John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"

Personal reception of Christ Jesus brings relationship and privileges as the children of God. Regeneration or becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus, takes place through appropriation by the act of personal, dependant faith in Jesus.

	The new birth is not of descent, "not of blood" (John 1:13 KJV), that is, not because of natural descent from Abraham or some godly parent.
	The new birth is not fleshly desire "nor of the will of the flesh" (John 1:13 KJV), not because of the desire of parents.
	The new birth is not resultant from human achievement "nor of the will of man" (John 1:13 KJV).
	The new birth is supernatural "but of God" (John 1:13 KJV)

1 John 5:1 "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him."

Faith is implicit trust, dependence on the Person and work of Jesus Christ, believing in His name "the Word", that is, the revelation of the will and love of God.

John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, ..."

"The Word" was His divine name. "Became flesh" speaks of His sinless humanity. He was and is, the God-man, our Immanuel "God with us". His deity now veiled in flesh was never laid aside. His humanity was real as the incarnate (Luke 2:52 ). The incarnation means, not that God dwelt with man, but that God became man - as such He could be "touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Hebrews 4:15 KJV) and could, and did, die for us. As the Man Christ Jesus, He left us an example, that we should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21 ).

John the Baptist made the cry of identification.

John 1:15 "John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'""

He, the eternal Word made flesh, is above all. John took his proper place in real, becoming humility at the feet of Jesus. To exalt Christ was his mission and ours.

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

This is testimony on behalf of the whole Church. "Fullness" testifies to the absolute deity of Jesus. (Colossians 1:19 ). Out of His divine fullness we as believers, have all received - out of His inexhaustible fullness, we have:

	fullness of life (John 10:28 )
	fullness of peace (John 14:27 )
	fullness of joy (John 15:11 )
	fullness of revelation (John 17:14 )
	fullness of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22, Acts 1:8; 2:4 )
	fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19 )

In His fullness is everything we need and fullness of supply. This is testimony to His grace for every experience encountered, "and grace for grace."

"Grace piled upon grace in the experiences of the Christian life." Ryrie

"The word means "grace in exchange for grace". The fullness of the supply is constant; the power to receive increases with use, or diminishes with the neglect of that which we already have." Ellicott

The principle is that having received grace in Christ, abundance of grace becomes available.

Matthew 13:12 ""For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

The law was given through the instrumentality of Moses. Moses was not the source of it, only the channel through which God gave it. The distinguishing glory of the New Testament good news is that it came through Jesus Christ. What a vast and wonderful contrast we have here with all other divine communication - the Word incarnate is the highest manifestation and self-communication of God - His love, His mind and thought, came into human experience through Jesus Christ.

Moses was a servant (Hebrews 3:5 ). You can take away Moses, and the law remains in all its authority, but you cannot take Christ the Son away from the gospels, then there would be no grace and truth because it is brought in His Person. Jesus is the only fullness of truth - in Him God is seen.

John 1:18 "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."

There were forerunners of the ultimate manifestation of the logos, Theophanies in the Old testament of the Son - visions - appearances in angelic splendours or one like unto the son of man - all anticipation of the incarnation. In Jesus is seen,

Hebrews 1:3 "... the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, ..."

God manifest in the flesh, and declared the only begotten Son. Jesus alone could fully declare - i.e. interpreted the Father because "in the bosom of the Father" He enjoys the same essence, counsel, love. Faith bows down before Him, worships and adores Him. The prologue testimony brings us in faith to worship at the feet of Jesus the Son of God.

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. What does the word 'believe' mean? (John 1:12 ).
2. What amazing change of status takes place when Christ is received and His name believed in? (John 1:12-13 ).
3. Have you considered the contrast between John 1:1 and John 1:14?
4. What impact upon your life does the fact that the word 'became flesh' have right now? (John 1:14; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21 ).
5. How does John the Baptist witness to the deity of Christ? (John 1:15 ).
6. Are you like John making it your aim in life to exalt Christ?
7. Do you as a believer find in Christ's inexhaustible fulness everything you need? (John 1:16 ).
8. Can you explain what receiving 'grace for grace' means? (John 1:16 ).
9. What are you taught by the contrast made between Moses and Christ? (John 1:17 ).
10. Have you through Jesus met the living God? Is it your experience that Jesus not only adequately communicates who God is, but brings you into His very presence? (John 1:18 ).