First Service
THE HOLY TRINITY
Beyond Comprehension
May 31, 2026
AS WE GATHER
We usually think of ourselves as small, humble creatures. We are subject to the creation in which we live and often are at the mercy of
the forces around us. But we are reminded in Genesis that we are the crown of God’s creation, part and parcel of all He has made. We
cannot understand Him, but we know enough. That is Peter’s reminder to those who executed Jesus: He did not stay dead but was able to
overcome the forces opposed to Him—for us! We have work to do, Jesus tells the disciples and us in the Gospel. But we do not have to
do it alone. Though we cannot understand Him, God is with us each day in His strength, mercy, and forgiving love. In short, we need not
comprehend our great God; we only receive all the love He has for us. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm
8:1).
+ PREPARATION +
HYMN Crown Him with Many Crowns TLH 341 vs 1, 3-5
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns all music but its own!
Awake my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King thro’ all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of love! Behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wond’ring eye at mysteries so bright.
Crown Him the Lord of Life! Who triumphed o’er the grave;
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring and lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of heav’n! Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, For He is King of all.
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 8:1; Genesis 1:3, 31
Pastor: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
People: You have set Your glory above the heavens.
Pastor: And God said, “Let there be light,”
People: and there was light.
Pastor: And God saw everything that He had made,
People: and behold, it was very good.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: Let us come before God with our sins to acknowledge them before Him and in the presence of one another.
People: Heavenly Father, we confess that we have failed to be the people You have created us to be. We daily miss the mark of being very good, and we fail to be Your representatives in the care of Your good creation. With the early disciples, although we do believe, sometimes we doubt. Only by Your grace are we able to come before You and find peace and joy. Remind us of Your great love and mercy for us.
Pastor: Jesus has joyful work for us to do. He has commanded us to go, teach, and baptize. And, despite our sins, He also promised, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God’s majesty is not only in creating the world in which we live but in loving us despite our daily failures. He sent His Son to forgive our every sin. As David wrote, “I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken” (Acts 2:25).
As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
+ WORD +
HYMN OF PRAISE Glory Be to God the Father LSB 506
Glory be to the God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Glory by to God the Spirit: great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory while eternal ages run!
Glory be to Him who loved us, washed us from each spot and stain;
Glory be to Him who bought us, made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory to the Lamb that once was slain!
Glory to the King of angels, glory to the Church’s King,
Glory to the King of nations; Heav’n and earth, your praises bring!
Glory, glory to the King of glory sing!
Glory, blessing, praise eternal! Thus the choir of angels sings;
Honor, riches, pow’r dominion! Thus its praise creations brings.
Glory, glory, glory to the King of Kings!
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 1:1–2:4a (God creates all that exists.)
Lector: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.
People: And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Lector: And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse.
People: And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
Lector: And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together He called Seas.
People: And God saw that it was good.
Lector: And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.”
People: And it was so.
Lector: The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind.
People: And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Lector: And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.”
People: And it was so.
Lector: And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.
People: And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Lector: And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
People: And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
Lector: And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind.
People: And God saw that it was good.
Lector: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
People: So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them.
Lector: And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that He had made, and behold,
People: it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Lector: Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
READING Acts 2:14a, 22–36 (Peter tells the Good News to those who crucified our Lord.)
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them:
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 28:16–20 (Jesus promises to accompany His followers.)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN Holy God, We Praise Your Name TLH 250
Holy God, we praise Thy Name. Lord of all, we bow before Thee.
All on earth Thy scepter claim, all in heav’n above adore Thee.
Infinite Thy vast domain, everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark, the glad celestial hymn. Angel choirs above are raising.
Cherubim and seraphim in unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heav’ns with sweet accord; Holy, holy, holy Lord.
Lo, th’ apostles’ holy train Join Thy sacred name to hallow;
Prophets swell the glad refrain, And the white-robed martyrs follow
And from morn to set of sun Thro’ the Church the song goes on.
Holy Father, holy Son, Holy Spirit, three we name Thee,
Though in essence only one, undivided God we claim Thee.
And adoring, bend the knee while we own the mystery.
SERMON
ATHANASIAN CREED
Pastor: Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.
People: Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.
Pastor: And the catholic faith is this,
People: that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
Pastor: For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
People: But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Pastor: Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
People: the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
Pastor: the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
People: the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
Pastor: And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
People: just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.
Pastor: In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty;
People: and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
Pastor: So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
People: and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
Pastor: So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
People: and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
Pastor: Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.
People: The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
Pastor: The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
People: The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.
Pastor: Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
People: And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
Pastor: but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
People: Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.
Pastor: But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
People: Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
Pastor: He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age:
People: perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
Pastor: equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
People: Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
Pastor: one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
People: one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
Pastor: For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,
People: who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead,
Pastor: ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
People: At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
Pastor: And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.
People: This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved
GREETING/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Psalm 8:2, 4–6, 9
Pastor: Let us pray for the world around us, all people, and ourselves.
“Out of the mouth of babes and infants, You have established strength.” Grant wisdom and love for families in and beyond this congregation, O Lord. We give thanks for growing families and that they grow stronger in love as You guide and protect them.
People: Gracious God, hear our prayer.
Pastor: “When I look at Your heavens, . . . what is man that You are mindful of him.”
Grant humility to all of us. Grant that we grow in faith toward You and love toward one another.
People: Gracious God, hear our prayer.
Pastor: “Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings.”
Grant us grace to acknowledge the true place of governments and nations, care workers and medical professionals, and those who tend crops and herds, as they seek to meet the needs of the people under their care.
People: Gracious God, hear our prayer.
Pastor: You have “crowned him with glory and honor.”
Open the eyes of the proud, who seek ever greater power and prestige, that they may find true greatness in serving as You have, in love and mercy.
People: Gracious God, hear our prayer.
Pastor: You have given us “dominion over the works of Your hands.”
Give wisdom and guidance to everyone who manages Your good creation that all people may be fed, peace may break out, and many people around us will join to say,
People: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!”
Pastor: These and any other things You would have us ask of You, O God, grant for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.
People: Amen.