The Sweetness of the Invitation into the Trinity

Scripture:

John 16:12-15
16:12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

16:14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

16:15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Prov. 3:21         My child, do not let these escape from your sight:
        keep sound wisdom and prudence,
Prov. 3:22     and they will be life for your soul
        and adornment for your neck.
Prov. 3:23     Then you will walk on your way securely
        and your foot will not stumble.
Prov. 3:24     If you sit down, you will not be afraid;
        when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Observation:

We read Jesus' words for his disciples and in them he begins to unpack what will happen.  There is a new era which is approaching and there is no way that Jesus' followers could comprehend the massive changes in store for them.  Jesus was explaining the Trinity to his followers and that through the Spirit they were going to be able to participate in God.  Because of the Spirit it would be possible to know the mind of God.  The result is that Jesus would be glorified because the Spirit would be able to declare all Truth. 

In the Old Testament we read the Proverbs of Solomon.  These are amazing declarations of wisdom and truth and the stunning fact is that if someone would walk in that truth they would have been saved.  However, at the end of the day, Solomon himself did not walk in his own proclaimed truth.  He did not keep sound wisdom and prudence in his own personal life.  Ultimately he lost most of the kingdom because he was powerless to walk in truth. 

And this is why it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell among and in God's people.  These comments by Jesus inaugurate a new era in which Truth will reign and people will no longer be powerless to walk in that Truth.  Instead, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, even the wisdom of Solomon becomes a reality. 

Application:

When I was a young teenager I would have trouble sleeping at night.  We had recently moved to Kansas City and I would listen to the news broadcast and daily there would be reports of murders and shootings.  Somehow the environment in which I lived, an American suburb, was terribly frightening to me.  That might sound crazy, but I wasn't accustomed to American suburbs.  I had been a city girl in Germany and when we went to bed at night the house was locked up tight.  The shutters were closed over the windows and no one would be able to get into the house.  These American houses lacked security and they frightened me.  I would lay in bed at night listening to the darkness and wonder what murders were happening in Kansas City!

There were nights that my mother would come in and pray with me and share with me different scriptures regarding the peacefulness of sleep that only comes from God.  And then there was an overwhelming sense that Jesus was there in the room with me, guarding and protecting me and I could go to sleep.  It was the knowledge that the Lord was with me that allowed me to enjoy sweet and restful sleep.  However, it was also this experience that brought me into a wonderful relationship with Jesus Christ for I became accustomed to having conversations with him every night until I fell asleep.  He was in the room with me, watching over me and caring for me.  We would talk and I would drift off. 

It is this invitation today that is for all of us.  We are invited into a personal relationship with the holy Trinity.  And when the Holy Spirit surrounds us with the love of God, then the darkness of the world is revealed in the light of his truth.  This transforms every part of our lives and the proverb becomes a reality.  "If you sit down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."  This truly is the sweetness of the invitation of the Trinity.  A life in which God guides us in all things.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for many years of sweet conversation.  May there be many more in the years ahead.  Amen.