Worshiping the Triune God

Many of the songs we sing together on Sunday are full of great lyrics. You can find numerous songs declaring God the Father as Creator, King, Healer, Forgiver, etc. The list really could go on and on. There are also quite a few songs out there that speak of Jesus and His birth, life, death, resurrection, and His return. Many of these too are wonderful songs that bring us to our knees as they point out who Christ is and what He has done. There are some songs that also magnify the Holy Spirit who indwells believers. However, there are few songs being sung in churches today (especially churches who have removed Hymnals) that call for the worshiper to sing about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as separate persons but yet declare God as a triune three-in-one God. Though the trinity is a hard idea to wrap our minds around, it is nonetheless an essential core of our Christian faith.

For this reason we introduced a new song at 412 Community Church this past Sunday. The song is "O God of Our Salvation" written by Matt Boswell, Michael Bleecker, and John Warren. "O God of Our Salvation" deals rightly with the Trinity and allows the worshiper to fix their minds and hearts on each separate person but yet declare the triune God as the "God of our salvation from whom redemption comes."

Here are the lyrics:

O God of our salvation
Who reigns upon the throne
The sovereign Father, great is He
From whom all blessings flow

(Chorus)
O God of our salvation, From Whom redemption comes
O Father, Son and Spirit, The blessed three in one

Behold the Son our Savior
Who for our sin was slain
The Christ Who purchased with His blood
The wretched souls of men.

O God, The Holy Spirit
Revealing Deity
The fount of life and love divine
throughout eternity

Ascribe unending praises to the God Who reigns on high
How matchless is His power, His glory how divine
Ascribe O church the greatness and the glory due His name
One God, One Being, One Essence, O Triune God proclaimed

Amen


Want to learn the song? Check out this video from Michael Bleeker:

I thought Jesus was sitting...

Throughout the Bible we read and come to an understanding that after Jesus ascended back into heaven he sat, and is currently sitting, at the right hand of God. There are many passages of scripture that portray this, including:

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, - Hebrews 1:3

...we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven - Hebrews 8:1

...you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power - Matthew 26:64

And there are many more: Mark 14:62; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Psalm 110:1

Since it is so clear that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God then why is it that when we get to Acts 7:55 He is standing? Stephen, after preaching his last sermon to group of hypocritical Sanhedrin, gets a glimpse into Heaven and sees Jesus "standing at the right hand of God."

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56 ESV)

I believe that Christ's position in Stephen's vision is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, this small observation has huge implications. Stephen was a man who spent the last months and weeks of his life preaching the resurrected Lord in a mighty way. Acts 6:8 even tells us that Stephen was full of grace and power and "was doing great wonders and signs among the people." It is obvious that Stephen was a man who cared about the salvation of those around him, was unashamed of the Gospel, and because he had been saved spent his days confessing Christ before men. This is why I believe Jesus was standing in Stephen's vision as opposed to sitting.

Stephen was living out the words of Jesus himself. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven" - Matthew 10:32. He had been confessing Christ before men with great power, passion, and perseverance. And seeing Jesus standing, the correct posture of a witness in Jewish culture, surely brought Stephen great hope and joy. "Stephen, condemned by an earthly court, appeals for vindication to a heavenly court, and his vindicator in that supreme court is Jesus, who stands at God's right hand as Stephen's advocate..." 2/

Through the story of Stephen we can find great joy that as we continue on in the faith and confess Christ among men, though we may be persecuted, stoned, and proven guilty, Christ "stands" for us and bears witness before the Father on our behalf.



2/F. F. Bruce, "Stephen's Defense," Commentary on the Book of Acts," p. 168