East Baptist Church – Denison, TX

Jesus’ Invitation To Rest

Matthew 11:28-30

Most of us have read or heard these Words from our Lord dozens of times, but have we taken the time and effort to truly understand what our Lord was offering in this invitation? Our Lord is offering Himself and with His Lordship not just a moment of rest, but lifelong soul balanced life that no religious list of rules and no self-improvement plan or any human effort can produce.

Jesus’ words were contrary to everything that the Jews knew about religion. Could coming to God truly be restful? In regard to rest, Jesus’ first instructions in these verses were the invitation to ”Come to me.” ²⁸” Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Jesus offered them Himself. The invitation was to come. He was not an unknowable, distant God who is out there somewhere running our universe. He is Immanuel, God with Us. He is God come near. Taking the form of a man. He is the exact representation of the Father. If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. This is our God who wants us to know Him. . . intimately, and personally in a one-on-one relationship. (Wow! God desires to know me.)

Rest is not found in just knowing all the information about Jesus Christ or in all The Biblical verses.  Rest is found in having a relationship with Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) He has invited us to Cast all our cares upon Him. (1 Peter 5:7) He invites us to sit at His feet and learn from Him.

Jesus then invites His listeners to, ”Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” Jesus is calling His hearers to a life of discipleship. A life of living under the guidance and Lordship of Christ. Our Lord desires to teach us the ways of rest in the soul. The body, the spirit and the mind.

Jesus is the One from whom we learn. He is the real burden bearer. Without Him we can do nothing. Our burden is light because He is with us in the yoke. He is our daily bread. He is with us and His grace is sufficient. He is with us when our strength is weak. Our indwelling power. Our intercessor when we know not what to pray. 

He is not just the farmer, our Lord and our God. He is also in the yoke with us and making holiness and obedience possible in our lives. He carries the burden and in Him we find rest. The invitation is made.

In the Gospel, Jesus takes upon Himself our unbearable yoke of sin and guilt and grants us His yoke of righteousness. He meets our every need. Philippians 4:19 (NASB77) ¹⁹And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. By faith we enter into His rest.

God’s rest is available, but how many times have we NOT believed in His truth and instead chose to do life our own way? How many times have we debated about how to respond to an issue when Scripture makes it very clear what is the right path to walk? How many times do we doubt when God has promised His provision? How many times have we worried instead of placing it before God and receiving His peace that passes all understanding? Faith which results in obedience ushers us into His rest.