One of the most popular words in the Christian world is ‘grace.’ You find it all over Christian literature, in church names, in sermons, and just about everywhere discussions about the life of a believer are heard. There must be a reason for its popularity, as grace even pops up frequently in the names of Christian girls.

What is grace, and what gives it its importance?

The definition of the Bible’s use of the word is ‘graciousness, favor, joy, pleasure, and even gratitude.’ Grace is all of God’s goodness wrapped up in one word. When describing how we get saved, Ephesians tells us it is by ‘grace.’ The work of Jesus on the cross was all of ‘grace.’ All of the good and wonderful blessings we have in Christ are all because of His grace.

No wonder the word is so popular! If anything, we have robbed it of its full meaning. Because we hear it so often, is it possible that we have underestimated its wonder? With every breath we take, we enjoy the marvelous grace of God. Every bite of food that we enjoy is also because of His grace. All of the good things in life are directly a result of His grace to us.

There is a brief verse in John’s Gospel that gives us a little more understanding of God’s use of grace. It is written in…

John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

In a discussion about the work of John the Baptist, and his ministry of preparing the way of the Lord, the Gospel writer tells us of John’s excitement over the appearance of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He described His coming in His ‘fulness.’ In other words, Jesus arrived on the scene as all man and all God at the same time. They had received Jesus in His fulness. He had come to bring salvation to a lost world.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated His marvelous grace in many ways. When He found the sick, He healed them; when the blind called for Him, they were given sight. Many who had never walked jumped for joy following the loving touch of the Master. Grace flowed from Jesus wherever He went.

In our text verse, John declared that Jesus brought grace for grace. The meaning is somewhat obscure in the English. It suggests one grace being added onto by another grace, or, when one grace is being completed, another takes its place. Grace for grace leaves the believer constantly immersed in the loving grace of our Lord.

One of the characteristics that is to set apart believers from the world around them is the grace that is to exemplify their nature. They are to live like Christ, looking for opportunities to bless those around them.

If we are going to make any kind of impact on this world before we leave it, it will be based upon the amount of grace we leave behind.