Title: Grace upon grace (John 01:15-18)
Content 1. Today, we would like to share grace through the words in verses 15 to 18.
Verse 15 says that John the Baptist testified of Jesus.
John the Baptist was born to testify of Jesus. Witnessing Jesus was the purpose of his life. When God brought John the Baptist into the world, you believed and lived as if you were sent into the world to live a life that testifies about Jesus.
Then, what are you and I that were born into this world? Did God give us life to eat, drink, marry, marry, earn money, and enjoy worldly pleasures? More important than that, God has given our lives to receive Jesus, to worship God, and to testify of Jesus to all people.
The Apostle Paul asked Timothy while he was in prison before death. “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, by his appearing and by his kingdom, that you preach the word, working hard at all times, in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).
What we must do until the moment of death is to testify of Jesus. When a dog saw its owner arguing with another person, it ran up to the arguing man and bit him. Of course, the owner of the dog suffered hardships and suffered material losses as a result, but as a dog, it is thought that he has done enough for the owner of feeding and raising him.
The greatest thing we, the saints who are saved and who are receiving grace, have to do for Jesus is to testify of Jesus.
John the Baptist testified of Jesus, but he did not testify to himself alone, but by shouting.
This John testified of him and cried out, "We see in these words John the Baptist, crying out with a loud voice. Isaiah earlier said of John the Baptist, “The voice of one who cries” (Isaiah 40:3).
"The Cryer" became John the Baptist's nickname.
The Old Testament prophets also pointed out the sins of their people and cried out loudly, calling for repentance. Even though John the Baptist urged the people who did not receive Jesus, the Son of God, to repent by shouting, “You brood of vipers,” to repentance, in today’s text, we find the figure of John shouting loudly about Jesus.
John the Baptist is now speaking freely and frankly about Jesus whom he is witnessing.
He exclaimed with confidence and fervor about Jesus, who is the truth that he testified.
We must have confidence in whatever we do, but we must have clear convictions, especially in our faith.
Even among those who come to church, there are those who do not know whether God is still alive or not.
We must become a saint who clearly believes in the God we believe in, believes clearly, and bears witness to that conviction passionately and boldly even in the face of death. A confident person can testify of Jesus to all people with boldness and a loud voice.
Is there anyone among you who is still ashamed to believe in Jesus and hides it? Is there anyone who sits at the table and prays earnestly, but is conscious of the eyes of unbelievers around him and eats without praying? Do you not hesitate to say, "I believe in Jesus" when asked, "Do you believe in Jesus?"
The apostle Paul confided his testimony when he was being interrogated before King Agrippa. When the king heard all these things, the king said to Paul, "Are you trying to persuade me to become a Christian?"..."I pray to God that not only you but all who listen to me today will be like me, except for these bonds. is," he said.
Even though Paul went to the king and stood bound as a prisoner, he did not ask for his own life to be released, but he testified about Jesus. I pray that all of you will become saints who bear witness to Jesus by boldly proclaiming Jesus like John the Baptist and Apostle Paul.
Now let's look at the content of John the Baptist's evidence for Jesus.
“I said before, that he who comes after me precedes me, because he precedes me.” This refers to this man.” John the Baptist can see the fact that he testified of Jesus even before he was baptized. Whether Jesus was present or not, he was always bearing witness about Jesus.
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who comes after me is more Because he is mighty, I am not worthy to lift his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:2-11).
In this way, John the Baptist had a commandment for people to receive Jesus with upright principles and pure intentions and with unwavering faith in the glory and power of Christ.
And even though John the Baptist was born about 6 months before Jesus (Luke 1:36) and the beginning of his ministry also began before Jesus (Mark 1:14), his Jesus was ahead of me, he was before me, and he was ahead of me. He is mighty, and he baptizes with water, but he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and he is great and great, and I cried out with a loud voice to the people that I was so poor that I could not even lift his shoes.
Here we see the great faith of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a man who respected, exalted, boasted, and testified only for Jesus without acknowledging his existence in front of Jesus in every way.
John the Baptist made Jesus the King of kings. John the Baptist was indeed a humble man. It was said of John the Baptist, "Among those who have been healed of women there is no one greater than John." John the Baptist was a great and honorable man, but he did not hesitate to acknowledge Christ.
It is very sad to see that some foolish people today criticize God for having some power in the world and look down on the church.
Do you live a life of faith with a heart that truly exalts and fears God in the depths of your heart and kneels before God?
Those who serve God with their hearts exalt, obey, and testify to God in all their lives.
Believe that God's miracles and blessings are with those who have Christ as their master and I am his servant and messenger.
2. Now let's look at verse 16.
"And from his fullness we all received, and grace upon grace." The word fulness refers to an overflowing perfect measure.
Therefore, it refers to a state of completion that is not lacking in any aspect, whether numerically, quantitatively or qualitatively. What we mean here is that Jesus is not lacking in all the power and attributes of God.
Again, the word fullness speaks of the perfection of Christ. In the same way, the fullness of Christ is like a fountain that will not be exhausted no matter how much water is drawn.
He, Jesus, is full of all things. Full of wisdom, full of health, full of joy, full of grace, full of power, full of material things. They are full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. Peace is also full.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
He said that the silver is mine and the gold is mine. Jesus, who is all-sufficient, is pleased to give everything to anyone. But please remember. It is never given to the proud person who believes in the fullness of God and does not want or pray to give it to the Lord.
“Grace upon grace, we all received from his fulness.” Whoever has the blessing from the fulness of Jesus does not say otherwise. It only says, “This is all the grace of Jesus.”
What do the sinners who have been saved by believing in Jesus say, “This is the grace of God. It is the grace of the Lord” What do those who have experienced the fervor of the Holy Spirit and live in joy and confidence say “This is the grace of God, He is the grace of the Holy Spirit, "What do the saints who have been healed of disease say?" They will say, "This is God's grace through the power of God." In the midst of failure, setbacks, and disappointment, what can a person who overcomes by gaining the hope that Jesus gives him can't help but say, "This is God's grace and blessing."
Those who have the experience of receiving the fullness of the Lord in this way will confess that it is grace upon grace.
What is grace over grace1) First, this grace was obtained freely. It is a blessing that comes from simply believing in Jesus.
God blesses those who believe well. It is said that the mother of the deceased President Yoon Bo-seon was a devout person in prayer. She put water in a basin by the bedside before going to sleep, and when she woke up, she washed her face with a net and prayed. do. They pray while calling out the names of their brothers and grandchildren one by one, but sometimes they are halfway through, and if they forgot, they say that they started again. In this mother's faith, by the grace of God, the son becomes the president. Beloved, please believe in Jesus. I believe you will understand clearly how God blesses you with what kind of grace.
2) Next, grace on grace refers to grace that overflows.
This is overflowing with grace. Just as the waves of the sea come in once and follow them continuously, it is said that grace does not end with just one grace, but is given continuously like waves....