WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.899 All right. 00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:07.640 We are going to look at Jesus today. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:13.980 I think that's something that we should be doing every week, every Sunday, certainly in church. 00:00:14.120 --> 00:00:17.359 But as the people of God, we should be doing that all the time. 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:23.359 So what I want to talk to you about today is the idea of coming back to Jesus. 00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:27.920 I think the further away we get from Jesus and who he's about, 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:34.740 who he was about, who he still is about today, what he did, what he said, how he lived. 00:00:36.660 --> 00:00:41.800 That's the safest place for us to be as his disciples, his followers. 00:00:41.800 --> 00:00:47.380 If we truly want to call ourselves Christians, then that means we have to be like Christ. 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:49.840 Otherwise, we're not very Christian. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:57.680 So let's look back at the person of Jesus and see what is it exactly that Jesus would have us to be like 00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.659 if we're going to call ourselves Christian. 00:00:59.780 --> 00:01:00.439 Let me ask you this. 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:05.840 How many of you have been on a hike where you packed way too much? 00:01:06.819 --> 00:01:07.140 Anybody? 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.840 I see some hands sort of tentatively raised like, yeah, that was me. 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:12.799 I'm notorious for that. 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:21.140 I have all kinds of grand ideas in my mind about how the hike is going to go and how we're going to find some peaceful meadow by a waterfall. 00:01:21.379 --> 00:01:27.560 And we're going to spread out a picnic and enjoy ourselves and maybe take a nap and, you know, all these wonderful things. 00:01:27.659 --> 00:01:30.939 In reality, hikes are often exhausting. 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:36.879 And the best you could do is just kind of sit on a rock somewhere and eat a granola bar or something. 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:45.479 So sometimes I've been known to overpack, and it's a lot of regret about halfway through the hike. 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:48.939 At the beginning, it's fine, right? 00:01:49.140 --> 00:01:50.579 The backpack is fine. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:53.280 At mile 5, the straps start to dig in. 00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:57.899 At mile 10, you're not really enjoying or appreciating the scenery anymore. 00:01:58.060 --> 00:02:01.959 You're just trying to get through this mission that you gave yourself. 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.359 So it's fun. 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:05.319 I enjoyed hiking. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:10.799 Now, we don't do quite as much hiking here as we did when we lived in Reno, Nevada. 00:02:11.019 --> 00:02:12.900 Do you know what's near Reno, Nevada? 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:14.459 Anybody? 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:16.359 Lake Tahoe. 00:02:16.459 --> 00:02:16.840 There we go. 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:17.500 Thank you, Bill. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:23.859 Lake Tahoe, one of the most beautiful places in America, North America, I think, is right near Lake Tahoe. 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:26.340 And we would do a lot of hiking up in that area. 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:27.159 It was a lot of fun. 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:32.979 And that's where I had some of my regret happen when I would pack too much. 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:39.539 But listen, the truth is we have a lot of things that we carry with us that we don't always need. 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:44.180 Now, I'm not going to say that women are necessarily worse than this than men. 00:02:44.539 --> 00:02:52.419 But now that I put that thought in your mind, when you're packing for vacation or you're packing for a trip, 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:55.159 who is it in your house that overpacks? 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:58.719 Why did I hear mom? 00:02:59.859 --> 00:03:04.099 Look, I'm not dividing between the genders there and saying one. 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:05.659 I'll just let y'all do that if you want. 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:07.599 Anyway, but it's true. 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:13.539 I think most of us have had some kind of experience where you overpacked or you brought more than you needed. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:15.939 And sometimes it's fine. 00:03:16.300 --> 00:03:18.659 If you're driving, it's probably not as big a deal. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:23.579 But if you overpack at the airport, that tends to be a problem when you're trying to check your bags, right? 00:03:23.580 --> 00:03:29.060 How many of you have had to open up your suitcases and take things out, transfer? 00:03:29.380 --> 00:03:30.600 Yeah, that's no fun. 00:03:30.700 --> 00:03:31.660 And it's always embarrassing. 00:03:31.880 --> 00:03:34.400 It's like, don't look at what I packed and how I packed it. 00:03:37.640 --> 00:03:39.360 We tend to do this in life. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:42.620 We carry too much weight with us. 00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:47.800 Everywhere we go, we carry too many burdens. 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:50.300 We packed our backpack too heavy. 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:55.960 We put too much in the suitcase that we're trying to drag through life with us. 00:03:55.960 --> 00:04:02.640 I want to remind you back on Easter Sunday, we looked at the resurrection. 00:04:02.980 --> 00:04:08.580 We also looked back at another signature event in the life of Jesus here on earth, and that was the transfiguration. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:13.180 It's when Jesus and Peter and James and John went up to Mount Tabor. 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:19.540 And on the mountain, God shined his holy light around Jesus. 00:04:19.540 --> 00:04:22.840 And he appeared there with Moses and Elijah. 