100%

It might be too much to cut it short, but we'll see.!

Hola! Sorry! Where we come from?

Glass half empty, or glass half full? How would you describe that?

Very full. Very full. Very full. There is another way of describing the course. You could suggest for the first class there is a mathematical way of describing it.

Anybody know? A mathematical way of describing half full? 50%! So if the first class is 50%, the second class must be 100%.

I was going to do a PowerPoint this morning and just add 100%, and that would be one and only slide. 100%. It's interesting, I think anyway, that 100% has become more and more relevant in our daily lives.

I think when I was younger, nobody ever said 100%. You switch your PC on in the morning, and it's going to do an upgrade.

And it starts, and it whirls a bit, and the figures build up until they get to 100%. You may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may on a morning, my phone is charged to 100% of the person that's got to have 100% on the phone before you leave home. If it's not, then I'm going to plug it back in. Hannah's happy with 10% to 12%, that gets her through the day. Sometimes it doesn't, but she's not stressed about it. But for me, I have to have 100% on my phone to be happy to leave the house. 100% has also entered our conversation. We use it now as sometimes a description for something, a response to a statement. You know, we would have a, maybe we'd have a discussion, a conversation on the way home from church on the morning. And I'd say to Joe, wasn't

Dave dressed strangely this morning? And she'd say, 100%. Or maybe you might have a conversation saying, wow, doesn't Paul look younger every week? And you might reply, 100%. This forms part of our natural, daily vocabulary. It also provides confidence when we speak to someone.

Normally, we would have just accepted an answer of yes. Can I rely on you to be there for me? Yes. But you know, if I said, can I rely on you to be there for me? And you say, 100%. Why, that gives even more confidence. It's like, complete. Can I trust you to handle my funds, Jeff?

100%. 100%. Maybe not. But it gives the air of confidence. 100% can be a description of quantity.

It can be a confirmation of accuracy. It can even be a comfort for security. So with that in mind, I want to read one word. I want to read one word. I'm going to read it.

That would be an idea. You don't need to turn with me because you know it. But I'm going to read it anyway. John chapter 1 and verse 14.

The Apostle John writes this gospel. And he says these words in John chapter 1 and verse 14.

The word became flesh and made his dwelling in Romans.

John chapter 1 and verse 14.

He goes through the first 18 verses and he tells us very much about who the Lord Jesus is. And he introduces to us where he comes from.

From verse 19 onwards and the rest of the book, he tells us about the acts of the Lord Jesus. His good works, his life, his miracles, his teachings, his statements, his interaction with people like us.

Through to the cross and the rest of the Lord Jesus. But the first 18 verses are an introduction into who Jesus is.

And if we're ever going to have a relationship with God, then the first 18 verses of John's gospel are imperative for us to not only understand, but to believe in our hearts that this is true.

And verse 14 is central, central to this teaching.

When I was 10 years old, I went to a little church in Skeller, Doncaster. I didn't say Skeller there. But Skeller in Doncaster. I was 10.

And we were encouraged to learn off by heart the first 18 verses of John's gospel.

And it's never left me. Maybe in the authorised, but it's never left me. Because it's the foundation of the Christian faith.

It is that imperative. So I'm going to make three statements really quickly. My introductions always take too long. I'm going to make three statements really quickly.

And I'm going to tell you them up front, just in case I don't get done. We find in this one verse, 100% God.

100% grace. And 100% truth. Jesus is not partially God.

Jesus is not occasionally gracious. Jesus is not sometimes truthful. He is fully God. Full of grace.

And full of truth. As we say is here. In this one verse. So what's first? Jesus is 100% God.

Holy God. The four words in the first part of this verse say, the word became human. The word became.

John just doesn't describe Jesus merely a prophet or a teacher or a good man. But he tells us that we go right back to eternity. And provides the truth about Trinity.

In verse 1 it tells us that. He refers to Jesus as the word. The one who has come from God. The one who delivers God speaking to us. And making himself revealed to us in Jesus.

Who John refers to as the word. And he says this in verse 1. In the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God.

It tells us that the word existed before time began. Not only that. It tells us that he was with God. And yet he was God.

Here's the teaching of the Trinity. Jesus was God. But was with God at the same time. Because the Trinity is God in three persons.

So God the word. Became human. And Jesus is fully good.

But became. A hundred percent. Human. He lived in a body. Just like our body.

Just don't be mistaken. It wasn't the body that Adam had. Pre-before. You know when God made Adam leave in the garden. And there was no sin.

It was perfect. That wasn't the body that Jesus received. Jesus received a body like a hand body. How do we know that? Well he was born. He lived.

He experienced tiredness. He experienced temptation. He wept. He died. All of those elements. Are part of the. Fallen body.

So when Jesus came into this world. He was a hundred percent God. And yet he came. In a body. Just like you. And me. Exactly the same. Except for one thing.

He was relaxing. Relaxing. Truly God. A hundred percent. But truly human.

Hebrews 4 says this. Tempted in every way. Just as we are. Yet did not sin. Hebrews 7 says this. Holy blame is pure. But set apart.

