours
[00:32:55] today.
[00:32:56] It becomes
[00:32:56] the basis
[00:32:57] for beauty
[00:32:58] and harmony
[00:32:59] as well.
[00:33:00] We might
[00:33:01] celebrate
[00:33:02] the beauty
[00:33:03] of God's
[00:33:03] creation,
[00:33:04] that's wonderful,
[00:33:06] that's beautiful,
[00:33:07] but if you go
[00:33:08] back behind
[00:33:09] the creation,
[00:33:10] who created?
[00:33:12] Well,
[00:33:13] this overflowing
[00:33:14] God,
[00:33:15] and he
[00:33:16] is significantly
[00:33:17] more beautiful
[00:33:18] than the thing
[00:33:20] that he made.
[00:33:21] He is the very
[00:33:22] foundation
[00:33:23] of beauty
[00:33:24] itself,
[00:33:25] and I think
[00:33:26] when we hear
[00:33:27] beautiful musical
[00:33:27] notes,
[00:33:28] or see
[00:33:28] beautiful colors,
[00:33:29] or elements
[00:33:30] in the natural
[00:33:31] world,
[00:33:31] they demonstrate
[00:33:32] the Trinity's
[00:33:33] harmony
[00:33:33] and beauty
[00:33:34] and order.
[00:33:36] The Trinity
[00:33:37] also gives us
[00:33:38] hope
[00:33:40] in a broken
[00:33:41] world,
[00:33:42] because you
[00:33:44] have the
[00:33:45] Father's plan,
[00:33:47] you have
[00:33:47] the Son's
[00:33:49] incarnation,
[00:33:50] and you
[00:33:50] have the Spirit's
[00:33:51] ongoing,
[00:33:52] renewing work
[00:33:53] to assure
[00:33:55] humanity
[00:33:55] of a loving
[00:33:56] God,
[00:33:57] who is at
[00:33:57] work to
[00:33:58] redeem
[00:33:58] and restore.
[00:33:59] That's hope.
[00:34:01] I think
[00:34:02] I could also
[00:34:03] say,
[00:34:04] this might
[00:34:04] be a stretch
[00:34:05] for some
[00:34:05] of you,
[00:34:06] but that
[00:34:07] the Trinity
[00:34:07] gives us
[00:34:08] unity
[00:34:09] in diversity.
[00:34:11] What you have
[00:34:12] in the Trinity
[00:34:13] is unity
[00:34:14] without erasing
[00:34:16] diversity,
[00:34:17] and I think
[00:34:18] that that can
[00:34:18] inspire the
[00:34:19] church to
[00:34:20] embrace cultural,
[00:34:21] ethnic,
[00:34:22] and personal
[00:34:23] differences
[00:34:24] while remaining
[00:34:26] one body
[00:34:26] in Christ
[00:34:27] Jesus.
[00:34:29] In fact,
[00:34:30] I think you
[00:34:31] could even
[00:34:32] say that
[00:34:32] there's
[00:34:32] anecdotal
[00:34:33] evidence
[00:34:34] that suggests
[00:34:35] that strict
[00:34:37] monotheism
[00:34:39] struggles to
[00:34:40] produce
[00:34:41] variety
[00:34:41] or diversity
[00:34:43] in expressions
[00:34:45] of worship
[00:34:46] or cultural
[00:34:47] styles.
[00:34:47] Well,
[00:34:47] Christianity
[00:34:48] has found
[00:34:49] ways to
[00:34:50] thrive among
[00:34:51] every nation
[00:34:52] and every
[00:34:53] tribe
[00:34:53] and every
[00:34:54] tongue,
[00:34:54] and I
[00:34:55] wonder
[00:34:55] if that's
[00:34:56] because of
[00:34:57] the very
[00:34:57] nature
[00:34:58] of who
[00:34:58] God is
[00:34:59] as a
[00:35:00] triune
[00:35:00] being.
[00:35:01] Okay,
[00:35:02] two more.
[00:35:02] I know
[00:35:02] I'm giving
[00:35:03] you guys
[00:35:03] a lot
[00:35:03] this morning.
[00:35:04] You guys
[00:35:04] with me?
[00:35:05] You got
[00:35:05] this.
[00:35:06] The Trinity
[00:35:07] gives us
[00:35:08] a self-sufficient
[00:35:10] God
[00:35:10] who overflowed
[00:35:12] in love
[00:35:13] for us.
[00:35:14] This one,
[00:35:14] I think,
[00:35:15] is really
[00:35:15] important.
[00:35:18] The Trinity
[00:35:21] helps us
[00:35:21] basically,
[00:35:22] I mean,
[00:35:22] this is
[00:35:22] probably
[00:35:22] too
[00:35:23] crude
[00:35:23] of a
[00:35:24] way
[00:35:24] to say
[00:35:24] it,
[00:35:25] but we
[00:35:26] don't
[00:35:26] have to
[00:35:26] say
[00:35:27] things
[00:35:27] like
[00:35:28] God
[00:35:28] was
[00:35:29] lonely
[00:35:29] so
[00:35:30] he
[00:35:30] made
[00:35:31] us
[00:35:32] because
[00:35:33] of
[00:35:33] the
[00:35:33] Trinity.
[00:35:34] God
[00:35:35] was
[00:35:35] lonely
[00:35:36] so
[00:35:36] he
[00:35:36] made
[00:35:37] us.
[00:35:37] God
[00:35:37] was
[00:35:37] fine.
[00:35:40] God
[00:35:41] was
[00:35:41] fine.
[00:35:42] It
[00:35:42] wasn't
[00:35:42] a bad
[00:35:42] day
[00:35:43] that
[00:35:43] made
[00:35:43] him
[00:35:43] want
[00:35:44] to
[00:35:44] create.
[00:35:44] It
[00:35:45] wasn't
[00:35:45] loneliness
[00:35:46] that
[00:35:46] made
[00:35:46] him
[00:35:46] want
[00:35:46] to
[00:35:47] create.
[00:35:47] It
[00:35:47] wasn't
[00:35:47] I
[00:35:48] need
[00:35:48] to be
[00:35:48] worshipped
[00:35:49] that
[00:35:49] made
[00:35:49] him
[00:35:50] want
[00:35:50] to
[00:35:50] create.
[00:35:51] It
[00:35:52] was
[00:35:52] this
[00:35:52] is
[00:35:53] who
[00:35:53] I
[00:35:53] am
[00:35:53] I
[00:35:53] want
[00:35:55] to
[00:35:56] invite
[00:35:56] more
[00:35:56] people
[00:35:57] into
[00:35:58] this.
[00:36:00] So I
[00:36:01] think
[00:36:01] the
[00:36:01] Trinity
[00:36:01] helps
[00:36:02] us
[00:36:02] have
[00:36:03] a
[00:36:03] self
[00:36:04] sufficient
[00:36:04] God
[00:36:05] who
[00:36:05] overflowed
[00:36:05] in
[00:36:06] love
[00:36:06] for
[00:36:07] us.
[00:36:08] And
[00:36:09] then
[00:36:09] lastly
[00:36:10] I'd
[00:36:10] say
[00:36:10] the
[00:36:11] Trinity
[00:36:11] gives
[00:36:11] us
[00:36:12] a
[00:36:12] mission
[00:36:13] because
[00:36:13] the
[00:36:14] father's
[00:36:14] love
[00:36:14] for
[00:36:14] the
[00:36:14] son
[00:36:15] overflows
[00:36:16] into
[00:36:16] creation
[00:36:16] love
[00:36:17] is
[00:36:18] the
[00:36:18] driving
[00:36:18] force
[00:36:19] for
[00:36:19] the
[00:36:19] father
[00:36:20] to
[00:36:20] send
[00:36:20] the
[00:36:20] son
[00:36:21] to
[00:36:21] redeem
[00:36:21] creation.
[00:36:23] You
[00:36:24] could
[00:36:24] say
[00:36:24] it
[00:36:24] like
[00:36:24] this
[00:36:24] the
[00:36:25] missional
[00:36:25] generous
[00:36:26] outgoing
[00:36:26] shape
[00:36:27] of
[00:36:27] God's
[00:36:28] own
[00:36:28] life
[00:36:30] helps
[00:36:30] shape
[00:36:31] us
[00:36:31] and
[00:36:31] sends
[00:36:32] us
[00:36:32] out
[00:36:33] into
[00:36:33] a
[00:36:33] world
[00:36:33] in
[00:36:34] need
[00:36:34] of
[00:36:34] redemption.
