Worshipping the Triune God | Isaiah 6:1–7

To God the Glory

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

On this Trinity Sunday, it is appropriate to say some words about this most holy doctrine and the Athanasian Creed which teaches it to us so that we may better understand this God whom we worship. For how can we worship Him whom we do not know? But God has revealed Himself that we may know Him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; three persons, but one God. So, as the Athanasian Creed states, “we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.” This is a mystery, but it has been revealed to us in part by Holy Scripture so that we may speak as the Creed speaks.

Yet, does Scripture truly speak of Trinity and Unity as we have just confessed? Certainly, it does. Let us first look to Deuteronomy chapter 6 where Moses teaches us the words of the “Shema,” one of the earliest confessions of faith. The Shema is this, “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Dt 6:4). This is the most basic confession of faith so that all people would know that there is one God, and that all others are false gods. And who is this true God, the Lord, but the God of salvation? Time and time again throughout the Scriptures we are told that salvation belongs to the Lord and to no one else should we look to for help. To God alone belongs mercy and forgiveness. We confess that from God alone are we healed of our sin. As Jeremiah says, “the Lord is our righteousness” (Jer 23:6). And throughout the Psalter we are taught to pray to the one God for forgiveness and mercy.

Yet, we are also told in the Old Testament of the Son of Man, the Messiah, who is the Christ, who is given dominion and glory, whose kingdom will never come to an end, as we read in Daniel chapter 7, and who brings salvation and righteousness to His people. He is the righteous branch in whom all people shall take refuge. To the Son of Man, then, belongs all that also belongs to the Lord God. He performs the work of salvation which is said to belong to the Lord God alone. How can the Son possess the work of God if He were not the Lord God Himself? Beyond this, in Isaiah chapter 40, we read of a clear prophecy of John the Baptist who will, “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Is 40:3). But the Lord God whose way John the Baptist prepares is Jesus of Nazareth. thus we can say that the Son is one with the Lord God. But the Messiah is also spoken of as someone distinct from another, as we read in Psalm 2: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you,’” and again in Psalm 110, “The Lord says to my Lord, Sit at my right hand.”

This is only a small snapshot of the many hundreds of passages which depict for us the Unity of God and the Trinity of God. We see how the Son is treated as distinct from the Father, and yet they both possess all the works of God, especially the work of creation, ruler-ship, salvation, and redemption. So Athanasian Creed summarizes this doctrine taught by Holy Scripture in that statement “we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.” Thus, in Scripture we are taught to worship one God, three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Now, I want you to note that the Athanasian Creed does not teach us the Trinity for merely academic purposes. This Creed is not a doctrinal treatise for us to intellectually assent to. Instead, the Creed explicitly tells us that it is given so that we may have faith in the God of the Scriptures, that we may be saved for sin and death, and that we may worship Him. So we see that the Trinity is not a mere abstract doctrine, but it has a great practical purpose for us. Today, though, I want us especially to consider what it means for us to worship our triune God considering our Old Testament reading, Isaiah chapter 6.

In this reading we see a brilliant picture of the heavenly worship of God. It is important for us to take a look at such passages since we in the Church have something of a problem. No where in Scripture do we find clear, explicit instructions on how to order our worship services. Now, there are some things which are clearly laid out. The Lord’s Supper must be done according to Christ our Lord’s last will and testament, Baptism is performed with water and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can find instructions that tell us that we ought to gather together, to pray, have Scripture read, sing hymns, and listen to sermons, but that still leaves us with many gaps which need to be filled in.

This is often where we get in trouble. We must hold two things in mind. First, we ought not teach the traditions of men as if they were commands of God. Where God has not given an absolute command, we are given freedom to decide what is best in any given situation. Second, this does not mean we can do whatever we desire. Instead, we are given to look at the principles of worship and examples which are laid out in Scripture and to consider the needs of our neighbor when deciding how it is best for us to conduct our Church services. Additionally, the Divine Service has a particular goal and end to it that we should aim for. It is two-fold: that we would receive the gifts of God and give Him glory. So the question on our minds should be, how do we best receive the gifts of God and give Him glory?

The visions of the heavenly throne room and the worship of God there provide for us the perfect example of what worship should be like, for we see how the heavenly creatures and also those who have been purified from sin receive the glory of the Lord and worship Him forever. What then do we see? Consider for a moment the seraphim. They are, in their own right, glorious. Yet, when they stand before the Lord God they demonstrate great modesty and do not attempt to glorify themselves. With two wings they cover their faces and with two their feet. Even these chief angels consider it necessary to be meek and modest with respect to themselves. By their presentation of themselves they turn glory away from themselves and towards God. Let us learn modesty from these angels who act as brilliant examples for us and let us consider our own appearance before the Lord in this congregation, each according to his station and abilities, that we display modesty with respect to ourselves, and by our appearance give glory to God.

There is one respect in which the seraphim are not modest. They demonstrate no shame and no modesty with respect to the power they use to give glory to God. They cry out with a voice so loud that the very foundations of the heavenly throne room shake, singing the familiar hymn, “Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth; heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.” We imitate these angels as we sing the same song when we approach the Lord in His Holy Sacrament as is meet and right so to do. The angels give full power and voice to giving glory to God. Their whole attention and the fullness of their effort is directed to this duty given to them. Let us learn to do the same as we give praise and glory to God, let us sing with full voice, with gusto, as we give praise to God, without concern or self-consciousness for ourselves, but wholly attending to the glory of God.