From. Sinus. And when we get to heaven. The way that we'll see the Lord Jesus. Is in the same body. God.

Man. Body. That he appeared to the disciples. After the resurrection. It will be the same body. Jesus appeared to the disciples.

After the resurrection. Spent 40 days with them. And that same body. Will be what we will see. When we see Jesus. Face.

To face. He's a hundred percent God. He is fully. God. And then. John goes on to say this.

He's full. Of. Grace. Full. Of. Grace. I have to confess.

That I sat there. At the desk. Just contemplating those words. And I. I found it so hard. To grasp.

That Jesus. Is. Is. Full. Full. Of. Grace. John could have written.

In him was grace. He could have written. He came to show. Grace. And instead he writes. He is.

Full. Of grace. Full. God. He takes. 13 verses. To emphasize. Who Jesus is. And. How he's come.

And then just. In one. Small. Phrase. He. Encapsulates. The whole. Reason. Why. Jesus. Came. I found it.

Really interesting. John. Only says. About grace. In verse 14. In verse 16. And he never mentions grace. Ever again.

In the gospel. It's as though he just says. Those words. Incapsulate. All that we need to know. About Jesus. He is.

Full. Of. Grace. Dwelling. The verse. The verse there says.

And he dwelt amongst us. And that's literally from the original. But he made his home here. He pitched his tent. Here. He spent 33 years.

Here. With. Us. Why? That he might dispense. God's. Grace. I looked at that one. Because I didn't know what it really meant. But he says this.

To share out. According to a plan. And that just sums up exactly what that means. In Jesus. Grace came to meet us.

In our brokenness. When we were without sin. Paul says. Christ died for us. Grace saves us. If he didn't. Shepard to. And we read that together today. We are saved by grace.

Grace changes us. In Corinthians. Paul says. If anyone is in Christ. They are a new creation. The old has gone. And the new has come. And then I read off.

In verse 16. And John says this. Remember in verse 14. He says he's full of grace. In verse 16. He says. And from the fullness of his grace.

We have received. Grace. After grace. After grace. It's lovely. When you start.

Look back. And I couldn't. Tell you. Because I couldn't pronounce the words. But when you look back. At the original. It just says. Praise. After grace. After grace. After grace. After grace.

It never stops. It's always. Available. To us. Grace. Did not end. When we became a Christian. Grace.

Continues. In every dimension. Of our lives. When we're anxious. When we're struggling. When we're doubting. Remember when Paul.

Had that issue. He couldn't stand the throne. In the flesh. And the Lord said to him. Not only. My grace. Is. Sufficient.

For you. Whatever that's. He says. Not only. Is he full of grace. But gives us grace. After grace. After grace.

And we can approach. The throne. Of grace. With confidence. For there. We can find grace. To help us.

In our. Time of need. I'm going to say more about that. I'm just going to wind up with this. 100% God. Full of God. 100% grace.

Full of grace. And 100% truth. Full of truth. Isn't it amazing. When grace and truth.

Come together. There's no dilution. There's not 80% grace. And 20% truth. It's not 50% grace. And 50% truth.

John says. Jesus is God. And he's. Full of grace. And he is. Full of. Truth. Grace does not. Overwhelm truth.

Though it's not relevant. And. Truth does not. Diminish grace. So it's not sufficient. Jesus came. To reveal. The truth. About God. And to tell us.

About who we are. And John. Records later. In chapter 17. The prayer of Jesus. And he says. This in verse 17.

Make them. Holy. By. Your truth. Teach them. Your word. Why. Why. Is your word. Is truth. Your word.

Is truth. I don't know about you. I'm struggling. At the moment. With. Um. With some of the things. I see. On. Um. Instagram.

I'm not going on that. But I struggle with it. Because. I look at things. That are happening on there. And I have to try and define. What's real. And what's not. I don't know whether you. Got the same problem as me.

I mean. If you think about Donald Trump. Donald Trump says. Everything's fake. Unless he says it. Everything else. Is fake news. And I don't know whether you're around. Struggling to understand. What is truth.

I went out. Um. With a friend. Just recently. And he showed me. How he changes his photograph. On AI. All my life.

It was ripped. It was tanned. He had hair. And he didn't have hair before. I was going to do it for myself. But. I couldn't work out. And. And I said to him.

That's amazing. It just looks like you. What is truth. Today. We struggle to understand. What truth is. Because there is so much out there.

That is false. Who can know anymore. But Jesus says. Father. Teach them no word.

And your word is true. And if we're struggling in a world. That doesn't show truth.

And we need to understand Jesus. Who is 100% God. for you. 100% grace. Full of grace.

And 100% truth. And John summarises in chapter 20 verse 31. And he says there's a reason I've written all of these things.

It's not just for you to read. It's that I've written all of these things so you might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and by believing you will have life through his name.

In our everyday circumstance we have one who cares for us and as grace moves away from one circumstance he has grace upon grace upon grace upon grace Father we thank you for your work.