The Festival of the Holy Trinity
Fellow believers in the Triune God,
This Sunday ends a three-week stretch of festivals for us. There are six high festivals in the Christian Church: Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and finally, the Holy Trinity, which we'll celebrate this Sunday. Of the six festivals, Holy Trinity is unique as it is the only one which does not focus on an historical event. Rather, Holy Trinity focuses on a doctrine, namely the doctrine which answers the question: Who is God?
Whether we realize it or not, every single human being wrestles with that question. Yes, even those who reject any notion that God exists. The questions we all wrestle with might not sound exactly like, "Who is God?" They probably sound more like, "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" "What's my purpose in life?" "Am I valuable?" On the surface, those questions don't sound like they have anything to do with God. But you can't answer any of those questions until you know where you come from. And that question, which we'll see on Sunday, is answered in the very first chapter of Scripture, when God says, "Let us make mankind in our image" (Genesis 1:28). Once you understand that God is the only key to answering all of those questions, then you will start to see the connection. Without knowledge of and faith in the true God of the Bible, your heart will never truly be at peace with whatever other answers it tries to inject.
This Sunday we will rejoice that the one true God has revealed Himself as the answer to the longings of every human heart. Our search has ended. The first and greatest mystery of the Christian faith has been solved. Who is God? He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Who am I? His broken but beloved child, whom He created in His image, redeemed with the blood of His Son, and in whom forever dwells His Holy Spirit. Therefore, we are those whom He loves in spite of our weaknesses, faults, failures, and sins. Why are we here? To love and to serve God and neighbor, to live in repentance and trust in the mercy of God alone for our salvation.
So we'll sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy!" multiple times throughout the service as we praise our triune God and give thanks to Him--not only for His work of creation, redemption, and sanctification but also for revealing Himself to us that our hearts would be at peace with the full assurance of forgiveness, life, purpose, and hope.
God bless your weekend with His presence and peace. I look forward to seeing you and rejoicing with you on Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Bater