Rest for the Weary 2014

Justin Peters

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:01

Good morning Good morning. I hope everyone is is doing well this morning.

00:07

It is a joy to be with you just Just as we get going just a little bit of housekeeping stuff.

00:13

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

00:23

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

00:32

Susan heck Hck Susan is the wife of Doug heck and Doug was our pastor

00:39

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

00:52

Bible teacher For ladies and unlike some of the other more popular Female Bible teachers.

00:59

She teaches only ladies She teaches stays within the biblical parameters for the for the roles of men and women.

01:06

She teaches only ladies She has 24 books of the Bible committed to memory Not verses not chapters books.

01:14

And so she writes Bible studies for ladies She has a number of books that she's written. So her brochure is out there

01:20

So ladies if you would like some really really good Bible material that's available for you on the table out there

01:25

Just grab you one of those It is a joy to be with you this morning It truly truly is

01:33

I'm greatly honored by this honored to have an opportunity to preach

01:38

God's Word and I'm gonna Don't have to I'm gonna have to keep this introductory stuff short.

01:51

I Love you.

02:00

I Know that many of you have Known me for all my life

02:10

And I want you to know how much I love you and I appreciate you And it's an honor

02:17

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

02:31

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 we often think of the music as being the worship part of the service, but truly the

02:55

Pinnacle of worship is when your word is read when your word is expounded upon So as we move into this time, we pray

03:07

We pray that your Holy Spirit would guide us into the truth of your Word That he would be honored and glorified

03:15

And all that's done and said Lord, I pray that pray that I would decrease so that your son may increase

03:26

Sanctify us in the truth of your word now Christ our King it is in your name.

03:32

We pray. Amen. Amen. I invite you to take your copy of God's Word and open to the

03:42

Gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 11 This is a message

03:49

I've entitled rest for the weary rest for the weary Matthew chapter 11 will be looking at verses 25 through 30.

04:08

Let's read that together now Could someone bring me a tissue?

04:17

Thank You Rick Matthew 11 25 through 30

04:33

At That time Jesus said I praise you father Lord of heaven and earth

04:39

That you have hidden these things From the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants

04:47

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

04:56

Son except the Father nor does anyone know the Father except the Son in Anyone to whom the

05:02

Son wills to reveal him Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest

05:10

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

05:17

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light May God bless the reading of his words

05:27

Though Grateful for opportunities such as this to come in and preach a single sermon. It is also a significant

05:34

Disadvantage in a sense and it presents a bit of a challenge I say this because a pastor who is preaching

05:40

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

05:52

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

06:01

This is called expository or expositional preaching Done properly expositional preaching not only gets to the meaning of the text

06:10

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

06:17

This passage I would have first preached the verses preceding it which would have pride provided the context

06:24

Which is often so important in understanding the meaning of the actual text

06:29

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.

06:38

Let's back up a few verses. Let's look at verse 20 Same chapter Matthew chapter 11 verse 20

06:45

Then he Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles were done because they did not repent

06:54

Woe to you Chorazin Woe to you Bethsaida for if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you

07:02

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.

07:16

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

07:26

Nevertheless, I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment then for you

07:35

In these verses Jesus denounced he upbraided the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles

07:43

Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum the latter of which Jesus had chosen for his ministry headquarters

07:51

He upbraided them because despite the abundance of signs and wonders the inhabitants of these cities

07:57

Refused to repent they refused to repent the context of this teaches us a couple of things number one

08:05

Contrary to what many professing Christians claim and please do note my use of the term professing

08:12

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

08:26

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

08:35

Peter's mother -in -law pagan religions practice miracles and signs as well

08:42

People and what is known as Hindu Kundalini? They they practice signs and wonders too.

08:48

They they prophesy they have physical healings They they speak in tongues and they do these things

08:57

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 and unrighteousness as Paul says in Romans 118 only then will they be converted

09:24

That's the first thing that the context teaches us. The second thing And this is very sobering.

09:31

Is that the sin of indifference? The sin of indifference is far more serious a sin than actively opposing the gospel

09:43

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

09:55

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

10:04

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.

