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We are continuing a sermon series on Matthew chapter 11, and we've been spending several weeks on that we want to continue that this morning Jesus familiar verses in Matthew 11. Let me start by reading those to put that passage back in our mind this morning. Then Jesus said come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.

There's a pattern in these verses that we talked about for several weeks where Jesus says for us to come to him and we talked about that and he also asked us to sit and to learn from him. So it's not just come to Jesus but it's come to him and sit at his feet and learn from him be a student. You see that pattern in the gospels when he invites people to come to him. He wants them to sit and learn his teaching and then there's a pattern word. We are invited to stay with him and to stay with his teachings. We see the same pattern and John 15 where he says abide with me come learn my teachings and abide remain and stay with me. Now I want to read a passage a tomorrow at 5 that I think illustrates what it means to come to Jesus and to be impacted by who he is listen to this passage in Mark chapter 5 they came to the other side of the sea to the country of juice are these and when Jesus had stepped out of the boat immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. I think about the physical reality of this story were being told Jesus gets out of the boat and immediately as soon as he gets out of the boat. There's a man who meets him who is possessed with a spirit with a demonic spirit and listen to this description. He lived among the tombs. That's not a very inviting place to live you've arrived at a place where there are dead buried here in a graveyard you get out of the boat and immediately someone who lives there in the graveyard who's possessed by an evil spirit comes and confront you he lived among the tombs and no one could bind him anymore not even with a chain. So he was so physically violent and strong and overpowered by this demonic spirits that no one could bind him even chains were broken. Maybe still hanging from his wrists. That's a pretty intimidating moment when you get out of the boat and someone comes at you like that for he had often been bound with shackles and chains but he rents the chainsaw parts and he broke the shackles and pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Are you thinking you would like to get back in the boat right about now, if you get out of that boat and this person comes towards you I'm thinking I'm getting back in the boat and I want to say to some of these fishermen. Hey, John you okay? Why don't let's just push off the shore and start rolling away. I don't want to encounter this person night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. So there's this non stop shouting screaming dispossession. His body is cut up because he's cutting himself non-stop with stones and he comes charging toward that is Apple's immediately meets Jesus when he gets out about 20 saw Jesus from afar he ran and fell down before him so we know as soon as they get out of the boat he's there. So what they see as they approach the shore is this crazy man who can't be subdued with changed whose cut himself all up who's constantly screaming and yelling. He charges toward the boat so that it when he gets out of the boat when Jesus gets out of the boat the man is there already confronting him meeting him and he falls down before Jesus and crying out with a loud voice. He says what have you to do with me Jesus Son of the most high God I drew You by God's do not torment me. This is an amazing moment. What must the disciple be thinking I mean, it's one thing to say. Jesus said, let's go to the shore home and there's some guy running down beside crazy guy that lives in the tombs. He's always cut up. He's Breaking Chains and he's charging the boat and a Jesus a maybe you want to stay in there and Jesus steps out of the boat and this guy immediately but instead of this. Moment where he grabs Jesus or he wants to punch Jesus or rest with all the moment that others have said, you know, we got it, you know, they changed him up because there hasn't been moments in which he was hurting himself or hurting others and I had to get enough man together to hold him down and chain him. But instead of this moment where he attacks Jesus when he arrives at Jesus feet he falls down.

