Trinity Sunday Sermon

Today we cap the festival half of the church year by celebrating Holy Trinity Sunday! We rejoice on this day because we are born of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In short, we are born into the Trinity’s kingdom.
What does that really mean? Well, in essence what it means are two important facts or realities.

1. We are born once – born human.
A. Nicodemus: he was a flesh-born man who could hardly believe it. Because he was born a human that was the only reality that he knew, and with that he had only a limited knowledge. He could not understand God in earthly and human terms. How could he see things from God’s perspective. In short he could not. Nor can any man for that matter understand the things of God. God is God and we are human! We can not understand the things of God because they are foolishness to us (as humans) because spiritual things are spiritually appraised!

B. Humanity’s shared birth in the flesh – yours and mine. We’re all human. That is the one thing that binds us together as people. We are human. We are mortal. We are less then God. Jesus also has shared our nature.

He too, took on flesh and dwelt among us. As a human He was less then God. But because of His divine nature He is equal to God. Thus in Jesus Christ two natures come together - the human as well as the divine nature. That’s what Christmas is all about God becoming human, being one of us, one like us in every way except without sin.

2. We are born twice – born spiritually – born again by Water and the Spirit.
A. The miracle of the Spirit’s work in you: is your Baptism and all that it offers becomes the reality of this second birth. By nature we are blind, dead, and enemies of God. But by the power of the Holy Spirit we are made new creatures. The Spirit creates in us a living and vibrant faith so that we can know God and believe in Him.

B. The ground of the Spirit’s work: is the lifting up of the eternal Son on the cross for our salvation and life. Jesus gives us an example from the Old Testament. As a bronze serpent was lifted up on a pole and all who in faith looked upon that serpent were spared and lived so likewise the Son of Man Jesus Christ was lifted up to bring us salvation and life. When we look to Him in faith we too have the promise of life.

C. The author of the Spirit’s work: is God the Father, who sent His Son for your salvation and life. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. The Father loved you so much that He gave you His very best. He has only the best in store for you. He will give you none other then the very best. This is His intention for you that you might have all that He has. Thus He gives to us what we so desperately need; the forgiveness of all of our sins and the promise of life in His name.

He gives to us salvation and life so that we may know Him as Father ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.

This is the reality of what the festival of the Trinity means for you and for me. Because of the Trinity’s involvement in our life we have a Father who loves us, a Son who has died for us and a Spirit who draws us to Himself. Once you were in darkness now you have come to His marvelous light.

He gives us two lives the life that we live here and now and the life that we live eternally with Him forever. This is the reality of our life. We are born human and we have been born Christian. This is your lineage. This is who you really are. In Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen