WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading this morning comes from Matthew chapter 11.

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 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or on your Bible.

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 Starting in verse 25, we read,

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 At that time, Jesus declared,

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 I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

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 that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding

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 and revealed them to little children.

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 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

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 All things have been handed over to me by my Father,

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 and no one knows the Son except the Father,

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 and no one knows the Father except the Son

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 and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

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 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,

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 and I will give you rest.

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 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

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 for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

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 and you will find rest for your souls.

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 For my yoke is easy,

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 and my burden is light.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Amen.

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 Okay, I think there we go.

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 Thank you, Angie, for reading that,

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 and thank you to the musicians for leading us in worship.

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 It was, man, what a wonderful time.

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 Welcome to those of you who don't know me.

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 My name is Kevin.

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 I'm one of the elder pastors here,

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 and it's great to be with you this morning.

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 To those of you in the community center

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 or at home watching on YouTube,

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 welcome to you as well.

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 A very warm welcome to our church family.

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 We are working our way through Matthew's gospel.

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 We've been doing that slowly over a fair while.

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 Two years ago we started it,

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 and we took a break for two years or so.

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 In the last eight weeks,

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 we've been working from chapter 8 to chapter 11.

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 And today's our last section in Matthew's gospel

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 for a little while,

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 then we'll take a break and pick it up again.

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 And we come to this amazing, amazing passage,

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 very famous passage in chapter 11.

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 But in order to understand this,

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 let's just remind ourselves

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 what's been happening in chapter 11.

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 You'll remember earlier on, chapter 9,

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 there's this kind of famous summary

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 of what's been going on in Matthew's gospel,

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 where Matthew says,

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 Jesus went around in all the cities of Galilee,

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 proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom

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 and healing every disease and affliction.

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 And Jesus is doing this amazing work and ministry,

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 and it elicits a response from various people.

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 Some people, as Chris explained to us last week,

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 are confused and full of doubt about who Jesus is.

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 One of these people is John the Baptist.

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 You remember, John the Baptist came with this fiery message.

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 He says to the religious leaders of his day,

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 you brood of vipers,

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 you bunch of snakes.

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 He says,

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 the axe is at the tree

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 waiting to cut you guys down.

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 And John the Baptist expected

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 that when the Messiah came,

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 he was going to reform the whole Jewish system.

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 He was going to wipe out all the corruption

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 and overhaul the system and start again.

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 And then when Jesus came,

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 he wasn't anything like what John the Baptist expected.

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 And so John is confused,

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 and he sends this message to Jesus saying,

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 hey, did I get something wrong?

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 Did I miss the memo here?

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 You and me are going to come and sort us all out,

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 and you just are doing all sorts of good.

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 And John is confused,

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 and he's full of doubts.

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 Other people are confounded by Jesus

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 because he doesn't dance to their tune.

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 Do you remember there's that amazing little line

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 where Jesus says,

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 the people of this generation

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 are like children who play in the marketplace,

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 and they say,

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 hey, we played a dance song for you,

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 and you didn't dance.

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 We played a dirge,

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 like a mourning song,

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 and you didn't mourn.

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 What's up with you, Jesus?

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 And Jesus says,

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 I don't dance to your tune.

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 I don't march to your drumbeat.

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 And this irritates them and frustrates them.

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 And so they write them off as a heretic

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 and as a lunatic.

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 And what Jesus is saying here

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 is that if you want to experience his grace,

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 if you want to encounter

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 the life-transforming power of Jesus,

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 you've got to come to him on his terms.

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 You've got to come to him as he reveals himself.

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 You can't come to him with your preconceived ideas.

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 You can't try and put Jesus in a box

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 and say, well, this is what I need from a Messiah.

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 You come to Jesus like that,

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 and you're going to be a bitly disappointed.

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 But if you come to him and say,

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 Jesus, I'm willing to learn from you.

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 Who are you?

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 If we come to him on his terms,

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 in that place,

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 we find the life-transforming power,

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 life-transforming grace of Jesus.

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 And so that's what's happening.

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 And so at the end of that passage,

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 we get to this very famous passage in chapter 11.

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 And look at this passage with me.

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 Jesus says this from verse 28.

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 We're going to focus on verse 28 to 30.

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 Jesus says,

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 Come to me,

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 all you who labor,

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 who are weary,

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 heavy laden.

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 I will give you rest.

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 Take my yoke upon you.

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 Learn from me,

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 for I am gentle and lowly in heart.

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 You will find rest for your souls.

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 For my yoke is easy,

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 and my burden is light.

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 Friends,

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 if there's one thing that every human heart longs for,

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 no matter what your culture,

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 your background,

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 your ethnicity,

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 your language,

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 or your social status,

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 every human being longs for that rest,

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 that deep soul rest.

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 All of us long to rest in peace,

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 not only one day when we die,

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 but even in this lifetime.

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 And if you've ever been in a difficult relationship,

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 or you've ever been in a relationship that's under strain,

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 you'll know that is the least restful state of being.

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 That is the most stressful position anyone could be in,

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 a relationship where there's conflict.

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 But a right relationship brings rest.

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 And Jesus claimed there that ultimate rest,

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 true lasting rest,

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 peace,

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 the longing that every human heart has,

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 comes only through being in relationship with Him.

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 Jesus, in a sense,

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 is saying,

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 I am the true rest maker.

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 You want real rest?

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 I'm the one that you must embrace.

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 Jesus here is actually quoting from a very famous passage

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 in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah,

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 chapter 6.

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 The nation of Israel is in a relationship with God,

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 but the relationship is very strained.

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 And God says to Israel,

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 He says,

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 Stand at the crossroads.

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 Stand at the ancient roads, paths,

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 and ask for the good way,

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 and walk in it.

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 And when you walk in it,

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 you will find rest for your souls.

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 Everybody wants modern solutions to our ancient problems, right?

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 You want to try Google it,

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 or new piece of technology.

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 We're all looking for modern solutions

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 to our ancient problems.

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 Jesus says that our ancient problems

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 can only be fixed by ancient solutions.

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 God says to the nation of Israel,

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 Go to the crossroads,

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 and go ask for the ancient paths,

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 and walk in them,

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 and you'll find rest for your souls.

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 And what Jesus is saying here is,

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 that ancient path,

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 that for thousands of years,

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 people from every culture

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 have found that has led to peace,

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 is actually the path it leads to me.

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 Look at all the personal pronouns in this passage.

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 Look at what Jesus says here.

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 He says,

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 Come to me,

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 and I will give you rest.

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 Take my yoke upon you.

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 Learn from me,

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 for I am gentle in heart.

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 I am lowly in heart.

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 My yoke is easy.

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 My burden is light.

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 Eight or nine times there,

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 Jesus is calling attention to himself.

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 Jesus doesn't say,

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 Go to God,

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 and he will give you rest.

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 That's what you'd expect from a prophet

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 or a religious guru.

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 Jesus doesn't say,

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 Look within yourself,

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 deal with your issues,

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 and that will find you rest.

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 Almost every modern philosophy

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 will tell you to look within yourself.

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 Jesus doesn't call us to join a religion,

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 to sign up to an institution,

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 or to go on a religious pilgrimage.

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 Jesus tells us that the kind of soul rest

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 that every human being is desperately looking for

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 is not found in a daily practice

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 or a great beach vacation,

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 as wonderful as that is.

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 It's found in coming to the person of Jesus himself.

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 Jesus is always saying things like this.

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 Jesus says things like,

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 I am the bread of life.

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 If you want to satisfy your soul,

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 you've got to come to me.

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 Jesus says,

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 I am the light of the world.

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 Unless you come to me,

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 you'll always grope around in the dark.

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 Jesus says,

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 I am the great physician.

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 Only by coming to me

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 can you be truly healed

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 of your cancer of sin

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 and be made whole.

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 Jesus says in John 7,

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 If anyone is thirsty,

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 let him come to me and drink.

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 Jesus is forever talking like this.

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 Now do you know what that means?

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 It doesn't mean that if you come to Jesus,

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 all your problems will be solved

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 and life will just be rosy, right?

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 Just ask our friends,

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 Gloria and Wilson in Australia.

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 Their five-year-old son

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 going through chemo at the moment.

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 Following Jesus doesn't mean

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 that life is just

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 walking on cloud nine

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 or a bed of roses.

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 But

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 Jesus is saying here

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 that if you have Christ,

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 if you're in Christ,

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 the deepest longing of our hearts

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 and our souls

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 are met.

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 And that apart from Christ,

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 you can have all the treasures

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 in the world,

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 all the money in the world,

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 but there'll still be

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 an empty gnawing

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 in your heart.

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 Augustine famously said,

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 you made us for yourself,

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 oh Lord,

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 and our hearts

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 will forever be restless

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 until they find

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 their rest in you.

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 It's amazing.

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 Our hearts will forever be restless

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 until they find

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 their rest in you.

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 Now, of course,

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 all this talk about

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 how Jesus is the one

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 is kind of what you'd expect

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 from a Sunday sermon

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 at church, right?

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 I hope that's what you'd expect,

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 not something else.

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 But

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 Jesus is not just

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 talking about Sundays here.

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 Jesus is not just saying,

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 listen, on Sunday,

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 don't go and play golf,

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 don't go to the beach,

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 come to church

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 and you'll find rest

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 for your souls.

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 What about Monday to Friday?

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 What about the rest

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 of our lives?

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 What Jesus is saying here

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 is what we sang earlier,

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 Lord, I need you.

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 Every hour,

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 I need you.

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 Monday to Friday,

00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:13.179
 every day of the week

00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:14.799
 in the places of our lives

00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:16.159
 that are most exhausting,

00:11:16.439 --> 00:11:17.740
 most wearisome,

00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:19.699
 most draining

00:11:19.699 --> 00:11:21.559
 in our work life,

00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:22.559
 in our relationships,

00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:23.739
 in our finances,

00:11:23.979 --> 00:11:24.919
 maybe at home,

00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:26.239
 in those relationships

00:11:26.239 --> 00:11:27.079
 that are tough,

00:11:27.239 --> 00:11:28.299
 with our children,

00:11:28.439 --> 00:11:29.219
 in those places,

00:11:29.319 --> 00:11:30.719
 come and find your rest

00:11:30.719 --> 00:11:31.699
 in Him

00:11:31.699 --> 00:11:32.759
 and He will give us

00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:35.079
 what we so desperately need

00:11:35.079 --> 00:11:35.779
 and long for

00:11:35.779 --> 00:11:37.339
 to come and give us

00:11:37.339 --> 00:11:38.339
 the rest of our hearts.

00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:40.699
 We spoke about Augustine

00:11:40.699 --> 00:11:41.479
 a minute ago.

00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:42.359
 Augustine,

00:11:42.439 --> 00:11:42.959
 if you don't know him,

00:11:42.979 --> 00:11:45.539
 he was a philosopher,

00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:46.639
 theologian,

00:11:47.059 --> 00:11:48.019
 hundreds of years ago

00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:48.879
 in the fourth century.

00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.799
 And Augustine was raised

00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:52.679
 by his mother

00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:54.460
 to believe and trust in Jesus.

00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:55.860
 But when he grew up,

00:11:55.899 --> 00:11:56.720
 he wanted nothing

00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.480
 to do with Jesus.

00:11:57.620 --> 00:11:59.360
 And so he ran as far as he could

00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:00.620
 in the opposite direction.

00:12:01.179 --> 00:12:02.439
 And he was born in,

00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:03.740
 I think, Algeria, Africa.

00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:05.059
 He went to Alexander

00:12:05.059 --> 00:12:05.620
 and Egypt

00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:06.960
 and then to Rome.

00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:09.679
 And he ran as far away

00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:10.639
 from Jesus as he could

00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:11.220
 because he thought

00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:12.799
 Jesus is going to restrain

00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:14.299
 his joy and his pleasure.

00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:16.740
 And so he was on a mission

00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:18.419
 to maximize his pleasure.

00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.299
 And he did that primarily

00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:22.179
 through as many relationships

00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:22.879
 as he could.

00:12:23.199 --> 00:12:25.339
 He was famous in his town

00:12:25.339 --> 00:12:27.519
 for being a real playboy.

00:12:28.359 --> 00:12:30.139
 And then sometime

00:12:30.139 --> 00:12:32.099
 in the middle of his adult life,

00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:34.019
 he hits a crisis,

00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.039
 he picks up a Bible

00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.019
 and he reads Romans 13.

00:12:37.699 --> 00:12:39.819
 And God's word pierces his heart,

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.319
 arrests him on the spot

00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:43.240
 and he gives his life to Christ.

00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:44.360
 He surrenders to Jesus

00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:45.519
 and becomes a follower of Jesus.

00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.399
 But listen to what Augustine wrote

00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:48.440
 in his autobiography.

00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:50.360
 It's a little bit wordy,

00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:52.019
 so I apologize,

00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:53.539
 but see if you can follow on with me.

00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.240
 He says this,

00:12:55.060 --> 00:12:57.379
 Late have I come to you,

00:12:58.060 --> 00:13:00.759
 beauty so old and yet so new.

00:13:01.560 --> 00:13:04.440
 And yet you were within me all along.

00:13:05.060 --> 00:13:07.060
 I was in the external world

00:13:07.060 --> 00:13:08.840
 and I sought for you out there.

00:13:09.340 --> 00:13:11.340
 And in my unlovely state,

00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:15.519
 I plunged deep into those lovely created things,

00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:17.259
 things which you made.

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:19.759
 But those lovely things

00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.879
 kept me far from you,

00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:24.480
 even though apart from you

00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:25.980
 they have no existence at all.

00:13:26.800 --> 00:13:30.120
 You called and cried out loud.

00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.840
 You shattered my deafness.

00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:34.420
 You were radiant and resplendent.

00:13:34.540 --> 00:13:36.460
 Resplendent means exceedingly beautiful.

00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:38.639
 You were radiant and resplendent.

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:40.840
 You put to flight my blindness.

00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:43.199
 You were fragrant

00:13:43.199 --> 00:13:45.319
 and I drew in my breath

00:13:45.319 --> 00:13:47.360
 and now I pant after you.

00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:49.220
 I tasted you once

00:13:49.220 --> 00:13:51.980
 and now I hunger and I thirst for you.

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:53.559
 You touched me

00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:55.879
 and now I burn like fire

00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:57.399
 to attain the peace

00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:59.059
 which is found in you.

00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:01.379
 You see what Augustine's saying there?

00:14:01.699 --> 00:14:01.980
 He's saying,

00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:04.159
 I ran all over the place looking for you.

00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:06.840
 I searched in all the lovely things of this world.

00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:08.139
 I looked for sex,

00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:09.080
 I looked for romance,

00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:09.840
 I looked for knowledge,

00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:12.120
 I studied in Alexander,

00:14:12.300 --> 00:14:14.259
 the leading institutions of the age.

00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:15.960
 I looked for you everywhere

00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:17.480
 but those things kept me

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:18.840
 from the peace I actually needed

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:20.580
 which is found in you.

00:14:21.300 --> 00:14:22.480
 And I tasted you once

00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:24.300
 and now I burn like fire

00:14:24.300 --> 00:14:26.300
 for the peace that is found within you.

00:14:28.100 --> 00:14:29.060
 Friends, is that you?

00:14:29.920 --> 00:14:32.500
 Are you weary and hungry for rest?

00:14:33.500 --> 00:14:34.220
 Jesus says,

00:14:34.419 --> 00:14:34.740
 come to me.

00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:35.899
 I am the rest maker.

00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:37.019
 I give you peace.

00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:38.539
 And notice,

00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:41.379
 who is it that Jesus is inviting here?

00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:43.159
 Jesus doesn't invite those

00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:44.500
 who have found their self-worth

00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:46.960
 or self-satisfied or self-sufficient.

00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:49.620
 Jesus does not promise rest

00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:50.840
 to those that have earned it

00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:52.299
 through hard work and striving.

00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:55.779
 Jesus promises his life-giving rest

00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:57.639
 not as a reward to the faithful

00:14:57.639 --> 00:15:00.319
 but as a gift to those who need it.

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:03.659
 All those who are weary and heavy laden,

00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:04.939
 come to me, says Jesus.

00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:07.620
 Friends, Jesus invites the exhausted,

00:15:08.539 --> 00:15:09.779
 the storm-tossed,

00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:11.779
 the poor in spirit,

00:15:12.439 --> 00:15:13.299
 the anxious,

00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:14.799
 the abused,

00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:17.100
 those who carry baggage,

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.720
 those who carry guilt,

00:15:19.199 --> 00:15:21.059
 those who carry scars in life.

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.220
 Anyone who is wearied by life's burdens,

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.720
 Jesus says,

00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:26.580
 come to me

00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:28.860
 and I will give you rest.

00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:31.080
 Now,

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:33.120
 what does it actually mean

00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.340
 to come to Jesus?

00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:34.980
 Jesus says,

00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:35.660
 come to me,

00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:37.660
 but what does that actually mean?

00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:38.620
 Well,

00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:39.600
 look at our passage here.

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:40.139
 In this passage,

00:15:40.340 --> 00:15:41.899
 Jesus gives us two instructions.

00:15:42.100 --> 00:15:43.240
 The first one is he says,

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:44.460
 come to me,

00:15:44.540 --> 00:15:45.180
 verse 28.

00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:46.680
 But the second one,

00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:47.519
 verse 29,

00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:48.759
 Jesus says,

00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:51.000
 take my yoke upon you.

00:15:51.540 --> 00:15:52.700
 And that's actually what it means

00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:53.759
 to come to Jesus.

00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:54.940
 Now,

00:15:55.259 --> 00:15:56.379
 you may be familiar

00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:58.980
 with the language of yoke,

00:15:59.100 --> 00:15:59.860
 but if you're not,

00:16:00.300 --> 00:16:02.899
 a yoke is the wooden bar

00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:04.639
 that farmers would put

00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:05.779
 across the soldiers

00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:07.040
 of their oxen

00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:08.460
 or their horses

00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:09.540
 or something

00:16:09.540 --> 00:16:12.139
 to join two oxen together

00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:13.779
 so that they could pull

00:16:13.779 --> 00:16:14.860
 a cart

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:16.720
 or plow a field

00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.800
 that they could work

00:16:17.800 --> 00:16:18.940
 in tandem together

00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:20.320
 and be effective.

00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:21.259
 And so,

00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:22.500
 they would get these two oxen,

00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:24.200
 put this wooden yoke,

00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:25.800
 this bar across their shoulders

00:16:25.800 --> 00:16:27.300
 with a collar around

00:16:27.300 --> 00:16:28.200
 so that they wouldn't

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:29.759
 drift off separately.

00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:30.900
 And together,

00:16:31.160 --> 00:16:32.280
 these oxen could do

00:16:32.280 --> 00:16:33.020
 what the farmer

00:16:33.020 --> 00:16:34.000
 was needing them to do.

00:16:35.040 --> 00:16:35.520
 Now,

00:16:35.560 --> 00:16:36.180
 what would happen

00:16:36.180 --> 00:16:37.560
 in the ancient world,

00:16:37.660 --> 00:16:37.940
 apparently,

00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:39.379
 maybe still in some countries

00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:39.740
 in the world,

00:16:40.140 --> 00:16:41.000
 is that if you had

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:42.100
 a new oxen

00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:43.580
 and an older oxen,

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:45.680
 you would put the new oxen,

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.640
 yoke them together

00:16:46.640 --> 00:16:47.340
 with the older,

00:16:47.560 --> 00:16:47.740
 bigger,

00:16:47.920 --> 00:16:48.720
 stronger oxen

00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:50.060
 to teach them

00:16:50.060 --> 00:16:50.920
 and to train them.

00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:51.720
 And so,

00:16:51.800 --> 00:16:52.360
 a new cow

00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:53.240
 would be yoked together

00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:53.920
 with an older,

00:16:54.100 --> 00:16:54.360
 stronger,

00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:54.980
 bigger one

00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:57.060
 so that he could be broken

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.000
 and learn the way

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.180
 of the farming.

00:16:59.700 --> 00:17:00.500
 But the other thing

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.399
 that I learned recently,

00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:02.600
 Chris actually taught me this,

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:03.240
 I didn't know this,

00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:04.220
 I didn't know Chris

00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:04.740
 was a farmer,

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:05.440
 but apparently,

00:17:06.100 --> 00:17:07.779
 that if you've got,

00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:09.000
 that sometimes farmers

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:11.059
 would have a bigger collar

00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:12.360
 and a smaller collar.

00:17:12.939 --> 00:17:13.719
 And you'd think

00:17:13.719 --> 00:17:14.839
 that the bigger collar

00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:16.599
 would go on the bigger oxen,

00:17:16.679 --> 00:17:17.479
 the stronger one,

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.179
 the older one,

00:17:18.219 --> 00:17:19.319
 and the smaller collar

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:20.740
 would go on the younger,

00:17:20.919 --> 00:17:21.559
 smaller oxen.

00:17:22.199 --> 00:17:22.599
 But actually,

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.639
 farmers would often put

00:17:23.639 --> 00:17:25.000
 the smaller collar

00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:25.899
 on the bigger,

00:17:26.179 --> 00:17:27.039
 older oxen

00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:29.039
 because that ox

00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:30.000
 could then carry

00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:30.619
 the weight,

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.319
 the burden,

00:17:31.979 --> 00:17:33.679
 and the young ox or cow

00:17:33.679 --> 00:17:35.079
 that is still being broken in

00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:36.679
 could still find its way

00:17:36.679 --> 00:17:37.699
 and didn't have to carry

00:17:37.699 --> 00:17:38.679
 the full weight

00:17:38.679 --> 00:17:39.199
 of the burden

00:17:39.199 --> 00:17:40.000
 on its shoulders.

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:41.859
 Friends,

00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:42.539
 you see what Jesus

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.139
 is saying here?

00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:44.759
 Jesus says,

00:17:44.879 --> 00:17:45.379
 you anxious,

00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:46.039
 you weary,

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:47.799
 come and take

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.000
 my yoke upon you.

00:17:49.879 --> 00:17:50.859
 Jesus is saying,

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:51.379
 ironically,

00:17:51.659 --> 00:17:52.639
 that the only way

00:17:52.639 --> 00:17:53.759
 to be truly free,

00:17:54.419 --> 00:17:55.059
 the only way

00:17:55.059 --> 00:17:55.979
 to really find

00:17:55.979 --> 00:17:57.379
 the rest that we long for,

00:17:57.419 --> 00:17:58.500
 that we so desperately want,

00:17:58.839 --> 00:17:59.759
 the kind of rest

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.699
 that lasts longer

00:18:00.699 --> 00:18:01.299
 than a week

00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:01.959
 or a month

00:18:01.959 --> 00:18:02.639
 or longer than

00:18:02.639 --> 00:18:03.319
 a good holiday,

00:18:03.979 --> 00:18:04.779
 is not found

00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:06.159
 in extended beach holidays,

00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:06.879
 is not found

00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:07.919
 in more leisure activities,

00:18:08.419 --> 00:18:09.740
 it's actually found

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:11.439
 in being yoked to him

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.240
 and what that means is

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.620
 by surrendering

00:18:14.620 --> 00:18:15.559
 our autonomy,

00:18:16.299 --> 00:18:17.120
 actually coming

00:18:17.120 --> 00:18:17.940
 and submitting

00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:19.059
 ourselves to him,

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:21.080
 coming under his authority

00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:22.220
 and allowing ourselves

00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:23.519
 to be mastered by him.

00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.519
 And that's completely

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.320
 counterintuitive

00:18:26.320 --> 00:18:28.440
 and countercultural.

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:29.840
 Jesus says that

00:18:29.840 --> 00:18:32.039
 only as we come to him

00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:32.940
 and allow ourselves

00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.180
 to be mastered by him,

00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:35.480
 submit to him,

00:18:35.820 --> 00:18:36.559
 do we actually find

00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:36.940
 the freedom

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:37.539
 that we want.

00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:39.480
 Now Jesus was not

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:40.180
 the first one

00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:41.240
 to come up with this analogy.

00:18:41.420 --> 00:18:42.119
 In the first century,

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:43.379
 all rabbis spoke about

00:18:43.379 --> 00:18:44.819
 the yoke of their teaching.

00:18:45.379 --> 00:18:46.099
 And what they meant by that

00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:47.460
 was come under my doctrine,

00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:48.159
 my teaching,

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:50.059
 and you'll take my yoke.

00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:52.079
 But Jesus points out

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:53.200
 what everybody knew

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.639
 but was too scared to say.

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:56.119
 In Matthew 23,

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.039
 Jesus says this,

00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:57.700
 he's speaking about

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.500
 the religious leaders

00:18:58.500 --> 00:18:59.039
 and he says,

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:01.220
 these religious leaders,

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.200
 they preach

00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:03.159
 but they cannot practice

00:19:03.159 --> 00:19:03.879
 what they preach.

00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:06.740
 They tie up heavy burdens,

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:07.660
 hard to bear,

00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.460
 and they lay them

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.320
 on people's shoulders

00:19:09.320 --> 00:19:10.760
 but they themselves

00:19:10.760 --> 00:19:11.640
 cannot even bear

00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.260
 those burdens

00:19:12.260 --> 00:19:13.660
 that they put on others.

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:14.680
 He says,

00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:16.680
 they do all their deeds

00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:17.680
 merely to be seen

00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.340
 by others.

00:19:19.540 --> 00:19:20.380
 And what Jesus is saying

00:19:20.380 --> 00:19:22.000
 is that every religious system

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.400
 in the world,

00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:23.780
 every moral philosophy

00:19:23.780 --> 00:19:24.280
 in the world

00:19:24.280 --> 00:19:25.120
 that is divorced

00:19:25.120 --> 00:19:26.060
 from a relationship

00:19:26.060 --> 00:19:27.420
 with Christ himself

00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:28.640
 is ultimately

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.640
 going to become a burden

00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:31.540
 because it necessarily

00:19:31.540 --> 00:19:32.580
 becomes reduced

00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:33.399
 to rituals,

00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:35.460
 to performance,

00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.619
 to practices,

00:19:36.919 --> 00:19:37.559
 to duty.

00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.279
 Jesus says,

00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:41.799
 only as you marry me,

00:19:41.919 --> 00:19:42.599
 as you come into

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.539
 a relationship with me,

00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:44.519
 do the things

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:45.220
 I call you to

00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:46.639
 not become a heavy burden

00:19:46.639 --> 00:19:47.799
 but actually become

00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:48.339
 life-giving.

00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:52.759
 Friends,

00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:53.539
 is your Christianity

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.240
 exhausting?

00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:57.379
 Does it wear you out?

00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:00.859
 Does being a Christian

00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:02.279
 feel like a burden

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:02.939
 on your shoulders?

00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:05.519
 It means that,

00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.519
 if that's the case,

00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:07.539
 it means you've divorced it

00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:08.539
 from the person of Jesus.

00:20:09.899 --> 00:20:11.199
 Your faith in Christ

00:20:11.199 --> 00:20:12.019
 has merely become

00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:12.539
 a religion

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.799
 and that is forever

00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:14.919
 going to be exhausting.

00:20:16.139 --> 00:20:16.899
 Jesus says,

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:17.699
 come to me.

00:20:18.959 --> 00:20:19.719
 But do you know what?

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.779
 The secular worldview

00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:21.439
 of our day

00:20:21.439 --> 00:20:22.859
 which promises rest

00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:24.019
 and hope and peace

00:20:24.019 --> 00:20:25.479
 is just as exhausting.

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:26.879
 It's the ultimate

00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:27.659
 bait and switch.

00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:28.639
 Do you know that phrase,

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.399
 bait and switch?

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:30.440
 It's like,

00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:31.920
 when somebody baits you

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.360
 with something,

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:33.360
 they offer you something,

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.480
 this golden carrot

00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.180
 and then as you take it,

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.000
 they switch it

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.720
 with something else,

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:37.960
 right?

00:20:38.340 --> 00:20:38.640
 They say,

00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.620
 buy this house

00:20:39.620 --> 00:20:40.360
 and,

00:20:41.040 --> 00:20:42.080
 or they advertise

00:20:42.080 --> 00:20:43.120
 like this beach holiday

00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.820
 and all food and beverages

00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:45.500
 are included

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:47.220
 and you go on the beach holiday

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:47.860
 and you find

00:20:47.860 --> 00:20:49.860
 it's like half a star restaurant,

00:20:50.340 --> 00:20:51.420
 the food is off,

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.040
 it's the ultimate

00:20:52.040 --> 00:20:52.720
 bait and switch.

00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:54.180
 They seduce you

00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:54.600
 with a bait

00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:55.259
 and then they switch

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:56.080
 it with something else.

00:20:56.840 --> 00:20:57.019
 Friends,

00:20:57.140 --> 00:20:57.460
 every,

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:58.779
 our culture,

00:20:58.880 --> 00:20:59.640
 the secular cultures

00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:00.140
 of our age

00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:01.140
 promise us rest

00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:02.519
 in a thousand ways

00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:04.160
 but in the end

00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.079
 they're exhausting,

00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:07.360
 they're wearisome.

00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:08.779
 Friends,

00:21:08.840 --> 00:21:09.460
 how many of us

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.160
 are weighed down

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:10.799
 with exhaustion

00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:12.039
 trying to prove ourselves,

00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:13.900
 trying to be someone great,

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:15.140
 trying to prove

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:16.000
 whether to our parents

00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:16.600
 or ourselves

00:21:16.600 --> 00:21:17.640
 that we're not a failure,

00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:19.440
 that we're somebody,

00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:20.579
 that we've got the goods,

00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:22.759
 that we can make the great.

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:24.960
 I plunged myself

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.839
 into those lovely

00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.660
 created things

00:21:26.660 --> 00:21:27.259
 which you made

00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.400
 but those lovely things

00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:29.599
 kept me far from you.

00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:32.339
 Tim Keller said it like this,

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.980
 in ancient times

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:35.579
 the gods were bloodthirsty

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:36.799
 and hard to please.

00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:38.420
 Even today

00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:39.400
 they still are.

00:21:40.940 --> 00:21:41.200
 Friends,

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:41.700
 isn't that why

00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:42.259
 in Hong Kong

00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:42.960
 we all work

00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:44.700
 such exceedingly long hours,

00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:46.200
 always taking on

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:46.900
 more projects,

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.220
 always taking on

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:48.879
 more assignments,

00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.539
 always taking on

00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:51.119
 more work?

00:21:51.979 --> 00:21:52.199
 Friends,

00:21:52.219 --> 00:21:52.719
 isn't that why

00:21:52.719 --> 00:21:53.519
 how many of us

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:54.659
 live under the constant

00:21:54.659 --> 00:21:56.279
 yoke of people's expectations,

00:21:56.479 --> 00:21:57.319
 whether it's our boss

00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:58.479
 or our parents

00:21:58.479 --> 00:21:59.399
 or Facebook

00:21:59.399 --> 00:22:00.099
 or Instagram?

00:22:01.619 --> 00:22:01.899
 Friends,

00:22:01.959 --> 00:22:02.879
 how many of us

00:22:02.879 --> 00:22:04.919
 work harder and harder

00:22:04.919 --> 00:22:05.839
 at school projects

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.519
 and assignments

00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:07.859
 and we're so overwhelmed

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:08.919
 we carry this burden

00:22:08.919 --> 00:22:10.159
 trying to prove ourselves,

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.099
 whether to our parents

00:22:11.099 --> 00:22:11.719
 or our peers

00:22:11.719 --> 00:22:12.899
 or to ourselves,

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:14.119
 that we're somebody,

00:22:14.239 --> 00:22:15.119
 that we've got the goods?

00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:16.339
 Friends,

00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:16.819
 isn't that why

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.839
 we find it so hard

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.479
 to say no?

00:22:19.739 --> 00:22:20.659
 In ancient times

00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:22.019
 the gods were bloodthirsty

00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:23.180
 and hard to please.

00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:24.759
 Even today

00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:25.580
 they still are.

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.180
 And Jesus says

00:22:27.180 --> 00:22:27.840
 that if you want

00:22:27.840 --> 00:22:28.720
 to find life,

00:22:28.820 --> 00:22:30.259
 if you want to find

00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:31.380
 the rest that He promises,

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.960
 the way to do it

00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.400
 is to actually

00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:34.300
 give up your life.

00:22:34.840 --> 00:22:35.920
 You've got to abandon

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:37.180
 all those other things

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:38.680
 that you've yoked yourself to.

00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:40.180
 You've got to abandon

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.840
 those other things

00:22:40.840 --> 00:22:41.640
 that you've surrendered

00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:42.300
 yourself to.

00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:43.820
 If you truly want

00:22:43.820 --> 00:22:44.300
 to be free,

00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:45.200
 you have to surrender

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:46.000
 your autonomy

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.940
 to His authority.

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:49.040
 You've got to join yourself,

00:22:49.140 --> 00:22:49.940
 so join yourself

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:50.580
 that you're actually

00:22:50.580 --> 00:22:51.279
 at His mercy.

00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:53.380
 And that's a remarkable

00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:53.840
 claim.

00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:55.820
 Now here's the question.

00:22:56.620 --> 00:22:57.880
 Why should we trust Him?

00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:00.559
 Why should we trust Him?

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:02.720
 What Jesus is calling us

00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.840
 to here is radically

00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:04.440
 significant.

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.360
 He says the only way

00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:05.840
 you're going to find

00:23:05.840 --> 00:23:07.200
 the rest that you long for

00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:08.500
 is to actually die

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.000
 to yourself

00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:09.740
 and to come to Him,

00:23:09.820 --> 00:23:10.900
 to surrender yourself

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:12.559
 to His yoke,

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:13.360
 to His experience.

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.539
 If you really want

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:16.019
 to find the life-transforming

00:23:16.019 --> 00:23:17.140
 grace that He promises,

00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.740
 Jesus doesn't say

00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:19.660
 come and drop coins

00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:20.300
 in the offering

00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:21.360
 or go on a homely

00:23:21.360 --> 00:23:22.580
 pilgrimage to Israel

00:23:22.580 --> 00:23:24.100
 or join a siege.

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.259
 He says you've got

00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:26.280
 to abandon yourself

00:23:26.280 --> 00:23:27.300
 to those things

00:23:27.300 --> 00:23:27.900
 that you've yoked

00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:28.340
 yourself to

00:23:28.340 --> 00:23:28.680
 and you've got

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:29.280
 to come to Me.

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:31.420
 Why should we trust Him?

00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:33.300
 Why should we do that?

00:23:34.820 --> 00:23:35.720
 Well, as we come to close,

00:23:35.780 --> 00:23:36.220
 I want to give us

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:37.620
 three simple reasons.

00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:38.820
 Three reasons

00:23:38.820 --> 00:23:39.840
 why you can trust Jesus.

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:42.100
 The first is this,

00:23:42.099 --> 00:23:44.619
 because He knows you

00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:45.179
 the best.

00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:47.379
 Look at what He says here

00:23:47.379 --> 00:23:49.959
 in verse 27.

00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.179
 Jesus says,

00:23:52.439 --> 00:23:53.199
 All things have been

00:23:53.199 --> 00:23:54.339
 handed over to Me

00:23:54.339 --> 00:23:55.339
 by My Father.

00:23:55.439 --> 00:23:56.059
 Another way of saying

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.740
 that is all authority

00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:59.519
 in all the world

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:00.359
 belongs to Me.

00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:02.199
 And Jesus says,

00:24:02.659 --> 00:24:04.119
 Nobody knows the Father

00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:05.039
 like Me

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.259
 and nobody knows Me

00:24:06.259 --> 00:24:06.919
 like the Father.

00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:07.899
 What's Jesus saying there?

00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:09.240
 Jesus is saying

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.240
 that I have existed

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.719
 from eternity past

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:13.360
 to eternity in the future.

00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.839
 I know you better

00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:15.200
 than yourself.

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:16.940
 I know everything about you.

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.460
 If there's one person

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.079
 you can trust,

00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:19.980
 you can trust Me.

00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:21.779
 Friends,

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:22.400
 have you ever bought

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:23.660
 a new gadget

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:24.620
 or appliance?

00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:25.860
 What does it always

00:24:25.860 --> 00:24:26.299
 come with?

00:24:26.339 --> 00:24:27.440
 It comes with instructions,

00:24:27.620 --> 00:24:27.799
 right?

00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:28.539
 And there's always

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.660
 a little line that says,

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:31.279
 For best results,

00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:33.079
 follow the maker's instructions.

00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:34.259
 Is that right?

00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:35.799
 Okay.

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:37.299
 Maybe not your appliances.

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.940
 And what is the problem

00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:41.039
 with most guys?

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.960
 We throw the instructions away

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:43.180
 and say,

00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.539
 I know how this thing works.

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.279
 And our wives

00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:47.599
 are always looking

00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:48.299
 off the instructions

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.200
 and helping us

00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:50.000
 when we get it wrong,

00:24:50.059 --> 00:24:50.279
 right?

00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:51.940
 How many have ever

00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:52.500
 tried to build

00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:53.940
 an Ikea cabinet

00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:54.500
 or cupboard

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.519
 and you say,

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:56.359
 There it is, love.

00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:57.259
 It looks great.

00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:00.000
 And she opens the door

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.440
 and you realize

00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:01.099
 you put the door

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:01.680
 in the wrong way

00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.420
 or something like that,

00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:02.619
 right?

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.920
 For best results,

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:05.319
 follow the maker's instructions.

00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.639
 Jesus is saying here,

00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:08.920
 I am the maker.

00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:10.180
 I'm the one who made you.

00:25:10.280 --> 00:25:11.400
 I know you the best.

00:25:12.100 --> 00:25:12.980
 If you really want

00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:13.700
 to find life,

00:25:13.780 --> 00:25:14.640
 you've got to come to me.

00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:16.360
 I don't know

00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:17.940
 if you've ever been

00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:18.400
 in a situation

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:19.500
 where you've heard kids,

00:25:19.600 --> 00:25:20.180
 little kids,

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.200
 having a conversation.

00:25:21.800 --> 00:25:22.560
 It's very funny,

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.000
 right?

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:25.279
 And sometimes you'll hear

00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:25.900
 a kid, let's say,

00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:26.640
 four years old

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.700
 and one kid will say,

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.480
 My dad's car

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:31.339
 can drive

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:33.680
 the speed of light.

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.400
 And another kid says,

00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:36.680
 My dad's car

00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:37.759
 can drive

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:38.779
 as fast as lightning.

00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:40.500
 And this kid will say,

00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:42.140
 My dad's car

00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:43.700
 can fly to America.

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.400
 And the next kid will say,

00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:47.160
 Well, my dad's car

00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:48.799
 can fly to the moon,

00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:49.140
 right?

00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:49.920
 And they're kind of like

00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:51.339
 all these exaggerated things.

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:52.579
 And some of them

00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:53.399
 even believe it.

00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:54.639
 I remember when I was a kid,

00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.279
 I had a friend

00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:56.159
 in kindergarten

00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:57.659
 that pointed to a car

00:25:57.659 --> 00:25:57.879
 and said,

00:25:57.939 --> 00:25:58.619
 You see that car?

00:25:58.699 --> 00:25:59.959
 It's called a ninja car.

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:01.199
 It can fly.

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:03.039
 And I totally believed him.

00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:07.279
 Friends,

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:08.399
 every system of the world

00:26:08.399 --> 00:26:09.839
 is making radical claims

00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:10.220
 like that.

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:11.220
 You want true rest?

00:26:11.379 --> 00:26:12.299
 Buy that holiday home.

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:13.879
 You want true rest?

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.059
 Put your kids

00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:16.119
 in this university.

00:26:16.259 --> 00:26:17.079
 You want true rest?

00:26:17.199 --> 00:26:18.319
 Invest in this vehicle.

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.720
 You want true rest?

00:26:19.899 --> 00:26:21.000
 The rest that your heart

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.680
 is longing for?

00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:22.859
 Buy this gadget.

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:23.980
 Friends,

00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:24.839
 all of it is like

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:25.559
 kids in the dark.

00:26:25.619 --> 00:26:25.920
 They don't know

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.640
 what they're talking about.

00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:27.640
 But Jesus comes along

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:27.900
 and he says,

00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:28.920
 I know you the best

00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:29.980
 and I love you the most.

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:31.660
 And I was there at creation

00:26:31.660 --> 00:26:33.000
 and I know what's good for you.

00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:33.759
 You can trust me.

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.619
 Remember what Augustine said?

00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.839
 Our hearts were made for you

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:39.380
 and will always be restless

00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:40.920
 until they find their rest in you.

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.180
 Friends,

00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.119
 how can you trust him?

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:44.859
 Jesus is not just one

00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:45.960
 of a plethora of kids

00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:46.480
 in the car

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.779
 making these radical,

00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:48.599
 ridiculous claims.

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.579
 Jesus is the one

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.480
 who knows you the best

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.500
 and he knows what your heart

00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:52.519
 is made to function on.

00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:54.519
 Here's another reason

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.240
 why I can trust him.

00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:56.960
 Because of the cross.

00:26:58.759 --> 00:26:59.660
 Jesus comes to us

00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:00.059
 and he says,

00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:01.680
 take my yoke upon you

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:02.579
 and you'll find rest

00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:03.240
 for your souls.

00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:05.440
 And sometimes that can feel

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.740
 like we're dying inside.

00:27:07.860 --> 00:27:08.240
 But friends,

00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:09.620
 Jesus doesn't ask us

00:27:09.620 --> 00:27:11.180
 to die ultimately.

00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:12.339
 He asks us to die

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:12.920
 to ourselves

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.779
 because he says,

00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:14.559
 in that place

00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:15.660
 you'll find true life.

00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:16.960
 How do we know

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:17.480
 that he's true?

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.599
 Because Jesus

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:19.880
 really did die for us.

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.480
 Jesus didn't just

00:27:21.480 --> 00:27:22.440
 put on his shoulders

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:23.240
 a yoke,

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:24.380
 a work instrument.

00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:25.579
 Jesus put on his shoulders

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.720
 an instrument of death.

00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:28.519
 The yoke that oxen

00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:29.279
 put on his shoulders

00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:30.519
 is an instrument of work.

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.579
 Jesus put on himself

00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.380
 the instrument of death.

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:33.200
 He put on himself

00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:34.599
 the rugged cross.

00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:35.519
 And he said,

00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:36.559
 I'll go to the cross.

00:27:36.660 --> 00:27:37.940
 I'll die for you

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:39.420
 so that when I say

00:27:39.420 --> 00:27:40.920
 you come and follow me,

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.420
 it might feel like death

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:42.960
 but actually

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.839
 it's the way to life.

00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:45.539
 Jesus died,

00:27:45.679 --> 00:27:45.899
 friends,

00:27:45.939 --> 00:27:46.859
 that we can experience

00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.519
 true life.

00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:49.279
 Martin O'Jones

00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.359
 used to say it like this.

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:51.339
 He said,

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:52.579
 you'll never experience

00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:53.899
 peace of God

00:27:53.899 --> 00:27:55.379
 until you're at peace

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:56.099
 with God.

00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:58.220
 You'll never experience

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:58.720
 the peace,

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.299
 the rest that God

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:01.399
 promises you

00:28:01.399 --> 00:28:02.359
 until you've come

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:03.259
 to peace with God.

00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:03.699
 In other words,

00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.859
 until you die to yourself

00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:05.659
 and you experience

00:28:05.659 --> 00:28:06.379
 the life that Jesus

00:28:06.379 --> 00:28:06.959
 wants for you.

00:28:07.679 --> 00:28:08.980
 But here's the final thing.

00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:10.299
 And this is

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.519
 a couple of minutes.

00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.919
 Why should we trust Jesus?

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.400
 Jesus

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.740
 because of who he is.

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.660
 Look at what he says here

00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:17.720
 in verse,

00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:19.460
 actually I'll read

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:19.920
 the whole thing.

00:28:20.080 --> 00:28:20.700
 Jesus says,

00:28:21.300 --> 00:28:21.779
 come to me

00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.640
 you who are weary

00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:23.420
 and heavy laden,

00:28:23.820 --> 00:28:24.920
 I will give you rest.

