Trinity Sunday: Date: May 26, 2024
Bulletin: Read Bulletin
Sermon: Read Sermon
THEME: Indebted to the One True God
PRESERVICE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, We come before You to praise your Holy name. We acknowledge our sin and unworthiness, and yet You have loved us with an everlasting love. You sent Your only begotten Son into the world to bear our sin and redeem us from death. Grant that we may always believe this and believing have life in Jesus’ name. By the power of Your Holy Spirit grant us grace that we also may love one another as You have loved us, and thereby show forth the glory of Your salvation to the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
THE ORDER OF SERVICE: (p. 22 Worship Supplement 2000)
Hymn 239: Come, Thou Almighty King
1 Come, Thou Almighty King, Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise. Father all-glorious, O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days.
2 Come, Thou Incarnate Word, Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend. Come and Thy people bless
And give Thy Word success; Stablish Thy righteousness,
Savior and Friend!
3 Come, holy Comforter, Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour. Thou, who almighty art, Now rule in ev’ry heart
And ne’er from us depart, Spirit of Pow’r!
4 To the great One in Three Eternal praises be
Hence evermore! His sov’reign majesty May we in glory see,
And to eternity Love and adore!
P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
C: If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P: Together let us pray.
C: Almighty God, merciful Father, we are sinful by nature, and have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. But we are sorry for our transgressions and pray You, of Your bountiful mercy, to be gracious and merciful unto us. Forgive us for Jesus’ sake, renew us by Your Spirit, and lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.
P: Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. We are forgiven! With boldness and confidence we may approach the throne to find grace to help in time of need. In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
C: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
C: Amen.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (NKJV)
THE GOSPEL LESSON: John 3:1-17
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (NKJV)
THE APOSTLES CREED (The Lutheran Hymnal p. 12)
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Hymn 245: God Loved the World so that He Gave
1 God loved the world so that He gave
His only Son the lost to save
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive.
2 Christ Jesus is the Ground of faith,
Who was made flesh and suffered death;
All that confide in Him alone
Are built on this chief Cornerstone.
3 God would not have the sinner die,
His Son with saving grace is nigh,
His Spirit in the Word doth teach
How man the blessed goal may reach.
4 Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son
Forgives all sins which thou hast done,
And, justified by Jesus’ blood,
Thy Baptism grants the highest good.
5 If thou be sick, if death draw near,
This truth thy troubled heart can cheer:
Christ Jesus saves my soul from death;
That is the firmest ground of faith.
6 Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To Thee, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise now and eternally!
THE SERMON: Romans 8:12-17
Theme: Indebted to the One True God for the Blessings of Salvation
I. Indebted to the Spirit for Calling Us to be God’s Children
II. Indebted to the Father for the greatness of His Love
III. Indebted to the Son for the Inheritance Secured for Us in Heaven
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (NKJV)
OFFERTORY: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen
PRAYER; THE LORD’S PRAYER
The offering of thankful hearts will now be received.
Hymn 23: Hallelujah! Let Praises Ring
1. Hallelujah! Let Praises ring! To God the Father let us bring
Our songs of adoration. To Him thro’ everlasting days
Be worship, honor, pow’r, and praise, Whose hand sustains creation.
Singing, ringing, Holy, holy, God is holy, —
Spread the story Of our God, the Lord of Glory.
2. Hallelujah! Let Praises ring! Unto the Lamb of God we sing,
In whom we are elected. He bo’t His Church with His own blood,
He cleansed her in that blessed flood, And as His bride selected.
Holy, holy Is our union and communion.
His befriending Gives us joy and peace unending.
3. Hallelujah! Let Praises ring! Unto the Holy Ghost we sing
For our regeneration. The saving faith in us He wrought
And us unto the Bridegroom bro’t, Made us His chosen nation.
Glory! Glory! Joy eternal, Bliss supernal;
There is manna And an endless, glad hosanna.
4. Hallelujah! Let Praises ring! Unto the Triune God we sing;
Blest be His name forever! With angel hosts let us adore
And sing His praises more and more For all His grace and favor!
Singing, ringing: Holy, holy, God is holy, —
Spread the story Of our God, the Lord of Glory.
BENEDICTION:
C: Amen.
Hymn 644 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
CALENDAR
NEXT SUNDAY: Worship at 9:30. Bible class enters summer recess. Text: Mark 2:23-3:6
SATURDAY, JUNE 10: Delegate conference at Grace Lutheran church Fridley, MN beginning at 10:00.
SERVING TODAY
Organist: Denise Barthels
Minister of the gospel: Pastor Ted Barthels
OUR RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL:
Attendance: May 19 worship –12, No Bible Class
|
Weekly Offerings Needed |
$1,374.00 |
Other Offerings: |
|
Offerings Received |
$1,070.00 |
Memorials: Carol (Krieger) Hoopman for Prop. Improv. Fund $100.00 Lincoln Cole: Prop. Imprv. Fund $ 65.00 |
|
Needed for Year: |
$27,480.00 | |
|
Received for Year: |
$21,687.00 |
May Lawn Mowing: Leon.
