Jesus's Invitation to Rest

Steve Bowyer

Words & works of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted 10 months ago • Presented 10 months ago

Matthew 11:20–30

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This is beyond me

So much of our lives we float along w/ everything under control. Or, at least we think it is. Then we wake up.

How much easier is parenting when you outnumber and can outsmart your kids? They are young, you only have 2. Divide and conquer.

Then you have the 3rd and have to shift from a man to man defense, to zone. One of them is always out of reach. But until 5th or 6th grade, you can at least fake knowing how to help them w/ their homework.

Then high school. Forget helping them w/ calculus and physics.

College. Are they studying more than partying? Will their grades allow them to graduate, get a job? Or will they be homeless all their adult lives?

Then, you launch them. And every semblance of control is long gone. They will make their own decisions and we just have to watch and let them go. We may be surprised by their success. And, we can be there to pick up the pieces.

Who will they marry? How will the discipline your grandchildren?

One of the pastor I worked for years ago said, “your kids will keep you awake all your life, just for different reasons.”

And, when we’re young, we’re sure we’re going to live forever. We take chances. Everything is optimistic.

My life can only get better. I’ll meet the perfect spouse, have the perfect kids, light the world on fire in my career, climb the corporate ladder, invent new processes, retire a decorated bazillionaire.

Then, somewhere along the line we realize our spouse is not perfect, and maybe I’m not as perfect as I thought, our kids are not perfect, my boss is an ogre, no one appreciates my brilliance, and my investments didn’t return at that hot record pace of 50%/yr.

I’m telling you, if they just would have done everything I told them to do, we would have been so much better off.

We feel like we have life by the tail, our health and all is good.

But, you know what that old rancher used to say, If you grab a bull by it’s tail, you’re going to get the horns.

And then, we get that first diagnosis that is at least life-altering, if not life-threatening. And we come face to face w/ our mortality. It happens to all of us. It happened to Sara a few years ago. Now, it’s happened to me.

(Tell the online audience)

About the time you think you’ve got it all figured out, have all the right answers, then life changes the questions.

At different points in life, we realize what we are facing is beyond us. This is beyond me. I cannot rationalize it and reconcile it w/ the perfectly healthy me of my 20s.

Trying to carry this burden of what if’s, maybes, what might happen, what could have been, maybe what should have been, is wearing me out.

This is out of my control, beyond my ability to comprehend, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t fit it into my long established categories.

From now on, I will be known as a cancer survivor. Assuming of course it goes that way.

What’s got your attention that’s out of your control? What blew up your categories? Was it a diagnosis? Some of us have difficult issues w/ our adult kids. Some of us have difficult issues w/ our parents. Maybe they’re gone and we can’t resolve the issue. That ogre of a boss that set your career path in a bad direction that your finances never recovered from. What?

Now, your trying to figure out what to do next. Maybe you can spend a little more time rowing down de Nile. But reality comes back. And carrying your burden is wearing you out.

People have asked me how I’m doing. I’m tired. Maybe not sleeping as well. It’s just on my mind.

There have been days this week when I was absolutely spent.

Are tired of trying to carry your own burden? Have you come to the point where you now realize you can’t no matter how hard you try.

What do you do w/ it? What am I learning to w/ what I cannot control? Rather than fighting harder, I am surrendering. I am not surrendering to fate, or giving up. I am surrendering to Christ and giving it to Him.

Jesus has invited us to do that.

I’m not smart enough, strong enough, nor wise enough; so trying harder is wearing me out. But I can surrender to the One who is smart enough, strong enough, wise enough who will take it, and restore my strength so I can rest.

Ironically, coincidentally, this is where we are in Jesus’s ministry. I don’t believe He allowed me this diagnosis just so I could teach this. But I trust His timing and will take full advantage of what I am learning as I teach this to you.

When you finally figure out you can’t figure it out, what do you do? When you’re burdened and weary, worn out and your tanks are empty, what do you do? Surrender it to Jesus, who has it figured out and his tanks are never empty.

He invites us to accept his help when we accept him as our Savior.

Figured Out?

Matthew 11:20–24 NIV

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Context: Immediately preceding I talked about last week. Jesus’s critics were critical of JB, too. Their criticisms were irrational, conflicting, inconsistent.

They criticized JB b/c he didn’t eat. They criticized Jesus b/c He did.

When critics don’t make sense, it’s obvious they don’t understand the real problem. They think they understand, but they are missing the point. They are operating w/ only part of the story. And the only reason why they don’t have the whole story is b/c they refuse to see it. They are blind to it. They have rejected Jesus and therefore have rejected his message, too.

JB and Jesus teamed up to present this new message to this old organization. JB preached repentance. Jesus preached faith. A person has to recognize his need of Jesus. That need is based on his need to admit what he does wrong. Once it’s admitted, then you must do something about it to make things right. And Jesus offered that answer by going to the cross giving us the opportunity to accept his punishment on our behalf by faith. But, they didn’t believe they needed to repent or t/b punished so they didn’t need Jesus’s crux. And faith was unnecessary in their mind b/c they had it all figured out.

