Dear Christian friends:

Deuteronomy 4:39 "Know and think about this today - Jehovah is God both in heaven and on earth - there is no other."

Every Sunday we worship the Holy Triune God. Every Sunday we begin our worship service in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, today we give special praise and honor to the Holy Trinity, because today is Trinity Sunday.

The three-in-one God is the only true God. Churches that worship the Trinity are worshipping the true God, and churches that do not worship the Trinity have a false God. There are many churches which do believe in the Holy Trinity. Also here in California we find many churches which do not teach the Holy Trinity. We need to be aware of them and not be deceived by their false teaching. If a person does not believe in the Holy Trinity he cannot be saved. So it is very important for us to know that teaching and firmly believe it.

The lessons for this Sunday teach about the Holy Trinity. Our text is the Old Testament lesson for this Sunday and it, too, teaches about the Trinity. So let us attend to our text and be impressed that


In our text Moses reminds the people of Israel about the true God. He says, "Jehovah is God." The Jewish language has several names for God. When the Jews used the name JEHOVAH they wanted to emphasize God's mercy and love for sinners, JEHOVAH, the God who shows mercy and sends a Savior, He is the true God. The false gods of the other nations show no love and mercy for sinners. That is what Moses means when he tells the people, "Jehovah is God."

The names Jehovah and Trinity are the same because those names mean the God who shows mercy to sinners and sends His Son to be their Savior. You will not find the name TRINITY in the Bible, but the teaching of one God in three persons you will find in the Bible many times. The chief teaching of the Bible is that God the Father loved the sinful world and sent His only Son to become a Man so that He could take our place under the law and also take our place on the cross. (John 3:16; Galatians 4:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:19 and many others) Not only did the Father send His Son, but when the Son had finished His work on earth and had ascended into heaven, the Father sent His Spirit to live in men's hearts. (John 14:26)

The first half of the church year also teaches and emphasizes the Holy Trinity. During the past six months we have again lived through the wonderful events that the Triune God has done for us. During the Advent- Christmas season we saw again how God the Father loved the world and sent His Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. At Christmas time we chiefly praise the Father, the first person of the Trinity. During the Epiphany- Lenten-Easter seasons we saw again how Jesus, the Son, the second person of the Trinity, obeyed the Father and did all that the Father commanded Him to do, even died on the cross to save us. Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, and we heard again, as we do each year, about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. We heard how the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to give new birth and new life. The Holy Spirit teaches us and urges us through Word and Sacrament to believe in Jesus and rejoice in Him.

The true God is the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is no other God! In our text Moses says, "Know and think about this today - Jehovah is God both in heaven and on earth - there is no other." Therefore we must worship and serve the Triune God only. We must not have other gods. Other gods are zero. We must not go to churches or support churches that do not teach and believe in the Holy Trinity. Those churches have not the God who shows mercy and forgiveness to sinners. They know not the way to heaven and to eternal joy. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man goes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

But now I must warn you! Don't think that you are better than other churches or others who belong to those churches who have not the Trinity. If you are proud and brag to those others and say, "You have a false god! Your god is zero! I have the true God. I, I, I, --," then you show that you yourself do not have the Holy Spirit living in your heart. If you really know the Trinity, you will be humble and show patience and mercy to others who yet do not know Him. You will wait for a good opportunity to talk to them in a kind way with love so you can perhaps win some of them to believe in the true God. St. Peter urges us to be humble and kind when we talk to others about our faith and hope. He writes, "Do not be afraid of men, and do not worry. But reverence Christ in your hearts, and make Him your Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you. But do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:14-16)

Peter has very good advice for us that we speak to others about our faith with kindness and respect. Notice also that Peter says we should "be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have." Usually it is wise to be patient and wait until someone asks you about your faith. If you cut-in and volunteer, the person may not be ready to listen to you. But if you have patience and wait for the person to ask you, then you know he is ready and wants to hear about your God. Also, if you are a good, kind Christian person in your daily life, others will notice you and become curious about why you are so nice a person, and they will ask you. Then you will have a good opportunity to tell about our wonderful God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In the Gospel lesson for this Sunday we read how Jesus commanded His followers to go and teach all nations and baptize the people in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Think about that wonderful work we can do for our God. We can talk to people and teach them about Jesus. Then they will accept baptism in the name of the Trinity, the God who shows mercy and forgives sins.

The Holy Trinity is God - there is no other who can save us. So believe in Him and serve Him only!

Amen.