John #08 Full of Grace and Truth

That You Would Believe and have Life

John #8

John 1:14, 17, 38, 39

Full - are you full?

Full of joy

Full of hope

Full of anger

Full of hatred

Full of fear

Full of it.

Full ofJesus?

Full of love

The word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory of the one and only who came from the Father full of Grace and Truth

1. Full of Grace and Truth

A. Full - pleres /play-race/

1. abounding / filled up

a. as with a hollow vessel

b. a surface covered in every part

c. of the soul, thoroughly permeated

2. complete, lacking nothing, perfect

3. Why was Jesus able to be "full" - because Phil. 2 tells us that he emptied himself of the rights and glory of heaven, that he might be fully obedient to death on that cross and through being empty he could become full for us

B. Grace charis

1. credit - there are two different kinds of credit, one is like when you buy a house or a car with the promise of paying it back, … that is NOT the kind of credit that we have in grace. The OTHER is when your account is OVER PAID so that you are not required to pay. That is the grace we have in Christ Jesus. His righteous sacrifice is enough to overpay our account to the extent that we no longer owe anything

2. favor - that is God's partiality toward us, it is his regard for us, his approving consideration or attention, Jesus is full of Gracious Favor

3. gift -

4. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight

Romans 5:20 - "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more"

C. Truth - aletheia /al-ay-thi-a/

1. "what is true in any matter under consideration"

2. Jesus IS truth - some have said, about Jesus, well that's great, if it is "true" or "works for you"

3. Jesus IS truth in any matter, in any circumstance, or any person, Jesus Christ is FULL of Grace and Truth! He is OBJECTIVE truth, not SUBJECTIVE truth.

The Word was made flesh, full of grace and truth. He didn't grow into his being, he came into this world as he was

The Word dwelt among us full of grace and truth

When we behold his glory we see he is Full of grace and truth

Jesus in Mary's womb was FULL of grace and Truth.

Jesus on the cross was full of grace and truth

Jesus has always been FULL of grace and Truth

Without Jesus … there IS NO Grace and Truth.

John 1:17 the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus

Jesus the word made flesh, among us, is full of grace and truth, and we need to take notice …

2. Come and See

John 1:38,39

Come - Leave where you are, stop going where you are going, stop doing what you are doing, Come

You can't stay and come

See - Investigate, find out for yourself, test, determine, know by experience

Come and see his Grace and Truth is the call for all …

A. Andrew and Phillip - What do you really seek?

- Andrew and Phillip were looking for Truth, they were looking for the Messiah, they were looking for God to move in their lives, that's why they had been following John the Baptist

- They were looking to be at peace with God - John was smart enough, honest enough, righteous enough to admit that grace and truth were NOT to be found in him but in Jesus Christ, so he in essence sent them off after Jesus … and

Jesus Said, --- Come and See

We miss what God has for us so often because we aren't willing to "come and see" we aren't willing to get outside our comfort zone and see where Jesus is, where he is staying, what he is doing, what he is all about

B. Shepherds - Angel

The Shepherds were just some curious boys on the Hillside

- the Angel in Luke 2 said "I bring you good news, great joy … A Savior is born today, he is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, the One that your religious teachers have told you about, and your parents about, he IS the Lord … Come and See … You will find him as a baby, wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger … "come and see" … "glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rests." Come and see

C. Magi - Star / Prophets - they came to Bethlehem looking for Jesus … they said "where is the one who have been born, King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

They had studied, the prophets, they knew that a Messiah would come, Moses had predicted that a star

would rise, the star had come and I believe in their hearts God called to them through the star saying, "Come and See"

Throughout his life Jesus invited people to come and see. As a 12 year old in the Temple he taught, as a young man he grew in favor with people.

He called the Disciples to come and follow

D. Woman at the Well - Jesus met a woman in John 4 near a Samaritan town. She was NOT a respected woman, she was NOT a woman of a good reputation. She was physically thirsty drawing water at a well, but Jesus recognized a spiritual thirst that went much deeper and when he said, "everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - He was saying "Come and see"

She wanted the water and he challenged her to get her husband, and in her honest desperation she said, "I'm not married". True, she had been married 5 times and was now living with someone. And he revealed himself to her as God and she believed him. He might have been like everyone else and been full of spite, or full of hatred, or full of pity, or full of distain, but NO. Jesus was Full of Grace and Full of Truth.

E. Mary Magdalene John 8- caught in adultery, they threw her at Jesus feet and asked what he was going to do about it. He could have been full of judgment, full of hatred, full of hypocrisy as they ONLY brought the woman. But Jesus was Full of Grace and Truth - "if any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." When her accusers were gone, he said, "I don't condemn you … Go now and leave your life of sin"

Truth and Grace, is what Jesus was full of. "Yes, your actions are wrong, but walk away from it, live in my grace, follow me."

