TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16–17
DEVOTIONAL
by Stephanie Reloj
After attending the main worship service, a Sunday School student asked me, “How can Jesus be 100% man and 100% God?” I could feel his frustration as he tried to understand this. He is smart, yet he can’t digest this Biblical truth. I tried to explain it to him, but I discerned that he was not satisfied with my answer. So I ended up saying, “We are finite and limited beings. There are many concepts in the Bible that we might not fully understand, like your question and even the Trinity—they’re three but one? It takes faith for us to understand these. I suggest you continue to study the Bible and pray to God. As you deepen your relationship with Him, God has a way of revealing these things to you.”
Like in our passage today, at Jesus’ baptism, each person of the Trinity made their presence known. The heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and the voice of the Father declared His pleasure in His Son. This divine display serves as a tangible demonstration of the Triune nature of God, a concept beyond human comprehension yet affirmed throughout Scripture.
While the specific word “Trinity” may not be found in the Bible, the concept it represents is deeply rooted in the Bible. It traces back to the early centuries of Christianity, particularly during the theological discussions and debates within the early church. As Christians sought to articulate and understand the nature of God, they grappled with how to reconcile the biblical affirmations of having one God with the revelation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The doctrine of the Trinity teaches us that God is not a solitary being but exists eternally as a community of love. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share in perfect unity, each person distinct yet inseparable from the others. They seek to glorify each other, which we as a Church should also follow. This mystery invites us to marvel at the depths of God’s nature and His intimate involvement in our lives.
REFLECTION
How does the revelation of the Trinity deepen our understanding of God’s character and relationship with us? How can we experience the presence of each person of the Trinity in our daily lives? How does the Triune nature of God inspire us to pursue deeper fellowship and intimacy with Him?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of Your Triune nature, revealed to us at Jesus’ baptism. Thank You for the profound truth that You are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God in three persons. Help us to grasp the depths of Your love and unity, and may it transform our understanding of who You are. Holy Spirit, guide us into deeper communion with You, revealing the Father’s love and the Son’s sacrifice to us. May we live in light of the Triune God, reflecting Your love and unity to the world around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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