Trinity Sunday
\nMay 22, 2016
\nRomans 5:1-5<\/p>\n
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.\u00a0 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.\u00a0 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.\u00a0 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.<\/em>\u00a0 (NIV1984)<\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n Hope.\u00a0 That is a word that is used very often by many people today.\u00a0 Barack Obama was elected President of the United States on the promise of bringing \u201cHope and Change\u201d to our country.\u00a0 Now Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are running for President on the platform that they have a vision to bring \u201chope\u201d to America\u2014 whether it is the \u201chope\u201d to improve on the President\u2019s policies, or the \u201chope\u201d of making America great again, or the \u201chope\u201d of providing things such as free college and free healthcare for all Americans.<\/p>\n Hope.\u00a0 That is a word that is used very often by many of us, isn\u2019t it.\u00a0 We \u201chope\u201d that our health and our retirement account won\u2019t let us down.\u00a0 We \u201chope\u201d that our children and our grandchildren will have happy and prosperous lives.\u00a0 We \u201chope\u201d that our congregation will grow.<\/p>\n Hope.\u00a0 That is a word that is used very often by many people in many different ways.\u00a0 But I often wonder\u2014 where are people looking to find the \u201chope\u201d they are seeking?\u00a0 You can look to the government as a source of \u201chope\u201d\u2014 but it will let you down.\u00a0 You can look deep down inside of yourself for a source of \u201chope\u201d\u2014 but you will be disappointed.\u00a0 You can look to the material things of this world to give you \u201chope\u201d\u2014 but that will prove to be a very frustrating and a very futile search.<\/p>\n Hope.\u00a0 There is only one dependable source of true \u201chope,\u201d my friends.\u00a0 It is the God whom we are here to worship!\u00a0 Today, as you and I celebrate Trinity Sunday let\u2019s see how the apostle Paul emphasizes this truth:\u00a0 Our Triune God Gives Us Hope!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Using these inspired words we\u2019ll see how each individual Person within the one divine essence gives us hope!<\/p>\n Before we turn to the verses of our text I need to say something about that word \u201chope.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that our Triune God gives to us, the \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that Paul highlights here in our text is vastly different from the \u201chope\u201d that is often expressed in our day-to-day lives.\u00a0 The \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that we are focusing on today is not the \u201cI hope I get that job,\u201d or, \u201cI hope the Warriors keep on winning\u201d or \u201cI hope it rains\u201d type of \u201chope.\u201d\u00a0 The primary<\/strong> meaning of the Greek word which is translated here as \u201chope\u201d<\/em> is \u201cexpectation.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>It is the \u201csure and certain hope\u201d<\/em> that we have as Christians because it is the \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that only <\/strong>our Triune God can give to us.\u00a0 Keep that truth in mind as we study these words and then you will be able to rejoice in knowing that our Triune God gives us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>!<\/p>\n Part One:\u00a0 Our Triune God gives us \u201chope\u201d\u2014 \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that is based on what God the Father has done for <\/strong>us!\u00a0 Paul highlights this truth when he says in the opening words of our text, \u201cTherefore, since we have been justified through faith\u2026.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The word \u201cjustify\u201d<\/em> or \u201cjustification\u201d<\/em> is the key word in Paul\u2019s letter to God\u2019s people in Rome.\u00a0 This word very literally means:\u00a0 \u201cDeclared\u2014 Not Guilty!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 By nature each and every one of us was born:\u00a0 Guilty!\u00a0 Guilty of sin!\u00a0 Guilty of rebellion against the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth!\u00a0 The \u201csentence\u201d for being found \u201cGuilty!\u201d in the heavenly Father\u2019s courtroom of perfect justice is nothing short of\u2014 death.\u00a0 That\u2019s why Paul says in Romans chapter six, \u201cThe wages of sin = death\u201d<\/em>\u2014 physical death, spiritual death, eternal death.\u00a0 The practical application of being found \u201cGuilty!\u201d in the heavenly Father\u2019s courtroom of perfect justice is that by nature we have no \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> no \u201csure and certain hope,\u201d<\/em> no \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> of a glorious eternity when we die.\u00a0 (See Ephesians 2:11-13)<\/p>\n Satan is an expert at driving this truth home to us, isn\u2019t he.\u00a0 Satan also has a sinister side-kick to help him do this\u2014 our old sinful nature.\u00a0 How many times have you looked at your own failures, your own weaknesses, your own sins and had a feeling of \u201chopelessness\u201d overshadow you like a dark storm cloud?\u00a0 We know ourselves, my friends.\u00a0 We know that on our own we cannot do anything <\/strong>that is pleasing in the eyes of the heavenly Father, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth.\u00a0 We know that the only<\/strong> thing that we deserve <\/strong>to receive from God the Father is His punishment both now and in eternity.