Trinity Sunday

It is appropriate that we focus on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity one week after celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. Although we can use metaphors from nature and employ reason to talk about the Triune God, a personal appreciation of this uniquely Christian teaching really comes when the Holy Spirit pours divine grace into our hearts and minds. 

We can cite certain New Testament texts (such as Matthew 3:16-17, John 3: 5-16, Ephesians 2:18, 2 Corinthians 13: 14, 1 Peter 1:2) which express a Trinitarian understanding of God's self-disclosure to humanity. But the doctrine is subtle, and its expression developed gradually among Christians. Notably, it was expressed in the ancient baptismal questions about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit which became the basis for the Apostles' Creed. As misunderstandings arose, the doctrine was more deliberately expressed in many Christian texts including the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed (Quicunque vult), and in hymns such as the Gloria Patri, the Gloria in excelsis, and the Te Deum.

As we think about the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity, we do not all have to become philosophical theologians who delight in discussing abstractions. However, as Christians, we do affirm or confess this basic doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity is a central and biblically based Christian belief that summarizes Christian beliefs about God, It is deeply rooted in the experience of redemption and in Christian prayer and worship. At various moments, we focus upon one or the other divine Person, but there is a constant interaction of the three Persons as we consider revelation, justification, sanctification, and salvation. "Praise God from whom all blessings flow,... Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

Pentecost 2017- John 3:8; John 16:13-14

The readings, liturgy, and confessional resources  for Pentecost are rich. All remind us of the special work of God the Holy Spirit that began among the disciples fifty days after Christ's Resurrection and ten days after His Ascension. This year, I would like to focus on the work of the Holy Spirit by juxtaposing two contrasting passages from the Gospel of John.

The first verse is John 3:8 -"The 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” (ESV). These words of our Lord stress the mystery and the freedom associated with the work of God the Holy Spirit. It is not tangible and not always predictable. It goes beyond our normal human categories and expectations.

The other passage is John 16:13-14 - "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (ESV). These words of our Lord emphasize the truth and continuity of divine revelation. Although Pentecost marks a new phase in the work of God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit continues the work of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Despite the mystery and sometimes unexpected details, the truth is the same.

As Luther and the Lutheran Confessions taught, the true work of the Spirit is not whimsical. Although it involves all aspects of human life, it is not primarily emotion or private inspiration. Most commonly, the Holy Spirit works through Scripture and Sacrament. So the Spirit is free but also orderly and not chaotic. If we want to understand the Holy Spirit's work in the Church and in our personal lives, we must always relate it to those things revealed in the life and work of Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we need balance in our responses to the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to be open to some new and surprising applications, but we also need to maintain a sense of continuity. There are three divine Persons but only one God and one enduring divine revelation.