May 31, 2026 – Trinity Sunday

CHIMING OF THE HOUR

WELCOME

PRAYER
Creator God,
you called the universe into existence.
Like a mother,
you shaped us from the clay of the earth,
and your breath gave us life.
We praise you for your sustaining love and grace.
Fix our thoughts and focus our hearts on you,
that we might honor you
by caring for all of creation. Amen.

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Let us worship the Triune God.
Let us worship the One
who spoke in the beginning
and created something out of nothing.

Let us worship the Triune God.
Let us worship the One
who took on the clothing of humanity
to set those who were oppressed free.

Let us worship the Triune God.
Let us worship the One
whose Spirit rests continually upon us,
calling us from sorrow-filled endings
to bright new beginnings.

*HYMN No. 1 “Holy, Holy, Holy”
1 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2 Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3 Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinfulness thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.

4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

CALL TO CONFESSION
The triune God mercifully and graciously invites us into a relationship of wholeness.
In humility and truth, let us confess the sin that keeps us from the life God intends.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Triune God, within your own life there is mutuality, equality, and unity in diversity. Though we are made in your image, we confess that we distort the triune life. Instead of seeking mutual welfare and the common good, we seek our own gain. Instead of living in equality, justice, and respect, we construct systems that are unjust. We devise ways to elevate ourselves over others, and disrespectful thoughts, words, and actions still surface in us. We allow differences to divide us and lead to brokenness. Holy God, forgive us. Restore in us, and in our life together, the divine image you intend. Make us tender in mutuality. Make us generous in equality. Make us grateful in diversity. We pray to be one with you and one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Silence is observed

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Friends, we are still standing in the grace of Christ. Because God’s love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, we are set free to love God and
neighbor, and to work for the reconciliation of the world.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

*RESPONSE AFTER ASSURANCE NO. 581 “Glory Be to the Father”
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen, amen.

*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Before the foundation of the world Christ forgave us, and forgives us still today.
Let us forgive as we have been forgiven and share the peace of Christ.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.

Worshippers are invited to briefly “pass the peace” of Christ to those directly seated around them thus keeping our worship time “decent and in order” with a focus upon being part of God’s community.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Holy, Holy, Holy One, guide us by the Spirit of truth to hear the Word of life as you speak, and to give all glory, honor, and praise to your threefold name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Pause…

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!!

SERMON

“Somebody Didn’t Do as They Were Told…”
How good are you at doing what you’re told? For me, it all depends on who’s doing the telling. Throughout the account of Jesus’ death and resurrection there are a whole lot of examples of people telling other people what to do and what not to do. Pilate tells the religious authorities “You have a guard of soldiers. Go make the tomb as secure as you can.” (Mt 27:65) They did what they were told and sealed the stone.
The two Marys go to see the tomb and experience an earthquake, an angelic visitor and a set of instructions, to go tell the disciples to meet their Lord in Galilee. All of this is observed by the guards. The women do what they are told and tell the disciples what to do. The disciples obey their instructions and gather at the mountain in Galilee to wait for Jesus.
Some of the guard go the priests to tell them about the miraculous events they have witnessed. They are told to say his disciples stole the body and they are paid off. At this point, somebody breaks rank and doesn’t do what they are told. Because If everyone in the guard had done what they were told – if they kept had quiet about earthquake, rolled stone, and angel, if they had instead spread the grave robbing story, how do we explain the next sentence: “And this story is still told among the Jews to this day?” (Mt 28:15)
Apparently, some member of the guard did not do as he was told. Somebody spilled the beans, leaked the story, engaged in an act of civil disobedience. And in doing so, they anticipated Jesus’ commandment that was to come in Matthew 28:16-20. Somebody started spreading the good news that alone can overcome the bad news.
And now it’s our turn.
In this closing scene from Matthew’s gospel, we are clearly told by a trusted source what to do: “Go 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’ve commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20)
The location of the instructions, a mountaintop, underscores the importance of obeying the instructions. Mountains in Matthew’s gospel are places where Jesus’ authoritative teaching and divine identity are revealed. They include the mountain in the temptation where Jesus rejects false authority (4:8), the mount on which Jesus teaches with authority (5:1), the mountain on which the feeding of the four thousand occurs (15:29), and the mountain of the Transfiguration (17:1). (Patte, 398)
Obedient to the women’s command, the disciples have gathered. Well, eleven of them at least. The phrase “the eleven disciples” (28:16) instead of the customary “the Twelve,” reminds the reader of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denials and that all were scattered, scandalized by Jesus’ death (26:30-35). It is to these less than perfect disciples that Jesus gives the responsibility and authority to “make disciples of all nations.” (28:19a) (Patte, 397) Apparently, we don’t have to have perfect pasts to take Jesus’ message into others’ futures.
“ When they saw him, they worshiped him but some doubted” (28:17) It would seem that those who worshiped Jesus had some hesitation mingled in with their worship. Jesus entrusts authority to make disciples to doubting disciples. There is a contrast between these disciples and the women. The women, when seeing Jesus, worship him (28:9). Their fear does not cancel out their joy, worship or obedience. The disciples do not initially acknowledge that it is God’s power that raised Jesus. The women never questioned this. (Patte 398) Even the guards and the priests and elders showed a little bit of faith, in the form of the fear that God was behind the empty tomb. Why else go to such pains to stage a cover up?
By contrast with the disciples in Mark, who never seem to learn much, the disciples in Matthew do grow in faith. They are a work in progress. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ pet name for the disciples is “little faith ones.” (Mt 6:30; 8:26) Faith the size of a grain of mustard seed is all they need, and it is enough. After the resurrected Jesus speaks to the disciples at the end of Matthew’s gospel, they believe. As a mentor once told me, “It’s not where you start out, it’s where you end up.” They get there eventually, if not immediately. The witness of the rest of the New Testament shows us the disciples preaching, teaching, healing and sacrificing their lives when necessary. (Patte, 399) Jesus’ commission to make disciples of all nations comes with the assurance that he will be with them to the end of the age.
Clearly, we are to do what Jesus tells us to do. The goal of the Christian Church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The message of this closing scene in Matthew is that any and everybody is called to make disciples any and everywhere. With no excuses, no postponements of justice, and no obstacles that God can’t do something about.
Bob Ekblad in his Book Reading the Bible with the Damned, a book based on his ministry with prisoners and small group Bible study, tells of a conversation with a prisoner named Manny who was in a period of depression.
Do you feel God’s Presence there with you Manny?” I ask.
“Yea man, I do,” said Manny.
“What’s it like?” I ask. “When do you feel it?”
“Well like today man. Today I felt it.”
“Tell me about it,” I said, “That is if you want to.”
Manny told me how he and Pookie, another guy I know who happens to be in the solitary confinement cell on the floor directly above him, have been talking. He told me how they discovered that if they flush their toilets at the same time, emptying the water between them, they can talk through the toilet bowls.
He tells me that just that morning he had read a Psalm to Pookie.
“I read him the twenty-third Psalm. That’s my favorite,” said Manny. “It really touched him, man,” continued Manny. “And it really touched me that it touched my brother.”
Jesus has told us clearly what to do. How good are you at doing what you are told? How good are we at not allowing arrogance, negative patterns from the past and doubts to hold us back from making disciples for Jesus Christ? We can’t afford to wait until we are perfect and conditions are optimal to make disciples. Recent events show how deeply mired our nation is in systemic, cyclical racism and violence. These times call for disciples who are willing to speak out, acknowledging their own complicity and despite their fears of opposition.
It’s past time to remain forever trapped on the mountain in this closing scene from Matthew, mired in doubts and excuses.
When I need motivation to move off that mountain, I look to the unsung, unlikely, unknown evangelist and practitioner of civil disobedience in this story: that anonymous member of the guard who could not bring himself to keep the good news a secret.

