...grace upon grace...

“15 This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because He was before me. 16 From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” John 1:15-18.

Here we are again, dear friends, with some of the most profound truths ever uttered about Jesus Christ.   John begins this text by reminding us that the Baptizer testified, crying out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because He was before me’”(Verse 15).  Jesus was born six (6) months after the Baptizer, and yet Jesus has far advanced beyond the baptizer’s wildest imagination!   My hand might have been on the plough before His, but all of that was to prepare the way for His coming.   I was just the advanced worker paving the way as best I could for Jesus!   In fact John is saying that He knew that Jesus existed before the world was created, and so he has no standing next to Jesus!   To the Baptizer Jesus holds the only place on the Throne!

Then the Gospel writer goes on to say some very profound things about Jesus: “16 From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace”  

John 1:16.   The “fulness” of Jesus is all that Jesus is as God.  Christ’s completeness as God has come to all of us as a human being.   In Jesus we find all of the Love of God, all the Wisdom and Truth of God, all the Grace of God, and all the Glory of God that there ever is!   And then John points out that Jesus is never able to be depleted in any way of who He is.  You and I can go to Him forever and he will give us “grace upon grace.” What a hopeful truth!   You and I can go to Jesus any time for any reason and His love tank is always full!  No matter what plagues you — go to Jesus and you will never be disappointed!   You will never be let down!   Jesus is who He says He is and He will always give you what you need, not what you deserve!   For in Jesus we have found one wonder after another wonder!

“17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”  John 1:17.  In Old testament times life with God was defined in terms of obedience to the Laws of God given to Israel through Moses.   But with the coming of Jesus the path to God is through a relationship with Jesus Christ.   Grace and truth and love are Jesus Himself, and it is from the heart of Jesus that we are given the grace of god, the truth of God, the glory of God, and the way to live our lives.

Through Jesus Christ, God the Law-Giver has become God Our Father in heaven, the lover and Savior of the entire creation!

Please dear friends, take time to contemplate the depth of these truths.   Turn to Jesus and His presence in your life and tell Him in your own words how deep is your love for Him and how deep is your desire to follow Him.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God have mercy on me a sinner.