Beloved ... We have a Lord ... that loves us ... fully.
That understands the weight ... that the world tries to burden us ... with.
Hear again our text from Matthew:
Jesus says BIBLE "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. END (Mathew 11:28-30)
Jesus shows his authority ... when he cries out come to the Human Race.
Come ... Come to me all who are weary ... and heavy laden ... and I will give you rest.
I will give you ... rest.
Beloved Jesus drives no one ... away from him.
Jesus favorite word is come ... Come ... Come follow me.
Come ... Come unto me.
"Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
Beloved ... The Greek word translated Weary or in some translations Labor ... are burdens ... are yokes ...that we put upon ourselves.
Heavy Laden ... on the other hand are the burdens of others ... that we allow ... to weigh us ... down.
Burdens of others ... that we allow to become a heavy laden ... yoke on our lives.
Beloved Jesus makes a wonderful offer to us...
BIBLE Take my yoke ... upon you, ... and learn from me, ...for I am gentle ... and humble ... in heart; ... And you shall find rest for your souls. ... For my yoke ... is easy ... and my burden ... is light." END (Matthew 11:2-830)
If we are honest ... even those of us ... who call ourselves followers of the Christ ... find ourselves ...at times ... weary ... and heavy laden.
We find ourselves carrying ... a heavy yoke.
Worrying about things ... that we cannot control.
Truth be told ... if we could control them ... or thought we could ... we probably wouldn't worry ...about them.
And worry if not checked ... will continue to build ... and overwhelm us.
Yet ...Take Heart ... Beloved. "My Yoke is easy, and my burden is light" ....... saith the Lord. (Matthew 11:30)
If your yoke is heavy, ...if your burdens are weighing you down ...then you have the wrong yoke ...around your neck.
Release these burdens ... cast them ... give them ... lay them down ... to the Lord.
Beloved ... Only when you entrust your worries and burdens to God, ... can you experience ......True Peace, ...Spiritual Peace, ... His peace. (Long Pause)
A Pastor in the Philippines, ......a much-loved man of God ......carried the burden of a secret sin that he had committed ... many years before.
He had repented ... but still had no peace, ......no sense ...of God's forgiveness.
In his parish ... there was a woman ......who deeply loved God ......and who had visions ......in which ...she spoke with God ...and he ... with her.
The Pastor, however, ... was somewhat skeptical.
To see if it was true, ... he asked her, ......"The next time you speak with God, ...I want you to ask him ...what sin your pastor committed ...while he was in seminary."
The woman agreed.
A few days later the pastor saw her and asked., ..."Well, did God visit you ... with a vision?"
"Yes, he did," ...she replied.
"And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?" ......"Yes, I did."
"Well, ... what did he say?"
"He said... ' Tell him ...... I don't remember'".
Beloved... Take heart -- Hear God's Word:
BIBLE "As far as the east is from the west, ... so far does God remove our transgressions ... from us." And the Scriptures go on ...... "You (O God) ... will cast all our sins ...into the depths of the sea." END (Psalm 103:12-14) (Micah 7:19)
We as human beings ... do dumb things ... we make mistakes ... we sin.
Many of these things ... are born out of hurry ... frustration ... or distraction.
It is part of ... the human ... experience.
Our text from Romans Chapter 8 begins with one of the greatest promises in all of Scripture. (Pause)
"There is therefore ... now ... no condemnation ...for those ... who are in ... Christ Jesus."
There is something in those words ... in that promise of God...that makes your heart ... flutter.
The significance ... is the fact ... that in spite of our sin, ... God ... does not .... condemn us. (Pause)
It is truly ... overwhelming.
And when you read that verse in light of Romans Chapter 7, ... the personal application of its truth ...... Should bring each of us ... great peace.
You see, Romans 7 contains a most powerful insight ... concerning our struggle ... with sin.
What makes it so powerful ... is that Paul ... is providing us a glimpse ... into his ... own struggle.
And for me ... that is ... encouraging.
Often when I think of the apostle Paul, ... I picture someone ... who is almost ... larger than life.
I can picture him standing ... defending his faith ... in front of governors ... and even ... the emperor ...of Rome.
We have all listened to his words... as he instructs the churches ... to be ... faithful.
And as he encourages Timothy and Titus ... as pastors ... to remain true ... to their ... calling.
Probably most of us ... have put Paul ... on a pedestal.
But when we look to the 7th chapter ... of Romans, we get a peek ... behind eyes ... of the apostle.
And he is a lot more human ... than we might have first thought.
Beloved ... Paul is a fellow struggler ... in the Faith.
