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The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

In a world filled with endless demands and religious expectations, many believers find themselves caught in a cycle of striving rather than resting. The question isn't whether we're active in our faith, but whether we're working from a place of peace or anxiety, rest or restlessness.

What Does It Mean That Jesus Came Full of Grace and Truth?

John 1:14 tells us that when Jesus came to earth, He was "full of grace and truth." This wasn't just a description of His character—it was a revelation of how God intended us to live. Jesus didn't come with grace OR truth, but grace AND truth together.

The people of Jesus' time had spent generations adhering to the law of Moses, learning rituals, offering sacrifices, and following ceremonial laws. Then Jesus arrived and began introducing them to the Father in a completely different way—through grace.

How Did Jesus Live and Die by Grace?

Hebrews 2:9 reveals something remarkable: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God might taste death for everyone."

Jesus, who was sinless and perfect, died not for His own sins but for ours. This was God's plan of grace—that Christ would die, the just for the unjust. He bore our sin and became sin so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

This exchange is the foundation of our faith: He died our death, we're given His life. He bore our sin, we receive His righteousness.

The Difference Between Old and New Covenant Sacrifice

Under the Old Testament system, priests continually offered sacrifices—bulls, goats, lambs—but these never truly took away sin. They were temporary coverings pointing to the future when Christ would come.

But Jesus, as both High Priest and sacrifice, entered the most holy place once for all with His own blood. Hebrews 10 tells us that "by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."

Are You Striving or Resting?

This brings us to a crucial question for every believer: Are you striving or resting?

Many Christians live in constant anxiety, thinking "I don't measure up," "I need to do more," or "If I could just perform better, maybe I'd have more peace." This mindset misses the heart of the gospel.

What Does It Mean to Work From Rest?

Second Peter 1:3 tells us we have "already been given all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him." As we learn about Jesus and what He's done for us, we discover that we've been praying for things we already have and trying to earn what has already been freely given.

This doesn't mean we become inactive. Faith is active—it manifests itself in our lives. But we work from a place of rest, knowing that our salvation and standing with God are secure in Christ.

Understanding the Sabbath: From Shadow to Substance

The concept of Sabbath helps us understand this rest. The word "Sabbath" means to cease from one's work. When God created the heavens and earth, He rested on the seventh day—not because He was tired, but because His work was complete.

What Was the Purpose of the Old Testament Sabbath?

Under the law of Moses, the Sabbath was a day of rest from work, pointing to something greater. When religious leaders criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, He responded by calling them hypocrites, pointing out that they would untie their animals to give them water on the Sabbath, yet objected to a woman being freed from her infirmity.

Jesus declared Himself "Lord of the Sabbath" because He created it and had the authority to define its proper use.

How Is Jesus Our Sabbath Rest?

Jesus is now our Sabbath rest because His work is finished. When we got saved, we were adopted into God's family and became joint heirs with Christ. Spiritually, we are seated with Him at the right hand of the Father.

This means we have access to fellowship with the Father, to pray, and to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. It's not about performing more or religious "do-goodism"—it's about resting in His finished work.

Shadow vs. Substance: Don't Fall in Love With the Wrong Thing

Paul warned the Colossians not to let anyone judge them regarding food, drink, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths, because these are "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17).

Every Old Testament sacrifice, ritual, and ceremony pointed to Jesus. They were shadows cast by the substance—Christ Himself. A shadow has no existence without something substantial casting it, but the substance needs no shadow to have meaning.

What Happens When We Focus on Shadows Instead of Christ?

When we focus on religious performance, rule-keeping, or ritual observance instead of our relationship with Jesus, we're falling in love with the shadow instead of the substance. These things may have value if they point us to Christ, but they become dangerous when we rely on them for our standing with God.

All God's Promises Are Yes and Amen in Christ

Second Corinthians 1:20 declares that "all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." Because Jesus fulfilled all the law, He is the means by which we have access to God and all His promises.

This means when we see a promise in God's Word, our response should be "Yes, Lord, that's for me" and "Amen, I agree." Not because of our performance, but because of what Jesus has done.

Life Application

This week, examine your relationship with God honestly. Are you working from a place of rest or striving? Are you trying to earn what Christ has already purchased for you?

Challenge yourself to:

  • Stop trying to balance the scales with good works to make up for your failures
  • Rest in the finished work of Christ for your salvation and standing with God
  • Focus on your relationship with Jesus rather than religious performance
  • Remember that your identity and worth come from being in Christ, not from what you do

 

Questions for reflection:

  • In what areas of my life am I still trying to earn God's approval rather than resting in what Christ has done?
  • Am I focusing more on the "shadows" (religious activities, rule-keeping) or the "substance" (my relationship with Jesus)?
  • How would my daily life change if I truly believed that all of God's promises are "yes and amen" for me in Christ?
  • What would it look like for me to work from a place of rest this week rather than striving for acceptance?