Trinity Sunday Worship - Through the Word, The Triune God Blesses Us

The Scriptures never use the words “Trinity” or “Triune.” They never even summarize in any single place the entirety of this doctrine. Instead, as we read God’s Word from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, he gives us hints and glimpses of his Triune nature. Thus, the doctrine of the Trinity can seem very academic, even abstract. It may seem to have little relevance to the Christian’s daily life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, as God provides those hints and glimpses, his primary focus is on the way in which his Triune nature is a blessing to us. God shows us how we benefit from the fact he exists as Trinity. God dwells in a “majesty and mystery” that far exceeds our understanding. But here is what we can understand. Every time we gather in the name of the Lord, our Triune God, we receive indescribable blessings.

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Victorious: The Spirit Marches VICTORIOUS Through the Word

Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to march victorious around the world! Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in these Last Days. This raises an important question. If God now reveals himself by his Spirit, where is the Holy Spirit found? God has not left the answer to that question in doubt. When Jesus promised to send the Spirit, he indicated that his work would be connected to words, specifically God's Word. As a result, we need never wonder where we can find the Spirit. He marches victorious through the Word.

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Victorious: Unity Marches VICTORIOUS over Diversity

When Jesus' followers gathered together, they comprised a group that was not very diverse. They all belonged to the same ethnic group, grew up in the same culture, and spoke the same language. That would change drastically on Pentecost, when the gospel would be proclaimed in many languages to people from "every nation under heaven" (Acts 1:5). This diversity has always been part of Christ's plan. Rather than eliminating differences among the Church's members, the Church's unity is built on truths that transcends those differences. The Church truly is a communion of saints. Differences in our world often lead to division. Therefore, when the world sees the unity in diversity that characterizes Christ's Church, it will recognize something unique and special about Christians.

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Victorious: Joy Marches VICTORIOUS over Circumstance

Conventional wisdom says that joy is a direct result of circumstance. Our disposition is nothing more than a product of the events, conditions, and relationships of which our life consists. Therefore, it would seem that for our disposition to change, our circumstances need to change. But Jesus offers us a joy that is superior. It is not a product of circumstance; it's a product of Easter. Easter proves that God can take what normally causes people to weep and turn it into what causes people to rejoice. Sin, death, and shame went into Jesus' tomb. Forgiveness, life, and glory came out. Our risen Savior gives us a joy that remains constant in the highest of life's highs and the lowest of life's lows. It is a joy that can never be taken from us.

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Victorious: Selfless Love Marches VICTORIOUS over Self-Glory

The disciples argued among themselves about who was "greatest" (Luke 22:24). We are not immune from such hubris. Sinful man is entirely self-focused. We often try and prove our goodness by comparing ourselves to others. You see this sense of superiority in the way we prioritize life, typically putting our wants ahead of others. Easter ends this focus on self. Right now, we know we have value, not because of the greatness of our actions, but because of the great things Christ did to save. We also know a resurrection to glory is in our future. Easter helps us avoid the trap of self-glorification and opens our eyes to a more excellent way: selfless love. Christ did not glorify himself, but selflessly did everything for the benefit of others. This week, he promises to be our inexhaustible power supply that we might also put selfless love into practice.

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Confirmation / Good Shepherd Sunday - Victorious

The world is full of talkers. There are plenty of people who say they care about you. But we are aware of what many of those people will do when it comes time to put those words into action. Jesus tells you in his Word that he cares for you dearly… that he would do anything for you. How do you know you can trust him? Jesus followed up his words with works. Jesus said he would suffer and die for you so that you might enter Paradise. He fulfilled that promise. Jesus' words are followed by works. He once illustrated that point in a striking metaphor, that of the Good Shepherd. All shepherds use words, calling to the sheep hoping they will follow. What sets the Good Shepherd apart is the fact that his words are followed by his works, including his willingness to lay down his life. Every word our Good Shepherd speaks to us is trustworthy!

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Victorious: Sight Marches VICTORIOUS over Blindness

A recent survey asked Americans which of the five senses they would least like to lose. 77% chose sight. Navigating life blind poses, a plethora of challenges that the sighted do not face. This is why Scripture often uses the concept of blindness as a metaphor for how hard it is to navigate life without a correct understanding of Christ. Spiritual blindness can take many different forms. In some cases, it is hostile opposition to the message of Jesus. In others, spiritual blindness might be demonstrated in confusion about Jesus' true identity. No matter the specific form spiritual blindness takes, Easter has the power to replace it with sight. Easter allows us to see where we sinners stand with a holy God. It enables us to see the path though life that is worth pursuing (as opposed to those that lead to a dead end). Spiritual sight gives us the ability to see who holds our future in his hands and who is worth our eternal worship.

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Victorious: Witness Marches Victorious over Restraint

The good news of the risen Christ is bigger than a single day. The Easter gospel will continue to march across centuries and continents. However, there will always be forces that try to slow that march. Those forces could be self-inflected fears and doubts (Gospel). They could be various types of persecutions (First and Second Reading). Whatever the case, the good news of Easter will not be restrained. For it is not some myth or fable, not a hoax or conspiracy. The reality of Easter rests on the testimony of eyewitnesses. Therefore, the gospel cannot be boxed in any more than Christ could be put back in a tomb. Many may try and restrain the good news of Christ. But the march of the Church's witness will never slow down.

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Easter Sunday Worship - Victorious: Life Marches Victorious Over Death

Death hung like a suffocating shroud over us all. It was a constant source of sorrow and shame. Death doesn't just bring life to an end. The impending threat of death spoils every moment of life that leads up to it. The moment Christ emerged from the tomb, however, nothing would be the same. Life was unleashed on humanity and it will reign until death and its effects are no more. The salvation Christ brings is not just a rescue from a world gone bad but a resurrection to a world that will once again be good. Christ's victory restores life to us even now. Even as we continue to wipe the tears that death causes, we can defiantly taunt this fallen tyrant: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

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Good Friday: 3 Days: His Punishment, Our Peace

Good Friday is very different than a funeral. At a funeral, we celebrate the blessings of someone's earthly life. But we also mourn the fact of their death. Their death is something we wish we could forget. In the case of Jesus, his death is the very thing we gather to celebrate and remember. In fact, we prolong the remembrance. We dwell on the details. We even call this day "good." For we know why Jesus willingly endured the agony of the cross. It wasn't a tragic miscarriage of justice. Jesus suffered this punishment vicariously. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Because he did, we are now right with our holy God. Jesus' punishment is our peace.

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Holy Thursday: 3 Days: His Food, Our Fill

As the sun set on Holy Thursday, the day marked the end of something old and the start of something new. The Old Covenant, which God had established through Moses, was two-sided. God's people would follow God's commands; God would bless his people. However, rather than providing God's people the opportunity to live up to God's demands, the Old Covenant only exposed their flaws. When God established his New Covenant, it was not a two-sided contract. It was more like a will, listing all the blessings God promised graciously to give his people. No matter who you are or what you have done, the blessing of the New Covenant is "for you." Eat the food Christ offers, and all your spiritual and eternal needs are satisfied.

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Palm Sunday Worship: His Humility, Our Hope

The events of Palm Sunday might not seem pivotal to our salvation. Christ sheds no blood on this day. However, Palm Sunday sets the tone for all of Holy Week. It perfectly illustrates that Jesus came to be the kind of king this world will never understand: one who conquers his enemies by surrendering to them, one who crushes his opposition by himself being crushed, one whose path to kingly exaltation begins with humiliation. This is the kind of King we have marching into battle as one of us and for all of us this week. As a result, we are drawn to him in faith rather than driven away in fear. This humble King is our only hope.

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