Grace upon Grace for Progress
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:14, 16)
You are warmly welcome. Happy New Year! God has done great things, and along with gratitude as we look back, we look forward with firm faith to much more that God will do among this year.
Our Archbishop published the theme for this year as ‘United for Service and Growth’ and we will take time dig deep and mobilize one another for the actions that emanate from this great theme, for building up of the body of Christ. Remaining in John 1, we meet God’s new method for growth – His new provision, not through the Law or a new Law, but through Jesus Christ – God’s new method is Grace. John introduced Jesus Christ as the preexistent Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us, and ‘from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace’ (John 1:16).
The Greek word Charis that is translated as grace has many meanings, one of them being favour – whether deserved (as Jesus increased in … grace with God – Luke 5:52), or undeserved (as expressed by Paul in Rom 11:6 “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”) While the latter will be the main focus, other meanings will be explored in due course. Grace is God’s new method for the believers’ growth both vertically toward God and horizontally in matters of earthly life; salvation and growth in this area has no other method except grace, but grace goes wider and touches our careers, businesses, and family life that we may have dominion as true citizens of the Kingdom of God that is alive here.
It is through Jesus Christ that we received God’s abundant grace with the double edge of salvation and Kingdom dominion. Charles Wesley meditates deeply and calls it ‘mercy, immense and free’ in his great hymn And can it be? John Newton’s testimony about it has remained with us in his great legacy, the hymn Amazing Grace; and Hillsong’s Joel Houston calls it Grace On Repeat. Behind these and more poems and songs are touching experiences of the superabundant grace that has been displayed by God toward mankind, through Jesus Christ, and we will take time to study these in detail.
Take this as your word: there is abundance of grace for progress this year. We’ve called it Grace upon Grace for Progress. God has made this provision for vertical and horizontal growth. Commit yourself and your plans to God with active faith; position yourself, tune your heart, open your hands that you may receive all that God has in store for you. And give thanks to God and be a blessing to His people.
Have Blessed New Year 2023. God bless you all.