F. Rich Young Ruler - Matthew 19 - "what must I do for eternal life" - Full of Grace, yes, Grace without Truth? No. He told the man, "here's what you lack, your heart is full of material things, sell everything you have, place your treasure and trust in me, then you can know the fullness of my grace."

This man went away sad, NOT because God's Grace wasn't full and available through Christ but because his eyes were on his wealth and possessions and he wasn't willing to trust the Truth of what Jesus commanded

Jesus Said "Come and See" Follow my way and see if you don't find what you are looking for …

but instead he came and went

G. Nicodemus - He came to Jesus, secretly at night, away from the busyness, away from the watchful eyes of the religious elite, and his heart was seeking the truthful answers to God's Grace and Kingdom that all of his religious training, all of his knowledge had left him empty

- Jesus said "Come and See" when he offered "new Truth" - "unless you are born again, born from above, born of the Spirit, you can not taste, know experience, live in the Kingdom of God."

This shattered Nic's understanding, but he continued to question Jesus.

Jesus said, "I speak the truth, because I'm the only one who here who has already been in Heaven and come down. He said "Come and see" when he said "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already."

He was Full of Grace as he Spoke the Truth.

"Your religious ways aren't going to make you acceptable before God"

Wow! If the religious nature of a Pharisee wouldn't get us to heaven, then you and I are sadly out of luck. Because their rituals and ways were highly pious and "religiously" followed

H. MORE

1. Jesus was full of grace and when he fed 5,000+ and they continued to follow the next day and he in effect said, "if you follow me, it's more than just liking the fringe benefits. You are going to have to take ALL of me. You are going to have to take my death and sacrifice as you take my life" It's what he was saying when

he said "anyone who would come after me much deny himself / herself take up their cross and follow me." - That's the TRUTH that goes with the Grace and he is full of Grace and Truth - he says "Come and See"

2. Jesus was full of grace and truth in the upper room, when he told his disciples, "my body will be broken, my blood will be spilled out" "Come and see" - He washed their feet and told them to follow his example "Come and See"

3. Full of Grace and Truth

In the Garden - he could have "chucked it all" said "forget about this" but no, he said "Not my will, but thine be done"

He was Full of Grace and Truth"

4. Pilate - He was full of Grace and Truth when he stood before Pilate and told him - "the only power you have is power that God has given you" - he didn't have to go through what he went through but he did it because he was Full of Grace and Truth

5. Thief on the Cross - He was full of Grace and Truth on the cross when one thief, who moments earlier had joined in the mocking, said 'you are innocent, remember me in your Kingdom.'"

- He could have been full of resentment, he could have been full of self-pity, he could have been full of righteous indignation, but he was full of Grace and Truth and said "Today, you will be with me in paradise"

Oh come and See the Eternal Word of God, made flesh, dwelling in our midst, displaying God's Glory, …

full of grace and truth.

3. Full Enough For Me?

Yes - because it is NOT about you it is all about him

His grace is full enough for you because it's about him not about you

2 Timothy 1:9 - (He) saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity."

Reaches

Deep Enough

High Enough

Outside

Inside

He IS full enough for you

He is your Advocate according to 1 John 2:1 - ready to stand before the Father on your behalf and in your defense

He is Almighty, the Alpha,

He is Bread of Life - John 6:35 - come and be filled

He is a Carpenter in Matthew 13 and Mark 6 that can help you rebuild your life or start from the ground up and Commander in Joshua and in Isaiah 55:4 who can lead you to victory

He is the Daystar in 2 Peter 1:19 who will lead you through the darkness until the light of day comes back to your life, he is a Deliverer and the door to everlasting life in John 10; Luke 13:24

He is the Everlasting Father of Isaiah 9:6 who is the only vehicle for us to know the joy of being Born again -

He is Foundation in Isa. 28:16 - that is laid in Zion, a cornerstone, a sure foundation, for you to trust and build your life on

He is the Gift of God beyond description in 2 Cor 9:15 and the Glory of God in Isa 60:1

He is your High Priest in Hebrews 3, and 7 - who goes before God and offers and acceptable sacrifice that you might know the joy of his presence

He is the Image of God - John 1:18, Heb 1:3; I Am, John 8:58

He is JESUS - He is JESUS Christ- He is JESUS our Lord- which Matthew 1:21; tells me that he will save his people from their sins - Mt. 1:1 - the Anointed One, Rom 6:23, Our savior, anointed Lord, ruler and

