Grace Upon Grace

I was stressed out the other night while away on my trip to New Orleans for the Gathering planning meeting.  Our theme for the Gathering is “We Believe”, and draws on the book of John for it’s primary material.  Not knowing what exactly to read, I decided to start at the beginning of John and see what I found.  I was struck by John 1:16 in particular:

¹⁶ And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Not only have we received grace, but grace upon grace.  It’s hard enough to understand the concept of grace, but grace upon grace?  It’s kind of mind-blowing.  As John unfolds, we see so many characters receiving this grace upon grace.

There was the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana in John 2, who’d run out of wine, only to receive grace upon grace in the form of new and better wine.

There was Nicodemus, who didn’t understand how he could be born again in John 3, but received grace upon grace when Jesus talked with him and explained how to be born again.

There was the thirsty woman of Samaria who received living water and the official whose son was healed in John 4. The 38-year invalid in John 5, healed by Jesus.  The 5,000 who were fed.  Lazarus who died and was raised. 

All received grace upon grace.  The same grace upon grace that we ourselves receive.  Amazing.