Light Has ComeNäide

Grace and Truth Embodied

John the Apostle knew Jesus better than almost anyone. They walked together for three years. They ate together, laughed together, ministered together. So when John had to describe Jesus in just a few words, he chose to say: “Full of grace and truth.”

That’s the perfect collision. Grace and truth don’t often appear together, do they? As humans, we tend to lean one direction or the other. If we overly stress grace, we may fall into the trap of tolerating sin, making excuses, and avoiding accountability. If we overly stress truth, we may become harsh, judgmental, impatient, and make forgiveness virtually impossible.

Yet with Jesus, you always get both grace and truth.

He tells you the truth about your life and your situation, and then His grace comforts you and empowers change. He doesn’t sugarcoat reality, but He also doesn’t condemn you. He speaks truth in love.

Max Lucado said it beautifully: “God loves me just the way I am (that’s grace), but He loves me too much to let me stay that way (that’s truth).” Jesus embraces you as you are, but He loves you too much to leave you there.

Think about the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1–11. The religious leaders dragged her before Jesus, ready to stone her. They wanted judgment. But Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

One by one, her accusers walked away. That’s grace. Then Jesus turned to her and said, “Neither do I condemn you.” More grace. Yet He didn’t stop there. He added, “Go and sin no more.” That’s truth.

Because He was full of grace, Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. Because He was full of truth, He was able to pay for our sins completely. At Christmas, we celebrate the Word who became flesh and made His dwelling among us—grace and truth embodied in one person.

This collision between grace and truth is what you need. Maybe you’ve been receiving grace but avoiding truth, making excuses for patterns you know need to change. Or maybe you’ve been hammering yourself with truth but refusing grace, convinced you’re beyond forgiveness and unworthy of love.

Jesus offers you both today. He sees you fully—your sin, your struggles, your failures—and He loves you completely. His grace covers you. His truth transforms you. And His presence goes with you.

As we conclude this Advent journey, remember: Christmas is about Jesus stepping into your world. The Light has come. Heaven has collided with earth. God chose to work through ordinary people. He speaks to you, guides you, and calls you to faith. He offers peace that surpasses understanding, forgiveness that washes you clean, and joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances.

Most of all, He offers Himself, full of grace and truth, closer than a brother, Immanuel, God with us.

Pray

Jesus, thank You for being full of grace and truth. Thank You for not compromising either one. I receive Your grace for my failures and Your truth for my transformation. I don’t want to stay the same, I want to become more like You. Amen.

Merry Christmas! May the Light of the World shine brightly in your life today.

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