Holy, Holy, Holy | May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Three Windows, One Cross: The Trinity in Stone and Glass

The sanctuary’s side windows each hold three quadrifoils—three crosses woven into one design—while the crucifixion window bears a single cross. These symbols etched into wood and glass whisper a mystery: three persons, one God. The Father creates, the Son redeems, the Spirit sustains, yet they are united as a single source of life. Every architectural detail here invites awe, not intellectual mastery, but humble worship of a God beyond containment. [27:10]

“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.” (Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you encounter physical reminders of God’s triune nature in your daily life? How might these symbols deepen your trust in His unity amid complexity?

Day 2: Holy, Holy, Holy: The Triune Chorus of Heaven

The seraphim’s cry—“Holy, Holy, Holy”—resounds not as repetition but revelation: the threefold declaration mirrors the Trinity’s eternal dance. Holiness isn’t mere moral purity but the blazing otherness of a God who is for us even in His transcendence. To call Him holy is to confess that His triune love alone makes sinners clean, His threefold light alone scatters our darkness. [38:03]

“And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’” (Isaiah 6:3, ESV)

Reflection: When have you felt both the weight and wonder of God’s holiness? How does His threefold holiness reshape your view of sin and grace?

Day 3: Let There Be: The Trinity’s Symphony of Creation

The Father speaks, the Word goes forth, the Spirit hovers—creation erupts as a triune collaboration. Three persons, one act: light, land, life crafted in harmony. Even “let us make man” (Genesis 1:26) reveals a God who is community, inviting humanity into His sacred rhythm. Disorder and evil came later, but the original melody—three in one, making all things very good—still pulses beneath the world’s broken surface. [44:50]

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you see remnants of the Trinity’s “very good” design in creation? How might you align your work with His collaborative rhythm today?

Day 4: Nails and Resurrection: The Son’s Perfect Sacrifice

The crucifixion window’s solitary cross holds a paradox: lawless hands killed Jesus, yet this was God’s “definite plan” (Acts 2:23). The Son, fully God and fully man, became sin’s target so the Trinity’s love might pierce death itself. His resurrection proves the Father’s “yes” to the Son’s sacrifice and the Spirit’s power to make all things new. Three persons, one redemption. [47:06]

“This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death.” (Acts 2:23–24, ESV)

Reflection: How does Jesus’ dual nature—fully God, fully man—reshape your understanding of His sacrifice? Where do you need His resurrection life to interrupt your despair today?

Day 5: The Spirit’s Whisper: Look at Him, Not Me

The Holy Spirit refuses the spotlight, always pointing to Christ. Like the sanctuary’s three-paned windows, the Spirit’s work is clear yet indirect—illuminating Jesus’ face, not His own. He breathes life into dry bones, binds us to the Son’s salvation, and whispers the Father’s promises. His humility models ours: to decrease so Christ might increase. [51:24]

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7, ESV)

Reflection: When have you sensed the Spirit redirecting your gaze to Jesus? How might you join His mission of glorifying Christ rather than yourself?

Sermon Summary

The Trinity stands before the church as three in one, and the room itself keeps preaching it. The windows carry three panes that make one window. The quarterfoils hide little crosses in groups of three. Even the candle stands rise in three steps. One crucifixion window bears one, the others bear three, so the room says what the creed says, one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism speaks the same name, not three gods, but one God.

God’s holiness answers why it matters. “Holy, holy, holy” rises from the altar and from Isaiah’s vision, and the word holy gets plain meaning. Holy means perfect, chosen, set apart. God is holy. God calls his people holy. Yet people know their sins in thought, word, and deed. So God makes holiness a gift through his word and his sacraments, the holy Scriptures, holy Baptism, the Supper, the holy Christian church, and the Holy Spirit who gathers and keeps.

Creation shows the Father’s hand. God speaks ex nihilo and orders everything in its time. Light. Sky and land. Sun, moon, and stars. Birds and fish. Then mankind. “Let us make man in our image.” God calls it very good. Evil does not come from God’s hand. Rebellion makes Satan what he is, but the Maker remains a God of order and good.

The Son stands in that order by a definite plan and foreknowledge. Jesus is delivered up and crucified by lawless men, yet God raises him. Peter bears witness. The church confesses with him, “You are the Christ.” Jesus is true God and true man, a 100 percent both, like humanity in every way except sin. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and through his resurrection the people of God receive new life.

The Spirit takes that finished work and presses it into hearts. The Counselor comes because the Son ascends. God does not leave his people alone. The Spirit keeps saying, do not look at me, look at Christ. He gives new birth of water and the Spirit. He breathes peace and the office of the keys. He indwells, so those who belong to Christ can say, Jesus is Lord.

