Great is thy faithfulness,
00:00:53.03\00:00:58.23
oh God my Father.
00:00:59.01\00:01:04.80
There is no shadow of
00:01:04.83\00:01:09.56
turning with Thee.
00:01:09.59\00:01:16.90
Thou changest not,
00:01:17.43\00:01:22.04
Thy compassions, they fail not.
00:01:22.07\00:01:29.58
As Thou hast been, Thou forever
00:01:29.62\00:01:38.69
wilt be.
00:01:38.72\00:01:45.07
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:01:45.10\00:01:48.30
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:01:50.77\00:01:56.20
Morning by morning,
00:01:56.23\00:02:01.23
new mercies I see.
00:02:01.26\00:02:07.85
All I have needed,
00:02:09.39\00:02:14.20
Thy hand hath provided.
00:02:14.23\00:02:20.93
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:02:23.12\00:02:32.64
Lord unto me.
00:02:34.12\00:02:41.64
Summer and winter,
00:02:52.28\00:02:57.19
and springtime and harvest.
00:02:57.69\00:03:04.01
Sun, moon, and stars
00:03:04.04\00:03:08.73
in their courses above.
00:03:08.76\00:03:14.26
Join with all nature in
00:03:14.29\00:03:20.35
manifold witness.
00:03:20.38\00:03:25.07
To Thy great faithfulness,
00:03:25.10\00:03:30.78
mercy and love.
00:03:30.81\00:03:36.13
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:03:36.16\00:03:41.07
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:03:41.10\00:03:46.57
Morning by morning,
00:03:46.60\00:03:51.33
new mercies I see.
00:03:51.36\00:03:57.01
All I have needed,
00:03:57.04\00:04:01.92
Thy hand hath provided.
00:04:01.95\00:04:07.14
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:04:07.20\00:04:12.44
Lord unto me.
00:04:12.47\00:04:17.60
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:04:17.63\00:04:22.44
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:04:22.87\00:04:27.49
Morning by morning,
00:04:27.52\00:04:31.95
new mercies I see.
00:04:31.98\00:04:37.76
All I have needed,
00:04:37.79\00:04:42.14
Thy hand hath provided.
00:04:42.17\00:04:47.99
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:04:48.02\00:04:52.86
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:04:53.06\00:04:57.86
Great is Thy faithfulness,
00:04:58.29\00:05:08.20
Lord unto me.
00:05:09.43\00:05:19.24
Amen.
00:05:30.44\00:05:31.41
Thank you
Reggie, thank you Ladye.
00:05:31.42\00:05:33.25
Reggie and Ladye Love Smith.
00:05:33.28\00:05:35.35
A lot of you, I'm
sure, and our viewers at home
00:05:35.38\00:05:37.27
have seen them
with the Gaithers.
00:05:37.30\00:05:39.18
They travel a lot
with the Gaither's
00:05:39.21\00:05:41.41
and done a lot of
their homecoming videos.
00:05:41.44\00:05:43.87
And I think the
last couple months or so
00:05:43.90\00:05:45.98
Reggie has been singing
with the Gaither Vocal Band.
00:05:46.01\00:05:49.98
And so we're very
privileged to have them.
00:05:50.01\00:05:54.01
They're brothers
and sisters in the Lord
00:05:54.04\00:05:56.09
and it's great
to have them here.
00:05:56.12\00:05:57.52
Actually, we did our Pillars CD
and we used some other singers
00:05:57.55\00:06:03.53
in the beginning and
they've actually come back and
00:06:03.56\00:06:05.68
replaced all of the voices,
nearly all of the voices.
00:06:05.71\00:06:08.65
So when you get your new
CD's, it's Reggie and Ladye
00:06:08.68\00:06:11.56
so you'll know who to
associate the voices with.
00:06:11.59\00:06:14.14
And Reggie's going to be
singing again in just a moment.
00:06:14.17\00:06:17.19
The Pillars song is going
to be, I Have Fixed My Mind.
00:06:17.22\00:06:20.48
And that is a
beautiful song, fantastic song.
00:06:21.08\00:06:24.50
It's the words
of William Miller.
00:06:24.53\00:06:27.15
And so these are songs that
have a great deal of meaning,
00:06:27.18\00:06:32.00
not just words but a lot
of meaning in those words.
00:06:32.03\00:06:36.31
And our speaker
tonight is David Asscherick.
00:06:36.34\00:06:39.17
And how many of you
know David Asscherick?
00:06:39.20\00:06:42.27
Amen.
00:06:42.30\00:06:43.91
And he is one of the
most popular speakers we have
00:06:43.94\00:06:48.94
from the stand point of
people just loving David
00:06:48.97\00:06:51.34
and really appreciating the
fact that he loves the Lord.
00:06:51.37\00:06:54.66
It's exciting when a
young man finds Jesus Christ,
00:06:54.69\00:06:58.41
finds these truths and
gets so really filled with them
00:06:58.44\00:07:03.81
and is able to reach
out and win as many people
00:07:03.84\00:07:07.23
to the Lord as David has.
00:07:07.26\00:07:08.89
Just like the Lord reached down
and caught him and brought him.
00:07:08.92\00:07:13.60
And it's just amazing.
00:07:13.63\00:07:15.13
Just like the
apostle Paul, that's right.
00:07:15.16\00:07:17.93
And just like
Danny, that's right.
00:07:17.96\00:07:20.22
So it is an exciting thing.
00:07:20.25\00:07:24.35
And David is going to be
speaking tonight on the Trinity,
00:07:24.38\00:07:28.11
and so we're
looking forward to that.
00:07:28.14\00:07:30.03
We are, again, just so thankful
to ask Reggie to come out,
00:07:30.92\00:07:33.94
Reggie Smith.
00:07:33.97\00:07:35.05
And Reggie will be
singing in just a moment,
00:07:35.08\00:07:37.97
I Have Fixed My Mind.
00:07:38.00\00:07:39.46
And again, it's been
this Pillars project.
00:07:39.49\00:07:42.03
It's music that
you're going to be hearing
00:07:42.06\00:07:44.20
for each of the sermons.
00:07:44.23\00:07:45.76
It's incredible music
written by David Huntsinger
00:07:45.79\00:07:49.74
and Kris Wilkinson.
00:07:49.77\00:07:50.75
They will be here tomorrow night
and they're going to be here
00:07:50.78\00:07:52.49
the rest of the camp meeting.
00:07:52.52\00:07:53.71
So for those of you that
haven't met them or those that
00:07:53.74\00:07:56.61
you appreciate their music,
we want you to let them know.
00:07:56.64\00:07:59.26
Come on out, Reggie.
00:07:59.29\00:08:00.41
We want you to let them know
that you appreciate the music
00:08:00.44\00:08:03.17
and encourage them
in what they're doing.
00:08:03.20\00:08:05.12
It's a privilege to
have you here, my brother.
00:08:05.15\00:08:06.67
And we're looking forward
to, I Have Fixed My Mind.
00:08:06.70\00:08:09.72
Amen.
00:08:09.75\00:08:10.72
Alright, good evening everyone.
00:13:26.44\00:13:27.72
Beautiful music, amen.
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.10
It's just great to be
here at the Pillars weekend
00:13:30.83\00:13:33.71
and looking forward
to camp meeting, amen.
00:13:33.74\00:13:36.81
Great, alright.
00:13:36.84\00:13:37.93
Let's pray together and then
we've got so much to cover that
00:13:37.96\00:13:40.38
we're not going to...
no niceties, no small talk.
00:13:40.41\00:13:42.49
Right into the Bible.
00:13:42.52\00:13:43.76
Amen?
00:13:43.79\00:13:44.76
Let's pray together.
00:13:44.77\00:13:45.83
Father in heaven, we want
to thank You for this beautiful
00:13:46.72\00:13:49.54
music and, Father, we thank
You for the person who sang it.
00:13:49.57\00:13:52.29
We just ask for the
filling of Your Spirit in
00:13:52.32\00:13:54.85
our hearts tonight.
00:13:54.88\00:13:55.85
Father, we're looking forward
to understanding You better and
00:13:56.48\00:13:58.91
Your Son better
and the Spirit better.
00:13:58.94\00:14:00.93
And so tonight as we open
Your word, may You open us.
00:14:01.58\00:14:04.18
Father, our time is limited.
00:14:04.21\00:14:05.74
I mean, my mind is just
boggled thinking that I have
00:14:05.77\00:14:08.96
42 minutes to try and
explain the nature of God.
00:14:08.99\00:14:12.61
Father, we'll be studying
the nature of God, Your nature,
00:14:12.64\00:14:16.18
throughout endless eternal ages.
00:14:16.21\00:14:19.11
And so what are we going
to do in the next 42 minutes?
00:14:19.14\00:14:21.46
Father, I just pray that
Your Spirit will be with me
00:14:22.01\00:14:24.93
and that this will be
a potent presentation.
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.85
Not because of the presenter but
because of the message preached.
00:14:27.88\00:14:31.83
Father, we want to
thank You that You've gotten
00:14:31.86\00:14:33.74
us all here safely, we
want to pray for those that are
00:14:33.77\00:14:35.51
still yet coming, and
for those that are watching.
00:14:35.54\00:14:37.57
Father, may this be a
Spirit filled weekend, a weekend
00:14:38.25\00:14:41.78
in which we can really say that
we are standing on the pillars,
00:14:41.81\00:14:44.71
that we are standing on the
promises, that our hope is built
00:14:44.74\00:14:47.65
on nothing less than Jesus
Christ and His righteousness.
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.99
We want to pray a special prayer
for every Pillars presenter
00:14:51.02\00:14:54.43
and for every Pillars listener
that, Father, truly we will
00:14:54.46\00:14:58.04
be rooted and grounded
in the Word, is our prayer.
00:14:58.07\00:15:01.69
And be with us now
as we open Your word,
00:15:02.29\00:15:04.40
may You open us, is
our prayer in Jesus' name.
00:15:04.43\00:15:07.11
Let everyone say, amen.
00:15:07.14\00:15:09.67
Alright.
00:15:10.20\00:15:11.39
Well, beloved, our topic...
00:15:11.73\00:15:13.41
Does anyone know
what my topic is?
00:15:13.44\00:15:15.11
Trinity.
00:15:15.14\00:15:16.11
Ok because I thought, well
if you don't know then maybe
00:15:16.12\00:15:17.83
I'll just preach something else.
00:15:17.86\00:15:19.02
Because I'm mildly
nervous about this.
00:15:20.39\00:15:22.96
Not nervous to be here
in front you because there's
00:15:22.99\00:15:24.98
no need to be
nervous when God has called.
00:15:25.01\00:15:26.41
Amen?
00:15:26.44\00:15:27.41
But just the nature of the topic
and the breadth of the topic
00:15:27.42\00:15:29.96
we're going to be talking about,
the topic that's been assigned
00:15:29.99\00:15:32.78
to me is the Trinity.
00:15:32.81\00:15:33.78
Now, let me just say a
couple of things right up front.
