John 1:43-50 NIV
"Follow me." Philip heard these words from Jesus and followed him. That was that. Philip then told Nathanael about Jesus. Nathanael went to meet this Jesus. He, too, ended up following Jesus.
When I was a little child, I knew God the Father. I remember being received into God's family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. I was about five years old. And... yes, I knew Him as my Father. He loved and He protected me. When I was lonely or afraid He would hold me in His hands. As I grew older, there were many who introduced and re-introduced me to Jesus. I was in my 20's before I really came to know Jesus as my Savior, as my God. But, God is more than Father and Son. He is also Spirit. I was in my 30's when two men who I worked with attempted to teach me who this third person of the Trinity was. They taught me during our lunch hours. But, I was stubborn and I did not know this person until the Holy Spirit decided to be introduced to me. That was an awesome day! I will not ever forget it! My own pastor, Gary Fisher, thought that maybe I was losing it; but, finally connected me with Renewal in Missouri (RIM).
Often, in the Lutheran Church, we neglect to teach about the person of the Holy Spirit. We teach and preach about God the Father and God the Son. But, we stop there. Yes, we mention the Holy Spirit just about every Sunday. But, we rarely teach anyone that we can have a relationship with the third person of the Trinity in the same way that we are in relationship with the Father and Son. Are they not one God? Then why is this third person of the Trinity so often pushed back to third place? Do we not confess in the Athanasian Creed: "And in this Trinity none is before or after other; none is greater or less than another; But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and coequal: so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped."
But, I have taken a major side-track this morning. Maybe it is because some of you don't know God as Father or Jesus as the Son of God, your Savior. Maybe you are not in a real relationship with God. Maybe, some of you have not been introduced to the Holy Spirit. Ask and it shall be given to you. Knock and the door will be opened. To those who do know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; introduce your neighbor to our God so that they too may follow Jesus into our Father's home by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God's Peace - Pr. J
P.S. This is a blog... so I have kept it as short as I can. Those of you who have questions (hopefully, it has left you with questions), feel free to message me, my contact info is somewhere on these pages.
"Follow me." Philip heard these words from Jesus and followed him. That was that. Philip then told Nathanael about Jesus. Nathanael went to meet this Jesus. He, too, ended up following Jesus.
When I was a little child, I knew God the Father. I remember being received into God's family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. I was about five years old. And... yes, I knew Him as my Father. He loved and He protected me. When I was lonely or afraid He would hold me in His hands. As I grew older, there were many who introduced and re-introduced me to Jesus. I was in my 20's before I really came to know Jesus as my Savior, as my God. But, God is more than Father and Son. He is also Spirit. I was in my 30's when two men who I worked with attempted to teach me who this third person of the Trinity was. They taught me during our lunch hours. But, I was stubborn and I did not know this person until the Holy Spirit decided to be introduced to me. That was an awesome day! I will not ever forget it! My own pastor, Gary Fisher, thought that maybe I was losing it; but, finally connected me with Renewal in Missouri (RIM).
Often, in the Lutheran Church, we neglect to teach about the person of the Holy Spirit. We teach and preach about God the Father and God the Son. But, we stop there. Yes, we mention the Holy Spirit just about every Sunday. But, we rarely teach anyone that we can have a relationship with the third person of the Trinity in the same way that we are in relationship with the Father and Son. Are they not one God? Then why is this third person of the Trinity so often pushed back to third place? Do we not confess in the Athanasian Creed: "And in this Trinity none is before or after other; none is greater or less than another; But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and coequal: so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped."
But, I have taken a major side-track this morning. Maybe it is because some of you don't know God as Father or Jesus as the Son of God, your Savior. Maybe you are not in a real relationship with God. Maybe, some of you have not been introduced to the Holy Spirit. Ask and it shall be given to you. Knock and the door will be opened. To those who do know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; introduce your neighbor to our God so that they too may follow Jesus into our Father's home by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God's Peace - Pr. J
P.S. This is a blog... so I have kept it as short as I can. Those of you who have questions (hopefully, it has left you with questions), feel free to message me, my contact info is somewhere on these pages.
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