This approach to worship is much different from that of the legalist. The legalist is not concerned for God in the least, but rather he is concerned with himself. The legalist does not ask, “how can I give glory to God using the gifts the Lord has given me?” as he should. Instead, the legalist asks, “what is the least I can do?” Again he asks, “what is the bare minimum needed from me to be in God’s good graces?” The legalist has a minimalist mindset. In the darkness of his mind he justifies doing the least that he thinks he can get away with. Anything beyond this arbitrary minimum is considered, by him, a great good work that is to be praised and rewarded.

The legalist is very particular about the details. He does not want to give more than his own fair share. When asked to sing, he responds, “how loud and how long?” Not so that he can be aligned with others to sing in harmony, but so that he might not expend any extra effort. When asked to give offerings, the legalist does not ask, as he should, “what is needed so that the good works of God may continue, so that my neighbor may be served, and so that God may be shown glory?” Instead he asks, “do I need to calculate my tithe before or after taxes?” An offering given to the Lord in this way is not acceptable in His sight. It is given for the man’s own benefit, to buy his way into heaven. Thus also with his singing, and all the rest of the works of his hands. Even if such a man gives more, sings better, and does more, all these things are worth much less than those things given and done by a man who only considers the glory of God and the needs of his neighbor. For this reason, our Lord Jesus rejected the great sums of money given by the pharisees and also their tithes of mint, dill, and cumin which they gave above and beyond the requirements of the Law, but Jesus received and praised the widow’s mite, the smallest of offerings, since she trusted in the mercy of the Lord.

Likewise, Jesus received and praised the woman who poured on Him expensive ointment from an alabaster flask and defender her from the disciples from charges of wastefulness. Giving glory to God from an honest and pure heart is a great and good work, pleasing in the eyes of God. Nor should we ever consider it to be wasteful or not worth our time. Consider, for example, the construction of the tabernacle in the desert. Israel at this time is a slave people, only recently freed from bondage, they have never had anything of great value or impressiveness, and now they live a precarious existence, on the edge of life and death in the desert and what do they do but give glory to God by building a magnificent tabernacle for the Lord to give praise to His name. Moses himself called upon the people in this way: “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece” (Ex 35:5–9). All these things were then given in abundance for use in building the tabernacle.

The Lord is a great God, who sits high and lifted up, above all other powers and principalities and His glory fills the heavens and the earth. If we give honor to earthly powers and authorities, which God Himself commands us to do, how much more worthy of honor is the Lord God? So let us praise Him with full voice and honor. Sing hymns to His name with full voice along with the heavenly angels and offer up to Him all that we have, since we first received it from Him. Hold nothing back, but let each one give as you are able with your hymns, your prayers, your offerings, your skillful works and abilities, that glory may be given to God above all other names in heaven and on earth.

Now the seraphim show one side to our Divine Service, that is, that we give God our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Isaiah the great Prophet demonstrates the other side of the Divine Service. When Isaiah sees the seraphim, majestic angels in their own right, covering their faces before the Lord in humility; when Isaiah hears their cries of praise; when Isaiah smells the smoke of the incense which fills the temple and realizes it to be an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord pleasing to Him; but most of all when Isaiah sees the Lord on His throne, high and lifted up, in all His glory and majesty; Isaiah the great Prophet is filled with fear.

Listen again to what he says: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). Even Isaiah knows himself to be a sinner who is not worthy to offer praise before the Lord, nor are his offerings worth anything to the Lord, nor is he worthy to pray before the Lord. Even more, Isaiah is contaminated by the evil sin and idolatry in Israel in his day. Judah was not a pious country in his day. Much like in our own day, when Isaiah went out in public he could not help but see much great shame and vice on full display. And even if he were a perfect saint, he could hardly have engaged in normal life without being roped into one sin or another. I doubt that any of us are better than Isaiah.

Again we imitate Isaiah as we say: “I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have every offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment.” Just like Isaiah, we are called to recognize that we do not deserve to stand in the presence of the Lord, but, on account of our sins, we deserve only punishment. Yet, what happens to Isaiah, and what happens to us after our confession? For Isaiah, a burning coal is taken from the altar of incense and placed upon his lips and he is told: “your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7). It is only after he has heard these words can Isaiah stand in the presence of the Lord, with full confidence and assurance that he, too, is a child of God. So, when the Lord says, “whom shall I send?” Isaiah is then able to stand up cry out before the heavenly angels and before the Lord Himself and say, “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). His sins being forgiven, he can speak and make pleasing sacrifices before the Lord of Sabaoth.

We, also, hear the comforting words of God who has commanded me to speak to all who repent of their sins and believe the Gospel, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” These words can only be spoken and only have any force because Christ our Lord has commanded me to speak them. Behind these words are the force and authority of God Himself who by this public preaching of the Gospel applies His grace to all who trust that Christ Jesus has truly died for all our sins. Christ Jesus has made the final, once-for-all atoning sacrifice that wipes away all sins for those who trust in Him, and He desires that all would trust in His grace.

And we, in the full confidence that are sins truly are atoned for, that they are forgiven, and that they taken away, can stand before God in full confidence and give Him praise and honor and make sacrifices of thanksgiving which are pleasing to Him. Thus we have the two parts of the Divine Service. First, that we receive the gifts of God, and most especially the forgiveness of sins. Second, that we offer our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, through our hymns, our offerings, and our prayers.

Let this all be done to the praise and glory of His name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.