WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:01.600 Hello, friends. 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:02.879 This is Pastor Creighton. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:06.160 Thank you for tuning in to Newsong Church's Sermon Podcast. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:13.359 At Newsong Church, we want to see Jesus lifted high in Port Perry, Ontario, as we worship, grow, and serve. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:18.800 You can learn more about us and find contact info at newsongportperry.ca. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:28.480 The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew chapter eleven, verse the beginning of verse 25. 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:43.119 At that time Jesus declared, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:46.320 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:58.159 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:03.119 Come to me, all who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:10.879 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:14.480 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:16.400 This is the gospel of Christ. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.120 Praise to you, Lord Jesus. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:26.000 Father, uh, I thank you for these verses that are in the Bible. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:34.799 Uh they bring such peace, um, such hope in times of trial, um, but also hope in times of really good times. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:43.120 And Father, uh, I just pray that as we come to this text, that you would open our hearts and our minds to hear your voice, not my voice. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:51.200 Father, um I pray for any distractions from this week that would just fall away, and that you would just draw us to you. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:53.040 And I pray us in Jesus' name. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:54.000 Amen. 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:12.960 So before preparing for this sermon, Creighton asked me to uh use some of my testimony um intertwined through this um through this sermon. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:18.719 And uh I just when he said that I thought to myself, well, there goes a year's worth of sermon illustrations. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:26.400 Um so yeah, so so you'll hear some of my um some parts of my past. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:30.479 If you have any questions, feel free to come up after and I'll talk to you more about them. 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:42.000 So so during the week, uh myself and Amy, we went to Indigo in Oshawa, and uh I was really surprised how grand the indigo is there. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:43.759 Um at the Oshawa Mall. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:47.360 Um it was I've never seen indigo that big before. 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:54.719 In Ottawa, there's there's only one semi-big one in downtown, and all the rest are kind of medium-sized to small. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:10.240 And one thing that really struck me about the indigo in Oshawa, I'm sure it's the same in most of them in the Toronto area, is how massive the sections are for new age, for self-help, and interesting for whole food diets. 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:11.599 I found that really interesting. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:20.000 And then as I looked for the Christian section and also the philosophy section, it was off in the corner, this little tiny section with very bad lighting in it. 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:22.639 It was really striking. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:31.520 And the interesting thing about these three sections I mentioned is that these sections all promise a form of rest if you subscribe to them. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:39.039 They promise you a life that you'll be content, uh, you'll be a restful person, you'll be happy. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:43.280 And it's interesting that these sections are massive. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:52.319 So clearly there's something within our culture where people want a rest, they want to feel contentment, but no one's content. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:04:04.560 And this passage we're looking at this morning is one of those famous passages where it shows, it's the only passage in the New Testament that shows the heart of Jesus. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:11.199 Jesus explicitly says what his heart is, and it's also what the heart of Christianity is all about. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:16.879 So if you haven't already, please turn to Matthew chapter 11, verses 25 to 30. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:18.399 It's in the pamphlet. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:20.399 Uh it's really helpful if you have a Bible. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.560 If you don't have a Bible, I believe there's some just on the other side of the door over there. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:30.000 It's really helpful that you can follow along and you can also look at what came before and what comes after. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:45.839 Now, just quickly, the definition in the dictionary for what all of us believe rest to be is a cease of work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, and recover from strength. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:47.199 Now, what does that look like? 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:48.639 What does rest look like? 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:54.079 It could be going on a vacation, it could be hanging out with friends, it could be enjoying the weekend. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:56.800 These are all kinds of rests that we think of. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:11.680 For me, when I think of um when I feel like I'm overworked or I'm really tired, I often reflect on just my next trip I'm gonna take that we're gonna take to the UK, and we're gonna go reflect, we're gonna go all relax in Oxford. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:20.240 I always picture just sitting in a nice cafe with or surrounded by the historic buildings, reading a good book and drinking really strong coffee. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:24.879 That's that's to me, that's rest for me. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:30.800 Uh you may be you might find rest on the weekend, hanging out with your friends, maybe by the lake. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:33.519 Um, but you also may find just rest in friends. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:38.560 There's some people who, when they're surrounded by big groups of people, love they find that restful. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:40.319 I don't know how, but they find it restful. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:44.079 Um there's just some people, I'm sure there's some you hear that are like that. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:51.600 Um but the rest that Jesus is talking about is not sitting in a lawn chair by the water with a book or a fishing rod. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:56.160 Those are good forms of rest to relax our bodies, to relax our minds. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.079 But what the rest that Jesus is talking about is something else. 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:01.279 And what is it? 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:07.279 So it'd be helpful if you look at verses, I'll begin the read at verse 28 and I'll go to 29. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:14.639 Jesus says, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:23.360 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:32.160 Now when he says souls, he's not talking about this out-of-body, separate thing from your physical body. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:47.519 He when he when souls is mentioned in the Bible, it is talking about your entire being, your entire self, everything that's part of you, whether that's your blood, your flesh, your minds, your thoughts, your heart, it's everything, every part of you. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:56.079 And the thing that's interesting about this is we live in a world where we are promised rest and contentment everywhere. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:57.839 Everywhere says this. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:06:59.680 And what do I mean by that? 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:06.319 Well, it could be you can find, we're told that you can find contentment or rest with Mr. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:06.879 or Mrs. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:08.800 Wright, the perfect person in your life. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:14.720 If you just get that person, you find that person, you hold on to that person, you'll be content for the rest of your life. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:23.120 It could be in job success that you strive for most of your career to hit this pinnacle of your job, and then you feel content. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:26.399 Then you feel restful, you feel like you've achieved something. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:34.959 It could be in your children that you feel like you've raised good children, good, smart, well, good morals with your kids. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.480 You can find contentment in that. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:42.879 It could be in your health, it could be in your hobbies, maybe you're really good at golf and you find a lot of pleasure in that. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.319 Maybe it's for me, it was I used to be really into rock climbing. 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:50.160 And when I was really good at rock climbing, I felt a lot of satisfaction. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.319 I felt content, felt restful. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:08:01.120 It could be in your identity, your sexuality, or maybe you strive to have a happy family, one that's perfect, one that doesn't have any issues. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:09.279 We're taught, we're taught, if we attain these things, I will be content and find rest. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:15.839 When I was a youth, unfortunately, my parents got divorced. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:24.399 I remember after this happened, all I wanted was for them to reconcile, for them to come back together. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:29.120 But as I got older, I came to realize that it was for the best that they actually separated. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:31.199 Um you could ask me after about it. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.679 Um and then when I this happened when I was very young, probably around when I was 10. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:40.559 And then when I turned 19, my dad disappeared from my life. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.039 Just disappeared, just left. 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:50.879 And when I was young, I thought if I could if they reconciled, I would be content again. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:55.279 Sure, this may just last for a moment, but I felt like I'd be content. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:59.360 That my life, what I knew then, would just be back to normal. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:06.000 But as you age, you begin to realize this. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:10.399 This lie that we're taught all through our lives, all through the media, everything. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:12.720 That people are being lied to. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.360 When we're young, we don't really notice it. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:17.679 I'm only in my 30s, so I'm just beginning. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:21.360 But I'm sure there's some people here that are older than I am. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:27.600 Um you guys can probably tell me that it's not all what it's um meant to be. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:31.200 We're taught that be yourself, be your true self. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:34.960 But then we're taught, and we find out this is not true. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:40.559 These things, these things that we are told that we'll find rest in, they start to turn on us. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.799 See, you reach the success you've been chasing in your job. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:51.440 Only to realize it's not what you thought it would be, and you're not actually content. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.559 You're at the pinnacle, but you don't feel any rest. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:58.320 You just feel like you have more burdens, more responsibilities. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:06.879 You're not able to do the hobby you love so much anymore due to health or commitments, and you don't feel content anymore. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:12.799 Your friends move, or due to age, your friends begin to pass away. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:17.759 You move away from the security of your hometown to the unfamiliar. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:29.360 That's something I've been wrestling with lately, with moving from Ottawa to here, that this what I thought I felt security and contentment is, contentment in is no longer a part of my life. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:32.000 So I've had to like kind of grapple with that. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:37.279 Or maybe it's the sin you thought you had dealt with, but it begins to creep up again. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:37.919 Mr. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:38.399 or Mrs. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:38.879 Mr. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:39.440 or Mrs. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:40.000 Mrs. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.679 Wright turns out to be not who you thought they were. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.000 And you don't feel content anymore. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:11:01.519 At the time when Jesus was saying these words, the religious leaders would heavily burden the people with rules of the law, things outside of the law, but they said it was a part of the law, so they can live by the law. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:06.960 A good example of this, I'm just gonna read it quickly if I still have the bookmark here. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:13.679 At the end towards the end of Matthew, Jesus is talking about the scribes and Pharisees to his disciples. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:29.120 And he says, Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, and so do and observe whatever so do and do observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:42.000 For they preach, but do not practice, they tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and they lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:55.840 See what Jesus is talking about here is that these men would create these all these burdens for the people to follow, and they felt oppressed and they felt burdened because they felt they knew they couldn't keep them. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:02.080 But this text shows us right now that it speaks to us. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.120 But instead of Pharisees telling us what to do, we preach it to ourselves. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.960 We tell ourselves what to do. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:10.879 Maybe you're familiar with some of these. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:13.840 If I do a good deed, I'll be a good person. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.000 If I fight for social justice, I'm a great person. 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:21.279 If I compost, I'm helping the earth. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:25.679 If I pray more, read my Bible more, I'm a devout Christian. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:31.279 We put these rules over our lives, and if we don't achieve them or follow them, we beat ourselves up. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:34.559 We put these burdens on ourselves. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:41.679 True rest. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.320 Now what is that? 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:46.879 Well, let's look again at verse 29. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.159 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:58.960 For I'm gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, your entire being. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:01.440 Now, what is a yoke? 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:07.120 A yoke of what he's talking about is a farming device that was put on a beast of burden. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:10.639 It was normally put on an oxen that would pull a burden. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:15.600 But the thing with a yoke that's interesting is that there's two spots in it. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:20.879 There's one for a lead oxen, and then there's one for one that's being trained. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:29.360 So there's one that there's the lead that carries most of the burden, and then there's the one that's learning what to do that would carry some of the burden. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.759 That is what he's talking about here. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:34.480 So Jesus is not saying something new here. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:47.200 This is a very familiar term for in this context, that when someone would become, would want to learn from a teacher, they would, if they become a disciple to that teacher, they would give up everything. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.759 They would go and live with that person. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:53.919 They would go and learn from them, give up their self-identity, everything. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.159 They would yoke themselves to that teacher. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:59.759 That was a very familiar saying then, that they were yoked to that teacher. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:01.120 They were their disciple. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:05.759 So Jesus is saying, I must mean master of your life. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:07.840 I must dominate your life. 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:10.240 You must give up your self-identity. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.639 You must give up yourself to me. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.960 You must yoke yourself to me. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.159 Now, this goes against everything we're taught. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:22.960 This goes against everything you'll see in stores and media as well. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:27.039 We often see and we're often taught that you must be free. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:30.720 You must do what you want, you must be your true self. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.039 Experiment with whatever you want. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.759 Don't let anyone tell you what to do. 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:48.720 When I was 17, alone, lying in a ditch, in a t-shirt on New Year's Eve, too drunk to stand up, and I just kept falling, and my face was covered in blood. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.080 Every time I would try to get up, I would just fall. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:54.799 And I would was screaming at the sky. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:59.759 I want to die, I want to die, not caring about anything. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:06.960 But interestingly, I didn't I had no idea that within a year I would walk into a church in the mocket and come out Christian. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:10.240 By the world's standards, I had it all. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:12.720 I did what I wanted. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:15.440 I slept with whoever I wanted. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.279 Had all the friends I needed, I was considered popular. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:22.159 By the world's standard, I had it made. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.080 If a Christian tried to tell me how to live, I would spit in their face. 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:32.639 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:37.759 For I'm gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:43.679 If you want true freedom, you must let Jesus be Lord of your life. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:48.320 You're already yoked to something. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.600 What have you chosen to live for? 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:53.039 Is it work? 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.720 Is it relationships? 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.360 Is it children or the hope of children? 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.799 Is it tradition? 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.399 Your spouse, your hobbies, learning, travel? 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:10.879 If you're living for something, if you're living for something, you're not free, you're actually yoked to it. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:14.000 And what do I mean by that? 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:17.600 Well, when you live for something, it consumes you. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.200 It's your entire thing. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:25.519 A good way to figure this out is one way to start is what do you think often most about? 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:29.600 Normally that's a good starting place. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.759 Well, you might be thinking, Matt, well, you said all this stuff. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:35.840 You say I need to be yoked to Jesus. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:42.879 I need to s stop following things in this world, I need to stop letting them consume my life. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:45.279 How do I do this? 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.960 Well, look at verse 25. 00:16:50.320 --> 00:17:03.039 At that time, Jesus declared, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:16.559 Is this now you might be thinking, well, Matt, is this saying I have to be stupid and unlearned? 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:18.799 It's saying I have to be a child. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:23.119 Before entering into ministry, I was a photojournalist. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:28.160 I had a over a decade-long career as a professional photojournalist in Ottawa. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:34.079 By all by all things, I was at the top of the game. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.920 I've won awards. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:40.319 I had people wanting to actually intern with me. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.079 I was extremely prideful. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.799 I was not open to any critique or advice. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:49.039 I considered myself wise in photography, extremely prideful. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.920 I'd photographed very famous people. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.759 I've met very famous people. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:58.559 I was a part of some of the parties and they've got the smooths with people. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.559 I thought I had it all again. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:02.880 Again in my life, I thought I had it all. 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:11.440 But what Jesus is saying here about the wise in understanding is he's talking about the people that are extremely prideful. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:16.000 It's not about being too smart, but it's about the people that are like, I did this. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:18.079 They pat themselves on their shoulders. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.519 I earned this. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.640 I know better. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.559 You can't tell me what to do. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.279 In Jesus' time, the Pharisees and the scribes were very much like this. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:29.839 You couldn't disagree with them or nothing. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.359 But they would tell you what to do. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:32.960 You can tell them what to do. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:39.440 And what Jesus is saying here about little children, what does he mean by this? 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:47.039 He's talking about children in some capacity know they are helpless, young children. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:51.599 They must be carried, they must be fed, they must be cleaned. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:57.839 Timothy Keller speaking on this passage gives a great illustration, so I'm just going to take it right from him. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.759 Children are exceedingly confident you love them. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:07.359 They will be the most fussy and disruptive and drive you crazy for an hour. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:09.519 They will not let you sleep. 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.799 They'll push you to the edge. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:21.119 They'll make you so fed up, you'll be just completely lost in yourself. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.920 And then they'll look at you and say, Up, up, I want to be held. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.599 I want to be fed. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.480 Hold me. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.960 They expect love. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:40.160 This is what it this is what he means when he says you must become become childlike. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:42.559 You must become yoke to him. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.319 Expect love from him. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:47.279 You must become his disciple daily. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:51.839 If you're not being a disciple, you're not experiencing his rest. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:56.319 This may seem harsh, this may seem hard or even scary. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.480 But if you look at verse 30, let's look at it together. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:04.880 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:10.079 See, Jesus is saying here, you come to me, yoke yourself to me. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:17.920 The burdens of this world are unbearable, but my burden, my yoke, is easy. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:20.000 You will find rest for your souls. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:21.279 It is light. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:25.359 Jesus is saying something extremely profound here. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:32.480 The people of this day would have been so used to being told what to do and constantly failing at it. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:42.640 But as Jesus is saying, Even though you are dead in yourself, you come to me, yoke yourself to me, and I will give you rest. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:46.799 Put your faith and trust in me, and I will make you mine. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:57.839 Jesus stood in your place so you wouldn't face the judgment of God, so you can rest in him and not be endlessly searching for rest in things that eventually go away. 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:00.240 They eventually all leave us. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:07.200 We all chase things that promise rest, but only Jesus can give you true rest, eternal rest. 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:10.720 Let's look at it again. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.440 Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:23.359 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:27.200 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:45.839 Jesus is using a great illustration to help us realize, to help everyone, whether you call yourself a believer or an unbeliever, that the only way to find true rest is to come to me, submit yourself to me, be childlike, learn from me. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:49.200 Nothing else will give you true rest. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:54.160 They'll only give you fake rest or rest that's only partial. 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:56.000 And let us pray. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:16.640 Struggles with resting, finding the true rest, and just resting in you and not and just keeps worrying about everything around. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:35.759 Father, I help, I just pray that you would help us to daily take up your yoke, to put it on ourselves, to learn from you, to read your word, to pray to you, but to do it in a way that we just want a relationship with you, not a way to earn our salvation. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:48.960 Father, I pray if there's anyone here who struggles with this, um, that you would just draw them to yourself, that you would just speak to their hearts and their minds, speak to all our hearts and minds, Father. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.720 We need it reminding every day. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.640 Help us to learn from you. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.240 In Jesus' name. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.200 Amen. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.640 Thank you for listening today. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:04.319 We worship a generous God who calls us to follow Him and giving willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:11.039 Newsong Church's mission and ministry is 100% funded by the generous gifts of those worshiping and journeying with us. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:18.720 If you'd like to offer a gift towards Newsong's ministry, please visit Newsongportperry.ca slash giving for more information on how to do that. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:21.839 May God bless you and keep you today and every day.