Matthew 11:28-29 Finding Rest

If you could communicate one scripture to everyone you know, what would you communicate? What single scripture passage has had the most impact to you?

It would not take me long to decide.

The Lord has used Matt 11:28-30 radically in my life. This is the first scripture passage that I remember reading. Turn there with me.

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

There are lots of valuable scriptures we could discuss this morning. But in the midst of all the good things we need to do and consider, we never want to lose sight of the most important. Jesus needs to be our focus. At the end of the day, our efforts are insufficient. But He is always capable. In the midst of coming to Him we can find rest.

I can testify to these statements personally. Years ago, in college I was a successful failure. Everything I had wanted in my life was coming true. From a little high school in KY from blue collar background --- to a prestigious school in Boston, Massachusetts.

Yet in the midst of this success there was emptiness. Honor, fame, hopes of prosperity fell short of giving me what I needed. In my subsequent futile search for meaning I was weary and ultimately fell into deep depression, despairing of life itself.

Then in the midst of this pit of despair, I read in a Gideon Bible this amazing verse.

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

That night Jesus called to me in a very personal way. The Lord used this passage to invite me into a relationship with Him.

This relationship changed my life. Deep into the night, in a fraternity house, all alone, I responded to Christ’s appeal and He gave me rest. The burden of my sin fell away and His peace filled my emptiness. My life has never been the same.

And I have discovered the reality is that we can never stop coming to Him.

Life is hard – working/striving/self effort/sin / disappointment

Sometimes I failed / miserably – He says come to Him and find rest.

Sometimes disappointments came – life forever different – He says come to Him and find rest.

Sometimes life happens and we wonder why – He says come to Him and find rest.

Whatever the cause – the answer is the same – Come to Him and we will find rest.

We can trust in the character of God who loves us and invites us to Him

· If you are a nonChristian who needs to begin a relationship with Him - Come to Him - He will give you rest.

· If you are a weary Christian who is about to collapse under the load - Come to Him - He will give you rest.

· No matter how weary you are or what is the cause - you can find rest in Him.

· If you are a church that is anxious about the future – you can find rest in Him.

PPT

His message:

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

A threefold appeal to finding rest.

- Rest comes from a person

- Rest comes from a relationship

- Rest comes from serving Him

- But finding rest will demand a decision

Let’s pray

I. Finding rest: Rest comes from a person

A. A call to come to Him not to a system

When Christ first offered this call, it was during a turning point in the ministry of Christ. During His early ministry His major message was ‘Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.’ He was offering the kingdom to the nation of Israel. However, in their unbelief they rejected Him. The full kingdom is delayed.

With this rejection Jesus begins to change His emphasis and His message. A transition begins that would usher in the church age. Jesus now presents an appeal to individuals. Though the nation rejected, individuals of would be brought into the kingdom.

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

1. Jewish leaders – all about DO – Fit in the system Jesus says COME to Him

a. A radical statement – Rabbis placed the law as the center of life

2. Emphatic I - Jesus places Himself at the center – true heart of the law – the one who the law pointed to

3. Preposition implies movement - Move toward Him

4. Come face to face with him – His presence

B. A call to those weighted down

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

From a person to a person – one who understands /cares to one struggling

1. Already had indicated that the ones who respond are the ones who come in simplicity

Matt 11:25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

a. Truth is understood by those who responded in childlike faith

b. Hidden from the proud

2. Now the offer of rest goes out to the weary

a. “those tired from hard toil”

1) to wear oneself out – self initiated 2) Exertion and resulting exhaustion 3) "Beaten down” or the “weariness” caused by it 4) To become emotionally fatigued and discouraged - ‘to give up, to lose heart - lose hope / depression 5) A state of being

b. “those loaded down”

1) To be loaded down / To load a ship - To load a pack animal 2) Passive – others are doing this to you

c. Help is given to those who recognize their need

1) Life's struggle to survive / Oppressive government / Religious rules/ Compare the Jewish leaders

C. A call to offer refreshment and renewal

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

1. The word

a. To cause to cease To cause to rest from labor

b. Contentment / fulfillment / joy

c. To refresh

2. I will refresh you / renew you / lift the depression / remove the heavy load you are carrying / OT idea to brighten ones eyes / reinstill hope

II. Excursis: The problem and solution

A. The problem was sin – Dead lives

a. Sin separated / sin disrupted / sin offered false hope / sin took to a path of slow destruction – Sin took us away from the Lord / burdened down from life without the One we need to be whole

Eph 2 12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

b. Dead alone alienated

B. Jesus makes alive – offer life (now and forever)

a. Alive At peace part of God’s family. Made close

Eph 2 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 2:5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved! —2:6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 2:7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

a. We can have peace with God through Christ

1) By faith – trust in Him and His work 2) Even in the same struggles we faced before

2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 2:14 For he is our peace,

C. Jesus offers to save through faith

2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 2:9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.

a. Stand by grace = not in our own efforts

b. Even our struggles now have purpose – transform us within, create faith

c. Rejoice knowing we can expectantly wait on Him in the strength of the Holy Spirit with us

D. Jesus gives rest to those who come to Him

a. Burden of trying to be accepted with God / Guilt of sin

b. Replaces with meaning of life / A security in future uncertainties

III. Finding Rest: Rest comes from a relationship

An going relationship, not just saved from Hell

A. Know God intimately

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1. Know Him. / experience Him / come into communion with God himself

Paul to know him – His desire – more and more

2. His character – in heart – this is who He is

a. Love grace compassionate

b. Gentle / meek – Gorilla with a kitten (KOKO)

1) Power under control 2) Not the bad boss – deal with us kindly / appropriately

c. Humble – not a bully – no need to constantly overpower - a servant leader

d. Authority that willingly sets its rights aside to benefit another

B. Find relational fulfillment

Intimacy with Him gives the fulfillment of what we desire from relationships

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1. Engage in a relationship with Him

2. Find in Him relationship needs met

a. Unconditional love

b. Never being abandoned

c. Ability to be totally open and not ashamed

d. Removes the pressure from human relationships

C. Be a follower

The one really worth following – be a part of something of real value – become that which is worth becoming

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn (Disciple of me) from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1. Be a disciple of His

a. Learn from instruction – not just a feeling but a response to what He says

b. Follow Him / live with Him / learn from Him / listen to what I have to say to you / be under my direction

2. Inner transformation from this relationship – become like the One loved

D. Rest as you cease

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1. Rest is not what is pursued – it is a by product

2. Rest is by product of the relationship we were intended to have

3. He is the source of this rest - in the fellowship with Him

IV. Finding rest: Rest comes from serving Him

A. A result of activity

– not just mystical / spiritual

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take (up) my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

1. An action to engage – Take up my yoke

2. A yoke to carry – a task to perform (Oxen yoke)

3. Faith is active --- More than just an inner thing / changed person

a. Relationship is demonstrated by life

1) Not easy or undemanding 2) Submission

a) Self denial

3) Complete dedication

B. Fulfills our purpose

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy (appropriate), and my burden is light.”

1. But an appropriate yoke - Fits – well suited

2. Do that which has real meaning

3. Accomplish what we are intended to achieve

4. Always intended to work – but on His behalf – for His glory

Runner Chariots of Fire – when I run I feel the pleasure of God

C. An enjoyable yoke

(ESV) Matthew 11 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

1. Responsibilities will not be burdensome --- easily carried – because it is my desire to do it (a labor of love and opportunity)

a. Unlike a law of demands to please – motive different

b. Overflow from a heart of gratitude and changed life

c. Actually there are great demands – but have value / meaning

2. Empowered by Him – enabled to do what He desires

a. Dual yoke – the big guy cares the big load – Oxen and a donkey

b. He is the one really at work

c. No longer carry the responsibility of the result – it’s His

3.

V. Finding rest: Rest demands a decision

(ESV) Matthew 11 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

A. All are invited

B. A Choice to make

1. Come to Him

2. Learn of Him

3. Take His yoke of discipleship

C. We must choose by faith

1. To be saved

2. To enjoy the life we have been given

Ex Boston girl weeping – did not choose - continued without rest

Decide now to come to Him:

· If you are without Christ and weary of a meaningless existence come to Him and find rest

· If you know Christ but are weary from sin come to Him and find rest

· If you know Christ but are carrying some heavy burdens come to Him and find rest

· If you know Christ you need Him every day come to Him today and restore your rest