The Holy Trinity (July 15, 2025)

Undivided Attention – Part 1: “Undivided Peace”

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

We live in a world where a thousand things compete for our attention. And because of this, there is the real danger that we focus on the frivolous and ignore the indispensable.

We often talk about the importance of being “free from distraction.” But the stakes are higher than that. We need to be freed from distraction. We need the spiritual power to give our undivided attention to that which truly makes a difference, not only here and now, but also in eternity.

A life focused on all the right things is only possible because of a Savior who is always focused on us. On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to give his followers power and focus. Still today, through his Word and Sacraments, Jesus grants those gifts to his disciples.

Today marks the beginning of the second half of the Church Year.

In the first half, our focus was on the life of Christ. In this second half, we turn our attention to all the teachings of Christ.

Today we also begin a new sermon series entitled, "Undivided Attention.”

Over the next nine-weeks we will explore why focusing our hearts and minds on what truly matters is so important.

Each week, we'll delve into a specific aspect of the faith, lighting the path to a life anchored in the love and purpose of God.

Today our theme is “Undivided Peace”. This is the foundation of our series: the peace that God gives us through the Holy Trinity— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This peace is the groundwork upon which undivided attention is built.

I. The Longing for Peace in a Broken World

We live in a world that is aching for peace.

Whether it’s the tensions flaring in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, or the unrest that brews in our own hearts and homes, peace often feels elusive.

Wars rage. Relationships break down. Minds race with worry.

In so many ways— globally, nationally, locally, personally— we are reminded that true and lasting peace does not come naturally. We may call summits and write treaties. We may light candles or say all the right affirmations. But human solutions cannot mend what sin has broken.

And yet, here we are today— on Holy Trinity Sunday— gathered in the name of the Triune God who gives peace. We’re not here to invent peace or earn it. We’re here to receive it.

Today’s epistle reading from Romans 5 lifts our eyes to a different kind of peace— divine peace, flowing from the very heart of God. Not a temporary ceasefire. Not an emotional coping mechanism. But the peace of God Himself, granted through

the Father’s love,

secured by the Son’s sacrifice,

and poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s delve into how the Triune God gives undivided peace— a peace far greater than this world can give.

II. The Father’s Love: Peace Begins in the Heart of God

All true peace starts with the Father’s decision to love.

Before time began, before creation, before the fall— the Father willed to redeem.

His love is not conditional. His love is not earned or provoked. It is eternal, initiating love.

Jesus said,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” (John 3:16)

That love doesn’t wait for us to be worthy.

It sends the Son to make us worthy.

So when Paul says in Romans 5:1, “we have peace with God,” he means this:

God is no longer your enemy.

God’s wrath against you has been satisfied.

God is not your judge.

God is your Father—

and He wanted you long before you wanted Him.

Thus, we see that the Father’s love is the bedrock of our peace.

Transition:

That is the Father’s Love: Peace Begins in the Heart of God, which He initiates.

So we’ll see how this love took action in the sending of His Son.

Just as the Father’s love laid the groundwork, so the Son’s sacrifice became the very means by which peace was secured for us.

III. The Son’s Sacrifice: Peace Secured at the Cross

If the Father’s love is the foundation, the cross of Jesus is the cornerstone.

“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

This peace wasn’t cheap. It was purchased at a price.

Christ bore our sin. Christ endured God’s wrath in our place. Christ endured our death. Christ took upon Himself the judgment that stood between us and God.

He tore down the dividing wall. He reconciled us through His blood.

And there upon the cross He didn’t say, “It has begun.” No. He said, “It is finished.”

The war is over. The verdict is in. Peace is declared—not by treaty, but by atonement.

Through the Son, we are no longer at odds with God— we are His reconciled people.

Transition: As we rest in the reality that peace has been secured at the cross through Jesus Christ, we move to the role of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit takes what has been accomplished and makes it tangible in our daily lives. Let’s dive in to see how this divine peace, secured by the Son, is poured into our hearts by the Spirit.

IV. The Spirit’s Assurance: Peace Poured into the Heart

Paul writes,

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

The Holy Spirit is not an observer. He is the presence of God in the life of the believer.

He brings the Father’s love and the Son’s peace into the core of who we are.

He convinces us it’s true—even when we doubt.

He keeps us anchored—even in trials.

And how does He do this?

Through the Word preached.

Through the water poured in Baptism.

Through the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper.

Through daily renewal in Christ.

It is not trickled. It’s not rationed. It is Poured into our hearts—abundantly and graciously.

With the peace of God living in us through the Holy Spirit, we are reminded of the blessing that this brings into our lives. From ancient times to today, God places His name upon us, assuring us of His peace by the words spoken over us. This covenant promise, spoken through the priestly blessing, continues to resonate in our worship and lives.

V. The Blessing Spoken Over Us: The Name that Grants Peace

In our OT reading from Numbers 6, the Lord gave Aaron a blessing to place upon Israel:

“The Lord bless you and keep you… The Lord make His face shine upon you… The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

Three lines. One name. Threefold blessing.

God says:

“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27)

This isn’t poetry—it’s a covenant promise.

And that promise continues for us today in Holy Baptism, where we are marked with the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In that name we are claimed. In that name we are forgiven. In that name we are sent.

