Today being Holy Trinity Sunday, it does us good to meditate on what it means to trust in God above all things. For starters, we may ask: “who is God?” Well…we confess every single Sunday when we use the words of our creeds that He is triune; that is, He is three-in-one; not three separate Gods, but One God and three persons. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, all-righteous, and all-merciful and all-loving. Did you catch all those “alls” in that description? Almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing…. The Latin prefix would be “omni,” as in omnipotent/all powerful, omnipresent/everywhere present, omniscient/all knowing. Our appointed lessons for today speak to all these “omni” realities. For instance, we look to Isaiah, and we see a very clear image of the omnipotent, all-holy God in His heavenly throne room. The train of His robe fills the heavenly, smoke-filled temple. The very foundations of the thresholds of heaven shake when God speaks. The whole scene bespeaks power, might, and grandeur.
But we liturgical Lutheran Christians get all this, don’t we? God’s omnipotence isn’t an issue with us, is it? We know He’s all-powerful. We know He’s omnipresent. We know He’s with us always where He promises to be, and we also know that He’s omniscient; that is, He knows everything all the time. He knows what we’re going through. He knows our hearts. He knows us better than we do. We understand it. We believe it.
But…what about God’s wisdom? I’ll admit: in our earth bound clouded judgement, God doesn’t always seem so wise. We can say: “He works all things for the good of those who love Him”…, but we say: “I know that I would do certain things differently.” Why doesn’t God use all that power to heal us or our suffering loved one? Why doesn’t God work a miracle and make the crosses we’re bearing at the moment go away? Why does He allow them? Can’t you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar? Wouldn’t the sweet honey of prosperity and abundance and wellness work a lot better at making Christians than permitting us to languish under miserable crosses? Why doesn’t God make all the wicked ones and the false Christians who stand in opposition to Him be shamed and humbled to repent and come to the Truth? Surely, He could do it if He really wanted to. Why, God? Why don’t You do something?!
St. Paul gives us an answer. Writing to the Roman Christians, who were being persecuted and slaughtered simply because they were Christians, St. Paul points these suffering ones to the incomprehensible wisdom of their almighty and all-powerful God. “Oh, the depth and the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways!” Folks: This isn’t a lament. This is high praise!
Wait! What?! These Christians were being hunted down and slaughtered. Rome was beginning to increase their persecutions…and it was only going to get worse! They would soon be the “main event” to feed the animals at the coliseum. In less than 10 years, they would be the fuel for the city lamps. This isn’t like the “persecution” we Christians face here in America. There’s a lot more at stake than simply losing your cupcake business, your job or getting a 30 day ban on Facebook. Times were getting so tough for these Christians that they are literally forced underground, holding worship in catacombs—underground cemeteries. Consequently, they would be questioning God’s wisdom. They’re asking “why?” “Why is this happening to us? Why isn’t God doing something about this?” Sound familiar?
But here’s the thing: St. Paul doesn’t attempt to answer for God. Paul doesn’t delve into theodicy; that is, the practice of trying to give answer for God and explain why He is doing or acting in a certain way. St. Paul doesn’t do what we so often try to do. Rather, his answer to the age-old “why” question is to simply point to God’s unsearchable and inscrutable wisdom. “God is far smarter than any of us, and He knows what He’s doing! And His greatest will and act is to save us, from the damnation which our sins deserve by His Grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.”
It’s far easier to believe when things are going well in life, versus when life has hit the skids and all you see when you look around is uncertainty, darkness, death, despair, fear and sorrow. When you’re feeling the crushing weight of the crosses you bear, hearing that God’s wisdom is at work and He’s in control and He knows what He’s doing doesn’t exactly come across as very comforting sometimes. Sometimes it comes across as a harsh, Law-filled punch in the nose. It’s meant as Gospel, but it’s heard as very condemning Law. “God knows EXACTLY what He’s doing to you.”
