The Invitation To Come And Rest Series

A Closer Walk with Thee

Meditations on Christian Doctrine

Salvation

____________

The Invitation

Matthew11

NKJV

Read Matthew 11:1-25 for context

I. The revelation of the invitation – Matthew 11:25

A. 25 xAt that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that yYou have hidden these things from the wise and prudent zand have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 aAll things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. bNor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

a) To Reveal - G601, ἀποκαλύπτω, apokaluptō

(1) Thayer Definition:

(2) to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up

(3) 1a) disclose, make bare

(4) to make known, make manifest, disclose what before was unknown

(5) Part of Speech: verb

b) Wills - G1014

(1) βούλομαι

(2) boulomai

(3) Thayer Definition:

(4) 1) to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded

(5) 2) of willing as an affection, to desire

(6) Part of Speech: verb

B. The revelation of the invitation is this – To know Christ is no mere mental assent, but a spiritual awakening, a heart change, an awakening from a life of spiritual death to Spirit filled life.

C. Turn to Matthew 16:13

D. The Invitation is by Revelation From God the Father in Heaven.

1. Also recorded in: Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–21

a) Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, g“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

b) 14 So they said, h“Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or ione of the prophets.”

c) 15 He said to them, “But who do jyou say that I am?”

d) 16 Simon Peter answered and said, k“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

e) 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, lfor flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but mMy Father who is in heaven.

E. The revelation is by His authority alone

1. John 1:12

a) 12 But qas many as received Him, to them He gave the 5right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: Colon

b) A Colon is a punctuation mark that introduces a series or example of something, here in this verse it is a series of examples of how people ARE NOT SAVED

(1) 13 rwho were born,

(2) not of blood,

(3) nor of the will of the flesh,

(4) nor of the will of man,

(5) Then we have these words…but of God.

(6) The word “But” is a conjunction. It means “ On the contrary to, other than, if not, except for the fact.”

(7) Therefore it is on the contrary to all the above that men are saved, born again – they are born again by God

c) The Amplified Bible renders verses 12,13 this way:

(1) “But to as many as did receive and Welcome Him, He gave the authority (Power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in – adhere to, trust in and rely on – His name; Who owe their birth neither to bloods, nor to the will of the flesh (that of physical impulse), nor to the will of man (that of a natural Father), but to God – They are born of God!”

F. So when John the Baptist sent his disciples to question Christ about His Messiah-ship back in Matthew 11 we understand something:

1. Matthew 11:27 27 aAll things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. bNor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

2. Without the will of Jesus to reveal Himself to you – you would not be capable of receiving Christ, without being born again from above you cannot know Jesus Christ.

3. Why is it this way?

G. People must come to Christ for who He is to them– not what He does for them.

1. Jesus Christ is God.

2. How many times has Jesus asked people not to tell of who He is or what miracles He has performed, how many times has Jesus departed when the crowds formed. These people wanted Christ not for who He was – but for the things He did.

H. Our next point will clarify the revelation of the invitation so Lets move on to Matthew 11:28

II. The Reason for the Invitation -

A. 28 Come to cMe, all you who labor: and are heavy laden…