Recap:

As we step into 2026, the room feels split. Some of us are ready, others are hesitant, and a few are just trying to catch their breath. That’s okay. New years have a way of exposing where we really are. And before anything else, we pause to recognize this, God met us in worship. Not just songs, but an invitation. An invitation for 2026 to be a year where worship becomes an encounter, where we don’t just sing but actually hear God speak and move in our lives.

This is a season of reset. A fresh year. A clean page. And instead of dismissing goals because “resolutions never work,” we flip the script. What if we actually named something we want to accomplish this year? Something tangible. Something spiritual. Something personal. Reading, running, giving, growing, whatever it is, we write it down. Because when we name it, we take it seriously. And when we write it down, we step into intention.

But here’s the tension, goals alone won’t get us where God wants us to go.

You cannot pursue God’s purposes in a healthy way without rest.

We live in a culture shaped by pressure, more, faster, harder. We cram our lives full, believing productivity equals worth. And we end up exhausted. Drained. Running on 1%. And when life glitches, freezes, or falls apart, our instinct is to push harder instead of recharging. But God designed us differently.

From the very beginning, God establishes a rhythm. Work and rest. Creation and delight. God didn’t rest because He was tired, He rested to show us how life is meant to function. Rest isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Scripture shows us that Sabbath isn’t just about stopping, it’s about remembering. Remembering who God is. Remembering who we are. When God commands Sabbath, especially to a people rescued from slavery, He’s restoring something that was stolen. Slavery robbed Israel of identity and purpose. Pharaoh said, “You are what you produce.” God said, “You are Mine.”

That same voice still echoes today.

Your worth is not based on your output.
You are not a slave.
You are free.
You are valued for who you are, not what you do.

Sabbath is a declaration that we trust God enough to stop. That even when we rest, God is still at work. Jesus embodies this rest. In the storm, while the disciples panic, He sleeps. Not out of indifference, but out of trust. And He invites us into that same rest: “Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.”

So as we begin 2026, the call isn’t just to work harder, it’s to live wiser.

We identify a rhythm of rest.
A day to set apart.
An activity that truly recharges us, without screens.
And a spiritual practice that reconnects us to the Creator.

Rest becomes the space where our identity is restored and our purpose is clarified. We rest not to escape life, but to live it fully, free from the voice of Pharaoh and grounded in the voice of God.

And ultimately, real rest is found in a person. Jesus.
For some, this is the moment to stop striving and start trusting. To lay down the burden of sin, shame, and self-effort and receive the rest only Christ can give. He carried what we could not. He offers forgiveness, new life, and peace for our souls.

As we step into this year, we don’t just set goals, we step into grace.
We don’t just work, we rest.
And we trust that God will accomplish His purposes in us as we walk in His rhythm.

2026 begins not with pressure, but with promise.

Group Questions:

Icebreakers (Choose 1–2)

  1. When you think about stepping into a new year, do you usually feel more excited, relieved, or overwhelmed? Why?
  2. What’s one word you would use to describe how your life feels right now (not how you wish it felt)?
  3. What’s the most restful thing you’ve done in the past few months, even if it was unplanned?
  4. Quick fun one: Are you more likely to power through exhaustion or shut down and avoid everything?

Opening Reflection

The sermon described the room as “split”, some ready, some hesitant, some exhausted.

  • Where would you place yourself honestly as you step into 2026?
  • What stood out to you most from the message and why?

Discussion: Goals, Pressure, and Identity

  1. The message encouraged us to name and write down a goal instead of dismissing resolutions altogether.
    • What kind of goal do you tend to avoid setting, and why?
    • What’s one goal (spiritual, personal, or practical) that feels meaningful for you this year?
  2. We heard this statement: “Goals alone won’t get us where God wants us to go.”

    • Where have you seen effort without rest lead to burnout in your own life?
    • How does our culture define success differently than God does?

Discussion: Rest as Resistance

  1. The sermon connected Sabbath to freedom, not laziness.
    • When you hear the word rest, what emotions or resistance come up?
    • What keeps you from truly resting?
  2. Israel’s story reminded us of two voices:
    • Pharaoh: “You are what you produce.”

    • God: “You are Mine.”

    • Which voice do you hear more often in your daily life?
    • How does that voice shape your decisions, schedule, or sense of worth?

Discussion: Jesus and Trust

  1. Jesus sleeping during the storm was described as an act of trust.
    • What storms in your life make rest feel impossible?
    • What would trusting Jesus look like practically in those areas?
  2. Jesus invites the weary to come to Him for rest, not more effort.
    • Where might you be striving instead of trusting right now?
    • What burden do you feel God inviting you to lay down?

Application: Practicing Rest This Year

  1. The sermon challenged us to identify:
    • A rhythm of rest

    • A day set apart

    • A screen-free activity that recharges

    • A spiritual practice that reconnects us to God

    • Which one of these feels most doable right now?
    • Which one feels most needed?
  2. What would change in your life if rest became a starting point, not a reward?

Gospel Invitation (Gentle & Open)

  1. The message ended with the reminder that real rest is found in a person, Jesus.
    • What does “rest for your soul” mean to you personally?
    • Is there an area where you sense God inviting you into deeper trust or surrender this year?

Closing Prayer Prompt

Invite the group to pray through one or more of these:

  • Gratitude for God’s invitation into rest
  • Confession of striving, pressure, or misplaced identity
  • Trust for the year ahead
  • Courage to build a new rhythm

Optional closing question:
 What’s one word or phrase you want to carry with you into this week?