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Vicar Daniel English
May 31, 2026
Sermon – The Holy Trinity
Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8; Acts 2:14a, 22-36; Matthew 28:16-20;

Created, Redeemed, and Made Holy by the Triune God

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today is Trinity Sunday, or the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Usually we have these special days in the church year in order to remember and celebrate some specific event in the life of Jesus Christ, like His birth of the Virgin Mary at Christmas, His death on Good Friday, or His resurrection on Resurrection Sunday. Other special days of the church year are observed to remember and celebrate some specific event in the history of the church, like Pentecost when we remember the Holy Spirit giving the apostles the miraculous ability to speak and be heard in other languages in order to preach the Gospel, or Reformation Day, when we remember the Lutheran Reformation in the 16th century, when the church —beginning in Germany— corrected various Roman abuses and recovered for the people both the Word of God and the the pure Gospel. But today, this special day in the church year, the Feast of the Holy Trinity, is unique because instead of remembering some specific event, we are remembering a specific teaching.[1] The doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Today we remember that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity.[2] That God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God… in three Persons.

You may be surprised to discover that the words “Trinity” or “Triune God” are not in the Bible. This is true. Some skeptics may try to convince you since these specific phrases are not found in the Bible, that must mean the Holy Trinity is some kind of man-made invention, a made up and false teaching. Today, as we interact with those in our community (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, Muslims, historical critical Bible scholars, or anyone else who is skeptical about this teaching) it is just as important as it ever was to be able to confess and defend the teaching of the Holy Trinity from the pages of Scripture.

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is true. This is clear from the Scriptures, but it is still a great mystery. If you think you will walk out of here today completely understanding our Thrice Holy God, you will leave disappointed. The teaching of the Holy Trinity is something that we confess simply because the Scriptures make it clear that “the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.”[3] It is above logic, it is divine. As we reach the limits of our human understanding, let’s stop and marvel at the glory and majesty of God and say with Paul: “Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”[4]

Our Old Testament lesson begins like this: “In the beginning, God…” Before anything was, God already was. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”[5] God created the light, then He created the water and sky and dry land and filled them with life, but no one created God. God is uncreated, He is without beginning. Notice the Trinity: God in verse 1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” the Spirit of God in verse 2, “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters,” and the Word of God in verse 3, “And God said, ‘Let there be light.’”[6] In Luther’s Small Catechism, the Apostle’s Creed is divided into three sections, or articles. The First Article confesses faith in God the Father, and His work of creating you. But this is not only the work of God the Father. Jesus the Word is there too, as the Gospel of John teaches, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”[7] The Holy Spirit is there too. The work of creation is the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Psalmist writes, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the [Spirit] of his mouth all their host.”[8] The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: these Three are one God. Later in Genesis chapter 1 God says, “‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’ … So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”[9] Our first reading reveals that you are created in the image of the Triune God.

In our second reading, Peter is continuing to teach the crowds at Pentecost, and he makes it clear that Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah and God. Notice the Trinity: Jesus is raised up by God the Father in verse 32 and in verse 33 Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God “having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”[10] Though Jesus was crucified, He does not see corruption. He rises from the dead and pours out His Holy Spirit from the right hand of God. Peter shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of David’s Psalm. Jesus is God. The resurrection shows God’s almighty power. The second article of the Apostle’s Creed confesses faith in Jesus, the Son of God and His work of salvation won for you by His death and proven by His resurrection. This is the Triune God’s work of redemption, not only the work of Jesus. Like creation, it is the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: these Three are one God. Peter concludes his preaching with this: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”[11] You, like those listening to Peter, should be cut to the heart by this… because it was your sins also that crucified Jesus. The crowd asks, “what shall we do?” Peter replies, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”[12] Our second reading shows that you are forgiven by the Triune God.

In our Gospel reading, the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel records some of Christ’s words before His Ascension. Notice the Trinity: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them 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. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.”[13] Right here —in what has long been considered the earliest Gospel— is a witness to the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christ gives this Triune Name to His church so that we can make disciples through baptism and teaching. The third article of the Apostle’s Creed confesses faith in the Holy Spirit and His work of “calling you by the Gospel, enlightening you with His gifts, sanctifying you, and keeping you in the true faith.” Just like the work of creation, and just like the work of redemption, sanctification is the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These Three are one God. Our Gospel reading reveals that you are made holy by the Triune God.

One God. Uncreated, infinite, eternal, and almighty. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity creates you in His image, redeems you by the work of Christ, and gives you the gift of repentance and faith by the power of the Holy Spirit which works in you now to daily and richly forgive you all your sins. This promise is for you and for all people, and Christ’s church (that’s us) has the awesome privilege to proclaim this Good News to all those whom God gives us the opportunity. “Blessed be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity. Let us give glory to [H]im because [H]e has shown [H]is mercy to us.”[14] Amen.

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[1] Fickenscher, Carl. Looking forward to Sunday Morning: Reflections on the Church Year, p 150

[2] Athanasian Creed, 4

[3] Athanasian Creed, 15-16

[4] Romans 11:33

[5] Genesis 1:1

[6] Genesis 1:1-3

[7] John 1:1

[8] Psalm 33:6, ESV translates the Hebrew, ruach (רוּחַ) and LXX, pneuma (πνεῦμα) as “breath”, both also mean “spirit”

[9] Genesis 1:26a, 27, emphasis mine

[10] Acts 2:33

[11] Acts 2:36

[12] Acts 2:37b-39

[13] Matthew 28:16b-20

[14] Introit for Holy Trinity, Liturgical Text