Part 4- Jesus: The Fullness of Grace Grace Has a Name

We’ve traced grace from the Garden to the Law. We’ve seen it in garments of skin, in sacrifices, and in God’s patient dealings with His people. But all of that was only a glimpse, a shadow pointing to something, or rather Someone, greater.

Grace is not an abstract idea. Grace is a Person. And His name is Jesus.

Grace Came Wrapped in Flesh
John 1:14 (LSB) says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Every act of grace in the Old Testament was like a trailer for the main feature. When Jesus stepped into history, grace walked among us. He didn’t just preach grace, He embodied it.

• To the leper, He was grace that touched.
• To the sinful woman, He was grace that forgave.
• To the weary and broken, He was grace that invited, “Come to Me.”
• The Law could reveal sin, but only Jesus could remove it.

Grace Meets Us in Our Mess
One of the most shocking things about Jesus is who He chose to spend His time with.

He didn’t avoid sinners; He ate with them. He didn’t shun the broken; He healed them. He didn’t condemn the guilty who came to Him; He set them free.

Think about the woman caught in adultery in John 8. The Law said she deserved death. The crowd said she deserved stoning. But Jesus stooped down, wrote in the dirt, and said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

One by one, the accusers left. Then Jesus looked at her and said, “Neither do I condemn you; go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11 LSB).

That is grace in its fullness: not just pardon, but power to live differently.

Grace at the Cross
Every miracle, every teaching, every moment of kindness in Jesus’ life pointed to the ultimate display of grace: the cross.

Romans 3:23–24 (LSB) says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”

The cross is where grace shouted, “It is finished!”

• Our debt was canceled.
• Our shame was covered.
• Our separation from God was healed.

This is why Jesus is the fullness of grace. He didn’t just show us what grace looks like; He accomplished what grace requires.

Grace for You Today
The beauty of grace is that it is not trapped in history. The same Jesus who healed the leper, forgave the adulteress, and died for the thief on the cross offers grace to you right now.

• You can’t earn it.
• You don’t deserve it.
• But you can receive it.

Grace will forgive your past, strengthen your present, and secure your future.

John 1:16 (LSB) says, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.”

Grace upon grace, never running out, never holding back. That is Jesus.

Next Up: Part 5 – “Justified by Grace.”
Grace isn’t just a feeling. It’s a legal declaration that your sins are gone and you’ve been made right with God. We’ll unpack that next.

In Love,

Pastor Jody