[00:36:35] Our
[00:36:36] mission
[00:36:36] is to
[00:36:36] share
[00:36:37] the
[00:36:37] gospel
[00:36:37] but
[00:36:38] the
[00:36:38] goal
[00:36:39] of
[00:36:39] the
[00:36:39] gospel
[00:36:39] in
[00:36:39] a
[00:36:40] sense
[00:36:40] is
[00:36:40] to
[00:36:40] expand
[00:36:42] Trinitarian
[00:36:42] fellowship.
[00:36:44] We're
[00:36:44] inviting
[00:36:44] people
[00:36:45] to
[00:36:45] know
[00:36:45] God.
[00:36:46] We
[00:36:47] want
[00:36:47] people
[00:36:47] to
[00:36:47] come
[00:36:47] home
[00:36:48] to
[00:36:48] God.
[00:36:50] So
[00:36:50] our
[00:36:50] mission
[00:36:51] is to
[00:36:51] help
[00:36:51] people
[00:36:51] know
[00:36:52] and
[00:36:52] be
[00:36:52] in
[00:36:52] a
[00:36:52] relationship
[00:36:53] with
[00:36:53] this
[00:36:54] God
[00:36:54] and
[00:36:54] God
[00:36:54] aids
[00:36:55] us
[00:36:55] in
[00:36:55] that
[00:36:56] mission.
[00:36:56] So
[00:36:56] the
[00:36:56] Trinity
[00:36:57] I
[00:36:57] think
[00:36:57] helps
[00:36:57] us
[00:36:58] have
[00:36:58] a
[00:36:58] mission
[00:36:59] here
[00:37:00] on
[00:37:00] earth.
[00:37:00] So
[00:37:01] those
[00:37:01] are
[00:37:01] some
[00:37:02] of
[00:37:02] the
[00:37:02] implications
[00:37:02] of
[00:37:02] the
[00:37:03] Trinity
[00:37:03] I
[00:37:03] wanted
[00:37:03] to
[00:37:03] think
[00:37:04] about
[00:37:04] for
[00:37:04] a
[00:37:05] second
[00:37:05] this
[00:37:05] morning.
[00:37:06] So
[00:37:07] hopefully
[00:37:08] your
[00:37:08] brain
[00:37:08] isn't
[00:37:08] exploding
[00:37:09] at
[00:37:10] this
[00:37:10] point
[00:37:10] but
[00:37:10] let's
[00:37:10] just
[00:37:11] dial
[00:37:12] it
[00:37:12] back
[00:37:12] for
[00:37:12] a
[00:37:12] second
[00:37:13] and
[00:37:13] just
[00:37:21] fullness
[00:37:21] of
[00:37:21] time
[00:37:23] God
[00:37:23] sent
[00:37:24] forth
[00:37:24] his
[00:37:24] son
[00:37:26] born
[00:37:26] of
[00:37:27] a
[00:37:27] woman
[00:37:27] born
[00:37:28] under
[00:37:28] the
[00:37:28] law
[00:37:29] to
[00:37:29] redeem
[00:37:29] those
[00:37:30] who
[00:37:30] are
[00:37:30] under
[00:37:30] the
[00:37:30] law
[00:37:31] that
[00:37:31] we
[00:37:31] might
[00:37:32] receive
[00:37:32] the
[00:37:32] adoption
[00:37:33] as
[00:37:33] sons
[00:37:34] and
[00:37:35] because
[00:37:35] you
[00:37:35] are
[00:37:35] sons
[00:37:36] he
[00:37:36] has
[00:37:36] sent
[00:37:36] the
[00:37:36] spirit
[00:37:37] into
[00:37:37] our
[00:37:38] hearts
[00:37:38] crying
[00:37:38] Abba
[00:37:39] father
[00:37:39] you've
[00:37:39] got
[00:37:40] God
[00:37:41] sending
[00:37:41] the
[00:37:41] son
[00:37:42] the
[00:37:42] son
[00:37:42] becoming
[00:37:43] one
[00:37:43] of
[00:37:43] us
[00:37:44] to
[00:37:44] redeem
[00:37:44] us
[00:37:45] from
[00:37:45] our
[00:37:45] bondage
[00:37:46] to
[00:37:46] the
[00:37:47] law
[00:37:47] our
[00:37:47] servitude
[00:37:48] to
[00:37:48] the
[00:37:48] law
[00:37:48] the
[00:37:48] guilt
[00:37:49] that
[00:37:49] we
[00:37:49] were
[00:37:49] experiencing
[00:37:50] under
[00:37:50] the
[00:37:50] law
[00:37:51] he
[00:37:51] died
[00:37:52] for
[00:37:52] us
