Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / A Theology of Rest: Matthew 11:20-30
Transcript
- 0:00Join me please in your copy of God's Word, which I hope you have with you in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 11.
- 0:11Last week we talked about working diligently to the glory of God.
- 0:18And as promised, and to set some balance to last week, this morning we're going to talk about rest.
- 0:27And as I was preparing this week, both to preach today and to go on this sabbatical,
- 0:34it was a very fitting topic for me, as this is probably one of the busiest weeks I've had.
- 0:39And I've been suffering from a vicious head cold, as I know many of you all are.
- 0:45I've got a cough drop resting in the side.
- 0:48I've got a cough in my mouth right now, just in case I need it today.
- 0:52It's been a fairly unrestful week, pushing for the hope of rest in a temporal sense.
- 1:03So it's been a good thing for me to stop and to consider this week.
- 1:08I hope it'll serve you as well.
- 1:10I discovered in my studying this week that I find poetry rather restful.
- 1:19And so we'll see today there's quite a bit of poetry in my sermon notes.
- 1:23But the text for today is Matthew chapter 11, verses 20 through 30.
- 1:29And before I read that for our benefit, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
- 1:36It was written for his glory and for our good.
- 1:40We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
- 1:46Beginning in verse 20 of Matthew chapter 11.
- 1:49Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done because they did not repent.
- 2:00Woe to you, Chorazin.
- 2:02Woe to you, Bethsaida.
- 2:03For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- 2:13But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
- 2:19And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?
- 2:23You will be brought down to Hades.
- 2:26For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
- 2:31But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.
- 2:38At that time, Jesus declared,
- 2:40I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
- 2:43that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.
- 2:50Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
- 2:53All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
- 2:57And no one knows the Son except the Father.
- 2:59And no one knows the Father except the Son.
- 3:03And anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
- 3:08Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.
- 3:11And I will give you rest.
- 3:14Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
- 3:17For I am gentle and lowly in heart.
- 3:19And you will find rest for your souls.
- 3:22For my yoke is easy.
- 3:25And my burden is light.
- 3:27In verse 28, Jesus extends to you and I a great invitation.
- 3:38Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.
- 3:42And I will give you rest.
- 3:45And this is such a great invitation for those who are weary.
- 3:53I don't know if any of you feel that way this morning.
- 3:57Feel beat down by the world around you.
- 4:02This is such a good invitation for us for at least two reasons.
- 4:07Firstly, Jesus' invitation is a great invitation because He offers us rest from our greatest problem.
- 4:18Jesus speaks such comforting words in the conclusion of our text.
- 4:25But not all of His words in this text are comforting.
- 4:29Recall how it began with denouncement and woes.
- 4:35Jesus publicly declared the wickedness of the unrepentant people of the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum.
- 4:46These were all Jewish cities in which, as Matthew here records for us,
- 4:52most of Jesus' miracles had been performed.
- 4:56Jesus' miracles accompanied His preaching to give validity to them.
- 5:02Jesus coming onto the scene, speaking new things with authority,
- 5:08used signs to give validity to what it was He was saying.
- 5:14And Jesus here juxtaposes their unbelief
- 5:17against how the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon
- 5:21and the ancient city of Sodom would have responded.
- 5:25Had such miracles been performed amongst them.
- 5:31Now, lest we lose sight of what is most important here.
- 5:35The point that Jesus is making,
- 5:38it is He came with power and He preached a message.
- 5:43A message that these denounced cities did not respond to.
- 5:49Many in our day are seeking new signs,
- 5:52wanting some taste of the metaphysical in order to believe.
- 5:59But God has given us His Son.
- 6:03We have, as miracles before us,
- 6:07the incarnation,
- 6:09and we have the resurrection.
- 6:12We need nothing further.
- 6:14Look at what Jesus says just a chapter later in Matthew's Gospel.
- 6:19In Matthew chapter 12, beginning in verse 38.
- 6:28Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him saying,
- 6:32Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.
- 6:36They're saying,
- 6:36Do something miraculous for us so that we will believe.
- 6:42But He answered them,
- 6:44An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,
- 6:50but no sign will be given to you except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
- 6:55For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,
- 7:00so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- 7:05The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it.
- 7:10For they repented at the preaching of Jonah,
- 7:12and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
- 7:18So we see in this little brief passage in Matthew chapter 12,
- 7:22of the incarnation, Jesus saying,
- 7:25Hello, I am here, I am before you.
