Matt. 11:28-30             THERE IS A PLACE OF REST

Intro: Ever get tired?/Ever feel a need for rest? Ill. Our vacation left me more tired than before! We are a weary people because we rush from one activity to the other. We work long hours and fill our calendars with too many obligations. The fact that we need rest makes this invitation from Jesus so very appealing.

      Look at verse 29b – “rest for your souls”. He is not talking about physical rest, but He is talking about spiritual rest. Most people are weary in their spirits today. Henry David Thoreau said, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Many are troubled and agitated in their souls, and they try to find rest in all the wrong places. Some look to a mate/ a bottle or a pill/ friends/ pleasure/ entertainment/ a job/ money. People look everywhere and try everything in the effort to find rest for their souls. No thing and no one in this world can give you the peace and rest you seek.

      While people run here and there trying to find peace, Jesus says, so simply and so calmly, “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” There is a place of rest; a place of quietness; a place of peace and His name is Jesus. He invites you to come to Him to find the rest your soul seeks. People are looking, running, seeking, struggling, striving, fighting, loving, rushing, searching all in an effort to find what only Jesus Christ can give.

      There is a place of rest for the weary soul and that place of rest is Jesus Christ. In these verses, through a series of commands, Jesus invites you and me to enter that place of spiritual rest. Let’s examine His invitation as I try to preach on the though There Is A Place Of Rest.

 

  I. v. 28                              THE CALL TO SALVATION

A.  The Plea He Delivers – That is the essence of salvation. Salvation is coming to Jesus! It is not coming to a church, a creed, a man, a denomination, an altar, a baptistery, a new way of living, etc. Salvation is coming to Jesus, 1 John 5:12; Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Acts 16:31. (Ill. He invites “All” – Anyone who sees their need of a Savior can come to Jesus and they will be saved, John 6:37; Isa. 1:18; ***Isa. 42:3***; Heb. 7:25.) (Ill. Come to Jesus!)

B.  The People He Describes – He is referring to those He has been dealing with in this chapter. Some are struggling under the burden of doubt, v. 1-6, the yoke of religious legalism, v. 7-19, and the bondage of sin, v. 20-24. He wants them all to know that they can have rest!

1. You can see your doubts put to rest – 1 John 5:13 – Come to Jesus!

2. You can be free from legalism and self-righteousness – Ill. The Jewish religion and the oppressions of the people by the Pharisees – Matt. 23:3-4; 15:10 – Come to Jesus! (Ill. All of your efforts can never please God and earn you salvation – Isa. 64:6; Eph. 2:8-9.)

3. You can be free from the bondage of your sins – Rom. 6:6-14 – Jesus has the power to set you free! (Ill. If you want to be free come to Jesus!)

C.  The Promise He Declares – “rest” = “quietness, calmness, peace, refreshment.” All those who come to Jesus are given rest.

1. We are given peace with God - Rom. 5:1; 2. Rest from our attempts to please God - Eph. 1:6 3. Calmness concerning our salvation - Rom. 8:16; 4. Quietness about our future - John 6:37; John 10:28; 5. Refreshment for our journey - Isa. 40:31) (Ill. If you want rest, come to Jesus!)

 

 

 II. v. 29a                     THE COMMAND TO SURRENDER

(Ill. Salvation always precedes surrender. Ill. Can’t live like a married man until you are married. After you are saved, you should live like a saved person. A yoke is a wooden implement designed to allow two oxen to pull a load together. It harnesses the power of both beasts to the load they are attempting to move. Ill. The image of the yoke was also used to speak of submitting to the instructions of a teacher.) 

A.  We Must Surrender To A Person – Jesus wants us to surrender to His control in our lives. He desires that we bow to His authority. (Ill. He has the right to demand this – 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Rom. 14:7-9; 2 Cor. 5:15.) Does He have the reigns to your life?

B.  We Must Surrender To A Partnership – Jesus is saying, “Get in the yoke with me.” He is not calling us to walk alone; He is calling us to walk with Him. He knows that we cannot live this live on our own. He goes with us and enables us to live for Him as we yield to His control in our lives, Gal. 2:20; John 14:16-18. (Ill. We are not in this thing alone! True rest in the Christian life comes from surrendering to His control.) (Ill. Little boy, his dad and heavy bucket.)

 

III. v. 29b-30                    THE CHALLENGE TO SERVE

A.  v. 29a  Our Pattern In Service – Jesus tells us to look at His example. He is gentle and humble, completely yielded to the Father’s will. Jesus was sent to this world to serve, Mark 10:45. While we are not saved by works, we are clearly saved to work, Eph. 2:10; James 2:18; Titus 2:14. (Ill. The word “learn” is the same word that is translated “disciple”. Jesus is looking for people who will lay everything on the line as He did and serve Him with no reservations – Matt. 16:24; Luke 14:25-27; ***Phil. 2:5-8***.)

B.  v. 29b  Our Peace In Service – When we trust Jesus by faith, we are given rest, v. 28. When we serve Him faithfully, we find rest. There is a rest that gives us peace with God and peace of soul. There is a rest that comes from serving Him. There is a joy, a fulfillment, a happiness that can be found no where else in life. There is something special about being in the center of His will for your life. If you want true commitment, come to Jesus for salvation, yield to His will for your life and serve Him faithfully. The fullness of peace and rest are found under the burden of His yoke. (Ill. To be accepted and used of the Lord is a blessing beyond words!)

C.  v. 30  Our Promise In Service – The word “easy” means “fits well”. Ill Jesus was a carpenter. He will design a yoke that will fit us perfectly. His burden is “light”. As we put our shoulder to the path He has chosen for us, there will be burdens along the way. But, we will find that His yoke brings peace, joy, satisfaction and fulfillment and that every difficulty in life is turned to our good by His grace, Rom. 8:28. As we walk with Him, we are aware that our trials here will work for our glory there, 2 Cor. 4:17; Rom. 8:18.

 

Conc: Ill. Tommy Dorsey and “Precious Lord, Lead Me On.” Are you weary and tired from the struggles of life? Are you weary from the storms you have been called to face? Are you worn out from trying to serve Him in the power of your flesh? Are you weary from your burden of sin? There is rest in Jesus for those who will come to Him. Here His words again: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”