[00:37:52] rose
[00:37:52] from
[00:37:53] the
[00:37:53] dead
[00:37:53] ascended
[00:37:53] to
[00:37:53] the
[00:37:54] right
[00:37:54] hand
[00:37:54] of
[00:37:54] the
[00:37:54] father
[00:37:54] that
[00:37:55] when
[00:37:55] we
[00:37:55] believe
[00:37:55] in
[00:37:55] him
[00:37:55] the
[00:37:56] spirit
[00:37:56] comes
[00:37:57] to
[00:37:57] live
[00:37:57] inside
[00:37:57] of
[00:37:57] us
[00:37:57] and
[00:37:58] causes
[00:37:58] us
[00:37:58] to
[00:37:59] go
[00:37:59] back
[00:37:59] to
[00:37:59] God
[00:38:00] and
[00:38:00] say
[00:38:00] father
[00:38:02] you're
[00:38:03] my
[00:38:03] father
[00:38:04] okay
[00:38:04] in
[00:38:05] fact
[00:38:05] you know
[00:38:06] a lot
[00:38:06] of
[00:38:06] people
[00:38:06] get
[00:38:07] bothered
[00:38:07] by
[00:38:08] that
[00:38:08] title
[00:38:08] for
[00:38:09] God
[00:38:09] father
[00:38:09] because
[00:38:10] like
[00:38:11] none
[00:38:12] of
[00:38:12] us
[00:38:12] have
[00:38:13] a
[00:38:14] dad
[00:38:14] who
[00:38:15] perfectly
[00:38:16] portrayed
[00:38:16] for
[00:38:17] us
[00:38:17] what
[00:38:17] God
[00:38:18] is
[00:38:18] like
[00:38:18] and
[00:38:20] many
[00:38:20] of
[00:38:20] us
[00:38:20] have
[00:38:21] had
[00:38:21] fathers
[00:38:22] who
[00:38:23] really
[00:38:23] missed
[00:38:24] the
[00:38:24] mark
[00:38:24] on
[00:38:27] emulating
[00:38:27] the
[00:38:28] original
[00:38:28] father
[00:38:29] but
[00:38:30] I
[00:38:31] think
[00:38:31] that
[00:38:32] that
[00:38:32] is
[00:38:32] by
[00:38:33] design
[00:38:33] like
[00:38:34] we
[00:38:34] all
[00:38:34] know
[00:38:35] that's
[00:38:35] not
[00:38:36] right
[00:38:37] and
[00:38:38] by
[00:38:38] no
[00:38:38] when
[00:38:39] you
[00:38:39] know
[00:38:39] something
[00:38:40] is
[00:38:40] off
[00:38:40] something
[00:38:41] is
[00:38:41] not
[00:38:41] right
[00:38:43] it's
[00:38:44] like
[00:38:44] by
[00:38:45] instinct
[00:38:45] you
[00:38:46] know
[00:38:46] because
[00:38:47] there
[00:38:47] is
[00:38:47] something
[00:38:48] that
[00:38:48] is
[00:38:48] right
[00:38:49] and
[00:38:49] I
[00:38:49] haven't
[00:38:50] seen
[00:38:50] it
[00:38:50] yet
[00:38:52] and
[00:38:52] that's
[00:38:53] God
[00:38:53] he
[00:38:54] is
[00:38:54] the
[00:38:54] true
[00:38:55] father
[00:38:55] it's
[00:38:55] not
[00:38:56] like
[00:38:56] he
[00:38:56] looked
[00:38:56] around
[00:38:57] the
[00:38:57] world
[00:38:57] and
[00:38:58] was
[00:38:58] like
[00:38:58] how
[00:38:58] am
[00:38:58] I
[00:38:58] going
[00:38:59] to
[00:38:59] really
[00:38:59] relate
[00:38:59] to
[00:39:00] people
[00:39:00] who
[00:39:00] I
[00:39:01] am
[00:39:01] oh
[00:39:02] I
[00:39:02] see
[00:39:02] all
[00:39:02] these
[00:39:03] dads
[00:39:03] down
[00:39:03] there
[00:39:04] just
[00:39:04] lost
[00:39:04] clueless
[00:39:05] not
[00:39:05] knowing
[00:39:05] what
[00:39:06] to
[00:39:06] do
[00:39:06] I'll
[00:39:07] call
[00:39:07] myself
[00:39:08] a
[00:39:08] father
[00:39:08] as
[00:39:09] well
[00:39:09] because
[00:39:09] that
[00:39:10] will
[00:39:10] help
[00:39:10] them
[00:39:10] understand
