By Doug Bell
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
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So many need to hear ‘THESE’ words of Jesus today! Look at the words:
• Weary (Exhausted, Fatigued, Overworked) The KJV translates it, Labor. If we take these definitions together we begin to see a picture of what Jesus is telling us. In this “context” He is talking to those who have wearied themselves, trying to make themselves ‘acceptable’ to God. Whether by their good works, being a good person, or their good religious activities. Why would this ‘weary’ them? The Bible tells us that:
“...there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:12).
How can that be, we all know good, kind people? But the Bible tells us that only God is perfect, and He can’t allow sin into His presence. And comparing our goodness to God’s perfection we are told: “For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
And we know this true, because we feel our relationship to God is ”Heavy-laden.”
• Heavy-Laden (Awkward, Burdensome, or Cumbersome). Why does God seem so far away? Because He is! Our sins have separated us from our Heavenly Father. We have a wall that keeps us from His presence. And all our efforts, make that wall wider and higher! What is a person to do?
Give Up! Yes, Quit all your ‘self-efforts’ to please God and “earn” your salvation! What should you do instead? Listen to Jesus;
29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” (Why?)
30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
What does this mean?
The yoke of Jesus is light and easy to carry because “it is the yoke of repentance and faith followed by a singular commitment to follow Him.“ As the apostle John says,
”For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome”
(1 John 5:2).
Jesus did the work for us. He lived a perfect life of obedience and His righteousness was ‘Imputed’ to our account, while He took Our punishment (in our place) on the Cross. Through His power and giving us His Holy Spirit, we are enabled to do the good works He requires!
And having given us New Life (from above), Adopting us into His family, and freeing us from all self effort. Our life is one of gratefulness and Love (for doing for us, what we were able to do for ourselves). And knowing we can Never repay our Father for all He has done to save us. We willingly therefore say with Paul,
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is you spiritual service of worship.”
All who have truly repented of their sins and accepted the finished works of Christ in their place are His! And knowing it is all done by Him, for us; we willingly live a life pleasing to Him, knowing it is the Least we can do. Thank you Jesus, we know we are undeserving Of Your Love!