Sermons for the Month
It's A Mystery ... A Mystery Within
DATE: June 6th, 2004
SERVICE: Holy Trinity Sunday
TEXT: John 16:12-15To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
"It's a mystery!" Perhaps you remember a movie that was popular a few years ago - "Shakespeare in Love". There was a character in it who proclaimed, "It's a mystery!" whenever something went wrong and there was no easy explanation or way out. "It's a mystery!" he would shout and then he would quickly change the subject.
Well, perhaps that's not such bad strategy when it comes to today's focus - the Holy Trinity. Should we too proclaim, "It's a mystery!", and quickly change the subject? After all, I've often felt that there are certain spiritual matters that are intended to be a mystery. For example, we do not find many details in the Bible about eternal life in God's care or about the resurrection of the dead that will occur when Jesus returns. I think those things are intended to be mysteries, perhaps because the reality is far, far beyond human understanding.
So we must accept that there are mysteries in the life of faith and the Trinity is one of them. Although we can discuss and even debate these ideas, fully grasping them is beyond us.
Even the theologians struggle to find words of explanation, although I think Frederick Buechner had the right idea when he wrote that that the doctrine of the Trinity - the idea that there is one God who is made known to us in three ways - is the mystery beyond us, the mystery among us and the mystery within us - and they all are the same mystery.
Instead of tackling all three, today I'd like us to try to wrap our minds around that third mystery - the mystery of God within us. Just think about that for a moment. God is within you. What would happen in our lives, our church, and our world if we really grasped that concept?
Both last week's and this week's scripture address this idea. In John 14 Jesus says, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me," and indicates that he speaks God's words and does God's will. But Jesus is more than a spokesperson. Indeed, he and the Creator - the Father - are one.
Next we read the promise of Jesus in John 16 that the Holy Spirit " will take what is mine and declare it to you." The Holy Spirit, then, is one with Jesus, who is one with God. AND that same Holy Spirit, according to John 14 and Romans 5, has been given to, dwells in us. Therefore, God is in YOU.
Last week at the 9:15 a.m. service I met with the children and opened a gift from God to all of us. It was the Holy Spirit, represented by a white dove. In an attempt to help them grasp such an abstract concept I landed that dove on each of their heads, reminding them that the Holy Spirit is in them, a gift of their baptisms.
Wouldn't it be funny if we all walked around with a white dove perched on our heads? Maybe if we had to tell people 100 times a day that it is a reminder that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that is with God, we would more quickly remember that reality ourselves and it would make a huge difference in our lives.
So today, as you consider that mystery within, take a moment to think about how this Divine Presence guides your life. Do you know how that occurs? It's not so easy to put into words, so perhaps we should start with considering whether or not that guidance comes through our thoughts and our feelings.
I'd say that the answer to that is both yes and no. Does the Holy Spirit guide us by what we think and feel? Sometimes, but not always because not everything that makes sense to us or that "feels OK" is necessarily what God wants or wills.
You see, we human beings are pretty good at justifying what we want. For example - a somewhat silly example - I went shopping the other evening and felt is was OK - in fact in made good sense to me - to buy some fresh caramel corn with peanuts and eat it. Now, just because it felt OK and made sense does not mean that the Holy Spirit was directing me to that end of the Mall.
In fact, whether or not I buy and eat a snack is one of many matters in which I doubt very seriously that God gets involved. After all, we do have the freedom and the ability to make choices. Common sense is a factor, trusted family and friends can provide sound advice and Biblical, ethical or moral principles also direct us. We never are puppets; we always have the ability to make choices. And, the Holy Spirit strengthens us in the midst of our successes and mistakes as we live in this imperfect world.
However, I do believe there are times when the Holy Spirit is more directly guiding us than might be true on a day-to-day basis. This occurs, I think, when we are discerning ministry options, or making decisions that impact our futures as individuals, as couples, as families and as a church, or when dealing with issues that impact people's physical health or emotional well-being. Then it is important to listen carefully for the Holy Spirit communicating the Divine will.
How do we know the Spirit's voice? Well, all I can tell you is how I know and I must add that this discernment process is a work in progress that has developed over time and is still developing.
It involves both thinking and feeling. On the thinking side, the word that comes to mind is reasonable. Is this choice a reasonable risk? Now, that does not mean it will be easy or that it requires no effort or sacrifice. But am I, and others, able and willing to take on that risk with God's help?
In the feeling realm I look for the absence of what I call negative emotions. A choice that is Spirit-led should be free of feelings of guilt, shame, fear, doubt and worry. Oh, I may still feel concern, there may be unanswered questions, there could be challenges and even stress to face. But, am I able to sense deep-down calm?
Now, as I mentioned earlier, both the ability to identify that calm and to trust in God has increased over the years. That's how the Holy Spirit communicates in my life.
But what about your life; how does the Holy Spirit guide you? No doubt many of you could add to what I have said. If not, have you thought about it? That's a great question on which to focus - how does the Holy Spirit guide me? Answering it will lead to the Spirit's presence impacting us more and more; it seems to me that that will produce only good things.
Just think, God is within us, from the youngest among us to the oldest. It's an astounding idea. The Holy Spirit is in there giving the gift of faith, forgiving, empowering and guiding. This seems impossible, unlikely. We cannot fully grasp it, and yet this is the force that transforms our lives. How?
Well let me tell you it's a mystery. AMEN