[00:39:11] who
[00:39:11] I
[00:39:11] am
[00:39:11] no
[00:39:12] it's
[00:39:12] that
[00:39:12] God
[00:39:12] is
[00:39:13] sharing
[00:39:13] his
[00:39:13] title
[00:39:14] with
[00:39:14] us
[00:39:14] so
[00:39:17] we
[00:39:17] have
[00:39:18] this
[00:39:18] God
[00:39:19] who
[00:39:19] has
[00:39:19] loved
[00:39:20] us
[00:39:20] in
[00:39:21] such
[00:39:21] a
[00:39:21] powerful
[00:39:22] way
[00:39:23] streaming
[00:39:24] his
[00:39:25] way
[00:39:25] to
[00:39:26] us
[00:39:26] you
[00:39:27] know
[00:39:27] Paul
[00:39:27] said
[00:39:28] here
[00:39:28] that
[00:39:28] he
[00:39:29] came
[00:39:29] at
[00:39:29] the
[00:39:29] fullness
[00:39:30] of
[00:39:30] time
[00:39:30] came
[00:39:31] at
[00:39:31] the
[00:39:31] fullness
[00:39:32] of
[00:39:32] time
[00:39:32] Jesus
[00:39:32] was
[00:39:33] born
[00:39:33] at
[00:39:34] the
[00:39:34] right
[00:39:34] time
[00:39:35] historically
[00:39:35] we
[00:39:35] know
[00:39:36] that
[00:39:36] I
[00:39:36] mean
[00:39:36] it
[00:39:36] was
[00:39:36] just
[00:39:36] a
[00:39:37] perfect
[00:39:37] time
[00:39:37] for
[00:39:37] the
[00:39:38] Messiah
[00:39:38] to
[00:39:39] come
[00:39:39] to
[00:39:39] earth
[00:39:40] the
[00:39:40] peace
[00:39:41] that
[00:39:41] Rome
[00:39:41] had
[00:39:42] brought
[00:39:42] to
[00:39:42] the
[00:39:43] world
[00:39:43] the
[00:39:43] forced
[00:39:44] peace
[00:39:44] that
[00:39:44] they
[00:39:44] had
[00:39:44] brought
[00:39:45] to
[00:39:45] the
[00:39:45] world
[00:39:45] where
[00:39:46] missionaries
[00:39:47] could
[00:39:47] travel
[00:39:47] all over
[00:39:48] the
[00:39:48] world
[00:39:48] sharing
[00:39:49] the
[00:39:49] gospel
[00:39:49] the
[00:39:50] road
[00:39:50] system
[00:39:50] that
[00:39:51] they
[00:39:51] had
[00:39:51] built
[00:39:51] the
[00:39:51] fact
[00:39:52] that
[00:39:52] the
[00:39:52] Greek
[00:39:52] language
[00:39:53] was
[00:39:54] the
[00:39:54] common
[00:39:55] language
[00:39:56] of
[00:39:56] that
[00:39:56] time
[00:39:57] and
[00:39:57] they
[00:39:57] could
[00:39:57] go
[00:39:57] out
[00:39:57] and
[00:39:58] just
[00:39:58] be
[00:39:58] speaking
[00:39:58] to
[00:39:59] all
[00:39:59] these
[00:39:59] different
[00:40:00] people
[00:40:00] groups
[00:40:01] rather
[00:40:01] easily
[00:40:02] it
[00:40:03] was
[00:40:04] just
[00:40:04] the
[00:40:04] perfect
[00:40:04] time
[00:40:05] for
[00:40:06] the
[00:40:06] Messiah
[00:40:06] to
[00:40:06] come
[00:40:07] because
[00:40:07] then
[00:40:07] the
[00:40:07] message
[00:40:08] could
[00:40:09] spread
[00:40:09] it
[00:40:10] was
[00:40:10] the
[00:40:10] perfect
[00:40:10] time
[00:40:10] biblically
[00:40:12] Daniel
[00:40:13] chapter
[00:40:13] 9
[00:40:13] seems
[00:40:14] to have
[00:40:14] indicated
[00:40:15] that
[00:40:15] 483
[00:40:16] years
[00:40:16] after
[00:40:17] Jerusalem
[00:40:17] was
[00:40:17] rebuilt
[00:40:18] in the
[00:40:18] days
[00:40:18] of
[00:40:19] Nehemiah
[00:40:19] the
[00:40:19] Messiah
[00:40:20] would
[00:40:21] arrive
[00:40:21] so it
[00:40:21] was the
[00:40:22] perfect
[00:40:22] time
[00:40:22] biblically
[00:40:23] Psalm
