Imagine a circle. In the center, we find the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We can't unravel all the mysteries concerning the Godhead, or Trinity. But each have distinct personalities, specific identities, and unique names. Yet, they have one in the same nature--they are fully God. Unlike you and me, they are whole and complete, in themselves. They possess intimacy, equality, unity, holiness, and love. They have co-existed, co-dwelt, and related like this... in perfect fellowship, from all eternity.
When the ancients declared "the Lord our God, the Lord is One" they were affirming the relational oneness, the unity, the inseparable bond of the Godhead. That they are of the same mind and purpose. They work in concert together. They never speak, or act in contradiction to one another's character. They never dishonor, nor sin nor transgress nor commit violence against one another. "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."
But I asked you to imagine a circle. We know from Mathematics that something more than three whole numbers is needed to draw a circle. I didn't do very well in math or geometry... But for the record, I learned all about "PI." Not that kind... the other kind!
To make a complete circle it takes the multiplication of "3" and an infinite sequence of digits... digits that are collectively a fraction of a whole number (3.14159...) The digits of PI are infinite, which means the patterns of numbers that follow the 3, never repeat. somebody once pointed out... that if you were to convert the digits of PI into alphanumeric characters, they include the name of every single person, who ever lived, on the face of this earth!
God's dream (his purpose and plan) is all the world (every living being, every human soul... every tribe, tongue, and nation) dwelling in perfect unity in a "circle of fellowship" with Himself. The circumference of God's dream is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit plus every person.
Jesus acknowledges God's dream in his high priestly prayer in John 17. Jesus prays to the Father, "I pray for those who will believe in me... that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:20-21).
God's plan for perfect fellowship never changed. We did. Instead of embracing immortality and life in God, we turned from His light, and began walking in darkness. We defied God's authority, in our conscience, in our heart, as shown by our words and behavior. We rebelled against God's Holy Spirit, and turned inward, exalting this flesh, our cravings and desires. We even committed violence against one another. The consequence of our sin was we were each inflicted with a fatal wound. We were cut off from eternal life. But even worse, we were driven out of God's circle, and made to dwell outside God's presence, east of Eden. The relational pain w/o God is unbearable.
I was thinking of when Charlie Sheen, under the influence of who knows what, kept shouting, "Winning... Winning..." Here was a man using people and being used by people, and who though declaring to be "winning" was losing. And that is our human predicament. We sought life apart from God, in the flesh, but instead found death.
I wonder. Do you ever feel dissatisfied in relationships? Maybe you feel lonely. Just because your married, or in a relationship. Just because you have a house full of kids. Just because your have a long list of friends on social media, or at work, or school, doesn't mean you aren't lonely. Maybe you've moved in/out of relationships your whole life never really landing anywhere. Maybe you find it difficult to trust people, because you have been hurt. Maybe you find it difficult to be vulnerable with others, doubting whether they would love you, if only they knew who you really were. Maybe you have done damage to people. Maybe you have been damaged yourself, or given up on relationships altogether. Maybe you've never felt loved, forgiven, accepted, understood, appreciated.
It seems we're always operating out of some kind of relational deficit, doesn't it? Every love song on the radio professes "longing" not "satisfaction."
We feel a certain desperation in relationships. We're over here, God's over there, others are over there... We conclude perhaps others have found a kind of relational fulfillment that's proved illusory to us. We're always left feeling like were on the outside looking in. It's like we we've been created for something relationally wonderful, relationally pure/perfect, relationally whole... something that at best we only experience a fraction of in the present.
There is so much anger, rage, bitterness. There is so much divorce, family breakdown. There is so much war and violence in our world, abuse. Is this the world God wants? Perhaps people don't want God's dream. Maybe you've set your hope on something else, believing somethings out there in the darkness that just isn't there. Do you ever get tired of searching for life apart from God?
The Bible says that in Christ Jesus, God is reconciling the whole world to himself, not counting men's sin's against them (2 Cor. 5:19). That's good news indeed. The Bible encourages us "grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 4:18-19). When is the last time you were filled w/love?
The Bible tells us that if we wish to grasp the width, length, height, depth (the profound dimensions of God's love) we need look no further than the cross. "For God so loved the world he sent his one and only Son into the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. He did not send his Son to condemn the world, but to save the world through him!"
God created us for himself, to walk in fellowship of His light, not darkness. He longs for us to abide in him, commune with him, fellowship with him, walk with him, dwell in his presence... God's invitation is this... "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8). "[GOD] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." (1 Timothy 2:4-6)
God desires that we not only become ONE with him, but that we also become ONE together with one another, so that the world may also know God's love. If you have accepted this message, I'd like to hit the pause button for a moment, and invite you to share in communion.