We were at the ice cream place the other day with our two grandchildren. Do you think twenty dollars would be enough for the four of us? Unfortunately, we were short five dollars and they wouldn’t take a debit card. The nice gentlemen behind us saw our crisis and gave us five dollars. We thanked the man several times and went licking our ice cream. That was so nice of him. Thank God! It is so great when we get those unexpected blessings. You know when the lady put two donuts in the bag when you paid for only one? You let her know and she says, “That’s ok and have a nice day.” I love “Much More” moments.
The phrase “Much More” appears in the New Testament many times, especially in the writings of the Apostle Paul. Even in the Old Testament, the heart of God was to bless His people. Even though they were a wandering and sinful bunch. Often they were filled with unbelief in the goodness of God. God laid out the blessings and curses regarding their obedience to the Law. If they obeyed His voice they were blessed, and if they didn’t the curses would come upon them. Today because of Christ we are not under the law but under grace. Jesus became a curse for us (Gal 3:13-14). We are not under God’s wrath or judgment.
- Deuteronomy 30:2-3 (NKJV)-2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,3 that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.
- Deuteronomy 30:5 (NKJV)-5 Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.
Here we see God doing the “Much More“. than what He did in previous generations. That is the grace of God. Ezekiel 36:11 (NKJV)-11 I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. What is great in this chapter is God’s promise of a new heart, a new spirit within to follow Him with our whole heart ( Ezk 36:25-27). Today you may have had a tough start in life. Maybe bad decisions have brought you to a place that you never imagined you would be in. Maybe you experienced a financial loss or you became sick and it caused you to be in a difficult place. Maybe your previous generation was wild and you wonder if you would turn out better? We all have had some rough beginnings but it is not the end of the story. It is not how we started but how we finish! Here is the good news. If God, despite all the rebellion and unbelief of the Israelites would do better for them how “Much More” for us who have received Christ? Even if we haven’t received Christ there are those unexplainable times of God’s grace in our lives. We experienced the “Much More“. When we didn’t get what we deserved. That God showed His mercy to us. Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)-45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
The life of Jesus. His death, burial, resurrection, and glorification brought us “Much More“. Hebrews 9:13-14 (NKJV)-13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,14 how “Much More” shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- Romans 5:15 (NKJV)-15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, Much More the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
- Romans 5:17 (NKJV)-17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, Much More those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
- Romans 5:20 (NKJV)-20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded Much More,
- John 1:16-17 (NKJV)-16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
We are living in the dispensation of “Much More”. John 10:10 (NKJV)-10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The “Much More” is the grace of God, the forgiveness and mercy of God. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Jesus. The Lord Jesus is a guarantee of a better covenant, established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV)-6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. I don’t know about you but I want to experience “Much More“. To experience more of God’s grace and goodness, and more of His presence in my life. King David said it this way-Psalm 27:13 (NKJV)-13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
We hear a lot about the so-called dangers of the grace message. Should I say the extreme or hyper-grace message? God’s grace never teaches us to live any way we want to. Titus 2:11-12 (NKJV)-11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Rom 6:1-2 ). God’s grace is a good thing. We need it. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9).
2 Corinthians 3:7-11 (NKJV)-7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is Much More glorious. The New Covenant is a covenant of grace. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace. (Heb 10:29). It is “Much More” glorious. Who would not want to receive all the grace that they could? The true grace of God takes sin seriously. It understands the power of grace to overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil.
Do you want to experience the “Much More“? God’s Word tells us He gives grace to the humble. James 4:6 (NKJV)-6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” John 1:16-17 (NKJV)-16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. I believe the “Much More” flows through our lives when we have total trust and dependence on God our Father. God resists the pride in our hearts but gives grace to the humble. Those who choose to act independently of Him. Pride and self-sufficiency is when you are more into yourself than into God. I don’t want to receive the grace of God in vain. I want it to produce in my life everything that God has for me. I want that for you as well! Let us thank God for the “Much More“.
In Christ’s Love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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