LutheranLectionary.org

Series B – Trinity Sunday – Sunday, May 31, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	our second reading is taken from the
0:31	book of Acts chapter 2 and you’ll notice
0:35	it’s a little bit broken up Acts chapter
0:37	2 starting at verse 14 will read the
0:40	first part of 14 and then skip down to
0:44	verse 22 and read through 36 and you can
0:48	find this in your Pew Bible on page 771.
0:53	then Peter stood up with the eleven
0:55	raised his voice and addressed the crowd
0:58	verse 22.
1:00	men of Israel
1:02	listen to this Jesus of Nazareth was a
1:06	man accredited by God to you by Miracles
1:08	wonders and signs which God did among
1:12	you through him as you yourselves know
1:14	this man was handed over to you by God’s
1:17	set purpose and foreknowledge and you
1:19	with the help of wicked men put him to
1:21	death by nailing him to the Cross but
1:24	God raised him from the dead freeing him
1:26	from the agony of death because it was
1:29	impossible for death to keep its hold on
1:31	him David said about him I saw the lord
1:34	always before me because he is at my
1:36	right hand I will not be shaken
1:38	therefore my heart is glad and my tongue
1:41	rejoices my body also will live in Hope
1:44	because you will not abandon me to the
1:46	Grave nor will you let your Holy One see
1:48	Decay you have made known to me the
1:51	paths of life and you will fill me with
1:55	joy in your presence
1:57	Brothers I can tell you confidently that
2:00	the patriarch David died and was buried
2:02	and his tomb is here to this day but he
2:06	was a prophet and knew that God had
2:08	promised him on oath that he would Place
2:10	one of his Descendants on his throne
2:13	seeing what was ahead he spoke of the
2:15	resurrection of the Christ that he was
2:17	not abandoned to the Grave nor did his
2:20	body see Decay God has raised this Jesus
2:23	to life and we are all Witnesses of the
2:25	fact exalted to the right hand of God he
2:29	has received from the Father the
2:30	promised Holy Spirit and has poured out
2:33	what you now see and hear for David did
2:35	not Ascend to heaven and yet he said the
2:38	Lord said to my Lord sit at my right
2:41	hand until I make your enemies a
2:45	footstool for your feet therefore let
2:48	all of Israel be assured of this God has
2:51	made this Jesus whom you crucified both
2:54	Lord and Christ
2:57	in the name of Jesus
3:01	from Acts chapter 2 verse 33 being
3:04	therefore exalted at the right hand of
3:06	God and having received from the Father
3:08	the promise of the holy spirit is poured
3:11	out this that you yourselves are seeing
3:14	and hearing today is Trinity Sunday
3:18	otherwise known as theological brain
3:21	cramp Sunday
3:23	after today’s sermon we will confess the
3:25	red-headed stepchild of the three
3:27	ecumenical Creeds known as the
3:29	athenation Creed may have been a while
3:31	since that’s been confessed here and
3:33	believe me when I tell you it does not
3:35	coddle us with simplistic and easy to
3:38	digest morsels of rational theology in
3:41	fact on the contrary it’s somewhat
3:43	ponderous and dare I say it those of you
3:46	who’ve read it you know that it’s
3:47	incomprehensible
3:50	sorry it’s a little inside at the nation
3:52	Creed joke there some of you will get it
3:54	later now some of you may be tempted to
3:56	ask why is it necessary to spend any
3:58	time in church get allowed an entire
4:00	Sunday morning considering the doctrine
4:03	of the Trinity after all it’s a
4:06	difficult Doctrine to wrap your brain
4:07	around and we live in a society where
4:09	everything is dumbed down and those
4:11	things that are considered difficult and
4:13	hard to understand well they have been
4:15	conveniently hidden from sight so that
4:18	we can skate by without having to be
4:20	stretched
4:21	yeah well I assure you that the doctrine
4:25	of the Trinity was not fabricated by
4:27	dead white men in order to make
4:29	themselves look smart nor was it created
4:32	to Vex us today no it was forged from
4:35	the word of God which reveals that God
4:38	is Not Like Us in fact scripture reveals