10:13

He reserved for those who were indifferent to him King Josiah is recorded in 2nd

10:19

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

10:28

To scripture to do all things that is written concerning us Because Israel disregarded

10:35

God's Word because they were indifferent to God's Word King Josiah said in the same context

10:41

He said that the wrath of the Lord burns against us This is the tragic and perilous state of most who profess to know

10:50

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

11:02

Christian 77 % Dear ones we do not live in a

11:09

Christian nation We do not live in a Christian nation It is probably one of maybe the only statement

11:15

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

11:32

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

11:45

And we do it on a far greater scale and we do it legally If we truly lived in a

11:51

Christian nation, we would be protecting our unborn children not slaughtering them

11:57

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 of what is actually in God's Word We as evangelicals are becoming increasingly biblically illiterate

12:25

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

12:38

God's Word then we cannot know God We cannot know God For many of us as evangelicals.

12:46

The Bible is great Until it becomes inconvenient and then it's not so great anymore

12:53

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

13:02

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

13:17

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

13:34

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.

13:45

I am there in their midst How many times have we heard this verse used for Sunday morning service or a

13:51

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

14:01

It has absolutely nothing to do with Sunday morning or Wednesday night prayer meeting

14:07

Whether this is from willful disobedience or indifference. The result is the same.

14:13

The result is destruction Indifference is actually worse and more offensive and odious to Christ Than those who actively oppose him

14:25

The indifference of those who profess to be his is far more offensive to Christ than all of the

14:31

Isis fighters All of the ACLU's all of the liberal politicians put together

14:38

The people of Capernaum never persecuted Jesus and few if any of their residents even criticized him

14:47

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

14:59

City, which was merely indifferent That should give us pause That is sobering

15:05

Indifference in the church today is shown when we have absolute unprecedented access to the

15:11

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 Now let's go back to our main passage verse 25 at That time

15:31

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

15:43

Verse 25 at that time this phrase indicates that what follows is closely connected to the preceding

15:51

Context closely connected and Jesus says I praise you The word in the

15:56

Greek is excella maguma excella maguma. I praise you I exalt you

16:03

Christ bursts forth in praise an exaltation to the father in the hearing of all of the people

16:11

What was it what was it for which he praised the father? What elicited from Christ such a public effusion of praise in worship?

16:22

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

16:31

Now before we get to the hiding what are these things in the Greek telltale?

16:37

What are these things he does not directly identify these things so in the absence of such identification we let scripture interpret scripture

16:47

Luke chapter 19 records Jesus triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem and in verses 41 through 42

16:54

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

17:05

But now they have been hidden from your eyes The things are the things which pertain to the gospel faith and repentance

17:15

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

17:29

God has hidden here now We do not often think of God as hiding things

17:36

More often than not we think of him not as hiding truths But rather revealing truths and yet he does hide things.

17:43

He even hides things of the gospel We must ask two questions from whom does he hide them and why does he hide?

17:53

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

18:05

To those who perceive themselves to be wise and intelligence It is those who have great confidence in their intellect in their knowledge

18:15

Upon considering this we might think first of those who reject the Bible as being the Word of God upon scientific grounds

18:21

Those who believe that the earth is billions of years old rather than what the clear teaching of Scripture indicates

18:28

Those who believe in biological evolution, for example the belief that nothing created everything

18:35

Evangelist Ray Comfort has described biological evolution as a fairy tale for grown -ups.

18:41

I Think that's a pretty good description But then there are those who are who are religious

18:47

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.

18:58

They suppress the truth in unrighteousness Also included within the wise and intelligent are those who have actually made

19:06

Intellectual assent 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

19:17

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

19:29

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

19:35

These things the things of the gospel genuine faith and repentance have been hidden from those

19:41

Who perceive themselves to be wise and intelligent? In either the either the secular realm or the religious realm

19:50

God and his sovereignty is hidden salvation from them But why?

19:57

Why has he done this? he did this both as an act of judgment and as an act of mercy an

20:04

Act of judgment because they suppress the truth and unrighteousness and as an act of mercy to prevent their judgment from being compounded

20:13

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

20:26

Don't you believe it? That is not why Jesus taught in parables the opposite of this actually is true

20:32

Jesus taught in parables so that the wise and intelligent would not Understand in Matthew chapter 13

20:40

Jesus disciples asked him directly Why do you teach in parables in Jesus answered them very directly in verse 11 to you?