They reject JB’s message and Jesus’s.

Now, Jesus turns to them and is critical of the ppl who live in these towns. As groups, they rejected Jesus. There may have been individual exceptions. But as a lot, they pushed Jesus away.

Literally, told him to take a long walk on a short pier.

He points to the miracles that were performed in the towns.

A couple of interesting points on this. There is only one miracle described in the bible in Bethsaida. And, none in Chorazin. Of course, many in Capernaum.

But, in the gospel of John, he wrote that Jesus performed many other miracles that are not written about in the bible. So, it’s safe to assume he did a lot in the towns. They are all in Galilee, around the northwest part of the Sea, in close proximity.

Second, miracles don’t convert anybody. The message does. The miracles support the message. They are object lessons for what Jesus is teaching at the time. The display the power of Jesus, proving He can do what He just taught them He can do.

Romans 10:17 NIV

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

So, why focus on these miracles in terms of rejecting Jesus? That’s b/c miracles don’t make sense.

They are irrational, illogical, unscientific. If a person tries to understand or explain a miracle in these terms, they will fail. So, their only other option is to find another explanation. Natural occurrence, demonic, magic act, denial that the recipient was ever sick, whatever.

They could not figure them out. If they accepted them as miracles from God, then they’d have to accept the message of Jesus, that He is God.

Circular logic. They rejected the miracles that they were not from God, therefore they rejected Jesus and his message. They rejected Jesus and His message, therefore they rejected the miracles as from God.

In their minds, it made sense. To an objective observer, they are blind to what’s going on. It would seem obvious.

Then, the ultimate insult. Tyre and Sidon will be in better position on the day of judgment. These are Gentile towns. They, too, by reputation were known for the immoral lifestyle. Like Las Vegas, Reno, Monaco on the French Riviera.

They could not process the idea that a town of Gentiles was in better standing w/ God than a town of Jewish Galileans. Illogical. Irrational. Unreasonable.

And Capernaum, they are assuming b/c they are Jewish, then they automatically go to heaven. To say that Sodom would have responded better than they did. We know what happened to Sodom.

Hades, Hell, the place ppl go after they leave earth who do not believe in and reject Jesus. There is an eternal existence for unbelievers apart from God. God is life. So, eternal life is forever in the presence of God. Eternal death is eternal existence apart from God. That’s bad. You don’t want to end up there.

They thought they were so smart. But the couldn’t rationalize the miracles therefore they couldn’t accept Jesus’s message so they rejected both.

Sometimes we give ourselves too much credit. Maybe we think if we can’t figure it out, then no one can. Or, maybe it just can’t be figured out. So, our explanation is the best thing.

That, or maybe, we’re not as smart as we think we are.

Just maybe we need to come to grips with the truth that God won’t fit inside our pea-sized brains. No one want to worship a god I can figure out. Or, even a god that we could figure out collectively if we could daisy chain our brains together.

But that’s what was going on here. They thought they were pretty smart. They thought they didn’t need to repent nor faith b/c they had all the necessary answers.

But they were blind to the truth. They could not figure Jesus out. So, they rejected him.

They couldn’t figure out his miracles and they couldn’t figure out why Gentile towns would be in better shape than Jewish towns.

As the old adage goes, ‘there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.’

Too Big to Figure Out

Matthew 11:25–27 NIV

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. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

They were blind to the obvious here.

The law was written to lead ppl to Jesus. But, you had to see that the law was not the end. They thought the law, and obedience to it, was the end. Therefore, they bel’d they had arrived.

It’s like believing church attendance is the ultimate goal of a believer. It’s not. We we do here is intended to lead you to the ultimate goal. Music, prayer, fellowship, service, and study all help us get closer to Jesus.

They were not looking for Jesus, so they didn’t see Him.

The leadership bel’d they were so well educated, they had all the right answers. Yet, they missed the most important one.

Again, who rejected whom? This is one of those questions that many Christians are a little too sure they have figured out. But, the bible indicates that it’s a 2-way street.

Did God reject them? Or, did they reject God? Yes.

Technically, God had to act first. But they willingly followed along. And, had they shown any openness to Jesus, God would have graciously removed the blinders.

Jesus is not praising God that anyone goes to Hades. He’s praising God that those who are saved have accepted the condition of their spiritual poverty, the deficit they have created by their offense to God, and limitations of the ability to intellectually explain Jesus, and have placed their faith in Him to make up for what they can’t do.

They/we believe His message. We bel JB’s message. We recognize the power of Jesus to accomplish what He says he can. And can acknowledge and accept that we cannot figure it all out in our little brains. Even the smartest of us can’t make complete sense of all this Jesus stuff.

It’s like what’s going on in the science of the universe today. Creation and the life of everything. Science seems to think they’ve figured this out.

Up until a few years ago, w/ the advancements and discoveries of space telescopes, the belief was the universe was expanding, growing. Very smart ppl were thrilled to conclude the outer edges of all creation was moving farther outward. Planets and stars moving farther apart.

