#1 (THE
"INVITATION FROM GOD" SERIES)
"COME AND REST!"
TEXT: Matt.
11:28-30
INTRO: How many of
you are tired today? This could
perhaps be called the “TIRED generation!” We are running to and fro from early
morning to late night, there are so many things to do and yet not enough time to
do them all! Mankind used to go to
bed when the sun set, now with electricity we stay up late at night, we even
have TV shows called “Late Night” and “Late Late Night” for those who really
like to stay up late! Yet, we still
have to get up early for work, no wonder we are all
tired!
In many surveys people say
that they wish they had more free time or more time off, they wish they could
just sit around and do nothing for a while and sleep
in.
Yet, even when we get time
off we fill it with so many things to do that often when we come back from
vacations we are just as tired, if not more so, than when we
left!
PERHAPS the greatest
problem however is not the tiredness of body but our tired souls; we have grown
tired as a nation over evil in our land, over corruption and terrorism left
unchecked, over the constant themes of poverty and disease and brutality. We have grown weary of the unchanging
face of sin, of evildoers getting away with their deeds; we have become cynics
about nearly everything from politics, to jobs; and even
religion!
Our families suffer from a
tiredness of soul, children grow up neglected or hurt from broken homes, parents
try to fill their lives with business and extended work hours to make themselves
believe they have something important to live for or to make more money ...
teens don't have direction in their lives as they don't see anything to live for
except materialism.
We are a tired nation,
living in both physical and soulish exhaustion, but the good news is that God has an
invitation: "COME AND REST!" This is first message in a new series
entitled: "The Invitation from God"
series. Such messages as "Come
and see," "Come and Follow
Me," "Come and Drink," "Come and Dine," and "Come and Inherit" coming
up! God is quick to come an invite
us to come to Him, He is the answer to our
tiredness of soul!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches us that there is a
rest for the soul even when life gets hectic, this rest is deep and refreshing
and satisfies!
I. REST FOR THE WEARY! 11:28
A. Source
11:28a
1. The great secret to finding the
rest that every human soul longs for is found in these first three words of
Jesus’ invitation: "Come to ME!"
(NIV)
a. Jesus doesn't mess around with
truth and what each soul needs, He simply declares that if you are to find "rest"
for your soul there is only one place to get it ... not just from Him but in
HIM!
b. Jesus identifies no other source
for rest other than "IN
Him."
2. The world tries to find this rest
in so many other places:
a. They build big resort
areas.
b. They use sports
events.
c. They go on
vacations.
d. They seek out
philosophies.
e. They seek out strange and wild religions and
meditation.
f. They seek out the
occult.
g. They seek out pleasure from a variety of
sins and immorality.
h. Yet nothing in this world has provided
the rest for the soul except Jesus!
ILLUS: ONE OF THE
FRENCH KINGS BUILT HIMSELF A PALACE THAT HE CALLED “SANS SOUCI” WHICH MEANS:
“WITHOUT CARE, WITHOUT WORRY.”
BUT THE KING SOON DISCOVERED THAT HE COULD NOT CLOSE OUT THE CARES AND
WORRIES OF THE STATE WHEN HE ARRIVED IN HIS ENCLOSED ENCLAVE BECAUSE HE CARRIED
THEM IN HIS HEART AND MIND! – SOURCE UNKNOWN
3. The soul can find no rest in the
things of this world, it can only be found in Christ! An eternal soul needs something eternal
to rest in.
a. If you are running around looking
for relief from this world's burdens and trials you won't find it in this
world.
b. If you are truly tired of running
around trying to find rest for your heart and mind look no further, Jesus is
here for you now and is making an invitation for you to come NOW to Him for real
rest!
B. Security!
11:28b
1. "All you who are
weary and burdened ..."
Well, that about covers
everyone!!!
2. "... and I
will give you rest!"
a. There is no question about what you
receive when you come to Christ, it is
rest!
b. Just so you don't get the wrong
idea however, Christ is not offering a life without trials and difficulties, but
he does offer security of the soul no matter how bad things get or how difficult
things get!
c. This word translated "REST"
in Greek is "anapausis" not “katapausis,” thus it is better
translated "RELIEF"... it is not therefore a life free from
pain or struggle or sorrow, it is a security from being overwhelmed by life's
struggles, and in this sense it is a rest from
heaviness!
3. In Christ there is a security that
cannot be found in this world.
a. As Christians we are not crippled
or crushed by events that come and go in our life, even the most tragic of
events cannot break our spirit when we abide in
Christ.
b. This is the security of Christ's
offer of rest ... in Him we have purpose and in Him “we know that all
things work for our good!”
c. Even the most perplexing events in
life that can never be explained or understood cannot rob us of the rest we find
in Christ!