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:25.260 And this incredible moment happened. 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:28.400 We heard the Father's command, God the Father. 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:32.760 His voice came out of heaven, and it said, this is my beloved Son. 00:04:33.260 --> 00:04:34.780 Listen to him. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:36.180 That was in Matthew chapter 17. 00:04:36.180 --> 00:04:53.220 If the Father himself points us to Jesus above all other voices, even biblical voices, even Moses and Elijah, even men that he used mightily to point us forward to God, 00:04:54.379 --> 00:04:56.060 then God himself came. 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:59.560 And God said, listen to him. 00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:06.040 If the Father points us to the Son, it's because the Son is where life is. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.560 The Son is where relief is. 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:10.960 And we're going to follow that commandment from the Father today. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:16.620 We're going to stop striving with all these weights that we're carrying and lugging around. 00:05:17.280 --> 00:05:27.540 We're going to simply listen to what the Son of God, Jesus himself, has to say to those of us who might find ourselves a little tired, if not flat out exhausted. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:30.879 So number one, we have the divine invitation. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:37.219 Let's go in your Bibles, if you would, to Matthew chapter 11. 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:42.680 Matthew chapter 11. 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:48.759 In 2025, we preached in Matthew more than any other part of the scriptures. 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:53.319 We're going to stay there for this Sunday. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:54.399 Matthew chapter 11. 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:57.560 And we're going to look down at verse 28. 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:08.899 Jesus is praying and he said, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things. 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:10.500 What things is he talking about? 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:15.500 Anybody know? 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:17.199 Yes. 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:19.740 His burdens. 00:06:20.139 --> 00:06:20.740 It's a good guess. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:22.259 That was an in-context guess. 00:06:22.300 --> 00:06:22.740 That was good. 00:06:22.740 --> 00:06:23.860 It's not the right answer. 00:06:23.939 --> 00:06:24.560 But that's okay. 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:25.960 That was a good guess, man. 00:06:26.980 --> 00:06:31.139 But it was interesting because in Matthew chapter 11, Jesus had been talking. 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:35.000 Jesus and John the Baptist had this interaction. 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:37.259 And then his disciples. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:41.280 And then he goes down and he starts talking about Moses. 00:06:41.280 --> 00:06:44.560 And he starts talking about judgment for unbelievers. 00:06:44.980 --> 00:06:49.840 And he's denouncing these places where he had done all these miracles. 00:06:49.840 --> 00:06:51.819 And they hadn't repented and turned to God. 00:06:51.819 --> 00:06:55.819 And he says, God, I thank you that you've hidden these things. 00:06:56.180 --> 00:06:58.879 The things he's talking about are the spiritual things of God. 00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:01.680 The truth about him. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:02.800 About who he was. 00:07:03.019 --> 00:07:04.219 The truth about God. 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:10.019 The truth about rejecting man-made religion and embracing this new kind of religion that Jesus was offering. 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:13.779 He said, you've hidden these things from those who think themselves wise and clever. 00:07:14.459 --> 00:07:16.740 And you've revealed them to those who are childlike. 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:19.060 Yes, Father, it's pleased you to do it this way. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.060 He says, my Father has entrusted everything to me. 00:07:21.060 --> 00:07:23.620 No one truly knows the Father except the Son. 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:25.660 No one truly knows the Son except the Father. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:31.699 And those who know the Father are the ones to whom the Son has chosen to reveal him. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:34.019 Then Jesus says in verse 28. 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:34.340 You ready? 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.439 Come to me, all of you who are weary. 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:39.779 All of you who carry heavy burdens. 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.040 And I will give you, what's that word? 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:44.399 Rest. 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:45.100 Let's say it together. 00:07:45.259 --> 00:07:47.120 I will give you rest. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:47.360 Rest. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.740 How many of y'all, a rest feels nice right now? 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:52.899 You could go for a nice rest. 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:53.340 Yeah. 00:07:54.340 --> 00:07:56.579 Just, you can rest while I'm preaching. 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:58.540 Just maybe try not to fall asleep. 00:07:59.019 --> 00:08:00.860 I'll do the best to do my part in that. 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.019 But y'all play along if you would. 00:08:03.019 --> 00:08:04.859 So I will give you rest. 00:08:05.419 --> 00:08:06.120 So I love that. 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:07.259 That's a great promise. 00:08:07.620 --> 00:08:08.680 How do we get it? 00:08:09.459 --> 00:08:10.759 Well, we got to take his burden. 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:13.639 The next verse sheds more light on it. 00:08:14.039 --> 00:08:16.000 Take my, what's that word? 00:08:16.659 --> 00:08:18.180 Yoke upon you. 00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:20.159 And let me teach you. 00:08:20.779 --> 00:08:21.779 Because I'm humble. 