The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand, 1:1-28:20
The Galilean Ministry, 8:1-18:35
Reception Of the Messiah: Rising Opposition, 11:2-13:53
Response To The Messiah, 11:2-12:50 (Ash Wednesday; Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Reading: Joh 14:27; He. 4:15; Ps143:10
Theme: A cure to a stress-filled life!
A.Stress related illnesses are growing exponentially in societies throughout the world. New drugs are invented every year to reduce hyper-tension and blood pressure problems. While some illnesses are a normal part of life, millions are searching in vain for that elusive peace of mind to calm their nerves. Are there times when you can't see how you can cope with everything that is happening in your life? Are there times when your guilt from mistakes plagues you to no end and seemingly are literally driven crazy
B.Jesus was beginning to face mounting opposition. Those who rejected John and his message, generally, rejected Jesus and his message (11:20-24). The people of Galilee enjoyed the benefits of His miracles but refused to turn from their sins (Matt. 11:20).
C.Jesus assured the listening "multitudes" that John was a prophet of God, indeed, the forerunner to the messiah. Jesus compared the "generation" of people who rejected both Him and John as spoiled, contrary children. Jesus went on by pronouncing woes of judgment on the cities of "Chorazin," "Bethsaida" and "Capernaum" because of their indifference even in the midst of His "mighty works."
A.THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD , 11:25
B.answered, 611 apokrinomai {ap-ok-ree'-nom-ahee} from 575 and krino; TDNT - 3:944,*; v AV - answer 250; 250 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer 2) to begin to speak, but always where something has preceded (either said or done) to which the remarks refer
Voice - Passive Deponent See 5789
1.It is curious that the text says Jesus answered, for the text does not present him a question.
1. The word for praise or thank used here means "to say the same thing" ot "to agree." It is the word used for the confession of sins (I Jn. 1:9).
2.Jesus was thankful for God’s plan by which, generally, certain people, the wise and learned, were shut out, while the humble and teachable were let in.
3.Thus Jesus agreed with God's ways, openly confessing his acceptance of God’s plan as correct. It was correct:
4. In Those Who Reject the Gospel. How could Jesus praise God for hiding the gospel from the wise and learned? What He praised God for was the divine plan of salvation. He was grateful that one does not have to have his B.A. or Ph.D. degree to understand the ABC's of spiritual truth. The wisest of men, those adept at putting things together (prudent) have no advantage at all over the unlearned. The basis of acceptance or rejection Is moral, not Intellectual.
5.It Is not so much wisdom that keeps people from accepting Christ, but those who are "wise in their own eyes" Pr 26:5.
totally dependent for care and accepting of every word
1 Cor.2:13-14
1.THE INVITATION, 11: ; 28:19; Mar 16:15 ; Joh 3:16; Re 22:17. (Come)
a.We all get invitations - wedding, birthday, anniversary, graduations, parties etc.
i.Some we accept, some we go to.
ii.Often it depends on our mood and money.
iii.Jesus also offers an invitation. Its and invitation no one wants to miss no matter what is going on in his/her life.
i. Coming denotes action on our part.
ii.The word "come" implies an invitation and not a forced action, Ps 110:3 ; Re 22:17 ; 3:20.
iii.The word "come" implies that if we want to, can accept the call.
a. The invitation comes from hearing God’s word, Joh 6:44-45; Ro10:17.
c.The action of the coming is seen in obeying the gospel, I Peter 1:22 ; Ro 6:17-18.
i)Our obedience is to Christ and His word, John 14:6 ; Acts 4:12 ; John 10:1,9 ...Christ the Way.
ii)Obedience to His will...Heb. 5:8 ; cf John 4:34 ; 10:17-18.
a) Come in Obedience..I Peter 4:19 ; II Thess 1:6-9.
iii)By coming the way Christ has laid out for us to
iv)come...eg. Cornelius..Acts 10:1-4 ; 11:14 ; 10:48
v)for what purpose...Acts 2:38..remission of sins.
c.Jesus was, is, saying is "Come over here," or "Come away from there over to me."
i.The invitation is to leave something behind in order to go to (“come”) Jesus.
ii.Its an invitation to stop trying to find rest and peace in the world.
a. Receive Rest from Guilt and burden of sins, Mat 1:21; Joh 1:29 ; Acts 5:30-31; Heb. 8:12; 1John 1:9; 2:2.
b. Receive rest from the fear of death, both physical and spiritual, He 2:14-15
c. receive Rest in the eternal Home, Joh 14:1-4
d.The words are clear enough if we want to accept them.
PROCLAMATION, 11:27; cf. Joh 5:21-24; Mat 28:18.
