Grace For Grace

Intro: What does it mean to have grace?

The Greek word for grace is charis, and there’s no question of its importance in biblical theology. Charis appears 116 times in the New Testament. There’s a lot about grace in Scripture because it’s the message of Jesus.

Grace means favor. It means acceptance. It means giving. Grace is free in the sense that something done or given in grace is done so without expecting to receive anything in return. Grace isn’t dependent on the way it’s received, the moral goodness of the one receiving it, or even that person’s ability to rightly say, “Thank you.” The only thing grace is dependent on is the generosity of the giver.

Every other religion in the world boils down to a sort of cosmic barter system. People bring their good stuff to their god, whether it’s good actions, good money, or good sacrifices, and in exchange their god gives them some of its good stuff.

Not so in Christianity. As a grace-based belief system, Christianity is built solely on the extravagant goodness of God. Nothing in us motivates God’s grace, and nothing we do can pay Him back. The only part we play in grace is receiving it: Paul writes in (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Jesus lived out this truth in His ministry. When He healed the sick, He didn’t do so on the basis of their righteousness. When He fed the hungry, He didn’t do so with the intent to have them repay Him. And when He offers salvation to the world, He doesn’t make a qualification about who can receive it

His Glory Revealed

John 1:14 NKJV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

God’s Glory came through Christ.

The unseen Glory of the father was reveled in flesh when Christ came.

The “Word” from the beginning of time took on a form that we could Identify with.

People didn’t truly understand his Glory as the man Christ.

They saw him as an inconvenience rather than the glory of God.

Grace and Truth took on flesh.

Grace that would/does save man from sin.

Truth that we can stand on when everything else is falling apart.

He Is Greater

John 1:15 NKJV

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

The cry was load and bold.

John the Baptist lifted his voice so that others would know.

Speaking boldly is an indiction that you are sure of the subject mater.

Proclaim His glory to a lost and dying world with confidence.

He is preferred before all.

Christ is to be lifted above all people and positions.

Preferred means = The come.

John said that Christ came before him; indicating that His name should be exalted.

Waves Of Grace

John 1:16 NKJV

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

God’s fullness we receive.

Because He is completely all that we need, we can receive all that is necessary to be successful as a child of the King.

His fullness indicates there is nothing else needed.

Waves of grace bestowed upon the believer.

His grace washes over us time and time again.

we are consumed by his grace.

wrapped up like a blanket and coddled in his love.

Unobtainable Sustainable Favor

John 1:17 NKJV

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Continual works salvation through repetitive sacrifice was demanded through the law.

Having to constantly make sacrifices was proof that the world needed a Savior for the final atonement.

God’s grace came in the form of a man.

It was through Christ and him alone that grace was offered to humanity.

I need grace for my lack of consistency.

It is sin of the flesh that we as people commit that we need God’s grace as we grow in that relationship with him.

Grace is not a license to sin, but a freedom to return to Christ through repentance.

Holiness We Can Enjoy

John 1:18 NKJV

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

God demonstrated his love to us by giving us Jesus the only begotten son.

No one has seen God because he is a spirit.

Therefore he demonstrated his love to us by sending the God man in a form we could identify with.

Real compassion for his children came when he gave us Christ.

God wanted us to be able to identify with him.

Conclusion:

God’s demonstration of grace to humanity far surpasses even our own understanding of what he has done for us. While we experience him in a personal way through the shed blood of Christ, it will only be revealed when we get to heaven just how powerful his grace really is.

Let’s be thankful for the grace of God for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone believing.