‘Our God is a relational God’ ICEL, Leuven May 11, 2014 Pieter Boersema

ICEL Introduction   We are now in the period of the 7 weeks between Easter and Pentecost.   Remember the story of Jesus and Peter at the sea of Tiberias, which we read during worship time.   Jesus asked Peter three times if ‘he loves Him’. An example of the many questions that the Disciples had to learn before they became Apostles.   For us, today in this church, it is clear that Jesus is the risen Messiah as foretold in the Scriptures.   See the story of Jesus and the two disciples of Emmaus (Luke 24).

ICEL Rembrandt van Rijn. De maaltijd in Emmaüs The story ‘retold’ by Rembrandt in Contextualising the message. We are becoming part of this story. Luke 24:35 They recognised Jesus when he broke the bread.

ICEL How to live with Christ, when He is ascended to heaven? For the disciples it was a difficult question, although it was explained by Jesus (John 14). John 14: 1-4: I go to my Father’s house to prepare a place for you. John 14: 5-28 Jesus the Way to the Father 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

ICEL John 14: If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?

ICEL Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. …… 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

ICEL Who is Jesus? The focus of the Gospel is ‘Who is Jesus’? The struggle for the disciples to get an understanding after the Resurrection. Different accents during church history: Is Jesus God or Human or both? Times of the Apostles: a strong belief in the soon return of Jesus (John 21: 23) The Persecuted Church and the ‘state’ Church. Who is Jesus? It is still an important question for us as it was for the disciples. 2 examples taken from daily life:

ICEL 1. The question of the Theodicy to answer the question of why a good God permits the manifestation of evil An example of today: The Shack is a Christian novel by Canadian author William P. Young, 2007 His daughter is abducted and murdered by a serial killer. He enters the shack and encounters manifestations of the Trinity (An African- American woman, a Middle- Eastern carpenter and an Asian woman).

ICEL 2. The exhibition ‘Sisters in Islam’. Amsterdam Museum 2014: Conversion to Islam, not only because they married a Muslim, but also they appreciate Islam: After a (long) search for the meaning in life, they found a ‘friendly’ and ‘organised’ religion. Islam is a clear and transparent religion. Conversion to Islam: to recite the Shahada: ‘There is no other God and Mohammed is His prophet’. The God of the Christians let his son Jesus suffer.

ICEL God and Jesus: difficult to understand Both examples show the importance of having an understanding about Jesus in relation to the almighty God, creator of heaven and earth. Is the essence of religion to be ethically correct by following the laws of God and to see the difference between ‘good and evil’ with Jesus as the excellent example? Or is God not only so much greater than human beings but also incarnated: ‘The Word Became Flesh’: John 1. The disciples wrestled with this in John 14. The Church has wrestled with it since New Testament times.

ICEL Athanasian Creed (333 AD) Article 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. In today’s language: God is a relational God.

ICEL Trinitiy in ‘stained glass’.

ICEL Trinity: By Andrei Rublev, Trettyakov Gallary Moscow (1411) Three angels who visited Abraham at the Oak of Mamre (Gen. 18:1-15) This icon can be seen as the symbolic transfiguration of the Trinity. The house Oak tree A mountain A theology in colour: Blue, purple, red and green.

ICEL Closing   Understanding God by seeing the three ‘parts’ of God: (See also the Apostolic Confession). o o God the Father, the creator of Heaven and Earth (He lives in Heaven and gave the Earth to the people). o o God the Son, our Saviour. He came to earth and became human to bring us together with the Father. o o God the Holy Spirit. After the Ascension of Jesus He gave His Spirit (= the Truth) to us on earth to live with God.   Our God is a relational God to show us His justice and mercy, truth and grace, faithfulness and love.   This relation is symbolised and experienced in the Communion, Baptism and the Fellowship.