Church Sermon - June 6, 2004

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Old Testament Lesson; Proverbs 8:22-31
Gospel Lesson; John 16:12-15
Sermon Text; Romans 5:1-5

Today is Holy Trinity Sunday. Already, at the very beginning of the early Christian Church there were controversies about our Triune God. That is why the early Christian Church came up with confessions of faith, beginning with the Apostles’ Creed. After the Apostle’s Creed was written, there were some controversies about Jesus being God and Man. And so, the Nicene Creed was drawn up, which is just a bit longer and a little bit more clear, concerning God the Son. Well, more controversies arose after the Nicene Creed, and so the Athanasian Creed was written, (which we read through responsively just a few minutes ago), to be very clear, about our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how they are one God, and yet how there are three persons.

Well, today I want to look a little bit more closely at the work that we ascribe to each person in the Trinity. I have done so, by using a few examples or illustrations up here at the front of the church.

Throughout the history of the church, people have tried to come up with objects to describe our triune God. The objects that have been used most and for the longest period of time are the pictures that you see on the front of your bulletin this morning. One is that of the triangle, where you see three sides and three angels and three corners, and yet it is one triangle, just as God is three and God is one.

The other example is the other picture on the front of our bulletin. It is called trefoil. It is three partial circles that are brought together. A trefoil is a three-leafed plant, much like the three leaf clover. Those are the two that have been used most, through the centuries, to describe our Triune God.

Now, let us look a little bit more closely at our Triune God and the work that is ascribed to each of them. In our text for today it says about God the Father in the very first line, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God." The first work that we ascribe to God the Father is that of creating the world. It is God the Father who created us. He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.

Now, even though the act of creation is completed, and it was in six days, we still see the continuation of creation today. That is probably most clearly seen in the spring of each year, as the grass turns green and begins to grow. Every time we mow, it is a reminder of creation. Also when the leaves come out on the trees and the flowers come forth from their bulbs in the ground, it is a reminder of creation. Every time a baby is born, we are reminded of God’s act of creation.

Now not only do we ascribe to God the act of creation, but we also ascribe to God the act of justifier. It is God who justifies us. The word ‘justify’ means: ‘to declare not guilty’.

Think of God as a judge, this morning. When a judge is in his courtroom, their courtroom, there are really two things that a judge can say. A judge can say, "You are guilty." Or, a judge can say that you are not guilty. God, as our judge, has every right to hold the gavel in His hand, to bring that gavel down, and to declare all of us guilty. He has every right to do that, because He has established rules for us. He has established laws for us. And we have broken every single one of those laws. And so, we deserve to receive that guilty sentence or that guilty verdict from Him. That is when God, the Son, Jesus our Lord and Savior, steps in. He tells God, the Judge, that even though we are guilty, because we have broken the laws, because we have broken the rules, He says, "I have lived a perfect life for you. I went and shed my holy, innocent, and precious blood on the cross for you. God, even though they deserve to receive that guilty verdict, I want to give that as a free gift to them."

So, that is what God does. Instead of declaring us guilty because of our sins, for the sake of Jesus Christ, He declares us to be not guilty! He declares us to be innocent!

So, the work that we ascribe to God the Father not only is that of Creator, but also Justifier. He declares us to be innocent, not guilty, for Jesus’ sake.

Now, we come to the work that we ascribe to God the Son. In our text for today, it says, "through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." The work that we ascribe to God the Son is that of Redeemer. The picture of the cross is a reminder for us of Jesus’ redeeming work for us.

The word ‘redeem’ simply means: ‘to buy back’.

The best way to describe that act of redeeming is to use a coupon. When you go to the grocery store, you go up and down the isles, and fill up your cart with the items you want to purchase. You go to the cash register and there you line up all of your items on the conveyer belt. The cashier swipes the items through. After that is done, you present all of your coupons. And really what the cashier is doing, what the grocery store is doing, is buying back your coupons, and crediting you. That is exactly what Jesus has done for us.

He has bought us back from our sin.

He has redeemed us and bought us back from death.

He has redeemed us and bought us back from the devil.

That is the work of God the Son - that of redeeming us and buying us back, forgiving us of all of our sins, and giving us eternal life in Heaven.

And now we look at the work that we ascribe to God the Holy Spirit. In the very last line of the text for today it says, "God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us."

At the front of church this morning, I have an example of a school bus. The work that we ascribe to the Holy Spirit is that of transportation. I want you to think about the ways of transportation, or the means by which you got to church this morning. A few of you may have walked to church this morning. Most of you drove in a vehicle, or rode in a vehicle. Some of you may have taken a cab here. And some of you may have come on a bus. Those are many of the modes or the means of transportation that you may have used to come here. The means of transportation that we ascribe to God the Holy Spirit are the Means of Grace. The Means of Grace, (God’s Word tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to us through these Means of Grace, to work faith in our hearts and to strengthen us in our faith) are God’s Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Those are the three ways in which the Holy Spirit brings us to faith and strengthens us in our faith.

Now, it is at this point that some say that we are weakening the power of God, because God certainly has the power to come to us, and to bring us to faith, in different ways than just those three things. While that is true, those are the only three ways that He promises to work faith in our hearts.

Pastor Bartels once said, (and I love the way that he said this), that if we could come to faith through drinking coffee, I am sure all of us would drink lots of coffee, (more than I drink right now and I drink a lot of coffee J ). But God’s Word doesn’t tell us ‘through drinking coffee’.

We simply need to look at the means or the modes of transportation through which the Holy Spirit comes to us. That is why we hold God’s Word in such high regard. Every time God’s Word is spoken or read, there the Holy Spirit is at work. That is why we hold Baptism in such high esteem. Every time someone is baptized, there the Holy Spirit is working faith, and sustaining people in their faith. That is why every time we have the Lord’s Supper, when Jesus’ blood and body are distributed, there the Holy Spirit is working to strengthen us and to sustain us in our faith.

So the work that we ascribe to the Holy Spirit is that of bringing us to faith through transportation or means - God’s Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

That is the Blessed Holy Trinity!

creating us,

justifying us,

declaring us to be innocent, or not guilty,

because of Jesus’ sake.

redeeming us through His death on the cross and

through His resurrection,

forgiving us of all of our sin and

giving us eternal life in Heaven.

And also the work of

working faith in our hearts,

strengthening us in our faith,

through God’s Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

May God preserve you and keep you in your Christian faith until life’s end.

Glory be the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and shall be forever more.

Amen.

Top of Page || Church Sermons || Return to Home Page