4. In this world there is no rest like
this!!!!
5. Just going to church and learning to recite
the right prayers won't bring it either, you must set your soul on
Christ!
ILLUS: IN THE
PHILIPPINES A LOCAL PASTOR SHARED THIS STORY: THE DRIVER OF A CARABAO WAGON WAS ON HIS
WAY TO MARKET WHEN HE OVERTOOK AN OLD MAN CARRYING A HEAVY LOAD. TAKING COMPASSION ON HIM, THE DRIVER
INVITED THE OLD MAN TO RIDE IN THE WAGON.
GRATEFULLY THE OLD MAN ACCEPTED!
AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE DRIVER TURNED TO SEE HOW THE OLD MAN WAS
DOING. TO HIS SURPRISE, HE FOUND
THE OLD MAN STILL STRAINING UNDER THE HEAVY LOAD, FOR HE HAD NOT PUT IT DOWN
FROM HIS SHOULDERS! WHILE HE WAS ON
BOARD, HE STILL CARRIED THE WEIGHT ON HIS OWN SHOULDERS! HOW MANY PEOPLE JUMP ON BOARD A CHURCH
AND BECOME A PART OF IT AND YET NEVER REALLY REST IN CHRIST AND LAY THEIR
BURDENS DOWN? – SOURCE UNKNOWN
6. Christ's offer here has no “maybe” in it, it is certain that if we
trust in Christ our soul finds rest!
a. You do not have to go through life
worn down in your heart; you can find a "relief" and peace in
Christ.
b. While things in this world offer a
temporary peace or some physical rest, nothing will satisfy your soul except
God!
II. REST FOR THE WORKER! 11:29-30
A. Secret!
11:29a
1. Jesus now explains the secret to
finding real rest in Him, it is to exchange the yoke the world puts on us and
instead put on Christ's yoke!
a. The secret to rest is not
inactivity ... it is right activities!
b. Jesus didn't say "quit working" ... He said to put “His
yoke” on, so we will head in the right direction and when it gets
tough He can do the heavy work and pulling!
ILLUS: THE
CONCEPT HERE WAS FAMILIAR TO 1ST CENTURY PEOPLE -- A YOUNG BULL WAS ALWAYS YOKED
TO AN OLDER STRONGER BULL. THE
STRONGER BULL WOULD KEEP THE YOUNGER ONE FROM STRAYING, AND HE WOULD ALSO BEAR
MOST OF THE BURDEN WHILE THE YOUNG ONE LEARNED TO PULL THE PLOW. IF THE YOUNGER ONE GOT TIRED, THE OLDER
ONE DID MOST OF THE WORK, AND BEING YOKED TOGETHER THE YOUNGER ONE COULD NOT
STRAY! IT WAS IN THIS WAY
THAT “THE YOKE WAS
EASY AND THE BURDEN LIGHT!”
IF WE ARE YOKED WITH CHRIST IT IS THE SAME WITH
US! AND SINCE CHRIST IS WORKING WE
SHOULD BE TOO, BUT WE CAN BE SURE THAT HIS YOKE IS EASIER THAN THIS WORLD'S!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
2. Jesus invites us to learn from Him.
He was not inactive, but He sure
wasn't overwhelmed either! He drew
His strength and peace from His father and we are to draw ours from
Him!
3. Jesus did not worry ... not once do
we read that He was worried or anxious about
anything!
a. In fact, worry only makes matters
worse; it is not good for us!
b. This is why Jesus also said, “Be anxious for
nothing!”
ILLUS: THE UNITED
STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT SOME TIME AGO ABOUT
THE TENDENCY OF WORRY TO SHORTEN LIFE ... IT READS IN PART: "SO FAR AS IS KNOWN, NO BIRD EVER TRIED
TO BUILD MORE NESTS THAN ITS NEIGHBOR.
NO FOX EVER FRETTED BECAUSE IT HAD ONLY ONE HOLE IN WHICH TO HIDE. NO SQUIRREL EVER DIED OF ANXIETY, LEST
IT SHOULD NOT LAY ASIDE ENOUGH FOR TWO WINTERS INSTEAD OF ONE, AND NO DOG EVER
LOST ANY SLEEP OVER THE FACT THAT IT HAD NOT ENOUGH BONES LAID ASIDE FOR THE
DECLINING YEARS." – SOURCE UNKNOWN
c. Birds don't get up in the morning and worry
about whether there will be enough worms that
day!
d. How many dogs do you know that have had
nervous breakdowns?!!! My dog Domino watched the news every night with me and
she never once fretted over life!
e. Ever seen the animals in the forest call a
meeting to see how they are all going to make it the next
week?
