John 16:12-15 ~ June 15, 2025
Call to Worship:
Ascribe to the Lord all glory and honour.
How majestic is God’s name in all the earth!
Come and worship God in holy splendour.
How majestic is God’s name in all the earth!
To the Creator, Christ, and to the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory, now and forever. Amen.
Hymn: #377 Come, children, join to sing
Prayer of Approach and Confession:
Holy God, who is One in Three and Three in One, we praise you this day
as the Source of all life, Maker of Heaven and Earth.
You created us and called us good, shepherding us with your steadfast love.
Jesus Christ, we praise you this day,
born into our midst to show us the way of goodness, mercy and grace.
Holy Spirit, we praise you this day
for the energy you bring us to greet each day as a gift
and serve in the world with gladness.
Holy God, Three in One and One in Three,
reveal to us this day what it means to live as your people
so that we may honour your holy name,
now and forever. Amen.
God of mercy and majesty,
you are slow to anger and swift to forgive.
You have shown us the depth of your love,
yet we are reluctant to love others who differ from us.
You have shown us compassion and forgiveness,
yet we walk away from one another without concern.
You have offered us hope in Christ Jesus,
yet we lose that hope when life is challenging.
Forgive us, O Lord.
Create in us the endurance and character
which help us trust in the power of your forgiving love. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon:
God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Be at peace with God, with one another, and with yourself, through the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: #436 God, we praise you for the morning
Scripture Reading: Psalm 8
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?[c]
5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]
and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their[g] feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
John 16:12-15
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Meditation: “The Trinity”
There was once a teacher who was teaching first grade in a large elementary school. One morning all of the teachers were called to the staff room for an emergency meeting, and they hurried over, leaving their classes unsupervised. All of the teachers were worried, but none more so than this particular teacher, because her class was especially mischievous and unruly.
When they got to the staff room, the teacher decided to listen in and find out what was going on in her classroom. She turned on the intercom, and sure enough her room was in chaos. Children were yelling, jumping and throwing things. But one little voice stood out above the others. The teacher recognized the voice. She picked up the intercom and in her sternest voice said, “Elizabeth, sit down!!!!!!!!”
Immediately, the room fell silent. After a few seconds, a small humble voice answered meekly, “Okay, God”
I’d like to jog your memories for a few moments. Do you remember the TV series “Perry Mason” or perhaps you’ve read some of the Perry Mason novels that were written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Or maybe you may remember the Perry Mason made-for-TV movies that came out in the 1980s. In any event, from September of 1957 to October of 1966, Perry Mason tried 270 murder cases on television, and more in the novels and made-for-TV movies, and only appeared to have lost two of them. In both of those cases, he came through with new information and at the last moment reversed the verdict and cleared his client. The mere mention of his name struck the fear of God into the hearts of any prosecutor. Well folks, there is one prosecutor that even Perry Mason cannot beat, and that is the Holy Spirit.
Today, as we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we can think of the Trinity as a courtroom. God is the judge, the Holy Spirit is the prosecutor, and Jesus is our defense lawyer. When the prosecutor, the Holy Spirit, presents his case, no one will have any defense on their own; however, everyone can have a defense because Jesus has offered to take any case for free if he is allowed to, because he has already paid the ultimate price for our defense. If he is not allowed to take our case, and the verdict of “guilty” rings out for all eternity, every defendant will acknowledge it is true, and the entire world will know it. To me, this analogy is accurate but harsh. I prefer to think of the Trinity in terms of mediation in a dispute. God is the mediator, Jesus represents our side of the dispute, and the Holy Spirit represents the other side.
The concept of the Trinity is a difficult concept for us to grasp, and part of this problem lies in how it is presented in John’s Gospel. John wrote his Gospel for an audience that was primarily Greek. The Greeks were leaders in science, thought and philosophy. In other words, Greek society was very intelligent and highly sophisticated, especially in terms of understanding abstract concepts. This is one reason why John’s Gospel is very theological in nature.
Trinitarian Theology is complicated for a reason. The very complications of the Trinity are designed to bring us closer to God. There is something we need to know. We don’t know everything about God, but we know everything about him that we need to know. The Scriptures assure us of that. We do not have to understand everything, spiritual or non-spiritual the minute we become adults and that includes the Trinity. We know enough to save us. God pours out grace upon us, in abundance and consistently, whether we realize it or not. The Holy Spirit helps us and the Church to understand all of what Jesus said, especially what he said about God.
The Trinity is one of the most fascinating aspects of Christian theology, but it is also one of the most controversial. It is a mystery to us because it is a reality that is above our human ability to understand things. We can begin to grasp it on our own, but we must really discover it through worship, symbol and faith. In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks.
The Trinity is a mystery, but this does not mean a riddle. Instead, the Trinity is a reality above our human comprehension that we may begin to grasp, but ultimately made known through worship, symbol and faith. In order to understand it, we must live in the light of its implications for our human lives. The relationship that exists among the three divine persons suggests to us that we can know God through our relationships—not only in God’s relationship to us, but to the entire created world.
In spite of its abstract, theological nature, John’s Gospel has an ordinary, down-to-earth purpose; namely, to lead people to Christ. John did not believe that “truth’ consisted of what he had written or that it could be found only in the Scriptures. He was speaking of spiritual truth rather than the philosophical, historical or scientific truth which has enveloped the world since the Age of Enlightenment over three hundred years ago. He gave us a method of determining what is spiritually true and what is not. The fundamental principle of truth for the church is that it must always witness to Christ and reveal God’s purpose that love shall be of first importance in all relationships throughout the whole of creation.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is setting the stage for his upcoming death, resurrection and ascension. The disciples are understandably quite terrified. Their lives are about to take a dramatic turn. They are quite concerned about the future. How would they continue to do his work without his presence and guidance?