4:41	that there is one God but that in the
4:44	one God there are three persons now many
4:47	people are tempted to ask and you may be
4:49	asking well how is it possible and my
4:52	answer is I don’t know
4:55	scripture doesn’t try to explain how the
4:58	Trinity Works instead scripture simply
5:00	reveals that this is how God is
5:05	yeah something to consider now many
5:07	people throughout the history of the
5:08	church
5:09	have ended up shipwrecking their faith
5:11	and this and the faith of their
5:13	followers on the rocks of heresy by
5:15	trying to rationalize God’s nature and
5:18	make it conform with human experience
5:20	and human reason
5:22	and that’s not a good thing to do by
5:24	rationalizing God’s nature they’ve ended
5:26	up forging an idol for themselves and
5:29	event and have worshiped a figment of
5:32	their imaginations as if it were God so
5:35	I warn you that idolatry of this kind
5:38	puts a person outside of the Christian
5:40	faith regardless of whether or not they
5:42	say they believe in Jesus and the reason
5:44	for this is simple there is only one
5:47	genuine Jesus and there are many false
5:50	jesuses running around out there the
5:54	genuine Jesus is God the son second
5:57	person of the Holy Trinity Jesus is not
6:00	the first and greatest creation of God
6:02	the father or a god-like being or
6:05	Michael the Archangel incarnate as those
6:08	who teach the Aryan heresy would have
6:10	you believe and by the way if you’re not
6:12	familiar with the Aryan heresy if you
6:13	ever to have the Jehovah’s Witnesses
6:15	come knocking on your door the Jehovah’s
6:17	Witnesses are today’s Aryans keep that
6:20	in mind scripture says this
6:22	in the beginning was the word and the
6:25	Word was with God and the Word was God
6:28	he was in the beginning with God and all
6:30	things were made through him and without
6:32	him was not anything made that was made
6:35	and then verse 14 of John 1 and the word
6:37	became flesh and dwelt among us and we
6:40	have seen his glory as of the only son
6:42	from the father full of grace and truth
6:45	yeah that’s right scripture teaches that
6:47	Jesus the word the logos was already
6:51	with God in the beginning and was God
6:54	when the beginning began he already
6:57	existed now you might be saying but but
7:00	Pastor scripture says that there’s only
7:02	one God but John 1 1 makes it sound like
7:05	there are two gods
7:06	all right so let’s raise the stakes on
7:09	that
7:10	Jesus said go and make disciples
7:12	baptizing in the name of the father and
7:13	the Son and the Holy Spirit doesn’t that
7:15	sound like they’re three Gods to you
7:17	well there’s only three Gods if you’re
7:20	not paying attention to the text Jesus
7:22	said in the name singular
7:25	of the Father Son and Holy Spirit he did
7:27	not say in the names plural Father Son
7:31	and Holy Spirit In other words the math
7:33	of the Trinity is not one plus one plus
7:37	one equals three instead the math of the
7:40	Trinity is one times one times one
7:42	equals one
7:45	keep that in mind
7:46	now another false Jesus is the Jesus of
7:50	the modalists and the Oneness
7:52	Pentecostals this is the Jesus of the
7:55	televangelist TD Jakes modalism teaches
7:58	correctly that there is only one God but
8:01	that but their God apparently is a quick
8:04	change artist and he’s a ventriloquist
8:06	let me explain modalism teaches that the
8:09	one God manifests himself in different
8:11	modes so sometimes God Appears or
8:14	manifests as the father and then he
8:16	quickly goes and hides and changes his
8:18	clothes and then he appears as the son
8:21	and then he quickly goes and changes his
8:23	clothes and again appears as the Holy
8:25	Spirit
8:26	the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
8:27	are not three distinct persons in
8:30	modalism instead they are three modes
8:32	and or ways that God manifests himself
8:36	well now we have a problem
8:38	when Jesus was baptized by John the
8:41	Baptist the scripture tells us that the
8:43	spirit descended like a dove and the
8:46	voice of the Father Was Heard saying
8:47	this is my beloved Son in whom I am well