4. We are called upon by Christ to “learn from
me.”
a. How did He handle everyday
life?
(1. He
prayed and trusted His father for
everything!
(2. He
did whatever He could each day and did not fret over
tomorrow.
(3. He
focused His energy on relationships, not
things.
(4. He
looked each day for what He might give, not what he
got!
(5. He
valued spiritual realities far above the things of this
world.
(6. He
sought to forgive, to love, to be patient, to
heal.
b. If we lived and patterned ourselves
after Christ our life would be very restful!
B. Spiritual!
11:29b-30
1. Jesus clearly identifies the kind
of rest He is speaking about: "for you will find rest for your
souls."
a. It is not a rest from activity or
planning, or hard work!
b. It is a rest for the soul amidst
all the good and bad of life, all the activity and trials, the joy and the
pain.
2. Jesus explains what He is like: "I am gentle and
humble in heart" … this is how we are to pattern
ourselves.
a. He is gentle in that He seeks to
harm no one, He is not one to hurt or to condemn, His gentleness is demonstrated
in how patient He is with sinners and saints who don't obey Him, and His
patience is marvelous!
b. His humility puts others ahead of
self ... He did not come to be served, but to serve others, this is hardly the
mentality of the world because it is spiritual in essence and thus the world
does not grasp it!
c. Rest cannot come if we don't
pattern ourselves after Christ in these two
ways!
d. People who are demanding and angry
or who act superior to others and so have a demanding spirit are some of the
most frustrated and tired people on earth!
3. We cannot escape a YOKE -- we
WILL and must choose one!
a. What are you yoked to -- a career,
a lifestyle, an organization – or Christ???
b. The only yoke that is not too heavy
to bear is the one that is connected to Christ!
c. If you want to find relief it is
spelled C – H – R – I – S - T! That’s how you spell relief! (Remember the meaning of the Greek word for
“rest” is “relief.”)
d. Those that walk with God never lose
their way; they can't when they are yoked to
Him!
4. In these last days the Bible says
in Heb
12:26b-28a "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the
heavens." The words "once more"
indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things -- so that
what cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us
be thankful,” do you know what is unshakeable to yoke yourself to?
“His yoke is
easy, his burden is light!”
He is unshakable and His kingdom!
ILLUS: YEARS AGO
THE GERMAN NATURALIST EXPERIENCED HIS FIRST EARTHQUAKE. THE HOUSE HE WAS IN BEGAN TO CRACK AND
FALL APART AROUND HIM, SO HE FLED OUTSIDE TO ANOTHER HOUSE ONLY TO HAVE IT START
FALLING APART AROUND HIM ALSO.
LIFTING HIS EYES TO THE HILLS HE SAW THAT THEY WERE ALSO REELING AND
STAGGERING LIKE DRUNKEN MEN, IT WAS USELESS TO RUN TO THE HILLS. HE THEN LOOKED TOWARD THE SEA BUT THERE
HE SAW A SHIP IN THE MUD, ITS BARE KEEL SHOWING CLEARLY FOR THE WATER HAD
FLED. THE GROUND UNDER HIS FEET TOO
WAS NO PLACE OF SAFETY ... NO MATTER WHERE HE LOOKED THERE WAS NO SAFETY. JUST THEN HE HAPPENED TO LOOK UP TOWARD
HEAVEN AND HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS UNMOVED ... ONLY THE HEAVENS WERE STABLE. HOW TRUE THIS IS TODAY, THERE IS NOTHING
ON EARTH THAT IS TRULY STABLE, NOTHING ON EARTH THAT WE CAN YOKE OURSELVES TO
THAT OFFERS STABILITY AND RELIEF ... ONLY IF WE LOOK HEAVENWARD DO WE SEE AN
UNSHAKABLE CHRIST! – SOURCE UNKNOWN
5. We do have a choice, a light burden
or a heavy one! Only the fool
chooses the heavy one -- so choose Christ, He invites you to "COME AND
REST!" Do you want real
rest, it is available, why not accept Christ’s
invitation?
CONCLUSION: There is a deeper rest than
physical rest! You can be quite
active and still find rest in Christ!
People today are tired!
There is an exhaustion of the soul that can only be refreshed IN
Christ. Jesus' invitation is very
clear, "come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest!" How tired are
you, and have you discovered God’s invitation to come and find real rest? The invitation is a good
one!