- 7:28The Son of Man, which is taken from Daniel,
- 7:30this was an Old Testament reference,
- 7:33He was understood in calling Himself this to be the Messiah,
- 7:37God made flesh, come to deliver His people.
- 7:42Behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
- 7:47The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah's preaching.
- 7:50They had no sign to accompany it.
- 7:52They simply heard the call of the Lord and they repented and believed.
- 7:58We see also in this text the resurrection.
- 8:01So will the Son of Man, so will Christ be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- 8:10And then what?
- 8:11He was raised three days later.
- 8:13So, what was the message that Jesus came to preach?
- 8:21The message that He preached accompanied by signs?
- 8:24The message that He preached without signs?
- 8:27The message that He preaches to us today?
- 8:31Matthew chapter 4, verse 17.
- 8:34Chapter 4, Jesus begins His ministry.
- 8:36In verse 17, Matthew records,
- 8:38This is the summary of what it is that Jesus taught.
- 8:52Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- 8:57So He preached repentance.
- 8:58But what is repentance?
- 9:00Repentance is recognizing one's offense against a most holy God.
- 9:09Feeling remorse for that offense.
- 9:12Not merely recognizing that it is an offense,
- 9:14but recognizing that we must feel something.
- 9:17We have a remorse for offending such a holy God.
- 9:20And seeking to satisfy the consequence of that offense.
- 9:27Apart from Christ, I am not okay, and you are not okay.
- 9:36Romans 3, Paul says famously in verses 10-12.
- 9:43Here's the crux.
- 9:45The Lord wants us to sink in.
- 9:47Here we go.
- 9:48Romans chapter 3, verses 10-12.
- 9:52Paul says,
- 9:53None is righteous, no, not one.
- 9:54No one understands.
- 9:56No one seeks for God.
- 9:58All have turned aside.
- 9:59Together, they have become worthless.
- 10:02No one does good.
- 10:04Not even one.
- 10:06And then later in chapter 3, verse 23.
- 10:08All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- 10:13All of us have not lived up to this high expectation of us, of holiness.
- 10:17Right?
- 10:17God intended for us to be His image bearers,
- 10:21to reflect Him in the world around us by keeping His good commands.
- 10:27And each and every one of us, right?
- 10:29From our federal head, Adam, all the way through to the babies being held in mom's arms this morning,
- 10:36have sinned against a most holy God.
- 10:40And we are in need of repentance.
- 10:44Repentance begins with humility.
- 10:47Turn with me to Luke chapter 18.
- 10:54Beginning in verse 9 and following.
- 10:58I like it when the biblical writers tell us why Jesus told the parable.
- 11:01Verse 9,
- 11:02Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous.
- 11:09And don't we have so many around us in this day?
- 11:11You might find yourself in this place thinking that somehow,
- 11:15if there is a God and if there is an afterlife,
- 11:19that you can find the way to please Him on your own.
- 11:22You can believe that you're good enough.
- 11:25Jesus speaks this parable to you.
- 11:29These that find themselves to be righteous and treat others with contempt.
- 11:34In verse 10,
- 11:35Two men went up into the temple to pray.
- 11:38One a Pharisee and the other a tax collector or publican,
- 11:43some of your translations may say.
- 11:46The Pharisee would have been an outwardly righteous man,
- 11:50a practicer of all of the Jewish law.
- 11:53The tax collector or publican would have been seen as the most vile traitor to Israel,
- 11:59to God's people.
- 12:00One who submitted himself to the Roman government and collected taxes on their behalf.
- 12:06Verse 11,
- 12:07The Pharisee standing by himself prayed thus,
- 12:11God, I thank you that I am not like other men,
- 12:15extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- 12:21I fast twice a week.
- 12:23I give tithes of all that I get.
- 12:25But the tax collector standing far off would not even lift up his eyes to heaven,
- 12:32but beat his breast saying,
- 12:35God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
- 12:40I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.
- 12:46For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
- 12:49but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
- 12:53And so repentance begins with this kind of humility, right?
- 12:57A man not even willing to approach the temple,
- 13:01not willing to lift his eyes to heaven
- 13:04because he knew the offense he had given to God.
- 13:10Isaac Watts, who was a late 17th, early 18th century hymnist,
- 13:14rather popular hymnist,
- 13:16wrote the following poem.
- 13:17I don't actually think there's music to this.
- 13:20Hint, hint, musicians.
- 13:21He wrote this,
- 13:24Saints, at your heavenly Father's word,
- 13:28give up your comforts to the Lord.
- 13:31Behold how sinners disagree,
- 13:34the publican and Pharisee.
- 13:37One doth his righteousness proclaim,
- 13:40the other owns his guilt and shame.
- 13:44This man at humble distance stands
- 13:46and cries for grace with lifted hands
- 13:49that boldly rises near the throne
- 13:52and talks of duties he has done.
- 13:56The Lord, their different language knows
- 13:59and different answers he bestows.
- 14:02The humble soul with grace he crowns,
- 14:05whilst on the proud his anger frowns.
- 14:10Dear Father,
- 14:10let me never be joined with the boasting Pharisee.
- 14:15I have no merits of my own,
- 14:18but plead the sufferings of thy son.
- 14:23Now we have sinned against an infinite God
- 14:26whose holiness is infinite,
- 14:30and therefore our offense against him is infinite,
- 14:35which is why we need the infinite sacrifice
- 14:39of Jesus Christ to satisfy the consequence
- 14:43of the offense.
- 14:45We must humbly recognize our offense against God,
- 14:50feel remorse for it,
- 14:52but then find the remedy in Jesus.
- 14:56You see, friends,
- 14:57God expects perfection from us,
- 15:01but he extends to us that perfection
- 15:04in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- 15:08Upon humble admission of our offense against God
- 15:11and our placing our faith
- 15:12in the saving work of Christ,
- 15:15God not only forgives us our sins,
- 15:18but also gives us Jesus' righteousness.
- 15:22We take on his perfect life
- 15:24as he takes away our sin.
- 15:28This is a glorious truth
- 15:31that we can rest in.
- 15:35John Bunyan,
- 15:37if you're not familiar with,
- 15:38was a 17th century English pastor and writer.
- 15:43He was a preacher who preached without a license,
- 15:46which was necessary in those days,
- 15:48and therefore was imprisoned.
- 15:50And in prison,
- 15:51with a copy of Fox's Book of Martyrs
- 15:53and his Bible,
- 15:54he wrote a wonderful work called Pilgrim's Progress.
- 15:58And if you are a follower of Jesus Christ,
- 16:00you must read your scripture first
- 16:02and Pilgrim's Progress second.
- 16:04It will be nourishing to your soul
- 16:08to read this work.
- 16:09There are abridged versions,
- 16:10there are modern English versions.
- 16:13It is a work that you should pick up
- 16:15as it will serve you well.
- 16:17The work is an allegory,
- 16:19and it begins with the writer,
- 16:22the narrator,
- 16:22I'm assuming Bunyan,
- 16:24falling asleep and having a dream.
- 16:27And he follows in this dream
- 16:29the main character named Christian.
- 16:32And it's about his journey
- 16:34and then later his wife's journey
- 16:35to the celestial city.
- 16:38And Christian,
- 16:39at the beginning of this dream,
- 16:42finds himself with a heavy burden
- 16:44laid upon his back.
- 16:46If you find this illustrated,
- 16:47it's usually a big, ugly,
- 16:48bulging backpack
- 16:49strapped onto his back.
- 16:52And we come to understand
- 16:53that this is the weight of his sin.
- 16:56Right?
- 16:56He comes to have this burden
- 16:58because he's picked up a book.
- 17:01And he's read from the book
- 17:02about this good king
- 17:04who has a high standard
- 17:06which he has not met.
- 17:08And so he sets off
- 17:10to find himself
- 17:11loosed of this burden.
- 17:14I'm going to read just a brief bit
- 17:15to you
- 17:16from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.
- 17:18Now I saw in my dream
- 17:21that the highway
- 17:22which Christian was to go
- 17:23was fenced on either side
- 17:25with a wall.
- 17:27And that wall was called salvation.
- 17:30Up this way, therefore,
- 17:31did burdened Christian run,
- 17:33but not without great difficulty
- 17:35because of the load on his back.
- 17:37He ran thus
- 17:39till he came to a place
- 17:40somewhat ascending,
- 17:42and upon that place
- 17:43stood a cross,
- 17:44and a little below
- 17:46in the bottom
- 17:47a sepulcher.
- 17:48That's a grave.
- 17:50So I saw in my dream
- 17:51that just as Christian
- 17:52came up to the cross,
- 17:54his burden
- 17:55loosed from off his shoulders
- 17:56and fell from off his back
- 17:58and began to tumble.
- 18:01And so continued to do
- 18:02until it came to the mouth
- 18:04of the sepulcher
- 18:05where it fell in
- 18:06and I saw it no more.