00:15:33.79\00:15:36.25
First of all, this will not be..
00:15:36.28\00:15:38.16
Will... What did I say everyone?
00:15:38.19\00:15:39.73
This will not be a
point by point apologetic
00:15:39.76\00:15:43.38
for the Trinity.
00:15:43.41\00:15:44.38
In other words, I'm not
going to be able to answer
00:15:44.39\00:15:46.38
every objection.
00:15:46.41\00:15:47.41
The nature of God and the
nature of Christ have been
00:15:47.44\00:15:49.85
some of the great discussions
and the source of some of the
00:15:49.88\00:15:52.78
great heresies in the
history of the Christian church
00:15:52.81\00:15:55.67
down through the ages.
00:15:55.70\00:15:56.67
So it will be impossible
for us to point by point
00:15:56.68\00:15:59.73
provide an apologetic that
would answer every objection
00:15:59.76\00:16:02.75
that you could
conceivably come up with.
00:16:02.78\00:16:04.18
However, rather than doing
that, what we're going to do
00:16:04.21\00:16:07.03
is we're going to
make a positive affirmation
00:16:07.06\00:16:09.72
of the character and nature
of God from a Biblical context.
00:16:09.75\00:16:13.35
Can you say amen
to that everyone?
00:16:13.38\00:16:14.83
In other words, the sermon
is not going to be unnecessarily
00:16:14.86\00:16:17.38
polemical or
apologetic or argumentative.
00:16:17.41\00:16:20.04
The purpose will be to
present a positive picture.
00:16:20.07\00:16:23.07
What kind of picture?
00:16:23.10\00:16:24.41
A positive picture.
00:16:24.44\00:16:25.63
Now let me just say something
very briefly here about
00:16:25.66\00:16:27.59
the word "Trinity".
00:16:27.62\00:16:28.59
You might be wondering why
I'm giving all these caveats,
00:16:29.17\00:16:31.59
all of these sort of
special pleadings before the
00:16:31.62\00:16:35.75
presentation begins.
00:16:35.78\00:16:36.75
Very simple, I have received
dozens and dozens and dozens
00:16:36.76\00:16:41.07
of emails preparatory
to this presentation.
00:16:41.10\00:16:43.82
More than any other that I've
ever received in the history of
00:16:43.85\00:16:45.90
working with 3ABN.
00:16:45.93\00:16:47.25
And many nice people,
many well meaning people,
00:16:47.28\00:16:50.21
and I've had the opportunity
to interact with some of them.
00:16:50.24\00:16:52.33
But I have received books,
I have received manuscripts,
00:16:52.36\00:16:54.96
I have received emails,
I have received concerns,
00:16:54.99\00:16:57.31
I have received copious amounts
of spirit of prophecy quotes and
00:16:57.34\00:17:00.79
Biblical quotes to try and
persuade me that the idea of
00:17:00.82\00:17:04.26
a Trinity is not Biblical,
but is actually rooted in
00:17:04.29\00:17:06.79
paganism and papalism.
00:17:06.82\00:17:08.35
And so I want to thank all of
those very kind people that took
00:17:08.38\00:17:11.68
the time to send me
books and manuscripts.
00:17:11.71\00:17:13.80
However, I think you're going
to be a little bit disappointed
00:17:13.83\00:17:17.70
that even after reading
almost all of what was sent me,
00:17:17.73\00:17:20.77
I remain committed to the
Biblical picture of God's unity
00:17:20.80\00:17:23.99
and God's plurality.
00:17:24.02\00:17:25.88
Now having said that, let me be
crystal clear about something.
00:17:25.91\00:17:28.99
I am confessedly noncommittal
about the word "Trinity".
00:17:29.02\00:17:33.90
I am confessedly noncommittal.
00:17:33.93\00:17:35.67
In other words, to me, I
could care less about the word.
00:17:35.70\00:17:38.31
That's the word that's
been assigned to be, but really
00:17:38.34\00:17:40.71
the topic is, The Nature of God.
00:17:40.74\00:17:42.60
Are we together everyone?
00:17:42.63\00:17:43.68
The word "Trinity", does it or
does it not occur in scripture?
00:17:43.71\00:17:46.99
It does not occur in scripture.
00:17:47.02\00:17:48.49
And so the word comes so
burdened with theological
00:17:48.53\00:17:53.43
and historical baggage that
I'm not married to the word,
00:17:53.46\00:17:57.54
I'm just married to
the Biblical teaching.
00:17:57.57\00:17:59.51
Ok, and so sometimes
when you use a certain word,
00:17:59.54\00:18:02.17
because language is fluid,
over time language takes on
00:18:02.20\00:18:05.86
new meanings and different
meanings, and the fluidity of
00:18:05.89\00:18:08.99
language demands that
we're always evaluating and
00:18:09.02\00:18:12.09
reevaluating the very best
way to communicate the gospel.
00:18:12.12\00:18:14.66
And just to communicate period.
00:18:14.69\00:18:16.29
And so this idea of the Trinity,
I'm not committed or I'm not
00:18:16.32\00:18:20.43
for or against the word.
00:18:20.46\00:18:21.51
I'm perfectly
ambivalent about the word.
00:18:21.54\00:18:23.45
If you like the word and
you're defining it in a Biblical
00:18:23.48\00:18:26.09
context, good for you.
00:18:26.12\00:18:27.39
If you don't like the word, it's
a little bit like the person
00:18:27.42\00:18:29.83
who goes to the doctor
and says to the doctor,
00:18:29.86\00:18:31.95
"Oh doc, every time I
move my shoulder like that,
00:18:31.98\00:18:34.37
oh, that just kills
every time I move my shoulder
00:18:34.40\00:18:36.73
just like that. "
00:18:36.76\00:18:37.73
What's the first thing
the doctor's going to say?
00:18:37.74\00:18:39.22
Don't do that.
00:18:40.00\00:18:41.08
And so here's a
robust piece of advice.
00:18:41.11\00:18:43.57
If you don't like the
word "Trinity," don't use it.
00:18:43.60\00:18:47.33
You see, that's just so easy.
00:18:47.36\00:18:49.22
And so we're not going
to be spending a lot of time
00:18:49.25\00:18:51.01
trying to defend or go into
the historical and theological
00:18:51.04\00:18:53.89
context of the word "Trinity".
00:18:53.92\00:18:55.25
There is so much baggage
there, what we're going to do is
00:18:55.28\00:18:58.15
look at the Biblical picture of
the plurality and simultaneous
00:18:58.18\00:19:02.81
unity of the nature of God.
00:19:02.84\00:19:04.52
That is a
pillar in Christianity.
00:19:04.55\00:19:06.98
Can you say amen to that?
00:19:07.01\00:19:07.99
Ok, now what we're going to be
doing is looking at three things
00:19:08.02\00:19:11.06
and if we have a little
bit of time we'll have a fourth
00:19:11.09\00:19:13.15
very small thing that we might
address just directly to my
00:19:13.55\00:19:17.13
Seventh-day Adventist friends.
00:19:17.16\00:19:18.60
The first one is, the very first
thing that we're going to be
00:19:19.50\00:19:21.22
looking at, because this
truth about the nature of God
00:19:21.25\00:19:23.59
hinges on three things.
00:19:23.62\00:19:25.81
How many things everyone?
00:19:25.84\00:19:27.14
Three things.
00:19:27.17\00:19:28.14
And the first is the
simultaneous plurality
00:19:28.15\00:19:31.78
and unity found
in the nature of God.
00:19:31.81\00:19:34.57
Ok, the simultaneous
plurality and unity.
00:19:34.60\00:19:38.77
What are those two words?
00:19:38.80\00:19:39.83
Plurality and unity
found in the nature of God.
00:19:39.86\00:19:43.10
So that's the very first thing.
00:19:43.13\00:19:44.27
The second thing that this
whole issue of the nature of God
00:19:44.30\00:19:46.82
turns on is the full eternality
and divinity of Jesus Christ.
00:19:46.85\00:19:51.77
In other words, was
Jesus actually God in the
00:19:51.80\00:19:54.87
most emphatic sense?
00:19:54.90\00:19:56.37
That's the second thing.
00:19:56.40\00:19:57.63
And the third thing that we're
going to be looking at is the
00:19:57.66\00:19:59.59
personhood of the Holy Spirit.
00:19:59.62\00:20:01.78
Is the Holy Spirit
simply some kind of a force,
00:20:01.81\00:20:05.19
some kind of an emanation
between the Father and the Son?
00:20:05.22\00:20:07.80
Or is the Holy Spirit a
person in the same sense
00:20:07.83\00:20:12.03
that the Father and
the Son are a person?
00:20:12.06\00:20:15.05
And so we'll be looking at the
personhood of the Holy Spirit.
00:20:15.08\00:20:16.91
It's a tall order to
accomplish in the time
00:20:16.94\00:20:19.17
that we have allotted.
00:20:19.20\00:20:20.17
So let's begin, let's get right
into scripture and go to our
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.58
first point which is
the simultaneous plurality
00:20:22.61\00:20:25.68
and unity found
in the nature of God.
00:20:25.71\00:20:28.39
The simultaneous
plurality and unity found
00:20:28.42\00:20:30.76
in the nature of God.
00:20:30.79\00:20:31.76
Inarguably, or possibly
arguably, the most profound
00:20:31.77\00:20:35.24
single phrase in all
of scripture may well be
00:20:35.27\00:20:37.95
1 John 4:8, 16.
00:20:37.98\00:20:42.91
In both of those verses,
we find John saying something
00:20:42.94\00:20:45.84
absolutely radical.
00:20:45.87\00:20:47.34
He says, "God is... "
00:20:47.37\00:20:49.77
What is the word everyone?
00:20:49.80\00:20:50.97
Love. "God is love. "
00:20:51.00\00:20:54.31
Now, what is meant by this?
00:20:54.34\00:20:57.34
I believe that John is
making a profound statement
00:20:57.37\00:21:00.48
not just about God's character.
00:21:00.51\00:21:03.14
Most of us would be very
persuaded and very confident
00:21:03.17\00:21:06.29
in the fact that God
has a loving character.
00:21:06.32\00:21:08.95
Can you say amen to that?
00:21:08.98\00:21:10.32
I believe, however, that John
is making a far more profound
00:21:10.35\00:21:13.35
statement than merely
saying, "God is loving. "
00:21:13.38\00:21:16.12
He is saying, "God
is... " What was the word?
00:21:16.15\00:21:18.54
"... love. "
00:21:18.57\00:21:19.54
Now let's just talk about this
from a Biblical perspective.
00:21:19.55\00:21:21.54
First of all, you
would agree with me no doubt
00:21:21.57\00:21:23.13
that the word "love" is a very
abused word in this day and age.
00:21:23.16\00:21:26.43
Are we together everyone?
00:21:26.46\00:21:27.43
And we were just talking
for a moment there about the
00:21:27.63\00:21:29.35
fluidity of language.
