Reflections from the Southside

Trinity Sunday
May 18, 2008

Genesis 1:1-2:4; Psalm 8; II Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20

The Sunday that follows Pentecost is Trinity Sunday. Normally I would preach a sermon based on one of the scriptures mentioned, but this Sunday at Preston Wesleyan is Homecoming. I’ll have more about that in another post.

As a worship person, sometimes it is hard to find songs on the Trinity.  What is encouraging is that songwriters are beginning to see this lack of songs and are starting to write songs about the Trinity and the work they play in our life.  While it is a core doctrine of the church the songs about the Trinity are few and far between.  Not only that, the Trinity isn’t mentioned specifically in the scriptures.  I don’t want to get into that whole argument.  That’s not the point I’m trying to make.  Several places in the gospels, I’m thinking the baptism, allude to the Trinity.  John quotes Jesus’s words about sending the Holy Spirit and here in Matthew in one of Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples, he commands them to go and make more disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  I’ve heard of this referred to as the ultimate commandment.  Think about all the uses of all or completeness in this commandment.

• Jesus - I have been given all authority
• Go and make disciples of all the nations
• Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the full/complete Godhead)
• Teach them to obey all the commands
• I am with you always
• To the end of the earth (the completeness of time)

The Trinity is the fullness of God, the complete God.  In our finite minds, it is sometimes difficult to grasp the concept of three-in-one — one yet three and yet all three are involved in our spiritual walk.  Because of the part the Trinity plays in our life, we can go and do what Jesus commanded us to do.