Matthew 11:25-30: Jesus' Authoritative Invitation, Command, and Promise

We are very familiar with this invitation of Jesus, but I’d like to draw special attention to the authority of Christ as He speaks these words to all humanity.

But, although we still use the word “invitation”, there is a big difference between our invitations and His invitation.

When we invite people (over to our house for coffee or something like that), we give them a neutral option (вариант)

“There will be a party at my house. If you’re not busy, if you’re interested, if you’re spouse wants to, you can come over our house at this or that time.”

And so we, as equals, give them the invitation and then leave it up to them to make a decision.

But, although Jesus also presents all humanity with an option, we find here that there is authority behind His invitation

v. 27: “все предано Мне Отцем Моим, и никто не знает Сына, кроме Отца; и Отца не знает никто, кроме Сына, и кому Сын хочет открыть”

His invitation is NOT just a “come to Me so we can be friends”, it’s an invitation to come to the ONLY ONE who can introduce us to God the Father!

Only He has the authority to reveal the Father to humanity!

So who does He want to come to Him so that He can reveal the Father?

“Придите ко Мне, ВСЕ труждающиеся и обремененные”

He invites all who are in a specific category:

“труждающиеся”: one who is tired because of hard work

“обремененные”: those with a burden

From the human laws of the “wise and learned”, maybe? (Context of regeneration and Sabbath breaking)

“Я успокою вас”: what else does the tired and burdened soul desire? Jesus says “I myself will give you rest”

How easy it seems to preach Jesus like this!

He who desires to save everyone. He who invites all who are tired to come to Him for peace.

That is what we are celebrating if God grants us tomorrow’s service: we celebrate the access to God the Father through the cleansing sacrifice of His Son!

But, His speech (речь) doesn’t end here. His authoritative invitation includes (включает) an authoritative command (повеление).

Jesus Christ is not just a friend who can bring us to God, His Father, He is the Lord who must be obeyed!

“возьмите иго Мое на себя...”

What is an “иго”? It’s a “ярмо”.

It’s a device (устройство) that has one very specific purpose (конкретным назначением): to control an animal!

This seems like such a paradox! Is Jesus just tormenting us?

First, He invites all the tired and burdened to come to Him to find peace and rest. Then He says “here’s a yoke!”

And He uses the word “возьмите”, for us to voluntarily take His yoke upon ourselves.

Also adding that we should act like Him: “научитесь от Меня, ибо Я кроток и смирен сердцем”

That’s the ideal character to put a yoke on.

Not bucking the yoke (сбросить ярмо), not fighting the one who controls me

But humbly doing what the one whose yoke I carry wants me to do...

And His authoritative invitation and command are followed by an authoritative promise:

“и найдете покой душам вашим”

That is to say, when a person who is tired and burdened answers the invitation of Christ AND obeys the command of Christ

When he comes to Jesus with his burdens and struggles, and follows Him in obedience, he will find the peace he is looking for.

“ибо иго Мое благо, и бремя Мое легко”

And so there are some questions we must ask ourselves after hearing these words of Christ

Do i feel the yoke of Christ as I live my life? Am I being controlled and directed by the Lord?

I could be in that category of people who want His invitation but not His command!

It is characteristic (свойственно) of humans to not want any yoke, but to be our own lord and master.

And perhaps even after years being a Christian, there is no evidence of a yoked life...

Am I heavily burdened and out of strength?

We are all Christians, right? We already came to Jesus?

But maybe we haven’t learned from Him.

Perhaps I am not humbling myself under His yoke. I’m fighting His will.

His Spirit is calling me to do something: forgive someone, don’t repay for evil, go do something in His vineyard or field.

But I am fighting His yoke and it is proving to be hard. There’s no peace.

Let’s go to Him, again. This time with repentance for not accepting His authority in every aspect of our life.

For not responding with obedience every time the One who saved us calls us to do something for Him.

Let us strive to accept His authority, in His invitation, in His commands, and in His promises.

That we may find His perfect peace: before we celebrate the Lord’s supper and also at every time in our life.