Full of Grace and Truth

During the month of July and August we are going to immerse ourselves as a church in the Gospel of John.  John is such an amazing and pivotal book of the Bible.  It's very different from the other gospels, which tend to give an historical record of Jesus' ministry and teaching.  John on the other hand, is trying to get us to see Jesus in the way that he had seen him.

As I've studied and read through the book I came up with over 31 messages that I seriously wanted to preach.  Fortunately, my wise wife and leadership team convinced me that a 31 week series on one book of the Bible would probably be a little much:-)

As a compromise I decided that I'd share on this blog some of my thoughts on portions of John that I'm not preaching.  So here goes.

Full of Grace and Truth

John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16-17 - From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

I love John's description of Jesus as being "full of grace and truth."

Often in Christian circles we find people who are one or the other.  They are full of truth but suffer from a lack of grace in their life.  (I once had a professor who was an expert on Paul, the apostle of grace, but was one of the least gracious people I'd ever met)  Or they are full of grace but don't know the truth.

Jesus was simultaneously full of both grace and truth.  In fact, he said of himself that he was truth and that we would know the truth and that it would set us free.  Truth opens blinded spiritual eyes and breaks spiritual chains.  Jesus was also full of grace.

We see "grace and truth" lived out in Jesus throughout the gospel of John, but I think the most powerful illustration of this principle is found in John 8 when Jesus deals with the woman caught in the act of adultery.  After dispersing her accusers he says to her "Neither do I condemn you..." (Grace) "Go and leave your life of sin" (Truth).  He set her free, not to return to her lovers bed, but to follow a new and righteous path for her life.

As a follower of Jesus I want to have the same characteristics that he did.  My prayer for myself is that I would be simultaneously full of his grace and his truth.

How about you?  How can you be full of God's grace and His truth?