00:21:29.38\00:21:30.40
The reality is, is that a
word that comes to mean so much
00:21:30.43\00:21:33.73
eventually comes to
mean almost nothing.
00:21:33.76\00:21:35.88
Right? Because we love
spaghetti and we love our
00:21:35.91\00:21:38.12
Chihuahua's and we
love fishing and we love...
00:21:38.15\00:21:40.92
I don't love
Chihuahua's, by the way.
00:21:40.95\00:21:42.08
In fact, I
can't even stand them.
00:21:42.11\00:21:43.11
No offense to Chihuahua owners.
00:21:43.14\00:21:44.62
But we love our dogs
and we love spaghetti
00:21:45.74\00:21:47.77
and we love our
wife and we love God.
00:21:47.80\00:21:49.40
And so this has become
such a broad meaning, such a
00:21:49.43\00:21:52.73
boundless word that
it almost means nothing.
00:21:52.76\00:21:55.75
Ok, so from a Biblical context,
what does that word mean,
00:21:55.78\00:21:59.97
"God is love"?
00:22:00.00\00:22:01.98
This is not merely a commentary
about God's character as loving,
00:22:02.01\00:22:05.31
it is also, I believe, a
profound commentary about
00:22:05.34\00:22:07.87
the nature of God.
00:22:07.90\00:22:09.62
That is to say, what
God is in His Godness,
00:22:09.65\00:22:13.36
what makes God God.
00:22:13.39\00:22:15.34
Well, what would you...
00:22:15.37\00:22:16.64
If I ask you, what
is the love chapter?
00:22:16.67\00:22:18.82
I say, what's the love
chapter in scripture, what would
00:22:18.85\00:22:20.82
you say to me?
00:22:20.85\00:22:21.82
1 Corinthians
chapter 13, very good.
00:22:21.83\00:22:23.60
And in the context
of 1 Corinthians 13,
00:22:23.63\00:22:25.62
we don't have time to go there
because we're going to be moving
00:22:25.65\00:22:27.25
very rapidly, verse 5, the
apostle Paul says something
00:22:27.28\00:22:30.38
very interesting about love.
00:22:30.41\00:22:31.42
He's giving all of
these qualities of love.
00:22:31.45\00:22:32.98
He says that love is not
proud, love does not boast,
00:22:33.01\00:22:35.62
love never fails.
00:22:35.65\00:22:37.22
And then he says something
very interesting in verse 5.
00:22:37.25\00:22:39.07
He said, "love
seeks not its own. "
00:22:39.10\00:22:42.86
Just a single little phrase,
"love seeks not its own. "
00:22:42.89\00:22:46.69
Now let me ask you a question.
00:22:46.72\00:22:47.69
A very simple question,
a very logical question.
00:22:47.70\00:22:49.60
If love is not seeking its
own desires, its own hopes,
00:22:49.63\00:22:54.00
its own ambitions,
and its own benefits,
00:22:54.03\00:22:56.72
then what would it be seeking?
00:22:56.75\00:22:58.29
It would be seeking the desires,
the benefits, the ambitions,
00:22:59.34\00:23:02.14
the good of others.
00:23:02.17\00:23:03.84
And so Paul says, "love
is not seeking its own. "
00:23:03.87\00:23:07.11
Some translations,
"love is not selfish. "
00:23:07.14\00:23:09.16
I would paraphrase it this way,
"love is not self-centered. "
00:23:09.19\00:23:12.74
And so then it is the opposite
of that; love is other centered.
00:23:12.77\00:23:16.83
Are we together everyone?
00:23:16.86\00:23:18.58
Love is other centered.
00:23:18.61\00:23:20.87
Love is the principle
of putting others first.
00:23:20.90\00:23:24.19
In fact, why don't
we say that together,
00:23:24.22\00:23:25.87
love is the principle
of putting others first.
00:23:25.90\00:23:27.38
Say it with me.
00:23:27.41\00:23:28.38
Love is the principle
of putting others first.
00:23:28.39\00:23:33.05
Jesus said it this way in
John chapter 15 and verse 13,
00:23:33.08\00:23:35.50
"Greater love has no man
than this, that a man would
00:23:35.53\00:23:38.73
lay down his life
for his friends. "
00:23:38.76\00:23:42.21
So this idea that love
is other centered, it is not
00:23:42.24\00:23:44.81
inwardly focused, it
is not introspective.
00:23:44.84\00:23:46.86
It is other centered.
00:23:46.89\00:23:48.22
Love puts others first.
00:23:48.25\00:23:49.62
And that's what Paul
means when he says that,
00:23:49.65\00:23:50.84
"love seeks not its own. "
00:23:50.87\00:23:53.19
But wait a minute.
00:23:53.39\00:23:54.44
John says that God is...
00:23:54.47\00:23:56.73
What's our word everyone?
00:23:56.76\00:23:57.88
God is love.
00:23:57.91\00:23:59.48
John is making a very
profound statement here,
00:24:00.09\00:24:02.38
not only about the character of
God but about the nature of God.
00:24:02.41\00:24:05.01
He says, God in His very, the
essence of what makes God God,
00:24:05.04\00:24:10.31
it not merely loving, but love.
00:24:10.34\00:24:13.68
It would be perfectly
grammatically appropriate
00:24:14.49\00:24:16.70
for you or me to say, if we were
perhaps looking across the room
00:24:16.73\00:24:20.04
and we say a mother
cuddling and cradling and cooing
00:24:20.07\00:24:23.30
her little baby, you
might say or I might say
00:24:23.33\00:24:25.32
that mother is a loving mother.
00:24:25.35\00:24:27.68
Would that be an appropriate
thing to say in that context?
00:24:27.71\00:24:30.28
Ok, and you all at
times are loving people.
00:24:30.31\00:24:35.19
Is that true, yes or no?
00:24:35.22\00:24:36.77
And so, all of us at
times are loving people.
00:24:36.87\00:24:39.57
We might see that mother
and say she's a loving mother,
00:24:39.60\00:24:41.83
but would we say
that mother is love?
00:24:41.86\00:24:45.19
No, no, no, no.
00:24:46.27\00:24:47.24
Because what we're saying
is we're looking at her actions
00:24:47.25\00:24:49.26
and we're saying
"loving" is an adjective that
00:24:49.29\00:24:51.69
describes her actions.
00:24:51.72\00:24:53.01
But John doesn't
make this modest claim.
00:24:53.04\00:24:55.15
John doesn't make
this very modest claim
00:24:55.18\00:24:57.70
that God acts loving at times.
00:24:57.73\00:25:01.04
What John says is, "God," and
then he gives us a grammatical
00:25:01.07\00:25:04.18
theological equivalence here.
00:25:04.21\00:25:05.51
"God is," not loving, an
adjective describing behaviors,
00:25:05.54\00:25:10.44
"God is love", a noun
describing nature and essence.
00:25:10.47\00:25:15.97
He says, God in His very
fiber, in His very fabric,
00:25:17.04\00:25:19.76
in the Godness that makes
God God, there's this idea,
00:25:19.79\00:25:23.38
this principle of love.
00:25:23.41\00:25:25.33
Of what everyone?
00:25:25.36\00:25:26.45
Love.
00:25:26.48\00:25:27.45
But we just learned from
scripture that love is the
00:25:27.46\00:25:29.04
principle of
putting others first.
00:25:29.07\00:25:32.20
Now just work with me here.
00:25:32.23\00:25:33.74
If love is the principle
of putting others first,
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.77
and God is love, then by
definition what must you have
00:25:36.80\00:25:42.33
in order to have love?
00:25:42.36\00:25:43.47
Yea, there must be an
object, you must have others.
00:25:44.88\00:25:47.25
If love is the principle
of putting others first,
00:25:48.21\00:25:50.92
then by definition you
would have to have others,
00:25:50.95\00:25:53.24
you would have to have an object
upon which to bestow your love.
00:25:53.27\00:25:56.35
If God was rigidly singular
in the most emphatic sense of
00:25:56.38\00:26:01.68
singularity, if God was alone...
00:26:01.71\00:26:03.57
And we'll deal with
that in just a moment,
00:26:03.60\00:26:04.65
this idea that God is one.
00:26:04.68\00:26:05.68
If God was alone in
the most emphatic sense,
00:26:06.62\00:26:09.62
in the Islamic sense,
in the Unitarian sense,
00:26:09.65\00:26:12.50
in the Jehovah's Witness sense,
this God who is alone in His
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.45
aloneness could become loving
the moment He created an object
00:26:16.48\00:26:22.65
upon which to bestow His love.
00:26:22.68\00:26:24.43
But God is
eternal, God is infinite.
00:26:24.97\00:26:27.23
God existed for ages and
ages, the Bible says from
00:26:27.26\00:26:30.09
everlasting to everlasting.
00:26:30.12\00:26:31.17
God existed from everlasting
before there ever was
00:26:31.20\00:26:33.66
a created being.
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.06
Before there ever was a David,
before there ever was a you,
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.97
before there ever was a Lucifer.
00:26:38.00\00:26:39.20
Before there was ever
another moral sentient being,
00:26:39.23\00:26:41.91
God was there.
00:26:41.94\00:26:43.14
Can you say amen?
00:26:43.17\00:26:44.19
But here's the question.
00:26:44.22\00:26:45.22
How can a God who is rigidly
singular be in His nature love
00:26:45.25\00:26:51.95
if love is the principle
of putting others first?
00:26:51.98\00:26:55.96
Now this God, this rigidly
singular God, could become,
00:26:56.79\00:27:00.70
listen very carefully to
the language, this God could
00:27:00.73\00:27:02.85
become loving once He
created an object upon which to
00:27:02.96\00:27:07.32
bestow His love, but you could
not say that this God is love
00:27:07.35\00:27:11.40
in His essence.
00:27:11.43\00:27:13.55
Why?
00:27:13.58\00:27:14.55
Because there's just one.
00:27:14.56\00:27:15.53
And love is the
principle of putting...
00:27:15.93\00:27:17.37
What is it?
00:27:17.40\00:27:18.37
...others first.
00:27:18.39\00:27:19.41
Are there others here
upon which to bestow love?
00:27:19.44\00:27:21.94
There are?
00:27:22.50\00:27:24.18
No, no, no, no. God is
alone, He's by Himself.
00:27:24.57\00:27:26.74
The rigidly singular
God of the Unitarians
00:27:27.12\00:27:29.74
and the rigidly singular
God of the Muslims and other
00:27:29.77\00:27:32.71
monotheistic faith traditions,
they could have a God that
00:27:32.74\00:27:36.06
could become loving, but
this is not what John says.
00:27:36.09\00:27:39.58
John does not say,
"God became loving,"
00:27:40.23\00:27:43.08
or even "God is loving. "
00:27:43.11\00:27:44.78
This is far too modest a claim.
00:27:44.81\00:27:46.80
You could say
that about any of us.
00:27:46.83\00:27:48.02
David is
loving. Molly is loving.
00:27:48.05\00:27:51.68
John is loving. Mark is loving.
