Jesus was full of both grace and truth. John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Our preaching should also be full of both grace and truth. When we preach about grace we reveal God’s mercy. When we preach about truth, we reveal God’s holiness and need for justice. Preaching truth without grace is harsh. Preaching grace without truth misleads people into thinking they can abuse God’s grace by continuing to live a life of sin. Truth without grace becomes brutality; grace without truth becomes hypocrisy.

When Jesus is preached, grace is revealed. Acts 4:33 says, “With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” When the apostles began sharing about the supernatural resurrection of Jesus, the early church experienced “great grace.” Not “normal grace” but “great grace.” The same thing happens today when we preach about the resurrection of Jesus. You might even translate this term “great grace” as “radical grace,” or even “hyper-grace.” It is the type of grace that Paul was talking about when he wrote, “the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant” (1 Timothy 1:14). It is overwhelming, supernatural forgiveness of sins and freedom from the old forms of religion.

In Jesus, we have received grace on top of grace, favor on top of favor, and blessing on top of blessing. John 1:16 says, “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” The Amplified Version translates the last phrase of this verse as “grace on top of grace.” This verse gives us a picture of “overwhelming grace.” When we give our lives to Jesus, we receive all of His fullness.