The Shared Load Is Comfortable

THE SHARED LOAD IS COMFORTABLE

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Here we have one of the most well know passages of scripture, which is near the top of the favourite list. These are the recorded words of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, spoken out of His great concern for those to whom He came to bring salvation.

We have many places in the gospels where we are told of Jesus compassion for people. And here we see that compassion evidenced in this wonderful, comforting, cheering and challenging statement.

Notice first that it is an invitation that is given – this is not a command, but a call that comes out of a heart that feels for lost and hurting mankind. See verse 28

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

A. THE INVITATION GIVEN

What is impresses me in these words is that an action is needed on our behalf.

1) THE ACTION REQUESTED

“Come to me,

It is of no use to simply sit where we are and complain about our situation, the Lord says ‘come’! You will remember the account of the Lord calling His disciples to follow Him. They needed to change their priorities, and to leave what they were involved in, and follow Him. It is clear that if we are invited to come to anyone, we first have to stop what we are doing, leave where we are, and ‘come’. I think of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, whose life was changed completely when he responded to the call, left his begging and came to Jesus. Please take special note that the invitation in our scripture is given by Jesus to come to Him. It is Jesus we are to come to – not to other people; not to church; not to religion, but to Jesus.

It seems to me that before we can take that action, we will need to be willing to admit that we have a need!

There is a problem that is found in both sinner and saint! It is a reluctance to admit that we have a need. We need to leave where we are and come to Jesus, there is an Action Requested.

Now take note of the words, all you who are weary and burdened,

There is also

2) THE ADMISSION REQUIRED

all you who are weary and burdened,

Do you feel there is a burden on your shoulders? Are you feeling the burden on your back? If you do, then you are in the place to respond to the invitation to ‘come’. If you are not willing to admit to the need then, it may be that you don’t qualify!

I am sure that you will recognise that you have a need, so if you are feeling the pressure of life, and you are willing to come to Jesus, there is a certain result. It is possible to be totally committed to the Lord’s work and still feel weary and burdened. It may be that we feel like that because we are trying to do the Lord’s work on our own! Be assured that coming to Jesus will bring rest. He has promised it! We have His assurance.

3) THE ASSURED RESULT

I will give you rest.

Be careful that you do not relegate these wonderful words to those who do not know the Lord as Saviour. Of course they apply to them, and when a sinner admits to his or her need and comes to Jesus they will certainly find rest.

Before we, as Christians, can claim these words for ourselves we have to come! Come, not for salvation, but in submission. All kinds of things can cause a distance to come between us and the Lord. It may be the demands of household or secular work. It could be the influence of others. It can even be our hectic involvement with church activities. Yes, even these can cause a gap to emerge between us and the Lord when we put the load before the Lord!.

Let me assure you that love the Lord, He invites you to come to Him with your need. You don’t have to carry your load alone – you need to share it, but not just with anyone – with Jesus who makes the invitation, and gives the assured promise.

How do we do this? There is an involvement needed.

B. THE INVOLVEMENT NEEDED

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,