Jn.1:16 – For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
Paul tried his best to paint spiritual pictures with His words. He loved to use phrases such as faith to faith and glory to glory. These are called “hebraisms”. In today’s verse John tries his hand with these beautiful words – “grace upon grace”. This was John’s way to describe the infinite nature of the Lord. He calls this facet of the Lord “grace upon grace”. Grace is the supernatural influence of God on our lives that enables us to see spiritual reality that was foreign to us in the past. One moment we have no interest in spiritual things, the next moment we are swimming with John and Paul in this world of grace to grace.
John had begun to taste something that day for the first time when he heard the words, “Come and follow Me and I will make you fishers of men”. He didn’t understand the attraction at first but as the months and years passed John was totally captured by God’s grace. He saw grace in action as Jesus forgave the most miserable sinners and healed and restored the hopeless. He probably began to understand even more fully after the day of Pentecost when he and the others were filled with the Spirit. Beginning on that day grace had become like a bubbling, overflowing fountain. John was caught up with the fulness of grace as grace upon grace became his portion.
For you and me today, the first moment we taste the grace of God we enter into this beautiful world. What this verse teaches us is that first taste is just that, the beginning of an unfolding, unending, unsearchable encounter with the Living God. He attracts us by grace, satisfies us, sustains us, and inspires us. He helps us in our darkest moments, fills us with unspeakable joy, and gives us a clear understanding of our purpose in life. Grace is more than pardon, it is actually the divine, God given influence on our soul that changes our world. So go ahead and get started. Dive into the ocean of grace. Drink again of the fountain that never runs dry. Maybe you too will begin to talk this new language describing the indescribable world of God inviting others to come and drink of this fountain of grace.
1 thought on “ATTRACTED – SATISFIED – EMPOWERED – SUSTAINED BY GRACE UPON GRACE”
I finished reading the John commentary and I could summarize it:love upon love. It shows 1000 ways Jesus love us. I felt the hard crust (that I didn’t even know was there) around my heart begin to soften and get washed off. I’ve sensed His presence and my love for others has grown. I would suggest;no,beg my brothers and sisters to drop everything and read this book. The only other book that has impacted me more in my 50 years as a Christian is the Bible!! Thank you pastor Frank and Parris for writing this amazing book.