"Come To Me, You Who Are Weary"

Having said the negative, Jesus now gave the positive, beginning with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to His Father

“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." (Matthew 11:25-26)

Those who come with a childlike heart, open, trusting and humble, are the ones who are going to understand and receive the gospel, rather than those who have a sense of self importance, who delight in their own mental abilities, and mistake their knowledge for wisdom.

Jesus explained God’s plan of revelation:

“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." (Matthew 11:27)

Only Jesus can show the way to the Father.

Jesus saw people burdened with trying to please God,
...getting right with God,
......using all the methods that the Pharisees were insisting on.
.........It was a great load of rules, and they were weary with trying,
............sensing, deep down, that none of it was working...

Jesus offered rest, freedom from trying and never succeeding.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Think about the yoke as what rabbis called their way of understanding and living by scripture, which they expected all their disciples to take on themselves.

The Pharisees' yoke was heavy. It made people bone weary with trying to labor under it.

Jesus’ yoke is light, it’s freeing, it’s enabling so that your work becomes joy. Jesus’ yoke fits perfectly because we are designed to wear His yoke, and His yoke is designed for us.

Jesus gives wisdom and rest to those who come to Him

Following Jesus brings relief from sin’s burdens. Those who follow Jesus find that Jesus’ yoke brings equilibrium and Jesus’ power.

* In what ways can you say that you have taken on Jesus' yoke?

* An encounter with Jesus demands a response – what’s yours?

* Do you believe in Him Have you said yes to Him?

* Will you serve Him, and co-labor with Him in the harvest?

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Some Thoughts on Judgment

Jesus' teaching on the fate of Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, as compared with Bethsaida, Chorazim and Capernaum, seem to indicate that there are degrees of punishment in the judgment of God.

Though there is not a lot written in the New Testament about this teaching, it does show that even in judgement God is just and fair.

Judgment is meted out according to the light given to the individual.

Indifference to the claims of Christ are a terrible sin. An encounter with Jesus demands a response, and not to respond is to decide against Jesus.

When Jesus speaks of judgement, we know there will be judgement. God’s judgement goes clear back to the story of humankind's fall from original righteousness and communion with God, found in Genesis 3. The first man and woman had the opportunity to grow in the knowledge of good and evil through obedience to the goodness of God and His word. But they were tempted to
1) Doubt God's goodness
2) Question God's word
3) Desire to be "as God" thinking one could have God's position and authority.

After their fall, Adam and Eve showed the effects of sin by hiding from God and by blaming others for their own wrongdoing. God judged the man and the woman in specific and distinct ways, but the chief judgement was the penalty of death which God had said would be the result of they chose to eat from the forbidden tree.

1) Their spirits died. Their deep communion with God was broken, which they proved by running away from God when He came to them in the Garden.
2) Their souls died. They experienced a break down of their originally righteous and good character as they suppressed the truth and laid the blame for their own sin on someone else.
3) Their bodies died. God said, "Dust you are, and to dust you will return," and eventually both Adam and Eve, as well as all their offspring, died.

These three aspects of death are eternal unless they are overcome by the work of the Messiah. In Christ we
1) Receive a new spirit, by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which loves God
2) Receive a new soul, which begins to live for God,
3) Eventually every believer will receive a new body patterned on the resurrection body of Jesus, and has now a deposit on that resurrection power to live by faith.

Those who refuse to respond to Jesus will be judged. Many people today hear God’s word, and remain unmoved. They witness God’s power in someone else’s life and say, that’s okay for you, but it isn’t for me. They remain indifferent.

Rather than get special exemption from judgement, those who know God, and know His law have an even greater responsibility to obey God and honor Him.

When are you guilty of refusing to repent, and count on your standing with God instead to get you by?

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Jesus Denounces Coldness

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

"And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

The two key words in this section are “repent” and “judgment.”

Jesus was saying: Because you were given evidence and you refused to repent, you are under the judgment of God for either not deciding for God, or for rejecting His offer of rescue.

Jesus pronounced judgement on Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum. Bethsaida was the home town for five of His disciples. Jesus healed a blind man there, and very near there Jesus fed 5,000 people.

Not much is known about Chorazin.

Jesus had made Capernaum His home town, and many miracles were performed there.

Tyre and Sidon were infamous for their wickedness, and Sodom was considered the epitome of wickedness, yet Tyre, Sidon and Sodom would have repented had they been given the same level of evidence as Jesus was now giving these towns

Read the above passage again. God did judge those wicked cities of old, as recorded in scripture, and Tyre, Sidon and Sodom certainly will be judged by God on the last day, since all people can know God
* Through the witness of creation,
* Through the witness of their own consciences,
* and through an instinctive law of righteousness that God has written into every person's heart.

But why will it be more bearable for those pagan cities than for the people of these Jewish towns?

Because the Jews had far more than the Gentiles.
--> They had God's law,
--> They had His wisdom and prophecies recorded in scripture,
--> They had the temple and the sacrifices,
--> They had God's covenants.

And they had the long prophesied Messiah

Jesus was God incarnate, He was authenticating His deity, but the people were blase, unimpressed, they didn’t want to hear His message. Jesus was heartbroken in His anger over their refusal to repent.

Jesus didn't fit the profile His own people had crafted for their ideal Messiah. So they rejected Him. The people most privileged and able to know the Savior were the people most hardened to receiving Him.

Who would those people be today? People who are religious without actually believing what God's word has to say. People who are more enamored with their religious traditions, and their own good deeds and relgious activity, than they are with God.

Where do you stand in comparison with Tyre, Sidon and Sodom?

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Jesus Then Taught The Crowds

What The Lord Jesus said next is difficult to understand,

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12)

- It could mean that the gospel had been forcefully advancing in spite of opposition.