This huge strong man with with shackles broken that he breaks that no one can sit if he falls down at Jesus feet and says, please please please take it easy on me. But it's not what had to be thinking. Wow. I mean, this is a this is a crazy moment as an aside. I told you this before but I want you to always remember it. I always remember and I love this truth and in the gospels when Jesus calms the storm when he's asleep on the boat and the disciples are out on the water and the boats tossing and turning they're afraid they're going to turn over and die and they're frustrated with Jesus for sleeping and they come and wake him up and say did you do something we're going to die and Jesus gets up. And since you guys don't have any just a little bit of faith gets up on the boat, and he says be still and everything is still. And quiet and calm and in the original language there. There's two different words for fear. There's the word for the fear of the disciples had when the boat was rocking and they were afraid they're going to be overturned and then there's another word for fear after they see Jesus calm the storm. It says they were very afraid and it's a greater fear. They thought they were afraid of the storm turning the boat over and then Jesus gets up and says be calm and the storm response and it says they were even more afraid. Who is this that even the wind's obey him? So there's this moment where this demon possessed shackles broken on his arms body cut up screaming man confronts Jesus and soon as he gets to it. He falls down and says, please please please don't torment me for he was crying to him come out of the man you unclean Spirit now think about the 10th of that passage. Jesus had been crying to this man from the beginning. Everything I told you is true. There's this intimidating moment this man that is powerful and can't be held by chains at all. And when Jesus sees him he immediately gets out of the boat come out of him come out of him come out and he he doesn't pull back. He's not afraid. He immediately starts walking toward this demon-possessed man, like a conquering General like a liberator. He knows exactly what's going on and he knows exactly who's in charge. He's not scared one bit. He knows who he is. He knows that he can say to the storm on the water be still and it will obey him and he knows that he can say to those evil spirits inside this man be gone and they will obey him. He knows that he is God. He knows that he is divine In the Flesh until he steps out of the boat ready to confront this man. For he been saying all along come out of the man you unclean spirit and Jesus asked him. What is your name? He replied. My name is Legion for we are many so it's not just one spirit. It's many that would be terrifying enough to confront somebody possessed wouldn't it? Can you imagine some insane moment where you confront somebody possessed and you're like a in the name of Jesus stay on your side of the room. What's your name? Oh, we're Legion because we're many. you just again, Jesus has no fear no hesitation No Reservations, and if he begged him earnestly not to send him out of the country now great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside and They begged him saying send it to the pigs. Let us enter them so he gave them permission. Thanks again. Think about this what kind of a power and authority resides in Jesus that this Multitude this Legion of demons residing this man's body. Are asking for permission. What is that communicate when someone seems tough and powerful and authoritative and then someone else enters the room in that person said they ghosts who is the power in this passage? Is intimidating as this images of this demon-possessed man springing toward the boat from the tombs. He's not the most powerful person in the story. He's not the most intimidating person in the story. He's not the person in the story that evokes and a good sense of this language or this word the most fear. In the story because as much as the disciples were afraid of the storm or afraid of this demon-possessed man. It's a more powerful word that use when they see Jesus do what he does and they say who is this that even controls weather itself and they're going to see him control the demons so he gave them permission and the unclean spirits came out and entered the Pigs and The Herd number about 2,000 Rush down the Steep Bank in the sea and drowned in the sea the husband fled and told it in the city and in the country and the people came to see what it was that happened had happened and they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man. The one who had had the legion sitting there closed. and in his right mind and they Warframe

and it's a greater fear here. They used to be afraid of this evidently naked man. Who cut himself I could break chains and couldn't be controlled by others who lived in the tune. They used to be afraid of him and then they come and they hear that this other man got off the boat and walk straight toward this guy without even flinching for one moment and said get out of him and then the demon-possessed man cowers and says don't for me, please. Just let us go into these pig pens with demons. There was a legion of them in the pigs and they run off until they come to see is this really insane story is this possibly true and they see this guy clothed and in his right mind and they're afraid. Much like the disciples. Who is this? That walks right towards what terrifies US. And says P done. You're done with him Legion. And cast those demons out and those who had seen it describe to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs and they begin to beg Jesus to depart from their region. How much beer do they have just go away we're overwhelmed were terrified and as he was getting to the boat the man who been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him at me is not afraid of Jesus because he's the one who encounter Jesus the most truthfully not just his fears not just his anxiety. He experienced Jesus ministering to him blessing him and so his responses. Can I go with you? Can I just stay right by your side and I just be with you we going with you. I'm ready. I'll get the boat. I don't have anything to grab in the caves. Nothing to take with me. Nothing to worry about. I just go with you. I'll leave it all behind. Can I go with you? And he did not permit in but said to him go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you and it went away and began to Proclaim to the decopolis how much Jesus had done for him and everyone marveled? Here's the point. There's a me an awesome things about that story that we could share and focus on but staying with Jesus puts us in our right mind we talked about the value of said it was Jesus last week that said Jesus is an act of humility because he has what we need and we can't manage our last we need to sit with him. It's an act of wisdom because we need his assistance in his help. When we encounter Jesus when we come to him when we let him minister to us and we set with him and we stay with him. It puts us in our right Minds. The villagers in the story they were afraid of Jesus and wanted to get him away from them. But the man who was healed said, can I be with you? Can I come with you? That's part of what it means to be in our right Minds to be in our right Minds means to recognize the reality of sin. To see what it's doing to our own lives to see what it's doing to our marriages and our parenting to see what it's doing to our nation.

we've all seen tragedy in the news these past days and everyone has opinion about why these things happen. I don't have an opinion. I have the truth. That's a little bit arrogant. Should I post that on Facebook? Do you think I could get a few comments?

And if I posted the truth that didn't pick one political party over the other to blame that wouldn't be very popular. I posted a truth. That's that didn't blame the media or blame some other third-party. That wouldn't be very popular.

The truth about why the things that are happening in our nation and in our world and in our homes and in our own lives is sin.