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not what God the Father wants for you, my friends.\u00a0 That\u2019s not what God the Father wants for me.\u00a0 That\u2019s not what God the Father wants for anyone.\u00a0 So what did God the Father do?\u00a0 The apostle John answers that question with the familiar words we all hold so near and so dear to our hearts, \u201cFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life\u201d<\/em> (John 3:16).\u00a0 In love for you God the Father sent His very own Son into this world to live a perfect life in your place and then suffer and die to pay for your sins.\u00a0 Yes, my friends, God\u2019s perfect justice and God\u2019s perfect love came together on the cross of Calvary\u2019s hill for your sake, for your eternal benefit!<\/p>\n The result of what God the Father has done for<\/strong> you is that you are now \u201cjustified.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 No matter what Satan says and no matter what your old sinful nature thinks\u2014 God the Father Himself has declared you:\u00a0 \u201cNot Guilty!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The result of what God the Father has done for<\/strong> you is that you now have \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> a \u201csure and certain hope,\u201d<\/em> the confident \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> that the instant you die you will<\/strong> inherit a glorious eternity in your heavenly Father\u2019s Home!<\/p>\n Part Two:\u00a0 Our Triune God gives us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>\u2014 \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that is based on what God the Son has done for <\/strong>us.\u00a0 Paul highlights this truth when he says here in our text, \u201cWe have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.\u00a0 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Do you see the progression of thought here, my friends?\u00a0 The \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that God the Father has given us because of what He has done for<\/strong> us blends seamlessly with the \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> that God the Son has given to us because of what He has done for<\/strong> us.\u00a0 Through faith in Jesus we have been given the \u201csure and certain hope\u201d<\/em> the confident \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> of being \u201cat peace\u201d<\/em> with God!\u00a0 Since all of our sins are completely forgiven our natural \u201chostility\u201d<\/em> toward God (Romans 8:7) and God\u2019s righteous anger toward us is\u2014 gone! \u00a0We no longer have to fear God\u2019s justice.\u00a0 We no longer have to fear God\u2019s condemnation.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because through faith in what Jesus has done for<\/strong> us (Pointing to the cross) we are<\/strong> \u201cat peace\u201d<\/em> with the Almighty!<\/p>\n Since God the Son has given us the \u201csure and certain hope\u201d<\/em> of being \u201cat peace\u201d<\/em> with God we now have the \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> that through Jesus \u201cwe have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 Picture God\u2019s grace like a circle, dare we say a protective spiritual force field that completely surrounds us.\u00a0 Since we are inside the circle of God\u2019s grace, since we are surrounded by God\u2019s protection we can and do have \u201chope\u201d<\/em> no matter what situation we might find ourselves in.\u00a0 When Satan fires his \u201cflaming arrows\u201d<\/em> at us (Ephesians 6:16), when the world openly hates us and ridicules us because of our relationship with Jesus (John 15:18, 19), when our own sinful nature tries to lead us away from our Savior God (Romans 7:18-25), when other people try to convince us that there is something that we must do<\/strong> in order to be saved\u2014 some work or some penance or some decision that we<\/strong> are required to make \u2014 we have the \u201chope\u201d<\/em> the \u201cexpectation\u201d <\/em>that comes from knowing that they cannot harm us and they cannot deceive us!\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because we are standing in the circle of God\u2019s amazing protective grace!<\/p>\n Standing in the circle of God\u2019s amazing protective grace then gives us the ability to \u201crejoice in the hope, the expectation, of the glory of God.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The older we get the more we come to realize that we don\u2019t want to live here on this earth forever.\u00a0 The problems we face, the difficulties we encounter, the pain and the sadness we experience become more and more overwhelming as the years go by.\u00a0 The \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that the Son of God has given to<\/strong> us, the \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> that we have because of what Jesus has done for<\/strong> us keeps us focused\u2014 focused on receiving and sharing and enjoying \u201cthe glory of God\u201d<\/em> in heaven above for all of eternity!\u00a0 This \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> this \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> of receiving and enjoying and sharing in the \u201cglory of God\u201d<\/em> is why the writer to the Hebrews encourages us with these words, \u201cLet us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.\u00a0 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart\u201d<\/em> (Hebrews 12:2, 3).<\/p>\n Part Three:\u00a0 Our Triune God gives us hope\u2014 hope that is based on what God the Holy Spirit continues to do for<\/strong> us!