- 18:09Then was Christian glad
- 18:11and lightsome
- 18:12and said with a merry heart,
- 18:13he hath given me rest
- 18:15by his sorrow
- 18:16and life
- 18:18by his death.
- 18:19And then he burst into a song,
- 18:21another poem for you
- 18:23this morning.
- 18:24Christian says,
- 18:25Thus far did I come laden
- 18:27with my sin,
- 18:28nor could aught ease
- 18:30the grief that I was in.
- 18:32Till I came hither,
- 18:34what a place is this?
- 18:37Must here be the beginning
- 18:38of my bliss?
- 18:39Must here be the burden
- 18:41fall off my back?
- 18:42Must hear the strings
- 18:44that bound it to me crack?
- 18:46Blessed cross,
- 18:48blessed sepulchal,
- 18:49blessed rather be
- 18:50the man that there
- 18:52was put to shame
- 18:53for me.
- 18:55So,
- 18:57Jesus extends to us
- 18:59a great invitation
- 19:01because he offers us
- 19:02rest
- 19:03from our greatest
- 19:05problem.
- 19:07And because we can rest
- 19:08eternally,
- 19:10we can rest
- 19:11temporally.
- 19:12Because our greatest
- 19:14problem has been
- 19:15alleviated.
- 19:16All the light
- 19:17and momentary
- 19:19problems
- 19:20we can rest
- 19:22from.
- 19:23You and I
- 19:24do not have to labor
- 19:25to find ourselves
- 19:25approved
- 19:26before God.
- 19:28If you have placed
- 19:29saving faith
- 19:30in Jesus Christ,
- 19:32you
- 19:32are
- 19:33approved.
- 19:34And now,
- 19:36any work
- 19:37that we do
- 19:37comes as a
- 19:39grateful outflow
- 19:40of what he
- 19:41has done
- 19:41for us.
- 19:43Becomes the
- 19:43natural thing
- 19:44we do
- 19:45because of
- 19:45who
- 19:46we
- 19:47are.
- 19:48If God
- 19:49is pleased
- 19:50with you,
- 19:51you can
- 19:52and you
- 19:52should
- 19:53rest.
- 19:56Psalm
- 19:56127
- 19:582
- 19:58says this,
- 20:00It is in vain
- 20:01that you
- 20:01rise up
- 20:02early
- 20:02and go
- 20:03late to
- 20:03rest,
- 20:04eating the
- 20:04bread
- 20:05of anxious
- 20:06toil,
- 20:07for he
- 20:08gives to
- 20:09his beloved
- 20:10sleep.
- 20:12God is
- 20:13not
- 20:14unaware
- 20:14of your
- 20:15human
- 20:15frailty
- 20:17and he
- 20:18intends
- 20:19rest
- 20:20for you
- 20:21in the very
- 20:22way that he
- 20:23created the
- 20:23world.
- 20:24He intended
- 20:24to set forth
- 20:25for us
- 20:25a pattern
- 20:26of six
- 20:27days of
- 20:27working
- 20:28and then
- 20:28what?
- 20:29A day
- 20:30of rest,
- 20:32that we
- 20:32would see
- 20:33that as
- 20:33created
- 20:34beings,
- 20:35we need
- 20:35to rest
- 20:36in our
- 20:36eternal
- 20:37security,
- 20:38that we
- 20:39can lay
- 20:39our heads
- 20:39down at
- 20:40night and
- 20:41know that
- 20:41we have
- 20:42satisfied
- 20:43our God.
- 20:45The Puritans
- 20:46famously
- 20:46talked about
- 20:48recreating
- 20:49versus
- 20:50recreating,
- 20:51which is the
- 20:52actual root
- 20:53of that
- 20:53word,
- 20:54to take
- 20:55time to
- 20:56step back
- 20:56away from
- 20:57in order
- 20:58to be
- 20:58rejuvenated,
- 21:00for service
- 21:02to the
- 21:03Lord.
- 21:03And I'll
- 21:03close this
- 21:04point out
- 21:04with the
- 21:05quote from
- 21:05Spurgeon
- 21:05that's on
- 21:06your bulletin.
- 21:07He said,
- 21:08rest time
- 21:08is not
- 21:09waste time.
- 21:11It is
- 21:11economy to
- 21:12gather
- 21:12fresh strength.
- 21:14It is
- 21:14wisdom to
- 21:15take
- 21:15occasional
- 21:16furlough.
- 21:17In the
- 21:18long run,
- 21:18we shall
- 21:19do more
- 21:20by sometimes
- 21:21doing
- 21:22less,
- 21:23by doing
- 21:23those things
- 21:24that bring
- 21:25rejuvenation
- 21:26to us.
