Trinity Sunday

Sunday (15/6) is Trinity Sunday. Trinity Sunday is the first

Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the three Persons of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

The idea of the Trinity can be a difficult to visualise. I've always enjoyed C.S. Lewis' ability to illustrate abstract ideas in a concrete way. Here's a snippet from Mere Christianity about picturing the Trinity:

Regina Spektor - "Laughing With God."

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God

When they're starving or freezing

Or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls

After some routine tests

No one's laughing at God

When it's gotten real late

Their kid's not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane

Starts to uncontrollably shake

No one's laughing at God

When they see the one they love

Hand in hand with someone else

And they hope that they're mistaken

No one laughs at God

When the cops knock on their door

And they say "We got some bad news, sir"

No one's laughing at God

When there's a famine, fire, or a flood...

But God could be funny

At a cocktail party while listening to

A good god-themed joke

Or when the crazies say he hates us

And they get so red in

The head you'd think they're about to choke

God could be funny

When told he'll give you money

If you just pray the right way

And when presented like a genie

Who does magic like Houdini

Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket

And Santa Claus

God could be so hilarious

Ha-ha

Ha-ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God

When they've lost all they got

And they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize

That the last sight they'll ever see

Is a pair of hateful eyes

No one's laughing at God

When they're saying their goodbyes

But God could be funny

At a cocktail party while listening to

A good god-themed joke

Or when the crazies say he hates us

And they get so red in

The head you'd think they're about to choke

God could be funny

When told he'll give you money

If you just pray the right way

And when presented like a genie

Who does magic like Houdini

Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket

And Santa Claus

God could be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one's laughing at God in a war

No one's laughing at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God

When they're starving or freezing

Or so very poor

No one's laughing at God

No one's laughing at God

No one's laughing at God

We're all laughing with God

Names of God Series

One of the great questions that comes to us is: “Is there really a God; a Being of some sort beyond the created order who creates and somehow oversees reality?” And if there is such a Being (or beings); what are they like? Can they be known and do they in some way engage with creation? 

And if there is no God or gods, how do we best make sense of our experience of the world? How do we navigate life and determine how we should best live our lives? Where do meaning, and values and come from.

Most people (and cultures) construct a ‘world-view’ that acts as a compass or map used to navigate life.

James Sire writes: “So what is a worldview? Essentially this: A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) that we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”(James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door)

Christians are theists, that is to say they believe not only that there is a moral universe but there is an absolute standard by which all moral judgments are measured, and that is God and God’s character of goodness (holiness, righteousness and love), is the absolute standard.” 

The challenge is how finite and tiny creatures such as ourselves can ever know anything much about God or God’s character or purposes. Christians believe that God has taken the initiative and is revealed, not just in creation, but through the Scriptures, and then even more fully in the person of Jesus Christ.

Of course there is a much, much more to be said than just these few simple paragraphs. Philosophers, theologians and writers have filled libraries with thoughtful discussion on these matters.

This series of discussions dives into the Christian and Hebrew scriptures. What do we learn about God as it is revealed in these scripture texts? If they are true - what does that mean for how we live our lives? 

Join us 10am Sundays at Diamond Valley Baptist Church in term:1 for our series on (some of) the names of God!

‘Can’t join us in person? No problem! Watch the live-stream on our YouTube channel: HERE

A Vision of God!

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go and tell this people ....” (Isaiah 6:8-9)

Someone once dryly commented that when some people hear the voice of God calling him or her to serve, they often say, in paraphrase of Isaiah, “Here am I! Send my friends!”

Maybe such an answer reveals that they never have truly felt loved and accepted. They have never sensed the extravagant wonder of God’s grace and had the privilege in response, of being used of God to bless others - the marvel of a call to serve. But that is what we are called to do.