Core scripture: “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

Message: There are plenty of unexplained mysteries we find throughout our lives as teachers.  How do we find time to hit all of our curriculum before testing season?  How do teachers hold their bladders for so long throughout the day?  Or the big one … How do we put up with the shenanigans of middle school boys?  As Proverbs 25:2 aptly states, “It is the glory of God to conceal things.”

All teasing aside, there is a mystery that still baffles me today: How do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together as one in our lives as teachers?  I will attempt to explain it, but my words are certain to not do it full justice.  It is a mystery we all feel inside us, yet we still find it difficult to wrap our minds around.  Bear with me as we attempt to tackle this one …

It all begins with the Father.  Our God.  The mastermind behind the universe.  Our day should be centered on Him.  How do we do this?  By continually seeking His wisdom through prayer.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to “pray without ceasing.”  There are checkpoints throughout the day when we need to stop, take a breath, and simply be with Him.  Find those times.  Savor them.  Let Him refuel your thirsty soul to power you through the day.

Then of course there is the Son, Jesus Christ.  Our Savior.  Our everything.  As we study His life in the Bible—and that is a given that you find time to do this—we must model our walk after Him.  Serve others graciously.  Stop complaining.  Be humble.  Listen to others’ needs.  Be different.  Make your life about something higher, glorifying God in all you do.  Most of all, always, always be thankful.

But how can we feel Christ when He has not been seen in 2000 years?  We feel Him through the Holy Spirit.  In John 14:26 Jesus says, “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”  We have that power inside us.  Every decision we make through the day, if we allow the Holy Spirit to take control, we cannot go wrong.

To attempt to simplify, let’s break it down.  We pray continually to God, modeling our lives after Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us.  Three powers united into one dominant force.  Be that force today.

Challenge: Think about the different ways that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit impact your life.  Journal about it.  Attempt to explain it verbally to a Christian colleague.  Ask their opinion about how they might explain it.

Song application: “Power” by We Are Messengers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTZ0dyIZC1A

We got that Holy Ghost power
We got our hearts set on love
We got that Holy Ghost power
We keep our eyes fixed above
We got that Holy Ghost power
We got our hearts set on love
We got that Holy Ghost power
We keep our eyes fixed above

Just for fun: We had just finished a serious conversation in our small group over the weekend.  My friend Ryan asked for a volunteer to pray, putting his finger on his nose.  We knew that the last to do that would be praying, and when that young man realized it was him, he began to balk.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, somebody said, “You better hurry up your prayer because I just let out a phenomenal fart, and we need to evacuate.”  What ensued was the quickest prayer ever, not to mention a wild stampede out the door.

Scripture: Pop quiz … Where is the only part of the Bible where God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit appear in the same scene?  Look no further than Matthew 3.  Read through this chapter of the Bible, focusing on verses 16-17 where the trinity appears together.

Prayer: Father God, allow the Trinity to work as three in one inside me today, giving all the glory to You.  Amen.