- 21:27rest.
- 21:28So,
- 21:29Jesus'
- 21:30invitation
- 21:30is a
- 21:30great
- 21:31invitation
- 21:31because
- 21:32he's
- 21:33offering
- 21:34to us
- 21:34rest
- 21:35from our
- 21:35greatest
- 21:36problem.
- 21:38Secondly,
- 21:39Jesus'
- 21:39invitation
- 21:39is a
- 21:40great
- 21:40invitation
- 21:40because
- 21:41he offers
- 21:42us
- 21:42rest
- 21:43in the
- 21:44greatest
- 21:44person.
- 21:47Jesus
- 21:47invites
- 21:48us
- 21:48to
- 21:48come
- 21:49to
- 21:50him,
- 21:51all who
- 21:52labor and
- 21:52are heavy
- 21:53laden,
- 21:53and he
- 21:54will
- 21:55give us
- 21:55rest.
- 21:57Jesus
- 21:58makes
- 21:58some
- 21:59astounding
- 22:00claims
- 22:01about
- 22:01himself
- 22:01in this
- 22:02text.
- 22:03If you
- 22:03look at
- 22:03verse
- 22:0427,
- 22:07Jesus
- 22:07claims
- 22:07that he
- 22:08is the
- 22:09Son of
- 22:09God.
- 22:10This is
- 22:10not a
- 22:11new
- 22:11claim
- 22:11in
- 22:12Matthew's
- 22:12Gospel,
- 22:12but it
- 22:13is still
- 22:13an
- 22:13astounding
- 22:14one,
- 22:14all the
- 22:15same.
- 22:16He
- 22:16says,
- 22:16all things
- 22:17have been
- 22:17handed
- 22:17over to
- 22:17me by
- 22:18my
- 22:18Father,
- 22:19and no
- 22:20one
- 22:20knows
- 22:20the
- 22:20Son
- 22:21except
- 22:22the
- 22:22Father,
- 22:23and no
- 22:23one
- 22:23knows
- 22:23the
- 22:23Father,
- 22:24except
- 22:24the
- 22:26Son.
- 22:26He
- 22:26claims
- 22:27that he
- 22:27himself
- 22:28is
- 22:28the
- 22:29Son
- 22:29of
- 22:30God.
- 22:30Secondly,
- 22:31he
- 22:31claims
- 22:32that he
- 22:32possesses
- 22:33all
- 22:33authority.
- 22:34Verse 27,
- 22:35all things
- 22:36have been
- 22:36handed
- 22:37over to
- 22:38me by
- 22:39my
- 22:39Father.
- 22:39He
- 22:39says this
- 22:40elsewhere
- 22:40in
- 22:41Matthew
- 22:41as well.
- 22:42Chapter
- 22:4228,
- 22:43verse 18,
- 22:44this is the
- 22:45beginning of
- 22:45what we
- 22:45call the
- 22:46Great
- 22:46Commission.
- 22:47Jesus
- 22:47says,
- 22:47all authority
- 22:48in
- 22:49heaven and
- 22:49on earth
- 22:50has been
- 22:51given
- 22:51to me.
- 22:52He
- 22:53also
- 22:54claims
- 22:54that he
- 22:54has
- 22:55the
- 22:55power
- 22:56to
- 22:56save.
- 22:58He
- 22:58says,
- 22:58no one
- 22:58knows
- 22:59the
- 23:00Father
- 23:00except
- 23:00the
- 23:01Son
- 23:01and
- 23:02anyone
- 23:03to whom
- 23:04the
- 23:04Son
- 23:04chooses
- 23:05to reveal
- 23:07him.
- 23:08Previously,
- 23:09in the book
- 23:09of Matthew
- 23:10chapter 9,
- 23:11beginning in
- 23:12verse 1,
- 23:13we read,
- 23:14getting into
- 23:14a boat,
- 23:14he crossed
- 23:15over and
- 23:15came to
- 23:16his own
- 23:16city.
- 23:17And behold,
- 23:18some people
- 23:18brought to
- 23:19him a
- 23:19paralytic
- 23:19lying on
- 23:20a bed.
- 23:20And when
- 23:21Jesus saw
- 23:21their faith,
- 23:22he said to
- 23:23the paralytic,
- 23:24take heart,
- 23:24my son,
- 23:25your sins
- 23:26are forgiven.
- 23:28And behold,
- 23:29some of the
- 23:30scribes said
- 23:30to themselves,
- 23:31this man is
- 23:32blaspheming.
- 23:33This man is
- 23:34saying that
- 23:34he's God
- 23:35able to
- 23:36forgive
- 23:36sins.
- 23:38Yes,
- 23:39this is what
- 23:39Jesus was
- 23:39saying.
- 23:40Verse 4,
- 23:40but Jesus,
- 23:42knowing their
- 23:42thoughts,
- 23:43said,
- 23:44why do
- 23:44you think
- 23:45evil in
- 23:46your hearts?
- 23:47For which
- 23:47is easier
- 23:48to say
- 23:48your sins
- 23:48are forgiven
- 23:49or to
- 23:49say rise
- 23:50and walk?
- 23:51But that
- 23:51you may
- 23:51know the
- 23:52Son of
- 23:52Man has
- 23:52authority on
- 23:53earth to
- 23:53forgive sins.
- 23:54He then
- 23:55said to
- 23:55the paralytic,
- 23:56rise,
- 23:57pick up
- 23:57your bed
- 23:58and go
- 23:58home.
- 23:59And he
- 24:00rose and
- 24:00went home.
- 24:01When the
- 24:01crowd sought,
- 24:02they were
- 24:02afraid and
- 24:03they glorified
- 24:03God who
- 24:04had given
- 24:05such authority
- 24:07to men.
- 24:08It's the
- 24:08astounding
- 24:09thing that
- 24:10Jesus is
- 24:10saying that
- 24:11he has
- 24:12the power
- 24:13to forgive
- 24:13sin,
- 24:14that no
- 24:15one makes
- 24:16it to the
- 24:16Father.
- 24:17No one
- 24:17can know
- 24:17the Father
- 24:18except by
- 24:19knowing the
- 24:21Son.
- 24:22John 14,
- 24:236.
- 24:24John records
- 24:25Jesus said,
- 24:26I am the
- 24:26way and the
- 24:27truth and the
- 24:29life.
- 24:29No one comes
- 24:31to the Father
- 24:31except through
- 24:33me.
- 24:34Jesus makes
- 24:35some incredible
- 24:36claims in the
- 24:38Scripture.
- 24:38Peter, in
- 24:40a 1950 essay
- 24:41entitled,
- 24:42What Are We
- 24:42To Make
- 24:43of Jesus?
- 24:44by C.S.
- 24:45Lewis, he
- 24:46said the
- 24:46following,
- 24:48In my
- 24:48opinion, the
- 24:50only person
- 24:51who can say
- 24:52that sort of
- 24:52thing, that
- 24:53he's the
- 24:53Son of God,
- 24:55is either
- 24:55God or a
- 24:57complete lunatic
- 24:58suffering from
- 24:59that form of
- 25:00delusion which
- 25:00undermines the
- 25:01whole mind
- 25:02of man.
- 25:03If you think
- 25:05you are a
- 25:05poached egg,
- 25:07when you are
- 25:07not looking for
- 25:08a piece of
- 25:09toast to suit
- 25:09you, you may
- 25:10be sane.
- 25:11But if you
- 25:12think you are
- 25:12God, there is
- 25:13no chance for
- 25:14you.
- 25:15You catch that?
- 25:16Like, you'd be
- 25:16more sane to
- 25:17think that you're
- 25:17a poached
- 25:18egg.
- 25:20But if you
- 25:20think you are
- 25:21God, there is
- 25:21no chance for
- 25:23you.
- 25:23We may note
- 25:24in passing that
- 25:26he was never
- 25:26regarded as a
- 25:27mere moral
- 25:28teacher.
- 25:30He did not
- 25:30produce that
- 25:31effect on any
- 25:32of the people
- 25:32who actually
- 25:33met him.
- 25:34He produced
- 25:35mainly three
- 25:37effects.
- 25:38You have to
- 25:39find yourself
- 25:40in one of
- 25:40these three
- 25:41places.
- 25:41You're honest
- 25:42with the
- 25:42Jesus of
- 25:43the Bible.
- 25:44He produced
- 25:44mainly three
- 25:45effects.
- 25:46Hatred,
- 25:48terror,
- 25:50or adoration.
- 25:52There is no
- 25:53trace in the
- 25:54Bible of
- 25:55people expressing
- 25:57mild
- 25:58approval.
- 26:01Jesus made
- 26:01astounding
- 26:02claims about
- 26:03himself.
- 26:04The son of
- 26:04God.
- 26:04People could
- 26:05only come to
- 26:06the father
- 26:06through him.
