In this thought-provoking sermon, join Ps Bruce as he teaches on the significance of our lives and walks us through the cycle of grace and the cycle of works and how to be aware of the latter.

At a conference, Pastor Trevor Hudson guided us through his book, The Cycle of Grace. This cycle was inspired by British psychiatrist Frank Lake, who observed that many well-prepared, purpose-driven missionaries returned from their work in India emotionally and spiritually exhausted. Despite their training and support, they came back disillusioned, depressed, and burned out.

Lake wanted to understand why Jesus of Nazareth didn’t experience the same burnout, despite the intensity of His mission. So, he studied Jesus' life in the gospels, asking one fundamental question: Why did Jesus remain emotionally and spiritually resilient throughout His mission? What Lake discovered was that Jesus lived a balanced life of receiving and giving grace.

Here’s how this Cycle of Grace looked in Jesus' life:

Acceptance: Jesus knew who He was. He began His ministry only after receiving His identity from the Father (“This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased”) and later reaffirmed at the Transfiguration (“You are my beloved”). Grounded in this identity, He was willing to fulfil His purpose, even unto death.

- Sustenance: Jesus maintained practices that nourished His spirit, including prayer, fellowship, worship, and immersion in God’s Word.

- Significance: Jesus' life was a sign from God. He understood that He represented God’s presence on earth ("Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"). He had a deep sense of who He was and the significance of His life.

- Fruitfulness: In obedience, Jesus lived a life marked by inclusiveness, compassion, and love.

Lake and Brunner realized that British missionaries burned out because they operated in a “Cycle of Works” rather than the “Cycle of Grace.”

The Cycle of Works enslaves us to constantly work for approval and acceptance, whereas the Cycle of Grace empowers us to act boldly, rooted in the security of our worth and identity.

Dallas Willard once said, “We all live at the mercy of our ideas.” We either live from acceptance or we live for acceptance. This is crucial because, deep down, we all want our lives to matter. Many of us think that if we’re successful, then we’ll feel accepted—by others, by ourselves, and even by God. We pour ourselves out, giving constantly, yet rarely take the time to receive. We build our lives around a drive for significance, but often, we forget to include God in the equation.

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) says: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,... Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We often rush to seek God’s purpose for our lives before first embracing His acceptance of us. When fruitfulness becomes our starting point, we risk devastation when life doesn’t go as planned. In John 15:16 (NIV), Jesus says: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Living in the Cycle of Grace can transform our lives:

- God accepts me.

- God sustains me through prayer, fellowship, and worship.

- My life signifies something beyond what I do; it reflects God. God doesn’t want to leave me broken but desires to make me whole. I am not defined by my struggles; I am defined by God’s acceptance.

- God desires for me to bear lasting fruit.

So, your life counts—not because of your achievements or productivity, but because God chose you to bear good fruit.