And in that name, we live with peace—the peace of belonging to God.

Transition:

So every time that blessing is spoken—whether at the font or at the close of worship— you are not simply being dismissed.

You are being sent as one who carries the name of the Triune God.

And it’s here, in that name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—that we find a perfect image of what it means to live in loving relationship.

And today, this message ties beautifully into Father’s Day. We reflect on the fathers who mirror God’s love, recognizing both the joys and sorrows this day may bring and turning our eyes to our Heavenly Father whose love is unfailing.

VI. A Father's Day Reflection: Resting in the Father's Love

We do give thanks for fathers who reflect God’s love—

for their protection, their teaching, their encouragement, their steadiness.

We also grieve the absence of such fathers—whether due to death, distance, or disappointment.

But Holy Trinity Sunday reminds us: You have a Father.

One who never fails. One whose love does not change. One who has brought you into His family forever.

Paul says in Galatians 4:

“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”

This is the deep peace of knowing you are not forgotten. You are not fatherless. You are named, loved, and held by God.

Transition:

So whether you rejoice today in the presence of a faithful earthly father, or you carry sorrow because of absence, loss, or longing— know this: you do not stand alone.

In reality, you stand in the care of a perfect Father,

whose love is steadfast,

whose promises are sure,

and whose peace is undivided.

Now, let us turn to how that peace shapes our daily lives.

VII. Living in Undivided Peace

Paul doesn’t stop at peace as a position. He describes peace as a path.

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.” (Romans 5:3–5)

We have seen how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together to establish peace for us—peace with God and peace within.

But how do we remain in that peace when the world around us trembles, when our lives feel shaken, when even our own hearts condemn us?

God has not left us to guess or grope in the dark for comfort.

No, our Triune God sustains us in His peace by drawing us again and again to where He is always present and always faithful— in His Word and Sacraments. 

This is not theoretical or symbolic; this is real.

In the preached Word, the Spirit continues to speak Christ’s peace into our troubled hearts— declaring forgiveness, strengthening faith, and reminding us who we are in Christ.

In Holy Baptism, we are marked with the name of the Triune God— a name placed upon us not just once long ago, but continually as we live in the daily washing of repentance and renewal.

In the Lord’s Supper, Christ Himself gives us His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of our faith. Here, at His table, we receive a foretaste of the heavenly peace to come— a peace not earned or imagined, but given.

So, it’s not surprising, then, that we often hear in the worship service these words: “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” 

That’s not just a liturgical formality— it’s a declaration. It’s the Triune God saying once again,  “You are mine. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

So we leave this place not to escape the world, but to walk through it bearing a peace that passes understanding—

anchored in the Father’s love,

secured by the Son’s sacrifice,

and sustained by the Spirit’s ongoing work through the means of grace.

This is undivided peace, and it is yours.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Gracious and eternal God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—we praise You for revealing Yourself not as a distant mystery, but as the God who draws near in mercy and truth. You are the Author of peace, the Redeemer who secured it, and the Spirit who pours it into our hearts.

Keep us steadfast in this peace. When we are troubled, speak to us through Your Word. When we are weary, refresh us with Your promises. When we feel alone, remind us that we are baptized into Your name. And when we hunger for assurance, feed us at Your Table with Christ Himself.

Let the peace we have with You shape every step we take—at home, at work, in the world, and within Your Church—until at last we see You face to face and rejoice in Your undivided presence forever.

We pray in the strong name of Jesus, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church – Holy Trinity Sunday

Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

Almighty and eternal God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— We praise You for revealing Yourself not only as the one true God, but also as the God who has drawn near to us in grace. Thank You for the peace that comes from knowing You as Father who loves, the Son who saves, and the Spirit who sanctifies. Lord, in Your mercy. Hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, On this Father’s Day, we give You thanks for faithful fathers and those who have served in the role of a father in our lives. Grant them strength and wisdom to reflect Your fatherly love. Comfort all who grieve this day, and assure the lonely that they are never abandoned in Your care. Lord, in Your mercy. Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace, You have justified us by Your blood and given us access to the Father’s grace. In a world full of division and anxiety, lead Your Church to stand firm in the peace You provide. Help us, as Your forgiven people, to rejoice even in suffering, trusting that You are shaping us for eternal glory. Lord, in Your mercy. Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, Comforter and Counselor, Pour into our hearts the love of God and deepen our faith. Strengthen those who suffer, those who are persecuted for the faith, and those bearing burdens of body or soul. Especially we remember before You… [Include names of those sick, hospitalized, grieving, or in need] Grant them endurance, character, and hope that does not disappoint. Lord, in Your mercy. Hear our prayer.

Triune God, giver of life and peace, Bless this congregation in its worship and witness. Guide us to proclaim with clarity and joy the mystery of Your name. Grant undivided attention in our lives to You alone, and help us to be a people marked by Your peace. Lord, in Your mercy. Hear our prayer.

We also pray for peace in the Middle East—especially amid the rising tensions and violence between Israel and Iran. Merciful Lord, look with compassion upon all who suffer from fear, injury, displacement, or the loss of life. Restrain those who incite war, protect the innocent, and guide the nations toward just and lasting peace. Strengthen Your Church in the region, that it may be a witness to the peace that surpasses understanding, found only in Christ.

Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, now and forever. Amen.