00:27:51.71\00:27:54.63
No, no, no, no, no.
00:27:54.66\00:27:55.74
John says, "God is love. "
00:27:55.77\00:28:00.00
But wait a minute.
00:28:00.03\00:28:01.00
Love is the principle of putting
others first, and in order to
00:28:01.01\00:28:03.76
have love you must have others.
00:28:03.79\00:28:06.38
So what then does this
tell us about the nature of God?
00:28:07.70\00:28:10.16
That this picture of God
is not a Biblically consistent
00:28:10.74\00:28:14.96
and coherent picture.
00:28:15.00\00:28:16.05
It's not a picture
that is compatible with the
00:28:16.09\00:28:18.54
notion of God as love.
00:28:18.57\00:28:20.05
This God could become loving,
but in His rigid singularity
00:28:20.08\00:28:25.51
how pray tell could He be love
if love Biblically defined is
00:28:25.54\00:28:29.63
the principle of
putting others first.
00:28:29.66\00:28:33.58
Are we together everyone?
00:28:33.61\00:28:35.23
So already we're beginning
to see, we're beginning to see
00:28:35.26\00:28:38.03
a hint, this is not
proof positive but it's a hint.
00:28:38.06\00:28:42.15
It's a... What
word did I say everyone?
00:28:42.18\00:28:44.06
It is a hint that there
is a plurality within the
00:28:44.09\00:28:48.00
very nature of God.
00:28:48.03\00:28:49.28
You see beloved, God
is presented in scripture
00:28:49.93\00:28:52.04
as a unity of
three co-eternal persons;
00:28:52.07\00:28:55.13
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
00:28:55.16\00:28:58.62
And so before there ever is
a Lucifer, before there ever
00:28:58.65\00:29:01.24
is a David, before
there ever is a John,
00:29:01.27\00:29:03.36
here is God in His simultaneous
plurality and unity, and the
00:29:03.39\00:29:08.14
heart of the Father can go
out to the Son and the Spirit.
00:29:08.17\00:29:11.45
And the heart of the
Son can go out to the Father
00:29:12.28\00:29:14.69
and the Spirit.
00:29:14.72\00:29:15.81
And the heart of the
Spirit can go out to the
00:29:15.84\00:29:17.84
Father and the Son.
00:29:17.87\00:29:18.85
And so John can say about
this God who is simultaneously
00:29:18.88\00:29:23.41
unified and plural, he can say
God in His very nature, God in
00:29:23.44\00:29:27.86
His very essence, God in the
Godness that makes Him God is,
00:29:27.89\00:29:32.73
not merely loving, an
adjective describing a behavior,
00:29:32.77\00:29:35.12
God is love.
00:29:35.15\00:29:38.49
Are we together everyone?
00:29:39.04\00:29:40.29
Now, open your Bibles very,
very, very, very quickly to the
00:29:41.01\00:29:43.66
book of Ephesians,
Ephesians chapter 5.
00:29:43.69\00:29:46.46
And here we're going to
sort of buttress our definition
00:29:46.49\00:29:49.43
of love as others centeredness.
00:29:49.46\00:29:51.42
Ephesians chapter 5,
notice with me in verse 1.
00:29:51.45\00:29:53.81
Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 1.
00:29:53.84\00:29:55.43
Ephesians chapter 5 and
verse 1, the Bible says,
00:29:56.85\00:29:59.27
"Therefore be
imitators of God as... " what?
00:29:59.30\00:30:01.85
"... dear children. "
00:30:01.88\00:30:02.85
We all know that children like
to imitate their parents, right?
00:30:02.86\00:30:05.35
If you met my little
boys, Landon and Jabel, 7 and 8,
00:30:05.38\00:30:08.36
if you met them and you
said, "What do you enjoy doing?"
00:30:08.39\00:30:10.40
they would say, "We enjoy
fishing, we enjoy backpacking,
00:30:10.43\00:30:13.05
we enjoy surfing. "
00:30:13.08\00:30:14.18
Well, why do they
enjoy fishing, backpacking,
00:30:14.21\00:30:15.82
surfing, and rock climbing?
00:30:15.85\00:30:17.04
Why? Just hazard a guess.
00:30:17.07\00:30:19.45
Because their dad
does, that's exactly right.
00:30:19.48\00:30:21.67
And chances are in those
formative years, your children
00:30:21.70\00:30:25.34
liked what you liked.
00:30:25.37\00:30:26.34
And so Paul uses a very profound
and very simple self evident
00:30:26.35\00:30:29.89
analogy, and that is children
like to be like their parents.
00:30:29.92\00:30:32.13
And so he says, "Be imitators
of God as dear children. "
00:30:32.16\00:30:34.67
And what's the first
thing that comes to Paul's mind?
00:30:34.70\00:30:36.50
What's the very first thing
that comes to Paul's mind when
00:30:36.53\00:30:39.17
he exhorts us to be like God?
00:30:39.20\00:30:40.75
"Be imitators of
God as dear children. "
00:30:40.78\00:30:42.50
Now look at verse
2, "And walk in love,
00:30:42.53\00:30:47.08
walk in love as
Christ also has loved us... "
00:30:47.11\00:30:50.68
Now watch this.
00:30:50.71\00:30:51.68
"... and," what's
the next phrase there?
00:30:51.69\00:30:53.80
"... gave Himself. "
00:30:54.63\00:30:56.18
"Walk in love as
Christ also has loved us... "
00:30:56.75\00:30:59.78
And then for Paul,
this is an equivalence.
00:30:59.81\00:31:02.71
"He loved us and...
" What's the phrase?
00:31:03.35\00:31:06.55
"... gave Himself. "
Loved us and gave Himself.
00:31:06.58\00:31:09.84
Look at Ephesians
chapter 5 verse 25.
00:31:09.87\00:31:12.35
Verse 25, "Husbands,
love your wives as Christ also
00:31:13.31\00:31:17.97
loved the church
and gave Himself. "
00:31:18.00\00:31:22.66
For Paul, these
are equivalences.
00:31:22.69\00:31:25.17
To love is to give yourself.
00:31:25.20\00:31:27.63
I just had the privilege of
performing a wedding on Sunday.
00:31:27.66\00:31:29.58
In fact, I had the privilege
of marrying off the person that
00:31:29.61\00:31:32.81
introduced me to Jesus Christ.
00:31:32.84\00:31:34.38
Can you say amen?
00:31:34.41\00:31:35.53
Very profound, very wonderful.
00:31:35.56\00:31:37.68
It was just awesome to be there.
00:31:37.71\00:31:38.87
And as I was speaking
to Josh and Shelly, I said,
00:31:38.90\00:31:40.75
"Josh, it's so easy
to say, 'I love you. '"
00:31:40.78\00:31:43.03
Because as we've already said,
love is such an abused term,
00:31:43.83\00:31:46.91
it's such a broad term,
it's such a liquid term.
00:31:46.95\00:31:48.82
We love our dogs, we
love pizza, we love whatever.
00:31:48.85\00:31:51.39
But what if instead of
saying, "I love you," we said,
00:31:51.42\00:31:54.24
"I give myself for you. "
00:31:54.27\00:31:56.37
Which is easier to say, "I love
you" or "I give myself for you?"
00:31:57.41\00:32:01.29
Yea, I love you.
00:32:01.32\00:32:02.29
It's so easy, it
just flows off the tongue.
00:32:02.30\00:32:03.86
I love you, man.
00:32:03.89\00:32:04.86
I love you, sister. I love you.
00:32:04.87\00:32:06.32
What do we mean? It
could mean anything.
00:32:06.35\00:32:09.30
When I was a little boy growing
up, they had this cartoon
00:32:10.01\00:32:12.01
called, The Smurfs.
00:32:12.04\00:32:13.31
And the Smurfs were these little
blue people that always ran
00:32:13.34\00:32:15.69
around and they'd be like, "Hey,
how are you feeling today?"
00:32:15.72\00:32:18.27
And they'd say, "Oh,
I'm feeling very smurfy. "
00:32:18.30\00:32:19.87
And they'd say, "Oh,
where are you going?"
00:32:19.90\00:32:20.87
"I'm going down to the smurf. "
00:32:20.88\00:32:21.85
"To do what?" "I'm smurfing. "
00:32:21.86\00:32:22.97
And so the word smurf could be a
noun, it could be an adjective.
00:32:23.00\00:32:25.21
You never quite knew
what the thing meant.
00:32:25.24\00:32:27.09
It meant nothing, and therefore
it meant everything and nothing.
00:32:27.91\00:32:31.19
And so to the word love.
00:32:31.22\00:32:32.58
Love is such a broad,
love is such a liquid term that
00:32:32.61\00:32:35.75
what exactly does it mean?
00:32:35.78\00:32:37.15
But for Paul, for Paul,
"Husbands, love your wives
00:32:37.18\00:32:40.41
as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself. "
00:32:40.44\00:32:43.16
"He gave Himself," for Paul
there is an equivalence here.
00:32:43.19\00:32:46.52
To love is to give yourself.
00:32:46.55\00:32:49.44
Galatians chapter 2 verse 20,
turn there in your scriptures
00:32:50.27\00:32:52.61
very quickly in your Bible.
00:32:52.64\00:32:53.94
By the way, a marvelous
sermon by Pastor Knott.
00:32:53.97\00:32:55.90
Can you say amen to that?
00:32:55.93\00:32:57.23
So appreciated the
fidelity there, so appreciated
00:32:57.26\00:33:00.14
the spirit there.
00:33:00.17\00:33:01.14
Praise God.
00:33:01.15\00:33:02.12
Galatians chapter 2
verse 20, "I have been
00:33:02.13\00:33:03.84
crucified with
Christ," you know this.
00:33:03.87\00:33:05.17
"It is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me.
00:33:05.20\00:33:07.46
And the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by faith
00:33:07.49\00:33:09.33
in the Son of God, who... "
00:33:09.36\00:33:12.14
Look at the last phrase,
look at the qualifying phrase.
00:33:12.17\00:33:14.32
"... who loved me
and gave Himself. "
00:33:14.35\00:33:19.26
This phrase comes up
over and over and over again
00:33:19.29\00:33:22.43
in the writings of Paul.
00:33:22.46\00:33:23.43
"He gave Himself. "
00:33:23.44\00:33:24.47
In fact, you want to look
in Galatians chapter 1 verse 4.
00:33:24.50\00:33:26.30
He gave
Himself, He gave Himself,
00:33:26.33\00:33:28.45
He gave
Himself, He gave Himself.
00:33:28.85\00:33:30.96
He gave Himself.
00:33:30.99\00:33:32.04
For Paul, to love is to
give yourself unreservedly
00:33:32.07\00:33:37.08
for somebody else.
00:33:37.11\00:33:38.82
Does that make sense?
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.04
Therefore, love
is others centered.
00:33:40.07\00:33:41.81
But we ask our question.
00:33:42.44\00:33:43.92
How can a God who is rigidly
singular be centered in others?
