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Ephesians 3 14For this reason I kneelbefore the Father,15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious richeshe may strengthen you with powerthrough his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your heartsthrough faith. And I pray that you, being rootedand established in love,18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,to grasp how wide and long and high and deepis the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filledto the measure of all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who is ableto do immeasurably more than all we askor imagine, according to his powerthat is at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

3 Main ‘Requests: Strengthening, Empowering, Filling

Ask 1: I ask the Father to grant you out of the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner person.

Ask 2: Paul prays: I ask the Father out of the riches of His glory to have Christ dwell in your hearts through faith.

Ask 3: I ask the Father to grant you out of the riches of His glory, to have you rooted and grounded in love.

Ask 4: I ask the Father to grant you out of the riches of His glory to be empowered to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of Jesus.

Ask 5: I ask the Father to grant you out of the riches of His glory to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.

Ask 6: I ask the Father to grant you out of the riches of His glory to be filled up to all the fullness of God.

This is a big prayer because we are praying to and with a big God who is able to do immeasurably more abundantly than all we ask or imagine. Amen.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Speaker: Susanne Chladek

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Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Experiencing the Trinity

Sermon #9: Passionate Mission

“mission Dei” which means the mission of God. Jurgen Moltmann says this:
“it (mission) is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfill in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church, creating a church as it goes on its way.”

The triune God is Sender (Father), Sent (Son) and Sending (Holy Spirit).

The eternal movement of the Father... why? ______________________________

Sentness describes us. To participate in mission is to participate in the movement of God’s love towards people, since God is the fountain of sending love.

How then do we catch the divine infection? How do we catch the passion of the Father?

After Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you,” he breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22

What’s hindering us from joining the mission in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are already engaged?

Two main issues tend to hinder us:
1. Having a church-centered approach to ministry
Frogs and Lizards
2. Our hesitancy to take risks

John Wimber used to ask: do you know how to spell faith? _____________

Following Jesus means that He will lead us out of our comfort zones. He will lead us into situations where we must take risks. He will lead us to take steps into unfamiliar places.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Experiencing the Trinity

Sermon #8: Mutual Indwelling

Reciprocity (Means mutual exchange)

Theologians developed language to describe this mutual indwelling.

Greek term: perichoresis
What is it?

Remember: coherence without commingling or coalescence.

Circuminsessio:

Circumincessio

What does it all mean to us?

Can we truly be ‘holy?’ Yes... in Christ. On our own... no chance.

Can we accomplish what God wants us to accomplish?
Yes... in Christ. On our own... no chance.

1 Thess. 5:23-24

What’s the problem? _________________

The solution: John 15:4-5

Our challenge: We have to learn to ‘let it happen’ by restfully abiding in Him as He abides in us, can we bear much fruit and fruit that will last.’ (John 15:5,16)

What does it take?

3.

Paul sums it all up when he writes: Galatians 2:20

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Feb 17, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity: Particularity

Particularity: anindividualorcharacteristicfeatureortrait;peculiarity.

Atomic ‘worldview’: symbolized by a group of billiard balls.
Oceanic ‘worldview’: a worldview where the whole is what is important, not the individual components.
A Net ‘worldview’: a worldview where personhood is defined in ‘relationship’ or connectedness to everything.

Life within the Trinity which we are called to means:

To be is to be in relationship. We are relational beings interconnected and our persons are defined by the connectedness. AND
Particularity or otherness is essential to personhood. Each one of us are unique, different from one another and we always will be.

Why is all this important? 4 Reasons

Celebrating and enjoy all the particularity.
Our eternal form of existence will be in continuity with the unique body-soul-spirit person we are now.
Every individual matters to God.
God has a plan for each one of us as individuals.

Life within the Trinity is about celebrating particularity with gracious acceptance.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Feb 10, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity: Embracing Mystery

How can the one be three or the three be one?

Common metaphors: water exists as liquid, ice, steam, or an apple (peel, flesh, core

The fact is the Trinity is a ‘mystery’. We simply can’t explain it.

So what are we going to do when faced with a mystery?

Romans 11: 33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

Why is it important in our relationship to God for ‘mystery’ to exist?

Gerhard Tersteegen (18th Century german mystic) “a God understood, a God comprehended, is no God!”

One of the most important things to learn as we mature and grow is this: we have to learn what we __________________.