Involves all of us. Oh how I wish I could just point to send somewhere else and say if we could just get that group to get on board and do things the way I think they should do that. Everything would be right, but the truth is my own heart contains within it the problem that plagues our nation and our homes and part of getting our minds put right by Jesus is recognizing the reality of sin and our part in it and therefore our need for a savior and our need for forgiveness and Redemption and I need to hear his words come to me. And to respond to those words to come to him and to obey him. Part of the way that coming to Jesus and staying with Jesus puts us in our right mind is it teaches us the truth about God? I've said this before but it is a plague upon Christians and non-christians alike that there are a plethora of of Miss information and Miss images and Idols about God and what he's like that don't find their foundation in the scriptures in the example and life and model and teachings of Jesus. And so we need to constantly go to him and allowed his life and example and his teachings to tell us the truth about God and we need to reject our own emotions at times our own upbringing at times our favorite television preacher or non television preacher at times our favorite author at times and we need to let Jesus and his teachings be the sole Authority an answer to the question. What is God like amen? Because our culture is just thick with misunderstandings and misinformation and outright lies about God and what he's like and when we spend time with Jesus we come to him when we set with him when we stay with him part of the way. He puts us in our right mind is he teaches us the truth about God what God the father is really like even to the Jews who had the scripture to the Hebrew people who had the Old Testament who have been following God for centuries even to them. He had to say to them again again. Look you've heard it said But what you've been taught what you've been what you have heard said is not true. I say to you he constantly corrected and clarified and brawlout the accurate truth of scripture. The accurate truth about who God is for example, God is gentle In the passage were starting in Matthew 11. Jesus says come to me. I am gentle no one thought that about God at that time and I daresay most people don't think that about God now and fundamentally what that has to do with is what is power like because fundamentally we think of power as Force expressed. That's what it means to be powerful. And so if I'm powerful I demonstrate that by expressing force, it could be physical force. It could be I could be somebody's Boston I could say you do this or you're fired. It could be that sort of force or that sort of authority. It could be a relational force people manipulate people all the time, right? You know what I'm not going to I can't love you if you're not going to do this for me. There's a million ways in which we practice power as Force expressed or plaid. And Jesus came and told this whole new truth about power. Listen, this world that he's preaching to the he's modeling to that. He's teaching to is a world of seizures. They saw what power was like, imagine what it was like to be in the world where the king or the leader the born in power could simply put a thumbs down and that meant the end of your life. That's the world they lived in that's what power look like for them. It was this absolute Authority and if I do thumbs down you're done for And Jesus comes into things are going on here. There's no doubt that he's powerful. None whatsoever calming the storm taking a damaged arm or leg and simply healing it cleansing leprosy offer a diseased body. Having a demon-possessed man bow at his feet and say please don't hurt us. There's no doubt that Jesus has that sort of power but part of what he's teaching In this passage and teaching the truth about God when he says come to me. Those of you who are burdened. Take my yoke upon you. Are you okay? It's not the yolk of of slaves in a ship Juro with a whip hitting their back. My yoke is light and it's gentle cuz I'm gentle the Jesus comes and turns all thinking about power on his head and says, yes, I am power and more powerful than anything the demons that charge me will bow at my feet and beg not to be tormented. There's no doubt about his power. But then he says it's nothing like you've ever seen its gentle in the original language gentleness is power under control when scripture talks about gentleness being a good thing. It's not talking about this. You know soft-hearted. Mr. Rogers all I wouldn't do anything to disturb anybody and I don't want to hurt a butterfly and I'm just going to be it's not that sort of thing. It is power and strength but its power and strength under control and in Christ. It's under control by the heart of God revealed to be full of love.

1st John God is love that's number one characteristic in scripture is not power. Although many theologians build their entire theology on that and they take power and the sovereignty of God and they build all kinds of truths that box people in that don't match Jesus teachings.

The New Testament says God is love. That is characteristic. And so when when power expressed itself in Christ, it went to the cross.

Think about what a mind-boggling truth that is. The ultimate power that spoke the universe into being that pure goodness and Holiness that our sin is against that God In the Flesh. Allowed himself to be led to the cross.

