The Trinity Suffers For You – Trinity Sunday

The Trinity Suffers for You

Trinity Sunday T All Texts

INI

Today marks the day in the church that’s set aside to celebrate something unique when compared to the rest of the Church calendar. The big feast days like Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost all celebrate specific events in the life of Christ. But today is really the only day that we celebrate a specific DOCTRINE – that is, the doctrine of the Trinity.

So, why call for a special day for this doctrine? The teaching that God is three in one. He’s three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – yet only one substance – that is God? What makes TODAY of all days in the church year appropriate for remembering the Trinity?

Well, in one sense, every Sunday is Trinity Sunday. We open our service with the Trinitarian name. We stand at the hymn stanzas that have those little triangles next to it, because it mentions all three persons of the Trinitarian Godhead. We sing the triple alleluias and triple amens to reflect the three persons. We close with a benediction – “The Lord bless you…, the Lord make his face shine upon you…, the Lord look upon you…” God’s name is all over our service.

But in another sense, we celebrate Trinity Sunday today, the day after Pentecost, as we recognize the role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives. And altogether, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teach us day in and day out to rely on the works of Jesus, and aid us in a sanctified life of love.

But is this whole doctrine about the Trinity made up? Every once in a while, I’ll see that claim online. That the Trinity was a doctrine invented by the church at the council of Nicaea in 325 AD. What, in their mind, validates that claim? Because the word “Trinity” never shows up in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t use words like “substance” and “persons” like the Athanasian Creed we confessed today says. So, the logic goes, this is a manmade, false doctrine – and not a biblical one. But is that true?

Well, just because a word or phrase isn’t mentioned in the Bible doesn’t mean it’s not a “biblical doctrine”. There are lots of doctrines that are taught from the Bible and given a specific name later. That serves as a shorthand way of referring to what the Bible teaches. For example, the Bible never mentions the word “incarnation.” This doctrine teaches that God became flesh in the person of Jesus. But the church didn’t make up this doctrine, it’s taught straight from John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It’s the same thing with the doctrine of the Trinity – the word isn’t used in the Scriptures, but it is clearly taught when all the Biblical data is examined.

            When looking at our readings, the Trinity is everywhere! In Genesis 1, God created. And who else was there? The Spirit of God who hovered over the waters – that’s verse 2. And by verse 3, we see God the Son – He’s the Word that creates things. John 1:1 reveals just that – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD.” And as mentioned earlier, it’s this Word that became flesh in the person of Jesus. Then, right before God created mankind, He deliberated to Himself. And no, God wasn’t just talking to Himself like we talk to ourselves in our head – He was communicating with the other persons of the Trinity. There’s a Trinitarian conversation right before the creation of man. God says “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness (Gen 1:26).” This suggests a plurality of persons within God.

            In the epistle lesson, Peter preaches the most spectacular sermon on Pentecost. And who does he say was active in Jesus’ act of atonement for all mankind? He says, “This Jesus (2^nd person of the Trinity), God raised up (1^st person of the Trinity), and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father (1^st person of the Trinity) the promise of the Holy Spirit (3^rd person of the Trinity) (Acts 2:32-33).”

            Perhaps the clearest indication of God’s Trinitarian nature is in the Gospel lesson. Jesus commands His church to make disciples in a singular NAME. That is, the name of the one true God. But what is God’s name? It’s not “God” or merely “Yahweh”. Jesus Himself gives the name of God into which we’re baptized – the name of “the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Three persons. One Name.

            We see all three persons at work in Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3 – the Father speaks from heaven – “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” The Spirit descends from heaven and rests upon Jesus. And Jesus, of course, is the Son of the Heavenly Father. Even though there would appear to be 3 gods here, they’re one. How do we know? Well, Deuteronomy 6:4 clearly states that God’s nature is One, not three. It says, “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

            I know, this is a lot of biblical data. And there’s A LOT more not mentioned. But it’s important you know the Church didn’t make up this doctrine. It’s clearly taught in the Bible.