20:47

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

20:58

While hearing they do not hear nor do they understand Parables were both acts of judgment and of mercy

21:06

Judgment because it kept them in the darkness which they loved and yet mercy

21:12

Because it prevented them from being exposed to any more truth than what they are had already been exposed to therefore compounding their condemnation

21:23

Jeremiah chapter 9 23 through 24 thus says the Lord let not a wise man boast of his wisdom

21:29

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

21:36

That he understands and knows me that I am the Lord who exercises loving -kindness

21:43

Justice and righteousness on earth for I delight in these things declares the

21:49

Lord Babes He says that he has revealed these things to the babes the infants in the

21:58

Greek the word Nepean it literally means sucklings taught the infants Jesus here does not have in view a chronological measuring stick

22:06

He is not saying that the things of God are being revealed to babies or toddlers or even young children

22:12

The point he is making is that the things of God are revealed to those who have been brought to the place

22:17

Where they understand that they are completely bereft in and of themselves of any resources or merit which could possibly earn

22:25

God's favor There is absolutely nothing that we can do dear ones to earn

22:30

God's favor There is nothing that we can do to earn his acceptance. No amount of good works

22:37

It is not coincidental that the very first beatitude is this Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

22:46

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

22:59

Baby is totally dependent upon others for its physical well -being a baby can do nothing for himself left alone

23:06

A baby will die Left to ourselves and our own fallen depraved state.

23:11

We will remain in our own state of spiritual death in considering Jesus statements about an interaction with babies and children

23:20

It's easy for us to think of these things in tender and compassionate terms only

23:25

To be sure Jesus was tender and he was compassionate towards children.

23:32

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

23:45

Handicap who lacks the mental capacity to understand things of eternity their own

23:51

Sinfulness in the in the the meaning of the gospel when death comes to one such as this dear ones these

23:58

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.

24:15

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

24:22

Recall Jesus words in Matthew chapter 19 when he said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them

24:29

For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these This is not as some suppose support for baptizing babies or even young children

24:40

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

24:53

Child cannot go out and get a job Pay the rent the mortgage bring home the bacon and pay taxes

24:59

He has no resources of his own a child is completely dependent upon his parents for his well -being

25:06

The kingdom of God is revealed to those who have been brought to the point and acknowledged that they have no

25:12

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

25:36

Before a holy God whose anger burns against the wicked and that their sinfulness has earned his wrath

25:42

It is to these that he has revealed the things of the kingdom verse 26

25:51

Verse 26 Jesus says yes father for this way was well pleasing in your sight

25:57

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 in the revelation of these same things to the spiritually bankrupt and Broken that is what pleased

26:13

God it pleased God To listen to most evangelical preaching today one would be inclined to think that the gospel is about us

26:23

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

26:37

And then they look for some token cherry -picked scripture to try to support their point

26:43

Thereby read a meaning into a text that is not really there this kind of preaching though.

26:49

This topical preaching is Horizontal it's horizontal. It is focused on us and our own life enhancement

26:56

But dear friends the Bible is not about us The gospel is not about us

27:04

The gospel is about God Now there is a sense in which

27:10

Christ's sacrifice was for us Romans 5 8 but God demonstrated his own love toward us and that why we were yet sinners

27:18

Christ died for us But overarching this overarching.

27:23

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

27:35

God -centered perspective this Theocentric Theo God -centered

27:40

God -centered perspective to lose sight of this is to diminish the gospel Ephesians chapter 1 you don't have to turn there

27:48

I'll just read it for you But Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 through 6 the Apostle Paul says this he says

27:53

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

28:08

In love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself

28:15

According to the kind intention of his will in verse 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace

28:23

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

28:30

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

28:39

After the counsel of his will to the end that we who were first to hope in Christ would be

28:45

To the praise of his glory in him you also listening to the message of truth the gospel of your salvation

28:52

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?

29:04

to the praise of his glory There's a

29:09

Christian song out there one line of which says when he was on the cross

29:14

I was on his mind No When he was on the cross the glory of God was on his mind everything that God does

29:31

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.

30:02

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

30:17

All judgment all mercies are under the divine sovereignty of the Lord Christ And Jesus continues he says no one knows the

30:26

Son except the Father nor does anyone know the Father except the Son This is another affirmation of the depravity of man

30:36

Man is wholly unable to know God Scripture gives abundant testimony that we are not spiritually sick.