But…this is where the words of Christ Himself in our Gospel lesson show us what God’s almighty wisdom and power is really all about. “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son to die for it, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” People, here, [the crucifix] is the wisdom of God, hung on a cross for all to see. Here is the unsearchable, inscrutable wisdom of God. Here is what it’s all about. Here is where every problem, every worry, every concern, every woe is ultimately directed to and answered. Here is the fullest expression of God’s powerful love, not just for you, but for all people…even the ones you don’t like. And this is wisdom that ONLY God can have. The wisdom of His grace and mercy meeting the demands of His Holy justice. God defies our logic by drawing out a plan of salvation that looks like death and defeat, forsakenness and horrific suffering for an innocent man! Yet there in the Son of God and Son of Man in His death is your victory and love and peace. He is the reason why God has not yet, destroyed the earth in totality, but has patience with all those who don’t know Him, who hate Him, and yes is patient even with us in our doubts and failures. God desires the death of no man. God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in their will and wisdom, their almighty power and knowledge desires that all turn and repent and confess their sins and hold fast to Him and His all-loving, all-merciful peace; the peace that is found ONLY in the all-atoning sacrifice of God Himself in the flesh—Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3 tells us: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”
This world is fallen, but God is holding it together for you. He uses the bad results of your sin and the sin around you to drive you ever closer to an appreciation of His redemption for you now and for the future. I cannot explain much more as to why this now? Or why me? Look to the cross. Behold His Truth for you. Here is almighty God, Jesus Christ—the wisdom, the love, the mercy, the righteousness of almighty God—in the flesh. In fact, here is the entire Holy Trinity at work…for you and your salvation. The almighty Father sent His Son to die for you; to make atonement for you, and by His grace, through the working of the Holy Spirit, you believe it. This same almighty Father still sends His Son to you to bring you His assurance of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and peace, no matter how foolishly bad things may seem on this side of eternity.
The only-begotten Son still holds out His pierced hands to you, beckoning you to turn around and come to and cleave to Him here in His cross, in Baptism, in Absolution, and in His Holy Supper. “Come to Me, all who are heavy-laden. Come, take, and eat.” “Those who have seen Me have seen the Father.” Yes, we still suffer. Yes, we still bear crosses. “My grace is sufficient. I know what I’m doing. I’m working all things for your good and for the good of all those who love Me. My grace is all-sufficient. You’re okay. I’ve got you.” The Holy Spirit of God, proceeding forth from the Father and the Son, works in us and enables to hear and see and receive these blessed realities of salvation. The Holy Spirit of God works that life-giving, life-saving miracle in you through the hearing of God’s voice—God’s Word—opening your ears, your hearts, and your minds to recognize and give thanks for the blessed joy and peace and wisdom that is Christ crucified; the joy and peace that is Immanuel in your midst in your soul.
Whatever you are going through or feeling, I point you to almighty God, whose voice cried out in victory, “It is finished,” and who still bears these scars as an eternal blessed reminder to His heavenly Father that all the work; all the requirements; all the wrath; all the suffering has all been paid all in full by Him for us. That’s a lot of “alls” too, isn’t it? All the full, righteous, and fiery wrath of God against sin was poured out on Christ…not us. I direct your ears of faith to His voice, which still cries out and proclaims your innocence, your justification, and your peace. Those words of absolution and benediction that you hear aren’t the mere words of men who simply like tradition. Those are the timeless and eternal words of God for you. By the working of His Holy Spirit, you believe and hold fast to these Words of Life, Wisdom, and Peace.
And then, you can understand it by faith; when you trust this God-given eternal wisdom, it shakes your foundations…for joy. Everything else in life tends to get put in proper perspective when you consider it in light of Jesus Christ. It’s all so simple, so powerful, so wise and beautiful because you see the prevalence of His grace and love through it all for now and for your eternal future. Everything else becomes a lot more palatable, manageable, bearable…even joyous. Everything else seems pretty foolish in the light of the cross of Jesus; the very wisdom of God in the flesh, as it all should.
This is the Christian faith, and the whole three persons of the one Divine Trinity have called you, and placed their name upon you, given you faith, declared you forgiven in Jesus Christ crucified, and will raise these bodies at the last to live with Him in His glory for eternity. God grant it for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas