“Grace Upon Grace” John 1.16 N. Lutheran Schools Week Jan. ‘20

1.                Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word as we observe National Lutheran Schools Week is taken from John 1:16, which says, “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”  It’s entitled, “Grace Upon Grace,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                 We prefer a “full” reading on the gauges of our life. It’s a good feeling to drive away with a full tank of gas, and we’re thankful for the full feeling after a delicious meal.  We also like to see that our computers are fully charged along with our tablets and smartphones.  The desire for fullness follows us to church. We can also rejoice in a full sanctuary of worshippers. We celebrate the full enrollment in our church’s educational programs. We are also relieved when a project has a full list of volunteers.   Lutheran schools prefer full classrooms, fully-funded budgets, fully- and professionally- staffed classrooms.

3.                The reality of our lives is that things are often less than full. Fuel tanks need to be refilled, shortly after one meal we start wondering about then next, our smartphones and computers need to have their batteries recharged, and not every classroom is full or every budget fully funded.  More challenging than the discomforts or inconve­niences of physical “tanks” left unfilled is the reality of emotional emptiness. “I feel so empty” is the lament of the one grieving the loss of a family member, the aban­doned spouse, and the child rejected by a friend.

4.                But, the Bible tells us that most devastating is our spiritual emptiness. Matthew’s Gospel tells of Jesus’ encounter with a rich young man (Matt. 19:16–22). The man is described as one with “great possessions.” In his own eyes, he was full of righteous deeds. In many respects, his life was full of possessions and power. When Jesus asked this young man to take what he had and give it to the poor, the man couldn’t walk away from his earthly fullness. In reality, his life was empty.

5.                Our schedules may be full. Our homes may be full of goods and conveniences. Our garages may be full of vehicles and toys. We may be filling our retirement accounts with funds that we will need in the years after we stop our full time jobs, and yet our lives are empty. Without Jesus, emptiness prevails. The Apostle Paul had authority in the church, significance in his heri­tage, and a well-rounded education, and yet his life was empty. By grace through faith, he received the “riches of God’s grace” (Eph. 2:7). Peter, Andrew, James and John may have had nets full of fish, but when Jesus came and called them, they were filled with His presence and grace.  “But, when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under that law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4–5). God emp­tied Himself so that we might receive the fullness of His grace. Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness.

6.                Jesus’ journey in the flesh is described briefly in the Gospel of John. The God who rightfully could have chosen to be full of anger and judgment is described as “full of grace and truth.” In the gift of His Son, the Father grants full forgiveness of all sins.  John, who introduces “the Word made flesh,” goes on to describe Jesus’ earthly ministry. The first sign of Jesus’ power and authority as the Son of God occurred at a wedding in Cana. Jesus took jars full of water and miraculously turned it into “good wine” for the wedding guests. He would go on to fill diseased bodies with health and vitality. He would fill hearts emptied by grief with the joy of seeing family members raised from the dead. He would fill panicked disciples with the peace of His presence and Word.

7.                Every action of Jesus was part of His journey to the cross. His spirit was emptied in prayer in the garden, and His body was emptied of all life as He announced, “It is finished.” Every part of Jesus’ being was fully emptied to pay for the sins of the world. The sacrifice was full and complete. Receiving by faith the fullness of Jesus’ sacrifice and the full assurance of His resurrection, we receive John’s Gospel promise: “And from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.”

8.                We have fully received God’s grace. The infant is held above the baptismal font. Physically small and mentally not yet developed, the child receives the fullness of God’s grace with sins fully forgiven. The communicant comes to the altar. The meal is small — a wafer and a sip of wine — but the feast is plentiful. In faith, the penitent receives the fullness of Christ’s body and blood.

9.                Worshippers gather with guilty consciences, compli­cated lives, strained relationships, fearful hearts and every other problem imaginable. The Word is spoken: “As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins.” There is no sin that does not receive pardon. The forgiveness is full and free.

10.             The “Joy:fully Lutheran” theme is a celebration of the fullness of God’s grace in Christ. Our Reformation heritage reminds us of God’s grace.  Lutheran schools may not always meet the quantitative measures we desire. But, as the Word is taught and the Sacraments are administered, these schools are always full of grace upon grace. The grace-filled Lutheran school teaches the truth of grace from the Scripture, celebrates grace in worship, and lives grace in relationships.  Lutheran schools celebrate a rich heritage; academic excellence (National Lutheran School Accreditation); professional, servant-hearted staff; etc.

11.             By God’s grace, the greatest strength of our Dual Parish of Christ & Calvary and our Lutheran School is that we are a “grace place.” The grace of God, which became ours through Christ, is shared in Word and Sacrament and received by every student, parent, and other person blessed by our ministry. We may not always be full of grace as we go about our hectic daily routines, but we are always full of grace upon grace as we hear Christ proclaimed in our churches and school.

12.             Our Dual Parish of Christ & Calvary and our own Lutheran School is full of grace upon grace! We are full of God’s grace to be shared joyfully, thankfully, faithfully, peace­fully and hopefully with all. Let’s enjoy this full week together, in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Now the peace of God that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting.  Amen.