Big Idea: What you believe about God is essential to your faith.

We believe in the one eternal triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is the creator of all things, perfectly good, who governs all things according to the purpose of his will.

The goal isn’t to understand God – it’s to know him and to be known by him.

            Isaiah 55:8-9

The Triune God:

1. There is one God
2. God exists eternally in three persons
3. Each person is fully and equally God

            Deuteronomy 6:4-5

            Matthew 3:16-17

Verses on the Deity of Jesus:

John 1:1-5; John 8:56-59; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15-20; Colossians 2:9-10.

Verses on the Deity of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 5:3-4; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16

            Deuteronomy 29:29

Why does this matter?

• God is relational.
  Genesis 1:1
  James 1:17
  Exodus 34:6-7
• God hates evil, sin, and death.
  Psalm 115:3
  James 1:13
• Your choices matter and you can trust God.

The goal isn’t to understand God – it’s to know him and to be known by him.

Message Questions

We are beginning an eight-week series looking at the essential doctrines of the faith. This week we explored the doctrine of God. At Alderwood we believe in the one eternal triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is the creator of all things, perfectly good, who governs all things according to the purpose of his will. This Sunday, the big idea is: What you believe about God is essential to your faith. 

Here are some additional passages you may wish to look up: Verses on the Deity of Jesus: John 1:1-5; John 8:56-59; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15-20; Colossians 2:9-10. Verses on the Deity of the Holy Spirit: Acts 5:3-4; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16. 

Use these questions to discuss the message from Sunday, focusing on how you can grow as an everyday follower of Jesus and how you can go accomplish what Jesus calls you to do. 

1. Pastor Wyatt shared that “The goal isn’t to understand God – it’s to know him and to be known by him.” Why is it so hard for us to understand/comprehend all of who God is? Have someone read Isaiah 55:8-9 to help unpack this a bit more.
2. Have someone read Matthew 3:16-17. What does this moment with Jesus teach us about the triune God?
3. Pastor Wyatt also taught that God is creator of all things and is perfectly good. Have people in your group read Genesis 1:1, James 1:17 and Exodus 34:6-7 and share how these passages reveal these truths to us about God.
4. God is relational and is calling for us to be in relationship with him. How can you grow in your relationship with him?
5. God is relational and desires “all men to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). With this in mind, how should this motivate you to go be on mission with those in your life who do not know him yet? What steps can you take this week to begin to point those people to who God is and how they can know him personally?