Rest for the Weary 2014

Good morning.

Good morning. I hope everyone is is doing well this morning. It is a joy to be with you just Just as we get going just a little bit of housekeeping stuff. If you'll permit me if you'd I have a Newsletter that goes out and if you would like to receive my newsletter on the foyer back there I have a sign-up sheet for that and you can put your John Hancock on that's available for you and Also, I have some brochures of a lady named Susan heck HCK.

Susan is the wife of Doug heck and Doug was our pastor Kathy and my pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma just before we moved from there a couple of months ago and Doug and Susan have become dear dear friends of ours and Susan is a Bible teacher.

For ladies and unlike some of the other more popular Female Bible teachers. She teaches only ladies. She teaches stays within the biblical parameters for the for the roles of men and women. She teaches only ladies.

She has 24 books of the Bible committed to memory. Not verses not chapters books. And so she writes Bible studies for ladies. She has a number of books that she's written. So her brochure is out there.

So ladies if you would like some really really good Bible material that's available for you on the table out there. Just grab you one of those. It is a joy to be with you this morning. It truly truly is.

I'm greatly honored by this honored to have an opportunity to preach God's Word and I'm gonna I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to keep this introductory stuff short. I Love you. I know that many of you have Known me for all my life.

And I want you to know how much I love you. And I appreciate you. And it's an honor. It's an honor to be here this morning. Let's go to the Lord.

Let's go to the Lord in a word prayer father it is.

Only by your grace that we are here. It is your by your Sovereign plan it is your by your good pleasure that we are here and I thank you for this opportunity to come and worship. We often often think of the music as being the worship part of the service, but truly the Pinnacle of worship is when your word is read when your word is expounded upon.

So as we move into this time, we pray we pray that your Holy Spirit Would guide us into the truth of your word.

That he would be honored and glorified.

And all that's done and said Lord I pray that I pray that I would decrease so that your son may increase. Sanctify us in the truth of your word now Christ our King it is in your name. We pray. Amen. Amen, I invite you to take your copy of God's Word and open to the Gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 11.

This is a message. I've entitled rest for the weary rest for the weary Matthew chapter 11. We'll be looking at verses 25 through 30. Let's read that together. Now. Could someone bring me a tissue?

Thank You Rick.

The Judgment on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum

Matthew 11 25 through 30 at that time Jesus said I praise you father.

Lord of heaven and earth.

That you have hidden these things From the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, father for this way was well pleasing in your sight. All things have been handed over to me by my father and No one knows the Son except the Father nor does anyone know the Father except the Son in Anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him.

Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I'm gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy.

And my burden is light. May God bless the reading of his words. Though grateful for opportunities such as this to come in and preach a single sermon. It is also a significant Disadvantage in a sense and it presents a bit of a challenge.

I say this because a pastor who is preaching God's Word rightly Will be plowing through the scriptures expounding upon them verse by verse in this way. The preacher is rightly robbed of any personal agenda He may have in the content of his sermons provided.

Of course that he is rightly dividing the word of truth is dictated by the text. This is called expository or expositional preaching. Done properly. Expositional preaching not only gets to the meaning of the text.

But it also provides the context of the text if I were a pastor and I'm not. But if I were a pastor and preaching This passage I would have first preached the verses preceding it which would have pride provided the context.

Which is often so important in understanding the meaning of the actual text. So though I do not have time this morning to expound upon two passages I want us to briefly look at the context of today's passage.

Let's back up a few verses. Let's look at verse 20 same chapter Matthew chapter 11. Verse 20 then he Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles were done. Because they did not repent.

Woe to you Corazon. Woe to you Bethsaida. For if the miracles had occurred entire inside in which occurred in you They would have repented long ago and sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless, I say to you it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon and in the day of judgment then for you and.

You Capernaum.

Will not be exalted to heaven. Will you? You will descend to Hades. For if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless, I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you in these verses Jesus denounced he up braided the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles Corazon Bethsaida and Capernaum the latter of which Jesus had chosen for his ministry headquarters.

He up braided them because despite the abundance of signs and wonders the inhabitants of these cities Refused to repent they refused to repent. The context of this teaches us a couple of things. Number one.

Contrary to what many professing Christians claim and please do note my use of the term professing Christians Miracles signs and wonders are not sufficient in and of themselves to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Christ performed more miracles in Capernaum than any other single city. It was in Capernaum that Jesus healed Jairus's daughter. It was in Capernaum that he healed the woman with the issue of blood and that he healed Peter's mother-in-law.

Pagan religions pack practice miracles and signs as well. People and what is known as Hindu Kundalini? They they practice signs and wonders to they they prophesy they have physical healings they they speak in tongues and they do these things just as convincingly as any professing charismatic Christian, by the way, just as Convincingly so signs and wonders in and of themselves cannot bring people to repentance.

Only when people submit to the convicting power of God's Holy Spirit and they cease to suppress the truth in unrighteousness as Paul says in Romans 1 18 only then will they be converted. That's the first thing that the context teaches us the second thing.

And this is very sobering. Is that the sin of indifference? The sin of indifference is far more serious a sin than actively opposing the gospel. Unlike other cities the residents of Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum Were not actively opposed to Christ.

They took no direct action against him. They basically ignored him. They were indifferent to him from our human perspective. It would seem that Jesus would be most indignant at those cities which actively tried to harm him.

For example, it was in the city of Nazareth that they tried to throw him off of a cliff. But no as harshest pronounce its pronouncements of judgment. He reserved for those who were indifferent to him.

King Josiah is recorded in 2nd Kings chapter 22 Emphatically declared that Israel's great sin was that it had not quote had not listened to the words of this book. To scripture to do all things that is written concerning us.

Because Israel disregarded God's Word because they were indifferent to God's Word. King Josiah said in the same context. He said that the wrath of the Lord burns against us. This is the tragic and perilous state of most who profess to know Christ.

Though we bemoan the moral decline in our nation. We live in a country in which according to Gallup 77 of his residents profess to be Christian. 77 Dear ones. We do not live in a Christian nation.

We do not live in a Christian nation. It is probably one of maybe the only statement I've heard from our president with which I actually agree. Though undoubtedly for very very different reasons we murder 3 ,000 288 born unborn children in this country every single day.

We are horrified when we see Isis Beheading people in Iraq and Syria and rightly so. But we do not seem to be nearly as disturbed by the fact that we do equally heinous things in this country. And we do it on a far greater scale and we do it legally.

If we truly lived in a Christian nation, we would be protecting our unborn children not slaughtering them. We claim to follow Christ and yet many of us ignore his word. This is true not only of Americans in general, but is even true of most of us as evangelicals.

As Evangelicals we all profess belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. We all profess fidelity got to God's Word and yet most of us are alarmingly ignorant of what is actually in God's Word. We as evangelicals are becoming increasingly biblically.

Illiterate.

We profess faith in the Bible. We may bring our Bibles with us to church on Sunday, but during the week we rarely if ever pick it up. We do not study it. If we do not read and study God's Word, then we cannot know God.

We cannot know God. For many of us as evangelicals. The Bible is great until it becomes inconvenient and Then it's not so great anymore. If it challenges what we have believed to be true, but really is not.

Then it's not so great when it challenges our church traditions. Not so great when Christ in Matthew 18 calls churches to exercise church church discipline and even lays out the process of Church discipline step by step.

We pretend like that passage is not even there. We ignore it when Christ the head of the church gives instructions to his church about how to bring sinning believers to repentance and How to protect the purity of his church by removing the person who proves himself to be an unbeliever by his refusal to repent.

We think we know better as a case in point. We've all heard and are familiar with the verse for where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in their midst. How many times have we heard this verse used for Sunday morning service or a Wednesday night prayer meeting?

When I read this verse, I wonder how many of us recognize it as being the conclusion to Christ teaching on church discipline. It has absolutely nothing to do with Sunday morning or Wednesday night.

Prayer meeting.

Whether this is from willful disobedience or indifference. The result is the same. The result is destruction. Indifference is actually worse and more offensive and odious to Christ Than those who actively oppose him.

The indifference of those who profess to be his is far more offensive to Christ than all of the Isis fighters. All of the ACLU's all of the liberal politicians put together. The people of Capernaum never persecuted Jesus and few if any of their residents even criticized him.

When we consider that it will be more tolerable for Sodom more tolerable for Sodom a city known for being filled with violent homosexuals in the day of judgment that it will be for Capernaum a City, which was merely indifferent.

That should give us pause. That is sobering. Indifference in the church today is shown when we have absolute unprecedented access to the Word of God good preaching good Bible commentaries all of all of those resources available to us at the click of a button and yet we remain willfully ignorant of God's Word.

Hidden from the Wise, Revealed to Infants

Now let's go Back to our main passage verse 25 at that time Jesus said I praise you father lord of heaven and earth. That you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them.

To infants.

Verse 25. At that time this phrase indicates that what follows is closely connected to the preceding Context closely connected. And Jesus says I praise you. The word in the Greek is excella maguma excella maguma.

I praise you I exalt you.

Christ.

Bursts forth in praise an exaltation to the father in the hearing of all of the people. What was it what was it for which he praised the father? What elicited from Christ such a public effusion of praise in worship?

It was that the father has hidden these things from the wise and from the intelligent and delivered them to.

Babes.

Now before we get to the hiding, what are these things in the Greek telltale? What are these things. He does not directly identify these things. So in the absence of such Identification we let scripture interpret scripture.

Luke chapter 19 records Jesus triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem and in verses 41 through 42 We see that as Jesus is approaching that great city. He wept over it Saying if you had known this day even you the things which make for peace.

But now they have been hidden from your eyes. The things are the things which pertain to the gospel faith and repentance. Acts 1 3 records that after his resurrection Jesus spoke of the things concerning the kingdom of God just as God hid these things from Jerusalem.

As Evidenced by the crucifixion in Jerusalem the things of the gospel God has hidden here.

Now.

We do not often think of God as hiding things. More often than not we think of him not as hiding truths. But rather revealing truths and yet he does hide things. He even hides things of the gospel. We must ask two questions from whom does he hide them and why does he hide?

From whom the from whom question is easily answered because Jesus tells us. The things of the gospel are hidden from the wise and intelligent. The wise and intelligent is a sarcastic reference. To those who perceive themselves to be wise and intelligence.

It is those who have great confidence in their intellect in their knowledge. Upon considering this we might think first of those who reject the Bible as being the Word of God upon scientific grounds. Those who believe that the earth is billions of years old rather than what the clear teaching of Scripture indicates.

Those who believe in biological evolution, for example, the belief that nothing created everything. Evangelist Ray Comfort has described biological evolution as a fairy tale for grown-ups. I Think that's a pretty good description.

But then there are those who are who are religious. But they follow some pagan religion or distorted unbiblical version of Christianity. These are people who profess to who profess wisdom in their own eyes.

They suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Also included within the wise and intelligent are those who have actually made? Intellectual ascent to the true saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the true gospel.

Some of the wise and intelligent actually have sound doctrine and yet tragically. Their hearts have not been changed. There are many many people who profess faith in Christ and his gospel and yet have refused to bend the knee to his lordship.

Like those in Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum. They refuse to.

Repent.

These things the things of the gospel genuine faith and repentance have been hidden from those Who perceive themselves to be wise and intelligent? In either the either the secular realm or the religious realm God and his sovereignty is hidden salvation from them.

But why?

Why has he done this? He did this both as an act of judgment and as an act of mercy. An Act of judgment because they suppress the truth and unrighteousness and as an act of mercy to prevent their judgment from being compounded.

This is why Jesus taught in parables. If someone ever tells you that Jesus taught in parables so that the common man could understand deep spiritual truths in layman's Language, don't you believe it? That is not why Jesus taught in parables.

The opposite of this actually is true. Jesus taught in parables so that the wise and intelligent would not Understand. In Matthew chapter 13 Jesus disciples asked him directly. Why do you teach in parables in.

Jesus answered them very directly in verse 11 to you? It has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. Therefore I speak to them in parables because while seeing they do not see.

While hearing they do not hear nor do they understand. Parables were both acts of judgment and of mercy. Judgment because it kept them in the darkness which they loved and yet mercy. Because it prevented them from being exposed to any more truth than what they are had already been exposed to therefore compounding their condemnation.

Jeremiah chapter 9 23 through 24 thus says the Lord let not a wise man boast of his wisdom. Let not the mighty man boast of his might. Let not a rich man boast of his riches. But let him who boasts boast of this.

That he understands and knows me that I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness. Justice and righteousness on earth for I delight in these things declares the Lord.

Babes.

He says that he has revealed these things to the babes the infants. In the Greek the word Nepian it literally means sucklings taught the infants. Jesus here does not have in view a chronological measuring stick.

He is not saying that the things of God are being revealed to babies or toddlers or even young children. The point he is making is that the things of God are revealed to those who have been brought to the place Where they understand that they are completely bereft in and of themselves of any resources or merit which could possibly earn God's favor.

There is absolutely nothing that we can do dear ones to earn God's favor. There is nothing that we can do to earn his acceptance. No amount of good works. It is not coincidental that the very first beatitude is this.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The poor in spirit are those who understand their own sinfulness their own frailty their own spiritual Bankruptcy in their own total dependence upon God.

A Baby is totally dependent upon others for its physical well-being. A baby can do nothing for himself. Left alone a baby will die. Left to ourselves and our own fallen depraved state. We will remain in our own state of spiritual death in considering Jesus statements about an interaction with babies and children.

It's easy for us to think of these things in tender and compassionate terms only. To be sure Jesus was tender and he was compassionate towards children. I believe that when death comes to a baby or to a young child or to an adult who simply lacks the mental capacity through a Handicap who lacks the mental capacity to understand things of eternity their own Sinfulness in the in the the meaning of the gospel when death comes to one such as this dear ones these These precious ones are safe in the arms of God.

They are safe in the arms of God. Jesus was and is compassionate toward the very young toward these who have do not have the mental capacity to Grapple with the gospel. He is compassionate. But this is not all that he had in mind in his interactions with the very young.

This is not all that he had in mind. Recall Jesus words in Matthew chapter 19 when he said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.

This is not as some suppose support for baptizing babies or even young children. To such as these does not refer to their age as much as it does their status. Just as babies are completely dependent upon others for their physical well-being.

So are children. A child cannot go out and get a job. Pay the rent the mortgage bring home the bacon and pay taxes. He has no resources of his own. A child is completely dependent upon his parents for his well-being.

The kingdom of God is revealed to those who have been brought to the point and acknowledged that they have no Resources in and of themselves to know God or to please God. The kingdom of God is revealed to the to the Nepean to the babes to the technon to the children who understand and recognize their own spiritual emptiness and Bankruptcy.

It is revealed to those who realize that they are sinful and undone. Before a holy God whose anger burns against the wicked and that their sinfulness has earned his wrath. It is to these that he has revealed the things of the kingdom.

Verse 26. Verse 26. Jesus says yes father for this way was well pleasing in your sight. Jesus burst forth into praise because of this the hiding of the things of God from those who perceive themselves to be wise and Intelligent and the revelation of these same things to the spiritually bankrupt and broken.

That is what pleased God it pleased God. To listen to most evangelical preaching today one would be inclined to think that the gospel is about us. The gospel it would seem is about having our best life now having our purpose-driven life.

Most preaching today takes a topic like marriage enhancement or Finances or how to raise happy and healthy kids, etc. And then they look for some token cherry-picked scripture to try to support their point.

Thereby read a meaning into a text that is not really there this kind of preaching though. This topical preaching is Horizontal it's horizontal. It is focused on us and our own life enhancement. But dear friends the Bible is not about us.

The gospel is not about us. The gospel is about God. Now there is a sense in which Christ's sacrifice was for us Romans 5 8 but God demonstrated his own love toward us and that why we were yet sinners.

Christ died for us. But overarching this overarching. This is the vast Infinite expanse of the glory of God and to lose sight of this to lose sight of this deific perspective this God-centered perspective this Theocentric Theo God-centered God-centered perspective.

To lose sight of this is to diminish the gospel. Ephesians chapter 1 you don't have to turn there. I'll just read it for you. But Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 through 6 the Apostle Paul says this he says Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself. According to the kind intention of his will in verse 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace Which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved.

Why did he do these things? He did it to the praise of the glory of his grace. Verse 11 the Apostle Paul continues in Christ. Also. We have obtained an inheritance. Having been predestined according to his purpose who works all things.

After the counsel of his will to the end that we who were first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of his Glory in him you also listening to the message of truth the gospel of your salvation. Having also believed you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession? To the praise of his.

Glory.

There's a Christian song out there one line of which says when he was on the cross I was on his mind.

No.

When he was on the cross the glory of God was on his.

Mind.

Everything that God does Including our own redemption is ultimately for and to the praise of his glory. How many issues in the modern church today would be completely resolved if we could just change our perspective from that of Horizontal.

The gospel is about us if we could change our perspective and look at things through the lens of the glory of God. The church is not about us. The gospel itself is not about us. It is about.

Christ.

All things in the text all things that means just that it means all things all power all authority all truth all righteousness All judgment all mercies are under the divine sovereignty of the Lord Christ.

And Jesus continues he says no one knows the Son except the Father nor does anyone know the Father except the Son. This is another affirmation of the depravity of man. Man is wholly unable to know God.

Scripture gives abundant testimony that we are not spiritually sick. We are spiritually dead. We are dead and trespasses and sins. We are not in spiritual ICU on life support. We are in the spiritual morgue tag on the toe dead.

We are like Lazarus who was four days dead in the tomb and we stinketh. Just as Jesus called forth Lazarus. He must call us forth and he must make us alive. Apart from the quickening and regenerating of God's Holy Spirit.

We would all remain in the tomb. Jesus continues in anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him. We often think in terms of us making decisions for Christ. We fancy ourselves as choosing him and yet the Bible teaches that it is not we who choose God, but God who chooses us.

Jesus states in John 15 16 you did not choose me, but I chose you. John 5 21. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life. Even so the Son also gives life to whom he wishes. Many have tried to take text such as this and claim.

They don't really say what they appear to be saying. This violates a fundamental rule of biblical hermeneutics biblical interpretation. The meaning of a text is almost always exactly what it appears to be.

The simplest reading of Scripture is almost always the right one except of course. When symbolic language is clearly being used when Jesus says I am the door. He does not mean he's literally piece of wood and hinges obviously symbolic language.

But Jesus meant here exactly what it appears that he meant. He meant the same thing that he meant in John chapter 5 21 the same thing in 15 verse 16. He meant the same thing in chapter 6 verse 37 when he said all that the Father has given me will come to me.

The redeemed are those who have been given to the Son as a love gift from the Father. Some deem this doctrine of God's sovereignty and salvation is objectionable. It's not fair some would say. But who are we to deem what is fair and not fair.

Who are we to talk back to God? That is the point the Apostle Paul was making in Romans chapter 9. I think if we all got really honest if we all got really honest and thought about it we would affirm that God would be entirely just.

To offer salvation to none of us and to let all of us go to hell because that is what we want. We suppress the truth and unrighteousness. We love our sin. We hate the light so but God will be entirely just to let all of us go to hell.

So is he any less just that he chooses to save some? We underestimate just how vile and sinful we are before a holy God. God's grace is just that God's grace. It belongs to him and he can do with it as he pleases.

The great reformer Martin Luther said this he said quote here the bottom falls out of all human merit all powers and abilities of reason or the free will men dream of and it all counts as nothing before God.

Christ must do and.

Give.

Everything.

Come to Me for Rest

Verse 28 Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. This is the invitation of Christ. That God is sovereign and salvation is taught throughout both the Old and the New Testaments and yet so is the responsibility Of man in salvation the responsibility of man to respond to God's call to him in the gospel.

The call of God to come to Christ is a call that goes out to all. John 1 12 to as many as many as received him. John 3 verse 16. We all know that one for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever whosoever believes in him Should not perish but have everlasting life.

John chapter 5 verse 24. He who hears my word and believes on him who sent me has eternal life. Chapter 6 verse 37. The one who comes to me I will in no way cast out. No way will I cast him out. Chapter 6 verse 51.

If anyone if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Chapter 7 31 if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. The call the invitation goes out to anyone and everyone. God's kingdom will be populated with people from every tongue every tribe in every nation.

Christ invitation to come to him is wide and it is open. But I thought we just discussed that God chooses and elects. That's right. The sovereignty of God and salvation and the responsibility of man are both taught in Scripture.

Both are true. Someone questioned. How could this be? This is what we call to use a theological term. This is what we call an antinomy antinomy. Two truths that appear to be contradictory. But really are not.

There's a number of antinomies in Scripture the Trinity for example. Is God one or is he three?

Both.

One God revealed in three persons. Did the Apostle Paul write the book of Romans or did God write the book of Romans?

Both.

Is Jesus fully God or is he fully man?

Both.

The antinomy of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility runs through all of Scripture from start to finish. Sometimes we even see this antinomy in the same verse in the same verse. Acts chapter 2 verse 22.

This is this is just fascinating Peter's sermon. He says men of Israel. Listen to these words Jesus the Nazarene a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs Which God performed through him in your midst just as you yourselves know this man.

Now watch this delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God you nailed to a cross By the hands of godless men and put him to death. Who killed Christ. Did men put him to death? Yes.

Did God put him to death?

Yes.

Even in the same verse Jesus says come to me all who are weary and heavy Laden. All who are. This indicates a condition that already exists. Those whom Jesus invites are already Weary, and they are already heavy laden.

Come to me. That phrase come to me represents faith in Christ. Those who come to Christ do so in Faith, so even the weary and the heavy laden. Even though it's mentioned after faith chronologically it precedes faith.

Jesus is really saying all who are weary and heavy laden.

Come to me.

Come to me. Weary and heavy laden the call of Christ goes out to all and is effectual to those who are weary and heavy laden. Those who are weary of relying on their own wisdom their own intellect their own futile good works.

Those who have come to the end of themselves and are at the point of exhaustion. From trying to please God from their own merits. The heavy laden are those who are not only exhausted from their own efforts.

But also are heavily laden with the guilt of sin. They are sorrowful over their sin. Dear ones what I'm about to say may be the most important thing that I say this morning. There are two different kinds of sorrow over sin and the Bible speaks of both of them.

Second Corinthians chapter 7 you might. I think maybe in your bulletin you have the cross-reference here. If you have your Bibles. 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 verses 9 through 10. 2nd Corinthians 7 9 through 10.

The Apostle Paul writes and he says. To the Corinthians I now rejoice not that you were made sorrowful. But that you are made sorrowful to the point of repentance. For you are made sorrowful according to the will of God so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.