Pentecost Week 3 - Invited into Triune Life

Christ Church Elders
Jun 8
3 min read

Scripture Reading

*Explain the context: “On Pentecost, Peter preached to the many people gathered in Jerusalem. Last week, we saw the beginning of Peter’s message. This week, we will see how it continues. Peter said…”

Acts 2:22-38

Big Idea (For Parents)

Scripture teaches that God is a Trinity or a triune God—he is one God in three persons. Pentecost is a triune work of God—all three persons of the Trinity participate. The Father promised the Spirit (Acts 2:33), the ascended Son (compare Acts 2:32-35 and Luke 20:41-44) poured out the Spirit (Acts 2:16-18, 32), and the Spirit filled the disciples and empowered their preaching (Acts 2:4). The purpose of it is that people will repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). By receiving the Spirit, they are joined to Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and, thereby, into the Triune Life of God himself—an eternal, joyful relationship of love between Father, Son and Spirit for the God who is, in himself, love (1 John 4:8).

Family Reflection

(Read aloud or summarize)

Scripture teaches that God is a Trinity. That means he is both one and three. He is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Peter’s message, we see that all three persons of the Trinity work together in their own way to accomplish Pentecost. The Father promised the Spirit. The ascended, incarnate Son, Jesus Christ, poured out the Spirit. The Spirit filled the disciples and empowered their preaching. God did all this so that people would repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and receive the Spirit. When they receive the Spirit, they are joined to Christ’s body. Being joined to Christ means entering into the triune life of God himself.

As a Trinity, God has always in himself been in an eternal, joyful relationship of love. The Father always loves the Son, who always loves the Father back, and the same with the Spirit. This is why the Bible says, “God is love.” This is why God is always happy in himself. The amazing thing is that, at Pentecost, the three persons of God together do what’s necessary to bring us into their eternal, joyful life of love. As those who receive the Spirit, we are ourselves changed over time to become more and more like God—we live out the joy and love he has forever in himself.

Discussion Questions

(Adjust for age)

1- God is one God in three persons. We are each one human in one person. We are also made in God’s image. Since we are not trinities like God, how can we reflect God’s image of happy, self-giving love?

(Hint: we do so when we love God with all we are and love other people as ourselves).

2- What is one way you can reflect God’s happy life of love this week?

Practice—Pray a Triune Prayer

Though various forms of prayer can be supported from Scripture, one common Trinitarian form is to pray to the Father in Jesus’ name (John 15:16), while relying on the help of the Spirit (cf. John 15:26).

For an example, as a family, pray:

“Father, we thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die and be raised for the forgiveness of our sins. We thank you for promising the Spirit, and that Jesus has now poured out the Spirit so we can repent and join your life of love. Please help us by your Spirit to love you and others this week. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.”