John 1: 16 (Thanksgiving)

“We Have All Received Grace after Grace”

 

John 1:16 is such a neat, peculiar verse. It seems to stick out. John spends his first chapter explaining the incarnation of Christ. In that chapter, he talks about – among other things - creation, ministry, God’s grace, the Trinity, and faith. Christ is at the center of the entire chapter. Then, almost as a separate thought, we read verse 16. The Greek is so simple, and yet awkward to translate into English. It literally would read something like this: “For from his fullness we have all received, and grace in place of grace.”

We have all receive grace upon grace from the fullness of God. When we consider that in the chapter, we consider Christ. Paul discussed the fullness of Christ in his letter to the Colossians: “For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, and you have all been given fullness in Christ!” (Colossians 2: 9-10).

Outside of Christ, we lack every good thing. On our own we are helpless, sinful, prone to false pride, prone to a lack of self worth. We would continue to struggle between spiritual do-it-yourself idiots and depressed souls. Outside of Christ we have no other source of strength or gifts or help. Outside of Christ, there is no reason for thankfulness, service, or love.

In Christ, the power of God, the deity, the authority, the GRACE of God, lives in bodily form. We are about to celebrate the fact that God’s Word took on our humanity. In Jesus the fullness of God lives. And those who are in Christ have also been given the fullness of God. We have all received grace upon grace. We have all been the recipient of God’s wonderful proclamation of forgiveness. Our sinful slates have all been wiped clean. Our eternity has been secured, IN CHRIST.

Again, Paul makes the connection between Christ and all the other good things that God gives to us: “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us ALL things?” (Romans 8:31-32). He has given us his Son. Along with his Son he has given us “one blessing after another.”

            Think about what that small phrase means. Literally “grace in place of grace.” Every day we receive blessings from God. Even if one is taken away, there are others to replace it. God never stops giving. His fullness never runs out. His storehouse of Grace spills out through the giving of his Son. From our mothers arm, HE has blessed us on our way. Year after year, day by day, from minute to minute, grace after grace, we have all received.

            That fullness of grace is what moves us to be in God’s house today. His never-ending blessings have caused us to be thankful people. As we count those blessings, we can think of the blessings that have passed and the ones that have quickly replaced them. We can’t think of a time when God has not been pouring out his fullness to us. Even in times if sorrow and loss we were able to say, by faith, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:21 ). He has given us grace to replace the grace he has already given us. “His compassions never fail, they are new every morning” (Lamentation 3:22 -23).

            This week and always, as we count those blessings, we remember that he does this all because he is our good and merciful Father in heaven, and not that we have earned or deserved it. We remember that we thank, praise, serve, and obey him. Our thanksgiving is not just a day on the calendar. It is a life of fullness, using those blessings as often as we have received them. With hearts and hands and voices we give glory and thanks to our gracious God! We have all received from his fullness, one blessing after another in Christ Jesus, our Savior!

 

Amen.