The Father, the Son, and the Spirit

Lesson 11

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit

(Genesis 1, John 10 & 16)

Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Introduction: Do you have a wonderful family member who died before your children were born? Have you wished that your children could have known the blessing of spending time with that beloved person? Showing your children a picture doesn’t begin to be sufficient. With the advent of easily made videos, that helps to bring some understanding. What about you? If it is your parent, are you enough like your parent that your children can know important things through you? Jesus faced a similar problem with teaching us about His Heavenly Father. Let’s jump into our study of John to see how Jesus helps us know His Father and the Holy Spirit.

1. What You Reveal About God
   
   1. Read Genesis 1:26-28. This tells us that we reflect the “image” and “likeness” of God. What do you think that means?
      1. Note the plural. “Let us,” make “after our likeness.” Who is God talking to? (This is additional evidence of the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God says that He is making humans to reflect His plural self.)
         
         1. Think more deeply. Does that mean the parts of the plural also reflect each other? Specifically, is this evidence that Jesus and the Spirit give us information about God the Father?
         2. Assume a tree, a rock, and a walrus are next to each other. The walrus says to the tree and rock, “Let’s make something in our image that will reflect our likeness.” Would that work?
      2. Are humans different than the animals? (We do not look or think like them. Genesis 1:26 gives humans “dominion” over the animals. That is part of the way we reflect God.)
   2. Read Romans 8:16. Do humans have a spirit like the Holy Spirit? (This text says, “Yes.”)
      1. How do you understand this to operate? Do our spirits communicate with each other?
      2. When you read the Bible texts in these lessons, does it make a light go off in your head? Do you suddenly understand something that was previously unclear? (That is the Holy Spirit speaking to your spirit.)
      3. When God decided to make us in His image, is our spirit proof of His creation account? (We intrinsically know that we are more than a bag of meat.)
   3. Read John 3:34-35. What else does the Holy Spirit’s interaction with our spirit cause in our life? (We share the words of God. The Holy Spirit gives us those words.)
      1. Or am I wrong? Is this text only referring to what God the Father gave to Jesus?
2. What Jesus Reveals About the Father
   
   1. Read John 10:30-33. What is Jesus’ point in saying that He and the Father are one?
      1. Have His Jewish listeners misunderstood Jesus? (They understood, they do not believe.)
   2. Read John 10:34-36. Is Jesus arguing that all humans can become “Gods?” (To answer this read Psalms 82:6-8. Jesus is saying that humans can become “gods” and the children of God.)
      1. Has Jesus just denied His Deity? Is He watering down what it means for Him to declare, “I and the Father are One?” (Jesus seems to be attacking the logic of the Jews who decided to kill Him. I don’t think Jesus is saying that humans can be God. Instead, He seems to reflect what Genesis 1 says about humans.)
   3. Read John 10:37-38. How does Jesus reveal His Father? (Jesus’ actions reveal the Father.)
      1. What should we conclude about Jesus’ reference to Psalms 82:6 and our lives? (When we do what God would have us do we reveal the Father’s nature.)
   4. Read John 7:15-17. What do the teachings of Jesus reveal about His Father? (He is teaching what His Father had Him teach.)
      1. Notice John 7:17. Should we automatically believe that Jesus is teaching what His Father revealed to Him? (Jesus says that we can test that.)
      2. Wait a minute. How are we able to “test” what our Lord says? (This takes us back to our spirit being in contact with the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that if we desire to do God’s will, then the Holy Spirit will give us the knowledge of what is right teaching.)
   5. Read John 8:38. Is Jesus giving us a larger picture of good and evil? We understand God by seeing what Jesus did and we understand Satan by what his followers do? (The answer is, “Yes.” Recall the most horrific crime. That helps you understand Satan. Compare that to what Jesus suffered on our behalf.)
3. What the Holy Spirit Reveals to Us
   
   1. Read John 14:24-26. Let’s discuss what Jesus says about “words.” From where do the words of Jesus come? (The are His Father’s words.)
      1. What is the problem with you and me listening to the words of others? (We might not understand. We are likely to forget.)
      2. How does the Holy Spirit fix our word problem? (The Holy Spirit not only helps us to remember Jesus’ words, but He helps us to understand by teaching us.)
   2. Read John 16:7. We just learned that the Holy Spirit helped the disciples to recall the words of Jesus. In light of that, how was it helpful for Jesus to leave? (The Holy Spirit is a force multiplier. The Spirit can be everywhere at one time. Jesus was only in one place at a time when He walked the earth.)
   3. Read John 16:8. How important is it that the Holy Spirit brings conviction? Does that let you off the hook when you present the gospel to others? (I don’t think we were ever “on the hook” when it comes to conviction as opposed to sharing. But this is something I have trouble keeping straight. I wrongly think that I need to convict because my job as a lawyer is to convince others.)
   4. Read John 16:9. Does it seem odd to you that sin is defined as not believing in Jesus? (My studies over the years have convinced me that when John the Baptist and Jesus called people to repentance, they were not talking about specific sins. They were talking about changing your mind, changing your approach to salvation.)
   5. Read John 16:10. What does conviction about righteousness have to do with Jesus returning to heaven? (Jesus rose from the grave and returned to heaven because He defeated sin. He paid the penalty for our sins. His righteousness becomes our righteousness.)
   6. Read John 16:11. Isn’t it our judgment that we want to avoid? Why do we care about Satan’s judgment? (The point Jesus makes is that He won and Satan lost. We need to choose Jesus, the winner, to avoid judgment.)
4. Closing Words
   
   1. Read John 17:1-3. What is central to eternal life? (Knowing God. You know Him by knowing Jesus.)
   2. Read John 17:8-9. Is Jesus especially looking out for you? (Jesus says that He is praying for His followers, and not for the world in general.)
   3. Read John 17:20-23. Who is Jesus praying for now? (Those who will choose Him in the future. Jesus wants all to know God and to become one with God.)
   4. Friend, will you help others to know God by pointing to Jesus? Will you do your best to reveal God to others?
5. Next week: The Hour of Glory: The Cross and Resurrection!