Pastor Martin's Message for JUNE 2009

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped 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, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20

Throughout the Four Gospels there are numerous accounts of the Triune God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One such visual account of our Triune God is at Jesus' baptism found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as Jesus comes out of the water of his baptism and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove and a voice from our Heavenly Father speaks to who Jesus is. It is only in the Gospel of Matthew referred to as The Great Commission, that Jesus makes reference to the Triune God, as we are to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The observance of Trinity Sunday began in the 14thCentury, which was a time of turmoil, with declining expectations, a loss of confidence in institutions and a feeling of helplessness at what was beyond human control. Focusing upon who the Triune God is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, helped the people of that day know who was ultimately in control and who they could rely on. Though this is not the 14^th Century, we do find ourselves in a time of turmoil, with declining expectations, a loss of confidence in many institutions and many have feelings of helplessness at what is beyond our control. Like the 14^th Century, we need to return to all of who our Triune God is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit so that we can be reminded and reassured who is ultimately in control and who we can rely on always!

There are countless resources that can bring us back to focusing upon who God is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, some very helpful and others not helpful at all. A recent "read" I had while I was on vacation with family in January is the highly recommended book from William P. Young "The Shack." In Young's book, he focuses upon the main character Mack who he and his family suffer a tragic loss while on vacation, and then much later he is invited to return to the shack where the tragedy occurred. Without revealing too much about the book, once Mack is at the shack, he experiences the Triune God in a very powerful, loving and forgiving way. When I have talked to people about Shack," they either love or hate the book for the story or for the creative way God is portrayed as Father, Son and Holy 'Spirit. In these summer months, I too would recommend William P. Young's "The Shack." Not recommending a deeply theological understanding of who our Triune God is, but rather another creative way to see who God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be, who we need to be reminded and reassured who is ultimately in control and who we can rely on always. This coming Trinity Sunday, June 7 and throughout the Season of Pentecost, we will put on our green and grow in our Christian faith focusing on who our Triune God is who is ultimately in control and who we can rely on in this time of turmoil, declining expectation, loss of confidence in many institutions and feelings of helplessness in what is beyond our control. May our Triune God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless us in all who our Triune God is and help us to grow in our faith, in who ultimately is in control and who we need to rely on always!

Pastor Martin