30:43

We are spiritually dead We are dead and trespasses and sins. We are not in spiritual

30:49

ICU on life support We are in the spiritual morgue tag on the toe dead

30:55

We are like Lazarus who was four days dead in the tomb and we stinketh

31:01

Just as Jesus called forth Lazarus. He must call us forth and he must make us alive

31:10

Apart from the quickening and regenerating of God's Holy Spirit. We would all remain in the tomb

31:17

Jesus continues in anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him

31:25

We often think in terms of us making decisions for Christ We fancy ourselves as choosing him and yet the

31:32

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

31:43

John 5 21 for just as the father raises the dead and gives them life Even so the

31:48

Son also gives life to whom he wishes Many have tried to take text such as this and claim.

31:55

They don't really say what they appear to be saying This violates a fundamental rule of biblical hermeneutics biblical interpretation

32:04

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

32:13

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

32:21

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

32:31

He meant the same thing in chapter 6 verse 37 when he said all that the Father has given me will come to me

32:38

The redeemed are those who have been given to the Son as a love gift from the

32:44

Father Some deem this doctrine of God's sovereignty and salvation is objectionable.

32:50

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?

32:59

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

33:16

We suppress the truth and unrighteousness. We love our sin We hate the light so but God would be entirely just to let all of us go to hell

33:24

So is he any less just that he chooses to save some? We underestimate just how vile and sinful we are before a holy

33:32

God God's grace is just that God's grace It belongs to him and he can do with it as he pleases

33:40

The great reformer Martin Luther said this he said quote here the bottom falls out of all human merit 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 verse 28

34:01

Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest

34:08

This is the invitation of Christ That God is sovereign and salvation is taught throughout both the

34:13

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?

34:23

The gospel the call of God to come to Christ is a call that goes out to all

34:29

John 1 12 to as many as many as received him John 3 verse 16

34:36

We all know that one for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever

34:42

Whosoever believes in him should not perish But have everlasting life John chapter 5 verse 24

34:49

He who hears my word and believes on him who sent me has eternal life chapter 6 verse 37

34:56

The one who comes to me I will in no way cast out. No way will

35:02

I cast him out chapter 6 verse 51 If anyone if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever

35:09

Chapter 7 31 if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink the call the invitation goes out to anyone and everyone

35:19

God's kingdom will be populated with people from every tongue every tribe in every nation

35:26

Christ invitation to come to him is wide and it is open, but I thought we just discussed that God chooses and elects

35:36

That's right The sovereignty of God and salvation and the responsibility of man are both taught in Scripture both are true

35:46

Some would question. How could this be? This is what we call to use a theological term.

35:51

This is what we call an antinomy antinomy Two truths that appear to be contradictory

35:57

But really are not there's a number of antinomies in Scripture the

36:02

Trinity for example Is God one or is he three? both

36:08

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

36:14

God write the book of Romans? both Is Jesus fully God or is he fully man?

36:22

both The antinomy of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility runs through all of Scripture from start to finish

36:30

Sometimes we even see this antinomy in the same verse in the same verse Acts chapter 2 verse 22

36:36

This is this is just fascinating Peter's sermon He says men of Israel listen to these words

36:41

Jesus the Nazarene a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs

36:46

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

37:02

By the hands of godless men and put him to death

37:08

Who killed Christ Did men put him to death? Yes Did God put him to death?

37:18

Yes Even in the same verse Jesus says come to me all who are weary and heavy

37:26

Laden all who are this indicates a condition that already exists those whom

37:32

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

37:51

Jesus is really saying all who are weary and heavy laden Come to me

37:58

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

38:06

Those who are weary of relying on their own wisdom their own intellect their own futile good works

38:13

Those who have come to the end of themselves and are at the point of exhaustion From trying to please

38:19

God from their own merits The heavy laden are those who are not only exhausted from their own efforts

38:25

But also are heavily laden with the guilt of sin. They are sorrowful over their sin

38:34

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

38:44

Bible speaks of both of them Second Corinthians chapter 7 you might I think maybe in your bulletin you have the cross -reference here

38:51

If you have your Bibles 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 verses 9 through 10 2nd Corinthians 7 9 through 10

38:58

The Apostle Paul writes and he says To the Corinthians. I now rejoice

39:04

Not that you were made sorrowful, but that you are made sorrowful to the point of repentance

39:10

For you are made sorrowful according to the will of God so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us

39:17

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret

39:24

Leading to salvation unto salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death two kinds of sorrow over sin

39:34

There is a worldly sorrow in a worldly sorrow is that sorrow which results merely from a guilty conscience and Everyone on the planet has got that Everybody on the planet instinctively knows that it's wrong to lie that it's wrong to steal

39:50

That's why we instinctively try to cover our tracks Everybody has that a worldly sorrow worldly sorrow is that sorrow which is centered around self

40:00

What would happen to me if My sin were found out what would be the consequences to me?