Here his words to the believers gathered in Rome and to us this day: BIBLE "...... I am of the flesh, ... sold into slavery ... under sin. ... I do not understand my own actions. ... For I do not do ... what I want, ... but I do the very thing I hate. ... For I do not do the good I want, ... but the evil I do not want ... is what ... I do. END (Romans 7:14-19)
Paul is honest enough ... to recognize within himself ...a tendency to get caught in ... the stranglehold... of sin.
A grip ... that can become so tight ... that many believe ... that they are ... beyond ... forgiveness. (Pause)
Karl Menninger, ... the famed psychiatrist, ... once said: "...if he could convince the patients in psychiatric hospitals ... that their sins were forgiven, ... 75 percent of them ... could walk out the next day!" (Pause)
We Sin ... we all ... sin.
It happens ... to us ... all.
Earlier in Paul's letter to the Believers in Rome... Paul proclaimed, "Not one is righteous, ... no not one." (Romans 3:10)
Later he stated a biblical fact: ......That "All have sinned ... and fallen short ... of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
But now ... he states sins effect ... on him ... personally.
He is being open ... I struggle with sin, ... I battle with sin ... and sometimes ... I lose.
Finally, ... the frustration of losing ... seems to break through to the surface as Paul proclaims:
BIBLE "... I see in my members ....at war with the law of my mind, ... making me captive ... to the law of sin ... that dwells in my members. ... Wretched man that I am! ... Who will rescue me ... from this body ... of death?" END (Romans 7:23-24)
You try to be patient ... but in a flash ... you strike out ... and the words you say ... have done their damage.
You thought ... you had broken the grip ... but you listened to the whisper ... of the old nature.
You knew you should have steered clear, ......but. before you know it, ......you have found out ...you were weaker ... than you thought.
You do not live up to the standards ... that you know ... are right.
And now all you feel is stupid ... and filthy.
Wretch-ed ... to use the language ... of Paul.
We all fail... we all give in.
Yet Praise God ... Paul takes us to Victory ... Hear God's Word:
BIBLE "Wretched man that I am! ... Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God ... through Jesus Christ our Lord! So ...... There is therefore now ... no condemnation ... for those ... who are in Christ Jesus. END (Romans 7:24-25 and Romans 8:1-2)
The greatness of the promise ... This promise of grace ... is that even when we fail again and again ...We have assurance ... there is No condemnation ...for those ... who are in ... Christ Jesus.
There now is no condemnation ... For who?
(Slow) For those ...who are in Christ Jesus.
Beloved ... There is security in our relationship ...with God.
When God looks at you, ... He does not see a wretch, ... He sees a son ... he sees a daughter.
Remember the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32)
The younger son ... disregarded his father, ... and then in every way ... disgraced himself. (Pause)
The Theologian and teacher ... Dr. Vernon McGee put it this way: ... "Do you know the difference between the son in that pigpen ... and the ... pig?
The difference is ... that no pig has ever said to himself... "'I will arise ... and go to my father.'"
He is right, ...... but a child of God ... can!
And when the Prodigal Son ...... came within eyesight of home, ... The Father ran ... He ran ... to meet his son ... to embrace him.
Paul wants you to know ... to truly know ... that God the Father... is just as anxious ... to throw His arms ... around you... and embrace ... you.
"There is now ... No condemnation ... for those who are in ... Christ Jesus." (Long Pause Glass & Water)
Speaking to a large audience, ... D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, ... "How can I get the air ... out of this glass?"
One man shouted, ... "Suck it out ... with a pump!"
Moody replied, ... "That would create a vacuum ... and shatter ... the glass."
After numerous other suggestions ... Moody smiled, ... picked up a pitcher of water, ... and simply filled the glass.
"There," he said, ... "all the air ... is now ... removed." (Pause)
Beloved ... a victorious Christian life ... is not accomplished ... by sucking out sin ... here and there.
A victorious Christian Life ... is experienced ... by being filled ... Filled to the brim ... with the Holy Spirit.
Beloved the Scriptures tell us ... that Jesus was full ... of the Holy Spirit ... and lead by the Holy Spirit ... when he went ... into the wilderness.
Are you filled ... Are you filled to the brim ... with the Holy Spirit?
You should be ... and you ... can be.
"There is now ... no condemnation ... for those ...who are in... Christ Jesus."
In Christ ... You are free ... You are free ... indeed.
Why is this important.
Because if the truth be known, ... there are times when there is condemnation ... for those ... who are in ... Christ Jesus.
But it never ... Ever... does it come ... from God.
But condemnation does come ... from Satan.
In fact, ... The name "Satan" ... means ... Accuser!
