Living in Grace: From Striving to Rest

Today, we gathered to remember the heart of our faith: that we are loved, chosen, and redeemed by a God who is not an “if-then” God, but a “because-then” God. We began by confessing the ancient Nicene Creed, joining with the great cloud of witnesses across time and space, affirming that we belong to a family much larger than ourselves. This belonging is not based on our performance, but on the finished work of Christ. We are reminded that God’s love and grace are the foundation of our identity and our hope.

Reflecting on Psalm 50, we considered the sobering reality that our lives are moving toward an ultimate ending—standing before God, who is both Judge and Redeemer. The psalm begins with the majesty and power of God, but quickly moves to the uncomfortable truth of judgment. Yet, God’s desire is not for empty ritual or transactional religion. He does not need our sacrifices; He wants our hearts, our thanksgiving, and our trust. Too often, we fall into the trap of thinking that if we do the right things, God will bless us, as if He were a vending machine. But God owns everything already; He wants us to live in response to His grace, not in an anxious attempt to earn His favor.

We live in a world that constantly pushes us to be busy, to earn, to achieve, and to prove ourselves. Even in the church, we can get caught up in the cycle of “after I get past this, then I’ll rest.” But Jesus is the only one who truly finished the work and then rested—after the cross, He declared victory over sin, death, and all our striving. Because of what Christ has done, we are invited to live from rest, not for rest. Our lives become a sacrifice of thanksgiving, not a desperate attempt to tip the scales in our favor.

This is the freedom of the gospel: God does not need us, but He wants us. He has done everything to make us His own. We are called to bring our busyness, our shame, our fear, and our striving to the foot of the cross, and to receive again the grace that is already ours in Christ. From this place of rest, we are sent out to love, to serve, and to share the good news—not because we have to, but because we are already loved.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The End Shapes the Journey Living with the reality that we will one day stand before God as Judge is not meant to paralyze us with fear, but to orient our lives toward what truly matters. When we remember the end of the story—eternity with God—we are freed from the tyranny of the urgent and the anxiety of self-justification. This perspective invites us to live each day with purpose, gratitude, and hope, knowing that our future is secure in Christ. [46:35]
• 2. God Desires Relationship, Not Transaction God is not interested in empty rituals or religious transactions. He does not need our sacrifices or our good works to be complete. Instead, He desires a relationship with us—a life marked by thanksgiving, trust, and love that flows from His grace. Our acts of worship and service are meant to be responses to His love, not attempts to manipulate His favor. [51:41]
• 3. Beware the “If-Then” Trap It is easy to slip into a mindset that says, “If I do the right things, then God will bless me.” This is the logic of every religion except the gospel. The truth is, if our relationship with God depended on our performance, we would all fall short. But God is not an “if-then” God; He is a “because-then” God—because Christ has done everything, we are free to live in gratitude and rest. [56:04]
• 4. Work from Rest, Not for Rest Our culture glorifies busyness and achievement, but God calls us to a different rhythm. Jesus finished the work on the cross so that we could live from a place of rest, not constantly striving for it. Planning for rest, daily time in God’s Word, and gathering with the family of God are essential practices that help us remember who we are and whose we are. [65:32]
• 5. Bring Everything to the Cross God invites us to bring our busyness, anxiety, shame, and even our fear of judgment to the foot of the cross. There, we find grace, forgiveness, and true rest—not because we have earned it, but because Jesus has already accomplished it for us. Living as forgiven children of God, we are empowered to offer our lives as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and to share His love with others. [70:49]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [17:15] - Community and Joy in Christ
• [26:35] - Confessing the Nicene Creed
• [28:36] - Passing the Peace
• [42:26] - Launching Relationship & Marriage Ministry
• [43:40] - Reflections on College and Life’s Syllabus
• [45:35] - Facing the End: Judgment and Hope
• [46:35] - Psalm 50: God as Judge
• [48:57] - The Weight of Judgment
• [50:41] - God’s Desire Beyond Sacrifice
• [51:41] - The Trap of Transactional Faith
• [56:04] - The “If-Then” God vs. the Gospel
• [57:54] - Living from Thanksgiving, Not Earning
• [65:32] - Working from Rest in Christ
• [68:38] - Living as a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
• [70:49] - Bringing Our Burdens to the Cross
• [72:36] - Confession and Absolution
• [73:53] - Assurance of Forgiveness
• [75:07] - Prayers for the Community
• [79:24] - Communion: Receiving God’s Grace
• [89:08] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Psalm 50:1-15 (ESV) — 1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Psalm 50, what is God’s attitude toward the sacrifices and offerings of His people? What does He say He truly desires from them?
2. In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the “end” that shapes the journey for every believer? ([46:35])
3. What does the phrase “if-then God” versus “because-then God” mean, as explained in the sermon? ([56:04])
4. What does God invite us to bring to the foot of the cross, according to the sermon? ([01:10:49])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does God say He does not need the sacrifices of His people, and what does this reveal about His character and our relationship with Him? (Psalm 50:9-12)
2. The sermon describes how people often treat God like a “vending machine.” What are some ways this mindset can show up in our spiritual lives? ([51:41])
3. The pastor says, “God is not an if-then God; He is a because-then God.” How does this truth change the way a person approaches worship, service, or daily life? ([56:04])
4. The sermon talks about “working from rest, not for rest.” What does it mean to live from a place of rest in Christ, and how is this different from the world’s approach to busyness and achievement? ([01:05:32])

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to bring our busyness, shame, fear, and striving to the cross. What is one area of your life where you feel you are striving to earn God’s favor or approval? What would it look like to lay that down at the cross this week? ([01:10:49])
2. The “if-then” mindset says, “If I do the right things, then God will bless me.” Can you think of a time when you fell into this way of thinking? How did it affect your relationship with God and others? ([56:04])
3. The pastor encourages us to plan for rest and to make time in God’s Word and with God’s people a priority. What is one practical step you can take this week to “work from rest” instead of “for rest”? ([01:05:32])
4. Psalm 50:14 says, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” What is one specific way you can express gratitude to God in your daily life, not as a way to earn His love, but as a response to His grace?
5. The sermon reminds us that our identity is rooted in being loved, chosen, and redeemed by God—not in our performance. Where do you most often look for your sense of worth or identity? How can you remind yourself of your true identity in Christ this week? ([01:10:49])
6. The pastor said, “God does not need us, but He wants us.” How does this truth impact the way you view your relationship with God and your motivation to serve or worship Him? ([57:54])
7. The end of the story for believers is eternity with God. How does remembering this future hope help you deal with the pressures and anxieties of daily life? ([46:35])