Majesty remains one. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God, coequal and coeternal. “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one.” The church hears the same call. Chosen people. Royal priesthood. Holy nation. Called out of darkness into his marvelous light. The Spirit still says today, do not look at self, look at him. Three in one, the blessed Trinity, uniting many lives into one people in Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. One God in three persons God remains one, yet the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons who act in perfect unity. This is not math to master but a name to receive in baptism and a mystery to adore in worship. The room’s own threes keep teaching what the creed confesses, three making one. The church learns to pray and live inside that name. [31:36]
2. Holiness means perfect, chosen, set apart God’s “holy, holy, holy” is not a vibe, it is perfection that chooses and sets apart. That same God declares his people holy, not by pretending they are sinless, but by giving them his holiness through word and sacrament. The call to be holy lands as gift before it becomes command. Holiness starts with God’s character and spreads by his grace. [39:02]
3. Creation shows God’s order and good Creation comes from nothing by the word of God, and it comes in order and time. What God makes he calls good, and humanity in his image is very good. Evil grows from rebellion, not from the Creator’s hand. The doctrine of creation steadies faith when the world looks disordered. [42:32]
4. The cross and resurrection are God’s plan Jesus is delivered up according to a definite plan and foreknowledge, not as a tragic accident. Lawless hands kill him, but the Father raises him and makes that death the perfect sacrifice. The risen life of the Son becomes the pattern and power for new life in his people. Witness moves from accusation to hope because God acted. [45:39]
5. The Spirit points hearts to Christ The Counselor comes because the Son has ascended, and his first work is to say, look at Jesus. New birth of water and the Spirit brings people into the kingdom, and the breathed-out Spirit entrusts forgiveness to the church. Indwelling turns confession into life, so “Jesus is Lord” becomes more than words. The Spirit keeps the gaze on Christ and keeps the church alive. [52:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:08] - Confession of the Triune God
[20:17] - Children invited forward
[27:10] - Quadrifoils and counting threes
[31:36] - Father creates, Son redeems, Spirit points
[36:27] - Holy, holy, holy on the altar
[39:02] - What holy means
[40:20] - Holy Scripture, Baptism, and Supper
[42:32] - God of order in creation
[45:39] - The definite plan of the cross
[47:42] - God raised him to life
[49:41] - Promise of the Counselor
[51:06] - The Spirit points to Jesus
[52:12] - Born of water and the Spirit
[63:02] - Closing Amen and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Isaiah 6:3 (ESV): “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’”
- Acts 2:23-24 (ESV): “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”
- 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Observation Questions

In Isaiah 6:3, the angels declare God’s holiness three times. How does the repetition of “holy” emphasize God’s nature, and how is this reflected in the church’s architecture (e.g., three-paned windows, threefold symbols)? [36:27]
Acts 2:23 says Jesus’ death was part of God’s “definite plan.” What does this imply about God’s control over events that seem chaotic or evil? [45:39]
The sermon mentions that creation was “very good” (Genesis 1:31) but evil arose from rebellion, not God. How does this distinction shape our understanding of suffering or brokenness in the world? [42:32]

Interpretation Questions

Why is the Trinity’s unity-in-distinction (three persons, one God) foundational for understanding God’s work in creation, redemption, and sanctification?
1 Peter 2:9 calls believers “holy.” How does God’s holiness given to us through sacraments and Scripture differ from the idea of holiness as something we achieve? [39:02]
The Holy Spirit’s role is to “point to Christ” rather than Himself. Why is this focus critical for avoiding confusion or division in the church? [51:06]

Application Questions

Holiness is described as a gift before it becomes a command. How might viewing holiness as a gift change your daily choices or self-perception when you struggle with sin? [39:02]
The sermon says, “The cross was not a tragic accident.” When have you struggled to trust God’s “definite plan” in a painful situation? What practical step could help you lean into His sovereignty this week?
The Holy Spirit “keeps saying, do not look at me, look at Christ.” Where in your life (e.g., prayer, service, relationships) do you tend to focus on your own efforts instead of Christ’s finished work? [51:24]
The church is called a “holy nation” set apart. What is one way your community can visibly reflect being “chosen” and “set apart” in a culture that often opposes God’s values?
The Trinity’s unity is mirrored in the church’s call to be “one people.” How can you actively foster unity in your relationships or small group, even amid differences? [54:45]

Sermon Clips

41s

“He is the true life. He is true God. It's a personal confession for us as it was for Peter. Who do people say that I am? Well, you are the Christ. You are the son of God. That is our confession as well. Jesus says, unless I go, tells his disciples, unless I go away so I'm going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again so that you may be with me. That's what he wants.”

38s

“We are never alone. From the moment of creation, God has been with his people. But the father, speaking with Adam and Eve, as he sent his son, Jesus, to be this side of heaven. And now, even now, the holy spirit guides us and keeps us in that true faith. It is the job of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is always moving God's people. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to point to Jesus.”

47s

“And yet, there is so much more that he doesn't just leave him on the cross. Luke doesn't leave him on the cross. The book of acts doesn't just leave him on the cross. As Peter speaks, it is not just, well, you did this, but God raised him from the dead. That God raised him to new life. And we are all witnesses of this. We've seen it. We've experienced it. We've felt it. And it's more than experience and feeling. It is that God places that into our hearts.”

40s

“We speak about holy, and holy and holy just means perfect, Chosen, set apart. So our God is perfect in every way. Because he is perfect, he makes us perfect. He says to you, you be holy like I am holy. And we are anything in and of ourselves because we're sinful and because we sin in our thoughts and our words and our deeds. The things we've done, the things we've undone, we are anything but holy.”

Ask a question about this sermon

St. John's Lutheran Church This sermon · AI assistant

How is God three in one yet one

How does the Holy Spirit point to Jesus

What does it mean to be holy like God