Hope that Completes the Circle

Over the years I have officiated a number of weddings…and part of the ceremony is the Exchanging of Rings.. We take a moment to explain the importance of the symbolism of the rings.

That ring maybe small they are often made of prescious materials reminding us that love is never cheap.. The ring is also made in a circle with no begining and no End reminding us that love should never come to an end… Love in fact has eternal properties...

The Ring is a prefect Metaphor to describe Eternity - and the kind of love that we find in Triune God.

A circle is Unending, Perfect and complete…This morning I would like to use this image (metaphor) not of a complete circle but a broken circle to illustrated the Kind of Hope that comes to us in the incarnation.. Hope that Completes the Circe.

While a circle implies something known.and complete… a broken circle implies that something is unknown or incomplete… Incompletion is the tension that we deal with in the world…

If we go back to the begining of mankind - Before the fall of Adam and Eve were in the Garden --- it was Paradise on Earth - man enjoyed fellowship with God…as long as they honored the relationship with the Creator they would live forever…God created man with free choice and in order to do that made it possible for them to make a choice.. He placed the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil in the middle of the garden… He put a warning label on the tree… Don’t eat of the tree because the minute you do you will experience death.

but unfortunately free choice was to much for man to handle, Man gave into temptation and the result was that sin and death entered into creation… Perfection became imperfect — The Circle of perfection was broken…

The Broken Circle is this space that has been impacted by the fall..…It ‘s where we have the most tension in life — This is the space where we have a lot of questions? For example..

..If you were draw a circle we might draw 1/2 way or 3/4 of the way and stop…we might say, I understand up to this point… but I am really confused why this happened? There are so many stories that came out of Camp Fires…

Christianity Today published his article that reported that most of the churches in Paradise burnt down most the churches but the Church is Still alive. We don’t understand why one house burns to the ground and on house stands… This all falls into the quadrant of the unknowns or incomplete..

Our text morning is from the Gospel of John -

John gives us a unique perspective of the Birth of Christ -when compared to three synoptics gospels (Matt, Mark and Luke…) The synoptics tell the story of the coming of Christ form the Earth upwards --- Christ birth through to his Resurrection and ascension.. That’s the movement of the narrative… Now, John on the other hand starts from Heaven Downward … He starts with the eternity of Christ and his coming down to us… Both perspectives are needed..

… John doesn’t start with a baby in manger but with the Christ existing in eternity past… Christ came on a mission… and he completes incompletions.

T/s How do we make sense of the unknowns and incompletions of life.?

1. Discover that Christ is true Wisdom and Power

John starts his account of the coming of Christ into the world…

John 1:1–5 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

When you read the words “in the beginning” it immediately reminds us of Genesis account of the creation story… In the beginning was the Word” echoes “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” When God created through the spoken word… God said let there be light and there was light..

John is announcing that the Word who made the world has come into the world in order to remake it, in order to recreate it…

John rewinds the tape farthest point... Matthew starts with the genealogy… John goes to creation.... and rewinds even farther to the beginning of time…

…1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

In the begining (Eternity past) God the Father and God the Son existing outside of time and space and existing in eternity…

In the beginning God existed with Christ… The Father and Son were Face to face..Not only was He with God…but John tells us that - Christ WAS the WORD of God — or the Logos.. The word WAS means to have existence or to exist together… The Father and Son stood Face to face from the begining..

The idea the Trinity has been challenged in History.

During the 4th Century the Divinity of Christ was challenged and caused devision in the Church.

Arius one of the bishops was an influential teacher and he was teaching that Jesus was born (or begotten) of the Father…

The phrase “only-begotten” means “unique, the only one of its kind.” It does not suggest that there was a time when the Son was not, and then the Father brought Him into being.

If Christ was born of the Father it meant that Jesus was created like the rest of creation and therefore was not God…Christ was just a man...

This became known as the Arian Heresy - There are other religions like JW, Mormons and Isalm that follow in this Arian heresy ---

Constantine the Roman Emperor called for the bishops to resolved the issue. This resulted in the Council of Nicea..One of the main defenders of the Deity of Christ… was

Athanasius - and He made the point that there

“was never a time when He was not”

This is exactly what John is saying in our text - there was never a time when Christ did not exist… He does this by describing Jesus as the Word… It might seem strange today to describe someone as the Word but it made perfect sense in the first Century.

Theologians and philosophers, both Jews and Greeks, used the term “logos” in a variety of ways.

To the Greeks Logos was a persons thoughts or speech… the word was an expression of a thought…

To the philosopher it meant the rational principle that governed the universe.. The Logos was the power behind the universe that caused and has kept it an ordered place.

For the Hebrews “Word” spoke of wisdom — In Hebrew wisdom litrature proverbs you find wisdom personified…

What is amazing is Johns Choice of the word Logos… would have meant something to each to culture..