00:08:21.939 --> 00:08:22.599 I'm gentle. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.159 Your Bible might say, gentle and lowly in heart. 00:08:27.539 --> 00:08:28.019 Humble. 00:08:28.019 --> 00:08:31.319 You will find, what's that word again? 00:08:31.879 --> 00:08:33.939 Rest for your souls. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:41.039 There's nothing you want more when you're lugging heavy burdens around than rest. 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:49.399 And then he finishes it in verse 30 by saying, for my yoke is easy to bear. 00:08:49.740 --> 00:08:53.240 And the burden I give you is light. 00:08:53.240 --> 00:09:01.200 We often think of religion as a set of directions, instructions. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:02.720 Go here. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:03.840 Do this. 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:05.620 Fix that about yourself. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:11.539 But Jesus' primary way of communicating was not through directions and instructions. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:13.639 It was through this invitation. 00:09:14.259 --> 00:09:17.720 And he wasn't inviting people into a system. 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:24.019 He was inviting them to himself, to a person, to a meaningful relationship. 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:27.360 So the divine invitation that we're talking about is come. 00:09:28.180 --> 00:09:29.200 It's the word come. 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:31.060 Come to me. 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:33.000 That's how he started it there in verse 28. 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:34.720 He said, come to me. 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:38.360 That has always been God's invitation to mankind. 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:44.820 Back with his chosen people, the Israelite people, who were kind of the sample of what was going to come. 00:09:44.820 --> 00:09:53.060 The illustration of when he was going to eventually open it up to all people to be part of his people, part of his children. 00:09:53.420 --> 00:09:55.340 But initially it was this Israelite people. 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:57.879 But his invitation to all of them was to come. 00:09:58.280 --> 00:10:09.060 What was fascinating was even back then, he would also invite Gentiles to come and share that faith of the Hebrew people in their one true God. 00:10:09.059 --> 00:10:15.259 The reality is Jesus doesn't say, come to my lectures. 00:10:17.659 --> 00:10:20.659 He says, come to me. 00:10:21.359 --> 00:10:25.139 He doesn't even say in this situation, come to my temple. 00:10:26.099 --> 00:10:27.539 He says, come to me. 00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:31.299 I think you should go to church. 00:10:31.299 --> 00:10:43.659 But if you haven't been with Jesus first, if you don't encounter him at church, it's not going to do you any good. 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:55.879 There were lots of people who went to the temple religiously, faithfully, but they could not ever find faith in Jesus. 00:10:55.879 --> 00:11:00.600 And I'm afraid that's the way it is sometimes in the American church today. 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:09.679 You'll have people who show up to church week after week or when they can, but they don't encounter Jesus. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.039 His invitation is come to me. 00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:15.340 Then church will mean so much more to you. 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:16.919 You'll get so much more out of it. 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:28.679 You'll want to be with other people who are encountering Jesus and you can get together and talk about him and you can share your experiences that you've had with him and you can sharpen each other and encourage each other and uplift each other and help. 00:11:28.819 --> 00:11:29.199 Ready? 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:31.360 Bear each other's burdens. 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:34.979 Help carry each other's heavy weights that you're carrying through this life. 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:36.360 But we're jumping ahead a little bit. 00:11:37.099 --> 00:11:40.139 But Jesus' invitation is come to him first. 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:42.240 It has to start with him. 00:11:42.439 --> 00:11:44.379 And his invitation is warm. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:45.579 It's not cold. 00:11:45.580 --> 00:11:49.040 How many of you like warm people instead of cold people? 00:11:51.259 --> 00:11:52.500 You know what I'm talking about? 00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:54.200 I'm not even talking about body temperature. 00:11:54.520 --> 00:11:54.840 All right? 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:57.080 We don't need to get into it. 00:11:57.180 --> 00:12:01.960 But how many of you like warm personalities instead of cold personalities? 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:11.560 You'd rather be around somebody who's like nice and fun and enjoyable and, you know, gives off the vibe that they're happy that you're talking to them. 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:21.439 How many of you like to go into a store or a restaurant and have the employee there encounter you in a warm way rather than a cold way? 00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:25.799 Rather than a, why are you in this store taking up my time? 00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:27.639 I'm on the clock. 00:12:27.699 --> 00:12:28.459 Don't bother me. 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:29.879 It's like, wait a minute. 00:12:30.060 --> 00:12:31.100 Isn't that your job? 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:35.320 We do a whole lot better with warm people. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:44.440 And Jesus, the one consistent feature we see in his personality when he's dealing with whomever. 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:46.000 He was warm. 00:12:46.300 --> 00:12:47.180 He was engaging. 00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:49.819 He was approachable. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:52.279 He was personal. 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:55.459 That is who Jesus is. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:13:03.919 So if we want to be like him, we have to respond to his invitation and accept and embrace that warmth that he's showing us. 