“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
John 1:14-17
The law of Moses was certainly full of grace and truth. The law itself graciously separated the Israelites from the nations around them. The law graciously kept the people of Israel holy. The law graciously tutored the Israelites in morality and holy living. The law was full of gracious blessings tied to the people obeying the law. The law graciously provided a priesthood to mediate between God and man. The law graciously provided sacrifices for atonement for sin so that the people might remain in fellowship/relationship with Jehovah God. The law graciously made generational provision to remind the people of Jehovah God, who He is, what He’s done, and what He’s promised. But all of that was just a shadow.
Jesus is the fullness of grace. Jesus brought grace upon grace and is grace upon grace. Jesus is the true grace. Where the law was the shadow, Jesus is the substance. John the Baptist knew the law. John the Baptist also knew Jesus, and John knew he was unworthy to even be in the presence of the Lord. John the Baptist came preparing the way for the Lord and telling the people to repent. Grace doesn’t mean live however you want. When you stand in the presence of True Grace, when you understand and comprehend what True Grace is, you don’t want to do what you’ve always done… you want to change. True Grace will transform you who humble your heart.
John the Apostle, who writes this testimony in the gospel, has come to know Jesus, the Full True Grace. “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:1-3) John the Apostle says, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
We indeed have all received the grace upon grace that is Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we are graciously separated from the world around us. In Jesus we are graciously kept His holy people. In Jesus, we are graciously taught through word and deed the morality of Christian living - walking in a manner worthy of the gospel. In Jesus, we receive all the spiritual blessings of the heavenly. In Jesus we have an eternal godly priesthood to mediate between us and Jehovah God.In Jesus, we have the perfect full true gracious sacrifice that makes atonement for our sin and we might enter into, and remain in, fellowship/relationship with Jehovah God. In Jesus, we have generational provision to be reminded of the grace found in Him, who He is, what He’s done for us, and what He has promised us. That’s not a shadow… that’s the Full True Grace. He is the Full True Grace!
In Wednesday's middle school class we studied Jesus as the the light of the world. It was Melanie Grace who answered a question about how Jesus was the light because he is truth and grace.