A Personal Invitation

A Personal Invitation Text: Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This is an echo from the first beatitude in Matthew 5:1-3 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor in spirit- the opposite of self-sufficiency. This speaks of a deep humility of recognizing one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God.

Blessed are those who are spiritually bankrupt, who are tired of trying to save themselves by keeping the law. Blessed are those who find ‘rest’ from their own fruitless efforts.

Matthew 11:28-30TM "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Here’s a single command from Jesus. He gives every person a personal invite.

Come- as you are. Come- all who have labored, all who are worn out by the Law of Moses, It’s a call to come, for all who are completely exhausted by their works.

Jesus calls us to one thing. Learn of Him! (Spend time, rest, listen, spread the Bible open, have a pen and notebook and get ready to weep.)

Before you can fix yourself, fix your family, fix your marriage or fix your children. You have to receive this personal invitation.

Those who refuse to come, and continue to try without Him will always be filled with excuses.

Such as, “I guess I’ve fallen out of love, or I just don’t think God cares about my problems.”

I’m going to make a blanket statement: “Without Jesus Christ being first, you can forget it; with Him becoming your everything- expect miracles, expect provision, expect a change!

You want change? Deal with the sin. Sin of not trusting, sin of apathy, sin of self will.

I’m going to say it again, “Jesus said to come.”

God has always made personal invites. In Genesis 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.

Because of Jesus, there are no excuses for failure. In Christ we are becoming the righteousness of God, so come!

A funeral home director called me a few months ago very troubled. He said, “Pastor Howard, I have a body here, but no one coming to the funeral.” He said, “This person’s son called me from Atlanta and told me to bury the body and send him the bill.” Not one person is coming to her funeral. Should I have a sermon, and prayer what should I do?

When I try to fix my problems, fix my kids, fix my marriage I run out of resources, energy and become frustrated.

Can I tell you how to fix your children, marriage or any relationship? Come. Come to Jesus Christ.

Jesus is your burden bearer. Isaiah 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

Matthew 8:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:“ He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

God is the only person who will love your children and spouse unconditionally, forgive them forever, and be a perfect Father.

Here’s your personal invite: COME!

Prayer.