8:49	pleased if the modalist God is the real
8:52	God was Jesus using a hologram to create
8:55	the false impression that the spirit was
8:57	descending from heaven and was he
8:59	throwing his voice like a ventriloquist
9:01	in order to create the false impression
9:03	that the father was in heaven speaking
9:04	so Jesus is baptized this was my beloved
9:07	Son and whom I am well pleased you know
9:09	right
9:11	that would basically make Jesus guilty
9:14	of a deception
9:15	then we ask this when Jesus was praying
9:17	in the garden Gethsemane sweating drops
9:19	of blood as he’s getting ready to go to
9:21	the Cross saying father if it be your
9:23	will let this cup pass for me who was he
9:26	praying to if the father isn’t really a
9:28	person that he could be praying to yeah
9:31	and then when Jesus cried out on the
9:33	cross my God my God why have you
9:35	forsaken me who was he crying to you
9:38	must ask the modalist if the father is
9:40	merely a costume that God wears and well
9:44	and the son is a costume that God wears
9:46	so Jesus was wearing is Jesus and God
9:48	was wearing his Jesus costume on the
9:50	cross and saying my God my God why have
9:51	you forsaken me this doesn’t make a lick
9:54	of sense unless God is totally unhinged
9:56	in a stark raving mad and prone to
9:58	talking to himself
10:00	all of these heresies
10:02	like the Aryan heresy and modalism they
10:06	cannot account for What scripture says
10:08	because scripture reveals that yes there
10:11	is only one God and that within the one
10:14	God there are three persons and they
10:17	speak to and communicate with each other
10:19	furthermore we believe that only the
10:22	second person of the Trinity became
10:24	flesh we do not believe that the father
10:27	or the Holy Spirit were suffering on the
10:29	cross for our sins but only the son
10:33	but Pastor you need to explain to us how
10:37	this works no I don’t
10:41	we’re not called to explain how the
10:44	Trinity Works we’re called to believe
10:46	and confess what the one God has
10:49	revealed about his Triune nature if God
10:52	expected you to understand how his
10:55	nature works then he would have
10:56	explained it to us in the scripture and
10:59	because he hasn’t he doesn’t expect you
11:01	to understand how he just expects you to
11:03	understand that this is how it is makes
11:06	sense so with that we return to our text
11:09	from the book of Acts this morning and
11:11	notice how Peter in his preaching on the
11:14	day of Pentecost does not confuse the
11:18	members of the Trinity he is a
11:19	trinitarian through and through all the
11:21	way back there at the beginning of the
11:23	church and we begin at verse 14 Peter
11:25	standing up with 11 lifted up his voice
11:27	and addressed them
11:29	men of Judea and all who dwell in
11:31	Jerusalem let this be known to you and
11:33	give ear to my words then verse 22. hear
11:36	these words Jesus of Nazareth a man
11:39	attested to you by God with Mighty works
11:41	and wonders and signs that God did
11:43	through him in your midst as you
11:45	yourselves know this Jesus delivered up
11:48	according to the definite plan and the
11:50	foreknowledge of God you crucified and
11:52	killed by the hands of Lawless men God
11:55	raised him up loosing the pangs of death
11:57	because it was not possible for him to
11:59	be held by it for David says concerning
12:02	him I saw the lord always before me and
12:05	he is at my right hand that I may not be
12:07	shaken therefore my heart was glad my
12:09	tongue rejoiced my flesh also will dwell
12:12	in Hope for you will not abandon my soul
12:14	to headies or let your Holy One see
12:16	corruption you have made known to me the
12:18	paths of life and you will make me full
12:20	of gladness with your presence so
12:22	Brothers I may say to you with
12:24	confidence about the patriarch David
12:26	that he both died and was buried and his
12:27	tomb was with us to this day being
12:29	therefore a prophet and knowing that God
12:31	had sworn with an oath to him that he
12:34	would set one of his Descendants on his
12:35	throne he foresaw and spot spoke about