- 26:07He had the
- 26:08power to
- 26:08forgive sins.
- 26:09In fact,
- 26:09power over
- 26:10all things.
- 26:12But Jesus
- 26:12makes a
- 26:13further and
- 26:14possibly more
- 26:16astounding
- 26:17claim in
- 26:18verse 29.
- 26:20He says,
- 26:21I am
- 26:21gentle and
- 26:23lowly in
- 26:24heart.
- 26:26As we think
- 26:27about coming
- 26:28to Jesus for
- 26:29rest, this is
- 26:30incredible.
- 26:30Jesus is not
- 26:32unable to
- 26:33sympathize with
- 26:34us in our
- 26:35weakness.
- 26:36Having become
- 26:37fully men,
- 26:39he experienced
- 26:40your pain and
- 26:42he experienced
- 26:43your exhaustion.
- 26:46Jesus grew
- 26:46tired, John
- 26:484, 6, and got
- 26:49thirsty, John
- 26:5019, 28, and
- 26:51hungry, Matthew
- 26:524, 2.
- 26:54He became
- 26:54physically weak,
- 26:55Matthew 4, 11,
- 26:57Luke 23, 26,
- 26:58Hebrews 4, 15.
- 27:02He suffered
- 27:03just as we
- 27:05suffer and
- 27:07more so to
- 27:08the point of
- 27:10the cross.
- 27:10The writer of
- 27:11Hebrews says
- 27:11in Hebrews 4, 15,
- 27:12For we do not
- 27:13have a high
- 27:14priest who is
- 27:15unable to
- 27:15sympathize with
- 27:17our weaknesses,
- 27:18but one who in
- 27:19every respect has
- 27:20been tempted as
- 27:21we are, yet
- 27:22without sin.
- 27:24beloved, you
- 27:26can go to
- 27:26Jesus with all
- 27:27of your hurts
- 27:28and all of
- 27:30your struggles,
- 27:31and you will
- 27:32find with
- 27:33Jesus Christ
- 27:34no condemnation,
- 27:37you don't have
- 27:37to bear guilt
- 27:38before him.
- 27:40He says,
- 27:41come to me,
- 27:42you who are
- 27:43weary and
- 27:44heavy laden,
- 27:45and I will
- 27:46give you
- 27:47rest.
- 27:50Even as we
- 27:51work to see
- 27:51the kingdom of
- 27:52God fully
- 27:53realized,
- 27:53Jesus promises.
- 27:56And this was
- 27:57such a good
- 27:58meditation for
- 27:59my soul this
- 27:59week as I'm
- 28:00thinking about
- 28:01taking my
- 28:02hands off of
- 28:03this church for
- 28:04a month,
- 28:05which is
- 28:05something I've
- 28:06never done
- 28:06before,
- 28:07just fully
- 28:07removing myself
- 28:08from my
- 28:09involvement in
- 28:10it.
- 28:11And some of
- 28:11you who know
- 28:12me well know
- 28:12that I can be
- 28:13a bit controlling.
- 28:17Jesus says in
- 28:18Luke 12, 32,
- 28:20fear not,
- 28:22little flock,
- 28:23flock, for
- 28:24it is your
- 28:24father's good
- 28:25pleasure to
- 28:27give you the
- 28:28kingdom.
- 28:30I think wrongly
- 28:31I have this
- 28:31idea that the
- 28:32kingdom, I
- 28:33must go take
- 28:34it, right?
- 28:35That I have to
- 28:36get out and I
- 28:37have to work so
- 28:38hard that I
- 28:38gain the kingdom,
- 28:40right?
- 28:40That without me
- 28:41the kingdom
- 28:41doesn't come.
- 28:43But here,
- 28:44Jesus speaks so
- 28:45very clearly to
- 28:46that frailty in
- 28:47my heart.
- 28:48Fear not,
- 28:49and I love
- 28:50little flock,
- 28:52little sheep,
- 28:54for it is your
- 28:55father's good
- 28:56pleasure to
- 28:57give to you
- 28:59the kingdom.
- 29:01Brother, we
- 29:01have so much
- 29:03room for rest
- 29:05in the good
- 29:06shepherd.
- 29:08So Jesus'
- 29:09invitation is a
- 29:10great invitation
- 29:11because he offers
- 29:13us rest in
- 29:14himself.
- 29:15The Bible also
- 29:17uses the metaphor
- 29:18of thirst to
- 29:19express our
- 29:20need of rest
- 29:22in God.
