In India, we get invited to wedding quite often, sometimes it’s with friends / neighbours and family wedding invitation. The way we choose to accept and go to the invite differs, for some of the friends / neighbors we go to the wedding as a courtesy just to keep the relationship alive and make them not feel offended, in short, we attend just for the sake of invitation. For some friends and family, we don’t even need an invitation and we look forward for the wedding, we immence ourselves to do everything that’s outside our responsibility and enjoy every bit of time for the invitation that’s given as they are our dear friend / family.
Same way we may be a born again Christian or know Christ for quite long, what if Jesus is giving you an invitation today what will you do? The invitation for us as “Come to me”- from Matt 11:28,
' “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ' Matthew 11:28
You and I have heard all these things about Jesus. But what have we done with him in response? The truth of who he is and what he has done has been presented to us in a way that is far clearer than it was to the people of old days. We have it all written down and recorded in and orderly account. But how have we responded to what we have been told? Have we really “come” to Him?
We may think that we have “come” to him because at a point in time we have believed in what the Bible says about him. We have placed an “intelligent” faith in him in the “long ago” and we still hold to that faith today. But his invitation is not to have a mere “intelligent” faith. He doesn't just say to us, “Believe in truths about Me.” his invitation is one that concerns the will. His invitation is personal. He says, “Come to Me.”
This word of Invitation “Come to me….” Matt 11:28-30 has three aspects
1. A Saving Invitation
2. A Sanctifying command
3. A Satisfying Promise
A Saving Invitation
' “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ' Matthew 11:28
Whom invitation is given to? - We need to understand for who this invitation is given to. It's for “all you who are weary and burdened”. I believe this is meant-first and foremost-for those who labour and are heavy laden under the horrible burden of trying to earn God's righteousness by works of the law.
Context of the Weary - Few chapters down Jesus describes this to scribes as they taught a righteousness before God based on obedience and conformity to the law of Moses.
'Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 'Matthew 23:1-4
Context of Burdened - That burden was the heavy weight of the condemnation of God's judgment for that poor man's sin. It fell off when Jesus himself took that in the cross of calvary. Jesus himself bore the guilt of our sin on his own sinless person; and personally, paid the full price for the guilt of our sin. And now, the promise of God is, “'Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1
Current context of Burden – In addition to the sins we have in our life, We are burdened every day by trials and temptations. We are burdened by weaknesses of the flesh. We suffer times of sickness or pain. We are burdened by circumstances that come upon us and that are outsid our control. We're burdened by cares, sorrows, disappointments, and frustrations. We often suffer the attacks of our enemy, the devil. Just think of how much we are wearied down with these day-to-day struggles and are burdened by the troubles and trials of life
Jesus knows about all of it. He invites us to find relief by coming to him and casting all our cares upon Himself. He wonderfully cares for us. We're told, “'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 'Philippians 4:6-7
Jesus' promise applies to the everyday trials of life as much as to the profound matter of righteousness before God
A Sanctifying command
'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. ' Matthew 11:29
The next words Jesus gives are in the form of a command. Did you notice that his invitation is an invitation to come to Him and obey a command? He says, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me . . We can see this as a “sanctifying” command because it's one in which we grow closer to Jesus and are made to be more like him as we obey it, we get sanctified like him.
The command has two parts – Part 1 –
First “Take My yoke upon you”, Jesus commands those who come to him to take up his “yoke”. Many of us are not familiar with what a yoke is in our culture as those were who lived in Jesus' times. A yoke was a large wooden crossbar that was carefully carved to fit over the necks of beasts of burden-like oxen. They were made to hold two animals together, bound by leather straps, so that the animals could be made to carry a burden together or do work together. It was an instrument that curbed the will of the animal and bought it under the master's control.
The word “yoke” was used as a symbol of being under submission to someone else-of being in a state of servitude under the authority of a master. Paul wrote to Timothy and instructed Him to teach servants to honour their master's authority; saying, “'All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. '1 Timothy 6:1
When we take up Jesus' yoke, we are trading away an old burden-that is, the burden of the law-that meant our death before God. It would only condemn us and bring us under a curse-“ 'For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ' Galatians 3:10
Instead, when we come to Jesus, we take up a burden that gives us life. We enter a relationship with one who kept the law perfectly on our behalf; and now, we walk in life when we walk in union with Him through the Holy Spirit.
The command has two parts – Part 2
And a second thing that Jesus here says that we are not only to take up His yoke, but also “and learn from Me . . .”
Jesus is here commanding us to become his student, his disciple.
learn “from” Him-in the sense that he is our divine Teacher; or to learn “of” him-in the sense that he is the divine subject. I believe both are true. When we come to Him, we learn from Him and of Him. He is both the reason we learn and the lesson we are taught.
A Satisfying Promise
'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 11:29-30
We have a promise about Himself. We will always find Him to be a Master and Teacher who is not like the heavy taskmasters and burdensome teachers of the law, instead he says “for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”
Jesus lets us know that he is “gentle”. He is not harsh or rough on those who come under His yoke. He doesn't beat His servants. He loves them, and is good to them, and is kind to them. This speaks of his manner toward us.
And He also lets us know that He is “humble” of heart. Now, understand: He Himself is never “lowly” or “humble” in his being. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords terrible in His majesty and fearful in His wrath! But to those who come to him weary and heavy laden, He is “lowly of heart”. Just think of this for a moment, so much power he has, as King of Kings, still he says he is humble to receive us.
What a wonderful Master and Teacher He is. We need never fear to take him up on his great invitation. We can come to Him and draw as close to Him just as we are. We can draw as close to Him as we are willing to draw. He will always welcome us and love us. He will never give us more than we can bear; but will always strengthen us and enable us to bear the burden He places upon us as his promise is “you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Knowing all of this, what is your response to the invitation from him of “Come to me”
Have you come to Him in deep need-as someone who labours and is heavy laden under the burden of your own helplessness before Him?
Have you only come to Him “once-upon-a-time”?
Do come in such a way as to abide in Him continually?
Do you come to take his yoke upon yourself and become His obedient servant?
Do you submit yourself to him as a habit of life?
Do you come to “learn” from Him?
Whatever be your situation - There's one way to know for sure; and that is, if you now experience a prevailing spirit of rest—down to the very core of your being, that means you have come to him. He will give you the peace that no one else can give in midst of your commotion that you are going thru. Accept his invite and come freely with your heart dedicating to him, it does not matter if you know him already or yet to know him.
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