*Note: I use a variety of sources. The thought is original for me. So if you see similarities in some ideas it is because of research.
Title: The Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Theme: To show the rest that we have in Christ and His Spirit
Text: Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to Me, all you 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." (Mat 11:28-30)
"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." (Mat 11:28-30)
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Mt 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Pharisees
Matthew 23:15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.
God’s desire is that we come to Him. Get away with Him and spend some time with Him. Notice this promise that you will recover your life.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2)
2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden..." The rules and expectations of religion often weigh a person down. I'm referring to the man-made, self-imposed rules of religion, not the instruction of God's Word. It's the duties of religion (with no grace) that wear people out.
I'll show you how to take a real rest.
Holy Spirit the Comforter
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
(Joh 14:16)
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Joh 14:26)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (Joh 16:7)
“…So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6.
Rip tides is waves that build up around the shore and is forced back out into the ocean.
You can’t fight against either wait it out or get out of it.
29 Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
Unforced – not coherced, forced,
Rhythms – systems, routines, part of having grace.
Grace – that which we do not deserve or can earn.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:8-9)
But Jesus said, "I'll show you... Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace." Jesus had an unforced relationship with the Father. It wasn't based on duty or rules. He trusted the Father and the Father trusted Him. In the scriptures, we don't really see Jesus stumble (except for His honesty in the Garden of Gethsemane when He asked if the cup could be taken from him). Yet even this is a picture of unforced rhythms of grace.
I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. NKJV “My yoke is easy”
And notice He said, "I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." Another translation says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." It's interesting that He used the word yoke. Dictionaries define it as an animal harness or restrictive burden. Yet He said His "yoke" (what we assumed to be a restrictive burden) is really very easy and light. Jesus was describing our assignment. His yoke is our assignment... what He's given us to do in life.
This is individual and universal. God's Word is our instruction manual for life. It contains guidelines and instructions to help us maneuver through this world successfully. You would think true freedom would be found under no yoke at all, but the opposite is true. When there's no help, no direction, no vision, we wander into danger and traps. But under the gentle yoke of our Maker, He keeps our foot from stumbling and leads us to lands flowing with milk and honey.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
MSG 13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
But besides the universal guidelines found in His Word, every believer also has an individual assignment. This yoke is easy and light. If your assignment seems heavy and burdensome, maybe you're in the wrong assignment. It shouldn't be ill-fitting. For example, in marriages husbands and wives have different assignments; what is meant to be a mantle for the man is a yoke to the woman. But too often, the woman either doesn't trust her husband or the husband lightly esteems his assignment as head of house, so the woman picks up the slack and it quickly becomes a heavy yoke -- one God didn't design (or grace) for her.
The yoke of religion can have the same effect. Unforced rhythms of grace only come through a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we yield and depend on Him, that is when we are the strongest. He said, "My grace [My yoke] is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9, paraphrased). When we feel worn out or on the verge of burn out, it's a sure indicator we have either been doing things in our own strength or trying to carry out an assignment God didn't give us. So check yourself: Are you weary and heavy laden? If yes, walk with Jesus and work with Him. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
30 Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
(Mat 11:28-30)
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2Corinthians 12:9-10
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.” I Samuel 17:44-46
