“God’s Gracious Salvation Involves the Holy Three-in-One”
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord [Amen.]
“God would not have the sinner die;
His Son with saving grace is nigh;
His Spirit in the Word declares
How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs.”
(Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.
571:3)
Gospel
Reading........................................................................
St. John 3:1-17 (esp. 16-17)
16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the
world might be saved through him.”
Prologue: Simple math reveals that 1 plus 1 plus 1 equals 3.
However, in the realm of revealed knowledge about God 1 plus 1 plus 1 equals
not 3, but … 1! Please don’t spend too much brain energy trying to
understand that divine mystery. Instead, simply accept it as divine truth
with the faith the Holy Spirit gave you when you were baptized and with
today’s Collect on your heart and in your mind: “You have given us grace to
acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true
faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us
steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities.”
The story is told about a man who “attended an evening service in
a certain church. The pastor preached about the Triune God—that there are
three Persons but only one Godhead. After the service the man approached
the pastor and said, ‘I enjoyed your service, but I am not convinced of what
you said. I just cannot get it through my head that there are three Persons
and yet only one God.’
“The pastor asked the man, ‘What size hat do you wear?’ The man
replied, ‘6 7/8 —but why do you ask?’ The pastor replied, ‘I was just
wondering how you expected to get this great and almighty and majestic God
of heaven and earth into 6 7/8!’” (Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations
Compiled by David F. Burgess. Copyright © 1988 Concordia Publishing House,
St. Louis, MO. Page 201.)
It’s truly a most-challenging reality about the infinite triune
God that’s virtually impossible to cram into finite human minds. But God
revealed that awesome truth in His authoritative Holy Word as today’s
Gradual proclaimed: “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his
greatness is unsearchable. On your wondrous works, I will meditate, and I
will declare your greatness.” (Ps 145:3, 5b, 6b ESV) And, along with that
triune God reality, today’s Gospel Reading further informs us that …
“God’s Gracious Salvation Involves the Holy Three-in-One.”
That’s the significant meaning of what we confessed a few minutes
ago in the words of the Athanasian Creed: “But it is also necessary for
everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our
Lord Jesus Christ … who suffered for our salvation … .” (Lutheran Service
Book. Page 320.)
The following question and answer greets the students of our Synod
Catechism in the context of The First Commandment: “Who is the only true
God? The only true God is the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
three distinct persons in one divine being (the Holy Trinity).” (Luther’s
Small Catechism with Explanation. Copyright © 1986, 1991 Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page 56.) In the context of the Blessed
Sacrament of Holy Baptism is this question and answer that further reveals
the Holy Trinity: “What does it mean to baptize ‘in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’? It means that in Baptism, God, the
Holy Trinity, receives [you] into communion or fellowship with Himself.”
(Ibid. Page 205.) So it is that God tells us in Holy Scripture and we
believe, teach, and confess that …
I. Holy Baptism Reveals the Holy Trinity. (1-8)
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you
are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do
unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said
to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say
to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You
must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its
sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is
with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus was a Pharisee who would know and confess Jesus to be
the Son of God and came to Him under the cover of darkness seeking a fuller
knowledge about Immanuel’s identity wrapped in spiritual truth. So he
conversed with the One who declared Himself to be “the way, and the truth,
and the Life” and added that “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
(St John 14:6 ESV) In the course of their conversation Jesus pointed
Nicodemus to what we today know as the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
Although He had not yet formally instituted it as He would at His ascension,
nevertheless, Jesus previewed it for this secret inquirer … and us as well.
What was the specific significance of such? It was none other
than the revelation of the Holy Trinity … the triune God. When Jesus
arrived at the punch line of His dialogue with Nicodemus (our sermon text
for today) He introduced him to the Father (“For God … gave his only Son”),
the Son (“his only Son”), and the Holy Spirit (“that whoever believes in
Him”—such faith being a gift from the Holy Spirit). (St John 3:16 ESV)
Jesus clarified and crystallized that somewhat vague language at His
ascension when He commissioned His apostles then and us who continue in that
apostolic procession today to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (St Matt 28:19 ESV)
But confusion still clouded Nicodemus’ mind because of which he
sought further explanation and understanding. That resulted in him learning
that …
II. The Holy Trinity Points To and Testifies about Jesus. (9-15)
9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him,
“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to
what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told
you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you
heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended
from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in
him may have eternal life.”
Saving faith is a Spirit-given trust in Christ alone whom the
Father sent to live the holy life for us that God demands of us but we’re
unable to do; suffer and die the crucifixion death on Calvary’s cross for us
that we deserve because of our sins; and rise from the dead for us as
proof-positive and validation that His atoning work for our salvation was
accepted by His and our heavenly Father. In fact, its results was nothing
less than forgiveness of all our sins, divine healing of our sin-ravaged
souls, and eternal life with Him in heaven’s glorious mansions.
Jesus communicated all that and more to Nicodemus in their
conversation and He continues to communicate all that and more to us today
in the reading and hearing of God’s Holy Word, that declares His damning Law
and rescuing Gospel; the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Baptism, in which God
adopted us as children of the heavenly Father; Holy Absolution, in which the
Holy Spirit comforts and consoles us with the certain assurance that our
sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus; and Holy Communion, in which we
partake of our Savior’s real body and blood given and shed for you for the
forgiveness of your sins. The dismissal spoken by the pastor who
administers the Lord’s Supper—“The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart X
in peace.” (Lutheran Service Book. Pages 164, 181, 199, 210, &
218.)—succinctly summarizes all that the triune God gives us in that
sacramental meal, namely, divine strength, preservation, and peace.
So it is, therefore, that we joyfully celebrate the festival of
the Holy Trinity on this first Sunday after Pentecost, with hymns, prayers,
praise, and thanksgiving that …
“God’s Gracious Salvation Involves the Holy Three-in-One.”
We do so recalling the words of today’s Introit antiphon: “Blessèd be the
Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity. Let us give glory to him because he
has shown his mercy to us.” (Liturgical Text)
And we do so, being reminded once again that …
I. Holy Baptism Reveals the Holy Trinity. (1-8) to whom Saint Peter
referred in his Pentecost sermon contained in today’s Epistle Reading: “This
Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore
exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are
seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:32-33 ESV)
At the same time, …
II. The Holy Trinity Points To and Testifies about Jesus. (9-15) to whom
Isaiah pointed and testified in today’s Old Testament Reading: “In the year
that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted
up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the
seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he
covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his
glory!’” (Isa 6:1-3 ESV)
God grant it all for the sake of Jesus Christ, His humble Son, our
holy Savior. [Amen.]
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
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