            But perhaps an even more important question to ask is this: does the doctrine of the Trinity even matter?

            Short answer, yes. It matters because it’s the name you were baptized with.

            But even more importantly, it matters because the church has spent centuries answering this question: did God die for you? Was Jesus just a man, or was He really God in human flesh?

            Just think about it – what sort of God would we have if He voluntold one of us to undergo such a gruesome suffering and death to pay for everyone else’s sin? That wouldn’t be justice. And it’s not as if a sinful man could pay for the sins of the world anyway. We need a pure, innocent sacrifice. Okay – so how about the next best thing and sacrificing children instead? They’re the closest to innocent lives we have, right? If the Creator of the universe commanded that, what would that reveal about God’s character?

            It would reveal we have a God who desires to BE served, rather than TO serve. It would reveal a different character about God altogether, wouldn’t it?

            But God – this all powerful, all-present being, who is far above any change or decay – has voluntary stepped into our sinful world through the person of Jesus and suffered FOR YOU. He became born of the Virgin Mary FOR YOU. He suffered the lashings from the orders of Pontious Pilate FOR YOU. He was nailed to a cross to atone FOR YOUR sins. He was raised from the dead that YOU may be declared “not guilty”.

            It matters because the God who didn’t have to do anything, voluntary suffered the worst that mankind had to offer to save you. By this, we recognize that God’s nature is love. He isn’t a ruthless dictator God in the sky who demands. He’s a suffering God – who not only suffered for us here on earth, but He sends His Holy Spirit to minister to us in our trials and hardships too. He doesn’t leave us alone in suffering. He’s constantly serving us, leading and guiding us to recognize His great love for us.

            And that’s why He gave the 10 commandments. Because He loves us. And He wants us to love each other in the same way He’s loved us. As you’ve learned in confirmation class and from Jesus in the Gospels, the summary of all the commandments is this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the command. And in the ten commandments, God gives us a shape to what our love should look like. He defines how we love. We don’t get to.

            Loving God looks like putting Him first in all decisions that are made – from work schedules to going to church when you’re on vacation. We love God by reflecting His character in our actions to the world, producing the fruits of the Spirit like – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

            Loving our neighbor means upholding God’s good created order in their lives – building up and strengthening families with mom, dad, and children,

giving honor to those placed in authority over us,

not hurting our neighbor physically, but helping them in any physical need,

keeping our eyes, mouths, hearts, and minds sexually pure and chaste,

helping our neighbor maintain his possessions, and not scheming to take them,

defending our neighbor’s reputation around gossip,

finding satisfaction with the things God HAS given us, so that we’re not prone to covetousness.

            These are all ways God wants us to reflect His image and likeness. For when God puts His name on us, He adopts us into His family. We receive His name. And being in this family, we reflect the love He’s first given us.

            Did we do anything to deserve such a love? No! Not a thing! But that’s why it’s so extraordinary, and why God’s love is so captivating.

            So how can we show a love like that? So unconditional and merciful? Well, as you’ll read in the June newsletter, our food pantry is a way to do that – to exercise such love. These people haven’t done a thing to earn our hard labor. But we give it to them anyway. We sacrifice our time, money, talents, for the sake of giving undeserved service to someone in need. And there are SO MANY opportunities to share the love of Christ through word to these people too.

Or, you can be merciful and loving by showing forbearance toward one another. As Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your forbearance be evident to all.” Forbearance means restraining your anger and patiently bearing with others when they annoy, frustrate, or disappoint you. Rather than making every irritation a battle, you let those offenses pass in mercy. In doing so, you reflect the same patient love that God has shown to you.

So, does the Trinity matter? Of course it does. Because it teaches us about love. He’d rather suffer than let us suffer eternally. Thus, God teaches us about His nature. About love. And that we are to reflect His self-sacrificial love as we’re sent out to glorify Him.

INI

Pastor Joshua Ralston