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:08.120 He's not waiting for us to meet his standards before we can approach him. 00:13:08.979 --> 00:13:10.679 He says, you just come to me. 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:13.299 I'll help you get to where you need to be. 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:15.179 I'll help you raise your game. 00:13:15.179 --> 00:13:17.500 I'll help you meet the standards. 00:13:18.699 --> 00:13:20.000 I'll help you get there. 00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:21.279 You just come to me. 00:13:21.739 --> 00:13:22.579 Just be with me. 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:24.000 That's all I really want. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:25.620 He's the starting line. 00:13:26.479 --> 00:13:27.759 He's not the finish line. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.519 He's going to help you get to the finish line. 00:13:30.599 --> 00:13:33.500 He's going to give you, take you every step of the way. 00:13:33.899 --> 00:13:35.379 He's there with you from the beginning. 00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:39.379 He's the sanctuary where we finally stop running. 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:43.740 If you've been around this church for a while, you know we called, what do we call this room right here? 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:44.180 The sanctuary. 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:45.180 The sanctuary. 00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:48.480 I made a mistake my first Sunday here and I called it the auditorium. 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:50.100 I said, no, this is not an auditorium. 00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:50.680 It's a sanctuary. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:55.060 And you know, I kind of like that because Jesus is a sanctuary. 00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:56.019 What's the difference? 00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:59.940 An auditorium is a large room where meetings are held, right? 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.080 A sanctuary is a safe place. 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:05.120 It's a holy place. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:13.320 It's a place where you go and you quiet your soul and you encounter Jesus there. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.240 That's what Jesus actually is to us. 00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:18.320 He's our sanctuary. 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:21.740 And he invites you to come to his sanctuary. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:23.159 The sanctuary of him. 00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:26.399 Then you'll encounter him wherever you go. 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:34.399 Whether you're in this sanctuary or whether you're at home or at work or encountering a difficult person out there in the world. 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:36.019 Whatever your situation will be. 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:40.079 You'll have the sanctuary of Jesus that you can always run to. 00:14:40.179 --> 00:14:45.959 So the invitation is not to a religious system, but to a two-way relationship. 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.540 That's what Jesus is inviting you to. 00:14:48.680 --> 00:14:52.440 When you read in Matthew 11, 28, come to me. 00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:55.720 He's inviting you into a two-way relationship. 00:14:56.200 --> 00:14:57.320 You come to me. 00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:58.620 I come to you. 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:00.200 We embrace. 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:03.100 And I'll be with you forever. 00:15:03.400 --> 00:15:05.440 Then number two is the great exchange. 00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.500 The great exchange. 00:15:08.180 --> 00:15:10.420 He talks about this in Matthew 11. 00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:14.120 He says, take my yoke upon you. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:15.940 He says, you carry heavy burdens. 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:17.500 I will give you rest. 00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:21.080 Give me your burdens and take my yoke upon you. 00:15:21.659 --> 00:15:25.620 Let me teach you because I'm humble and I'm gentle in heart. 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:29.159 Do you know what this word yoke is? 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.519 Do you know what this word burdens is? 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.340 It's the word in the Greek fortizo. 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:40.180 Fortizo. 00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:45.120 I took a couple semesters in Greek back when I was doing theological training. 00:15:45.339 --> 00:15:48.939 And I will never be one of the world's leading Greek scholars. 00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:49.739 I promise you that. 00:15:49.859 --> 00:15:52.419 But I got enough of a basic understanding of it. 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:57.159 And then they have wonderful resources on the internet to help refresh you when you've forgotten a lot of things. 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:00.399 But this word fortizo means load. 00:16:01.239 --> 00:16:03.019 Now, you ready for this? 00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:06.240 It's also found in another passage of scripture. 00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:09.019 Luke 11 and verse 46. 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:17.039 Jesus uses this word in Luke 11, 46 to rebuke the religious experts. 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:22.279 Pharisees, the Sadducees, the people who were holding the people captive religiously. 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:29.100 They were making them live up to all their laws and expectations that were even beyond what God had ever asked them to do. 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:35.259 And he says, woe to you, you experts in religious law. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:44.259 You crush people with unbearable religious demands and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:45.840 Anybody know anybody like that? 00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:51.259 Somebody puts all kinds of demands on somebody else and they never ever lift a finger to help them. 00:16:51.259 --> 00:16:54.120 Don't say the name. 00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:54.600 Okay. 00:16:54.659 --> 00:16:56.279 Especially if they're in this room right now. 00:16:56.740 --> 00:17:04.240 But look, this is often too far too often the case with religion. 00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:08.700 Religion has often presented itself this way to people. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:11.500 Well, that's not Jesus religion. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.720 That's man-made religion. 00:17:13.840 --> 00:17:18.559 It might call itself Jesus religion, but it's not because it's not who Jesus was. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:19.740 It's not what he did. 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.799 It's actually the opposite. 00:17:21.100 --> 00:17:22.259 It's what he taught against. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:26.220 So he says, you experts in religious law, you crush people. 00:17:26.620 --> 00:17:28.100 You know what Greek word he used there? 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:30.720 A form of fortizo. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:30.880 Fortizo. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:34.539 Unbearable religious demands. 00:17:35.120 --> 00:17:37.200 Too heavy for you to bear or to carry. 00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:38.920 You know what Greek word he used there? 00:17:39.120 --> 00:17:40.380 A form of fortizo. 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:47.360 And then even the word demands, religious demands, the demands and the expectations that you put on somebody else. 00:17:47.360 --> 00:17:49.460 That's another form of the word fortizo. 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:55.539 And you never lift a finger to ease the fortizo or the burden. 00:17:55.539 --> 00:18:01.819 Jesus knows you're carrying a heavy fortizo through this life. 00:18:02.659 --> 00:18:07.379 And he knows that it comes from all kinds of different places. 00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:10.519 It comes from expectations from your family. 00:18:11.139 --> 00:18:13.899 It comes from expectations you put on yourself. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:15.659 It's a load. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:16.779 It's a burden. 00:18:17.420 --> 00:18:18.259 It's a weight. 00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:21.279 This fortizo that you're carrying around. 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:27.920 God says, give me your fortizo and I'll give you mine. 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:31.799 Mine is way better. 00:18:32.859 --> 00:18:33.639 Trust me on this. 00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:34.639 And we're going to get there. 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:42.460 But back in Matthew 11, 28, he says, come to me all you who are heavy fortizo'd. 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.519 Heavy burdened. 00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:50.839 The contrast is a direct before and after. 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.980 The world will put heavy fortizo's on you. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:01.579 Teenagers in school, they'll put heavy expectations on you. 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:06.000 Your peers, your friends, other people will put heavy expectations on you. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:10.880 To talk a certain way, to dress a certain way, to act a certain way. 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:15.680 Your family will put heavy fortizo's on you. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:24.519 Sometimes religion, church, well-meaning people will put heavy demands on you. 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:40.639 But Jesus uses that same word to identify with you in your fatigue, your pain, and say, let's trade. 00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:43.039 You give me that load. 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:45.000 You give me that burden. 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:47.420 And I will give you mine. 00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:49.359 And that takes us to number three. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:51.279 And I should have put number three there, but I had number two. 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:52.220 It's number three, all right? 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:55.420 He says, this is what I want to exchange with you. 00:19:55.779 --> 00:20:01.339 You give me your heavy burden, and I will give you my easy yoke. 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:03.100 My easy yoke. 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:06.339 That same word, yoke, is that word fortizo. 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.720 But it was the form that they knew exactly what he was talking about. 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:11.339 They were talking about a yoke. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.160 Let's look at Acts 15, 10. 00:20:13.339 --> 00:20:14.420 We see that word again. 00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:24.279 The author of Acts goes, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the four gospel records that we have in the New Testament that reveal Jesus to us. 00:20:24.340 --> 00:20:25.740 They talk about his life and his story. 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:29.160 And then right after that, the very next book of the Bible is the book of Acts. 00:20:29.300 --> 00:20:33.160 And that gives the record of how this, the church, started. 00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:34.840 How it took off. 00:20:35.660 --> 00:20:39.759 How after Jesus died and was resurrected, raised back from the dead by God's power. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.660 That's why we all believe in him, okay? 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.559 By the way, in case you weren't aware, we don't just think he was a great person. 00:20:45.879 --> 00:20:54.500 We know and we see, according to historical record, that Jesus was killed on a cross and that he rose back to life by the power of God. 00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:56.779 And he really is who he says he is. 00:20:57.420 --> 00:21:00.339 And he was seen by thousands after his resurrection. 00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:03.799 This was the single greatest moment in human history. 