00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:27.460
 Take my yoke upon you

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:28.360
 and learn from me

00:28:28.360 --> 00:28:29.480
 and then he has to keep it.

00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:31.600
 For I am gentle

00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:33.380
 and lowly in heart

00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:35.220
 and you will find rest

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:35.960
 for your souls.

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:38.900
 Many Bible commentators

00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:39.420
 have noted

00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:40.800
 that this is the only verse

00:28:40.800 --> 00:28:41.259
 in the Bible

00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:42.960
 where Jesus tells us

00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:44.599
 what his heart is like.

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.420
 Only verse in the Bible

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:47.660
 where Jesus reveals

00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:48.700
 his own heart.

00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:49.279
 He says,

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.619
 this is what my heart is like.

00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:52.319
 Dane Autlan says

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:53.759
 that the one place

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.160
 in scripture

00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:55.160
 where the Son of God

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:56.900
 peels back the veil

00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:59.019
 and lets us peer down

00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:00.259
 into the deepest recesses

00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.500
 of his heart,

00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:02.940
 what we find

00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:03.680
 is that Jesus

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:05.480
 is not austere

00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:06.879
 and severe in heart.

00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:08.920
 Jesus is not high

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:10.380
 and dignified in heart.

00:29:11.020 --> 00:29:12.060
 The one place

00:29:12.060 --> 00:29:12.560
 where Jesus

00:29:12.560 --> 00:29:13.840
 peers back the veil

00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:14.900
 and invites us

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.780
 to peer into

00:29:15.780 --> 00:29:16.560
 his very heart,

00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:17.760
 the depths of his heart,

00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:19.060
 what we discover

00:29:19.060 --> 00:29:20.440
 is that Jesus

00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:21.440
 is gentle

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:23.060
 and lowly

00:29:23.060 --> 00:29:24.300
 in heart.

00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:26.500
 The word gentle

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.700
 means meek

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:29.000
 and meekness

00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:31.400
 means constrained strength.

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.540
 Strength

00:29:32.540 --> 00:29:33.740
 that has been constrained

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.960
 that you experience

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.620
 gentleness.

00:29:36.600 --> 00:29:37.360
 When Jesus says

00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:38.140
 he is lowly,

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:38.840
 lowly means

00:29:38.840 --> 00:29:40.360
 of humble origins,

00:29:40.579 --> 00:29:41.120
 of humble,

00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:42.980
 of low social status.

00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:44.880
 What Jesus is saying here

00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:46.480
 is that there is nobody

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.920
 who is not good enough,

00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:50.519
 not rich enough,

00:29:50.860 --> 00:29:52.079
 not strong enough,

00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:53.440
 not educated enough,

00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.680
 not religious enough

00:29:54.680 --> 00:29:55.740
 to come to me.

00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:57.079
 Jesus says,

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:59.600
 I'm not one step

00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:00.700
 above anybody else.

00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:02.299
 I have so lowed myself,

00:30:02.420 --> 00:30:03.420
 so humbled myself,

00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.259
 so taken on

00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:05.160
 the nature of a servant

00:30:05.160 --> 00:30:06.379
 that anybody,

00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:07.599
 no matter what your status,

00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.859
 your bank account,

00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:09.740
 your ethnicity,

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:11.240
 no matter what anybody

00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:12.539
 in culture or society

00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:13.420
 says about you,

00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:15.279
 you can come to me

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:16.480
 and I will not reject you.

00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.079
 You come to me

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:18.599
 with your sin,

00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:20.259
 I won't reject you.

00:30:20.940 --> 00:30:21.720
 You come to me

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.680
 broken and weary,

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.279
 I'm here for you.

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.500
 You come to me

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:26.879
 exhausted and worn out,

00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:28.519
 I'm here for you.

00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:29.859
 I'm lowly

00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:31.420
 and gentle in heart.

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.039
 Now friends,

00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:33.319
 of course,

00:30:33.379 --> 00:30:33.899
 that doesn't mean

00:30:33.899 --> 00:30:34.920
 that Jesus is weak.

00:30:35.879 --> 00:30:36.680
 Look at what he says

00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:37.460
 in verse 27.

00:30:38.059 --> 00:30:38.839
 All authority

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.960
 has been given to me.

00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.720
 Jesus Christ,

00:30:42.819 --> 00:30:43.559
 the Son of God,

00:30:43.659 --> 00:30:44.279
 the one who is

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.759
 seated on the right hand

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.740
 to God the Father

00:30:46.740 --> 00:30:48.259
 in the glory of heaven,

00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:49.519
 clothed with glory,

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.779
 the one who Revelation

00:30:50.779 --> 00:30:51.819
 says his eyes

00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:52.740
 are like fire,

00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:54.139
 they pierce to our hearts.

00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:55.359
 Revelation says

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:56.079
 out of his sword

00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:56.799
 comes a mouth,

00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:58.420
 his word cuts to our hearts.

00:30:59.019 --> 00:30:59.639
 Revelation says

00:30:59.639 --> 00:31:00.980
 that Jesus is the captain

00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:02.339
 of the armies of heaven

00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:03.039
 and one day

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:03.779
 he will come

00:31:03.779 --> 00:31:05.160
 and he will vanquish

00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:06.420
 and destroy his enemies.

00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.640
 Psalm 18 says this,

00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:09.539
 to the merciful

00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:10.500
 you are merciful,

00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:12.099
 but to the crooked

00:31:12.099 --> 00:31:13.599
 you seem torturous.

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:16.000
 Jesus is not weak

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:16.860
 by any stretch

00:31:16.860 --> 00:31:17.680
 of the imagination.

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.880
 As tender

00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:19.759
 as his mercy

00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.519
 is towards those

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.299
 who come to him,

00:31:21.620 --> 00:31:22.500
 so severe

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.380
 will his judgment

00:31:23.380 --> 00:31:24.099
 be to those

00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:24.880
 who reject him.

00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:27.540
 So when Jesus says

00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:28.680
 I am gentle

00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:29.240
 and lowly,

00:31:29.320 --> 00:31:29.980
 he doesn't mean

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:30.960
 weak and frothy

00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:33.600
 or light and weak.

00:31:34.760 --> 00:31:35.660
 But for those

00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:36.400
 who come to him,

00:31:37.020 --> 00:31:38.080
 to those who do not

00:31:38.080 --> 00:31:38.740
 refuse him,

00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.540
 to those who yield

00:31:40.540 --> 00:31:41.380
 to him and surrender

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:41.880
 to him,

00:31:42.560 --> 00:31:42.860
 friends,

00:31:42.920 --> 00:31:43.360
 we will find

00:31:43.360 --> 00:31:44.820
 that even our worst sins,

00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:47.000
 even our greatest failings,

00:31:47.760 --> 00:31:48.540
 even our moment

00:31:48.540 --> 00:31:49.800
 of greatest insecurity,

00:31:50.600 --> 00:31:51.600
 even our supreme

00:31:51.600 --> 00:31:52.500
 weakness

00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:53.579
 and doubts

00:31:53.579 --> 00:31:54.319
 and anxiety

00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:56.400
 will never drain

00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:57.180
 or deplete

00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:58.099
 or limit

00:31:58.099 --> 00:31:58.980
 or exhaust

00:31:58.980 --> 00:32:00.359
 his tenderness,

00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:01.720
 his gentleness,

00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:03.160
 his mercy

00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:03.960
 and his rest

00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:05.180
 for those

00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:06.599
 who come to him.