00:33:43.95\00:33:48.66
This God could become loving
once He had an object upon
00:33:49.52\00:33:52.37
which to bestow His love.
00:33:52.40\00:33:53.67
But the God of
scripture is a kind of...
00:33:54.39\00:33:59.25
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Genesis chapter 1.
00:34:00.07\00:34:02.62
Genesis chapter 1.
00:34:03.17\00:34:04.95
Our first point is the
simultaneous plurality and
00:34:04.98\00:34:07.95
unity of God's nature.
00:34:07.98\00:34:09.93
Go with me to Genesis chapter 1.
00:34:09.96\00:34:11.87
And while we're going there,
let me just as you a question.
00:34:11.90\00:34:13.86
What is the number one verse in
all the Bible that people know,
00:34:13.89\00:34:16.75
like the number one verse?
00:34:16.78\00:34:18.27
John 3:16.
00:34:18.30\00:34:20.12
Now just watch this. Watch this.
00:34:20.15\00:34:21.98
Jesus speaking to Nicodemus,
"For God so loved the world,"
00:34:22.01\00:34:26.05
and what's the very next
thing, "... that He gave. "
00:34:26.08\00:34:28.44
Love gives.
00:34:28.47\00:34:30.25
He gave
Himself, He gave Himself.
00:34:30.90\00:34:32.58
"Love seeks not its own. "
00:34:32.61\00:34:33.85
"Greater love hath no man
than this, that a man would
00:34:33.88\00:34:35.22
lay down his life
for his friends. "
00:34:35.25\00:34:36.27
Love is the principle
of putting others first.
00:34:36.30\00:34:37.64
But if there are not
others, then there is not love.
00:34:37.67\00:34:40.71
But John says, "God is love. "
00:34:40.74\00:34:43.98
And when we come to Genesis
chapter 1 verse 26, we find the
00:34:44.01\00:34:46.41
outworking of this triune love.
00:34:46.44\00:34:48.01
Genesis chapter 1 and
verse 26, "Then God said,
00:34:48.81\00:34:51.19
'Let Us make man in Our
image according to Our likeness.
00:34:51.22\00:34:57.61
Let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:34:57.64\00:34:59.15
over the birds of the air,
over the cattle, and over all
00:34:59.18\00:35:01.07
the earth and over
every creeping thing that
00:35:01.10\00:35:02.29
creeps on the earth. '
00:35:02.32\00:35:03.29
So God created man in His
own image; in the image of God
00:35:03.30\00:35:05.17
He created him. "
00:35:05.20\00:35:06.17
Watch this, "Male and
female He created them.
00:35:06.18\00:35:09.75
Then God blessed
them and said to them,
00:35:09.78\00:35:12.36
'Be fruitful and multiply. '"
00:35:12.39\00:35:15.92
God said, "Let Us,"
that's the plural pronoun,
00:35:16.51\00:35:19.33
"make man in Our," plural
possessive pronoun, "image. "
00:35:19.36\00:35:22.80
"Let them," plural
pronoun, "have dominion. "
00:35:22.83\00:35:25.73
Where did all of these
plural pronouns come from?
00:35:26.46\00:35:28.54
"Let Us... " "Make Our... "
00:35:28.57\00:35:30.61
"Let them... "
00:35:30.64\00:35:31.72
The reason for the plural
pronoun is that there is a
00:35:32.26\00:35:34.35
little thing that happens
here in the Hebrew that's not
00:35:34.38\00:35:36.31
perfectly clear in the English.
00:35:36.34\00:35:37.44
In the English,
"God" is in the singular.
00:35:37.47\00:35:40.03
"God said... "
00:35:40.06\00:35:41.12
In the Hebrew, the
word "God" here is "Elohim"
00:35:41.15\00:35:44.58
and it is a plural, it
is a plural picture of God.
00:35:44.61\00:35:48.42
It's literally like "Gods".
00:35:48.45\00:35:51.05
No wonder the pronoun, of
course a pronoun always has to
00:35:51.08\00:35:53.61
agree with the antecedent noun.
00:35:53.64\00:35:54.86
And so you have a plural
noun, masculine plural, Elohim,
00:35:54.89\00:35:59.33
"God said," Elohim, "let Us. "
00:35:59.36\00:36:02.09
"Us," plural pronoun agrees
with the plural antecedent noun.
00:36:02.12\00:36:06.11
"Let Us make man in Our... "
What's the word there everyone?
00:36:06.14\00:36:09.43
"Let Us make man in Our
image according to Our likeness.
00:36:09.83\00:36:15.26
Let them have over
the fish of the sea. "
00:36:15.29\00:36:17.50
God is presented here in a very
opening passage of scripture,
00:36:17.53\00:36:20.88
Genesis chapter 1,
as a kind of plurality.
00:36:20.91\00:36:23.90
As a kind of... What everyone?
00:36:24.39\00:36:25.66
Plurality.
00:36:25.69\00:36:26.91
And follow this, see
if you can follow this.
00:36:26.94\00:36:28.73
Only a "them" could
represent an "Us" and an "Our".
00:36:28.76\00:36:32.35
Only a "them"; a he or a
she, singular masculine and
00:36:33.19\00:36:38.72
singular feminine, cannot
represent an "Us" and an "Our".
00:36:38.75\00:36:41.46
This is a plural
that is represented best
00:36:41.49\00:36:44.19
apparently by a plural.
00:36:44.22\00:36:46.60
Now I have here in my hand a
mirror and I'm just going to ask
00:36:46.63\00:36:49.73
Nadia to come out very quickly
for a very simple illustration.
00:36:49.76\00:36:52.54
Come on out Nadia.
00:36:52.57\00:36:53.54
She was nervous about this
but she's going to do great.
00:36:53.55\00:36:54.92
Ok, so just take a
look in that mirror.
00:36:55.39\00:36:57.92
Nadia is holding
the mirror and here's
00:36:57.95\00:37:00.34
something very interesting.
00:37:00.37\00:37:01.34
If I stand right here
and I look in the mirror,
00:37:01.35\00:37:04.14
what do you think I see?
00:37:04.17\00:37:06.16
What do I see in the mirror?
00:37:07.14\00:37:08.11
Ah, ok several of you said her.
00:37:10.16\00:37:11.46
No, I don't see
her in the mirror.
00:37:11.49\00:37:12.89
What I see is her image.
00:37:12.92\00:37:14.86
Now watch this,
something very simple here.
00:37:14.89\00:37:16.90
Whatever I see here in the
image, while this is not Nadia.
00:37:17.40\00:37:21.45
I think we can all
agree this is not Nadia.
00:37:21.48\00:37:24.20
Ok, can you imagine?
00:37:24.23\00:37:25.78
But what I see here is a
reflection or an image of Nadia.
00:37:25.81\00:37:31.45
Does that make sense?
00:37:31.48\00:37:32.45
So whatever I see
here corresponds here.
00:37:32.47\00:37:34.94
Right? In other words, it would
be really weird if I was looking
00:37:34.97\00:37:37.20
in the mirror here and I
see what looks like a nice
00:37:37.23\00:37:39.34
pretty young girl and
then I look over here and it's
00:37:39.37\00:37:41.80
an average looking man.
00:37:41.83\00:37:43.54
I'd say, "How does that work?"
00:37:44.61\00:37:46.18
Something's wrong here because
what I see in the mirror,
00:37:46.21\00:37:49.81
the image, is
absolutely tell-tale of what the
00:37:49.84\00:37:53.40
real article is.
00:37:53.43\00:37:54.83
Does that make sense?
Thank you so much, Nadia.
00:37:54.93\00:37:56.62
So what God says is, "Let
Us make man in Our image. "
00:37:56.65\00:37:59.90
So what is the
mirror that we see God in?
00:37:59.93\00:38:02.91
The mirror, beloved,
is a man and a woman.
00:38:02.94\00:38:06.44
And the very first thing
that God says to a "them"
00:38:06.47\00:38:08.67
is, make another.
00:38:08.70\00:38:09.67
A family.
00:38:09.68\00:38:11.08
God makes a family in His image.
00:38:11.94\00:38:16.32
God makes a... What, everyone?
00:38:16.35\00:38:18.18
God makes a family in His image.
00:38:18.78\00:38:21.36
Why, pray tell?
00:38:21.39\00:38:22.36
Well I'd like to suggest to
you today, because God in His
00:38:23.07\00:38:25.82
very nature, God in His
very essence, God in the Godness
00:38:25.85\00:38:29.71
that makes Him God, is a family.
00:38:29.74\00:38:33.00
God is Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
00:38:34.94\00:38:38.45
So when God says, "Let
Us make man in Our image,"
00:38:38.48\00:38:42.16
people will see this thing and
they will know what we are like.
00:38:42.19\00:38:46.06
He doesn't make only a
male, neither does He make
00:38:46.09\00:38:48.41
only a female.
00:38:48.44\00:38:49.51
He makes a man,
He makes a woman.
00:38:49.54\00:38:51.17
And the very first thing He
says to them is, make another.
00:38:51.20\00:38:53.84
Make a family.
00:38:53.87\00:38:55.19
The family is in
the image of God.
00:38:55.22\00:38:59.76
It is not just men who
are in the image of God.
00:38:59.79\00:39:01.79
Neither is it just the ladies
that are in the image of God.
00:39:01.82\00:39:04.53
It's the family unit
that is in the image of God
00:39:05.73\00:39:08.21
And why, pray tell?
00:39:08.24\00:39:09.46
Because in the family unit, the
heart of the husband goes out
00:39:09.49\00:39:13.18
to the children and the wife.
00:39:13.21\00:39:15.08
In the family unit, the
children's heart goes out
00:39:15.11\00:39:17.41
to father and mother.
00:39:17.44\00:39:18.41
In the family unit, the heart
of the mother goes out to the
00:39:18.42\00:39:20.69
son's or
daughter's and to the man.
00:39:20.72\00:39:23.86
In the family unit, you
have a picture of the other
00:39:23.89\00:39:26.80
centeredness that is
rooted in the nature of God.
00:39:26.83\00:39:30.54
Now it's very
interesting, something very
00:39:31.61\00:39:33.05
interesting happens.
00:39:33.08\00:39:34.05
When we come to the rest of
the Bible outside of Genesis,
00:39:34.06\00:39:41.21
in other words, only in
Genesis is the word "image"
00:39:41.24\00:39:44.24
used positively.
00:39:44.27\00:39:45.36
Isn't this great for them to
have this image for me out here?
00:39:45.39\00:39:47.60
Only in Genesis is the
word "image" used positively.
00:39:48.66\00:39:51.09
In the rest of the Bible,
"image" is used negatively.
00:39:51.12\00:39:54.48
This particular word is
tzelem; tzelem, the Hebrew word.
00:39:54.51\00:39:58.43
"Let Us make man
in Our image," tzelem.
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.78
It's positive in Genesis
1, positive in Genesis 5,
00:40:01.81\00:40:04.68
positive in Genesis 9.