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:17.639 And that's why you've still got these churches in Henrietta, in Clay County, in Texas, the United States, and all around this world celebrating and worshiping and praying to the same God. 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:19.659 The same Jesus. 00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:28.000 So this same Jesus, who God raised from the dead, you get to read about how his church started in the book of Acts. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:32.559 Well, in the 15th chapter, Peter is talking. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:34.639 Peter was the guy who walked with Jesus, right? 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.679 One of his chief disciples there. 00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:40.019 He was the guy who kind of Jesus tabbed as seemingly as the leader of the group. 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:50.220 And Peter says, why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:51.440 You know who he's talking to here? 00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:54.779 He's talking to leaders in that early church. 00:21:55.259 --> 00:22:01.119 The early days of Jesus' followers, they were already getting off message. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:06.719 They were already getting away from who Jesus was and what he taught. 00:22:06.939 --> 00:22:16.219 They were getting back to what they knew and what Jesus came to fight against, which was that religion that oppresses people. 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:19.220 So Peter said, slow down. 00:22:20.600 --> 00:22:24.019 What you're actually doing is challenging God. 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:36.139 When you try to put fortitzos on people, what they were actually doing was when the non-Jewish believers would convert to Jesus, faith, convert to faith in Jesus Christ. 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:40.819 So soon after he was raised from the dead, his movement was spreading all around the world. 00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:43.599 Nobody could stop it. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.179 Governments tried to stop it. 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:47.659 Say, no, it's illegal to worship that guy. 00:22:47.879 --> 00:22:49.919 You can't have those churches, et cetera, et cetera. 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:52.460 Well, they would go underground and they would meet however they could. 00:22:52.679 --> 00:22:53.720 They just kept spreading. 00:22:53.919 --> 00:22:55.099 It spread like wildfire. 00:22:55.419 --> 00:23:00.700 And as it spread, so many non-Jewish people jumped in and said, yeah, we believe in Jesus too. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:03.859 Well, the Jewish Christians didn't like that. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.700 So what are we going to do about that? 00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:07.439 This is a problem. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:12.600 Well, we're glad that they have faith in Jesus, but they don't look like us. 00:23:13.140 --> 00:23:14.460 They don't think like us. 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:15.360 They don't talk like us. 00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:16.840 They certainly don't act like us. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.059 We are God's chosen people. 00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:19.900 We're the Jews. 00:23:20.100 --> 00:23:20.779 We're the Hebrews. 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:23.840 We're the ones who were here first. 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:30.660 They kind of had the older brother syndrome from the prodigal son story. 00:23:30.660 --> 00:23:42.840 So Peter says, as you put fortitzos on people, you're not acting like Jesus did. 00:23:43.300 --> 00:23:44.759 He came to lift them. 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.840 He came to take them away. 00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:52.240 What you're doing is you're going to war with God when you do that. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:55.960 Because you're trying to hijack the Jesus movement. 00:23:57.319 --> 00:24:02.460 You're trying to hijack who he was and make it about what you think is most important. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:05.680 Y'all, let's not be a church that does that. 00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:14.019 Let's not be a church that when you see a visitor walk in and they've got a hat on their head and they're sitting in here, you go up and tell them, take it off, please. 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:16.680 That's putting a fortitzo on somebody. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:22.180 Now listen, if you want to raise your children not to wear hats in church, that's between you and God. 00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:32.279 But let's not go put our demand or our fortitzo on somebody else because that could be the very last time that person ever walks in the doors of this church. 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:34.019 Say, I knew I wasn't good enough for those people. 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:35.279 Forget it. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.839 You don't see Jesus doing that. 00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.879 And that's one example. 00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:58.900 We could fill a book with plenty of other examples of ways that we well-meaning people of God have put unnecessary demands or fortitzos or load, burdens on people that prevented them from coming to Jesus. 00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:08.940 So, don't put a yoke on anybody, including yourself. 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:11.300 God never asked you to bear. 00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:15.100 Instead, take his yoke. 00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:21.880 Because if you're carrying any burden, God didn't ask you to bear, you're challenging God. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:26.360 Saying, I think this is better than what you're asking me to carry. 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:29.359 God, trust me, we need all this. 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:32.759 God, trust me, I need all this stuff in my backpack. 00:25:33.399 --> 00:25:35.799 At some point on this hike, we're going to need this. 00:25:36.899 --> 00:25:39.779 But God, what if we allow people to wear hats in church? 