Experiencing the Fullness of Christ's Grace

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 16, we find a profound declaration: "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." This statement encapsulates the essence of our Christian identity and the abundant life we are called to live. As Christians, we are recipients of the fullness of Jesus Christ, and this fullness is not just a theological concept but a practical reality that should manifest in our lives. It is crucial for our joy, peace, and effectiveness as witnesses in a world that desperately needs the truth of Christ.

The journey to understanding and receiving this fullness begins with recognizing the Incarnation. Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the bridge that allows us to partake in His divine fullness. Without the Incarnation, the fullness of God would remain inaccessible to us. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are the steps through which His fullness is exercised on our behalf. He conquered death, the last enemy, and ascended into heaven, continuing His work for us.

The next vital step is understanding how Jesus, as our High Priest, entered the heavenly sanctuary. This act was necessary for the ratification of God's covenant of grace. The Old Testament rituals, with their sacrifices and blood, were mere shadows of the true sacrifice that Jesus would offer. His blood, unlike that of bulls and goats, cleanses not just the flesh but the conscience, reconciling us to God.

The covenant of grace, promised throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Christ, is ratified by His blood. This covenant assures us of God's promises, including the internal transformation where His laws are written on our hearts. The shedding of Jesus' blood is a reminder of the cost of our redemption and the seriousness of God's grace.

Finally, Jesus' work is complete and perfect. He has sat down at the right hand of God, signifying the finality and sufficiency of His sacrifice. This assurance allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing that we are recipients of His fullness and grace upon grace.

Key Takeaways:

- The fullness of Christ is a practical reality for Christians, essential for our joy and effectiveness as witnesses. It is not just a theological concept but a lived experience that should transform our lives. [00:56]

- The Incarnation is crucial for accessing the fullness of God. Jesus, being fully God and fully man, bridges the gap, making it possible for us to receive His fullness. Without the Incarnation, this divine fullness would remain inaccessible. [03:32]

- Jesus' role as our High Priest is vital. His entry into the heavenly sanctuary and the offering of His own blood ratify the covenant of grace, cleansing our conscience and reconciling us to God. This act surpasses the Old Testament sacrifices, which were mere shadows. [12:30]

- The covenant of grace, ratified by Jesus' blood, assures us of God's promises, including the internal transformation where His laws are written on our hearts. This covenant is a testament to God's commitment to redeem and transform His people. [23:33]

- Jesus' work is complete and perfect. His sitting at the right hand of God signifies the finality and sufficiency of His sacrifice. This assurance allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing that we are recipients of His fullness and grace upon grace. [41:47]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to the Gospel of John
- [00:36] - The Essence of Christian Identity
- [01:14] - The Importance of Fullness in Christ
- [02:08] - Understanding Christ's Fullness
- [03:32] - The Necessity of the Incarnation
- [04:46] - Christ's Role as Our Representative
- [06:10] - The Ascension and Its Significance
- [07:49] - The High Priest and the Heavenly Sanctuary
- [09:23] - The Old Testament Shadows
- [12:30] - The Ratification of the Covenant
- [14:09] - The Blood of the New Covenant
- [16:13] - The Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace
- [23:33] - The New Covenant Promises
- [41:47] - The Finality of Christ's Work

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 1:16
- Hebrews 9:11-14
- Jeremiah 31:31-34

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Observation Questions:

1. What does John 1:16 mean when it says, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace"? How does this verse relate to the concept of Christian identity? [00:09]

2. According to the sermon, why is the Incarnation of Jesus crucial for accessing the fullness of God? [03:32]

3. How does the role of Jesus as our High Priest, as described in Hebrews 9:11-14, surpass the Old Testament sacrifices? [12:30]

4. What are the promises of the New Covenant as outlined in Jeremiah 31:31-34, and how are they fulfilled in Christ? [23:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "grace upon grace" in John 1:16 influence a Christian's daily life and witness in the world? [00:56]

2. In what ways does the Incarnation serve as a bridge for believers to receive the fullness of God, and why would this fullness remain inaccessible without it? [03:32]

3. How does Jesus' entry into the heavenly sanctuary as our High Priest provide assurance of the covenant of grace? What does this mean for our relationship with God? [12:30]

4. How does the ratification of the New Covenant by Jesus' blood, as discussed in Hebrews 9, assure believers of God's promises and internal transformation? [23:33]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: How can you more fully embrace the fullness of Christ in your daily activities and interactions with others? [00:56]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of the Incarnation. How can you deepen your understanding and appreciation of this event in your personal faith journey? [03:32]

3. Consider the role of Jesus as our High Priest. How does this understanding impact your approach to prayer and worship? [12:30]

4. The New Covenant promises an internal transformation. What steps can you take to allow God's laws to be more deeply written on your heart? [23:33]

5. Jesus' work is described as complete and perfect. How does this assurance affect your confidence in approaching God with your needs and concerns? [41:47]

6. The sermon highlights the cost of our redemption. How can you live in a way that honors the sacrifice Jesus made for you? [35:54]

7. Identify one area in your life where you need to experience "grace upon grace." What practical steps can you take to invite God's grace into that situation? [00:56]

Devotional

Day 1: Experiencing the Fullness of Christ
The fullness of Christ is not merely a theological concept but a transformative reality that should be evident in the life of every believer. This fullness is essential for our joy, peace, and effectiveness as witnesses in a world that desperately needs the truth of Christ. As Christians, we are called to live out this fullness, allowing it to shape our actions, thoughts, and interactions with others. The journey to experiencing this fullness begins with a deep understanding of who Christ is and what He has accomplished for us. By embracing His fullness, we can live a life that reflects His love and grace to those around us. [00:56]

Ephesians 3:19 (ESV): "and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you allow the fullness of Christ to transform your daily interactions with others this week?


