Grace upon Grace

John 1:14-18

The Best Gift

Sneaking a peak at Christmas

Immediate answers, no more waiting, you just know, and can start thinking about all the ways you’ll enjoy the gift.

Usually takes away the joy of the surprise on Christmas morning, plus, your parents will know.

What if we could get a peak, and still build anticipation, knowing that the gift would bring endless joy?

Giving a glimpse of the best gift.

This is what John does in the beginning of his gospel. Where the Matthew and Luke tell of his birth, and what is promised in his coming, John is showing the depth and magnitude of God’s gift in Jesus Christ.

What it means to find grace upon grace in Jesus.

The Gift of our Redeemer

The Word Became Flesh

He is the Word incarnate

The very word that was spoken to bring everything into existence, the word that holds all things together, that expresses wisdom, reason, and purpose of God, the word which is the light of men, shining in the darkness… this Word became flesh

God has come to be with us, Matt 1:23, “He will be called Immanuel, which means, God with Us.”

All that God would say, He has spoken plainly and eloquently in His Son, Jesus Christ.

He is the Only Begotten Son.

He is the only begotten. We are children adopted of God by grace, but Jesus is begotten of God, being the very nature of God and Man together.

God gave His only begotten in the flesh

Rom 8:3-4 To condemn sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.

Heb 2:14 - to destroy the devil, who has the power of death.

This is John the baptists’ testimony - pointing to Jesus.

He is the eternal one, he ranks before me, because he was before me.

The Son didn’t come into existence when Jesus was born, but always has been, and was with God from the very beginning.

What a Gift!

We need a Word from God. We are so overwhelmed with so many words that mean nothing and have no power. We need the word that will help us to understand this world, and our place in it.

This is what Jesus does - as the living word of God. He makes God known in what He taught and what He did. He is “the Word of God” made flesh.

He Dwelt Among Us

σκηνη, pitch a tent, tabernacle.

The Tabernacle in the OT - The tent of meeting with God.

It was always in the middle of the people, when they camped or when they walked.

Signifying that God was in their midst, with them, identifying with them, and they were known as people of the living God.

The tabernacle was meant for the wilderness, for the journey, for the place of trials, temptations, and difficulty.

God would be with them in the midst, leading them to their eternal home

The tabernacle was the place where the sacrifice was made to get right with God

In the center, the priest made the sacrifice, atoning for their sins, reconciling them to God.

The Tabernacle held them together, gave them community, they were a people with God.

What a Gift! Christ tabernacled with us - he is present.

Jesus dwells in the hearts and minds of his people - he is with us.

Jesus leads us through this wilderness and into the promised land.

Jesus is the one who makes us right with God, by giving his own life for ours.

We have Seen His Glory…

How was his glory seen?

Is there glory in His birth? The humiliation of Christ.

The angels sang glory to God, the shepherds found a child lying a manger.

He had a humble birth, suffered oppression, and was rejected by those he came to save.

Where is Christ’s glory? In the cross.

Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus talks about when the Son of Man is lifted up, when He is glorified, and He is always pointing to the cross.

John 12:23 - The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified - this was as he entered Jerusalem for the last time - he was looking to his crucifixion.

The work of Christ in His death and resurrection - fully obeying God and showing His love for us - this is where Christ’s glory is found.

Not in worldly wealth, power, or acceptance, but in the sacrifice that would bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10).

What a Gift!

To catch sight of the glory of God on display.

Moses, “Please show me your glory.” God’s reply, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” It’s not just that sinners cannot behold the presence of God, but until we are made like him, the magnitude of God’s glory would so overwhelm us it would bring us to nothing.

Jesus came full of the glory of God

John 14:9 - When we have seen Him, we have seen the Father.

Col 1:15 - He is the image of the invisible God.

The Word became flesh so that we could behold him

Full of Grace and Truth

He is full of Grace and Truth - In the OT - “hesed” and “emet,” steadfast love and faithfulness

God’s covenantal commitment, He will be faithful to the covenant, even when we are not, he will show steadfast love, even when we don’t deserve it.

What a Gift!

Christ came full of the grace and truth. He is the fulfillment of all the covenant expectation,

Taking the covenant curse, when we had broken faith, bearing the punishment for our sin

He is faithful, even when we are faithless.

Grace upon Grace

Grace upon Grace in Christ, the gift that keeps giving.

From his fullness we have all received - grace upon grace. An unfolding of grace after grace, the gift that continues to give.

The law was given through Moses. A grace given to restrain sin, to show us how to live, and to point to our need of a savior.

But the law, by itself, could not bring salvation, since, in the corruption of the flesh, we are unable to keep the law

A surpassing grace - Christ and grace and truth- he has fulfilled the law’s demands, removed the punishment for our failure, and given us His Spirit that we might walk according to His will

God shows his grace, first in Israel, in giving the law, then surpassed in Christ, giving grace and truth.

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

John 20:31 “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Know that Jesus is the Son of God

To know the only begotten Jesus Christ, who has come from the Father’s side for your salvation.

He has come to show God’s love, to offer God’s grace, to atone for your sins and bring you into fellowship, He dwells with you to guide you and guard you in this wilderness journey. Know Christ your savior, repent and believe in Him.

Have life in His name

A shame to let the gift go to waste, to live as though you never got it.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

We are to live in the gift we’ve been given, the real life of Christ in us.