“The Branches” The cost is $16.00/year for 4 issues. Checks are payable to, “The Branches,” and should be sent to: Sandy Hulke, Subscription Manager, 29985 Norway Ave, Lindstrom, MN 55045.
CLC NEWS: Pastor David Ude, Living Hope Lutheran, Appleton, WI, has returned the call to Grace Lutheran, Sleepy Eye, MN.
CLC CONVENTION PROSPECTUS: Hard copy available upon request, or go to: tinyurl.com/2024CLCProspectus
General Fund – April receipts: $84,814 VS disbursements: $86,281. The General Fund subsidizes the work of the Boards of Missions, Trustees, EdPub, & Regents (including ILC.)
ILC Operations – April receipts: $125,253 VS disbursements: $125,576.
IIF – April receipts: $3,672 VS disbursements: $10,524.
ILC Building Projects – April receipts: Negative $33,327 (contributions of $5,163 offset by a $38,490 decrease in market value of investments) VS disbursements: $6,395.
MDF – April receipts: $17,118 VS disbursements: $40,440 (including a vehicle in Nepal and a motorcycle in Bangladesh for a total of $14,500.)
Kinship – April receipts: $16,519 VS disbursements: $1,428.
CEF – April receipts: Negative $29,415 (mortgage payments and contributions of $29,498 offset by a $58,914 decrease in market value of investments) VS disbursements: $5,474.
SAF – April receipts: $7,579 VS disbursements: $10,255 (including student loans, grants, scholarships and tuition assistance).
Reserve Fund is currently invested in a money market account until needed, typically each fiscal year-end.
EduK8 Fund – April receipts: $2,765. Balance $46,151.
Stephen R. Lentz, CLC Treasurer
Thomas J. Lentz, Chairman, CLC Board of Trustees
( Pastor Theodore Barthels )
Sermon
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
2100 16th Street SW
Austin, MN 55912-1749
Pastor Ted Barthels
Sermon preached on
May 26, 2024
Trinity Sunday
Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 6:1-8; John 3:1-17
Hymns: 239; 245; 23; 644
Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text: Romans 8:12-17
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (NKJV)
This is the Word of God.
Sanctify us, oh Lord, through Your truth. Your Word is truth. Amen.
In Christ Jesus, dear fellow Redeemed:
INTRO: Trinity Sunday
What is Trinity Sunday about? The obvious answer is, its about God being three persons in one God, and that the Triune God is the only true God. That truth is featured in our hymns; that truth is also apparent in our Scripture lessons. However, the real answer takes us deeper into the truth about God, who He is and what He is about. In both our reading from Isaiah and in Jesus’ words to Nicodemus we hear about how man’s sin is removed. The Triune God is about the gospel, how God in His grace took care of the problem of sin, purifying us from our sin, and then worked faith and faith’s response to God. So, Trinity Sunday is not only about the Three -in- One God, it is also about how we by God’s gracious calling have been brought into a life of faith and good works.
Our text from Romans 8, a chapter of Scripture with multiple assurances of salvation, directs us to see sanctified Christian living as yet another assurance of God’s grace in our lives. We are —
THEME: Indebted to the One True God
for the Blessings of Salvation.
Our text begins by calling attention to a sharp contrast between the way the world perceives life and the way the Child of God sees life. Everyone maintains that people live with a certain obligation in life. The world, or our own sinful nature for that matter, calls for us to see that obligation is to self. We have all been told on multiple occasions: “You owe it to yourself;” or “You need to be true to yourself,” or “You need to live however makes you happy.” In the right context any of these statements may be rightly understood, but as a philosophy of life, that’s the world encouraging you to be true to #1, and not to worry about what others think, and not to worry about what the Lord says in His Word.
What about the LORD, the God of our salvation? Where does the Lord fit into our thinking about life? We say, “Thank you, Lord,” and then get on with life. One expression that in some parts of our country is a common way of saying “thank you” is to say, “Much obliged.” In response one might say, “You’re welcome,” but if you’re from Minnesota, you might be more likely to say, “You bet.” Now, let’s think about that hypothetical conversation as a conversation between the redeemed sinner and Almighty God. Redeemed sinner is delivered from his sin and eternal death at the cost of God’s only begotten Son dying on the cross. Having been called to faith by the Holy Spirit, the redeemed sinner says, “Much obliged,” and the Lord says, “You bet, indeed you are.” There is a great deal more to “being obliged” than a simple “thanks, now I’ll be on my way living life as I always have.” That would be giving the Lord “short shrift.” “Short shrift’ is defined by “Alexa” as “A short, unsympathetic dismissal of an issue.”
