John 1:16 Grace upon grace (YouTube Seongwon Full Gospel Church, chulki hong, ref)
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15. And John testified of him, and cried out, saying, This man I spoke of, when I said, He that cometh after me shall be before me, because he was before me.
16. Of his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18. No one has ever seen God, but God, the only begotten one, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known.
Grace is the greatest gift of God.
It is the gift of forgiveness, redemption, and acceptance.
Grace is available to everyone, regardless of their past or present circumstances.
Grace is not something we earn; it is something we receive as a gift from God.
Grace is always present, even in the midst of difficulty and suffering.
Pastor Hong Cheol-ki shares several examples of grace from the Bible, including:
- The grace of God the Father, who loves us unconditionally and forgives our sins.
- The grace of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
- The grace of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live a life of faith and obedience.
Pastor Hong Cheol-ki concludes his sermon by encouraging his listeners to receive God’s grace and to live a life of gratitude and service.
The purpose of grace in John 1:16
The purpose of grace in John 1:16 is to transform our lives and make us into new creations. When we receive God’s grace, we are forgiven of our sins, redeemed from our brokenness, and adopted into God’s family. We are also given the power to live a life that is pleasing to God.
Grace is not just a one-time gift; it is a daily provision from God. We need God’s grace to overcome temptation, to forgive others, and to love our enemies. Grace is also essential for our spiritual growth and maturity.
How to receive God’s grace
To receive God’s grace, we simply need to believe in Jesus Christ. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are forgiven of our sins and made right with God. We are also given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to live a life of faith and obedience.
If you have never received God’s grace, I encourage you to pray to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life. You can pray something like this:
“Dear Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and to come into my life. I want to follow you and live for you. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, I want to welcome you to the family of God! You are now a child of God and you have received God’s grace.
● Testimony
David and Svea Flood are a missionary couple. These are missionaries who were sent from Sweden in 1921 to work in the Belgian Congo (currently Zaire) in Africa. They arrived at the rural village of Endolea and tried to spread the gospel, but the chief did not allow them, so they built an earthen house on a hill far away from the village, prayed, and bided their time.
The chief allowed only one small child from the village to meet them. I had the opportunity to meet him twice a week as a boy who came to sell chickens and eggs raised in the village. Missionary Svea Flood did not miss this opportunity. A long time after sharing her gospel, the boy accepted it.
While she was fighting a malaria epidemic, the missionary wife became pregnant. When she gave birth to her child, weakened by malaria, the chief sent a midwife to give birth. It was God’s grace. Despite her best efforts to give birth, Missionary Svea Flood departed for heaven 17 days after giving birth, leaving behind her beloved daughter Aina and her husband, Missionary Flood.