Jesus was GRACE-FULL and TRUTH-FULL - John 1:14-18

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

As we said a few days ago in regard to the purpose for John's gospel, one of his key purposes was to define who Jesus really was.  Where did Jesus come from, what is his nature, and in what way did he reveal who God is.  In the beginning we know that the "Word" was with God and through him all things were made.  And today we see the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 

The Word becoming flesh is what we call, "the incarnation".  "This is John’s most startling statement so far. It would have amazed both thinkers in both the Jewish and the Greek world to hear that the Word became flesh."

Many people wonder if the Trinity is taught in the bible.  John uses very personal language for the Godhead.  Jesus is the Son, and there is God the Father. They are separate but one.  We will see the relationship between the Father and Son throughout the gospel and the intimacy they share and later John will explain the role of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  

Importantly John says that Jesus came "full of grace and truth".  

“These two ideas should hold our minds and direct our lives. God is grace, and truth. Not one without the other. Not the other apart from the one. In His government there can be no lowering of the simple and severe standard of Truth; and there is no departure from the purpose and passion of Grace.” (Morgan) 

Grace is unmerited favor.  It means gift.  Grace is getting something you don't deserve.  Jesus came full of grace.  He was grace-full.  He wasn't lacking any grace.  Since Jesus was the exact representation of God, we see God is full of grace too.  Jesus came to reveal God's grace to us.  This is a point many people miss.  They feel condemned by Jesus, or maybe even more so by a judgmental Christians.  But anyone who truly understands God's grace can ONLY be grace-full to others.  That can't be judgmmental because the same judgment they use will be used for them and it won't go well. 

Jesus was also full of truth.  He was always truth-full.  Because he was full of truth, he could never lie.  He would always as we say, "call a spade a spade", while still being full of grace.  Most people think of grace and truth are opposite of each other.  But one can be both truthful and graceful at the same time.  This is what Jesus was like and it represented what God was really like.  

Finally, the passage says Jesus made his dwelling among us.  Literally the word "dwelling" comes from the word "tabernacle" or "tent".  In the Old Testament when the Jews were wandering in the wilderness, they set up a tabernalce or a traveling tent to meet with God.  The tabernacle played the role that the permanent temple would play in Jerusalem.   

Now the presence of God was in a person, Jesus His Son.  The tabernacle was a sign that God had not given up on the Israelites, and he wanted them to enjoy his presence.  This was fulfilled by sending His Son to dwell among his people.  And eventually the dwelling place of God will be in human hearts through the Son. 

Are you able to receive the grace God has for you, or are you still trying to earn God's favor?  Do you have a problem with being truthful or speaking the truth?  How can God's grace help you to do that?  How does compromising the truth cheapen God's grace?