Grace Upon Grace - October 30

Read John 1:14-18 (ESV) 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. 

Reflect 

What did Jesus teach us about God when He came and lived among mankind? What can we receive from Him? 

Throughout history, God revealed His presence to mankind in different ways. During the exodus from Egypt, the Lord went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21-22). In Exodus 25:8, God said, “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” He gave them instructions for how to build a tabernacle (a tent), so that God’s presence could journey with them to the Promised Land. 

In Exodus 40:34-38, Moses described how God dwelt among them in the tabernacle: “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” 

But when Jesus was born, God dwelled with mankind in a different way—in flesh and blood. “The Word became flesh” means that God the Son came down to earth in human form, but He did not cease to be God. That’s why John the Baptist said that “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.” Even though John was born first and began his ministry first, Jesus existed before him and out ranked him. Jesus is preexistent and preeminent. He has always and will always reign supreme. He is the God Man who chose to live among His people. He “tabernacled” or “pitched His tent” with mankind. Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the old tabernacle and showed us the glory of God in a physical, tangible way. 

John said that no one had ever seen God. They had seen manifestations and partial revelations that demonstrated God’s glory like the pillars of cloud and fire, but none of these fully showed what God is like—until Jesus. 

When God gave Moses the law, He revealed His holiness and His righteousness. The law explained God’s perfect holiness and showed just how far mankind had fallen. The truth of law convicted sinners, but the sacrificial system demonstrated God’s grace by providing a way to pay for sin. 

Still, the law was but a shadow of God’s grace and truth, Jesus is the substance (Colossians 2:17). Jesus completely revealed God’s grace and truth. He perfectly kept the law and completely paid the price of our sins. Jesus made God fully known to us. Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. It’s from His fullness, that we are free to receive grace upon grace. Grace that saves us and grace that sustains us. 

Respond 

Jesus, thank You for coming down to earth to dwell among us. I praise You for Your truth and for giving me grace upon grace. Amen. 

Reveal 

Reach out to an old friend or welcome a new one to discuss how Jesus’ fullness—grace upon grace—reveals God. Read John 1:14-18 together and share what you learned, then consider how to live out grace in your next conversation.