Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity

Devotional

Day 1: Intimacy Beyond Words

Our relationship with God and each other is not confined to words but is deeply rooted in shared experiences. Just as a mother and child develop a bond through time spent together, we are invited to grow in our connection with God and fellow believers through shared experiences that transcend verbal communication. This intimacy mirrors the unity within the Trinity, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect harmony and love. We are called to embrace this profound relationship, allowing it to transform our interactions and deepen our faith. [11:39]

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent experience where you felt a deep connection with someone without the need for words. How can you seek similar moments of shared experience with God this week?

Day 2: Vulnerability in Christ

Embracing intimacy in our relationships requires us to overcome the fear of vulnerability. Many of us hesitate to open up, fearing the risks of being transparent. However, in Christ, we find a safe space to trust one another and move towards deeper fellowship. This mirrors the love within the Trinity, where vulnerability is embraced, and unity is achieved. As we grow in our faith, we are encouraged to let go of our fears and allow ourselves to be known and loved by others, fostering a community grounded in Christ's love. [13:17]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you feel hesitant to be vulnerable. What steps can you take to open up to someone you trust this week?

Day 3: Unity Without Hierarchy

The Trinity exemplifies perfect unity without subordination, where each person loves and admires the others without concern for hierarchy. This model challenges us to embrace unity in our relationships, free from alienation and competition. In our human interactions, we often struggle with issues of power and control, leading to division and misunderstanding. However, by following the example of the Trinity, we can cultivate relationships that are marked by mutual respect and love, reflecting the divine harmony that exists within God Himself. [17:02]

"So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:5, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a relationship where you feel a sense of competition or hierarchy. How can you work towards fostering mutual respect and unity in that relationship?

Day 4: Communion Over Conversation

True communion, as seen in the Trinity, goes beyond mere conversation. It requires overcoming alienation and fostering genuine connection, which is essential for healthy relationships and communities. In our interactions, we often settle for surface-level communication, missing the opportunity for deeper connection. By striving for true communion, we can build relationships that reflect the love and unity of the Trinity, creating a community where everyone feels valued and understood. [17:46]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a conversation you had recently that felt superficial. How can you approach future interactions with the intention of fostering genuine connection and communion?

Day 5: Living Testimonies of Christ

Our unity in Christ serves as a powerful testimony to the world. When we embody the love and glory of Christ in our community, we present an undeniable representation of His truth and grace. This unity is not just for our benefit but is a witness to those around us, showing them the transformative power of Christ's love. As we live out this unity, we become living testimonies of His presence, drawing others to the truth of the Gospel. [20:36]

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on how your actions and relationships reflect the love and unity of Christ. What is one specific way you can be a living testimony of His love to someone in your life today?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, we are invited into a profound relationship with God, akin to the intimate bond shared within the Trinity. This relationship is not merely about verbal communication but about a shared experience that transcends words. Just as a mother and child grow in their relationship through shared experiences, we too are called to grow in our relationship with God and each other. Jesus prayed for us to experience the same unity and intimacy with one another that He shares with the Father. This unity is not about losing our individuality but about embracing a deeper connection that reflects the love and harmony within the Trinity.

However, many of us are hesitant to embrace this level of intimacy because it makes us vulnerable. We often keep our distance, fearing the risks of being open and transparent. Yet, the fellowship of believers is meant to be a safe space where we can progressively move towards openness and trust, grounded in the love of Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's insights in "Life Together" remind us that true community is only possible in Christ, as He overcomes the alienation caused by our conflicting kingdoms.

The Trinity exemplifies perfect unity without subordination, where each person loves and admires the others without concern for hierarchy. This lack of alienation allows for true communion rather than mere conversation. In our relationships, we often struggle with alienation, leading to a breakdown in communication. But Jesus invites us into the glory of the Trinity, where we can experience true unity and fellowship.

As disciples of Christ, we are called to be baptized into the reality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, entering into a communitarian fellowship that reflects the life of the Trinity. This unity is a powerful testimony to the world, embodying the love and glory of Christ. When people witness this glorious community, they see the true representation of Christ, leaving no room for argument. Our lives, united in Christ, become the most compelling evidence of His love and truth.

