Confessing the Holy Trinity

Nicodemus comes to Jesus, for he knows that Jesus is not the evildoer the other Pharisees are calling him, and he does not want to be party to their wickedness; but he comes by night, for he is afraid and ashamed of being seen with him, being one of those who confessed Jesus but not openly for fear of the Jews. It is easy to confess Jesus by night, that is, in the safe places where there is no fear of recrimination or embarrassment, where there are no enemies of the truth to mock or ridicule your Christian faith as narrow, simplistic, Victorian, out-of-date, or foolish. But we must confess him in the day as he is in the day; we must live in the Spirit and power of Holy Baptism in his name, for this is what Christian life calls us to do. Let the world mock, but let us confess our Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier as one Triune God; and let the live coal from the alter, Christ's Body, touch your lips and purge away your sin, that you may gain the courage to do so. Sermon for the Feast of the Holy Trinity.