Holy Trinity

Good Shepherd

2004 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS 39531

Draft Is 6:1–7; Rom 11:33–36; Jn 3:1–17; Ps 29; antiphon: v. 2   –     5/31/26

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A very happy Holy Trinity Sunday to you all. Today as a church we contemplate the nature of the Godhead, as little of God as we can comprehend, that is. We have confessed the longest of the catholic, meaning universal, creeds confessing that “we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance. For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another. But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.” But where does the Bible teach what we confess in the three creeds? The verses treating the Trinity are innumerable. Today we will look only at a very few which show that the Father is God, the Son, Jesus the Christ our Savior, is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. We will look at the teaching of the Trinity itself, then the Divinity of the three Persons, then the Eternal existence of all Three, and lastly and briefly how the Bible attributes creation to all Three.

But first, why must we understand that the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed are biblical? For the simple reason that the Trinity is something the devil hates for us to understand, and so he uses all false religions and especially those which claim to be Christian to attack this idea. Especially the Oneness Pentecostals and the Mormons deny the Trinity. I want you, because Christ wants you, to know the foundations of your faith well enough to defend it when mormon missionaries come to your door and question the one true God. Remember what St. Peter says, But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1.3:14–16)

Trinity: Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.

From which we then go to Christ’s words in John 10:30: I and the Father are One.

For the holy Spirit we do not find as clear a statement as Christ’s in John 10:30, but we do see the Holy Spirit proceeding and sent from both Father and Son as we heard last week in John 14:26: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. And also in John 15:26: But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. In these four passages we see that the three Persons are united as One God.

We find the Trinity also in the Aaronic benediction, the same blessing pastors give at the end of Divine Service: Num 6:24–27: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” Note that God here says “name”, not “names”, just as in Matthew 28:19–20 where the Trinity is yet again confessed: As you are going therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing the  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. That Name is singular in both passages shows the unity of the Trinity.

Then in our Old Testament reading today, And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” Why three “holys” because of the three Persons of the Trinity.

We can also see the Trinity apparent in Isaiah 63:7–10 where Isaiah makes a distinction between God the Father whom he calls Lord, then he speaks of the Savior, the angel of the Lord who is Christ, and at last the Holy Spirit. Then we find in 2 Corinthians 13:14 that St. Paul says, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. The three Persons of the Trinity who are one God are obvious in the Bible. Go to the beginnings or endings of the epistles or look at the praise of the angels and you will see more

What of the Divinity of all three: Ephesians 1:2–3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Psalm 110:1–2: The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Jesus shows that David speaks of Christ as God in Matthew 22. But if we need further proof see how the Pharisees respond when Jesus forgives sins: Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Then we find the divinity of the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And 2 Samuel 23:1–3: David said, The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.  The God of Israel has spoken… We can also see this in all the prophets of the Old Testament.

What of the Eternal nature of all Three: Psalm 90:2: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

John 1:1–5, 9–14: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. … The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Understanding that Jesus is the Word of God should then open up new meaning in the Psalm today.

For His eternal existence we could also look at  Revelation 1:7–8, 17–18 where Jesus says that He is first and last and ever living, but we lack the time.

Hebrews 9:13–14: For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Creation of the World: Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

As for Christ also being creator of the World, remember what I read a moment ago from John 1:1–5 where the Bible clearly states that all things were created through Jesus. But there is also, attached to John 1 Genesis 1:3: And God said, or God the Word said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Colossians 1:15–17: Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Which shows not only that He created all things but also His divinity and eternal nature and omnipotent power.

What of the Holy Spirit? Genesis 1:2: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. So there at creation God the Father, God the Son Who is the Word of God, and God the Holy Spirit together in unity created all things. But we also see the Holy Spirit continuing creation in our Gospel reading, where Jesus attributes our salvation in Baptism to the work of the Holy Spirit: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. The Father calls us (John 6:44), the Holy Spirit gives us new life, and the Son brings us to the Father (John 14:6). Even in salvation the Trinity saves us.

The oneness pentecostals, the mormons, the devil, and all the false religions have no legs to stand on. You have heard the proof from God’s Own book for just a few attributes of the Trinity. As you study your Bibles at home, as you learn during Bible Study, keep your eyes open for further proof beyond the little that I have shown you today. Prepare your hearts and your minds to believe the Holy Trinity, to trust Christ crucified alone for your salvation, and to make defence of the faith in gentleness and respect.

Now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen