The Fullness of Grace and Truth

I have always enjoyed the pace and the feel of Christmas Eve. I enjoyed it as a child and I still enjoy it as an adult. The evening has a way of slowing us down, at least for a moment. The lights are a little softer. The songs feel heavier with meaning. Even people who rarely think about spiritual things tend to pause and reflect. There’s something about this night that invites us to consider the reality that God might actually be nearer than we think.

That’s why John 1:14–18 is such a powerful passage to sit with on Christmas Eve. It doesn’t begin with shepherds or angels or a manger. It walks us through some of the deeper aspects of Christ’s divine mission to rescue lost humanity. In a way, it pulls back the curtain and shows us what was really happening behind the scenes when Jesus was born.

John writes,

“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.” (John 1:14)

I love what John explains to us in this passage. The eternal Word, the One through whom everything was created, didn’t stay distant. He became flesh. He entered our world. He moved into the neighborhood.

Christmas isn’t about God shouting instructions from heaven. It’s about God stepping into our mess and making Himself known.

The Word Became Flesh

John calls Jesus “the Word.” The use of that designation is intentional. A word is how someone reveals what they’re thinking. It’s how they communicate their heart. When John says the Word became flesh, he’s saying: God didn’t just send a message. He sent Himself.

Jesus isn’t God’s plan B. He isn’t a temporary solution. He’s the clearest and fullest expression of who God is. If you’ve ever wondered what God is like, look at Jesus. If you’ve ever questioned whether God cares, look at Jesus. If you’ve ever doubted whether God understands your struggles, look at Jesus.

The Word became flesh.

That means God experienced hunger. He experienced exhaustion. He experienced rejection, grief, and loss. He didn’t observe humanity from a distance. He entered into the human experience in the fullest way possible.

And John says He “dwelt among us.” That word “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled.” It reminds us of the Old Testament image of God dwelling with His people in the tabernacle. What once happened behind a veil now happens face to face. God’s presence is no longer confined to a tent or a temple. It’s walking, breathing, and living among us in the person of Jesus.

That’s really what the Christmas season is all about. It’s a celebration of the presence of Jesus.

Glory You Can See

John goes on to say, “We have seen his glory.” This isn’t a distant glory or a hidden glory. It’s an intentionally visible glory.

But notice how John defines that glory. He doesn’t point to power displays or political dominance. He points to Jesus as “the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

That combination of grace and truth is highly significant. Grace without truth becomes empty affirmation. Truth without grace becomes crushing and cold. Jesus brings both at the same time, perfectly and fully.

Grace means God gives us what we don’t deserve. Truth means God tells us what we need to hear. In Jesus, God doesn’t water down reality, and He doesn’t withhold mercy. He meets us honestly and lovingly at the same time.

That’s good news, especially on Christmas Eve. In my years of serving in pastoral ministry, I’ve noticed that many people carry hidden emotional heaviness into this season. Regrets. Failures. Unspoken shame. Grief. We decorate our homes, exchange gifts, and smile for pictures, but inside we know we aren’t as put together as we appear.

Jesus doesn’t ignore that. He steps right into it with grace and truth, and Scripture reveals something to us that should begin to lift us up if we’ve been feeling some of that heaviness.

Grace Upon Grace

John continues,

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

That phrase “grace upon grace” paints a picture of wave after wave. One gift stacked on top of another. Mercy that doesn’t run out. Kindness that keeps coming.

God doesn’t give grace sparingly. He doesn’t measure it out hoping you won’t need more tomorrow. In Jesus, grace overflows.

I like to think of this verse when practicing generosity in my own life. As a child, Christmas was primarily about what I hoped to get. As an adult, I’ve learned that there’s greater joy in giving. We serve a generous God who invites us, as His ambassadors on this earth, to mirror His generosity.

From Jesus’ fullness, we receive grace upon grace. Not grace once. Not grace if we’re somehow good enough to earn it (which we could never do). Jesus offers us grace that meets us where we are and carries us forward.

Christmas reminds us that grace arrived before we ever asked for it. Jesus was born into a world that wasn’t looking for Him, didn’t recognize Him, and would eventually reject Him. And still He came.

Law and Grace

John draws a contrast in verse 17:

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”  (John 1:17)

The Old Testament law revealed God’s righteous standards. It did a perfect job in showing people what holiness looks like. But it couldn’t change the human heart. It could diagnose the problem, but it couldn’t cure it.

Jesus does what the law never could. He doesn’t just tell us how far we’ve fallen. He comes to lift us up. He doesn’t merely expose sin. He offers forgiveness. He doesn’t just command obedience. He provides transformation.

The truths we remember and celebrate during Christmas aren’t just inspirational. They’re redemptive.

If Jesus was only a teacher, His birth would be interesting but not life changing. If He was only a moral example, Christmas would inspire admiration but not salvation. But Jesus came bringing grace and truth. He came to rescue, not just instruct.

Making the Invisible God Known

“No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.” (John 1:18)

Humanity has always wondered what God is like. Philosophers speculate. Religions attempt explanations. People form opinions based on personal experience. But John says Jesus makes God known.

That means when Jesus shows compassion, we see God’s compassion. When Jesus forgives sinners, we see God’s heart. When Jesus welcomes the outcast, we see God’s priorities. When Jesus lays down His life, we see God’s love in its fullest form.

The arrival of Jesus is God making Himself known.

Not in abstract ideas, but in a person. Not in distant rules, but in a relationship. Not in fear, but in love.

Why This Matters on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is a threshold moment. It sits right between anticipation and celebration. Between longing and fulfillment. And for many people, it’s also a moment of decision.

Some have heard about Jesus their entire lives but have never truly responded to Him. Others feel distant from God and assume that distance is permanent. Some are weary, burdened, and unsure whether faith can actually make a difference.

John 1:14–18 speaks directly to all of that.

It tells us God isn’t far away. He came close.
It tells us God isn’t harsh. He’s full of grace and truth.
It tells us God isn’t hidden. He has made Himself known.

Jesus didn’t come to start a holiday. He came to restore a relationship.

An Invitation, Not Just a Story

The birth of Jesus isn’t just something to admire. It’s something to respond to.

Grace invites a response. Truth invites a decision.

Jesus entered our world so we could enter God’s family. He took on flesh so we could receive forgiveness. He came near so we wouldn’t have to stay lost.

Christmas Eve reminds us that the door is open. The light has come into the darkness. God has spoken, and His Word has a name.

If you’ve never trusted Jesus, this night matters. Not because of tradition or emotion, but because God is reaching out to you. Grace is being offered. Truth is being revealed. Life is being extended.

And if you already believe in Jesus in a personal and relational way, Christmas Eve is a reminder of what you’ve received. Grace upon grace. A Savior who came close. A God who made Himself known.

Carrying It Forward

The beauty of this reality doesn’t end when the lights come down or the songs fade. John’s words remind us that Jesus didn’t just visit. He stayed. He lived. He died. He rose again. And He still offers grace today.

The Word became flesh.
The glory was revealed.
Grace and truth came near.

That isn’t just good news for one night. It’s good news for all time.

© John Stange, 2025