Grace Upon Grace

If the word grace was obscured by other translations of the word in Luke, John 1 will make up for it.  In John 1:14-17 we find Christ described as grace 4 times.  He is given the great acclamation of not just being grace, but of pouring out grace for grace.  Abundant grace is proclaimed in these verses and Christ is its character and its source.

Samuel Knox wrote a beautiful hymn, “Lord, Thou Hast Promised Grace for Grace” based upon the text in John 1.  His first stanza reads, “Lord, Thou hast promised grace for grace to all who daily seek Thy face; to them who have, Thou givest more out of Thy vast, exhaustless store.”  There is great and wonderful promise in these words.  John 1:11 had declared that when he came to this earth His own did not receive Him.  Then in verse 12 it declares that those who did receive Him would be called the children of God.  They had believed in Him and embraced His grace.  To these He promised more grace.  To these He is indeed “grace for grace”. 

I am losing my hearing as a simple fact of aging.  When I listen to the TV or stereo the sound level comfortable for my children is not effective for me.  I need volume with volume.  To satisfy this need my son hooked up a speaker system that goes directly to my chair.  I can hear clearly because I have sound and sound.  We all have needs in our lives.  Those needs are daily met with the grace for grace of Christ.  He has met our greatest need, reconciliation with the Father, by dying on the cross in our stead.  Now He adds grace to grace by supplying each need as it arises.  He is the truth of God to show me the way to God (Vs 14 and 17) and the grace of God to make me acceptable with the Father (Vs 14-17) and He is also the grace of God to care for me every day.  He is my amplified grace for all needs as my son graciously amplified the stereo sound so I can hear what is going on.

Now, being filled with such grace, we need to show that we have it.  I have to be able to say that I know what is playing on the stereo.  We have to be able to say what God is doing in the world.  He gives us grace for that as well as Knox states in verse 4, “Help us, O Lord, that we may grow in grace as Thou dost grace bestow; and still Thy richer gifts repeat
till grace in glory is complete.”  Rejoice in the richness of His grace and declare the same. 

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