00:40:04.71\00:40:06.88
But the rest of the
Bible, Number and Ezekiel,
00:40:06.91\00:40:08.66
it's negative.
00:40:08.69\00:40:09.66
"You have your images.
" "You have your images. "
00:40:09.67\00:40:11.37
"You have your images. "
00:40:11.40\00:40:12.37
And everyone of us in the
room knows God hates idolatry.
00:40:12.38\00:40:15.78
Are we together everyone?
00:40:15.81\00:40:17.22
But the question is, why?
00:40:17.43\00:40:18.81
Why does God
hate idolatry so much?
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.45
Well, there are a
variety of reasons.
00:40:21.48\00:40:23.33
First of all, it's folly.
00:40:23.36\00:40:24.46
And we can just think very
quickly about Dagon, right?
00:40:24.49\00:40:27.24
The fish god of the Philistines.
00:40:27.27\00:40:29.07
And they brought the ark of
the covenant into Dagon's room
00:40:29.10\00:40:31.95
and the next day they walked in
and Dagon was flat on his nose.
00:40:31.98\00:40:34.90
"Oh," they said,
"what happened to Dagon?"
00:40:35.67\00:40:37.22
And so, look at the irony.
00:40:37.25\00:40:38.87
They lift up Dagon and then
they bow down to worship him.
00:40:39.64\00:40:44.69
"Oh great Dagon, the one
who is unable to lift thyself.
00:40:44.72\00:40:48.13
We give you
praise, we give you honor.
00:40:48.73\00:40:51.97
Remain standing. "
00:40:52.00\00:40:53.46
Ok then, the next day, the
very next day they come in and
00:40:53.49\00:40:57.67
what happened to Dagon?
00:40:57.70\00:40:59.57
Dagon's flat on his nose again.
00:41:00.19\00:41:01.70
And God's like, "Ok, we
missed it on the first time.
00:41:01.73\00:41:04.13
Let's try it again. "
00:41:04.16\00:41:05.13
So they come in,
"Oh no, something has
00:41:05.14\00:41:06.43
happened to Dagon. "
00:41:06.46\00:41:07.43
And so they lift
up Dagon and they say,
00:41:07.44\00:41:10.19
"Ok, he's
upright, he's standing.
00:41:10.22\00:41:12.17
"Oh great Dagon, the one who
is not able to lift thyself up.
00:41:12.20\00:41:15.09
We made you out
of a piece of wood. "
00:41:15.12\00:41:16.23
In fact, God in the book
of Isaiah says be very careful
00:41:16.26\00:41:19.77
when you make an idol out
of a piece of wood because you
00:41:19.80\00:41:21.53
go into the trees, you go
into the forests, you cut down a
00:41:21.56\00:41:24.36
piece of wood,
you cut it in half.
00:41:24.39\00:41:26.21
With half of it you bake
food and with the other half
00:41:26.24\00:41:28.82
you make an idol.
00:41:28.85\00:41:29.82
And I always say, be sure
that you made an idol out of the
00:41:29.83\00:41:32.00
right half and you
cook the right half.
00:41:32.03\00:41:33.62
Right? And so why is
God so against images?
00:41:35.93\00:41:38.76
Because it's an insult to God.
00:41:38.79\00:41:40.33
But more, it's an insult to man.
00:41:40.36\00:41:42.41
Let me say
something radical here.
00:41:42.44\00:41:44.33
God is not against images.
00:41:44.36\00:41:47.13
We just read it.
00:41:47.94\00:41:48.97
"Let Us make man in Our image. "
00:41:49.37\00:41:52.09
The reason that God is
against idolatry is not because
00:41:52.12\00:41:55.78
He's against images.
00:41:55.81\00:41:56.81
Listen very carefully.
00:41:56.84\00:41:57.95
It's because God has
already imaged Himself
00:41:57.98\00:42:01.33
in the family unit.
00:42:01.36\00:42:02.60
God has already imaged
Himself in the family unit.
00:42:03.40\00:42:05.83
And so He says, "No, No.
You've got to be kidding.
00:42:05.86\00:42:07.81
Come on, no way. "
00:42:07.84\00:42:09.06
God has already imaged
Himself in the family unit.
00:42:10.37\00:42:12.88
"Let Us make man in Our image. "
00:42:12.91\00:42:15.37
A family made to
represent a family.
00:42:15.47\00:42:19.55
Are we together everyone?
00:42:20.28\00:42:21.46
Now there are so many other
passages that we could go to.
00:42:21.86\00:42:23.89
In Genesis chapter 3, look
very quickly with me there,
00:42:24.53\00:42:26.89
Genesis chapter 3 verse 22.
00:42:26.92\00:42:28.55
"Then the Lord God said,
'Behold, the man has become
00:42:28.58\00:42:32.18
like one of...
'" what does it say?
00:42:32.21\00:42:33.76
"... Us. "
00:42:33.79\00:42:35.42
"The man has
become like one of Us. "
00:42:35.45\00:42:36.79
Go to Genesis chapter 11.
00:42:36.82\00:42:38.33
Here we find the
building of the tower of Babel.
00:42:38.36\00:42:40.34
Genesis chapter 11
beginning in verse 1.
00:42:41.60\00:42:43.06
"Now the whole earth had
one language and one speech.
00:42:43.09\00:42:45.56
Now it came to pass as
they journeyed from the east,
00:42:45.59\00:42:47.27
that they found a
plain in the land of Shinar
00:42:47.30\00:42:49.09
and they dwelt there.
00:42:49.12\00:42:50.09
Then they said
to one another... "
00:42:50.10\00:42:51.07
And there's a play on
words, a marvelous poetic
00:42:51.08\00:42:53.12
play on words here.
00:42:53.15\00:42:54.12
Watch what Moses does.
00:42:54.13\00:42:55.10
"'Come, let us make bricks
and bake them thoroughly. '
00:42:55.11\00:42:57.94
And they had brick for stone
and they had asphalt for mortar.
00:42:57.97\00:42:59.92
And they said, 'Come, let
us build ourselves a city and
00:42:59.95\00:43:02.69
a tower whose top
is in the heavens.
00:43:02.72\00:43:03.98
Come, let us make a name for
ourselves lest we be scattered
00:43:04.01\00:43:06.89
abroad over the face
of the whole earth. '
00:43:06.92\00:43:07.97
But the Lord came down to
see the city and the tower
00:43:08.00\00:43:10.18
which the sons of man had built.
00:43:10.21\00:43:11.50
And the Lord said, 'Indeed
the people are one, and they
00:43:11.53\00:43:14.31
all have one language, and
this is what they begin to do.
00:43:14.34\00:43:16.35
Now nothing that
they propose to do will
00:43:16.38\00:43:18.01
be withheld from them. '"
00:43:18.04\00:43:19.01
Look at what God
says, "Come let Us
00:43:19.02\00:43:21.70
go down there and
confuse their language. "
00:43:21.73\00:43:24.36
God says, "Come let... " What?
00:43:24.39\00:43:26.39
"Come let Us. "
00:43:26.42\00:43:27.39
See, there's a play, there's
a poetic play on words here.
00:43:27.40\00:43:29.61
The people say, "Come let us. "
"Come let us. " "Come let us. "
00:43:29.64\00:43:32.74
And then Moses has God
saying, "Come let Us go down and
00:43:32.77\00:43:36.63
confuse their language. "
00:43:36.66\00:43:37.74
God is presented in the book of
Genesis repeatedly as a plural.
00:43:37.77\00:43:40.86
Well the reason is
because "Elohim" is plural.
00:43:40.89\00:43:44.09
But it gets even more amazing.
00:43:44.59\00:43:45.83
Go back to verse 6.
00:43:45.86\00:43:46.83
This is a stunner, it's just a
wonderful little serendipitous,
00:43:46.85\00:43:50.20
of course it could be
inspired, but it might just be a
00:43:50.23\00:43:52.38
serendipitous little
happening here that further
00:43:52.41\00:43:54.86
buttresses our point.
00:43:54.89\00:43:55.86
Look at verse 6.
00:43:55.87\00:43:56.84
"And the Lord said,
'Indeed the people are... '"
00:43:56.85\00:44:00.05
What does your Bible say?
00:44:00.08\00:44:01.05
Very interesting.
00:44:01.53\00:44:02.52
"People," singular or plural?
00:44:02.55\00:44:04.03
Ok, there are many people
there. Singular or plural?
00:44:05.29\00:44:07.85
Plural.
00:44:07.88\00:44:08.87
"One," singular or plural?
00:44:08.90\00:44:10.78
Ahhhh.
00:44:11.28\00:44:12.85
Look at this.
00:44:12.88\00:44:13.85
Moses wrote the book of Genesis.
00:44:13.86\00:44:15.89
Moses, as a Hebrew, does not
see an inherent contradiction
00:44:15.92\00:44:19.97
in the plurality of the people
and the oneness of the people.
00:44:20.00\00:44:24.38
"Look, the people are one. "
00:44:24.41\00:44:27.60
In other words,
the plural is singular.
00:44:27.63\00:44:30.47
Now it's very interesting here.
00:44:30.50\00:44:31.77
"The people are one,"
shows us that in the Hebrew mind
00:44:31.80\00:44:34.97
there is no absolute
contradiction between plurality
00:44:35.00\00:44:38.13
and unity as long
as we define our terms.
00:44:38.16\00:44:42.05
Now here's a very
interesting thing.
00:44:42.08\00:44:43.55
When it says,
"the people are one,"
00:44:43.58\00:44:44.94
it's the Hebrew word "echadh".
00:44:44.97\00:44:46.58
Echadh, "the people are one. "
00:44:47.38\00:44:49.64
The people are echadh.
00:44:49.67\00:44:51.16
Very interesting.
00:44:51.19\00:44:52.35
In Genesis chapter 2, it
says that "a man will leave his
00:44:52.38\00:44:54.59
father and mother
and cling to his wife
00:44:54.62\00:44:57.46
and they two," twain,
"shall be," echadh, "one. "
00:44:57.49\00:45:03.01
So already in Genesis we've
been introduced to this idea
00:45:03.04\00:45:05.86
that a "two" can be a "one"
as long as we define our terms.
00:45:05.89\00:45:09.89
Are we together everyone?
00:45:09.92\00:45:11.29
Now many well meaning
non-Trinitarians or Unitarians
00:45:11.32\00:45:15.14
will go to
Deuteronomy chapter 6.
00:45:15.17\00:45:16.45
Go there with me very
quickly, Deuteronomy chapter 6.
00:45:16.48\00:45:19.28
In Deuteronomy chapter
6, if you were to ask a Jew,
00:45:19.31\00:45:22.68
"What is the most holy, the
number one passage in scripture?
00:45:22.71\00:45:29.25
What is the passage that
sort of sums up Jewishness,
00:45:29.28\00:45:32.71
that sums up Old Testament?"
00:45:32.74\00:45:34.25
And it would be Deuteronomy
chapter 6, almost certainly,
00:45:34.28\00:45:37.07
and we would go to...
