Today is Trinity Sunday. Let's talk about what "Trinity" means, first a lecture, then a sermon. In other words, first a discussion about the Doctrine of the Trinity, then a talk about what it means to us in our every day life.

The word "Trinity" means "Three-in-One." It is a "tri-unity." There is only one God, but three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are not three Gods. The Bible says, "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one." (Deut.6:4, Mark 12:29) So, even though the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God, the Bible says there is only one God. It does not make logical, mathematical sense. 1 + 1 + 1 = 1. In humility, we realize that this is a mystery which we humans cannot understand. And that makes us stand in awe and wonder at the majesty of the Lord God.

We call the three Persons of the Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sometimes we call them by the work they do: Creator, Redeemer (or Savior), and Sanctifier (or the One who makes us holy). The �gSecond Member of the Holy Trinity�his Jesus Christ. The Bible reveals Jesus both as God and Human, both True God and True Man. This is the most important thing to understand in the doctrine of the Trinity. This is why the Christian Church emphasizes this teaching so much. For our salvation, it is necessary that Jesus is both God and Man at the same time. He did not quit being God when he was born in Bethlehem, he did not quit being Man when he resurrected. This teaching is called �gChristology.�h>Christology is important, because it teaches us that for our salvation, Jesus had to be both God and Man at the same time. He had to be human in order to die on the cross, but he had to be divine in order to take upon himself all the sin of the world. A simple human could easily die, could even take the place of one other person and die in their stead, but to take upon himself the sin of the whole world, from the time when humans first walked on this earth until the time when Christ returns in glory, to take all that sin of the world, it was necessary that Christ be God. And so Christ died the perfect sacrifice for sin, and rose on the third day to bring eternal salvation to all believers. That is why it is necessary that Jesus be God.

If all we knew were God the Father, then all we would know would be his wrath. God would continue to demand justice for our sin and rebellion. We cannot keep the Law of God perfectly, so no one could be justified and no one could hope for eternal life. But in Christ, the love of God has been revealed. Jesus taught about the love and mercy and grace of God. He showed that love by dying on the cross to save us. However, without the Holy Spirit, we would not know about the love of God through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us. The Spirit does this through the Word of Scripture and the Sacraments. So, the Holy Spirit reveals Christ who reveals the Father.

Now, why is this important? Why is the Teaching of the Trinity important for our daily life? First, it is because we pray in the Name of the Triune God. This is the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is Almighty. We do not pray to a puny god. We pray to God who can make us a new creation when we have messed up our lives. We pray to God who can save us when the problems and stresses and worries of this world threaten to overtake us. We pray to God who can forgive us and make us holy again when sin threatens to overtake us.

The Trinity is important to us because we have been baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In baptism we are brought into the Family of God and given the Family Name, God�fs Name. For example, my name is Michael Harold Nearhood Trinity. I am God�fs child, and as a good Father, he takes care of me, as the Good Shepherd, he takes care of me, and the Holy Spirit a he is called Counselor or Comforter takes care of me. As a Christian with the Name of God�fs Family, I honor that wonderful Name in my life. I am proud to be called a Christian. I do not want to do anything that would disgrace the Family Name. This means that as a Christian, I want to keep God�fs Commandments, not out of fear of punishment from God, but because I love God and do not want to shame or grieve God by my actions.

The Trinity is important to us because it involves us. God is not just out there in outer space somewhere; God is with us right here. God is involved in our lives. He created us, he died on the cross to save us, and he brings us to faith and makes us holy and acceptable in His sight. The Trinity is part of our lives, part of our very beings. The Trinity tells us who we are. We are children of God. That is why this day is a church festival that makes us proud!

Amen!