Pastoral Message
(for members and friends of)
Geeseytown and Newry Lutheran Churches
The Holy Trinity
First Sunday after Pentecost
June 7, 2020
We begin by remembering:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:18-19)
Let us pray:
Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your
glory, eternal Three-in-One, and we praise your power,
majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith,
defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your
presence, where you live in endless joy and love. Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20
Thoughts from the Pastor:
This Sunday we celebrate living in the community of
the Trinity. As I thought about this theme, I remembered
what Dietrich Bonhoeffer taught about life together in the
community. In his book titled, "Life Together" he comments,
"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in
Jesus Christ." Without Jesus Christ we cannot make
disciples of anyone or baptize them. Our scripture from
Matthew has a title, "The Commission of the Disciples."
Some biblical scholars also title this scripture as the "Great
Commission."
Of course, this scripture has been utilized by many
evangelists throughout the 20
th Century and 21
st Century in
leading people to Jesus Christ. Still, there is another
important function of this scripture, which is showing us who
we really belong to in our lives, family, and the church and
how we are part of the trinity. And that person is obviously,
Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Savior connects us to the trinity.
But how did Jesus do this for us? Again, Bonhoeffer, gives
us the answer, "We belong to one another only through and
in Jesus Christ."
Now if you are wondering what does this mean in your
life and ministry, Bonheoffer explains it in three statements:
First, a Christian needs others because of Jesus. Secondly,
a Christian comes to others only through Jesus and third in
Jesus we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time,
and united for eternity. When Jesus tells his disciples to go
into all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, you can do all this because
you are already chosen, accepted, and united with God from
eternity. In other words, God chose you to be connected to
part of the trinity through Jesus. When you tell your faith
story to others, it happens because you were chosen by God
through Jesus to do it.
My friends, this happened to us because it is grace,
nothing but grace from God that we are allowed to live in a
community, the church, with other Christians. When we look
carefully at Martin Luther’s statement, "You are saved by
Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ," we need to realize this
grace happened to us because we were chosen from
eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity. Yes, it is
true we are all eternal citizens of heaven, and it happened
because of God’s grace and love for us.
Yours In Christ,
Pastor Dick Henry