00:45:37.10\00:45:39.44
Deuteronomy, let's see here.
00:45:41.05\00:45:42.40
Deuteronomy chapter 6
and it would be verse 4.
00:45:42.43\00:45:47.62
Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4.
00:45:47.65\00:45:48.86
The Hebrews call this
text the Shema, the Name.
00:45:48.89\00:45:51.39
Look at what it says.
00:45:51.42\00:45:52.45
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God, the Lord is... " What?
00:45:52.48\00:45:57.56
Echadh.
00:45:57.59\00:45:58.82
"The Lord is one. "
00:45:59.45\00:46:00.42
And they'll say,
"See, you're silly trinity.
00:46:00.43\00:46:02.28
It's a holdover from
Catholicism, they got it
00:46:02.31\00:46:04.57
from the pagans.
00:46:04.60\00:46:05.57
The Bible says, 'God it one. '
00:46:05.58\00:46:06.55
And if you're going to
believe what scripture says,
00:46:06.58\00:46:07.85
you're going to
believe that God is one.
00:46:07.88\00:46:08.96
He doesn't need a Son.
00:46:08.99\00:46:09.96
He had a Son, it was
the literal Son of God.
00:46:09.97\00:46:11.78
The Spirit's just the
force emanating between.
00:46:11.81\00:46:13.84
You are denying the most sacred
scripture in the Old Testament
00:46:13.87\00:46:15.95
that God is one. "
00:46:15.98\00:46:16.95
But wait a minute.
00:46:16.96\00:46:17.93
God; Elohim. The word is Elohim.
00:46:18.49\00:46:20.98
It's plural, it's the same
plural that we just translated
00:46:21.01\00:46:22.88
"Us" as the pronoun
in Genesis chapter 1.
00:46:22.91\00:46:26.45
God is one.
00:46:27.66\00:46:29.42
But wait a minute, "the
people were one," echadh.
00:46:29.45\00:46:32.08
"And the two flesh
shall be one," echadh.
00:46:32.11\00:46:34.67
In the Jewish mind,
there is not absolute inherent
00:46:34.70\00:46:37.56
contradiction between a
plurality and a singularity
00:46:37.59\00:46:40.72
as long as we define
our terms within the context
00:46:40.75\00:46:43.88
of which we are speaking.
00:46:43.91\00:46:44.96
Are we together everyone?
00:46:44.99\00:46:46.55
And so the first point
that we want to make is simple,
00:46:47.15\00:46:49.13
and I think very profound.
00:46:49.33\00:46:50.89
A family represents a family.
00:46:50.92\00:46:54.48
God makes a family
unit, a loving family unit.
00:46:54.51\00:46:57.58
Love is the principle
of putting others first.
00:46:57.61\00:46:59.09
How can you have love
in a vacuum? You can't.
00:46:59.12\00:47:00.78
The heart of the Father going
out to the Son and the Spirit.
00:47:00.81\00:47:02.99
The heart of the Spirit going
out to the Son and the Father.
00:47:03.02\00:47:05.63
And the heart of the
Son going out to the Father
00:47:05.66\00:47:07.75
and the Spirit.
00:47:07.78\00:47:08.79
You have this
oneness, you have this family.
00:47:08.82\00:47:10.81
No wonder then, when we
come to Genesis chapter 1
00:47:10.84\00:47:13.09
we find God saying, "Let
Us make man in Our image. "
00:47:13.12\00:47:19.42
"Let them... "
00:47:19.45\00:47:21.11
Only a "them" can adequately
represent an "Us" and an "Our".
00:47:22.16\00:47:25.18
And so we find in scripture this
affirmation of the simultaneous
00:47:25.21\00:47:29.09
plurality and unity
of the nature of God.
00:47:29.12\00:47:31.17
Are we together everyone?
00:47:31.20\00:47:32.27
Ok, let me go to our
second point which is
00:47:32.30\00:47:34.93
the absolute deity
and eternality of Jesus.
00:47:34.96\00:47:38.28
Now this is a point that doesn't
require a lot of affirmation
00:47:38.31\00:47:41.12
for most of us because most of
us are persuaded, as scripture
00:47:41.15\00:47:44.22
plainly communicates,
that Jesus is fully God
00:47:44.25\00:47:48.77
in the most emphatic sense.
00:47:48.80\00:47:50.60
Let's just pick up this
"one + one = one" motif.
00:47:50.63\00:47:53.66
In John chapter 10 verse 30,
you might want to turn there.
00:47:53.69\00:47:56.19
In John chapter 10
verse 30, Jesus says,
00:47:56.22\00:47:59.36
"I and My Father
are... " Does anyone know?
00:47:59.39\00:48:03.85
...one. "
00:48:03.88\00:48:04.85
Now just do the math here.
00:48:04.86\00:48:05.96
"I," that's one,
that's an individual,
00:48:07.05\00:48:09.51
"and My Father are one. "
00:48:09.71\00:48:14.03
One plus one is one.
00:48:14.06\00:48:16.52
This is very much what we
find in the Old Testament.
00:48:17.66\00:48:19.65
"The people are one.
" "The two are one. "
00:48:19.68\00:48:23.31
Elohim, plural, is one.
00:48:23.34\00:48:25.67
"I," one, "and My
Father," two, "are one. "
00:48:25.70\00:48:29.24
"I and My Father are one. "
00:48:30.40\00:48:32.10
There is a oneness.
00:48:32.13\00:48:33.40
Why? Because they're
members of the same family.
00:48:33.43\00:48:35.29
Same goals, same desires, same
aspirations, same character,
00:48:35.32\00:48:38.80
same eternality.
00:48:38.83\00:48:41.07
Let's go to John chapter 1.
00:48:41.10\00:48:42.51
That's a passage
well known to most of us.
00:48:42.54\00:48:44.38
"In the
beginning was the Word. "
00:48:44.41\00:48:46.63
There's one
figure, there's one agent.
00:48:46.66\00:48:48.40
"And the Word was with God. "
00:48:48.43\00:48:50.57
Right? If I'm with my
wife, that's another agent.
00:48:50.60\00:48:53.44
So, "In the Beginning was
the Word, the Word was with God,
00:48:53.47\00:48:55.70
and the Word was God. "
00:48:55.73\00:48:57.65
One plus one equals one.
00:48:57.68\00:48:59.69
Now some people
say, "Oh yeah, yeah.
00:49:00.63\00:49:02.02
But that's not
the best translation,
00:49:02.05\00:49:03.43
that's not the
best translation. "
00:49:03.46\00:49:04.74
Well let me tell you something.
00:49:04.77\00:49:05.74
I'll let you in
on a little secret.
00:49:05.75\00:49:06.72
I don't know any Hebrew
and I don't know any Greek.
00:49:06.73\00:49:08.98
Ok, or just enough to get me
into big trouble is what I know.
00:49:09.01\00:49:11.79
I say what James Dobson
says, "I know a little Hebrew,
00:49:11.82\00:49:15.32
and he owns a meat
market on 67th and Union.
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.54
And I know a little
Greek, and he owns a Laundromat
00:49:17.57\00:49:20.23
over on 37th street. "
00:49:20.26\00:49:21.51
So, I don't
know Hebrew or Greek.
00:49:21.54\00:49:23.37
But what I do have is
access to lots of different
00:49:23.40\00:49:25.54
Bible translations.
00:49:25.57\00:49:26.81
And people that translate
these things do know Greek.
00:49:26.84\00:49:29.26
And so, according to the
KJV, NKJV, NIV, TNIV, Weymouth,
00:49:29.29\00:49:33.07
Phillips, ESV, NASB, ASV,
HCSB, Amplified, NLT, CEV,
00:49:33.10\00:49:37.21
NCV, Wile T, Darby, and
every other translation that I
00:49:37.24\00:49:42.31
was able to locate,
this is the best way to
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.41
translate this passage.
00:49:44.44\00:49:45.77
Are you with me?
00:49:45.80\00:49:46.95
"In the beginning
was the Word," one.
00:49:46.98\00:49:49.35
"And the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. "
00:49:49.38\00:49:54.35
We find this over and over
again in the gospel of John,
00:49:55.26\00:49:57.57
in the writings of
Paul, and in other places,
00:49:57.60\00:49:59.52
that Christ in the most emphatic
sense is declared to be God.
00:49:59.55\00:50:04.74
Jesus had said to
the skeptical Jews,
00:50:04.77\00:50:06.33
"Before Abraham was, I AM."
00:50:06.36\00:50:09.46
He, here, was making the
very claim from the Ego Ami,
00:50:09.49\00:50:12.59
from the Old Testament
where Moses had stood at the
00:50:12.62\00:50:14.44
burning bush and said,
"Who shall I say sent me?"
00:50:14.47\00:50:16.53
"I AM."
00:50:16.56\00:50:17.84
The Jews certainly
understood what He said because
00:50:17.87\00:50:20.02
they took up stones to kill Him.
00:50:20.05\00:50:21.57
In Hebrews chapter 1,
the apostle Paul says that
00:50:22.68\00:50:25.94
Christ was the one through
whom God created the earth.
00:50:25.97\00:50:28.82
In Colossians chapter 2,
he says that in Christ dwells
00:50:28.85\00:50:31.46
all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily.
00:50:31.49\00:50:34.50
In Philippians chapter 2,
when he's describing the mind of
00:50:34.53\00:50:37.82
Christ and the necessity of
having the mind in the church
00:50:37.85\00:50:39.53
he said, "Let this mind
be in you which was also in
00:50:39.63\00:50:41.30
Christ Jesus, who
being in the form of God... "
00:50:41.33\00:50:43.45
Then it's an awkward translation
here in the King James and
00:50:43.48\00:50:45.84
New King James because
it's an awkward phrase.
00:50:45.87\00:50:47.79
"... did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God. "
00:50:47.82\00:50:51.07
What a weird thing to say.
00:50:51.10\00:50:52.92
What the Greek means is
that, who being in the very form
00:50:53.33\00:50:55.72
of God did not need to
grasp or cling to Godness.
00:50:55.75\00:51:00.87
Now I can cling to my
maleness because I'm a male.
00:51:01.78\00:51:05.55
I can cling to my
David Asscherickness
00:51:06.05\00:51:08.92
because I'm a David Asscherick.
00:51:08.95\00:51:10.53
Christ could only cling to
equality with God if He was God.
00:51:10.56\00:51:16.21
He can only relinquish
Godness if He possesses Godness.
00:51:16.24\00:51:20.82
And so the uniform
testimony of the New Testament
00:51:21.76\00:51:26.70
is this idea that Jesus is
God in the most emphatic sense.
00:51:26.73\00:51:31.31
Passages could be
multiplied par excellence.
00:51:31.34\00:51:34.33
Let me just give you one.
00:51:34.36\00:51:35.53
In Revelation
chapter 1 verse 11,
00:51:36.46\00:51:37.92
Jesus refers to Himself
as the First and the Last.
