Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: The Christian’s Rest

Theme: Relief from Life’s Greatest Burdens

Series: Living in the Aroma of God’s Grace

"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."

(Matthew 11:28-30)

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.”

It has been well said that “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.”

It is imperative that we understand that Christ came to redeem mankind from a sin-cursed world.

Coming to Christ enables the child of God to overcome that spirit of religiosity and learn the joy of walking in step with the Holy Spirit who produces a purer and more spiritual way of worship to God and Christ.

The key truth to today’s text concerns the salvation of mankind’s soul and how those who are heavy burdened with sin are to come to Christ for His yoke is light.

I would propose to you that sinners who find the rest which is promised through having Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, have the Lord’s rest because they have responded to the Holy Spirit’s convincing influence with a right heart of repentance.

He has convinced them of the righteousness of God and the fact there is a coming final Judgment.

(John 16:8)

Repentant sinners live in the aroma of God’s grace because they became aware of their sinful condition without Christ.

They grew sick and tired of service to the sinful nature, the world’s draw and the lies of the devil.

They understand the dangers of living a life bound to the sinful nature.

Christians who find relief from life’s greatest burdens are those who express the heart of Ephraim who expressed godly sorrow for his sins.

He prayed, “After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast.

I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”

(Jeremiah 31:19) They are like the prodigal who came to his senses and confessed, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” (Luke 15:17) They approach God like the tax collector who prayed, “…God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

(Luke 18:13) They are responsive to the preaching of God’s messages and say, “…"Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) These are the heart attitudes of Christians who enjoy the full grace of God in their lives.

Just what are the blessings of living in the aroma of God’s grace?

The first step to enjoying these blessings is to have an understanding of what is meant by saying the Lord’s yoke is easy.

Jesus says, “For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The Greek word for “easy” (chrestos) means to furnish what is needed, it can mean well-fitting or able to be used.

The yoke that Christ puts on the child of God is not harsh or galling.

(The Complete Word Study Dictionary: William Barclay; Vines)

The great Christian historian William Barclay gives a little history about the Palestine ox-yokes.

He tells us they were made of wood and the ox was brought to the carpenter and measurements were taken.

The yoke was then roughed out and the ox was brought back to have the yoke tried on.

Then the yoke was carefully adjusted, so that it would fit well, and not gall the neck of the patient beast.

The yoke was literally tailor-made to fit the ox so he could give the best performance possible.

In those days, as now, shops had signs above the door; and it has been suggested that Christ may have made some of these oxen yokes.

No doubt He was a great carpenter.

(Mark 6:3) Many signs like today had nice short slogans.

It has been suggested that a slogan on a sign above the door were Jesus worked as a young man could say, “My yokes fit well.”

I am not saying that Jesus had such a sign, only that the slogan would describe His ability to make yokes that would fit the oxen perfectly.

What the Holy Spirit wants you to catch is that the yoke the Lord Jesus puts on you will fit you perfectly.

The life He chooses for you will not burden you and the task He sets before you is measured out to fit you well.

Whatever God sends us is made first, to form us into the image of Christ, second, to fit our true needs, and third, to fit our abilities exactly.

I have seen Christians who have Spiritual gifts, but they disregard them.

They put on yokes made by their own self-will thus finding the religious life a burden.

I have seen great men and woman of God take upon the yoke the Lord has made to fit them perfectly, enjoy that abundant life found in Christ Jesus, and oversee their ministries very productively.

Christians who put on the yoke Christ has made for them for service with Him, find that the same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, indwells them with the power of God to achieve all that God has called them to do.

The greatest burden that faces mankind is sin

Living in the aroma of God’s grace requires that a sinner in repentance put on the life of Christ.

He then can find rest from the burden of sin that he had yoked himself to in his youth.

The greatest burden that faces mankind is sin.

Through Jesus Christ being both Savior and Lord repentant sinners find relief from that burden. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

(1 John 1:9) The Psalmist writes, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’--and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5) The Book of Proverbs tells us this, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

(Proverbs 28:13)

The Holy Spirit of Christ proclaims a wonderful truth through the writings of the beloved John.

Upon our confession of sin to Him, Christians receive forgiveness.

Their standing before God is not guilty because of the ultimate price paid by Jesus upon the Cross of Calvary.

To forgive us our sins means to forgive the guilt of sin.

(The Preacher’s Outline Bible) The word “forgiveness” (aphiemi) gives the idea of the cancellation of all debts or the dismissal of charges.

In reality it is our sins that put Christ on the Cross, yet because of the shed blood of Christ, all charges against us are dropped.

Jeff Allen shared the testimony of his life without Christ.

He was bitter and lived only for himself.

Sin took him farther than he ever wanted to go and he found himself standing over the crib of his son, beating his little boy while he laid in the crib.

After awhile he grew sick of the lifestyle he had yoked himself to, lay his burdens at the Cross of Calvary and discovered the love of Christ.

He accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and life and immediately found forgiveness and enjoyed that supernatural release from the guilt of sin.

Jeff Allen was given the same illumination of God’s love as the Psalmist who wrote, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) 1 John 1:9 goes farther into a truth that relieves the burdens of sin lived before salvation in Christ and sins foolishly fallen into after a sinner becomes a child of God.

As a whole of Scripture we are taught that the basis of our fellowship with the Lord is not our sinlessness.

Rather, His forgiveness is given to us based on what Christ has and does for us.

In writing about walking in the light of Christ, the beloved John wrote, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.

But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1)

Jeff Allen not only experienced the forgiveness of the guilt of sin, but also experienced the supernatural work of being purified from unrighteousness.

He like many born again Christians experienced purification (katharizo).

This gives a picture of an act of cleansing from the pollution of sin so that a new life in Christ can begin.

Born again Christians express a life that reveals a truth proclaimed by Jesus Christ, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

(John 8:36)

Ken Davis in his travels in the ministry came across a bar-tender who knew Jeff Allen before Christ came into his life.

This bartender told Ken, “Jeff Allen is the angriest, most bitter man that I have ever met.”

Ken Davis was able to give this testimony about Jeff Allen, “Not any more.”

Christians are free from life’s greatest burden, sin, because Christ paid the ultimate price.

He gave His life so sinners may receive forgiveness and be set free from the bondage of sin.

People inherited sin from Adam.

They are in slavery to sin and unable in their own strength to set themselves free.

They may be able to break away from one sin, only to be caught by another.

Christians are able to find relief from a life in bondage to sin because Jesus paid the highest price possible for the redemption of mankind.

It is like the true story told of Abraham Lincoln by Pastor Adrian Rogers.

There was a very sad time in American history when slaves were purchased and sold on the auction block.

All people were created for God’s glory yet some were born into slave families and kept in slavery all their lives to be sold, purchased and sold again.

Yes it is true some were able to gain their freedom.

Abraham Lincoln was at a slave auction where he saw a beautiful black slave woman standing on an auction block to be sold.

Men were biding like crazy to purchase this beautiful black woman and it was clear that their intentions were to make her a plaything to feed their lust.

Mr. Lincoln was bound and determined to become her redeemer and friend.

He made it quite clear he was going to pay the highest price regardless.

He won the bid.

After purchasing her, Mr. Lincoln told the slave woman that she was free to go.

However, of her own free will she chose to stay and serve Mr. Lincoln.

Just as those slave traders lusted after that beautiful woman, the pleasure of the flesh, the lures of the world, and the lies of the devil feed the sinful nature.

Mankind’s soul is in bondage to sin.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34)

Only by coming under the blood of Christ, the highest price possible that could be paid, does the repentant sinner find true liberty.