A Möbius Strip
Talk (A)
Produce three paper loops.Demonstrate cutting in two longitudinally:
· simple loop = results in two separate loops
· loop with one half twist = results in one large loop
· loop with two half twists = results in two linked loops
Application:
· Two loops: God and us, we are separated from God by sin, self-centredness. Every human being is like this by nature.
· One big loop: Jesus. He is different . The only man who never sinned. He is perfectly at one with God. “I and the father are one,” Jesus said (John 10: 30). “then they took up stones to stone him” for blasphemy.
· Two interlocking loops: this is us, linked to God for eternity. When we believe in Jesus, when we turn away from evil, when we ask Jesus to rule our lives, then we are linked to God. Our sins are forgiven, we become new people and we share in the life of God’s
eternity. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ( Romans 8:35–39)
Recap: two loops – we are separated from God
one large loop – Jesus is one with God
two interlocked loops – in Jesus we are joined to God.
Talk (B) Möbius Strip
[show Möbius strip]
This kind of loop is called a Möbius Strip. It is a loop with a twist in it.
Can anyone think of somewhere where you can see a Möbius loop in everyday life? How about at the recycling centre?
The universal symbol for recycling is a Möbius loop in the form of a triangle:
Why is it called a Möbius loop? after August Ferdinand Möbius, a German mathematician. he discovered it and studies its amazing mathematical properties. (I’m afraid we haven’t got time to go into all those equations, etc! )
Let me just show you something strange: If I draw a line along the strip it comes back to where it was at the beginning. So what? That would happen with any loop. Yes, but look: the line seems to be drawn on both sides, but it can’t be. I did not allow the pen to cross over the edge! I only drew on one side. If an ant was walking along this strip it would have gone right around the whole strip without once crossing over he edge.
You see: a Möbius strip has only one side – even thought it is a 3-dimensional object!
Most things have got more than one side. A sheet of paper has two, a book has six (think about it). What about a ball? That’s only got one side. (Unless it’s hollow then it’s got an inside and an outside.)
So a Möbius strip is like a sphere,even though it looks very different. Like a sphere it has only one side.Now here is the mathematical symbol for infinity:
But some people think the Möbius strip is an even better symbol. You see, it just goes on and on, and never ends Also, it includes both side in one. It is a bit like God! He is infinite and eternal, he goes on for ever. He also covers everything. He is everywhere and he combines in his nature various attributes that we might think are opposites.
For example: God is perfectly good and holy, he can not look upon sin and evil, but at the same time he is perfectly loving and forgiving.
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
- that refers to his holiness. He can not tolerate evil.
But at the same time:
“God is love” (1 John 4:16).
- God loves us and yearns for us to come to him and know his forgiveness.
One part of his nature has to punish our sins but another part has to forgive our sins. These two seem to be in opposition. How can God forgive the sinner and punish the sin at the same time?
Well, in Jesus he has done it. He has done the seemingly impossible. Just as the Möbius strip brings together two sides into one, so Jesus brings together God’s holiness and his mercy. When Jesus died on the cross he took our sin upon himself. He was punished in our place. At the cross God’s holiness and God’s love come together.
Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10, New American Standard Bible )
Talk (C) The Holy Trinity
[Demonstrate cutting a strip with three half turns in it. Straighten it out into a trefoil knot. (Girl Guides should know this!)
It's just one loop, but it is knotted in such a way that it looks like three interlocking loops. Amazing, isn't it? And our God is amazing too. Far more amazing than this. For he is three Persons in one God.
So this trefoil knot is a symbol of the Holy Trinity. The Father and the Son and the Spirit are three distinct persons. But they are only one God. Just one Being. You can not separate them. They are bound together eternally in love and holiness. And such is the love of our God, the Lord, the Holy Trinity, that he actually came into our world in the person of the Son. Jesus came to bring salvation to us.
[Recap the first talk with the various loops.]
This talk was given in the Brecon Presbyterian Church at a service of worship for all ages.