Day 2: The Incarnation: Our Bridge to Divine Fullness
The Incarnation of Jesus Christ is a pivotal event that allows us to access the fullness of God. By becoming fully God and fully man, Jesus bridges the gap between humanity and divinity, making it possible for us to receive His fullness. Without the Incarnation, the divine fullness would remain inaccessible to us. This profound truth invites us to reflect on the significance of Jesus' birth, life, and ministry, and how it enables us to partake in His divine nature. As we contemplate the Incarnation, we are reminded of the incredible love and humility of Christ, who came to dwell among us and make the fullness of God available to all who believe. [03:32]

Colossians 2:9-10 (ESV): "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority."

Reflection: How does the reality of the Incarnation impact your understanding of God's presence in your life today?


Day 3: Jesus, Our High Priest and Mediator
Jesus' role as our High Priest is vital in understanding the depth of His sacrifice and the new covenant of grace. By entering the heavenly sanctuary and offering His own blood, Jesus ratified the covenant of grace, cleansing our conscience and reconciling us to God. This act surpasses the Old Testament sacrifices, which were mere shadows of the true sacrifice that Jesus would offer. As our High Priest, Jesus continues to intercede for us, ensuring that we have access to the Father and the fullness of His grace. This understanding should inspire us to approach God with confidence, knowing that we are cleansed and made whole through Christ's perfect sacrifice. [12:30]

Hebrews 9:11-12 (ESV): "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."

Reflection: In what ways can you rely on Jesus as your High Priest to help you overcome feelings of guilt or inadequacy?


Day 4: The Covenant of Grace: A Promise of Transformation
The covenant of grace, ratified by Jesus' blood, assures us of God's promises, including the internal transformation where His laws are written on our hearts. This covenant is a testament to God's commitment to redeem and transform His people. Through this covenant, we are invited into a relationship with God that is based on grace and not on our own efforts. The shedding of Jesus' blood is a powerful reminder of the cost of our redemption and the seriousness of God's grace. As we reflect on this covenant, we are encouraged to embrace the transformation that God desires to work within us, allowing His laws to guide our thoughts and actions. [23:33]

Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Reflection: What specific area of your life do you feel God is calling you to allow His transformative grace to work in today?


Day 5: The Finality and Sufficiency of Christ's Work
Jesus' work is complete and perfect, and His sitting at the right hand of God signifies the finality and sufficiency of His sacrifice. This assurance allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing that we are recipients of His fullness and grace upon grace. The finality of Christ's work means that nothing more is needed for our salvation; it has been fully accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection. As believers, we are called to rest in this truth, trusting that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for all our needs. This understanding should lead us to live with a sense of peace and assurance, knowing that we are secure in His love and grace. [41:47]

Hebrews 10:12-14 (ESV): "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

Reflection: How can you live out the reality of Christ's complete and sufficient work in your life today, especially in moments of doubt or fear?

Quotes

We are engaged at the present time in a study of this most wonderful statement which I have described as the Charter of the Christian men here we are given in this extraordinary summary the very essence and vitals of our whole position as Christians the Christian is a men who was received of the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:33:03]

The Incarnation is an absolute necessity the virgin birth the taking unto Him a son of God our human nature so that he becomes truly men as well as truly God we would never received anything of the fullness if they hadn't taken place. [00:38:30]

We would never be able to partake of his fulness unless he had used that fullness in certain respects on our behalf as our representative he is indeed the second men he is the last Adam he is the firstborn among many brethren he is the beginner the head of a new humanity. [00:47:07]

He conquered the last enemy he had to deal with all our enemies we have to be liberated we can't receive the fulness until we are liberated you have to be reconciled before you can receive the fullness so we consider the respects in which he has liberated us in the last enemy that shall be conquered his death. [00:54:06]

He must have a fullness he must have an ability as strengthened a power to pass through the hidden into the holiest of all now I put it like that because that's the way in which it's put in the scriptures you remember how in the Old Testament God taught the people by means of pictures. [01:15:27]

Our great High Priest has done so at the end of chapter 4 in verses 14 15 and 16 he puts it like this, seeing them that we have a great high priest that is passed through the hidden Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession now that's the statement he makes and it is the most important one. [01:22:36]

He takes his own blood and he passes through the way into the holiest of all in the presence of God and offers not as the old high priest used to do the blood of bulls or of goats now now he offers his own blood and this is an essential part of our reconciliation the presentation of the blood of the atonement. [01:31:31]

It was necessary that God's covenant of redemption and of grace should be ratified before we could possibly receive any of its glorious benefits now here is great and high doctrine here is a doctrine that we've heard very little about in this present century our less but a doctrine in which our forefathers used to rejoice. [01:36:56]

The covenant of grace it is this that God covenants himself and pledges himself that he will grant him to all the people who are represented by the Lord Jesus Christ certain special benefits and gifts that is the government of grace now the Old Testament is really full of that of what you have in the Old Testament. [01:48:08]

The blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge evil conscience from dead works to serve the Living God. [01:58:40]

The heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than thee for Christ he says he is not entered into the holy place is made with hens he after his death and resurrection is not entered into the temple at Jerusalem he is not entered into a holy place of the holiest of all made with hymns. [02:11:08]

He has done this work perfectly there is nothing that he has left undone you see that is where the fullness was so essential so listen to this men in his one epistle putting it twice over God at sundry times he starts his epistle like this God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the father's by the prophets. [02:37:00]

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