\u00a0 Paul highlights this continuing \u201chope\u201d<\/em> that God the Holy Spirit gives to us when he says in our text, \u201cNot only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.\u00a0 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n What is the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> to which Paul is referring here?\u00a0 Is it the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that we endure in our life, the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that we witness on the evening news, the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that permeates this physical world as a result of the power and the presence of sin in this world?\u00a0 Or, is Paul talking about the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that we Christians endure as a result of our faith?\u00a0 I don\u2019t see this as an \u201ceither\/or\u201d type of situation.\u00a0 I see this as a \u201cboth\/and\u201d type of situation.<\/em>\u00a0 There is no denying the fact that sin has brought a tremendous amount of \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> into this world\u2014 tornados, fires and earthquakes, floods, droughts and famine, disease and disasters (both natural and man-made), terrorism and wars and ultimately\u2014 death.\u00a0 In addition to all the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that sin has brought into this world there is the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that you and I endure as we strive to openly live and boldly share our faith in Jesus as this world\u2019s only Savior from sin.<\/p>\n In the midst of all this \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> God the Holy Spirit continues to give us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 How does He continue to give us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>?\u00a0 He continues to give us \u201chope\u201d<\/em> by being the \u201cmeans\u201d by which God \u201cpours out his love into our hearts.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 And how does God the Holy Spirit accomplish this? You know the answer to that question.\u00a0 God the Holy Spirit accomplishes this through the precious Means of Grace\u2014 the Gospel as it comes to us in Word and Sacrament!<\/p>\n Think this through, my friends.\u00a0 Through His holy Word and through His holy Sacrament God the Holy Spirit continues to pour God\u2019s agape love into our hearts.\u00a0 That love then continues to give us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 That \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> that \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> of God\u2019s love and God\u2019s strength and God\u2019s protection enables us to \u201cpersevere\u201d<\/em>\u2014 even in the most difficult of times.\u00a0 As we \u201cpersevere\u201d<\/em> in our \u201csufferings\u201d<\/em> the \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> the \u201cexpectation,\u201d<\/em> of God\u2019s love and God\u2019s strength and God\u2019s protection develops our Christian \u201ccharacter\u201d<\/em>\u2014 the \u201ccharacter\u201d<\/em> that Job displayed when he refused to \u201ccurse God and die\u201d<\/em> just because of the \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> that had come into his life (Job 2:7-10); the \u201ccharacter\u201d<\/em> that Daniel displayed when he refused to bow down and pray to King Darius\u2014 even though he knew that his refusal would result in him \u201csuffering\u201d<\/em> by being thrown into a den of hungry lions!\u00a0 (Daniel 6)\u00a0 That Christian \u201ccharacter\u201d<\/em> then leads us to know deep down in our heart that the \u201chope,\u201d<\/em> the \u201cexpectation\u201d<\/em> of God\u2019s love and God\u2019s strength and God\u2019s protection does not and will not \u201cdisappoint\u201d<\/em> us.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because through God\u2019s holy Word and through God\u2019s holy Sacrament God the Holy Spirit continues to \u201cpour out God\u2019s love\u201d<\/em> into our hearts\u2014 the \u201clove\u201d<\/em> that continues to give us \u201chope\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 This \u201cpattern,\u201d if you will, this continuing work of God the Holy Spirit, is something that you and I depend upon each and every day!<\/p>\n While it is completely impossible for us to logically comprehend the Triune God with our finite little minds, my prayer this morning is that we will indeed rejoice in the truth which the apostle Paul proclaims to us on this Trinity Sunday:\u00a0 Our Triune God Gives Us Hope!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 It is the hope that comes from knowing that God the Father Himself has declared us:\u00a0 Not Guilty!\u00a0 It is the hope that comes from knowing that through faith in what God the Son has done for<\/strong> us we are at peace with God.\u00a0 We now stand in the circle of His amazing protective grace.\u00a0 It is the hope that God the Holy Spirit continues to give us as He continues to pour God\u2019s love into our hearts through His holy Word and His holy Sacrament.\u00a0 The fact that our Triune God gives us hope leads us to say:<\/p>\n To God be the glory!<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Trinity Sunday May 22, 2016 Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.\u00a0 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.\u00a0 Not only so, but we also rejoice in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":678,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions\/678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}