IN TIMES LIKE THESE - FOCUS ON GRACE AND TRUTH EVIDENCED IN “THE WORD” INCARNATE
John Arthur, my three-year-old great-grandson, calls me Paw-Paw. We call him Art. When Art comes to our house, he plays with toys Mee-Maw keeps in a bottom dresser drawer so he can get to the toys with no help. He prides himself on doing for himself – a good thing.
Art is inclined to be playful in spirit. Once when he and his mother were leaving our house, I said to him, “Bye-Bye Art”. He grinned and said back to me, “Bye-Bye Art” instead of “Bye-Bye Paw-Paw”. I caught on to his little game - so when we exchanged bye-byes the second time and he said back to me what I had said to him, I said to him, “Bye-Bye Paw-Paw”. He laughed - long and loud -and wanted to play that tease game over and over again . . . !
Well . . . the very next time Art was brought to our house (Thanksgiving get-together), he and his mother were greeted at the door by his grand-mother and his mee-maw, but I was in another room talking. Although he could not see me, my daughter told me that when Art heard my voice, he mouthed the word “Paw-Paw”. Then “Paw-Paw” appeared, and Art ran to greet “Paw-Paw” with open arms.
What transpired that day at my house - when the little fella heard the voice of someone known by him but greater than he, mouthed his name, then the one greater than he appeared, and Art ran to him with open arms - that to me is a simple yet profound illustration of what the Apostle John wrote about in reference to the appearing of the One who was greater than he . . . John the Baptist . . . all of us --- John 1:14-18 . . .
In Hebrew and Greek philosophy, the “logos” (“the Word”) denoted the prevailing concept of a superior intelligence . . . greater mind . . . power above all powers . . . supernatural being . . . a Deity greater than all their gods.
John’s mission was to present evidence that, in Jesus Christ, the “logos” of whom thinkers had become aware and with whom they sought to communicate - this creating, illuminating, sustaining, all-powerful Deity, greater than all gods – had always existed, but came to earth to show who the true God is, what He is like, and how persons can know Him and have fellowship with Him.
Thus, John began his presentation of the evidence by stating unequivocally (1:1-2) that, in the beginning, the Word was - already there (not created) . . . with God (the two of them shared an intimate relationship as Father and Son) . . . so much like God - in mind, in heart, in being - that the Word was God. “I and the Father are One.” (John 10:30)
The Son was so much like God the Father that He was the Father’s spittin’ image, Jesus came to earth as a person so that all persons could see His glory - as depicted by his birth . . . throughout his life . . . in his ministries . . . by his atoning death, his resurrection and ascension – and not only see but experience His glory (His presence) now and forevermore.
Summarize: Jesus came that we can know who God is . . . what God is like . . . see God’s glory . . . receive God’s grace . . . know God’s truth . . . be saved from the curse of the law (absence of God) and experience the blessing of God’s glory (presence of God) - now and forevermore. Folks:
What would life be like if there were no grace . . . if the truth had not been made known to us! If all we had to rely on was “the law of sin and death” - even as important as the law is to civilized society – none of us would stand a chance to live with no fear of what the law in the hands of evil doers could do to us.
A symbol of the law which can be terrifying in our day is the IRS in evil hands - hard, cold, calculating, unyielding, without mercy. Only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth can set a falsely accused taxpayer free from the consequences of evil intent.
Jesus was subjected to the evil intent of false accusations from among His own people (Jewish Sanhedrin) during the days of Roman rule. The problem was that truth did not matter to the Pharisees – John 18:36-38a . . .
The Roman procurator Pilate quizzed the pharisaical haters of Jesus to determine what charges they were making against Jesus, but saw through the façade and realized they had no legitimate case. Yet, because of seething hatred, the hypocrites persisted and twisted the truth into lies, and even made up laws they thought would turn Pilate against Jesus --- but to no avail.
As dastardly as the Roman government was, they were not going to take the blame for the Sanhedrin’s plot to crucify a reformer who was innocent of made-up charges.
Pilate forced the issue and made them go public so the world would know who the crucifiers of Jesus really were. Jesus had already exposed their hypocrisy when he messed up their get-rich schemes by overturning the money changers’ tables in the Temple courtyard.
Why bring up these made-up laws by the corrupt Jews in their attempt to get rid of the Savior by trying to turn the people he came to save against him? It’s to make the point that:
Left to the law and law alone, with no other recourse is to suffer unimaginable consequences such as crucifixion.
Thanks to God’s goodness and mercy, grace and truth came into the world in the person of Jesus Christ to provide the way of escape and to give sinners hope. Thus, the conversation Jesus had with Pilate is important to look at and listen to regarding truth.
Jesus declared: “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate responded: “What is truth?” Pilate ignored Truth. The Pharisees rejected Truth. Q: How will you respond to Truth?
From the moment of His birth to the hour of His death, Jesus served as the embodiment of Truth and the communicator of Truth . . . Even when Jesus left this earth in a body, He left us with His Spirit to guide us into Truth. How liberating it is - to know the Truth and to be set free from fear . . . danger . . . spiritual death!
Sadly, though, truth is resented by many (They killed Jesus because He spoke truth) . . . disbelieved by more folks than we would like to admit -- so we are left shaking our heads, praying for the faint-hearted, asking God to help us discern truth and let go of any bill of goods or half-truths being peddled by atheists and agnostics.
Those of us who know the Truth as revealed in Christ Jesus have been set free from the clutches of worldly opinions and the bombardment of our minds by anti-Christian rhetoric because we rest our case on the Word of God incarnate.
God’s Truth as revealed to us in Christ Jesus is known with our minds . . . accepted with our hearts . . . enacted in our lives.
Jesus promised those who believe in Him, “You really are my disciples if you continue in my word . . . you will know the truth . . . the truth will set you free!” (John 8:30-32)
We know Him who is the truth and whom to know is life eternal, we accept salvation which He provided for us, we live for Him who was born and died for us - all because of God’s grace which is sufficient day after day and night after night! No better way to say it than how John said it (1:16) – “grace upon grace”!
The Law makes demands of us. It has to, or else we could not function as civilized. But, out of His fullness of truth and grace we have received an abundance of grace – “grace upon grace”. Which says to me, and hopefully to you:
There is no end to God’s supply of truth as revealed in His Word . . . grace sufficient for every need!
God never runs out of whatever it takes to supply our needs, “according to His riches in glory through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
What this means is: God’s love is inexhaustible!
To those who come to God in Christ, God’s promise is that every day we can receive a new supply of His love . . . can know that we are loved – cherished, protected, blessed . . . can be strengthened, kept and supported by His love – grace upon grace, day after day, like the manna provided to the Israelites in the wilderness.
If you feel that you are wandering in the wilderness of not knowing and not receiving, come to Jesus as you are and ask God in the name of Jesus to supply your needs - always praying for God’s Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