Logic. Reason. Intelligence. Plus some faith. They couldn’t see everything. They can’t discover all the facts. So, logical reasoning and deduction led them to conclude the universe is continuing to grow.

BTW, the bible says God is still creating so the universe is still expanding.

But then, another very smart atheist scientist asked the question, if in forward time it’s growing, and if we could rewind time backward to see it shrink, then doesn’t that logically mean there was point in history when it did not exist and began as something small that has grown into something large?

And if it had a starting point, then did it not need a starter?

How do you figure that out? How do you rationalize that? If your paradigm is, there is no God, then there could be no starter, beginner, Creator of the universe.

So, now, all the “smart” ppl are deducing that the universe did not have a starting point, it is eternal. B/C, logically, something must be eternal that we joined at a point in time in its existence.

How about we consider that God is eternal, He created the universe w/ a purpose, and we have joined Him in His pre-existence.

Belief. Faith that makes up for what we cannot figure out.

Everyone has faith in something. God has wired us to worship and believe in either, a god, or the God.

Atheists must have faith b/c they don’t have all the answers. Their facts don’t add up into a neat package. Therefore, they must have faith for the cracks between their facts.

The universe and its timeline and existence is too big to figure out.

Same as us, Xians. God is too big to figure out.

So, where do you want to place your faith?

God has committed all of creation to Jesus. He is the King of Creation and He is the gatekeeper to God. No one gets to God except thru Jesus.

He came to earth as a man so we could relate and understand the message. He proved his message to be true by performing miracles that defy natural logic. Part of us understanding is understanding we can’t understand it all. So, we must trust Jesus, have faith in Him, to do for us what we can’t figure out on our own.

We must accept this like a child. Children have a much easier time admitting they know it all. We get to teach them how to tie their shoes, how to boil water, drive a car, and how to throw and hit a ball.

So, when life throws us a curveball we can’t hit. We’re not smart enough, wise enough, strong enough to make it fit in any of our categories. And, we can’t control it and make it work out the way we want it to.

When this happens, and we try anyway, it wears us out. It is exhausting trying to carry a burden we can’t lift. I admit, I’m there.

So, what do we do?

An Invitation to Quit Trying on our Own

Matthew 11:28–30 NIV

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It is exhausting trying to process, rationalize, a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer kills ppl. Maybe if I take a trip down de Nile, it will just go away and I’ll be fine.

Here’s another illogical thought. If you’ve rejected Jesus up to now, you can still accept Him and everything He offers. He will never be so offended by you that He will write you off entirely. That’s grace.

This is Jesus’s gracious invitation.

He is inviting you, all of us, to come to Him now.

If you’re tired of trying on your own. That yoke is oppressive. It’s a symbol of forced oppression.

Like a yoke of oxen forced into service, made to go where their driver wants them to go.

There is a driver in this world trying to force you away from Jesus. That driver is the ruler of Hades. He is real. He wise. And He is powerful.

No one has to beg, plead, cajole, or bribe Jesus to take the reins. Hewelcomes you to give up your burden to him and take his.

The religious leaders could not keep the law. So, if the yoke you’ve chosen is the law, it’s impossible to wear w/out being worn down. Any set of rules will wear you out.

We can’t figure out God. All of Him won’t fit in any of our brains. So if the burden you carry is the necessity of figuring out God, it will wear you out.

If you need to know everything before you accept Jesus, then you’ll never get there.

We can’t control most of what is effecting us. So, if your burden is control, making things work out the way you think they need to work out, then that will wear you out.

Every attempt to live on our own resources will break down. So, if you’re going to pick a burden to bear, pick the lightest one you can find. That is from Jesus.

What does it mean to come to Jesus?

You may or may not be a Xian. Xians still struggle t/b to the king, master, controller of their own existence.

So, whether or not you’ve ever come to Jesus already, you can come today.

Give up your whole life. Or, you can give up just the part of your life you think you’re in control of that’s wearing you out.

Jesus will take whatever you give, and give you a load you can easily carry.

This easy to explain. Hard to do. We think we are so capable. And, we tend to take back what we’ve given away already. He’ll take it every time we give it.

Whenever you are ready to admit and accept you can’t do what you’re trying to do. He’ll take it from you and make your life better.

That’s his invitation and promise to us.

Applications

Admit it

The first step is admitting it.

If you can’t admit it, you can’t let it go.

What is it that’s wearing you out that you can’t make happen the way you want to happen?

A kid? A parent? Your health? Your finances?

Whatever it is, admit right now.

Give it

Now, give it up.

Let it go.

Visualize yourself loosening your grip on it and Jesus taking it.

$1 Million Q

The million dollar question: How?

Stop. Focus. Focus on what you need to give up.

Pray specifically that God will take it away and give you peace.

He will right then. He will remove it from your mind. Your head and heart will be clear.

Now, replace it w/ something healthy. Empty mind needs to be filled or what was there will immediately return.

Replace it w/ what?

Repeat after me:

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

“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.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt. 11:28-30).

Memorize this.

When life happens and dawns on you;

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