Preaching on Trinity Sunday

When I was recently invited to preach at a local church on Trinity Sunday, I have to confess, I didn't quite know what to expect. I'm not hugely familiar with the liturgical church calendar and therefore had to do a little research of my own. But the opportunity to preach from Jesus' words—as recorded in "The Great Commission" passage of Matthew 28—excited me no small amount.

Last Sunday, Christians all over the world celebrated Pentecost Sunday—the event marking and celebrating 50 days after Easter. It is also celebrated to recognise the gift of the Holy Spirit outpoured on believers and the beginning of the church.

Today, a week after remembering these events, we turned to another event marked by some Christian denominations—Trinity Sunday. Unlike Pentecost Sunday, which marks a specific event in the history of the early church, Trinity Sunday is an invitation to reflect on a specific doctrine of the church—namely, the doctrine of the Trinity.

While I would want to make much of God the Trinity every Lord's Day through expository preaching and worship, I can see how a focused day in the church calendar can also be helpful.

The doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible’s teaching that affirms the oneness of God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The God of the universe is one in essence and three in person. In the Bible's story of redemption, the Trinity therefore reveals:

• God the Father as our Creator;

• God the Son as our Savior; and

• God the Holy Spirit as our Comforter.

While the word “Trinity” itself does not appear in the Bible (just like the word "Bible" doesn’t appear in the Bible), it is clearly and consistently taught throughout the Holy Scriptures. This was not a doctrine or teaching invented by the early church or some clever theologians. Instead, it is a revelation of the Divine Being as captured in the pages of Scripture itself.

In Matthew 28:16-20, we read:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Three lessons were drawn from this passage:

• The Conflicted Disciples (v. 17): Despite some of them doubting, Jesus does not disqualify them from the command to go.

• The Complete Command (vv. 19-20): Jesus issues a complete threefold command—to go, to baptise, and to teach.

• The Constant Comfort (v. 20): Finally, Jesus assures His disciples with the comfort of His presence, to the end of the age.

Recommended Reading

Finally, two books have recently helped me appreciate and explore ancient Christian creeds, confessions, and catechisms.

The first, Voddie Baucham's Expository Apologetics, makes a good argument for the importance of using the Scriptures as the primary source for answering objections to the Christian faith. But it also puts forward a strong case for adopting and being familiar with ancient creeds, confessions, and catechisms as tools for apologetics. I was particularly encouraged to see the Athanasian Creed had made Voddie's list of important creeds. As a foundational creed, it is a good summary on the subject of the Trinity and the equal nature of the three persons.

Another book that has helped me appreciate historic Christian creeds and confessions is Carl Trueman's 2024 book titled Crisis of Confidence. It expands on his 2012 work, The Creedal Imperative. In his latest book, Trueman argues the "no creed but the Bible" mantra is both contradictory and misleading. He analyses and then positively demonstrates how creeds and confessions can help the Christian church navigate today's culture, which is obsessed with individualism and identity.