There is much confusion about what Jesus is asking of people. People say one thing and another, but few look at what Jesus himself said.
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, NIV.
COME
If Jesus had a catch-phrase it would be the word, "Come." Over and over he says to persons and groups, Come to me..." His life was an open invitation to all. This invitation is to come to a person, Jesus, not a series of rules and regulations. We come to the Man of Galilee not a creed or system of philosophy. Many find this to be difficult, because it is a relationship and relationships take work, unlike a cold impersonal set of rules to live by.
ALL
Christ invites all to come, all who are weary and burdened. No matter who we are, what we have done, or have experienced, Jesus welcomes us. No one is too bad or too wicked; there is not exception clause, he says all may come.
REST
Jesus offers something no one else ever does, or can, and if they did it would be insane. He offers rest. He says, "I will give you rest," this is a strange use of the word rest. We would say, "Take some rest or get some rest;" but Jesus is saying something new and different here- he is the source of rest.
Christ offers the end of the struggle with guilt, victory over pain, and the finish of shame. If we rest in a chair it is temporary but Jesus offers a new, unending, and fully complete rest because in his next sentence, recorded in verse 29, he defines it as rest for your souls, this has to be a deeper, more complete, and more fulfilling rest than any other we could ever find.
WHAT AN OFFER
If we are weary of the struggle of our pain and burden he invites us to bring it to him. If we are tired of trying to solve our problems, and if the burdens of our hearts are too heavy to bear then Jesus is calling each of us. No matter what guilt, or shame, or pain we carry he says, "Come."
(c)Adron Dozat"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, NIV.
COME
If Jesus had a catch-phrase it would be the word, "Come." Over and over he says to persons and groups, Come to me..." His life was an open invitation to all. This invitation is to come to a person, Jesus, not a series of rules and regulations. We come to the Man of Galilee not a creed or system of philosophy. Many find this to be difficult, because it is a relationship and relationships take work, unlike a cold impersonal set of rules to live by.
ALL
Christ invites all to come, all who are weary and burdened. No matter who we are, what we have done, or have experienced, Jesus welcomes us. No one is too bad or too wicked; there is not exception clause, he says all may come.
REST
Jesus offers something no one else ever does, or can, and if they did it would be insane. He offers rest. He says, "I will give you rest," this is a strange use of the word rest. We would say, "Take some rest or get some rest;" but Jesus is saying something new and different here- he is the source of rest.
Christ offers the end of the struggle with guilt, victory over pain, and the finish of shame. If we rest in a chair it is temporary but Jesus offers a new, unending, and fully complete rest because in his next sentence, recorded in verse 29, he defines it as rest for your souls, this has to be a deeper, more complete, and more fulfilling rest than any other we could ever find.
WHAT AN OFFER
If we are weary of the struggle of our pain and burden he invites us to bring it to him. If we are tired of trying to solve our problems, and if the burdens of our hearts are too heavy to bear then Jesus is calling each of us. No matter what guilt, or shame, or pain we carry he says, "Come."