2.THE INVITATION’S RECIPENTS, 11:28; 1Ti 1:15 (Everyone)
a.Notice to whom the invitation is sent.
i.It is to every one who had need, Ro 3:23; 5:8; 1Jo 1:8-10
ii.To those who labour to the point of exhaustion.
iii.To those who are laden with such heavy burdens and are to the point of being worn down by them.
iv.When your burdens become so heavy that you think the weight will crush you if you don't get some relief, Jesus calls for us to turn to him.
b.I L L U S T R A T I O N: Show large bulging garbage bags, each with a burden written on it. (Worry: job, money, family. Fear: future, health. Concern: everything!) While looking in the bags ask, “What are we going to do with all these burderns”? Pick the big bulky bags up and try to put them all over your shoulder. Notice how difficult it is to carry heavy burdens?
c.This is exactly the point Jesus was trying to make. How do we receive the needed rest, Ps 119:165?
i.Jesus’ words imply a responsibility for each person who would accept the invitation, to reach out, to take it, Is. 59:1-2
ii. It is we who are in need to be joined back to God, not he to us, 2Co 5:20 ; Ep 2:16
3.THE INVITATION’S REQUIREMENT (Take, Learn, Find)
a.My - implies that we need to follow Christ's will, Mat 7:24; Joh 14:15
i.Those who accept the invitation need to realize that they give up:
a. Their own will, 1Joh 2:15-16
b. will of others, Matt. 7:15 ;Matt. 10:37; 15:9 ; Co 2:8; 2Pe 2:1-3.
c. the will of the church where it is incorrect, Mat 15:13
d. Many will argue the point out of ignorance but the scriptures make it clear over and over, those who will not follow the will of Christ have not God, 2Joh 9.
e. Following his will is part of the "burden to bear" when we accept his invitation.
b.We are called to take – a yoke.
i.Why would Jesus tell us to take his yoke upon us with all the burderns we already are carrying?
a.Therefore, it is understandable that some of us might approach his words with caution, even resistance.
b.From another point of view, it threatens our freedom to decide for ourselves who we will be and what we will do with our lives – The America Way.
c.Too our desire is faithfulness but we want to be faithful in our own way and on our own terms - we don’t want anyone else in the driver seat but ourselves.
i)It might squeeze all the joy out of life leaving only duty and drudgery.
ii)However, Jesus made it clear his “yoke” is easier and light.
iii)Jesus doesn’t add to our burdens but instead, as with two equally yoked animals, he shares the weight of our burdens; even more, he takes the full weight upon himself and allows us to rest as we walk along side of him.
iv)Though it is often difficult for us to let go of our need to control our own lives, and though Jesus never forces us to follow him, he does gently bid us to come follow him.
d.With his praise, Jesus was also exposing the foolishness of our attempts to control God by following our own set of rules, Mat 7:21-23; Joh 12:47-48; Ro 1:22.
ii.His point was, in order to carry his, we must unload our own.
iii.Jesus was not telling us to ignore our troubles or our fears; to start ignoring our monthly bills or other responsibilities.
iv.He was, is telling us to trust him; to take courage from him in any situation.
i.Christ himself is our teacher and under his tutelage what life is, following him, begin to unfold to us. We begin to understand not only what it means to be a disciple (a learner) but how to become a disciple to him.
ii.Then we learn that the yoke which at first seemed to us to be so narrow, restricting, so limiting, so controlling, we discover, when we yield to it, is easy and light.
iii. A. Christ is the greatest example to learn from as He
was found without sin...I Peter 2:21-22.
iv. B. If we learn from Christ then:
v. 1. God will be seen in Us...John 17:3 .
vi. 2. we will be thoroughly equipped for good works..
viii. 3. We will not be unwise...Eph 5:17 .
ix. 4. and we will not be conformed to this world, wherein sin...Rom 12:2.
x. C. How do we learn "of Christ"?
xi. 1. We need to search the scriptures...II Tim. 2:15.
xii. 2. It is in the scriptures that we find the truth...John 16:13-14; John 17:17.
xiii. One needs to realize that the same way that we learn almost everything in life....through study, through practice, and through making mistakes...is also applicable to learning from Christ.
xiv.Knowing that if we do make a mistake we have Christ as our advocate with the Father.
xv.We need to learn from Christ when we are put to the Matt. 4:1-11.
xvi.Learn from Christ when we tire from persecution...Heb. 12:2-4.
xvii.Learn from Christ when our own interests centers in ourselves...Rom. 15:3 ; Luke 22:42.
Wouldn’t it be great if we really could lay our burdens down, let someone else carry the guild, allow someone else to ... We can, and we will if we choose to follow Jesus.
William Hansen, THE PROMISE OF REST AND PEACE