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 27-28:
What do you believe about the Church of Christ?
We believe and confess one single catholic or universal church- a holy congregation and gathering of true Christian believers.

And what binds them all together?
They await their entire salvation in Jesus Christ, are washed by his blood, and sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

When did this church begin?
This church has existed from the beginning of the world and will last until the end, as appears from the fact that Christ is eternal King who cannot be without subjects.

Will God protect his Church from its enemies?
This holy church is preserved by God against the rage of the whole world, even though for a time it may appear very small as though it were snuffed out.

How big is this Church?
This holy church is not confined, bound, or limited to a certain place or certain persons. But it is spread and dispersed throughout the entire world, though still joined and united in heart and will, in one and the same Spirit, by the power of faith.

How important is church membership?
We believe that since this holy assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved and there is no salvation apart from it, no one ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself, regardless of his status or condition.

What is our obligation and duty toward the church of Christ?
All people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and by serving to build up one another, according to the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same body.

*HYMN No. 300 “We Are One in the Spirit”
1 We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord;
we are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord,
and we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

Refrain:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2 We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand;
we will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand,
and together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land: (Refrain)

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

3 We will work with each other; we will work side by side;
we will work with each other; we will work side by side,
and we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride: (Refrain)

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

4 All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
and all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son,
and all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one: (Refrain)

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

THE PASTORAL PRAYER
& THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gracious and loving God, hear us now, we pray, as we bring to you our prayers and concerns for the world around us.

We pray for the world around us. Where there is oppression and injustice, may your kingdom come. Where there is war and violence, may your peace reign. May we each work for the good of others, around the world and close to home.

We pray for our nation. It seems as if our divisions and enmities define us. We have lost the vision of our nation as a source of great hope for all. We have forgotten about the greater good and gotten lost in our special interests. Forgive us, God of unity, and guide us again to seeing the humanity in one another, regardless of political position.

We pray for our communities. May the local church be the source of hope and help in each place where we live. May our witness be strong and sure in the neediest in our communities, and may our churches work for a better future for all.

We pray for all who are sick or suffering. As Jesus was near to those who suffered, teach us to do the same. Teach us to serve as Jesus did and to surround those who need your special care with your peace that surpasses all understanding.

Lastly, Lord, teach us your ways and grow us into the disciples you want us to be. We pray all these things in the name of the one who taught us to pray, saying, “Our Father…”.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

PASSING OF FELLOWSHIP PADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

TITHES & OFFERINGS
Having heard of God’s love and grace to us all, let us give all that we are to God. Let us give too of what we have for God’s work in the world.

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

*RESPONSE N0. 606
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Come”
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Holy God, all that we have and all that we are is a gift from you. We dedicate these gifts given this day to your work of making disciples in this time and place. Amen.

*HYMN No. 8 “Eternal Father, Strong to Save”
1 Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm has bound the restless wave,
who bade the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

2 O Savior, whose almighty word
the winds and waves submissive heard,
who walked upon the foaming deep,
and calm amid its rage did sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

3 O Holy Spirit, who did brood
upon the chaos wild and rude,
and bade its angry tumult cease,
and gave, for fierce confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

4 O Trinity of love and power,
all travelers guard in danger’s hour;
from rock and tempest, fire and foe,
protect them wheresoe’er they go;
thus evermore shall rise to thee
glad praise from air and land and sea.

*BENEDICTION
Go, therefore, because you are children of the Triune God and partners in God’s work of light, life, and love that even now is at work all around us. May the mystery of the Trinity enfold you, the glory of the Trinity astound you, and the love of the Trinity companion you on your way. Amen.

*POSTLUDE