Jesus - Full Of Grace And Truth Series

John 1:14-16

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, ’He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’" 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:14-16

John writes his gospel by making statements and then illustrating them. For instance he states, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory.” That’s the statement; then He shows us what he means: As Jesus turned water to wine, they saw His glory in the transformation. As He calmed the raging storm, they saw His glory in that the winds and waves were in submission. In raising Lazarus from the dead, they saw His glory in the resurrection. In transformation, submission and resurrection they saw His glory. So the first 18 verses of John are declarative statements that he illustrates through the remainder of the book. Today we are going to look at the statement that he made; that Jesus was full of grace and truth.

His glory is shown not only in what He did, but in Who He was. In His very essence, He was full of grace and truth and that is the glory of His character. So today we’ll look at the biblical account that shows Jesus full of grace and truth. Chapter 5:

1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 4 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." John 5:1-14

Here is the situation; a man is an invalid, he is not able to move on his own, he has no one to help him, and he has been in this condition for a long time - 38 years of being disabled, 38 years of dashed hopes, 38 years of being disappointed by others (“Nobody helps me, someone else gets in ahead of me.”)

But then Jesus sees him lying there and asks him an amazing question… “Do you want to get well?” “Do I want to get well? What kind of a question is that? Of course I want to get well.” Some people are quite happy to remain in their condition; they see no problem with lazing around the pool, getting a tan. They’re quite comfortable there; it’s all they know.

Jesus was awakening a desire within him. The man had just said, “I have no one to help me” because he had only met people who were selfish and needy. Now he meets One full of grace and truth.

And Jesus sees this desire that He had just kindled and, unlike all the other people who had disregarded this man, unlike all who had disappointed him in the past, Jesus commands him to get up and heals him of 38 years of disability. Jesus is the only One Who had compassion on Him; the only One Who gave him grace.

But not only grace, but also truth. In verse 14 Jesus says, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Friend, you’ve received my grace, I’ve healed you in love, now repent, stop sinning, turn away from it or you’ll really have problems. And there it is: in the healing, we see Jesus full of grace and truth.

Let me apply this for a minute: Many of us lived a long time in spiritual paralysis; for myself, I was 38 years old before I repented of my sin. Some of us lay by the pool and blamed others for our condition. The problem was sin, our sin. Let’s ask the question Jesus asked: Do you want to be healed? Is there something disabling you from walking with Christ? If so, do you want to be healed? If so, Jesus can do it. He has all the grace and truth you ever need. If you’re paralyzed in sin you can be pardoned in Jesus, and you’ll be up and walking in no time. And in our own healing, others will see Jesus’ glory, full of grace and truth.