Grace Arrives Through the Cross

This message was given by Pastor Frank Berto.

Two thousand years after Jesus’s death and resurrection, we are used to the story. But for people living before it happened, the idea that the Son of God would die and rise again was unbelievable. Yet this event is the linchpin not only of the Bible but of human history because it reveals what God is really like and what it means to be His child.

Christianity is not primarily about religion. It isn’t about following rules or performing rituals. Those things can have value, but they aren’t the true source of spiritual life. That life comes from living in God’s grace.

We often think of grace as God’s forgiveness and unconditional love. That’s true, but it’s also much more. God’s grace is like a thermal, a rising column of warm air that allows eagles to soar effortlessly while searching for food (Psalm 103). It is a life source. Living without God is exhausting, like flapping your wings just to stay airborne. But when we live in His grace, even a life of service becomes uplifting rather than burdensome.

It may seem unbelievable that God would offer such a gift to broken, sinful people. That’s why Jesus spent so much time emphasising God’s tender character instead of dwelling on His infinite power. God isn’t a distant force in the clouds. He is a Father who runs to welcome us home with hugs and kisses, even after we’ve rejected Him (Luke 15). He was even willing to lay aside His divine power, live among us, and die alongside criminals so that we could live forever with Him.

At its heart, Easter reveals God’s grace: boundless, sacrificial love given freely. When Jesus came, God extended His hand with a gift. There is no catch. We simply have to accept it.

Watch the full sermon here.