Amazing Grace in the gospel of John
Looking to Jesus Christ, full of Grace and truth!
And the word became flesh and tabernacled among us. And we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten one from the Father, FULL OF GRACE AND OF TRUTH John 1:14
When you look at Jesus, what do you see? Think about it for a moment. What did his disciples see? Jesus is God’s glory full of Grace and Truth. But is that what the people around Jesus Christ saw? How people perceived him then and now, can be very different from one person to the next. In truth, Jesus Christ is full of Grace and Truth. Jesus said that he did not come into the world to judge the world but that he might save the world. (John 12:47) Let’s look at his life while he was here; what did Jesus do? He gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, healed many of all kinds of diseases, made wine out of water, and fed thousands with a couple loaves of bread and a few fish. He protected a lady caught in the act of adultery and forgave her and forgave the sins of others, drove out evil spirits out of many, ate with tax collectors and sinners, called lowly fishermen to be his disciples, calmed the storm and washed his disciple’s feet. And it all culminated with him freely giving himself up to die on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead three days later! Amazing Grace. Can you start to see Jesus full of Grace and truth? We can say; Jesus is God’s Grace come down to us, yet Jesus is that and much more. Barnabas saw the Grace of God when he saw all the brothers and sisters united in their faith, and we looking to Jesus; start to see Grace and Truth more and more as we get closer and closer and as he reveals himself to us.
Jesus the only way to God, the guarantee of the new covenant!
For the law was given through Moses, Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
Jesus Christ fulfilled the law by nailing it’s ordinances and requirements to the cross and raising from the dead. Now he is the source of a new covenant based on God’s Grace and he is also the guarantee of it.
Grace on top of Grace
And out of his fullness we all received, and Grace for Grace. John 1:16
That sounds like overflowing Grace (2 Corinthians 9:14),
super abounding Grace (2 Corinthians 4:15),
more than enough Grace (Ephesians 1:7),
exceeding great riches of Grace (Ephesians 2:7),
Grace abounding exceedingly (1 Timothy 1:14),
the manifold Grace of God (1 Peter 4:10)
Augustine says of this; the first grace is being saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8+9) and the second Grace is the free grace-gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).
So we see it begins with Grace and ends with Grace. That is amazing Grace!