From the Beginning of Time

Sermon for Trinity Sunday 15th June

Genesis 1:1- 2:4

Traditionally today is known as Trinity Sunday – it’s one of those doctrines adopted by the early church as they tried to work out the relationship between God the creator, Jesus the Son of God and the Holy Spirit of God... It created huge tensions and arguments – especially because there is nothing in the canon of scripture that really explains or defines or even explicitly mentions the Trinity as such.

Variously though the three persons of the Godhead are mentioned all through the bible...

Right at the start of scripture, in Genesis as we hear of the creation story we are told that God created, and God’s Spirit hovered over the waters...

And at the beginning of St John’s gospel he uses the phrase in the beginning was the Word...

So the one thing the bible tells us for sure is that from before the beginning of time as we know it God was.

Over the generations, through all the millennia of time humanity has tried to pin down who we are; why we are here; what life is for... the BIG questions of existence and meaning – for without purpose our lives can feel utterly meaningless.

The Psalmist wrote of the mystery of creation – and we sang Psalm 8 which is a song in praise of God & creation.

Those who decide to pin down the stories of how the earth was created wrote two versions at the start of Genesis – we heard the first one this morning – trying to work out how it happened has been the great unfinished work... there are those who like to take the biblical accounts completely literally; and those who prefer to use it allegorically – as a story that explains a deeper truth and mystery.

And of course the scientists are working on their Big Bang Theory – which, if you were to really think about it, is the creation story as told in Genesis – only they omit the God part!

For, they talk about a big bang and how suddenly everything started off

The bible says, there was nothing and God spoke (there’s a big bang for you!!) and everything started off!

Now, the truth is; no one really knows. Because no one was there

Until at least the seventh day – however long a day is/ was at that point

Because until there were stars, and a sun and a moon – there were no days or nights

Time itself did not exist until creation exploded life into being... until God made it so

 I have no problem with the Big Bang Theory

Just as I have no problem with accepting the biblical version of creation – because it is simply there to help us to understand more about God – and God’s yearning for us to know more, to seek God in our lives.

The names of God found within our scriptures are so rich and full of symbolism and further truths which will help us see further, know more deeply, follow more closely

Creator

Saviour

Counsellor

Wisdom

Breath

Spirit

Lamb

Mother

Immanuel

Brother

Abba

Shepherd

Teacher

Word

Healer

Hope

Light

Judge

Helper

Now each of these words can actually be ascribed to one or other of the three persons of the Trinity – when you hear Shepherd you think of the Son

When you hear Wisdom or Counsellor you think of the Spirit

When you hear Creator or Judge you think of the Father

It is our instinct...

But, what about this world we live in now?

How do we reconcile where creation is, how humanity treats the world – and each other?

How can that still be God’s good creation?

We hear of stabbings and shootings; of gang rapes and murders; of a world where people are not treated equally or respectfully – what is happening to God’s good creation?

If God were to look now at his world and what we have done with it – would he be happy, would he see that it is good?

We cannot change the whole world; but we can be the change in our place

We can speak out for justice

We can protest when we see bad behaviour

We can challenge those who are not loving or caring or respectful

We may not be bad – but if we stand by and let others do the things we know are wrong – well we may as well be doing it...

I believe that God created this world

And that in creating humanity he gave us that spark of faith and love which reflects God... this is what it means to be created in his image.

God gave us choice: to choose to follow, to seek God out

To choose to honour and respect each other

To choose to do good not evil.

To choose to love God, to love others and most of all to love ourselves – for if we do not value our own lives, how can we value anyone else’s?

The Psalmist said:

“What are human beings, that you think of them;     mere mortals, that you care for them?⁶ You appointed them rulers over everything you made;
    you placed them over all creation:” (Psalm 8)
  

The Psalmist recognised our place in all of creation – God created all this.

And he trusts us with it

He doesn’t expect us to do it alone: we are never alone, for God

Creator, Saviour, Breath

Parent, Brother, Helper

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Is with us always

Amen