40:09

How would that affect me? That is a worldly sorrow over sin because it is centered on the self in that worldly sorrow

40:16

The Apostle Paul says writing under the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit leads to death

40:23

Self -centered concerned with self -preservation. This is the worldly sorrow that leads to death but There's another kind of sorrow and that is a godly sorrow a godly sorrow over sin

40:36

Is that which is concerned not with self? but with God a godly sorrow is when we recognize that our sin is first and foremost against God against his person a

40:48

Godly sorrow is that sorrow which grieves us because we understand that our sin grieves

40:53

God That our sin grieves him his person. We have sinned against his person.

40:58

He has been so good He has been so gracious. He has been so kind so patient so merciful and yet we knowingly and deliberately sin against him

41:09

When we grieve because our sin has grieved God that is a godly sorrow

41:17

That is a godly sorrow Jesus says blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted

41:24

The mourning of which Jesus speaks is not the loss of a friend or a family member It's not that kind of mourning the mourning of which

41:31

Jesus speaks is the mourning over one's sin Have you mourned over your sin?

41:40

Do you have that godly? sorrow we often think of Christ as coming to Provide a way of escape from his wrath the provide a way of escape from the wrath of God in hell and this is good

41:55

This is right. The lost should fear God But there should be more to our coming to Christ than merely wanting to escape hell

42:04

Just as much as we want to be saved from hell dear friends Hear this just as much as we want to be saved from hell.

42:10

We should want to be saved from our sins,

42:18

I Pink says this he says quote the nature of Christ's salvation is wrongfully

42:26

Misrepresented woefully misrepresented by the present -day evangelist He announces a

42:32

Savior from hell rather than a Savior from sin. That is why so many are fatally deceived

42:40

For there are multitudes who wish to escape the lake of fire Who have no desire?

42:47

To be delivered from their carnality in their worldliness. What kind of sorrow do you have today over your sin?

42:57

self -centered What would happen to me if it were uncovered or do you have a godly song?

43:05

That is centered upon the person work of Christ who he is Note in the text.

43:13

What is the fruit of godly sorrow? From 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 the passage we just read the

43:20

Bible says that godly sorrow produces repentance Genuine repentance any supposed profession of faith or conversion without repentance is a farce.

43:29

It is a false Conversion John the Baptist preached repentance the

43:35

Apostles Peter and Paul preached Repentance Jesus was a preacher of repentance

43:41

He said in Luke chapter 13 verse 3 unless you repent you will all likewise perish

43:47

Where there has been no repentance there has been no salvation The subject of repentance is one in which there is a great deal of confusion in the church today

43:56

The Greek word metanoia literally means to change one's mind repentance does encompass this

44:02

It does encompass a change in mind, but it is far far more than this When most people think of repentance they think of trying to change and change themselves

44:11

Willing themselves to turn away from certain sins trying to better themselves self -effort and Yet this is the very thing from which

44:20

Christ offers rest these attempts at self effort So, how can this be are we to turn away from sins or are we to rest?

44:34

for the majority of my life This seemed to be a massive contradiction inherent within the gospel itself.

44:44

I Understood that salvation was not of works. This made sense to me. I understood that our works are filthy rags.

44:51

I Also knew that apart from repentance. There is no salvation But repentance

44:57

I thought and most professing Christians think is something we do

45:02

It's something that we do that we try to gin up in and of ourselves, it's a work We either stop doing what we have been but should not be doing

45:12

Or we begin to do what we've not been doing but should have been doing How can salvation not be of works and yet in order to be saved we must repent

45:24

The key is this properly understood Repentance Is not a work there is no contradiction at all.

45:32

There is no contradiction dear ones because in and of ourselves Here this in and of ourselves.

45:38

We cannot repent We cannot do it on our own. Remember we are spiritually sick.