- Or, it could mean that the gospel was being violently opposed.

Either way John was like Elijah in that he called people’s attention to their sins, and called people back to God, to make a decision to follow God rather than the gods of this world.

John was not a reincarnation of Elijah.

The Bible never teaches that reincarnation is any kind of a possibility at all. What Jesus referred to here was John’s function. In Luke 1:16-17 an angel told John’s father that John would go before the Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the disobedient and to make the people ready for the Lord.

If people accepted that, then they also needed to accept that Jesus was Messiah

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 11:15

But, Jesus went on to tell the people, you people don’t listen, you don’t accept, you’re never happy with what you hear.

People did not want to hear God’s message, they wanted to call the tune and have God sing the song they wanted to hear.

They had complained that John was too austere, so they called him a demon.
On the other hand, they complained that Jesus was too familiar, so they called him a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of sinners.

"Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."(Matthew 11:19

Wisdom is proved right by actions. You will be able to assess God’s wisdom by what He does. Jesus’ miracles authenticated who He claimed to be.

Jesus gives answers to doubters who come to Him

* Where do you turn with your questions?

The best place to go for answers is scripture, God’s word. You will find the answers about Who He is, and what He promises to do for you and for me.

God may provide answers through other means
- Maybe in a Bible study group,
- Or your pastor’s sermon,
- Or an event in your life,
- Or a talk with a friend.

But the best place to go for clarification and finding out the truth is in God’s word itself, praying that God will help you understand.

Scripture isn’t necessarily going to give you specific instructions about where to go tomorrow, what job to take, how to work out a particular situation – but scripture will provide insight into God’s character, His ways, and what He has provided for you.

Through that you will have the beginning of your answers.

Jesus is also kind, His answers will be more than you asked or imagined, Jesus will encourage you whether through a friend, or answer to prayer, or something you hear on the radio, or read.....look for the encouragement that God provides

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Jesus' Answer to John

Jesus answered John from the prophetic book of Isaiah,

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them." (Matthew 11:4-5)

that’s the text John the Baptist most often preached from. Sinners must be restored first before God will come to rule the earth in righteousness. Jesus was about the business of bringing restoration

Jesus was not condescending, not judgmental, not impatient. Instead He spoke gently and clearly to John’s disciples, teaching from the very same scriptures that John knew best, and understood.

Jesus did not condemn John, who, after all, of all people, had the very best reasons not to doubt. And Jesus does not condemn you or me, either, when we doubt, so long as we come to Him with our questions and listen to His answers.

Doubt is a mind game, and the antidote for doubt is truth.

Jesus was telling John “I’m working My plan, just trust Me,” then He gave a gentle warning,

"And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." (Matthew 11:6)

An encounter with Jesus always demands a response. John’s response must have been a continuing response of faith. We know he stood firm for the truth to the end.

Jesus gave John more than he asked or imagined in commending his ministry and his faith: John was truly a prophet in every sense of the word – he was strong, powerful, fearless, unswerving, uncompromising. He even looked like a prophet.

Jesus said,

"This is he of whom it is written,

'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.'

"Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:10-11)

Not only was John filling the characterization of a prophet, he gave the message of a prophet, he was the very one Malachi had prophesied would come right before the Messiah.

--> He was the greatest among prophets in that he had the greatest role, he had the privilege of announcing Jesus the Messiah.

But as great as John the Baptist was, he would not live to see, and understand, the rest of the gospel unfold.

Those who have been born again, after the cross, are greater than John the Baptist because you and I, and all those who follow Christ, have the full gospel, the whole story, and we have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We may not have greater character than John, but we do have the understanding and ability to bring the full good news to others.

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Why Did John the Baptist Question Jesus?

After sending the disciples off to preach and teach in pairs, Jesus began to teach in the disciples' hometowns. This is where John the Baptist’s disciples found Him and asked Him the question their rabbi, John the Baptist, had given them:

"Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3)

John was genuinely doubting whether the message he’d preached was all true, and the person he’d introduced was really the Messiah. Doubt is not sin unless you ignore the evidence and stay where you are in your doubt.

John had been tirelessly promoting the good news of repentance and salvation through Messiah, and many people were repenting and being baptized. The pinnacle of his ministry was to baptize Messiah, and work side by side with Christ, flanking Jerusalem, preaching and baptizing.

Then John was arrested and imprisoned. He had his disciples left, but everything else was suddenly, shockingly, taken away – his ministry, the wide open desert where he lived, his place as prophet and co-laborer with Messiah.

And Jesus seemed to be doing nothing about it.

Could this really be Messiah, Who was supposed to come and right all wrongs, to rule in righteousness, to “open prison’s doors and set the captives free”? John was a captive, he was Jesus' strongest advocate, and yet he was not being set free.

Why do we doubt?
1) Difficult circumstances John was in the worst possible place with no rescue in sight

2) Incomplete knowledge John knew only just a little bit more than all the Old Testament prophets, since he knew that Jesus was Messiah, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.

John was not going to see the crucifixion or the resurrection. He didn’t understand the entire scope of what God was doing

3) Unfulfilled expectations When John was prophesying about Jesus he the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and He would judge. John expected this to happen during his life time, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit didn’t come until Pentecost, and the day of judgement is still future to us right now.

* What, in your life, is disappointing to you right now? Does it feel the opposite of what you expected God's promises would look like?

* Where do you go with your disappointments and doubts? Do you ask God for insight?

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation

Blended Gospels: John The Baptist's Question

Now when John's disciples reported all these things to him in prison, about the deeds of the Christ, John called two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

And when the men had come to [Jesus], they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"

In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.

And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.

"What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,

"'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.'

"Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come."

(When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

"To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."

Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

"And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

"But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

[Blended Gospels, Matthew 11:2-30 and Luke 7:18-35, ESV]

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation