WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.339 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:10.500 Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us. 00:00:12.040 --> 00:00:20.300 Good morning. If you'd like to turn in your pew Bibles to page 816, we'll be reading from Matthew chapter 11 today. 00:00:21.219 --> 00:00:28.940 As we've been thinking about this week, you know, we've got kind of this gap in where we're not continuing the John series. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.560 And we're transitioning to the Advent series that we'll be going through in the month of December. 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:39.519 And so this morning we're going to be doing a one-off. 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:47.640 But as I've wrestled with this passage, in many ways personally, over the past few weeks and months, 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:54.579 looking for personally some rest and peace in Jesus. 00:00:54.579 --> 00:01:02.899 I can imagine that some of us came out of, though some of us had great Thanksgivings. 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:09.039 Amazing, family-filled, tension-free, zero politics talked. 00:01:10.819 --> 00:01:15.200 No one bringing up past wounds, hurts, injuries. 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:17.620 Turkey was perfect. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.299 No one complained about not having certain foods there. 00:01:21.299 --> 00:01:23.899 I'm sure there are some of those out there. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:25.719 I hope they are. 00:01:26.420 --> 00:01:33.879 And I'm sure there are also some folks who dragged little kids into what are partially antique stores 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:42.640 with zero childproofing and the tension and stress that you felt as you tiptoed around looking for outlets with no covers on them. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:46.000 And I'm sure some of you in this room feel that. 00:01:47.060 --> 00:02:00.000 I'm sure some of you also don't have people with you that you can only remember holidays with certain family members, 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:01.460 and they're no longer here. 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:04.900 I know that there are those things that have happened. 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:08.580 I'm experiencing them, and I have experienced them. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.039 This is part of my life as well. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:17.000 I don't get up here preaching in a vacuum where my life is perfect. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:23.280 But I've reflected on some of the things that I've wrestled with over the past few weeks and months, 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:27.539 and as I thought about what Thanksgiving can sometimes mean, though excellent and beautiful, 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.079 and we give thanks to God for all His many blessings to us. 00:02:30.859 --> 00:02:38.280 And I think about the future with Christmas and some of the holiday tension that will just be Thanksgiving 2.0 for some of us. 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:42.719 There's hard things that we deal with in the midst of this. 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:45.659 It's not just wonderful meals. 00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:48.099 It's not just perfect decorations. 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.379 But there's real tension that comes. 00:02:53.039 --> 00:03:00.039 And so this morning, I want us to think about and reflect on Jesus and His provision of rest. 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:07.799 Jesus and His yoke, which is lighter than any burden we could seek to bear. 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:14.780 And so if you would, let's read from Matthew chapter 11. 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:25.980 We're just going to read a few verses so that we can hopefully hear what the Lord might do in our hearts to make us more like Him, 00:03:26.060 --> 00:03:32.300 to transform us, to make us like His people more and more every day. 00:03:32.300 --> 00:03:33.960 So let's read. 00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:38.140 This is from Matthew chapter 11, verses 25 through 30. 00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:41.199 At that time, Jesus declared, 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:48.119 I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and the understanding and revealed them to little children. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:52.439 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:57.959 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:03.159 and no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:09.780 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:18.259 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:04:19.139 --> 00:04:22.360 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 00:04:23.139 --> 00:04:23.740 Let's pray. 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:28.000 Father, would you reveal through these words your truth? 00:04:29.060 --> 00:04:30.560 Help us to get out of the way. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:32.800 Help me to get out of the way. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:39.180 May we see a clear picture of the gospel, of the goodness of Jesus. 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:49.459 May we be encouraged to continue to place all of ourselves, all of our trust, all of our faith in you and you alone. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:56.920 Lord, we thank you for Jesus and what he offers us. 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:00.300 Not something we could ever achieve. 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:06.139 But something only he can give us, which he does freely by your grace. 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:08.420 We thank you and we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:09.319 Amen. 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:13.939 So if you, obviously we're not in a series, right? 00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:18.340 So I want to just give you a brief overview of chapter 11 and what's happening there. 00:05:18.339 --> 00:05:21.399 Jesus is in the midst of his ministry. 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:36.399 He's having a conversation early in chapter 11 about John, with John the Baptist followers and what's going on with who he is and who, what's his identity and how he belongs in this kingdom plan of what God's doing. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:42.019 And John's disciples come to him and they're asking all these questions about who is he? 00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:50.339 And then it kind of goes to a place where in chapter 11 it talks about kind of a harsh condemnation. 00:05:50.339 --> 00:06:01.159 A place where Jesus says, woe to these cities, these places he's gone and he's done ministry and he's shown forth who he is and revealed to them. 00:06:01.239 --> 00:06:03.679 And what happens is no repentance. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:05.639 Right? 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:15.960 And he's not condemning them because he, he just is willy nilly doing it because he himself has not seen the repentance of the kingdom. 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:17.759 Right? 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:26.199 And so we switch from that to kind of addressing this reality. 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:30.899 And it's wonderful that Will and we had the opportunity to still sing Jesus Loves Me. 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:43.859 And just the reminder to become like children, because obviously in this passage, Jesus is reminding us of who we are and how our heart and our, our lives must, must be transformed into in order that we might know him. 00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:44.620 Right? 00:06:44.699 --> 00:06:50.859 It says, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:53.679 He's not just saying that only the kids are in on the secret. 00:06:54.379 --> 00:06:55.259 They get it. 00:06:55.259 --> 00:07:04.659 He's saying that those of us who humble ourselves, those who understand that we must become like children to our great God and father. 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:15.379 Then we understand the grace and goodness of the gospel, the salvation that lies in Jesus, the good news of repentance and faith so that we might have life eternally. 00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:25.360 And so he's, he's going to this, this idea of, of addressing us becoming like children, the people of God becoming like children. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:31.620 And then he goes into this thing that's very similar to Jesus being the way, the truth and the life. 00:07:31.659 --> 00:07:31.860 Right? 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.519 He says that Jesus essentially is the, Jesus says that he's only the only way to the father. 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:40.680 He says, he says, yes, father, for such was your gracious will. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.360 All things have been handed over to me by my father. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:49.860 No one knows the son except the father and no one knows the father except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him. 00:07:50.540 --> 00:07:52.840 Jesus is revealing the father in his presence. 00:07:52.939 --> 00:07:56.720 He is God incarnate on earth, which we'll celebrate. 00:07:56.840 --> 00:07:57.520 Emmanuel, right? 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.759 God with us, God in the flesh in the next few weeks. 00:08:01.460 --> 00:08:09.500 That God will be willing to leave his place in Jesus, his son, and take on human flesh and become one of us. 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:21.079 Jesus, the one who reveals to us, the father, Jesus, the one who reveals to us, God, because he's been sent on God's mission to do so. 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:27.899 And what he offers us, he offers us something incredible. 00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:32.000 And it's simple. 00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:34.019 It's an invitation. 00:08:34.019 --> 00:08:45.639 But the beauty of this invitation is not that Jesus is the great inviter of God, that God sent him as a herald to just invite us into this cool little party. 00:08:46.340 --> 00:08:51.579 But Jesus is the son of God who has invited us into life. 00:08:51.580 --> 00:09:04.720 He invites all of us in, all of us who are coming off of hard seasons, labor, struggle, sin, pain. 00:09:05.980 --> 00:09:07.720 He invites you in. 00:09:09.660 --> 00:09:13.860 What would happen to be the way we could accept this invitation? 00:09:14.020 --> 00:09:16.540 Why would this invitation be so important? 00:09:16.640 --> 00:09:18.379 Why would make it so good? 00:09:18.379 --> 00:09:21.179 Well, let's just take a moment. 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:23.639 That's why we talked about Jesus and the father. 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:28.980 It's because Jesus is the only one who can invite you into God and his kingdom. 00:09:30.299 --> 00:09:33.799 He's the one who's been sent on God's mission. 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:38.519 He's the one to whom all these things have been revealed. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:41.539 He's the one who knows the father. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:44.299 It's not, we don't. 00:09:44.299 --> 00:09:52.539 There's no other, you know, there's no other invitation from others that could be even close to equivalent. 00:09:52.919 --> 00:10:02.899 Because Jesus's resume, Jesus's lineage, Jesus's heritage is one that is other than any other person that's ever been born. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:09.159 There hasn't been another person who could extend you an invitation to peace and rest 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:13.919 that would ever be able to be equal to what Jesus is offering here. 00:10:14.719 --> 00:10:19.740 Because every other person is just a normal guy, a normal girl. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.480 Jesus has been with the father. 00:10:25.319 --> 00:10:26.879 He has been sent by the father. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:33.919 We can trust his invitation because he's the one whom God has sent. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:39.959 He knows the father, the father knows him, and he reveals the father to his people. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:49.479 Here we have a beautiful invitation reminding us that God is extending his grace to us. 00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:51.539 I want you to think about this for a moment. 00:10:51.620 --> 00:10:55.579 I was trying to think of a good, you know, if you think about birthday invitations, 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:57.439 sometimes those things can sound exclusive. 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:03.180 And so I try not to, I try not to think of like using the idea of a birthday invitation. 00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:07.440 But I want you to think about if I stood up here and said, hey, everybody, 00:11:08.280 --> 00:11:13.680 after service today, we're heading to the mayor's house. 00:11:14.400 --> 00:11:17.780 And he's, I'm going to, don't worry, I'll let everybody in. 00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:18.620 We'll go eat dinner. 00:11:19.140 --> 00:11:19.740 It'll be great. 00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:21.540 Sunday lunch with the mayor. 00:11:21.539 --> 00:11:27.000 And do I have the authority to even like, by the way, we're not doing that. 00:11:27.099 --> 00:11:27.740 Please don't show up. 00:11:28.419 --> 00:11:30.399 Unless he's here, then great. 00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:31.079 That'd be awesome. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:31.759 No? 00:11:31.939 --> 00:11:32.099 Okay. 00:11:33.459 --> 00:11:37.019 But I don't have that kind of authority to just invite people in. 00:11:37.839 --> 00:11:39.939 I don't have the authority, the ability. 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:41.939 Otherwise, it's just empty words. 00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:45.439 Jesus is not offering empty words here. 00:11:46.839 --> 00:11:48.899 Jesus is offering a real invitation. 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:55.659 And it's not just an invitation for you to know, hey, you're going to, you're going to 00:11:55.659 --> 00:11:56.659 have a good nap later. 00:11:57.220 --> 00:11:58.639 You're going to have a good rest later. 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:01.240 You're going to have a good, you know, day off. 00:12:01.860 --> 00:12:05.319 You're going to have a good time just kind of unplugging. 00:12:07.419 --> 00:12:11.500 Jesus is offering something much more in depth. 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:20.360 So even though I can't invite you to the mayors, Jesus can invite us into the kingdom. 00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:26.220 And everything I studied, everything I looked at, everything I tried to wrestle with over 00:12:26.220 --> 00:12:30.419 the past few weeks has said this same thing. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.519 This is a picture of God's initiating grace. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:36.100 This is a picture of God's grace at work. 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:37.340 This is not an image. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.340 I cannot invite myself into the kingdom. 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:43.580 I cannot invite myself into Jesus. 00:12:43.920 --> 00:12:46.180 I cannot invite myself into a place. 00:12:48.560 --> 00:12:50.560 Only Jesus can do that. 00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:55.659 And so this is a picture in this invitation of the beauty of God's grace. 00:12:57.540 --> 00:13:00.960 Because God's grace is extended from God himself. 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:03.960 It is not something that he has done out of obligation. 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:08.660 It is not something he has done out of his desire to take pity. 00:13:09.180 --> 00:13:14.580 It is because he delights in his people and he aches over them. 00:13:15.280 --> 00:13:18.840 His desire is to see them become his own. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:24.639 And so Jesus says, you are welcome. 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:29.460 You are welcome into his kingdom by this invitation. 00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:33.879 And I can't help, but we're going to read a long passage here in a second. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:35.980 If you would like to turn to Isaiah 55. 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:41.500 It made me wrestle, it makes me wrestle with Isaiah 55 a lot more. 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.639 About this invitation that God's offering. 00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:45.500 Right? 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:51.160 This is the prophet Isaiah speaking about Israel and God's compassion for his people. 00:13:52.160 --> 00:13:52.460 Right? 00:13:52.460 --> 00:13:58.920 And you've probably heard some of these things before, probably around Easter. 00:13:59.780 --> 00:14:01.680 But in Isaiah 55, it says this. 00:14:02.180 --> 00:14:04.019 Come everyone who thirsts. 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:05.259 Come to the waters. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:07.780 And he who has no money, come buy and eat. 00:14:08.160 --> 00:14:09.540 Come buy wine and milk. 00:14:09.680 --> 00:14:11.639 Come without money, without price. 00:14:12.920 --> 00:14:15.940 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? 00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:18.400 And your labor for that which does not satisfy? 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.980 Listen diligent to me and eat what is good and delight yourselves in rich food. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.360 Incline your ear and come to me. 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:27.779 Hear that your soul may live. 00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:30.899 And I will make for you an everlasting covenant. 00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:34.799 My steadfast shore, my steadfast shore love for David. 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:40.959 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 00:14:41.139 --> 00:14:43.460 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know. 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:45.899 And a nation that did not know you shall run to you. 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:48.819 Because of the Lord your God and of the Holy One of Israel. 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:50.679 For he has glorified you. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:53.379 Seek the Lord while he may be found. 00:14:53.539 --> 00:14:54.939 Call upon him while he is near. 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:58.240 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:02.259 Let him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him. 00:15:02.579 --> 00:15:04.860 And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 00:15:05.939 --> 00:15:07.319 For my thoughts are not your thoughts. 00:15:07.419 --> 00:15:09.459 Neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:13.480 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:15.120 And my thoughts than your thoughts. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:17.360 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven. 00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:19.879 And do not return there, but water the earth. 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:23.779 Make it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. 00:15:24.419 --> 00:15:26.700 So shall my word be that goes from my mouth. 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:28.399 And that shall not return to me empty. 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:31.019 But shall accomplish that which I purpose. 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.019 And shall succeed in the thing for which I was sent. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:36.580 For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace. 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:39.720 The mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing. 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:41.500 And the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:44.139 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress. 00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:45.919 Instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:47.740 And it shall make a name for the Lord. 00:15:47.819 --> 00:15:50.199 An everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. 00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:54.179 All right, this is the part where I start my second sermon in the midst of my first sermon. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:55.779 I'm just kidding. 00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:56.360 Just kidding. 00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:58.100 Didn't land like I hoped it would. 00:15:58.100 --> 00:16:10.620 This picture of Isaiah inviting the prophet, God in himself inviting those who have nothing. 00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:13.180 Nothing to offer. 00:16:15.560 --> 00:16:20.920 Who can pay for what the God, the feast at the table, the table that God's laid before us. 00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:22.279 Who can pay for this such a thing? 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:23.220 None of us. 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:26.759 None of us could afford. 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:28.660 None of us could pay for what God is offering. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:33.379 Jesus is offering this very thing. 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:41.060 This life in God himself so that we might know this peace, this rest. 00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:46.220 And not just one that's temporary, but an everlasting promise. 00:16:46.920 --> 00:16:48.220 An everlasting covenant. 00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:51.220 But who is Isaiah inviting in? 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:52.580 Those with no money. 00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.360 Right? 00:16:55.180 --> 00:16:56.080 Why do you spend your money? 00:16:56.160 --> 00:16:58.600 That was your labor that doesn't satisfy. 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.200 Incline your ear. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.240 Come to me here that your soul may live. 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:11.819 This is who Jesus is inviting in. 00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:14.240 Those who don't have it. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:20.900 See, this is why our first thing is we want to see this picture of God's grace played out in this invitation. 00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:23.940 But who is that invitation to? 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:27.200 And Isaiah is to those who don't have the money. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:28.799 To those who don't have. 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:33.380 Those who are found in their sin. 00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:35.720 Let him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him. 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:38.039 And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:39.019 Who needs pardoning? 00:17:39.140 --> 00:17:39.980 Those who are sinful. 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:51.819 And so Jesus, who is he offering this yoke, this rest, this peace to? 00:17:53.259 --> 00:18:00.120 It's an invitation where God brings all sinners to himself. 00:18:01.120 --> 00:18:03.360 Where God brings these sinners to himself. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:05.559 People broken by the fall. 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:09.720 And so in verses 28 through 30, who is this for? 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.539 It says, the burdened. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.179 Come to you who are heavy laden. 00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:17.139 I will find rest for your souls. 00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:17.859 The yoke is easy. 00:18:17.919 --> 00:18:18.859 My burden is light. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.779 We have a burden. 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:30.500 And in all the study I've looked at, there's this element of certainly our realities of the world that is broken. 00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:32.000 Right? 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:35.140 Like, look at, I probably threw it away by accident. 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:35.519 No, it's here. 00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:35.920 It is hiding. 00:18:36.099 --> 00:18:40.279 Look at, honestly, I have looked at this 10,000 times. 00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:44.339 10,000 times I've looked at the front cover of our bulletin. 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:50.500 And I don't look at it often enough. 00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:53.759 To all who are weary and need rest. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.640 To all who mourn and long for comfort. 00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:58.400 To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares. 00:18:58.500 --> 00:19:00.440 To all who struggle and desire strength. 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:02.380 To all who sin and need a savior. 00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:07.240 This is who God invites in. 00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:07.980 The burdened. 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:11.019 Those burdened by keeping up. 00:19:11.339 --> 00:19:13.599 Let's start there. 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:16.279 Those who are trying to just keep up. 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:29.259 And in this case, if he's addressing the requirements of the law and the Pharisees and those who would require everyone to just follow all these small little things to be perfect. 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:33.220 You know, this is who Jesus is addressing. 00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:36.500 That this, this is not a burden that's for you anymore. 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:45.440 Those of us who are overwhelmed by the legal requirements of trying to keep up with what God desires from us, what we need. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.839 Some, some level of salvation achievement. 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:52.319 And for those of you that like, I don't know, play video games. 00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:56.099 We can't even, we can't level up in Christianity. 00:19:56.099 --> 00:19:57.759 There's no like next level. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:04.119 There's no way we can get the next Jesus achievement and be like, oh, I'm a little better today. 00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:08.299 Yeah, no, I'm, I'm, now I'm a level 92 Christian and I've handled it. 00:20:08.379 --> 00:20:09.599 And one day I'll achieve a hundred. 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:09.920 No. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:16.859 We don't live in a world where we could ever do that. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:25.519 We will always, until Jesus returns, struggle against sin and this desire to be perfect. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:25.639 Perfect. 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:28.379 And, and, and let's be honest. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:40.819 There's this, I, doing more as well that I think we, we, the keeping up with the Joneses that we embrace more often than we'd be willing to admit that I do. 00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:43.740 That we struggle against. 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:49.339 I've got to do more, be more Christian, make more things happen, make myself look good. 00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:50.660 Right? 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:50.740 Right? 00:20:53.460 --> 00:21:01.320 We've got to face the reality that Jesus is not calling and inviting in people that have it all together. 00:21:02.820 --> 00:21:04.180 He's calling in the sick. 00:21:04.180 --> 00:21:09.039 Jesus did not come for those who are righteous. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:11.880 Jesus came for those in need of a savior. 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:18.380 And I'm grateful that we as a church acknowledge that every week when we print this on the bulletin. 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:23.860 That we turn and we remind ourselves we too are in need of a savior. 00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:29.940 That this invitation is for those who are burdened by their struggle against sin. 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:35.360 And there's a great book. 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:39.539 I know some of our, at least I know some of our high school guys, small groups have read parts of this for a while. 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:42.259 Dane Ortlund's Gentle and Lowly. 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:46.380 And honestly, I could have gotten up here and just read the book for like the whole service. 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:48.700 And you'll be like, yeah, much better sermon than yours, Bill. 00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:48.960 Yep. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:58.960 But there's lots of amazing, beautiful things that are, that can encourage you and I hope would encourage you in your pursuit of Jesus. 00:21:59.340 --> 00:22:00.440 You're following Jesus. 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:06.319 And I'm just going to read to you one because I'm not going to, I copied and pasted it so I wouldn't be fumbling around with another book. 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:08.180 It says this. 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:38.160 It says, 00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:59.279 When Jesus calls you to himself, when he invites you in, he is calling people that have been burdened by their struggle against sin. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:02.359 And there's lots of things that we can name. 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:06.619 Anxiety, fear, lust. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:15.779 There are so many things that we can actually look at personally in our own lives and wrestle with, that we are wrestling with. 00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:25.779 And Jesus came to offer a yoke that is light. 00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:29.240 Because the yoke of sin is heavy. 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:35.039 It is a burden that we cannot bear without consequences. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:50.539 And so, not only do we struggle against the sin of our hearts, the sin of our lives, we struggle against this idea, I think, more than anything. 00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:53.460 Not idea more than anything. 00:23:53.659 --> 00:24:00.940 But I think we're all living in a world now that's vastly different than even, I would say, 20 years ago in some ways. 00:24:01.399 --> 00:24:04.579 Now, I'm not going to say, oh, you younger generation, you don't know. 00:24:04.659 --> 00:24:05.659 I'm not here to say that. 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:07.039 I'm almost curmudgeon. 00:24:07.099 --> 00:24:07.659 Not there yet. 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:24.759 But I do wrestle, as someone who works with teenagers vocationally and have for the past 20 years, I do wrestle with this idea of how they live in a world where their computer is now in their pocket. 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.759 Right? 00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:34.099 The computer that we, like, hit dial up on and was, like, you know, made the weird noises all those years ago in the, you know, late 90s. 00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:40.400 Now it's faster than that and it's in their pocket. 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:44.680 And there's this temptation, not just for teenagers, but for us as well, adults. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.180 We're living this problem, too. 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:48.940 Or we try to project this perfect life. 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:52.140 We try to project that we've got it all together. 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:54.599 Right? 00:24:54.599 --> 00:25:05.459 There's this burden of outward happiness, perfection, looking good, that we didn't, I didn't have to do that growing up. 00:25:05.919 --> 00:25:07.859 Maybe it was in your local town. 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:09.139 There's some degree of that. 00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:14.419 But I feel like we're curating images now. 00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:17.659 Curating images of who we are. 00:25:18.719 --> 00:25:22.039 Making ourselves look better than we really are. 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:26.039 And I think our students are living in a world that has just changed. 00:25:26.819 --> 00:25:31.799 It's not bad, good in some sense, but it's so different. 00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:36.619 And so we can rest. 00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:39.359 We can rest from this. 00:25:39.419 --> 00:25:40.200 This is what Jesus offers. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.200 Look, look back here. 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:45.299 It says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.460 You will find rest for your souls. 00:25:48.159 --> 00:25:50.159 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:58.200 And so this yoke for those who are burdened is not one that's just another thing you have to do. 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:02.460 He's offering you rest. 00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:10.519 So when you think about this idea of your, you know, labor of achieving and earning, 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:16.860 the things you have to do to make sure that you get through today and you do one more thing to make sure that you look good enough to have it all together. 00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:21.059 And so everyone sees and then you go, okay, I just got to make one more cornbread stuffing. 00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:22.279 I got to make one more turkey. 00:26:22.340 --> 00:26:22.940 I got to make one more. 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:24.559 I got to have all these things put together. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:28.559 So this invitation that's for burdened people offers us what? 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:32.139 This yoke that Jesus is offering us is what? 00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:43.960 It is something that brings healing to our souls, but it offers us freedom from the burdens of us trying to achieve and perform and win our salvation, which is something we can never do. 00:26:45.379 --> 00:26:51.779 Something we can never do because Christ alone is the one who took our burden. 00:26:53.159 --> 00:26:53.639 Right? 00:26:54.559 --> 00:27:04.179 See, when Jesus, again, to quote from Dane Orland's book, not to promise the last one, this is who Jesus is. 00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:07.379 Meek, humble, gentle. 00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:14.700 Jesus is not trigger happy, not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. 00:27:15.619 --> 00:27:18.099 He's the most understanding person in the universe. 00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:25.159 The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger, but open arms. 00:27:25.939 --> 00:27:29.740 You don't need to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. 00:27:30.399 --> 00:27:33.459 Your very burden is what qualifies you to come. 00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:44.860 And so when you come, Jesus is not offering, hey, here's, you know, more tricks for you to figure out your life and do more to make things right. 00:27:44.859 --> 00:27:50.699 But Jesus offers us freedom in his light and easy burden. 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:57.980 So some of us here struggle against the idea of looking more Christian. 00:27:57.980 --> 00:28:03.920 Some of us struggle against knowing what our sin is and wanting to even try and defeat it. 00:28:04.539 --> 00:28:07.839 Because we know we can't, there's this, we will never be able to. 00:28:08.900 --> 00:28:12.420 Some of us try and achieve our salvation by alternate methods. 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:16.480 Why we want to show you how good and how righteous and how wonderful we are. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:21.880 And we do more and we say more and we go to more Bible studies and we go to more youth groups and we go to, we can achieve. 00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:26.760 And Jesus wants to set us free from even those burdens, though those are good things. 00:28:26.840 --> 00:28:30.560 And when done with the right heart, mind and soul, when we come to Christ, 00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:37.900 those things are wonderful when done in a spirit of worship and honor towards our God. 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:45.880 But Jesus more than just unburdening us from the doing of life, he wants to unburden us to give rest for our souls. 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:51.640 See, again, his resume speaks to us. 00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:53.800 Who can unburden our souls? 00:28:55.080 --> 00:28:56.860 It's the God of Isaiah 55. 00:28:58.120 --> 00:29:00.560 He will abundantly pardon. 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:09.960 See, God who is perfect and holy, he sent his son so that we might be made righteous. 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:18.020 See, if we think about this, when we think about yokes, right, we know what yokes are in the farming term, right? 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:23.559 The burden, the thing you can put across your shoulders or for the farm animals that pull, right? 00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:26.740 They pull the different farm tool, farm equipment. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:33.819 Or it's something in some countries where you put a yoke over your shoulder and perhaps there's two buckets with water filled. 00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:41.619 And so what Jesus really wants for you to do is to take off this yoke that's super heavy and terrible and put this other yoke that's super heavy and terrible and put that on instead, right? 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:47.639 No, the irony is that Jesus is offering a yoke that is impossibly light. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.200 Unbelievable. 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:51.120 It doesn't, it can't be real. 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:59.019 Jesus offers you a yoke that is light and not burdensome, but restful. 00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:01.200 True rest. 00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:07.779 The yoke of Jesus is not the yoke of performing or the law or doing the things that you need to do. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:13.680 The yoke of Jesus is not the yoke of your sin where you continue to struggle against the brokenness of this world. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:18.240 The yoke of simple faith and rest in Jesus. 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:28.740 His yoke is gentle and lowly at heart because Jesus has the resume to show us that he is the one who offers himself to his people. 00:30:29.600 --> 00:30:30.660 See, 2 Corinthians 5. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:37.940 He who knew no sin became sin in order that we might become the righteousness of God. 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:46.320 Jesus willingly takes off his perfect, simple, rested yoke, right? 00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:53.860 And gives it to us and takes on the yoke of our sin in order that we might have life eternally. 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:56.519 Relationship with the living God eternally. 00:30:56.519 --> 00:31:04.359 So we no longer in following Jesus are trying to earn anything, but Jesus in his sacrifice. 00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:13.700 He has given us a yoke that is easy and light before the very God of the universe. 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:18.119 A yoke that secures in us relationship with him. 00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:21.420 And this is a relief. 00:31:21.420 --> 00:31:27.860 To me, it's been a relief to read these words over and over again the past few weeks. 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:32.220 Because like you, I'm struggling with different things. 00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:37.779 But in the past few weeks, I've also experienced relief in a different way. 00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:49.440 A few weeks ago, I had a splinter. 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:51.880 A bad splinter. 00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:55.160 I'm not going to pull out any pictures, no pictures. 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:57.220 It's for everyone's sake and everyone's sanity. 00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:06.279 It was in a spot that was very difficult on my hand. 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:09.240 And it was under my nail. 00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:11.740 And it was very big. 00:32:11.840 --> 00:32:13.059 It was not a tiny splinter. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:19.000 And when I tell you that for a few weeks, a few days, not weeks, that would be crazy. 00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:23.819 A few days, I tried to weather it out and just say, I'm going to make it. 00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:29.700 And after the first day, it was tough. 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:32.740 I talked to some of the doctors in our congregation. 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:34.420 And I was like, hey, what should I do about this? 00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:36.920 And someone found out, oh, I'll pull it out for you. 00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:39.000 So beautiful, removed. 00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:39.660 It was great. 00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:44.180 But I cannot tell you I have not felt relief from pain like that in a while. 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:52.200 I'm not bringing that up to be morbid or sick or disgusting or trying to make this even about something that happened to me. 00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:57.120 What I'm trying to describe for you is something I have not felt in a while. 00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:03.879 When I had that splinter removed from my finger, I can remember sitting down. 00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:11.479 And once it was out, it was almost, yeah, it was a piece that I had not felt. 00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:13.399 It gave me anxiety for days. 00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:15.199 It made me feel overwhelmed. 00:33:15.339 --> 00:33:20.179 It made me feel like I had to think about everything in the context of this one tiny little injury. 00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:23.820 And like if you bumped my finger, it made me like tear up. 00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:27.720 If I like looked at it and I could see my finger pulsing sometimes. 00:33:27.900 --> 00:33:32.240 It was terrible, but it affected everything about my life. 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:44.420 And Jesus in his, the beauty of what he's come to do is take away this thorn, to take away this pain, this suffering, this reality that affects everything in your life. 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:49.259 You cannot walk through any day without sin affecting everything in your life. 00:33:50.180 --> 00:33:54.660 And Jesus has come so that you might have peace and rest. 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:58.759 That you might have a yoke that isn't burdensome. 00:33:59.539 --> 00:34:03.799 Yoke, a yoke that isn't one that overwhelms. 00:34:04.120 --> 00:34:08.780 One that offers you rest for your souls. 00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:12.860 Because Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart. 00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:18.840 Because Jesus is the one who went to the cross on our behalf. 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:22.440 Because Jesus is the one who brings peace. 00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:33.059 And so my hope and prayer for all of us here, including myself, I'll turn back to this passage a lot in the next few weeks still. 00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:39.200 Is that we would turn to Jesus as the one who gives us real rest. 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:41.039 True rest. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:45.340 Not rest from just busy schedules. 00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:52.340 Not just rest from more practices and games and ferrying kids around and work and closing out the year well. 00:34:52.699 --> 00:34:54.219 Not just rest from those things. 00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:58.440 But rest that brings peace to our souls. 00:34:58.440 --> 00:35:09.139 And my prayer is that as we head towards Christmas, we would remember that Jesus, who came on this mission, who came to be God with us. 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:11.740 He came in order that we might know the living God. 00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:14.260 And we might find our rest in him. 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.800 Let's pray. 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:24.200 Father, we are grateful for the rest we find in Jesus. 00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:26.820 The peace we find in Christ. 00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:42.680 Father, as we think about all the things that burden us and overwhelm us and give us so much trouble, Lord, may we turn our eyes from those things. 00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:46.880 May we find that you are present with us even now in the midst of those troubles. 00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:48.500 That you have not forsaken your people. 00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:54.080 Father, may we be found in you and in you alone. 00:35:54.079 --> 00:36:00.219 So that we might know that there is real rest for our souls. 00:36:02.239 --> 00:36:03.860 And it's only found in Jesus. 00:36:04.579 --> 00:36:06.039 We thank you and we pray this in his name. 00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.199 Amen. 00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:07.340 Amen. 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:12.679 For more information, visit us online at southwood.org.