And expressed his power through willingly sacrificing himself for us. When we spend time in scripture when we spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus when we stay with him we learn what God is like staying with Jesus is active II proved. I want to share this morning because the reality is we have to relearn this over and over and over because our hearts are prone to wonder why it's just easy hear the sermon you read a chapter of scripture and you think that's good. I'm going to hold on to that and 20 minutes later. You're you're thinking in terms of Power Authority and exercising and if I'm going to keep my job, I got to make sure I'll do that other person at work so that they don't manipulate and I don't get off that committee cuz I need to be on that committee cuz if I succeed on that committee to move me up to notch a little bit my job will be a little more secure and instantly we're just swept into the stream of this world in this culture. And we're operating in terms of it. All depends on me. It's going to be it's up to me. I got to figure out how to make it happen. And we're just leaving Jesus behind its active. We have to constantly come before Jesus. We have to constantly said his feet we have to continually go to the word with the pray each day with read scripture is today Wednesday allow. Our our minds not to be conformed to the thinking of this world is Paul says in Romans 12, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds and we have to renew our minds every day because television and radio and culture and friends and family and peers everything around will constantly seek to renew our minds in its form. This world will constantly try to conform our minds to its way of thinking you can't you can't be kind and gracious and forgiving in the work place. You got to be at the dog-eat-dog world. You got it. You got to think about your family got think about Josh and suddenly that that stream of thinking And so we have to constantly renew our time with Jesus. We have to constantly be at it's almost like you ever have her little kid that you won't you need to cut his hair and he's got to sit still in the chair. It is that a passive thing. No. It's an active thing. He has to constantly constantly saying, I know I got to sit still here and cut my hair off. I know I trust your grandma you're going to a fine job, but there's just this constant part of us that wants to squirm and wiggle and not be under the authority of Christ. And so we have to submit ourselves constantly. We have to steal our cell to be passive in his presence. I want to read another passage here. And Glenn Doolittle was going to be the communion meditation person this morning, but he graciously allowed me to replace him. So we're changing gears here. I'm going to do the communion meditation right now is the second half of this sermon, is that okay? And then service will it will end as usual and we'll have communion and I'll go up and offer a prayer during that time and remind us of some of this but when I look at this passage thinking about coming to Jesus and staying with Jesus, I not only thought about communion but I thought about Christ himself and the invitation to come and stay with him. It's another long passage. But listen to The Amazing true In this passage. It says this is after Jesus death and Resurrection, but the ones Walking In this passage don't know about Jesus resurrection yet. It says that very day two of them. We're going to a village named Emmaus about 7 miles from Jerusalem and they were talking with each other about all these things that have happened. While they were talking and discussing together Jesus himself Drew near and went with them but their eyes were kept from recognizing him and he said to them what is this conversation that you were holding with each other as you walk and they stood still looking sad then one of them named cleophus answered him. Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened in these three days talking about Jesus being brought on trial and convicted and beaten and crucified and you don't know these things. It's been the stuff that's going on in Jerusalem, and he said that they own this is Jesus speaking and he said to them what things now again Think about this moment how insane is this moment? They're walking along the road. They're depressed or sad that can't believe what's going on and suddenly the resurrected. Jesus is walking on with them and at this moment they're kept from recognizing who he is, but it's Jesus. What are you guys talking about? The only one in Jerusalem that doesn't know the things that have happened the past 3 days. Jesus is going.

No, I was there been there done that matter fact. I know all about it at a deeper level than your mine can even currently comprehend, but he's gracious and even having you think the Angels Are Up In Heaven going.

They just asked Jesus. Does he have any idea what's happened the past few days? Let's see. Let's see what he answers. It's a crazy moment gracious and see what things what things and it's a good kind of Joy. I don't think he's mocking them but I imagined this moment. It's but it's a pregnant moment. I mean part of him probably just wants to say and every bit of it out. Here's what's happened. It's a mini. I resurrected everything I promised is truth. It's all come about the way the father had plans, but he restrained himself. He was trained himself and says what things and they said to him concerning Jesus of Nazareth a man who was a prophet Mighty indeed and word before God and all the people and how are chief priests and Rule as delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucify him. But we had hope that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this. It's now the third day since these things have happened more over. women from our company amazed us they were at the tomb early in the morning and when they did not find his body they came back saying that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive some of those who are with us went to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said, but him they did not see any said to them. So here's the beginning. It is still holding back because he wants just to say here it all is but he says to them or foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that. The prophet has spoken was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory and beginning with Moses and all the property interpreted them all the scriptures the things concerning him. So they drew near to the Village to which they were going pee acted as if he were going father hears another Moment In this passage that I've never seen before this past week to be honest with you. I've seen it but it just never hit me this way that Jesus asked. In This Moment he pretends your thought about how strange that is. They're depressed or walking long. What's going on with make you so sad haven't you heard what's going on? I haven't heard what's going on and they tell him are you slow don't you know, what is God's plan the Messiah would suffer and then redeem and then he pretends to go on. So you guys I'm going on to the next Village. He's pretending that way. I never really seen this moment, but I think it's part of Jesus not overwhelming them not just saying here at all is I want to spend it all out at once but inviting them to hear to listen to respond with their own Heart's Not overwhelming their own free will with just ushering in his full Divinity his full person. He's kind of hid his presents a little bit of he just showed up and is resurrected Divine body. There be no ability. But but for the mind to say hello and it immediately kind of believe and respond it seems like that's so there's this graciousness with their Free Will. He's giving them piece by piece and letting them Respond as always explain to him and then he pretends to go further on but they urged him strongly saying stay with us. British toward evening in the day has gone far spent so he went in to stay with them when he was at the table with them. He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them and their eyes were open and they recognized him and he vanished from their site. They said to each other did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road while he's open to us the scriptures and they said that same hour and return to Jerusalem and they found the 11th and those who were there gathered together saying the Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon then they told what happened on the road and how he it was known to them in the breaking of bread. Here's the amazing true that hit me in this passage in and we're coming towards the end. That the Jesus wants you and me that he wants us to stay with him.

