Dear Christian friends:
Yesterday we had another beautiful wedding here at
our church. Many of you received an invitation to that
wedding. How did you feel when you received the letter
inviting you to the wedding? You felt happy because someone
thought about you and remembered you and wanted your company
on a very special day of their life.
We all like to receive an invitation. In our text
today someone is sending us an invitation. This is the best
invitation anyone can receive. That invitation comes from
God. God's Son, Jesus, our Lord and Savior gives us this
wonderful invitation. He loves and cares about you and
wants you. You will never receive a greater invitation.
Even if the President of the USA invited you to a dinner
at the White House it would not be as great as this
invitation.
Perhaps you have heard of this invitation before,
but did you accept it? Did you go? Even if you once accepted
it, you need to do it again and again daily. You can't hear
it too often. You can't accept it too many times. So let us
today attend to our text and consider again:
The Greatest Invitation
Who does Jesus invite? Jesus says, "Come to Me, all
you who are working hard and carrying a heavy load." Are
you like that? Are you working hard and carrying a heavy
load? Does Jesus mean you? Who does Jesus mean?
Yes, He means you and me. All of us who feel troubled
and worried about our sins, our mistakes and failures of the
past. We who are burdened because we lost control and blew up
at someone and showed hatred and revenge; we who became
jealous and envious when our neighbor got a new house or car;
we who feel ashamed and guilty because we hate Negroes and
others of another race and fear that all the riots today are
also because of our own sin and failures of the past.
We who have no peace and no rest, but worry much and
fear, to all of us that are worried and carry a heavy burden
Jesus says, "Come to Me." I hope you know that Jesus invites
you. No matter who you are; no matter how bad you feel; no
matter if others don't want you Jesus wants you. He says,
"Come to Me."
And what does He promise to give us if we go to Him?
He says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest." Wonderful, peaceful
rest.
Our minds and hearts are troubled and full of fear
because of our pride. Because we have loved ourselves only
and not God. That's our sin. But now Jesus offers us
forgiveness of sins. He shows us how foolish and blind we
have been because we love only ourselves. He has let us
experience the sadness and trouble, the sorrow and shame,
and the punishment of our pride and greed. And still He
loves us and wants us as His friends. He forgives us.
Can He forgive our sins? Only God can forgive
sins. True! But Jesus, son of Mary is also the eternal
Son of God. He can forgive sins. He is right to forgive
sins because He Himself suffered our sins in His own body
on the cross.
So when Jesus says to you: "I will give you rest,"
you can believe it; you can be sure that He means it; you
can rest and have peace in your hearts and freedom from
all blame or charges.
Jesus explains this wonderful rest more: "Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
When we come to Jesus and accept Him for our Lord
and Savior then He gives us a new heart and spirit, like
Himself. He says, "learn of Me I am gentle and humble."
Why was Jesus gentle and humble? Because He perfectly
loved God His heavenly Father. What God wanted, He wanted. The
first verses 25-27 of our text show this. (Read it) "At that
time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and
learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father,
for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been
committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the
Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those
to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
So you and I if we accept Jesus for our Lord and
Savior and learn from Him, we, too, will love God and want
the good things He wants. Then we, too, will become more
gentle and humble.
You say, "that is hard!" Yes that is hard. Jesus
calls it, "His yoke." (Explain the oxen yoke. Stole is a
symbol of the yoke.)
So Jesus invites you also to accept "His yoke."
Accept Him for your Lord. Serve Him and seek to give Him
honor and praise in all that you do. Then you will not be
worried or proud or jealous of other people because you
have stopped to seek your own praise; you are now seeking
God's praise.
You won't get upset or jealous if someone leaves
are church and joins another church. You will say, "Well,
I am glad He still goes to church. I'm glad He still
believes in Jesus. God is still honored by him. Whether
he belongs to my church or another Christian Church is
no matter. I'm not trying to get praise; I want God to be
praised."
See how you must think in all you do. At work the
same idea: If someone gets promoted and you don't get it
don't be upset. Don't be jealous. Be glad for Him. The
boss is happy. God is honored.
When we accept Jesus' invitation and become His
disciples we have a new relaxed spirit and heart. We
no longer compete for selfish praise and honor. We praise
only God. The more we live for God's praise, the more
relaxed and restful our life is.
It takes us a long time to learn this wonderful
lesson. Come to Jesus daily with all your sins. He will
forgive you and teach you how to rest.
Amen.