Greek word for mystery:

Embracing mystery and paradox:

If faith needs to involve having God explain everything to us in a way we can understand it, we are going to get frustrated. And most likely, quit believing.

We believe:

The kingdom of God:

God’s healing: Faith?

One last paradox: power and weakness

Gordon Fee: “Power is sometimes attested by signs and wonders and at other times by joy in great affliction.”

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Feb 3, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity: Glad Surrender

1 John 1:4 10This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Self-sacrificing love describes the essence of how ‘love’ functions in the Trinity.

Each divine person is always denying Himself for the sake of the others and deferring to the others.

Glad Surrender describes how the love relationship within the Trinity functions.

In the fellowship of the Trinity self-giving and self-sacrifice equals self-fulfillment and unspeakable joy.

Self-giving and self-sacrifice is to describe how we are to love... God and others.

Self-orientation is so deeply entrenched in our culture. The Bible calls this ‘self-centeredness’, the ‘old self’, ‘the sinful nature’ or the ‘flesh’ and there is only one solution to root this out. Kill it.

Dying to self is both a crisis and a process.

Simple prayer: God, look deep into me... is there anything that needs to be surrendered (or surrendered again)?

Every time we face an opportunity to die to ourselves and demonstrate a willingness to live out a sacrificial, self-giving act of love... we enter into Trinitarian love AND

We will find our highest sense of fulfillment, our greatest fruitfulness and our truest sense of freedom.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Jan 27, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity: Joyful Intimacy

Being intimately in a relationship means:
Identifying with another person
Openly, honestly sharing what I am thinking
Openly, honestly sharing what I am feeling
Being utterly transparent (no hiddenness, no secretiveness)

Focusing on our relationship with God: When the Spirit introduces us ‘creatures’ into union
with God and this love, it is unique for each one of us. And the experience is totally
subjective .

1) Intimacy/union with God involves an ‘experience’.
2) Each one of us will ‘sense’ and enter into the experience differently from one another.

Frank Lake: 4 dynamic elements of intimate relationship with God
1. Input: Acceptance
2. Input: Sustenance
3. Output: Status
4. Output: Achievement

So what do we take away from this?

Our challenge

We clearly need regular ongoing subjective experiences of the Father’s love being poured into
us.

What gets in the way of experiencing God’s love? Wounds from the past where ‘love’ got
blocked.

How do we know if we have to deal with these? Psalm 139 Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you
any barrier that is blocking God’s love.

How do you heal the wounds? Forgiveness.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Experiencing the Trinity Sermon #3

Relational Personhood

Do you know what a paradigm shift is?

God exists in ‘relational personhood.’ There is no ‘existence that is not relational.’ There is no ‘personhood’ outside of relationship.

What does that mean? and why is it important for us?

Gen 1:26 Let ‘us’ make humankind in ‘our’ image according to ‘our’ likeness.

We were created to ‘exist’ and ‘be’ like God. Living as ‘relational creatures.’

What is the definition of personhood?

Mark Shaw did a detailed study of John

4 Characteristics that delineate the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
1. Full equality

Glad submission
Joyful intimacy
Mutual deference

Bottom line: if we are created in His image and likeness, we are to be like God living in complete relational Personhood. There is no existence outside of this.

Progression towards maturity

Dependence Independence Interdependence

Two unhealthy relational tendencies

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Relational clinginess Isolation

Two areas to practice relational personhood and learn to live with those 4 characteristics.

In our church community: small groups.
In our families and networks of friends.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith unless every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

The Springs Vineyard
Jan 13, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity

7 dynamics within the relationship in the Trinity

Dynamic 1: Intimacy in relationship (could also use the word love)
At the center of the universe, God lives in intimate relationship.

John 17:22-23

Dynamic 2: Joy
At the center of the universe, God really enjoys being God.

John 15:11; John 16:24; John 17:13

Dynamic 3: the power of servanthood
At the center of the universe, serving is the foundational element of relationship.

Philippians 2:5-7

Dynamic 4: Purity
At the center of the universe is purity.

1 John 1:5

Dynamic 5: Power
At the center of the universe is power.

Isaiah 40:26

Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5,8; Eph 1:18-23

Dynamic 6: Creativity
At the center of the universe is endless creativity.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Dynamic 7: Peace
At the center of the universe is peace.

