Glory

John 1:1-18 (part 3)

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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. 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.' " 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 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."

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...”  Hush...think...consider this...  God the Son, full of glory, dominion, and power, co-equal with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, did not think it robbing His essence to leave His exalted estate and take on human flesh to become a servant.  The realization of this truth takes my breath away!  God in humble, corruptible flesh, submitted Himself to the death of the cross.  (Philippians 2:5-8) 

God Himself—God the Son—bore God’s own punishment on Himself.  What an amazing truth! 

This is grace.  Grace—His great kindness to give us what we don’t deserve, that is mercy.  Mercy—pardon from what we do deserve, that is, the wrath and judgment of God for our rebellion, the sin and darkness of our hearts.    

“And we beheld His glory...”   Jesus told the disciple, Philip, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father,” for Jesus is the express image of the Father.  The Apostle John literally saw Jesus with his own eyes for three years.  We can see Him by faith as we know Him through the Word, and as we do, we see God the Father.  

And of His fullness we have all [those who have received Him] received, and grace for grace.  These three days we’ve read and re-read this amazing Scripture describing the fullness of Christ’s glory, yet He shares this glory with us.  Grace for grace.  This phrase has captured my attention for several years now.  To me it is the very heart of this passage.  We receive grace because of grace.  We receive grace through grace.  And we receive grace to give grace.  I don’t know about you, but I fail at this miserably.  But still He gives more grace and more opportunities to grow in it. 

John 1:1-18 stands in the crossroad of human history.  Before this time, the law given through Moses stood to judge mankind.  Under the demands of the law, no one could stand under the condemnation of judgment.  Enter the Lord Jesus Christ bringing grace and truth, revealing God to us—He is the centerpiece of human history, the glory of God in human flesh, given to us by grace.  My prayer is that we will all receive of His fullness that we may pour out grace as He so generously pours it out to us.  
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