00:51:37.95\00:51:40.79
Revelation chapter 1 beginning
in 11, moving down to verse 18.
00:51:40.82\00:51:43.35
He's speaking to John,
He says, "I am He that was
00:51:43.38\00:51:45.01
dead and am alive. "
00:51:45.04\00:51:46.01
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
I am the First and the Last. "
00:51:46.02\00:51:50.26
Here's something
very interesting.
00:51:50.29\00:51:51.68
That phrase, "I am
the First and the Last,"
00:51:52.17\00:51:53.78
comes straight out of
the gospel prophet Isaiah.
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.77
Let me just read you a
couple of passages here.
00:51:55.80\00:51:57.29
Isaiah 41 verse 4, "Who
has performed and done this,
00:51:57.32\00:52:01.01
calling this
generation from the beginning?
00:52:01.04\00:52:03.00
'I, the Lord, am the first;
and with the last I am He. '"
00:52:03.03\00:52:06.84
Isaiah 44 verse 6, "Thus says
the Lord, the King of Israel,
00:52:06.87\00:52:09.47
and his Redeemer,
the Lord of hosts;
00:52:09.50\00:52:10.66
'I am the First
and I am the Last;
00:52:10.69\00:52:12.90
Besides Me there is no God. '"
00:52:12.93\00:52:14.57
Isaiah 48 verses 12 and
13, "Listen to Me, O Jacob,
00:52:15.19\00:52:17.54
and Israel, whom I called;
I am the He, I am the First.
00:52:17.57\00:52:20.46
I am also the Last.
00:52:20.49\00:52:21.61
My hand laid the
foundation of the earth,
00:52:21.64\00:52:23.66
and My right hand
spread out the heavens.
00:52:23.69\00:52:25.89
When I call to them,
they stand forth together. "
00:52:25.92\00:52:28.26
This phrase here, "First
and the Last," is extracted
00:52:28.29\00:52:31.67
straight from the Old Testament.
00:52:31.70\00:52:33.05
When Jesus says, "I'm the
First and the Last," that phrase
00:52:33.08\00:52:36.66
in the gospel prophet
Isaiah applies to Jehovah.
00:52:36.69\00:52:39.89
It applies to God.
00:52:39.92\00:52:41.64
And so if Jesus is saying,
"I'm the First and the Last,"
00:52:41.67\00:52:43.95
Jesus is saying, "I am He. "
00:52:43.98\00:52:46.73
"I and My Father are One. "
00:52:46.76\00:52:48.48
I mean, it's inescapable.
00:52:48.51\00:52:50.15
This is why orthodox
Christianity has almost
00:52:51.87\00:52:54.09
uniformly affirmed
the absolute divinity and
00:52:54.12\00:52:58.14
eternality of Jesus.
00:52:58.17\00:53:00.09
Jesus was the Son of God,
but not in a created sense.
00:53:00.12\00:53:03.63
He was the Son of God
in a relational sense.
00:53:03.66\00:53:06.84
Are we together everyone?
00:53:07.44\00:53:08.95
He's not the Son of God
in the same exact way that
00:53:08.98\00:53:11.78
Landon is my son
because I pre-existed Landon,
00:53:11.81\00:53:14.59
I pre-existed Jabel.
00:53:14.62\00:53:15.86
No, no, no, no.
00:53:15.89\00:53:16.86
He is the Son of God
in the relational sense.
00:53:16.87\00:53:18.89
And I wish I had
more time to go into that.
00:53:18.92\00:53:20.18
And finally, we go
to our third point.
00:53:21.26\00:53:23.61
We're not going to have
time to go to point number four
00:53:23.64\00:53:25.09
which was my little
word of advice to my good
00:53:25.12\00:53:27.38
Seventh-day Adventist friends.
00:53:27.41\00:53:28.38
But point number
three is very simple,
00:53:28.39\00:53:29.96
and that is the
personhood of the Holy Spirit.
00:53:29.99\00:53:33.45
Now there are many
passages that we could use
00:53:33.48\00:53:35.66
to establish this.
00:53:35.69\00:53:36.71
We have Acts chapter 5
where Peter has said to
00:53:36.74\00:53:39.85
Ananias and Sapphira,
"You have not lied to men,
00:53:39.88\00:53:41.75
but you have lied to God. "
00:53:41.78\00:53:43.09
And then he says, "You
lied to the Holy Spirit. "
00:53:43.12\00:53:45.06
You lied to the Holy Spirit,
and thus you lied to God.
00:53:45.09\00:53:47.69
The apostle Paul says
in Ephesians chapter 4
00:53:47.72\00:53:49.27
and verse 30, "Do
not grieve the Spirit. "
00:53:49.30\00:53:52.14
In Romans chapter 8,
the apostle Paul says,
00:53:53.02\00:53:54.58
"The Spirit is sent
forth into our hearts. "
00:53:54.61\00:53:58.35
"The Spirit Himself
bears witness with our spirit
00:53:58.38\00:54:01.23
that we are the sons
and daughters of God. "
00:54:01.26\00:54:02.57
Listen to that language.
00:54:02.60\00:54:03.57
"The Spirit Himself... "
00:54:03.58\00:54:05.60
In verse 26, he say when
we don't know how to pray,
00:54:05.63\00:54:07.75
"the Spirit Himself prays
for us with the groaning's that
00:54:07.78\00:54:11.26
cannot be uttered. "
00:54:11.29\00:54:12.26
And Jesus in the clearest
language said, "I will send you,
00:54:12.89\00:54:17.24
I will send you,"
John chapter 14 verse 6,
00:54:17.27\00:54:19.98
"another comforter. "
00:54:20.01\00:54:22.13
"I will send you...
" the word is "allos".
00:54:22.53\00:54:24.17
"I will send you
another comforter. "
00:54:24.20\00:54:26.11
It's the very same word
that the gospels use repeatedly
00:54:26.14\00:54:28.24
when they say, "Jesus
spoke another parable to them. "
00:54:28.27\00:54:31.50
Another parable.
00:54:31.53\00:54:32.65
He spoke a different parable.
00:54:32.68\00:54:34.19
So the word "allos" is
different, it's another.
00:54:34.22\00:54:36.99
Jesus says, "I will send
you another parakletos. "
00:54:37.02\00:54:40.52
Another comforter,
friend, advocate, helper;
00:54:40.55\00:54:42.69
many different translations.
00:54:42.72\00:54:43.82
"I will send you another one. "
00:54:43.85\00:54:45.66
Now if you're sitting
in a cafeteria with me
00:54:46.41\00:54:48.88
and I'm sitting down, and
you just come up and my wife
00:54:48.91\00:54:51.37
is there and you hear me
say to my wife, "Sweetheart,
00:54:51.40\00:54:52.87
may I have another sandwich?"
00:54:52.90\00:54:54.80
What do you know by definition?
00:54:56.05\00:54:57.42
Even if you just walked up,
if I ask for another sandwich
00:54:57.45\00:54:59.96
what do you know?
00:54:59.99\00:55:00.96
I already had a sandwich.
00:55:01.21\00:55:02.59
So Jesus says,
"Hey, don't be disturbed.
00:55:02.62\00:55:05.47
Don't be too discouraged.
00:55:05.50\00:55:06.47
Because when I'm in
Galilee, I'm stuck in Galilee.
00:55:06.48\00:55:08.18
When I'm in Jerusalem,
I'm stuck in Jerusalem.
00:55:08.21\00:55:10.12
And when I'm in
Judea, I'm stuck in Judea.
00:55:10.15\00:55:12.81
In fact, it's expedient
for you that I go away.
00:55:12.84\00:55:15.29
Don't be discouraged, I
will send you another comforter,
00:55:15.32\00:55:18.80
a different comforter. "
00:55:19.54\00:55:20.51
The word "parakletos,"
literally; to walk with,
00:55:20.52\00:55:23.39
one who walks
with you, an advocate,
00:55:23.42\00:55:25.18
one who stands beside you.
00:55:25.21\00:55:26.29
Well that raises the question,
if a comforter or an advocate
00:55:26.32\00:55:28.90
or a parakletos is one who walks
with, who was the first one
00:55:28.93\00:55:33.19
that had been walking
with the disciples for
00:55:33.22\00:55:34.31
three and a half years?
00:55:34.34\00:55:35.31
Who was that?
00:55:35.32\00:55:36.29
That was Jesus.
00:55:36.30\00:55:37.27
So if Jesus says, "I'm
going away but I'll send you
00:55:37.28\00:55:38.48
another comforter,"
beloved, follow this.
00:55:38.51\00:55:40.67
It's very simple.
00:55:40.70\00:55:41.67
Only a person could
take the place of a person.
00:55:41.68\00:55:45.35
An energy force, an
emanation, cannot take the place
00:55:46.34\00:55:49.07
of a person.
00:55:49.10\00:55:50.24
If Jesus is leaving, that is
a space left vacant by a person.
00:55:51.06\00:55:55.27
The only object, the only agent
that can fill the space left
00:55:55.30\00:55:58.43
vacant by a person is a person.
00:55:58.46\00:56:00.67
No wonder Jesus says, "When you
go out in the great commission,"
00:56:02.43\00:56:04.77
Matthew chapter 28,
"baptize them in the name of
00:56:04.80\00:56:07.32
the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit. "
00:56:07.35\00:56:11.20
So many more
evidences could be marshaled.
00:56:11.23\00:56:13.00
One of my favorites is when you
go to the book of Revelation,
00:56:13.03\00:56:15.17
you find this counterfeit
triune nature of God.
00:56:15.20\00:56:17.58
Right in the book of Revelation.
00:56:17.61\00:56:18.70
You find the dragon
masquerading as the Father,
00:56:18.73\00:56:21.44
you find the false prophet
masquerading as the Holy Spirit,
00:56:21.47\00:56:24.29
and you find the beast
masquerading as the Son.
00:56:24.32\00:56:26.36
Well beloved, think it through.
00:56:26.39\00:56:27.54
If Satan has a counterfeit;
dragon, beast, false prophet,
00:56:27.57\00:56:30.90
that tells you
what the original is.
00:56:30.93\00:56:32.90
Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
00:56:32.93\00:56:35.43
But the great truth is not
about, "Oh, I know what the
00:56:36.24\00:56:38.70
text says and I
believe that God is a unity of
00:56:38.73\00:56:41.31
three co-eternal persons. "
00:56:41.34\00:56:42.54
Beloved, the great
truth is where we began.
00:56:42.57\00:56:45.01
It's where we began
with John's affirmation and
00:56:45.04\00:56:48.31
robust
declaration that God is love.
00:56:48.34\00:56:53.82
Beloved, that's where
this whole truth lies.
00:56:53.85\00:56:57.46
God is not merely
loving in His actions.
00:56:57.49\00:57:00.06
The uniform commitment
and declaration of scripture
00:57:00.09\00:57:04.34
is that God in His very
nature, God in His very essence,
00:57:04.37\00:57:07.81
is love; Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
00:57:07.84\00:57:11.88