Matthew 11:25–30
25At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26“Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“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. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Focused Thinking:
The Father’s way is often counter intuitive.
25“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”
What is the irony in this?
The wise weren’t wise enough to recognize the ONE who is WISDOM.
The intelligent weren’t intelligent enough to humble themselves, repent, and follow the ONE who is INTELLIGENT.
26“Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
The Father is always pleased with the humble and disappointed with the proud.
27“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
It isn’t by man’s wisdom.
It isn’t by man’s intelligent.
It is by God’s revelation.
What is Jesus’ revelation to us?
What is Jesus’ invitation to us?
28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“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. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Do the wise and intelligent view themselves as weary and heavy-laden?
Are you weary and heavy-laden because you know the reality of your sin?
What makes one weary and heavy-laden?
Sin makes us weary and heavy-laden.
Sin is a burden that is too heavy to carry.
Sin is a weight that no one is capable of carrying.
Jesus is the only ONE capable of carrying that burden.
Jesus is the only ONE capable of carrying that weight.
Jesus is the only ONE capable of carrying that cross.
What does Jesus promise to give the weary and heavy-laden?
“I will give you rest.”
Forgiveness is rest.
Freedom is rest.
When God changes your desires, that is rest.
What does Jesus want us to learn from HIM?
29“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.
This is a picture of an ox with a yoke on it.
This is a picture of us being yoked with Jesus.
Jesus has already carried the burden of our sin.
- Now Jesus is enabling us to live a life of forgiveness and freedom.
- Now Jesus is enabling us to live a life of loving God and loving people.
- Now Jesus is enabling us to live a life of disciple making.
Jesus invites you to join Him and learn from Him.
What do we learn about Jesus?
- He is gentle.
- He is humble.
I think this is the only time or one of only a few times that Jesus describes His own character.
- Jesus is gentle in heart.
- Jesus is humble in heart.
Jesus is gentle and humble to those who are weary and heavy-laden.
Jesus isn’t gentle and humble to those who experienced His miracles but refused to repent.
To be gentle and humble in heart doesn’t mean you can’t discipline or judge.
To be gentle and humble in heart doesn’t mean you can’t be strong when you should be strong.
What happens when you take Jesus’ yoke upon you?
“You will find rest for your souls.”
There is no rest for your souls outside of Jesus yoke.
There is no rest for your souls yokes to one of your idols.
There is no rest for your souls carrying your own yoke.
You can be weary and heavy-laden or you have rest for your souls.
You can be yoked to the ONE who is GENTLE and HUMBLE.
Or
You can be yoked to the one who come to STEAL, KILL, and DESTROY.
What does Jesus say about life under His yoke?
30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
There is no such thing has being unyoked.
You are either yoked to Jesus or you are yoked to Satan.
Comparatively, Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light.
- This doesn’t mean Jesus is your genie in the bottle.
- This doesn’t mean you will live a life of health and wealth.
- This doesn’t even mean everything will go your way.
- This simply means you can trust the ONE who is GENTLE and HUMBLE.
- This simply means Jesus’ way is the BETTER WAY.
- This simply means Jesus’ way is the BEST WAY.
Personal Application:
It amazes me how so much of life isn’t intellectual; it is emotional.
Intellectually, the argument to trust Christ can’t be defeated.
The majority of people don’t reject Christ intellectually; they reject Christ emotionally.
Most skeptics are skeptics because they’ve been hurt or disappointed and don’t want to give up their sin.
Most cynics are cynics because they’ve been hurt or disappointed and don’t want to give up their sin.
Most unbelievers are unbelievers because they’ve been hurt or disappointed and don’t want to give up their sin.
We must help people see and understand why they don’t come to Christ.
We must show them their need for Christ intellectually and emotionally.
We must identify the lies of the devil and expose them one by one.
I need to do a series on the top ten lies of the devil and expose them intellectually and emotionally.
We must redefine and rebrand Christianity.
One of Christianity’s biggest hurdles today is people’s perception of Christianity.
We can’t dismiss that as people’s problem or responsibility. We must intentionally redefine and rebrand Christianity.
If we had a cure for cancer, how would we brand it?
If we had a cure for death, how would we brand it?
If we had a cure for divorce, how would we brand it?
Interactive Prayer:
Father, the barriers that are in place to reach the world for Christ are so overwhelming. When I think about it logically instead of spiritually I feel overwhelmed and defeated. Father, help us to truly become people of prayer, of the word, and of love. Father, love works when nothing else works. Love is the only indefensible apologetic of the gospel. Father, make us a people of love. We can’t fake love and it work. We can’t take shortcuts with love and it work. Love only works when we work. Father, grow us into people of love. Give us the ability to see You and to fall deeply in love with You. Give us the desire, determination, and discipline to stay in love with you each day.
Father, give us creative ways to redefine and rebrand Christ. Father, show us how to show people that You are gentle and humble in heart. Father, show us how to show people that Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Father, I pray that Your people will be Your brand. I pray that Highpointers will represent You in all of your glory and in all of your love. I pray that we will love like You love. Father, give us the ability to truly change lives and to change our city by loving You and loving people.
Father, give me Your vision for Highpoint. Speak it into existence. Make it more and more clear. Keep sharpening your vision. Give me the ability to cast Your vision and to communicate it in a way that inspires and ignites a movement. Father, please give us the strong winds of the Holy Spirit blowing through my life, our staff’s live, our leader’s life, and our church’s life. Father, we need to see You. We need to experience You. Increase our faith. Give us the courage to step out of the boat and to walk on water.
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