[00:40:23] 22
[00:40:24] indicated
[00:40:25] that
[00:40:25] when the
[00:40:26] Messiah
[00:40:26] came
[00:40:26] he
[00:40:26] would
[00:40:26] be
[00:40:27] crucified
[00:40:27] so they
[00:40:28] had
[00:40:28] to wait
[00:40:28] for
[00:40:28] crucifixion
[00:40:29] to even
[00:40:29] become
[00:40:30] a
[00:40:30] thing
[00:40:30] which
[00:40:31] happened
[00:40:31] during
[00:40:32] the
[00:40:33] period
[00:40:33] before
[00:40:34] Rome
[00:40:34] but
[00:40:34] Rome
[00:40:35] perfected
[00:40:36] the
[00:40:36] act
[00:40:37] of
[00:40:37] crucifixion
[00:40:38] so it
[00:40:38] was the
[00:40:38] perfect
[00:40:39] time
[00:40:39] in the
[00:40:40] biblical
[00:40:40] sense
[00:40:40] to fulfill
[00:40:41] prophecy
[00:40:42] prophecy
[00:40:43] but
[00:40:43] I found
[00:40:45] that the
[00:40:45] Lord
[00:40:45] comes
[00:40:46] into
[00:40:46] our
[00:40:46] lives
[00:40:47] at
[00:40:47] the
[00:40:47] right
[00:40:48] time
[00:40:48] at
[00:40:48] the
[00:40:49] right
[00:40:49] moment
[00:40:49] the
[00:40:49] fullness
[00:40:50] of
[00:40:50] time
[00:40:51] individually
[00:40:51] the
[00:40:56] love
[00:40:56] of
[00:40:56] God
[00:40:58] calling
[00:40:59] us
[00:40:59] drawing
[00:41:00] us
[00:41:02] reaching
[00:41:03] us
[00:41:03] our
[00:41:09] souls
[00:41:10] are
[00:41:10] thirsty
[00:41:10] we
[00:41:13] try
[00:41:13] to
[00:41:14] satisfy
[00:41:15] that
[00:41:16] thirst
[00:41:16] in
[00:41:16] all
[00:41:16] kinds
[00:41:16] of
[00:41:17] different
[00:41:17] places
[00:41:18] but
[00:41:19] what
[00:41:19] you're
[00:41:19] really
[00:41:20] thirsty
[00:41:20] for
[00:41:20] at
[00:41:21] the
[00:41:21] end
[00:41:21] of
[00:41:21] the
[00:41:21] day
[00:41:22] is
[00:41:23] the
[00:41:23] love
[00:41:23] of
[00:41:24] that
[00:41:24] father
[00:41:26] that's
[00:41:27] what
[00:41:27] it
[00:41:27] is
[00:41:28] that's
[00:41:29] what
[00:41:29] it
[00:41:29] is
[00:41:29] a few
[00:41:29] weeks
[00:41:29] ago
[00:41:30] I got
[00:41:30] to
[00:41:30] teach
[00:41:30] at
[00:41:31] regeneration
[00:41:31] and
[00:41:32] pastor
[00:41:32] Mike
[00:41:32] and
[00:41:32] Michelle
[00:41:33] are
[00:41:33] over
[00:41:33] here
[00:41:33] on
[00:41:34] Monday
[00:41:34] night
[00:41:34] they're
[00:41:34] celebrating
[00:41:35] their
[00:41:35] 20
[00:41:36] year
[00:41:36] anniversary
[00:41:37] as a
[00:41:37] ministry
[00:41:38] this
[00:41:38] year
[00:41:38] just
[00:41:38] praise
[00:41:39] the
[00:41:39] Lord
[00:41:43] and
[00:41:43] we
[00:41:43] were
[00:41:44] thinking
[00:41:44] about
[00:41:45] a
[00:41:46] little
[00:41:46] passage
[00:41:46] in
[00:41:47] Jeremiah
[00:41:47] where
[00:41:48] Jeremiah
[00:41:48] says
[00:41:49] on
[00:41:49] behalf
[00:41:49] of
[00:41:49] God
[00:41:50] my
[00:41:50] people
[00:41:50] have
[00:41:50] committed
[00:41:51] two
[00:41:51] evils
[00:41:52] they've
[00:41:52] forsaken
[00:41:53] me
[00:41:53] the
[00:41:53] fountain
[00:41:54] of
[00:41:54] living
[00:41:54] water
[00:41:55] and
[00:41:56] in
[00:41:57] their
[00:41:57] worship
[00:41:57] of
[00:41:57] all
[00:41:58] these
[00:41:58] idols
