Matthew 11:28-30—”Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls, because my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.”
God our Father is Lord of heaven and earth. Therefore, we must come to Him with reverence because we are addressing the sovereign Lord of all. We must come with confidence, with the belief that He is the One who is able to defend us from evil and to supply us with all good.
God our Father had delivered into Jesus’ hands all power, authority, and judgment. After Adam sinned, we must be indebted to Christ for all the revelation we have of God the Father’s will and love. Jesus our Saviour invited all, ‘who labor and are heavy-laden’, to come unto Him. If we think about this, it includes all men.
– Men of the world usually burden themselves with cares for wealth and honors fruitlessly.
– Gay and the sensual, labor to pursue pleasures – the slave of Satan and lusts.
– Men who toil to establish their own righteousness also work in vain.
– Convinced sinners are heavy-laden with guilt and terror.
– Tempted and afflicted believers have labors and burdens.
Despite this, Christ invites all to come to Him for rest to their souls. We go to Jesus when we feel guilt and misery. We believe in His love and power to help and seek Him in fervent prayer. Thus it is the duty and interest of weary and heavy-laden sinners, to come to Jesus Christ.
When we come to Christ, we are promised rest, peace, and comfort in our hearts as Christ’s gift. But there is a condition – to take His yoke and to submit to His authority. This means we must learn all things of Him, how to adapt them to our life and how to obey. Jesus accepts the willing servant, however imperfect our services. We need not fear His yoke because His commandments are holy, just, and good. Jesus’ yoke will require self-denial and expose us to difficulties, but this will be repaid abundantly in Heaven and even in this world with inward peace and joy. It is a yoke that is lined with love. While we do His duty, Jesus’ powerful assistances, His suitable encouragements, and His strong consolations make us feel that it is a yoke of pleasantness. If it was a forced obedience, it would be far from being easy and light, a heavy burden indeed. Then, we would draw near to Jesus in vain with our lips, while the heart stayed far from Him. The truths Christ teaches are what we must rest our souls upon. Such is the Redeemer’s mercy.
Let us come to Jesus daily, for deliverance from wrath and guilt, from sin and Satan, from all our cares, fears, and sorrows. We ‘come to Jesus’ to find rest for our souls.