1. To Greeks - Jesus is the expression of God…

Communication of God. You don’t know what someone is thinking until they speak…All that we know about God is through his Words.. He spoke in the begining.. He spoke through prophets…Hebrews tells us that in these last days He has spoken through his Son… Christ is relevant to the Gentile world...

2. To philosopher - He is the WORD OF REASON

and the glue that holds the universe together… … The Logos — is both the cause… maker and sustainer of everything.. Christ is relevant to the intellectual world.

3. To Hebrews — Wisdom personified—

Hebrews being monotheistic religion would have struggled with concept of the Trinity… but through out the wisdom litrature they had personified wisdom.. Wisdom calls out in the streets…John says in the beginning wisdom stood face to face with God… and wisdom was God… Wisdom became flesh… Wisdom was Christ… natural progression and logical argument… Christ in the Eternal Word is still Relevant today.

How does Christ being the Eternal word Complete our Circle of understanding? Word tells us -

1. Christ is Wisdom - … There are things that we still will struggle to Grasp about life and creation… Wisdom is knowing Why!

There are going to be questions that still need to be answered… . That all falls into Quadrant of the Unknown…

John Present Christ as Wisdom… It is the wisdom of God that holds the universe together.... not only is He wisdom and power but he imparts wisdom and power to mankind.

In the book of Daniel “he changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them” (Dan. 2:21).

He imparts wisdom, for “he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him” (vv. 21–22)

James tells us that when we lack wisdom — ask God.. who gives wisdom.. Why because He is wisdom…

James 1:5 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

How does Christ being the Eternal word Complete our Circle of understanding? Word tells us -

2. Christ is Creator -

In the 1920’s we thought that our Milky Way was the extent of the Universe.. Today we know there are more stars in our own galaxy than any human being could count in a lifetime, and there are more galaxies in this universe than there are stars in our own galaxy.

And there are more complex cells in our bodies than we could begin to imagine. At both the micro- and macrocosmic levels, our universe is made perfectly. The created universe is beyond scientific understanding, and the Son of God made it all!

John tells us that---Nothing was made without Him… Christ is the agent of creation… So why does Christ the creator give us hope… Because the Creator has purpose in creation… Completes the circle of the unknown ----Creator has a purpose for his creation… and his purposes are eternal in nature.

How does Christ being the Eternal word Complete our Circle of understanding? Word tells us -

3. Christ is life In him was the source of life...Zoe.. speaks of all living things... anything that moves and breathes... because 'IN HIM WAS LIFE" but not only is life seen in creation but life is the quality needed by mankind -

The bad news is that we live in a world of darkness.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The good news God sent his light into the world.. Wherever there is light, it drives back the darkness. Darkness can never win out as long as light is there. Only when light is removed can the darkness advance. As long as Jesus dwells in the heart of an individual, light prevails.

Principle is that Light will never be overcome by darkness... Whenever there is light no matter how dim... its always going to dispel darkness.

Paul in Corinthians tells us that about the Greeks and Jews… Jews wanted a sign and the Greeks wanted wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:22–24 ESV

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Jews wanted a sign… the Angel says to the shepherds go to Bethlehem and you will find a baby in a manger… this will be a sign.. The greeks loved wisdom and esteemed Wisdom… the incarnation becomes the wisdom of God… through weakness power wisdom of God is made known.

T/S How do we make sense of the unknowns and incompletions of life.?

1. Discover that Christ is the True Wisdom and Power

2. Discover our Circumstances are not about Chance but about ourReach.

As we look at the BROKEN CIRCLE we might conclude that everything in the unknown quadrant is left to chance…or to fate…

Fate is the idea that one's life or aspects of one's life will only happen in one way without the possibility of a different outcome. ----

The fact that God came into the world means that God came to change outcomes… John reminds us that God reached out to us…

John 1:6–13 ESV

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

We introduced to John the Baptist is one of the most important persons in the New Testament. He is mentioned at least eighty-nine times.

John had the special privilege of introducing Jesus to the nation of Israel. He also had the difficult task of preparing the nation to receive their Messiah. He called them to repent of their sins and to prove that repentance by being baptized and then living changed lives.

John the Baptist who was unique..

He was related to Jesus.. He had an extraordinary birth... Remember Zachariah is in the temple when he doubted and was muted.. then Elizabeth falls pregnant...

As soon as Mary finds out that her relative Elizabeth is with Child she rushes to find her.. and the John the baptist is filled with the Spirit in the womb…

Now, there may be those who thought John the baptist was the Messiah...

John the apostle makes sure that his hearers know that John was only a witness to the light... He was not the light but rather a witness to the coming light...

John witness is that Christ was true light... True Light — revealed through Jesus the Word of God..

- John knew his place was to reflect... not to worry about results.

Response of rejection:

a. The Word of God came to His own… the creator God walked among the religious leaders of the day…he was rejected and crucified by those whom he came too..

John says

they “didn’t recognize him,” which is an idiom that does not mean they simply failed to know who he was but rather that they rejected who he was.