Remembering that Romans chapter 8 is about leading believers to a greater assurance of salvation and eternal life, how does our text address our response to the gospel. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (v.12-13)
Assurance of life and salvation is not found in believing that we are indebted or obligated to serve ourselves with our selfish ambitions and sinful desires, but rather assurance of life and salvation is found in believing that we are indebted or obligated to the Lord who saved us from sin, and hell. Our text goes on to inform us of how we owe our spiritual and eternal lives to the Triune God. It continues by informing us of how we are –
I. Indebted to the Spirit for Calling Us to be God’s Children.
“As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (v.14-16a)
Are you among those who are led by the Spirit of God? How can one tell? It really isn’t all that difficult. If you buy in to the ways and thinking of the world, you are being led by the world, and by your own sinful flesh. Now granted, both the world and our own sinful flesh influence us far more than we like. And that’s the key isn’t it? It’s far more than we would like. We hate the sin in our lives. We turn to the Lord in daily contrition and repentance. We confess our sins and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness. We endeavor to glorify God in our lives, in both our words and our behavior. That isn’t from within us, for if it were coming from us, it would be accompanied with the thought, “And what a good boy am I!” Or it would come from a heart filled with fear, that if we don’t keep the commandments we will be crushed under the weight of God’s wrath.
By the Spirit you have not received the spirit of bondage to fear, but rather the spirit of adoption. You have been brought into the family of God. We live under His loving arms. He assures us of salvation.
God is our Father, and we are —
II. Indebted to the Father for the greatness of His Love.
Worldly fathers aren’t always kind and loving to their children. In fact, some earthly fathers have to have their children taken away from them because they are cruel and abusive rather than nurturing and gentle. Our Father in heaven is addressed as “Abba, Father.’ That is the way Jesus Himself turned to His heavenly Father when in great distress in the Gardn of Gethsemane Jesus prayed so fervently that if it were possible the cup of suffering could be taken from Him. He poured out His heart to the Father and knew that He was heard. And the Father sent an angel to minister to Him.
(Mark 14)
“Abba, Father” is a term of endearment, and more, it is a term of loving trust and confidence. How is that possible? The Spirit leads us to the Father and assures us that we are children of God. We learn of the greatness of God’s love for undeserving sinners, a love that was so great that “He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)
Living under the wonder and grace of God’s love, a love that is greater than any love to be found in this world, to be so dearly loved, we love, “We love because He first loved us!” (1 John 4:19 EHV) We love from the bottom of our hearts, we feel such a debt of love and gratitude to God for the love and care He showers upon each of us every day as He watches over us in all our ways. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all thing.”
(Romans 8:32)
Yes, the Father didn’t spare His Son, and the Son willingly went to the cross as the man Christ Jesus. And so we are —
III. Indebted to the Son
for the Inheritance Secured for Us in Heaven.
The Holy Spirit called us to faith, and assures us that we are the children of God. It is so by the Spirit of adoption. We were aliens, we were strangers, and yet in God’s grace we were chosen and adopted into the household of God. Being children of God, we were qualified to inherit that which our Lord Jesus secured for us by His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.
Our text assures us that “If children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (v.17)
We are much obliged to the Lord Jesus. Indeed, we are indebted to Him for all He suffered on our behalf. He endured all we read about in the passion history, all that we confess in our Creeds to redeem us from sin, to redeem us back to God. He endured the scourging, and the crown of thorns, and the agony of crucifixion, but far worse, Jesus endured the curse of God, God-forsakenness because of our sin. And then He died. He died for us. He had no sin of His own. “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) He died for your sin and mine, and He was buried. On the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God as His inheritance received by Jesus as our brother, as our Redeemer.
Yes, we are indebted to Jesus because He did all that to prepare a place for us in heaven. By God’s grace in Christ Jesus, we ae heirs of the glory that Jesus secured in heaven. We are joint heirs with Christ. Then our text says, if indeed we suffer with Him. Paul isn’t saying that we earn this glory through suffering. It is ours by grace through faith. Jesus won it for us. What Paul is saying is that as we follow Jesus, as we live in faith as His disciples, suffering will come with true discipleship. We will glorify Jesus and be true to His name because that is what faith will do. We will not turn away. What Paul is saying is that in that suffering, not suffering we seek out, but that sufferings which comes upon us for the name of Christ, we will again find assurance that we have life and salvation in His name.
Paul puts this in its proper perspective in the very next verse following our text: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Some, perhaps most of us suffer little more for Jesus than some baiting, some name calling, or other insults, maybe a loss of employment or a business setback. Is any of that worthy of comparison to what Christ suffered for us? Many have been harassed, arrested, imprisoned, even executed, and that happens in the world today. If we suffer together with Jesus even to that bitter extent, its still not worthy of comparison to the glory Jesus won for us. It’s not worthy of comparison to the GLORY Jesus has secured for you in heaven. We are deeply indebted to the Lord for our lives and our very beings! May we always glorify the name of Jesus!
So now let us consider again, why a Trinity Sunday? It is not only to remind us who the One and only true God is, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but also the wonders of grace and salvation God bestowed upon us miserable sinners. We are reminded that we are indebted to God the Holy Spirit for sanctifying us, setting us apart from sin and the world by calling us to faith and to be children of God. We are indebted to God the Father who loved this world of sinners and sent His Son to save a sinful world, who loves tenderly, and hears our prayers, and cares for us all our days unto eternal life. WE are indebted to God the Son who came down to earth to suffer and die as our brother that we might live with Him in the glories of heaven. Yes, Trinity Sunday reminds us all well why we should commit with Joshua of old, and say: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” (Joshua 24:15)
AMEN.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church Austin Minnesota 