12:38	the resurrection of the Christ or you
12:40	can say the Messiah that he was not
12:42	abandoned to Hades nor did his flesh see
12:44	corruption this Jesus God raised up and
12:48	of that we are all Witnesses being
12:50	therefore exalted at the right hand of
12:52	God and having received from the Father
12:54	the promise of the Holy Spirit he has
12:56	poured out this that you yourselves are
12:59	seeing and hearing notice right there in
13:02	verse 33 Father Son and Holy Spirit are
13:05	all recognized as three distinct persons
13:07	right there in the text David did not
13:10	Ascend to the heavens but he himself
13:11	says the Lord said to my Lord sit at my
13:14	right hand until I make your enemies a
13:16	footstool and let all the house of
13:18	Israel therefore know for certain that
13:19	God has made him both Lord and Christ
13:22	this Jesus whom you crucified and will
13:25	pause right there and notice something
13:27	because it is all three members of the
13:31	Trinity the one God who are acting who
13:34	are speaking who are empowering and
13:37	emboldening the apostles to preach this
13:40	message you can deduce from that that
13:44	all of God
13:45	Father Son and Holy Spirit each and
13:48	every person all of them United are
13:51	working for your salvation
13:55	they have come up with the plan they
13:57	have executed on the plan in the Council
14:00	of the Trinity they determined that the
14:02	sun would become incarnate born of the
14:04	Virgin Mary to live perfectly in your
14:06	place to die on the cross for your sins
14:09	and be raised to life and now that the
14:11	Holy Spirit has come on Pentecost who is
14:14	the Holy Spirit emboldening the apostles
14:16	to preach about not themselves and not
14:20	even the Holy Spirit
14:21	but embolding them to preach about
14:23	Christ and everything that he’s
14:25	accomplished for you because this is
14:26	what the Trinity wants you to believe to
14:28	teach to confess to hang on to to cling
14:31	on to and be comforted
14:32	and if you remember last week’s gospel
14:34	text when Jesus said he would send the
14:37	comforter the comforter the Holy Spirit
14:38	would do several things convict the
14:41	world of sin and unbelief is one of the
14:44	primary things that the Holy Spirit does
14:45	holy spirit’s not active making people
14:48	bark like dogs and behave weirdly
14:50	instead the holy spirit is active
14:52	convicting people of their sin and their
14:54	unbelief and we know that the holy
14:56	spirit is moving all because the text
14:59	says so but also because of verse 37
15:01	let’s keep reading a little bit and
15:03	Watch What Happens so now when they
15:05	heard this all the people listening they
15:08	were cut to the heart and Peter and said
15:11	to Peter and the rest of the Apostles
15:12	Brothers what shall we do
15:16	there’s the Holy Spirit convicting them
15:18	of their sin and their unbelief and
15:20	remember the charge against them
15:22	remember what Peter said that they were
15:24	guilty of they were guilty of crucifying
15:29	Jesus of crucifying the Messiah
15:33	now correct me if I’m wrong but there’s
15:36	crimes and then there’s crimes there’s
15:40	sin and then there’s really sin
15:43	crucifying the Messiah I think ranks way
15:47	up there you know what I’m saying you
15:49	know you got kicking your dog grumbling
15:51	about your work you know saying a sharp
15:54	word to your wife and then crucifying
15:57	the Messiah way up here right yeah
16:01	so keep that in mind
16:03	they’re cut to the heart they’re guilty
16:06	as charged and they’re confessing it as
16:08	so and so what does Peter say to them oh
16:11	you’re doomed
16:12	you’re doomed yeah that crucifying the
16:15	Messiah sin there’s no hope for that
16:17	um
16:18	that’s not what he said
16:20	listen to what he says
16:21	Brothers what shall we do they ask Peter
16:24	said repent and be baptized every one of
16:28	you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
16:30	Forgiveness of your sins and you will
16:32	receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
16:36	unbelievable
16:41	Peter says to them they can be forgiven
