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Pastoral Message The Holy TrinityFirst Sunday after PentecostJune 7, 2020

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

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