Three in One and That One For Me!
Trinity Sunday (May 18, 2008)
Rev. Steven D. Spencer - Pastor

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." So far the text.

Greeting in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen!

You know these words. They’re the Great Commission instructed directly from the mouth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the mission of the church; this is the mission of Messiah Lutheran Church. Many sermons have been preached on this text, and usually about evangelism and our need to make disciples. But I have even better news. The Holy Trinity is alive and at work.  

The appointed text for today is not just about evangelism it’s about the Holy Trinity. In this text, our Lord Jesus declares the identity of God. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and you can find no better evidence of this fact than the moth Son of God. So, on this day, we celebrate who God is: The Holy Trinity, one God composed of three persons. We don’t worship three gods, but one. We don’t worship one God who puts on three masks; we worship three distinct persons in the one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This may strike you as sort of an odd celebration for a couple of reasons. First, we usually celebrate an event in someone's life, like a birthday or anniversary; but do we celebrate who a person is? Rarely if at all! Likely you haven't had a party for being just who you are. Saints were recognized for what they did, but not for who they were. Likewise, in the Church, it makes sense to celebrate what God has done, like Christmas and Easter where we celebrate God’s great salvific work for us. But it seems a bit odd to celebrate who God is.

Secondly, we usually celebrate things that we can understand: We don’t celebrate the finding of the newest chromosome because we don’t see the significance of it. We might celebrate the creation of a three meat sandwich at Arby’s but a chromosome, nah! A sandwich we can sink our teeth into that, but a chromosome. Yet that chromosome may be the one to cure cancer. We don’t celebrate it because we just can’t see the value of it. So also with the Trinity: Today we celebrate what we cannot comprehend, the persons and identity of God. We know He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for God tells us. But beyond that, His being defies our logic.

And that's the Festival of the Trinity: We celebrate God for who He is, even though we cannot comprehend Him. No wonder many might consider this a dud holiday in the Church year, it’s no Christmas, no Easter, no Pentecost.

However, there’s a good reason that we celebrate today that we believe in one God, “Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. We children of the flesh are always tempted to set aside what they cannot fully understand: How terrible it would be if we set aside the very identity of God. You see, if we don’t believe in the Trinity, we declare that the Word of God is wrong; and if the Word of God is wrong, we can no longer trust that our salvation is sure. If we don’t believe in the Trinity, then we believe in a false god: God the Father is a god somewhere out there. Jesus is just some guy with some misconceived notions of what it takes for salvation. It that is the case the price was never paid for our salvation. If we don’t believe in the Triune God, we are praying to some false god, and we can expect no answers. The truth is: no true God exist outside of the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

If we don’t believe in the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then we aren’t saved, we are not Christian. This is the essential doctrine of a saving faith.

I don’t want you to misunderstand. The point of this Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not a warning; "Believe that God is three in one or else, yet it is"   Rather the festival is a cause of great joy: God tells us who He is. Even though we cannot fully comprehend it, God tells us who He is. And God tells us who He is because He wants us to know Him, to trust Him, to pray to Him.

God wants you to be comforted by who He is. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost don't just serve each other: They serve you!

For you, God the Father provides all good things for this body and life, as well as for eternity. Especially, He has sacrificed His Son for your sins, and continues to shower all sorts of blessings upon you. For you, God the Son has gone to the cross and died for your salvation, and continues to give you forgiveness by His means of grace. For you, God the Holy Spirit continues to call, gather, enlighten and sanctify you with the forgiveness of sins, so that you might remain a member of the one, holy Christian and Apostolic Church.

Dear Christian friends, here’s enough right here to leave us stunned, in awe, for a long, long time. The all powerful, all-knowing, all-present Holy Trinity is all at work in service to you. Not like a genie in a bottle, to do the bidding of your Old Adam; but to save you from your sin and raise you to everlasting life!

This, dear Christian friends, is your cause for rejoicing: The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present Father, Son and Holy Spirit has made you His disciple. He has washed away your sins and declares your salvation. The works of man cannot save you, but the work of the Holy Trinity can; and this is why I rejoice to announce to you this work of the Holy Trinity: What is that work of the Holy Trinity? By the authority of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit I announce that all your sins are forgiven by the works and life of Jesus Christ in Jesus name. Amen and Amen!

Now may the peace of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be and abide with you always. AMEN.