Two stories over two different Sabbath days come together to reveal to us the danger of “performative religion” in contrast to the grace of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. Man-made religions teach us to work, so that we might be accepted. But the Lord of rest and grace gives us forgiveness and salvation when we don’t deserve it; the gospel reverses the order of man-made religion. We can work (and rest) because we have been accepted.

In Home Alone, Kevin believed that his happiness would be achieved by being his own authority — “the man of the house.” Do we believe that, too? Jesus came with authority from God — authority over unclean spirits, disease, sickness, and even authority to forgive sins — and he uses that authority to accomplish God’s glory and our great and lasting happiness. It turns out, our greatest joy comes from submitting to the authority of King Jesus, who sought our eternal good at his own cost.

Jesus does not wait for worthy disciples to seek him out—he takes the initiative and calls sinners to himself. In Mark 1:16–20 and 2:13–17, we see that following Jesus comes at a real cost, but also that he welcomes the needy, befriends sinners, and makes the spiritually sick whole.

Mark opens his Gospel with the arrival of the long-promised King. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to identify with sinners, cleanse them by his Spirit, conquer Satan, and give his life as a ransom. Because the King has come and his unshakable kingdom is at hand, everything must change: repent, believe the good news, and rest the full weight of your life upon Christ.

The gospel doesn’t just save individuals; it creates a people. In 1 Peter 2:4–10, Peter shows us that we are God’s covenant people, built together on Christ, and called to be a priestly people who proclaim his excellencies. Our identity isn’t just about our personal relationship with God—it’s about belonging to the people God is building through Jesus.

God does not merely save his people from slavery, sin, and judgment; he saves them for communion with himself. As God fills the tabernacle and leads Israel toward the Promised Land, Exodus 40 points us to Jesus, who prepares his people for God’s presence, fills them with his Spirit, and leads them toward the joy of the new creation.

God invites his forgiven people to participate joyfully in building his dwelling place. In Exodus 35–36, we see how the generosity of God transforms our hearts, frees us from money’s mastery, and equips us to offer our treasure and talents for the building of Christ’s Church.

God doesn't love his people because they are lovable. He loves because love is his very nature. In this final sermon on Exodus 34:6–7, we explore God's steadfast love, his perfect justice, and how both meet without compromise at the cross of Christ, where Jesus bears the burden of guilty sinners so that God might be both just and the justifier.

God’s patience is not a character flaw or a sign of weakness; it is a perfect, powerful, and purposeful attribute intended to lead humanity to repentance and display his glory. God is not only merciful and gracious, but is also wonderfully slow to anger.

What is God really like? When God proclaims his own name to Moses in Exodus 34, the very first words he uses are these: "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious." In this message, we explore what those two words mean, how they differ, and why they are at the very heart of the gospel. If you've ever struggled to believe that God is truly eager to help the weak, forgive sinners, and show kindness to the undeserving, this passage invites you to see his glory as he describes it himself.