Usually, our preaching directs us to the works of God. But this week, we focus on the nature of God. Trinity Sunday names the God who the First Commandment tells us to fear, love, and trust above all else.
Recently over on YouTube, popular apologist Gavin Ortlund had a fascinating discussion with Jacob Hanson, another popular YouTuber who is a Mormon apologist, on the doctrine of the Trinity. Early on the conversation, Hanson wonders, “If one doesn’t embrace the doctrine of the Trinity, what is the consequence of that? Is the Trinity something that must be believed in order to be saved?” Ortlund, in his standard respectful but straightforward way, gets right to the point, “Yeah, this is the whole question of: ‘Which God do we worship?’” That is a keen insight. It is a question of the First Commandment. Who is this God who we believe upon for our salvation? I cannot commend this conversation to you enough. It is fascinating.
I bring this up because this week is the Sunday of the Holy Trinity. It is a unique festival on our Church calendar as it is the one major feast which does not commemorate an event in the life of the Church, but a doctrine, and it is not just any doctrine. We are focusing this week on the doctrine (that is, the truth) of who God is. Usually, our preaching directs us to the works of God. But this week, we focus on the nature of God. Trinity Sunday names the God who the First Commandment tells us to fear, love, and trust above all else.
This is tricky work. After all, descriptions of God’s triune nature can be confusing and somewhat esoteric for the congregation. We will confess the Athanasian Creed in my church this Sunday. I love it. But, it is heady stuff and challenging for the congregation (and the pastor!) to understand. What is more, just try explaining the relations of each person in the divine essence without slipping into some heresy. And, let us just get this out of the way now, there is no illustration that we can use to help explain how a trinity operates.
So, how do we go about preaching on Trinity Sunday without talking over everyone’s heads and/or spewing out heresy? In the YouTube discussion, Jacob Hanson asks a question which will help guide our message: “Was the doctrine of the trinity... a top-rank issue for Jesus?”
This gets us to our reading from John 8:48-59. Here we find Jesus making the claim in no uncertain terms that He is the God of Israel when He says, “Before Abraham was, I Am” (8:58). He is, thereby, taking the divine name and applying it to Himself, and He does so in a text where He makes a clear distinction between Himself as the great “I Am” and the Father, who glorifies Jesus (8:54). In other words, we have Jesus claiming to be the one true God and one with the Father, who is with Jesus the one true God.
In other words, we have Jesus claiming to be the one true God and one with the Father, who is with Jesus the one true God.
This is not a full explication of the trinity, but it does lay the foundation for our understanding. So clear was this teaching that Jesus’ opponents picked up stones to kill Him for claiming to be God! They saw it as blasphemy (8:48, 52-53, 59). But, it was their rejection of this claim from Christ which put them at odds with God and all those who genuinely believe; believers like Abraham who rejoiced in the promise of Jesus’ arrival (8:55-56).
This is all to point out that for Jesus, as well as for His opponents, His claim to divinity was most certainly a top-tier issue. We might even say it is a First Commandment issue. Who is the God you are to fear, love, and trust above all else? Thinking through the next two commandments, who are you to call on in times of trouble? To whom do you pray, praise, and give thanks? Who do you gather to worship? Who is the content of the Word proclaimed? Jesus says He is that one, true God along with the Father. Later, after His resurrection He will name the Holy Spirit alongside Himself and the Father (Matthew 28:19), thus asserting the three-persons of the one, true God. The question is not whether you can explain Christ’s words here, but rather, do you believe Him or not? Do you trust He is One with the Father and the Spirit? Or, do you make Him to be a liar, as did His opponents in our reading (8:55)?
This last question can really help drive your sermon. A comparison/contrast structure could prove useful here. It is helpful to recall that John’s gospel is a trial narrative, wherein John lays out His testimony concerning Christ so we might believe Jesus is the Son of God and, by believing, have life in His name (20:31). So, in the sermon you could compare and contrast the opposing claims concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, by putting the doctrine of the Trinity on trial, or, at least, Jesus’ claim to be God. You could call those who testify against Him in the text and in the world. We are surrounded by people who are constantly questioning Jesus’ claims to divinity and the trustworthiness of the doctrine of the Trinity. Whether it is Jesus’ Jewish opponents, or a Mormon apologist like Jacob Hanson, or popular critics of Christianity like Bart Ehrman who claims Jesus never makes a divine claim about Himself, there is no shortage of opponents to Christ’s affirmation of His divinity or the doctrine of the Trinity.
In contrast to these teachers, you could call those who testify in favor of Jesus claims to the sermonic stand. Jesus demonstrates time and again that there are many who testify to the truth of His claims. In our reading, He calls Abraham and God the Father Himself as witnesses. In John 5, Jesus calls the scriptures, John the Baptist, God the Father, and even Moses to testify to Him. In John 10:25, He says His works bear witness to Him. But, it is His ultimate work of dying on the cross where the Father fully glorifies Him, and His rising from the dead which vindicate His Word. He is the enfleshed God who brings life to those who have faith in His name by dying for their sins and rising for their justification.
If Jesus is not God, His death would not accomplish your salvation. It would merely be a model for you to follow. If God is not triune, then the religious leaders are right to kill Jesus for blasphemy and Christ is wrong to make Himself equal to God (5:18). If Jesus is not God, then He has no authority to send you the Holy Spirit, who draws you to Christ and the Father (15:26). If Jesus is not God, and God is not triune, we are blaspheming in our worship, prayers, and preaching.
But, in fact, the Father has sent the Son in the power of the Spirit to accomplish your salvation and draw you into communion with Himself. The verdict is in! The triune God is at work for your salvation! This is no philosophical doctrine to wrangle over, it is the promise of the Gospel to be proclaimed.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on John 8:48-59.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching John 8:48-59.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaeching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
