August's Sermons

Church Period: Trinity 16th Sunday After
Sermon Title: The Greatest Invitation
Sermon Date: September 29, 1968
Rev. August Hauptman
Sermon Text: Matthew 11:25-30

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.