You've Got Personality"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on John 16:12-15.

Alberta Einstein once said: “My religion consists of a humble admiration of the [infinite] superior spirit who [is revealed] in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.” It is this quote which has become the “creed,” if you will, of the religion or philosophy known as "Deism."
Deism is an unorthodox religion. In fact, it is so unorthodox that many hesitate to call it a religion. Deism is defined as a religious and philosophical belief that a supreme god created the universe, and that reason and logic, rather than revelation or tradition, should be the basis of one’s belief in God. Deists view God as being beyond understanding, beyond personality and intimacy, and therefore, there is no intimate and personal relationship with God. Deists believe in God, but claim that God is not directly involved in the world. This view and understanding of God became prominent in the 17th and 18th centuries during what has become known as the Age of Enlightenment. It is documented that the Founding Fathers - George Washing, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson – were all deists.
I recall a story of a little girl in Sunday school class who was sitting all alone over in the corner of the classroom drawing a picture. When her teacher approached her she asked, “What are you doing?” The little girl responded, “I drawing a picture!” “And what are you drawing?” asked her teacher. She said, “I am drawing a picture of God.” To which the teacher responded, “That’s nice, but honey, no one has ever seen God and no one knows what God really looks like.” To which the little girl responded, “Well, they will when I am done.”
Judeo-Christianity offers a much different picture of God. We see a God with personality - a God who is personal, intimate, and loving - a God who becomes Father, Mother, Brother, Friend, Shepherd.
For us, God has personality! Perhaps, some of you are familiar with Lloyd Price’s popular 1959 song entitled: “You’ve Got Personality.” The lyrics read:

“Over and over
I tried to prove my love to you.
Over and over
what more can I do…
…you got personality,
Walk, personality,
Talk, Personality,
Smile, Personality,
Charm, personality,
Love, personality,
and of Cause you've got
A great big heart.
So over and over
oh, I'll be a fool to you…
what more can I do.”

Within the Church, the Sunday after Pentecost is known as Trinity Sunday. I find it interesting that the Church has celebrated Trinity Sunday since the 10th century. Perhaps there is no greater mystery than the doctrine of the Trinity - God is one, yet three! It almost seems like an oxymoron, not to mention a contradiction to our monotheistic faith. God is one, yet three! Yet, it is a teaching - a doctrine of the Church! Through the Trinity, God becomes a God with personality.
Now, I think it’s important to understand that the doctrine or the idea of the Trinity does not attempt to define God. In many respects, the Deists are correct in that defining God is impossible! First of all, words cannot define that which is beyond words and mere definition. In fact, to attempt to do so, would only limit God! And secondly, God is beyond our mere intellectual understanding. Einstein was correct in saying: “My religion consists of a humble admiration of the [infinite] superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds.”
That is why God has created us spirit, so that we might have that Spirit-to-spirit communion and communication with God. And so, the doctrine of the Trinity only explains to us in a very elemental way, what God has chosen to reveal to humanity about God’s self. To describe the tip of the iceberg – that which is visible above the water is not to describe the entire iceberg. And so, in the same way, the Trinity is not an explanation or definition of God, but simply a way of describing what God has chosen to reveal to us.
Now, while it is true that the word "Trinity" is never found in Scripture; the implication or the idea of the Trinity is found all throughout Scripture. And the early Christians realized that they could not truly speak of God without speaking of the three ways in which God has revealed God’s self through the words of Scripture, through their experiences of God. This does not mean that there are three Gods. It means that there is one God who has shown God’s self in three ways: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit or Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, each distinct, yet co-existent and co-equal. What a marvelous and profound thought!
In her article, The Trinity: Relevant or Not? Carol Dillon shares about an icon of the Trinity that can be found in a museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. In fact, a picture of that icon is at the front of our sanctuary this morning. The icon dates back to around 1400 C.E. Many of you know that I am interest and am even a collector of icons. But for those of you who are unfamiliar with icons, they are pictures that are used in prayer, to help the worshiper to focus his or her heart upon God, and to set the distractions of life aside. It is said that “icons are a window into the heart of God.”
But this particular icon that Dillon was referring to, portrays the three persons of the Trinity as three divine images or persons, sitting around a table together. The head of each person is inclined toward the other, so that there seems to be a circular movement around the table, connecting the three to one another. On the table is a chalice. A Dillon writes; “What this image reveals to me is, in God there is a living, loving community. From the beginning of time until the end of the age, God - the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all life has existed as a holy community of love and grace. God is community.” And what a beautiful thought that is!
But even more beautiful is this idea that as God’s children we are invited into that holy community. We are invited to be co-creators, co-redeemers, co-sustainers. We are invited to join in creating, redeeming and sustaining community.
One thing I love about our denomination is we Disciples have freedom, in the sense that we don’t have to adhere to any specific creedal statement about the nature of God. We simply rely upon the Scriptures and our own experience in our understanding of God. Thus, as Disciples we can emphasize the aspect of God’s nature which most appeals or meets our greater need personally, and spiritually and intellectually.
One of the theologians of the early church, Tertullian, explained the Trinity in a metaphor. He said; "God the Father is like a deep root, the Son is the shoot that breaks forth into the world, and the Spirit is the bloom that spreads beauty and fragrance."
Jesus said in our Gospel Lesson this morning; "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit – the parakletos – “the one who walks alongside.” Disciples author, C. William Nichols writes: "Truth, as Jesus was saying, comes to us through two doors: revelation and experience. The Bible, which is the revealed word of God - communicates divine truth to us. But then there is the door of human experience which comes through the Holy Spirit."
Can we comprehend the great God of the cosmos? Hardly! Impossible! No! But you and I can experience this God and that experience comes through the revelation of the Trinity – the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all life. Amen.