Psalm 46:10; Philippians 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6

If these 7 dynamics don’t create a hunger for more of God.... you might be dead.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Jan 6, 2019
Theme: Experiencing the Trinity

Thesis: The more clear and more accurate our vision/image of God is… the more an appetite and hunger will grow in us for Him. This hunger for Him will activate something deep inside us and result in a growing passionate seeking of God. A passionate seeking of a real authentic connection to Him will always result in a connection that will satisfy our hunger completely.

Wrestling with the ‘Trinity’ will lead us to a place where God will reveal more of who He is and what He is like and more importantly, God will invite us deeper into the experience of the Trinity. I believe that it is the experiencing more of God’s trinitarian being that will satisfy the deep hunger growing in us.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear oh Israel! Yahweh (I am who I am) is our God! Yahweh is one!

But... what does ‘one’ mean?

Gen 1:1 the creation narrative
Gen 1:26 Let ‘us’ make humanity in ‘our’ image.
The 3-fold priestly blessing Numbers 6
Isaiah 9: we looked at this one during advent. the baby born to a virgin, the Messiah, would display ‘everlasting Father’.
Mt 28:18-20

God has revealed to us through His three in one and one in three: At the center of the universe is a relationship. At the center of the universe is a community. Relationship and community between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is out of that community, that relationship that you and I were created and redeemed.
We are created and exist to be in relationship and community.

Major implications:
1. Relationships
2. Balance
3. Fullness

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Dec 16, 2018
Theme: Advent: Developing More Hunger for God

Jesus has already come! Hallelujah! Jesus is coming again! Amen!

Luke 2:21-38 Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Simeon and Anna

Our thesis:

What did Simeon and Anna expect to see? What image of God did they have? What kind of hunger can you see in their stories? Were they disappointed?

How would you react as a parent if you heard what Simeon said?

What were two old people (Simeon and Anna) doing at the Temple?

Old age is not _______________________________________________________.
Routine can _____________________________.

Hunger and thirst for God fuels our expectation. How hungry are we for God?

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Dec 9, 2018
Theme: Advent: Developing More Hunger for God

Luke 2: 1-20

Remember our 3 part thesis: more clarity leads to more hunger; hunger activates a passionate seeking to satisfy our hunger; passionate seeking always results in a satisfying connection to Go.

What did the shepherds expect to find?

Isaiah 9: 6For to us a child is born,to us a son is given, and the governmentwill be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, EverlastingFather,Prince of Peace.

The Government will be on his shoulders.

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

To Isaiah,peace is a condition in which all things follow their destiny undisturbed.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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The Springs Vineyard
Dec 2, 2018
Theme: Advent: Developing More Hunger for God

Advent simply means “coming”. We celebrate the first ‘coming’ and look forward to the second ‘coming’.

Matthew 2:1-2; 9-12

What is ‘hunger for God? _____________________________________________________

What did the wise men expect?

What did they do?

Were they disappointed?

Rather than focusing on why we don’t have ‘more hunger’ or more appetite for God, we will focus on increasing our attention on the object of our desire/ache/hunger.

Here’s my thesis: 3 parts

The more clear and more accurate our vision/image of God is… the more an appetite and hunger will grow in us for Him.
This hunger for Him will activate something deep inside us and result in a growing passionate seeking of God.
A passionate seeking of a real authentic connection to Him will always result in a connection that will satisfy our hunger completely.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Kevin and his family attended our church a few years ago before being called out into the missions field. Listen as they describe what their ministry encounters are like and how we, too, can minister in power to bring people an awareness of the presence of God and His kingdom on Earth.

Speaker: Kevin Fröhlich

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Sermon notes

Theme: Waiting for Perfect Weather

Ecclesiastes 11 4Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

What is ‘hope?'

What do you think ‘deferred’ means in this verse?

Why does this make the ‘heart’ sick? And what does this sickness do?

What is the anti-dote? We need an ____________________________

Two ways to tie into fresh hope:

The Word of God

Psalm 119:114

1 Corinthians 10

Hebrews 13:7-8

Hope comes through a process of walking with God in difficult situations.

Romans 5: How do we get fresh infusions of hope? Paul speaks of a process.

We need some problems and trials.
Develop endurance.
Endurance is a character quality that will produce hope.

Hope heals our hearts. Hope prevents sickness.

Speaker: Richard Clinton

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Speaker: Leadership Team

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The Springs Vineyard, Colorado Springs, CO