00:25:40.879 --> 00:25:42.079 What's going to happen next? 00:25:42.719 --> 00:25:45.099 See, we can talk ourselves into anything. 00:25:46.379 --> 00:25:54.000 We can try to convince God, yeah, I understand that you came and you were a God of love and peace and forgiveness and joy and hope and all this. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:56.059 But God, we've got to have some rules around here. 00:25:56.359 --> 00:26:00.199 Because if we don't, we're going to have problems. 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:05.279 You're challenging the person of Jesus. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:09.339 He's saying, trust me with the rules. 00:26:09.879 --> 00:26:11.599 Trust my Holy Spirit. 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:14.299 You don't need to make up your own. 00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:27.299 My spirit will be far more effective at moralizing people, far more effective at making people truly good than your rules will ever be. 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:34.960 The best people who follow your rules often are the people who are furthest from me in their hearts. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:43.079 Sometimes the people you think are not following the rules, those are the people actually pursuing me in their hearts. 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:44.920 Jesus taught this stuff. 00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.779 It's hard for us to accept. 00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:51.680 But religious burdening is actually a way of challenging God. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:54.080 Paul echoes this in Galatians 5.1. 00:26:54.360 --> 00:26:57.380 He says, don't let yourselves be burdened again. 00:26:57.640 --> 00:27:00.519 There's that word again, fortizo, with a yoke. 00:27:00.600 --> 00:27:02.660 There it is again, of slavery. 00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:05.360 Paul recognized this. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:12.940 He was deeply involved in those early days of the church when everybody was going around trying to throw religious fortizos back on everybody that Jesus came to fight against. 00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:15.340 And he said, no, don't let it happen. 00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:17.360 Don't let anybody do this to you. 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:19.400 He couldn't be at all the churches at once. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.259 So he's writing letters to these churches. 00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:26.080 He would go and visit them and he would try to teach them according to what Jesus had revealed to him. 00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:27.860 But then he had to go along. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:36.019 And so the road to the next place and he would leave him a letter and he would send a letter back and say, don't let people come in and undo everything I just taught you. 00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:41.259 Don't let them put these burdens on you. 00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.940 Don't let them do it. 00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:46.240 So instead, what do we do? 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:49.620 We take the yoke that Jesus designed for us. 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:51.860 This is what it looks like. 00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:58.279 He said, my fortizo, my yoke, is easy. 00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:04.840 When you're yoked with Jesus, which one do you think he is? 00:28:08.380 --> 00:28:10.680 Okay, I'll face the same way y'all are facing. 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:12.660 Do you think he's on the left? 00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:13.840 Or on the right? 00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:16.100 I think you're right. 00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.279 Did you get that? 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:21.220 I think he's on the left. 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:26.880 When you're yoked, there's two carrying the burden. 00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:29.980 It's Jesus and it's you. 00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:33.539 Jesus is going to do the heavy lifting. 00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:36.339 He says, that's why it's easy. 00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:37.980 I'll help you. 00:28:38.420 --> 00:28:44.720 This life isn't suddenly going to become sunshine and rainbows, but I'll help carry the burden through it. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:47.740 People are still going to try to put burdens on you. 00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:49.740 But I will help carry those burdens. 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:51.420 You can hand them off to me. 00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:53.039 I'm not asking that of you. 00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:56.039 I'm just asking you to walk side by side. 00:28:56.039 --> 00:29:05.879 I will make sure that the load you're carrying is not more than you can bear with me yoked with you. 00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:09.180 So a yoke is designed for two. 00:29:09.700 --> 00:29:11.620 It's Jesus and it's you. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.100 We aren't pulling the plow alone. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:17.040 Following Jesus is not about straining. 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:20.440 It's about surrendering to him. 00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:28.259 It's the difference between trying to swim upstream and then letting the current of his grace carry you instead. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.720 It's the difference. 00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:34.820 So if you're tired of trying, then stop trying. 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:41.960 It's probably two years ago, preached a sermon series here that I'd heard from somebody else. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:44.059 And I just love the concept so much. 00:29:44.100 --> 00:29:45.120 I had to share it with you all. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:49.259 And it was God's not asking us to try. 00:29:49.399 --> 00:29:51.099 Instead, he's training us. 00:29:51.219 --> 00:29:53.599 So stop trying and start training. 