[00:41:58] it's
[00:41:59] like
[00:41:59] they
[00:41:59] have
[00:41:59] hewn
[00:42:00] out
[00:42:01] broken
[00:42:01] cisterns
[00:42:02] that
[00:42:02] can
[00:42:02] hold
[00:42:03] no
[00:42:03] water
[00:42:03] and
[00:42:04] we
[00:42:04] just
[00:42:05] spent
[00:42:05] the
[00:42:05] night
[00:42:05] thinking
[00:42:06] about
[00:42:06] as
[00:42:06] you
[00:42:06] go
[00:42:06] through
[00:42:07] the
[00:42:07] book
[00:42:07] of
[00:42:07] Jeremiah
[00:42:07] all
[00:42:08] the
[00:42:08] false
[00:42:08] gods
[00:42:08] of
[00:42:39] the
[00:42:41] heart
[00:42:41] would
[00:42:41] flow
[00:42:42] rivers
[00:42:42] of
[00:42:43] living
[00:42:43] water
[00:42:44] the
[00:42:46] image
[00:42:47] I'm
[00:42:47] trying
[00:42:47] to
[00:42:47] give
[00:42:47] to
[00:42:48] you
[00:42:48] today
[00:42:48] is
[00:42:48] of
[00:42:49] God
[00:42:49] as
[00:42:50] a
[00:42:50] fountain
[00:42:51] a
[00:42:51] river
[00:42:52] a
[00:42:52] stream
[00:42:52] overflowing
[00:42:54] to
[00:42:54] create
[00:42:55] overflowing
[00:42:56] to then
[00:42:56] save
[00:42:57] and
[00:42:57] redeem
[00:42:58] overflowing
[00:42:59] to bring
[00:42:59] you back
[00:43:00] into
[00:43:00] fellowship
[00:43:01] and
[00:43:01] relationship
[00:43:02] with
[00:43:02] himself
[00:43:02] because
[00:43:03] of
[00:43:03] just
[00:43:04] his
[00:43:04] very
[00:43:04] nature
[00:43:05] of
[00:43:05] who
[00:43:05] he
[00:43:06] is
[00:43:07] when
[00:43:08] we
[00:43:08] were
[00:43:08] at
[00:43:08] the
[00:43:09] prison
[00:43:10] this
[00:43:10] last
[00:43:11] week
[00:43:13] and
[00:43:14] Vanessa
[00:43:15] Cava
[00:43:15] who I was
[00:43:16] talking about
[00:43:16] earlier
[00:43:17] shared her
[00:43:17] testimony
[00:43:18] I was able
[00:43:19] to tell
[00:43:20] everyone
[00:43:20] at the
[00:43:21] close
[00:43:21] of my
[00:43:21] message
[00:43:22] then
[00:43:22] I said
[00:43:23] you know
[00:43:23] I
[00:43:23] know
[00:43:24] the
[00:43:24] day
[00:43:24] that
[00:43:25] Vanessa
[00:43:25] gave
[00:43:25] her
[00:43:25] life
[00:43:26] to
[00:43:26] Jesus
[00:43:26] she
[00:43:27] had
[00:43:27] come
[00:43:27] to
[00:43:27] our
[00:43:27] church
[00:43:28] for
[00:43:28] three
[00:43:29] months
[00:43:29] she
[00:43:29] heard
[00:43:29] me
[00:43:30] preaching
[00:43:30] for
[00:43:30] three
[00:43:30] months
[00:43:31] and
[00:43:31] then
[00:43:31] I
[00:43:31] invited
[00:43:32] a
[00:43:32] friend
[00:43:32] to
[00:43:32] come
[00:43:33] preach
[00:43:33] and
[00:43:34] she
[00:43:34] got
[00:43:34] saved
[00:43:34] on
[00:43:34] the
[00:43:35] day
[00:43:35] that
[00:43:35] he
[00:43:35] was
[00:43:35] preaching
[00:43:36] I
[00:43:37] was
[00:44:32] time. They ask him permission to go into a herd of pigs that are nearby. Jesus grants them
[00:44:40] permission. The pigs are driven into the Sea of Galilee and die. It's just a, you know, you read it
[00:44:48] in the Bible and it's just like, oh, that's a funny story. But like, I just think about the disciples
[00:44:54] just peeing their pants at a moment like that. That's terrifying. What are we doing here?
