Hebrews 12:1–3 reminds us that the Christian life is a race that requires endurance. To run well, we are called to lay aside the sins and distractions that weigh us down and keep us from moving forward in faith. But the strength to keep going does not come from ourselves. It comes from fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who has already gone before us. When we grow weary or discouraged, we look to his suffering and his victory, drawing strength from him so that we do not lose heart.

What God has done for us begins with grace, not effort. He stepped toward us first, made us new in Christ, and changed us from the inside out. That grace doesn’t just restore us, it reshapes how we live, how we see people, and why we share hope.

As we move into 2026, Calvary on Mission is a reminder that a church shaped by grace naturally becomes a church on mission. We don’t share Christ to earn God’s love. We share Christ because we are loved. Fueled by grace, the church is called to carry the gospel into everyday relationships, trusting that God is already at work both around the corner and around the world.

As we continue our series, The Story – Our Place in God’s Plan, we turn to Act 5: God Sends. From the beginning, God has been on mission – not to recruit helpers, but to rescue people. When God sends, we see his heart for people who are helpless and hurting. In Matthew 9:35–38, we see the heartbeat of that mission – the compassion of Jesus that moves him to heal, save, and send.

What if the promises God made to Abraham are still shaping your life today?

In The Story: God Promises, Brad McKerley walks through Genesis 12, where God calls Abram to leave everything familiar and trust his plan. Through four powerful promises: a great nation, a great name, a great blessing, and a great mission, we see how God’s covenant with Abraham points to Jesus and invites us to live by faith.

God’s faithfulness in the Old Testament connects to our story now. His promise of blessing through Abraham becomes our hope in Christ.