“true Light” means Christ is the original of which every other light is a copy—but the Jews were content with the copies. They had Moses and the Law, the temple and the sacrifices; but they did not comprehend that these “lights” pointed to the true Light who was the fulfillment, the completion, of the Old Testament religion.

but many did not receive him... but to those who did God gave right to be sons and daughters of God.

Now, the way that John 1:1-18 is written is in a form of Hebrew Chaisim where Emphasis of the writing is always in the middle of the poem or writing… The subject of our text is

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...

Those who accept Christ and believe... discover the privileges of sonship.

Word becoming flesh and bringing life and light into the world was that those who receive him, those who believe in his name, might become children of God

Believing “in the name of Jesus” is found only in John and 1 John; it implies “acceptance of Jesus to the full extent of his revelation”

.T/S How do we make sense of the unknowns and incompletions of life.?

1. Discover that Christ is the True Wisdom and Power

2. Discover our Circumstances are about Chance but about ourReach.

3. Discover that what we have Received outweighs anything We could loose.

John 1:14–17 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John tells us that Eternal Word took on flesh and dwelt among us…Jesus did not become 50% God and 50% man — Rather He was fully God and fully man during his earthly ministry… He did not take off Deity but rather put on humanity...

The Word took on human nature—with the exception of sinful nature—. Flesh not only describes our physical form but also describes our condition as creatures.

Flesh is weak. Flesh is vulnerable. Flesh is needy.. Because we are fleshly, we need to take in food and drink and air to keep ourselves sustained in life. We don’t live on our own strength.

Jesus shared with us our weakness and our vulnerability and our neediness and our mortality. The Word takes on our entire condition, but does not sin.

The Word took our weakness to make us strong. He assumed our need so that we could become full. He became poor so that we might become rich. And He died so that we could live...

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Dwelt among us literally means “pitched his tent” — This is not the first time God has dwelt with his people.. In the past God demonstrated his presence to his people in the tabernacle and the temple....

That is how God Drew near to people… He was Immanuel (God with us) through buildings… but there were obvious limitations…they didn’t see God they saw manifestations of his Glory.. Glory has been explained in terms of God’s weightiness because it happens to be related to a word for “weight,” but—there may be some plays on that idea of weightiness God’s glory is something that you can see

In the wilderness journey Israel was lead but the very presence and glory of God.. They saw a cloud by day and fire by night… In the temple their were manifestations of the Glory of God...

John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son of God.”

Jesus brings God into our human understanding by making the invisible God visible, He is God’s ultimate self revelation… John says not only have we seen His Glory -

Not only have we seen His Glory but as those who have believed we have receive from His fulness..

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

In Christ we have recieved fulness or Completion.... Grace Completes the Circle...

what we have Received outweighs anything We could loose.

- We have experience the Son who is full of Grace and truth..

In the O.T. we have Partial and in the new testament we have fulfillment..

The contrast is not so much “empty” versus “full” as “partially full” versus “more completely full” or even “totally full.”

This language, therefore, emphasizes that that which was partially disclosed in the Old Testament Scripture and context has now become more fully evident; or again that that which was simply announced in Old Testament times has now become realized in the actuality of history

From His fulness... grace upon grace or grace in.place of grace... OT laws was a means of grace --- partial solution to sin — still needed daily sacrifices…

the law, given by Moses, points in the right direction, but, like Moses himself, it doesn’t take us to the promised land.

For that, you need the grace and truth that come through Jesus the Messiah, the son of God.

- - We have received from His fulness -- Grace upon grace...

If God dealt with us only according to truth, none of us would survive; but He deals with us on the basis of grace and truth.

We need Grace —

fresh grace replaces grace received, and will do so perpetually, the salvation brought by the Word thus is defined in terms of inexhaustible grace..

CONCLUSION -

We live in a world of incompletions.

The Apostle Paul Describes this tension like this in the book of Corinthians..

1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Corinth was known for its highly polished bronze mirrors, which, while lacking the sharp images given by our coated glass mirrors - what you saw was resemblance rather than a true image..

Paul is saying that standing on this side of heaven our understanding is limited, partial and incomplete. We see dimly through a coated glass mirror… types and shadows.

The text also implies that while see impart - God sees the whole...

This is where Faith and Hope come together.. We know in Part… but we do know is enough to unconditionally trust God, to follow him faithfully, and to have hope based on God’s promises.

A number of years ago there was a British conference on comparative religions brought together experts from all over the world to debate what was unique, if anything, about the Christian faith in relation to other religions… What was the fundamental difference between major Religions.. Was it the idea of god becoming man… Was it the Resurrection.. was it heaven … or loving your neighbor.. Well the debate went on for some time.. Then C.S Lewis wandered into the room.. Lewis himself had gone from being an atheist to agnostic to being a Christian… C.S. Lewis…said that is easy it’s grace... where every other religion is about earning approval… Christianity is about God’s unconditional love.. Only Christianity brings together grace and truth.

Christmas is about God coming to us — It’s about trusting God even in the face of the uncertain… It is trusting in the Grace of God.

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