[00:45:02] And then there's this man totally delivered, just sitting there in his right mind. The villagers
[00:45:09] come out. They see this guy who they've been trying to tame for years, just lucid, clear. God has
[00:45:18] changed him and they don't know what's going on. And they beg Jesus to leave their region.
[00:45:25] Like, we don't know what you are, who you are, but leave. And Jesus agrees. And as he's getting in the
[00:45:31] boat, the man comes to Jesus and says, can I go with you? You've got these 12 disciples. I've got a bad
[00:45:39] feeling about at least one of them. Maybe I could, you know, get on this team. And Jesus says, no,
[00:45:49] I want you to go back to your hometown and tell them all that God has done for you. Years later,
[00:45:57] when the gospel was spreading, it did really well in that region. And I think probably it was because
[00:46:03] of his testimony had prepared the soil for when the full gospel was delivered into that region.
[00:46:09] They're like, we've heard of Jesus. We've seen the changed life that he can produce. But what I was
[00:46:18] sharing with the men and women that were there at the jail this last week is I just said, you know,
[00:46:24] that's what Jesus can do. He can change. He can transform you. He can grab a hold of your life.
[00:46:33] He can, he can make what you are later, totally unrecognizable from what you have been.
[00:46:40] He can do that. But what I was pointing out to them was, because it was kind of cool,
[00:46:45] like the way they had it set up. It's like that they're, they're all like, you guys right here,
[00:46:49] you guys are the inmates. And, and then there's like the guards. And then like, there's like all
[00:46:55] these Christians, you know, like we're all on the outskirts. And I just was sharing with them. I'm
[00:47:02] like, you know, Jesus, he said yes to everybody in that story, except for the man, like the demons are
[00:47:08] like, we want to go in the pigs. He's like, okay. And then the villagers are like, please leave. And
[00:47:13] he's like, okay. And then the guy says, I want to be your disciple. Sounds great, right? No.
[00:47:18] You can't. Go back and tell other people what the Lord has done for you. And I just was sharing with
[00:47:25] them. I said, you know, all these people that are here today, that's how we feel. We just feel
[00:47:31] that Jesus has come into our lives. He has changed us. He has made us different from what we used to be.
[00:47:38] And we just want you to know about him. So what you have, what's happening there? God loves the world,
[00:47:49] sends his son. The son loves the world, wants to redeem us. So he comes and obeys the father.
[00:47:55] He rises from the dead. The spirit is poured out, comes into us, drives us back to the, to the father.
[00:48:02] Father. We cry out, Abba father. And then what happens? Then God who still loves the world,
[00:48:10] who still wants to redeem it. He then says, now you embody what I'm about. And you tell others
[00:48:21] about the beautiful love that I have for them and the redeeming power that is possible and found
[00:48:29] in me. That's what Christmas is about. Merry Christmas church.
[00:48:37] Thank you for listening. If you would like more teachings and information about Calvary Monterey,
[00:48:42] please visit calvary.com. You can also find books, teachings through the Bible,
[00:48:47] and articles from our lead pastor at nateholdridge.com. Thanks again for tuning in. We'll see you next week.