00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:09.420
 Friends,

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.359
 when you think of Jesus,

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.279
 what comes to mind?

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:13.759
 Dane Orton

00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:14.559
 says it like this,

00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:16.099
 Jesus is not trigger happy.

00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:18.099
 He's not harsh

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:19.039
 and reactionary.

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.599
 He's not easily

00:32:20.599 --> 00:32:21.420
 exasperated.

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:22.160
 I was thinking about it

00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.480
 this way,

00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:23.079
 this week.

00:32:23.859 --> 00:32:24.880
 Can I make a confession?

00:32:25.140 --> 00:32:26.059
 I get easily

00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.940
 exasperated.

00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:29.319
 Jesus does not

00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:29.859
 get easily

00:32:29.859 --> 00:32:30.599
 exasperated.

00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:32.740
 The posture

00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:33.480
 most natural

00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:34.059
 to Jesus

00:32:34.059 --> 00:32:35.819
 is not a pointed finger

00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:36.940
 pointing out

00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:37.559
 your faults,

00:32:38.099 --> 00:32:39.200
 but open arms

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:39.880
 saying,

00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:40.579
 come to me.

00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:44.000
 Gentleness

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:44.940
 is not one way

00:32:44.940 --> 00:32:45.980
 Jesus occasionally

00:32:45.980 --> 00:32:47.259
 acts towards people,

00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:48.599
 towards those

00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.579
 that have got it together.

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:50.880
 Gentleness

00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:51.779
 is who he is.

00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:53.879
 It is his very heart.

00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:55.379
 Friends,

00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:56.619
 when we come to Jesus

00:32:56.619 --> 00:32:57.359
 exhausted

00:32:57.359 --> 00:32:58.519
 and worn out,

00:32:59.299 --> 00:33:00.180
 weary and anxious,

00:33:00.379 --> 00:33:01.359
 Jesus doesn't hold

00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:02.299
 his nose at us.

00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:04.039
 Jesus doesn't say,

00:33:04.259 --> 00:33:05.639
 let me put on the latex gloves

00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:06.680
 and I'll deal with you.

00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:09.539
 Jesus doesn't sanitize his hands

00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:11.680
 or ask us to sanitize our hands.

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:13.279
 Jesus comes

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:14.420
 with the most

00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:16.140
 welcoming of open braces

00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:16.500
 and says,

00:33:16.620 --> 00:33:17.220
 come to me,

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.860
 you who are weary

00:33:18.860 --> 00:33:19.820
 and heavy laden

00:33:19.820 --> 00:33:21.940
 and I will give you rest.

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.140
 Friends,

00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.180
 can you take him up on it?

00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:26.120
 Let me ask you finally,

00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:27.320
 how heavy is the junk

00:33:27.320 --> 00:33:27.960
 that you're carrying

00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:28.480
 on your back?

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.039
 Seriously,

00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:31.360
 the things that we look to

00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:31.740
 and trust

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.360
 and how heavy

00:33:32.360 --> 00:33:32.980
 are those things?

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.420
 Have any of those things

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.220
 given us rest?

00:33:36.100 --> 00:33:36.420
 Friends,

00:33:36.460 --> 00:33:37.360
 have sexual relations

00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:38.259
 given us rest?

00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:39.560
 Friends,

00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:40.940
 have all sorts of relationships

00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:42.139
 that kill a boyfriend,

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.879
 that kill a girlfriend.

00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:43.480
 Have those things

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.700
 really given our heart rest?

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.720
 What about the things

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.299
 that we buy?

00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:49.059
 That holiday home,

00:33:49.159 --> 00:33:50.480
 that home entertainment system,

00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:51.200
 that new watch.

00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:51.720
 Have those things

00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:52.819
 really given us rest?

00:33:53.859 --> 00:33:54.059
 Friends,

00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:54.500
 what about that

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:55.419
 first class honors?

00:33:55.859 --> 00:33:57.119
 That straight A grade?

00:33:57.659 --> 00:33:58.059
 100%.

00:33:58.059 --> 00:33:58.639
 Have those things

00:33:58.639 --> 00:33:59.559
 given your heart rest?

00:34:00.679 --> 00:34:00.960
 Friends,

00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:01.799
 Jesus Christ,

00:34:01.919 --> 00:34:03.079
 the sovereign God

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:04.559
 of all creation,

00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:06.720
 he makes a radical claim.

00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:09.139
 He asks you to come

00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:09.859
 and take his burden.

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:10.699
 Following Jesus

00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:11.480
 is the hardest thing

00:34:11.480 --> 00:34:12.099
 you'll ever do.

00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:13.779
 There's a yoke to embrace.

00:34:14.759 --> 00:34:15.539
 You must submit

00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:16.159
 to his authority.

00:34:16.319 --> 00:34:16.920
 You must surrender

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:17.579
 to his ways.

00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:19.219
 But I'll tell you this,

00:34:19.799 --> 00:34:20.440
 it works.

00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:21.839
 Jesus gives you rest

00:34:21.839 --> 00:34:23.159
 that nothing in this world

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:23.699
 will give you.

00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:25.359
 He brings rest

00:34:25.359 --> 00:34:26.379
 to every human being.

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.099
 The rest that only comes

00:34:28.099 --> 00:34:29.299
 by being in right relationship

00:34:29.299 --> 00:34:30.599
 with him.

00:34:31.239 --> 00:34:32.159
 Let's pray together.

00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:36.219
 Oh, sovereign Lord,

00:34:36.339 --> 00:34:37.400
 wonderful maker,

00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:39.400
 magnificent God,

00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:42.820
 gentle and lowly king.

00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:44.720
 God, we come to you

00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:45.240
 this morning

00:34:45.240 --> 00:34:46.480
 because we know

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:47.480
 that in you

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.980
 our hearts truly find rest.

00:34:49.539 --> 00:34:50.320
 We come to you

00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:50.680
 this morning

00:34:50.680 --> 00:34:51.980
 because as we sang earlier,

00:34:52.220 --> 00:34:53.619
 God, we need you.

00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:55.539
 Every hour,

00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:56.740
 we need you.

00:34:59.079 --> 00:34:59.639
 Father God,

00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:00.639
 so many of us

00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:00.920
 have,

00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:03.300
 like Augustine,

00:35:03.300 --> 00:35:05.720
 God looked in a thousand places

00:35:05.720 --> 00:35:07.860
 to all the lovely things

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.539
 that you've created

00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:09.320
 for the rest

00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:10.900
 that can only be found in you.

00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:11.320
 And God,

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:12.400
 our souls are

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.980
 exhausted.

00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:15.300
 Our souls are depleted.

00:35:18.100 --> 00:35:18.480
 Jesus,

00:35:18.580 --> 00:35:19.140
 we come to you

00:35:19.140 --> 00:35:19.620
 this morning.

00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:22.740
 Come and give us your rest,

00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:23.200
 we pray.

00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:24.940
 Father God,

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.840
 as we come to you

00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:26.300
 in confession

00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:27.760
 and repentance,

00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:28.620
 as we come to you

00:35:28.620 --> 00:35:29.080
 in faith,

00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:30.840
 won't you match

00:35:30.840 --> 00:35:32.000
 our simple faith

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:33.460
 with your magnificent

00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:36.039
 bounding leaps of grace.

00:35:40.180 --> 00:35:41.180
 Come and have your way,

00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:41.720
 we pray.

00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:44.640
 Amen.