00:29:55.019 --> 00:29:56.479 That's what training looks like. 00:29:57.059 --> 00:30:00.739 Get in here in this yoke with me and let's get through this life together. 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:04.639 The Father spoke from the heavens to tell us one thing. 00:30:04.719 --> 00:30:05.459 Look at my son. 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.479 Listen to my son. 00:30:07.659 --> 00:30:11.339 And the son speaks to us today to say one thing. 00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:13.679 I am here with you and I love you. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.659 So let that be enough for this week. 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:18.500 Let that be enough for today. 00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:25.419 If you feel loaded down by all the extra four teetsos that you've put on yourself or that other people have put on you, 00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:32.819 remember that this world will continue to load you up, load you down. 00:30:33.779 --> 00:30:35.719 But Jesus can lift you up. 00:30:35.879 --> 00:30:37.739 Jesus can ease that burden. 00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:40.220 And he's saying to you, I'm here with you. 00:30:40.620 --> 00:30:41.660 My yoke is easy. 00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:43.160 My burden is light. 00:30:43.579 --> 00:30:46.779 Come to me and find rest. 00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:48.819 What's that last word? 00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:51.720 Come to me and find rest. 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:54.079 God, would you give us rest today? 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:57.779 Would you give us rest in our souls, in our hearts? 00:30:57.779 --> 00:31:05.779 Our minds get so hyperactive, so distracted, so cluttered. 00:31:09.139 --> 00:31:11.079 Mind can be the devil's playground. 00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:13.220 He can get to us there. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:17.299 He lies to us so effectively. 00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:22.139 We can only discern the truth by your spirit. 00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:32.399 Open our eyes to how easy your yoke is as you carry it with us, as you lift it with us. 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:35.599 You lead us forward down this path of life. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.839 Molding us, shaping us, changing us more and more into your image. 00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:50.159 Help us to lay down every burden, every load, every fortitzo that people try to put on us. 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:59.500 That expectations and deep-rooted anxieties and fears and pride makes us carry ourselves. 00:31:59.699 --> 00:32:03.199 We so often make ourselves just pick up a load that you never asked us to carry. 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:10.379 Whatever's on people's hearts this morning, God, whatever load they walked in with today, 00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:12.439 let them surrender it to you. 00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:18.439 It might be the load of sin, keeping them from having a relationship with you. 00:32:19.679 --> 00:32:21.980 And they need to turn it away. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:23.480 Let it go. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:25.000 Say, I lay it down. 00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:31.519 I'm tired of fighting and trying to make myself stop sinning or stop living this way or meet people's expectations. 00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:34.959 I've got to just turn to Jesus and say, would you help? 00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:37.579 I'm putting my faith in you. 00:32:37.639 --> 00:32:38.919 I believe that you are God. 00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:40.900 I believe that you are good and you are perfect. 00:32:41.080 --> 00:32:42.480 And you did die on that cross. 00:32:42.560 --> 00:32:43.680 And you did raise from the dead. 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:49.060 And so I'm going to put my faith in you to forgive me that you love me in spite of my sin. 00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:51.820 That you died for me even when I was a sinner. 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:56.680 That you rose from the dead for me even though I'm not perfect. 00:32:57.940 --> 00:33:00.340 I want to carry the load that you're offering. 00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:03.099 I'm worn down with the load I've been carrying. 00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:10.059 If that's you, would you slip your hand up now and say, I want to put my faith in Jesus today to forgive me of my sin. 00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.259 I can become a child of God. 00:33:11.699 --> 00:33:12.839 I'd love to pray with you. 00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:16.679 Slip your hand up right now if that's you. 00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:18.960 Let me ask you this question. 00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:25.120 How many of you say there's a load I walked in with today that I want to hand over to God? 00:33:25.340 --> 00:33:27.000 I don't know if it's going to be as easy as that. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:31.440 But I want to hand that load to God and exchange it for his yoke. 00:33:32.220 --> 00:33:34.240 Would you slip your hand up as well and I pray for you as well. 00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:35.100 Thank you. 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:35.980 Thank you. 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:36.620 Thank you. 00:33:37.900 --> 00:33:38.380 Thank you. 00:33:38.380 --> 00:33:43.120 God, you see these hands and you know what's going on in every heart. 00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:51.140 I pray that right now in your spirit, in your still small voice, you would speak truth to them. 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:52.320 You would speak love to them. 00:33:54.520 --> 00:34:02.060 You would show them how light your load is, how easy your load is compared to that heavy burden that we drag around through this life. 00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:11.860 Let us be people that you are changing to be more like you by releasing these burdens that we carry. 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:13.739 It's in Jesus' name we pray.