And Satan wants us to believe ... that we are still unworthy ... that we are still ... condemned.
He wants to trap us into believing ... that we are so wretch-ed ... that God ... wants nothing to do ... with us.
He wants us to be like Adam and Eve in the garden ... after they sinned.
All they wanted to do ......was hide ... from God!
And the truth is, ... (Slow) we have all ... been there.
We have all failed, ...We have all felt ... condemned.
And we too ... have turned away ... and have tried to hide ourselves ... from God.
Not because we do not love Him, ... but because ...we are ... As Adam and Eve ... ashamed.
We have listened to Satan ... when he ... whispers.
Beloved ... be assured ... Sin enslaves us ... Forgiveness ... frees us. REPEAT. (Long Pause)
A little boy ... who was visiting his grandparents ...was given ... his first ... slingshot.
He practiced in the woods, ... but he could never hit ... his target.
As he came back ... to Grandma's back yard, ... he spied ... her pet duck.
On an impulse ... he took aim ... and let fly.
The stone hit, ... and the duck ... fell dead.
The boy ... panicked.
Desperately ... he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, ... only to look up ......and see his sister ...watching.
Sally ... had seen it all, ... but she said ... nothing.
After lunch that day, ... Grandma said, ......"Sally, let's wash the dishes."
But Sally said, ..."Johnny told me ... he wanted to help in the kitchen ... today. .........Didn't you, Johnny?"
And she whispered to him, ... "Remember ... the duck!
So, ... Johnny ... did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children could go fishing.
Grandma said, ... "I'm sorry, ... but I need Sally to help ... make supper."
Sally smiled and said, ......"That's all taken care of Grandma...... Johnny wants to help ... with supper."
Again, she whispered, ... "Remember the duck."
Johnny stayed ... while Sally ... went fishing.
Finally......After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, ... he couldn't stand it any longer.
He confessed to Grandma ... that he had killed ... the duck.
"I know, Johnny," she said, ... giving him a long hug.
"I was standing at the window ... and I saw the whole thing.
I forgave you at that very moment ... Because I love you.
And I wondered how long ... you would allow Sally ...... to make a slave ... of you.
O Beloved ... Satan is an accuser ... always reminding you of when you have fallen short.
Always there whispering in your ear ... Remember the Duck.
Sin enslaves us, ... Forgiveness frees us. (REPEAT)
Seek his forgiveness...
Nothing ... be assured ... nothing ... done in the dark ... is hidden ... from God.
(Slow) "There is now ... no condemnation ... for those who are in ... Christ Jesus." (Long Pause)
Paul recognizes a very important truth, ............that we act ......according...... To who WE believe ... we are.
If we are deceived into thinking ... that we are wretched ... That we are not ... who God says we are.
Then we are going to keep on acting ... In the past ... acting under ... the old nature.
Beloved ... in order to break the power ... of the old nature...... of the past.
You must see yourself ... as God sees you.
BIBLE "As far as the east ... is from the west, ... so far ... does God remove ... our transgressions ... from us." END (Psalm 103:12-14)
You need to ... you must ... see yourself ... as God ...sees you.
Lay your burdens before the Lord.
For His Yoke is easy ... and His burden ... is light.
There is an old Christian hymn ... that speaks ... to giving your heavy burdens to the Lord:
(Sing)
Give them all ... Give them all
Give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams ... Wounded hearts
Even ... Broken toys
Give them all ... Give them all
Give them all to Jesus
He will turn ... Your sorrow
He will turn ... Your sorrow
Yes ... He will turn ... Your sorrow into ... joy
You are a son ... you are a daughter ... of the King of Creation.
You are a son ... you are a daughter... of the King of Kings.
Beloved ... hold on tight to his promise ... Be assured in God's ... Promise.
"There is now ...... no condemnation ... for those who are in ... Christ Jesus.
Amen!
(Two More Illustrations Below)
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(1)
A young boy ...was arrested ...and brought before the magistrate for taking a bag of candy ...from the shelf of a local store.
The owner of the store pressed charges ...... he wanted the boy ......to learn a lesson.
After a lecture from the judge, ......the judge asked the young boy if he had anything to say...... before he passed sentence.
The boy sat very quietly with his head hung low ...... then slowly raised his head and focused his eyes ...on the eyes of the judge.
The boy said, very slowly... "Judge have you ever stolen anything?"
The room became very quiet ...... finally the judge said, ... "Case dismissed."
(2)
A couple married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip was, "I love you!
Beloved our heavenly Father knows our Faults... yet His response to us is the same everyday... I Love You.