16:44	of even
16:46	crucifying and murdering the Messiah
16:50	so when we talk about the Forgiveness of
16:52	sins and sins being washed away in the
16:55	waters of baptism somebody might say
16:57	yeah but which ones which ones can be
17:00	forgiven which ones will God forgive
17:02	will he forgive idolatry will he forgive
17:04	heresy will he forgive uh you know
17:08	grumbling against my parents or stealing
17:11	or adultery or murder or coveting can
17:14	those sins be forgiven the answer is yes
17:18	every one of those sins including the
17:22	guilt of crucifying the Messiah they’re
17:24	all forgiven
17:27	the trinity
17:28	wants and wills for you to be saved
17:32	so much so that he has sent the son to
17:35	bleed and die for every one of your sins
17:37	nothing is left out nothing is excluded
17:40	anything that you have done is included
17:43	in Christ’s atoning sacrifice even up to
17:47	murdering the Messiah himself and this
17:49	gives us hope
17:51	if those who murdered the Messiah can be
17:53	forgiven then truly we can be forgiven
17:56	because in a very real way we are also
17:58	guilty of murdering the Messiah
18:00	it was our sins that he was bleeding and
18:02	dying for it was our sins that he was
18:04	being punished for
18:06	and stricken form
18:08	so repent
18:09	and be baptized every one of you in the
18:11	name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness
18:13	of your sins and you will receive the
18:15	gift of the Holy Spirit the Trinity
18:18	desires to Grant you pardon
18:22	rather than send you to hell for the
18:24	promise Peter says is for you
18:26	promises for you and it’s for your
18:28	children and for all who are far off and
18:31	everyone whom the Lord God calls to
18:33	himself and with many other words he
18:35	bore witness and continue to exhort them
18:37	saying save yourselves from this crooked
18:40	generation
18:42	so those who received Peter’s word were
18:45	baptized and they were added that day
18:47	about 3 000 Souls
18:51	Now by way of pointing out kind of a
18:53	bookend Old Testament little side note
18:55	if you remember when Moses came down
18:58	from Mount Sinai with the stone tablets
19:01	that had the ten words of God on it
19:03	right he comes down and what did he find
19:07	when he came down from the mountain they
19:09	were worshiping the golden calf
19:12	and so when God gave the law the law
19:16	came and as a result of their sin how
19:20	many people in the camp of Israel were
19:21	killed that day as a result of the
19:24	golden calf
19:25	three thousand
19:28	three thousand bookended
19:31	when the law came it killed
19:33	when the gospel and the Holy Spirit came
19:36	there was life
19:38	three thousand died and on this day
19:41	three thousand were raised to life in
19:43	Christ because of God’s mercy that’s the
19:46	difference between the law and the
19:48	gospel the law kills the gospel brings
19:51	to life they are both words from God and
19:54	they do their job on us the whole the
19:57	Holy Spirit killing us through the
20:00	preaching of the law nailing us to the
20:02	wall and saying we’re guilty
20:05	that brings death
20:07	and that’s good
20:09	and we all say with the people of Israel
20:11	what shall we do and we hear the words
20:13	repent be baptized for the Forgiveness
20:15	of your sins you who are baptized you
20:17	are in Christ your sins have been washed
20:19	away your sins have been forgiven the
20:22	Holy Trinity has acted and the Holy
20:24	Trinity continues to act to sustain you
20:28	now as he brings you into eternal life
20:32	what a great blessing we have from God
20:34	that he is so merciful
20:36	and so active to save and redeem and
20:40	sustain lost Sinners Like Me and like
20:43	you in the name of Jesus Amen

If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax-free donation to: Kongsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Ave NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support. All of our teaching messages may be freely distributed as long as you do not edit or change the content of the message, and, again, thank you for listening.