45:46

No, we are spiritually dead a Dead man cannot raise himself a leopard cannot change his spots

45:52

The answer to this seeming contradiction is that genuine repentance is in and of itself granted by God God grants

46:00

Repentance 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 25. God grants repentance to those who are in opposition to the gospel

46:07

Acts chapter 5 verse 31 God grants repentance to Israel in Acts chapter 11 17

46:13

God grants repentance to the Gentiles covers everybody Israel the Jews and the Gentiles you and I that is the answer

46:21

Genuine repentance is not a work. It's a gift. It is not something we do. It is something that God does in us

46:29

Now a word of caution Repentance is not something we can do and it is not a work, but it does produce work

46:37

Genuine repentance bears fruit. John the Baptist said therefore bear fruit in keeping with Repentance Paul said to King Agrippa so King Agrippa I kept declaring that all men should repent and turn to God performing deeds appropriate to repentance

46:54

We do not perform deeds in order to repent But when God grants repentance there will be deeds there will be works

47:03

There will be fruit in keeping with repentance and genuine repentance will be evident to others around us

47:10

Other people should be able to see when God does this work in our lives Jesus says

47:16

I will give you rest rest in Scripture the rest of God is synonymous with his salvation

47:26

Christ will grant rest to those who are weary of their self efforts and are weary of their sin

47:32

To those who come to him he promises a clear conscience the writer of Hebrews says

47:39

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God for he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his

47:52

Christ offers rest. He offers a clear conscience verse 29

47:57

Jesus says take my yoke upon you and learn from me a Yoke was a large piece of handcrafted wood that fit around the necks of animals for plowing or some type of heavy work

48:09

It's not hard to see that the yoke was often used as a metaphor for submission

48:15

Students were often spoken of as being under the yokes of their teachers Jesus invites sinners to stop from their labors to enter his rest and take upon themselves the yoke the lordship of Christ There's been much debate today over something known as lordship salvation

48:35

Some would like to believe that a person can accept Christ as Savior, but not as Lord This is error

48:44

The Bible knows of no other salvation other than that of lordship salvation

48:52

Jesus called people to deny themselves to take up their cross if called upon to do so to lay one's life down for the gospel a genuine

49:04

Christian dear ones hear this a Genuine Christian may stray from the Lord for a season that does happen but not indefinitely not indefinitely

49:16

If you are a genuine Christian and you stray from Christ, he will discipline you

49:21

Hebrews chapter 12 He will discipline you and he will bring you back All these people that we call backsliders

49:29

Well, how long has he been backslidden? Oh about 30 years now No No, the

49:37

Bible knows of no such thing No such thing be not deceived dear ones. The person who does not know

49:44

Jesus as Lord Does not know him as Savior either Jesus says my yoke is easy.

49:52

My burden is light This is not to be understood that the life of the

49:58

Christian is an easy one Jesus does not promise a life of ease quite the opposite as a matter of fact.

50:05

He what does he promise? He promises us tribulation. He promises us persecution What does the

50:11

Bible say? Some of those who live godly in Christ Jesus may be persecuted all

50:19

Who live godly in Christ Jesus? will be Persecuted It's not a life of ease

50:28

How then is his yoke an easy one? How is his burden light if you're telling me the Christian life is a hard one?

50:36

Dear ones when one has been granted repentance and when one has put his faith in the risen

50:41

Lord Christ And when Christ rest has come then it is not a burden to serve him

50:47

It's not a burden to serve him a life of service to Christ while not always easy and Often is marked by trials and persecution

50:56

Is a life that is done out of gratitude for his incomprehensible sacrifice in his indescribable love

51:04

The Apostle John writes this he says this is the love of God That we keep his commandments and his commandments are not

51:16

Burdensome his commandments are not burdensome for the one who loves him as I conclude

51:24

Do you know Christ is Savior and Lord? Do you understand that you're a sinner and your sin has earned you the wrath of God Are you burdened over your sin?

51:37

Are you weary and heavy laden? Are you burdened? Are you grieved because your sin is grieved

51:42

God? Dear ones. I have good news God loves you God sent his son

51:49

Jesus Christ to this earth and Jesus lived a perfect sinless life never broke any of the laws of God and Jesus willingly laid it down his life on the cross his life was not taken he gave it in Jesus bore the wrath of God so that you and I would not have to And on the third day, he was bodily raised from the dead and he proved himself to be who he said

52:12

He was God in human flesh And the only way To know the rest of God to have that Burden lifted is to repent of sins and place your trust in the risen

52:29

Lord Jesus Christ And if you are not sure of where you are with Christ, I would encourage you

52:35

I would implore you get real honest before God Go to him confess your sins