Key Takeaways

1. Shared Experience Beyond Words: Our relationship with God and each other is rooted in shared experiences that transcend verbal communication, much like the bond between a mother and child. This intimacy reflects the unity within the Trinity, inviting us to grow in our connection with God and fellow believers. [11:39]
2. Overcoming Fear of Vulnerability: Embracing intimacy in our relationships requires overcoming the fear of vulnerability. In Christ, we find a safe space to open up and trust one another, moving towards a deeper fellowship that mirrors the love within the Trinity. [13:17]
3. Unity Without Subordination: The Trinity exemplifies perfect unity without subordination, where love and admiration eliminate concerns of hierarchy. This model challenges us to embrace unity in our relationships, free from alienation and competition. [17:02]
4. Communion Over Conversation: True communion, as seen in the Trinity, goes beyond mere conversation. It requires overcoming alienation and fostering genuine connection, which is essential for healthy relationships and communities. [17:46]
5. Embodied Testimony of Christ: Our unity in Christ serves as a powerful testimony to the world. When we embody the love and glory of Christ in our community, we present an undeniable representation of His truth and grace. [20:36]
** [20:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[11:22] - Shared Experience and Intimacy
[12:19] - The Glory of Unity
[13:17] - Fear and Vulnerability
[14:06] - Fellowship in Christ
[15:10] - Alienation and Misunderstanding
[16:02] - Oneness vs. Identity
[17:02] - Unity Without Subordination
[17:46] - Communion Over Conversation
[18:36] - Jesus' Prayer for Unity
[19:12] - Baptism into Trinitarian Fellowship
[20:01] - Perfected in Unity
[20:36] - Embodied Testimony of Christ
[21:18] - Conclusion and Reflection

Sermon Clips

"and conversation that we've been talking about is the first level of shared experience it doesn't have to to be verbalized in the way we might think of it uh ordinarily if you watch a a mother with her child you see them sharing an experience and you watch the little child coming from the stage where it can hardly have an experience and then it begins to respond and the richness of that relationship continues to grow as the possibilities of their experiences uh expand so what was the glory that Jesus had with the father before the creation of the world it was this marvelous company of persons sharing one another and the exploration the thoughts the feelings perhaps dimensions of experience that we can't even identify or imagine" [00:11:08]

"and Jesus has prayed for us who are his apprentices in Kingdom living that we should know one another with the kind of intimacy that is present between him and his father are you ready for that now you see for the most part we're not about to go there because we are too scared and we know that intimacy makes us vulnerable and as a consequence we as we say don't we say we keep our distance isn't that an interesting phrase we keep our distance we play our cards close to our chest right and we know somehow that we'd better do that because it is not safe to do otherwise" [00:12:57]

"well what might the fellowship of apprentices be other than progressively moving in the company of Jesus and the trinity more and more into the open where we are able to trust one another if you have never read Dietrich bonhoeffer's book life together I encourage you to read it Bonhoeffer was an incredibly gifted and I mean it in the spiritual sense Gifted Man who came to understand what it was like for people to come together in Christ and it is not safe to come together except in Christ because you have these conflicting kingdoms that are not subordinated to God and the result of that is alienation and that's the condition of human beings all of the evils that you see in human life come from alienation that in turn comes from thinking wrongly about God" [00:14:06]

"and it's only as you come to know the complete safety that you have in the kingdom of God that you can begin to move towards other people in the kind of shared life that is found in the trinity it's wonderful to think about the Trinity and bring some of these old doctrines to life for example we say there's no subordination in the trinity well guess what there's no subordination in those who are living in the trinity see many people confuse Oneness with identity and mess up the trinity and that's how you get groups like down in Texas there's a Jesus only group and because they don't know the difference between Oneness and identity they are pushed by their misguided reasoning into thinking that Jesus is the trinity that Jesus is the father that Jesus is the spirit because they cannot distinguish Unity Oneness from Identity" [00:15:10]

"now there's no subordination in the trinity why not because they're identical but because the members of the Trinity will not put up with it that's why there's no subordination in the trinity because they love one another think the thought that they admire one another they admire one another and so they're not worried about who's ahead or who's behind and there's no alienation in the trinity and actually because there's no alienation they don't you know have a conversation they have communion and they have Union see conversation is where you start to overcome alienation and if there's only alienation there's no conversation because there's no Con in the versation good and you watch people get in a mess in a family or a community and they don't converse why not there's no con so there's just verse right" [00:17:02]

"and we have trouble with marriage and so on and someone hears the phrase the two shall become one and they say which one and the answer is neither one all right so it's so important for us to go back to what Jesus is praying for and when we see the beauty of it then we can understand what he's saying when he says verse 22 the glory which thou Hast given me I have given to them that they may be one just as we are one how is that possible well it's possible because of the trinity which is one and which invites us into its Fellowship the extension of the Trinity to human beings who have become Disciples of Christ and been baptized in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit" [00:18:36]

"now you probably know that when the Bible talks about the name they're talking about the reality so that great statement of Jesus Make Disciples of all Nations baptize them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is not saying as you get them wet in one way or another say over them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit rather it is saying pull the disciples into communicate communitarian trinitarian Fellowship and they began to get a taste of what real life is like and the union of his people is such that now notice in i in them thou in me that they may be perfected in unity that the world may know that you sent me and did love them even as you loved me" [00:19:12]

"and the next verse in order that they may behold my glory you see that glorious Community stands forth in Earth and when people see it there's no argument left see that's the true way to present Christ is embodied in his people and I'm often asked by people who find out that I am what I am students and others why are you a follower of Christ and the answer is another question who else did you have in mind where's the competition there is none" [00:20:36]

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