That was a valid question, and it is the same question many Christians have today. How are we going to do Christ’s work in our society? How are we to care for the less fortunate and spread the Good News? Fortunately for both us and the disciples, Jesus had an answer. He promised to send another advocate or helper-the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would not be bound by Jesus’ limitations of time and space. Whereas Jesus could only travel slowly and teach those within the sound of his voice, the Holy Spirit could be present anywhere and everywhere-throughout the world and throughout history.
The Spirit will guide us in our life’s journey. It will be the still, small voice inside of us that guides us in the right direction like a built-in compass. How many coincidences in life are eventually understood to be considerably beyond the level of chance in the long run? Perhaps there have been times in our lives when, for just a fleeting moment, we have been overtaken in some circumstance by the urge to acknowledge “something”-something which had caused an impossible situation to take a turn for a better…just when our finely laid calculations and finely made plans were at the point of collapse. Something happened. A new direction, a difference perspective, another alternative emerged from the confusion. Some call it intuition or inspired genius or coincidence. Others call it the promise Jesus made to us; namely, the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells us that the Spirit will lead us into the truth. The Spirit will speak with the authority of God, telling us what God is thinking. The Spirit will give Jesus glory because he will translate what Jesus has to say to us. He will tell us what to do and what to say when we are doing God’s work.
The Spirit breathes upon our lives in many ways. It is the Spirit who calls us to various Christian ministries, whether it be ordained ministry, lay ministry, reading Scripture during worship services, or even just the way we lead our lives. The Spirit even leads us to teach others in our lives about Christ.
The Spirit works with us to guide us closer to God in faith and helps us to do his work in the world. In this way, the Holy Spirit acts as our helper. He lives inside us and knows us even better than we know ourselves. He works 24 hours a day 7 days a week to enable us to be the person God wants us to be and to help us grow in the likeness of Christ. There is no problem that he can’t handle. He will help us get through our troubles and will also use our burdens to teach us about God’s love, power and wisdom now and always. Amen.
Invitation of Offering:
The season of Pentecost celebrates the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the Church with the gifts needed to serve others in Jesus’ name. Let us offer God our gifts this day with grateful hearts, and in the spirit of generosity revealed in Christ.
Doxology: #830 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Prayer of Dedication:
Generous God, thank you for all your gifts which bring us hope and joy. Bless the gifts we bring and work with them to establish your reign in the world you love. In the name of your greatest gift, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Hymn: #548 Let us break bread together
Invitation to the Lord’s Table:
Jesus said:
I am the bread of life.
Those who come to me will never be hungry,
and those who believe in me will never be thirsty.
No one who comes to me will I drive away. John 6:35, 37.
Because there is one bread,
we who are many are one body,
for we all partake of the one bread. I Cor. 10:17.
So, whether you eat or drink,
or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God. I Cor. 10:31.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth,
with joy we give you thanks and praise.
Through the words of your prophets
you gave your people hope
by promising them the Redeemer.
And now we rejoice that in your Son, Jesus Christ,
the Saviour has come
and will come again in power and glory
making all things new.
How wonderful are your ways, almighty God.
How marvellous is your name, O Holy One.
You alone are God.
Therefore with apostles and prophets,
and that great cloud of witnesses
who live for you beyond all time and space,
we lift our hearts in joyful praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We praise you, most holy God,
for sending your only Son Jesus to live among us,
full of grace and truth.
Sharing our joy and sorrow,
he healed the sick and was a friend of sinners.
Obeying you,
he took up his cross and died that we might live.
We praise you that he overcame death
and is risen to rule the world.
He is still the friend of sinners.
We trust him to overcome every power that can hurt or divide us,
and believe that when he comes in glory
we will celebrate victory with him.
Therefore, in remembrance of your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we take this bread and this cup
and give you praise and thanksgiving
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.
Gracious God,
pour out your Holy Spirit upon us,
and upon this bread and wine,
that we, and all who share this feast,
may be one with Christ and he with us.
Here we offer ourselves to be a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to you.
In your mercy,
accept our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
Fill us with the joy of eternal life,
that we may be your faithful people
until we feast with you in glory.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour are yours, almighty God,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Communion:
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins; do this, as often as you drink of it, in remembrance of me.” Amen. (1 Cor. 11:23-26)
Come let us eat and drink in remembrance of Christ:
Prayer after Communion:
Loving God, Christ our Lord, Holy Spirit,
you have nourished us, body and soul, in this meal.
We have heard your love, so send us out to speak it.
We have seen your love, so send us out to show it.
We have been fed by your love, so send us out to share it.
So may we become Christ’s body, the Church,
loving and caring throughout the whole world
until that day when all creation feasts with you
in the fullness of your mercy and peace
that we savour today in the name of our Saviour
who taught us when we pray to say together:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
Hymn: #592 I, the Lord of sea and sky
Benediction:
Go in peace; Paul writes: “Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.”
Now may the LORD keep us and bless us,
May the LORD make his face to shine upon us
and be gracious unto us,
Now and for ever more, AMEN.
Choral Closing: “Go Now in Peace”
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
June 8, 2025
https://pccweb.ca/knox-goderich/files/2025/06/The-Promise.docx