Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me… I will give you rest

Jesus had sent his disciples out to minister in towns where he would follow alter. In the instructions in chapter 10 he says in v40, the one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. Then in chapters 11 John the Baptist has been arrested, would soon die, and he “double checks” to make sure that Jesus is “the one” – you know if I’m going to die – die for right the one. Jesus questions them what they have seen happen by him, through him as affirmation of who he is. Then Jesus affirms that John is the promised Forerunner from Malachi 3:1. Jesus then makes an observation about their current generation, that sounds quite apropos:

11:16-17 to what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplace who call out to other children: ‘we played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance, we sang lament but you didn’t mourn.’

Wow has Jesus been on the X? Too often nothing is good enough. They had called John a demon because he did not eat and drink. Then they called Jesus a glutton and a drunk because he did eat and drink. “dance to my tune”. But Jesus simply says, v18 Wisdom is vindicated by deeds. WELL?

Then v27 No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son – AND ANYONE to whom the Son desires to reveal him…

Oh I hope Jesus will choose me for revelation – if only – how can I be sure I’ll get that revelation? Do I have to be in a specially chosen group? What is the prerequisite for revelation? And Jesus says, “I’m glad you asked…”

v28 COME – Look at that

Come to me all who are weary and burdened,

• I will give you rest.

Take my yoke

• and learn from me

because I am lowly and humble in heart

• You will find rest.

My Yoke is easy and burden light

and we see – “Rest” – Check. “Learn” – Ok, I guess. “Easy/Light” – Check Check. Send it on over Jesus – NO – COME.

<long pause>

Why do we struggle with the command to “come” the invitation to “come”?

• We have to LEAVE where we are to come
• We have to GO someplace else to come
• We have to Accept a different direction to come
• We have to Admit that where, what, how we are is not correct, needs to change to come
• We think Our Way is best or at least good enough in order to come

And Yet, we are working to satisfy ourselves and then find ourselves still unsatisfied. John 7:37 – Jesus says if anyone is thirsty… come to me and drink That invitation was at the end of a week of feasting, and Jesus knew they were still unsatisfied. And yet EVEN THEN – if you come, it’s not enough if you don’t take – drink Jeremiah 31:25 God says, I satisfy the thirsty and feed all those who are weak

So, go back to our verse- Come, Take, Learn, and Find – Such a Paradox here.

Come – Leave where you are, what you are doing, and Take my yoke upon you – Interestingly that while this is obviously reference to a plowing instrument, but also that word, yoke is ho zygos which also means a pair of scales – Jesus says come and take my work, measure it out on the scales and learn – that word is mathete – yep the word for learn is the word where we get the word MATHEMATICS – And it’s in the 2nd person active imperative – So Jesus is saying – “You, Now, Must LEARN – DO MATH… 😉

Oh You are losing me Jesus…

Come – Work – and do math? Well … yes – because I am humble/lowly – i.e. I’m not going to force you. But COME and you will FIND – Leaving, coming, working, learning – we FIND the unexpected – REST. The Rest you were looking for, working for, longing for, and yet you are weary – worn out – weighed down – still wanting rest – unsatisfied…

Come, Take, Learn, and Find

My yoke is easy – chrestos = kind, good, benevolent (state of being)

My burden is light = easy to bear

Why? How? – Well a Yoke has 2 Sides. Jesus wasn’t saying come and I’ll give you a list and you go do this work. No, Jesus is saying come join me. Get on the other side of this work with me. Jesus is actually pulling the weight, showing us how, giving encouragement, giving strength…

So, Come – Admit our insufficiency

Come – Accept his instruction

Come – Leave where you are

Come – to ME

Come – with ME

and Find what you’ve looked for, longed for, sought to live for, is right here

Come – easy – well yes – but Hard – yep – Come