"Stay in touch!" A letter, a phone call, an e-mail - whatever! Stay in touch! We call out to friends and especially family. It is hard work to stay in touch. Letter writing has all but disappeared. ("I saved a stamp and called.") Now with E-mail, instead of getting letters we get "spammed" to death. ("How about a personal word?")

One Man promised to stay in touch - forever! Jesus Christ was not finished with us, even as He left the confines of earth. I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you... (Luke 24.49). So, we step into the great arena of His ongoing work for us and with us and through us - TODAY! In order for that work to happen, He had to return to be with God the Father. Come to the next part of the Apostles’ Creed:

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost;...I have included the first phrase of the second section, because the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit must be brought into the story. Today is Trinity Sunday. Since it is, I want, first of all, to give you an outline from scripture for the Trinity. With that very brief outline, I hope you will keep it as a reminder: God provides everything we need to go from this place to heaven. Even if we do not stay in touch with Him, He has promised to STAY IN TOUCH WITH US!

We hold the doctrine of the Trinity, not because it is self-evident or logically cogent. We hold it because God has revealed to us that this what He is like. Illustrations to grasp the Trinity include H20 - water-God; ice-Jesus; steam-Holy Spirit. An egg: yolk-God; the shell-Jesus; fluid-Holy Spirit. Neapolitan ice cream with the three flavors might also work...and taste good. Try to explain it, and we can lose our minds. Try to deny it and we can lose our souls.

Scripture guides us to grasp the Trinity. I will give you at least two scriptures for each person of the Godhead. You should know at least one verse for each person. Why? Because the cults surrounding us will use scripture to twist you into knots. Then, they will offer you their perverted version of Jesus Christ, and you can be lost forever. Written summaries are available, but it is often better if you write them down yourself. There are three persons in the Godhead and each is called God. God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

The Father is called God:

Matthew 11: 25, I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth...

2 Peter 1: 17: For when He (Christ) received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.

The Son is called God: John 8: 58: Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM." Revelation 1: 8, (Jesus speaking): "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

The Holy Spirit is called God: Acts 5: 3,4: But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit...You have not lied to men, but to God.

Acts 13: 2: And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

2 Corinthians 4:18: But we all...are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Yet, there is one God: Isaiah 44: 6: Thus says the Lord,.. the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."

I Timothy 2:5: For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Now we have a little more strength to build up our own faith. We are captured by the wonder of God. He will always stay in touch with us, because He has included us in His plan! Now come with me to His ascension. See how this part of the Creed can help us know that our God will STAY IN TOUCH!

His ascension is spiritual, powerful, and political!

HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. Ancient thought-forms of Up for heaven and Down for hell don’t work today. Just ask the Australians! There must be more to this ascension. His ascension is spiritual, not spatial.

First, Jesus had to return to heaven to prepare a place for us, (John 14.2,3). We don’t know what this place is like, but truly we will know our Lord when we arrive! We will know Him. We will see His nail-scarred hands and feet. We recognize Him. If He returned to heaven, wherever it may be, we can be sure He will see that we get there, too! We will have a place prepared by Him!

Remember that heaven is our goal. We have no real home here. While we live here, we have Him in our lives. He is our heaven on earth! Live today like He lives in you! Give your utmost for His highest! That leads to the second reason: the Holy Spirit!

Second, His ascension is powerful. He had to return so that the Holy Spirit could come to us, (John 16.7). The work of Jesus on earth was limited to those He taught. Through external teaching and example. The Holy Spirit entered into the hearts and minds of believers, so Jesus could work more freely. Somehow, the Holy Spirit moves in us, yet communicates with Jesus Christ with no barriers. I don’t know how He works it all out. I do know that we are doing what Jesus said we would be doing: the works which Jesus did, and even greater ones, (John 14.12). Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Triune God would always be with us!

I never understood that statement until I was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Methodists call it a "Second Blessing," or Sanctification. Pentecostal and charismatic groups call this the Baptism of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). I had a clear salvation experience at age 7. I had Christ. My mother corrected me: "No, God always had YOU!" She reminded me that at age 4 I told people I would preach all over the world. I have! When God filled me with the Holy Spirit, He had ME. Then I knew His word was true. I began to understand His words. Believers have done more amazing things than Jesus ever did on earth. But He gets all the glory and honor! He does His work through the Holy Spirit working in us! Want Him to have you? Watch out! You will never be the same!

We declare: HE SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY. His ascension is powerful, not simply poetic. The Lord of all has the power of God to do things. He does not scurry around trying to solve our problems. He sits and He rules in power. What does He do there?

He directs our work in the power of the Holy Spirit through us. He hears our prayers and talks to the Father about our every need, (I John 2.1; Heb. 7.25). Oh yes, Jesus Christ is staying in touch with us all the time! He is but a whisper away. He hears the cries of our broken hearts and talks to the Father! He celebrates the victories we have in our lives and in our churches, and He talks to the Father! He hears of our great desires to serve Him. He sees us going out and doing great things in His Kingdom, and He talks to the Father!

He speaks to us of His love and care. He warns us to avoid danger. He guides us into the right way to go. And when we fail, He comes to us and offers His hand of cleansing and wholeness once more.

Finally, His ascension is political. God has a plan to finally rule the world! He will be back! FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. No one, not even Jesus, knows when that day will come. I do not spend a lot of time speculating on that time. I am not worried about His soon return. I just know that He promised to return.

Here is the challenge to any who will attempt to rule without God. Many world rulers imagined themselves greater than God. Adolph Hitler told Pastor Niemoller: "You can deal with heaven. The German people belong to me." No! Only Jesus Christ will be Lord. All history points to finishing with Jesus Christ. The world will never be ready.

Remember that God has a plan for us that is better than any we might have or want. The Church must be ready to welcome Christ back to claim what belongs to Him. He wants us to be faithful with the work He has given us to do, until He comes again.

We have God in three persons who promises to stay in touch with you and me. Trusting Him, we can know how life will work itself out! No matter what you face. No matter the pain that you are in, know that God will never let you go! He will stay in touch!

Scripture guides us to grasp the Trinity. I will give you at least two scriptures for each person of the Godhead. You should know at least one verse for each person. Why? Because the cults surrounding us will use scripture to twist you into knots. Then, they will offer you their perverted version of Jesus Christ, and you can be lost forever. Written summaries are available, but it is often better if you write them down yourself. There are three persons in the Godhead and each is called God. God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

The Father is called God:

Matthew 11: 25, I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth...

2 Peter 1: 17: For when He (Christ) received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.

The Son is called God: John 8: 58: Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM." Revelation 1: 8, (Jesus speaking): "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

The Holy Spirit is called God: Acts 5: 3,4: But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit...You have not lied to men, but to God.

Acts 13: 2: And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

2 Corinthians 4:18: But we all...are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Yet, there is one God: Isaiah 44: 6: Thus says the Lord,.. the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."

I Timothy 2:5: For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.