You know, there's that moment where he pretends to go to the next Village. And it's almost like he's creating this moment for them to say what they want.

And they say what they want. We want you to stay with us ever since tromley stay with us and then they break bread and in the breaking of bread their eyes are opened now, I thought about this and at first I thought is this some sort of Sally Field moment. You better remember the Oscars years ago. We're Sally Field won an Oscar later. Jim Carrey made fun of her for this moment. She won an Oscar and she started crying and she said you like me you really really like me and it was so kind of sweet, but the same time a little bit funny and later. I think Jim Carrey won an award and that's what he did. He got up and started crying and said You Lie You really really like me. Everybody come first for a flash of a second. I thought is this some sort of needy moment in the life of Jesus where he really wants them to like him that he really wants them to say. Hey stay with me, but then I realized no it's not that sort of moment cuz that doesn't match anything else. We see the scripture that doesn't match the truth about God being complete and divine and supreme. And I realized it's it's really for their own good that he's seeking this moment. It's like the shepherd to a sheep. That's lost or a dog lover to a homeless dog.

Loves and cares. It's for it's for our own good that Jesus wants us to say yes to his invitation. Do you understand that dynamic? Jesus wants us to stay with him because it's for our own good. He saying come to me. Come to me those of you who are burdened those of you who are weighed down because he knows we cannot solve those problems are self. We cannot deal with our own sin issues and correct them. We cannot forgive ourselves and be made right with God. He knows that we are victims of our own sin as well as the victims of other people's sins. He knows the Brokenness and hardship of our lives and the Brokenness and hardship of this world. But he honors our free will.

But he Reveals His heart and says come to me. Come to me.

If you know that you're burdened. If you know that your way down. If you know that you're saying is no different than anyone else's. But you can just as easily be part of the problem in this world as you are part of the solution. Do you know that you can't forgive yourself? And you ask yourself? What do I do with my shame? What do I do if my secrets? What do I do with those sins that that I hide and hope never come out into the light.

This is coming to me. Those of you who are burdened. And and learn from me. Learn among other things that God is yes all-powerful and holy. He's also gentle. And he wants you to take his yoke. Because his yoke is light. His yoke is not the Yoke of trying to save yourself or redeem yourself or work hard enough or be good enough. His yoke is his shield come with me. Take my righteousness as a gift. Trust me place your faith in me. And cease striving. It's on 4610 the scriptures the song that says be still and know that I am God in that original Hebrew. It's cease striving. Cease striving. Can you imagine what it would be like to stop striving? I'm going to buy the worship team for now. What would it be like to stop? Feeling anxiety over your life. What would it be like to stop worrying about your career? What would it be like to stop worrying about all of your relationships or your finances or your health? Wearing about it as if it's all on your shoulders wearing about it as if it's up to you, what would it be like? the place your faith in God to trust him. To come to him with your burdens and give your burdens to him. What would it be like to cease striving and to know that he is gone. at the invitation

from Jesus to each and every one of us come to him. Set with him. 10 time in scripture open up your Vibe will spend time in prayer stay with him. Set still in that chair while he deals with our hearts and our struggles and our needs exposes our sand even though that might be painful and he also exposes his love and his forgiveness for that sound.

Staying with him. Abide with him. He says in John 15.

His intentions are good.

Heart Of God is revealed on the cross. at the heart that sacrificed for you and I He can be trusted.

We have to accept the invitation. We have to come to him here this morning. You've got a decision to make I invite you during this song on to come to me. I'll be in the back. You won't have to be on display up front. You can come to me in the back. I can answer questions for you. Pray with you anything that's on your mind will have other folks both in the front and the back for prayer any need you have let this song just be not passive but be active for you this morning.