He is the King of Kings in Revelation who is and will be victorious - Rev 17:14

He is the Lamb of God in John 1:29 - who takes away the sins of the world

He is the Light of the world who shines the way to God - John 8:12

He is the Mighty God of Isaiah 9:6 and Messiah of Daniel 9:25 and John 1:41

He is a Nazarene in Mark 1:24 which might not sound like much but they would said "nothing good comes out of Nazareth" but yet I have a Savior who relates to the rejected and common and gives hope and life

He is the One and Only Begotten of God - in John 1:14,18 there is none like him in heaven or earth or under the earth

He is the Great Physician in Matt. 9:12 who came to heal the sick emotionally, physically, and spiritually

He is the Power of God in 1 Cor 1:24

He is the one who Quiets me with Singing, and Quiets my Fears in Zech 3:17

He is our Ransom the debt paid to rescue me from the evil that has taken me captive in 1 Tim 2:6

He is a Refiner in Mal. 3:3 who doesn't leave me as I am

He is Seed of Abraham, Gal3:16 the Son of David in Matt 15:22, but also Son of God in Luke 1:35

He is a True Vine in which I can live and be nourished and have life full and abundant in John 15:1 and John 10:10

He is Unmatched in Jeremiah 10:6 and his Love in Unending in Roman 8

He is Victorious on a White Horse in Revelation 19:11

He is the Way in John 14:6

He is Wonderful in Is 9:6 and the Word in John 1:1

And that is Where I end in this Alphabet because that is where I began with THE WORD, the Eternal Word, he is the Omega, the Ending, as well as the beginning, so I don't need , X, Y, and Z, would those letters more convince you than what I've already told you?

So, why don't you embrace it? Who or what is keeping you from obeying this Truth, living in this grace?

Galatians 5:7 - … who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth

Ultimately we each must bear the responsibility for ourselves.

What you need has been provided

The Manger was Full of Grace and Truth

His Childhood was Full of Grace and Truth

His Ministry was Full of Grace and Truth

The Garden was Full of Grace and Truth

On a Hill Called Calvary he was Full of Grace and Truth

The Empty Tomb is full of grace and Truth

It is God WITH us.

Today he sits at the right hand of the Father Full of Grace and Truth

Jesus Christ on earth fully man and still Fully GOD. You can't have one without the other. We want Grace but we don't want the truth.

But it doesn't work that way.

The TRUTH is that we are lost and helpless without God.

The Truth is that ALL of our righteousness, all of our goodness, all of our holiness, … all that we think will make us acceptable before God is like filthy rags and will always come short of the Glory of God

The Truth is that All have sinned and come SHORT of the Glory of God

The Truth is that Jesus said, "Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand"

That is to say, "Turn around, stop going the way you are going and come and Follow him.

Your version of the TRUTH won't lead you into God's grace

My version of the Truth won't lead you into God's Grace

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No One comes to the Father But BY ME!

Jesus Christ is the Truth that leads us into Fullness of the Grace of God

Jesus Christ came was FULL of Grace and Truth.

Jesus Christ Born in a manger, came full of grace and truth

It was already determined, he came bringing grace and truth. He came already victorious

He was Crucified from the Foundation of the World according to Revelation. The Cross was simply finishing physically what was already completed in God's plan

Moses was saved by the cross looking forward to the final sacrifice

Abraham was saved by the cross looking forward to his Offspring who would save his people

Isaiah was redeemed by the blood of the one whom he prophesied would come.

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word of God has always Been Full of Grace and Truth

The well that will never run dry is full of all the grace and truth that you need.

Without Christ your life is and will be empty.

Oh you can keep your life "full" if you keep pouring fast enough. You can pour in money and pour in success, pour in relationships, pour in alcohol, pour in drugs, you can pour in lots of things. But eventually you have to stop and when you do it will run out.

Jesus told Israel that he had 2 accusations against them,

1) they had abandoned his never-ending wellspring of life, and

2) they had dug their own well, but it was a broken cistern

Abandon YOUR way today

Give Up YOUR well today

Come to the Well That Never Runs Dry

Come to the Well that is Full of Grace and Truth

Maybe you are running on empty today because as a believer, you've stopped tapping into the eternal well with in

Perhaps it has become clogged with pride, sin, or other distraction

Repent and Return

Fill up on Jesus

Fill up

Jesus said, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light

Behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone will open the door, I will come in and "dine / sup / dwell" with him and he with me

Is there an empty corner in your heart today?

Are you full, but full of empty stuff?

Are you tired of running yourself ragged trying to stay full?

Jesus Christ, the Word, Eternally God, the presence of God come among us, showing us God in all his Glory is Full of Grace and Truth

Come and See