- 29:23In Jeremiah
- 29:24chapter 2,
- 29:25verse 12 and
- 29:2613, the
- 29:28prophet Jeremiah
- 29:28writes,
- 29:29Be appalled,
- 29:30O heavens,
- 29:30at this.
- 29:31Be shocked,
- 29:32be utterly
- 29:32desolate,
- 29:33declares the
- 29:34Lord.
- 29:35For my people
- 29:36have committed
- 29:37two evils.
- 29:43They have
- 29:44forsaken me
- 29:45the fountain
- 29:46of living
- 29:46waters.
- 29:48They have
- 29:48not come to
- 29:49me for rest,
- 29:50is what he is
- 29:51saying.
- 29:52And instead,
- 29:52they have
- 29:53hewed out
- 29:53cisterns for
- 29:54themselves,
- 29:56broken cisterns
- 29:57that can hold
- 29:59no water.
- 30:01Going to
- 30:01things,
- 30:02pursuing things
- 30:03to meet our
- 30:04needs,
- 30:04to find us
- 30:05satisfied,
- 30:06to give us
- 30:06rest that
- 30:07cannot give
- 30:09us rest.
- 30:10When we have
- 30:11access to
- 30:12the Lord God
- 30:13Almighty,
- 30:14His Son,
- 30:15Jesus Christ,
- 30:16the fountain
- 30:16of living
- 30:18waters.
- 30:21John records
- 30:21in chapter 7,
- 30:23verse 37
- 30:23and 38,
- 30:26Jesus is in
- 30:27Jerusalem at the
- 30:28feast of booths.
- 30:29In verse 37,
- 30:30John records,
- 30:31on the last
- 30:32day of the
- 30:32feast,
- 30:33the great
- 30:33day,
- 30:34Jesus stood
- 30:34up and
- 30:35cried out,
- 30:36if anyone
- 30:37thirsts,
- 30:38let him
- 30:38come to
- 30:39me and
- 30:40drink.
- 30:41Whoever
- 30:41believes in
- 30:42me as the
- 30:43scripture has
- 30:44said,
- 30:44out of his
- 30:44heart will
- 30:45flow rivers
- 30:46of living
- 30:47water.
- 30:50What a
- 30:50blessed
- 30:51rest we
- 30:53can have
- 30:53in Christ.
- 30:56And in
- 30:56closing,
- 30:57I have one
- 30:57more poem
- 30:58for you.
- 30:58This is
- 30:59actually a
- 31:00hymn.
- 31:00It has
- 31:00music written
- 31:01to accompany
- 31:01it.
- 31:02It's called,
- 31:03O Christ
- 31:03in thee
- 31:04my soul
- 31:04hath found
- 31:06by Francis
- 31:07Bevan.
- 31:08She was a
- 31:0819th century
- 31:09hymnist.
- 31:10O Christ
- 31:12in thee
- 31:13my soul
- 31:13hath found
- 31:14and found
- 31:15in thee
- 31:15alone
- 31:16the peace,
- 31:18the joy
- 31:18I sought
- 31:19so long,
- 31:20the bliss
- 31:21till now
- 31:22unknown.
- 31:23I sighed
- 31:24for rest
- 31:25and happiness.
- 31:26I yearned
- 31:27for them,
- 31:28not thee.
- 31:29But while
- 31:30I passed
- 31:31my Savior
- 31:31by,
- 31:32his love
- 31:32laid hold
- 31:33on me.
- 31:35I tried
- 31:36the broken
- 31:36cisterns,
- 31:37ah,
- 31:38but how
- 31:38the waters
- 31:39failed.
- 31:40Even as
- 31:41I stooped
- 31:42to drink,
- 31:42they fled
- 31:43and mocked
- 31:44me as
- 31:44I wailed.
- 31:46The pleasures
- 31:47lost I
- 31:47sadly mourned,
- 31:49but never
- 31:49wept for
- 31:50thee,
- 31:51till grace
- 31:52the sightless
- 31:53eyes received
- 31:54thy
- 31:55loveliness
- 31:56to see.
- 31:58Now
- 31:58none
- 31:59but Christ
- 32:00can satisfy
- 32:01none other
- 32:02name for
- 32:03me.
- 32:03There's
- 32:04love
- 32:04and life
- 32:05and lasting
- 32:06joy,
- 32:08Christ
- 32:08Jesus
- 32:08found.
- 32:10Let's pray
- 32:11together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:11together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:11together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:12together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:12together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:12together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:12together.
- 32:12Let's pray
- 32:12together.
- 32:12Let's pray