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[198.78 --> 201.34] We take on his yoke, not our own. |
[201.34 --> 203.42] And that's a good message for us. |
[203.82 --> 206.00] We're not called to take shortcuts. |
[206.56 --> 209.96] Living with Jesus in the way of blessing is hard work. |
[210.44 --> 212.04] But we are comforted. |
[212.38 --> 218.98] And Jesus refreshes our souls because he invites us to him, not anything else, not anyone else. |
[219.52 --> 224.86] It is the Lord of all creation who comforts and equips us for this right way of living. |
[224.86 --> 231.18] So, with that in mind, if you have your Bibles with you, we're looking at the Gospel of Matthew today in chapter 11. |
[231.66 --> 233.46] It'll be on the screen for you as well. |
[234.46 --> 241.28] We turn to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 11 and we read it in verse 25. |
[241.28 --> 243.68] At that time, Jesus said, |
[243.68 --> 272.10] Come to me, all who are weary and burdened. |
[272.10 --> 274.00] And I will give you rest. |
[274.82 --> 277.46] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. |
[277.76 --> 279.56] For I am gentle and humble in heart. |
[280.06 --> 282.34] And you will find rest for your souls. |
[282.90 --> 286.42] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. |
[286.98 --> 288.64] This is God's word for us. |
[288.64 --> 296.96] So, upon reading and reflecting on obviously wrestling with some of the tough parts of this passage this past week, |
[297.30 --> 300.52] four questions kind of grasped me as I wrestled with it. |
[301.10 --> 305.20] The four questions will be on the screen for you because it kind of outlines the whole passage. |
[305.84 --> 307.42] Starting with the first question. |
[307.86 --> 312.00] Who exactly are the wise and learned that Jesus is referring to? |
[312.96 --> 314.02] The wise and learned. |
[314.02 --> 316.92] And then in turn, who are the little children then? |
[317.90 --> 321.42] And then the third question reflected in verse 27 is, |
[322.02 --> 323.84] Who is Jesus claiming to be? |
[324.34 --> 329.94] And why is that, why was it, and why is it even today, such a scandalous message? |
[330.62 --> 331.36] What's his claim? |
[332.12 --> 334.18] And then the last question, the fourth question. |
[335.22 --> 340.78] How is Jesus' burden and his yoke light for us? |
[340.78 --> 344.40] If we follow Jesus, how is it easy? |
[344.98 --> 346.76] Because many times it doesn't seem so. |
[348.12 --> 352.48] And so these are the questions that will guide us hopefully through our passage today. |
[353.18 --> 354.98] So, the first two questions. |
[355.68 --> 359.58] In order to get to the heart of this, you have to look at the context. |
[360.22 --> 365.72] And starting with the literary context, meaning the passages right before this, what we looked at today. |
[365.72 --> 372.26] Jesus speaks judgment against unrepentant towns that he ministered in. |
[373.36 --> 379.82] And it is very important to note that the purpose of Jesus calling on judgment was for the sake of salvation. |
[380.00 --> 381.76] And that's where our passage comes in. |
[382.04 --> 384.10] You can't take chunks out of the Bible and say, |
[384.28 --> 387.26] Oh, look, Jesus is like the Old Testament God. |
[387.36 --> 388.44] He just calls on judgment. |
[388.86 --> 390.60] You know, fire and brimstone kind of thing. |
[390.60 --> 397.90] But you have to look at it in the full context because Jesus is calling on judgment for the sake of wanting to save. |
[399.10 --> 401.20] Wanting to call sinners to repentance. |
[402.28 --> 404.74] And so, again, that's where our passage comes in. |
[405.46 --> 409.30] Right after speaking woes and judgment on these unrepentant towns or cities, |
[409.88 --> 413.30] Jesus turns to God and praises him and gives thanks to God. |
[414.94 --> 416.96] This is a bit odd, you could say. |
[417.34 --> 419.78] Even just going with the flow of the text. |
[420.60 --> 422.12] Because you could kind of ask, |
[422.72 --> 425.42] Jesus, I thought you were bringing your kingdom message, |
[425.74 --> 426.86] the good news of the kingdom, |
[427.26 --> 429.42] and that you, by your miraculous signs, |
[429.52 --> 432.00] would bring and have people become your disciples |
[432.00 --> 434.18] who would follow you all the way. |
[435.12 --> 438.68] But then you're calling on judgment on these unrepentant cities and towns. |
[439.02 --> 441.00] That's a sign of failure, isn't it? |
[442.28 --> 445.62] How come you're turning to God and giving thanks to him at this point? |
[445.62 --> 455.32] Well, the content of Jesus giving thanks to the Father is for not revealing this, |
[455.44 --> 458.84] the good news of the kingdom, to the wise and learned. |
[459.48 --> 461.74] And that's why we get to the first question then. |
[462.42 --> 464.90] Who exactly are the wise and learned? |
[464.90 --> 468.14] What does it mean? |
[468.58 --> 472.70] So Jesus can't simply be talking about smart people, can he? |
[473.92 --> 475.80] Anyone think they're smart here? |
[476.64 --> 478.74] Because the kingdom doesn't belong to you, apparently. |
[480.22 --> 482.72] That cannot be what Jesus is meaning here. |
[482.80 --> 487.86] He's not just pointing out to scholars and the religiously elite people. |
[487.86 --> 490.50] He's getting to the heart of the matter. |
[494.60 --> 497.36] The common theme that we see throughout Scripture, |
[497.68 --> 500.46] and we're talking both Testaments here, Old Testament, New Testament, |
[500.76 --> 502.68] Jesus didn't come to create a new religion. |
[503.00 --> 504.32] He's fulfilling Scripture. |
[504.84 --> 507.94] And all throughout Scripture, we see the common theme, |
[508.22 --> 511.32] that God opposes the proud. |
[511.32 --> 516.32] And he loves and has mercy on the lowly, the humble, the outcasts, |
[517.06 --> 518.66] the people who are in need. |
[519.34 --> 520.98] That's the heart of the matter. |
[521.30 --> 522.86] And that's what Jesus is getting at. |
[523.38 --> 526.60] Just to pull out some verses that reflect this theme, |
[526.74 --> 528.32] in Isaiah 66 it says, |
[529.02 --> 531.02] Has not my hand made all these things, |
[531.06 --> 534.00] and so they came into being, declares the Lord our God. |
[534.90 --> 535.90] So he says, |
[535.90 --> 538.18] These are the ones I look on with favor, |
[538.96 --> 542.10] those who are humble and contrite in spirit, |
[542.62 --> 544.24] and who tremble at my word. |
[545.22 --> 546.68] Same idea, Proverbs 3. |
[547.18 --> 549.56] He mocks proud mockers, |
[549.72 --> 552.58] but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. |
[554.18 --> 558.80] So this theme of humbling the proud and exalting the humble, |
[559.08 --> 560.90] you can find all throughout Scripture, |
[561.54 --> 563.36] arguably from Genesis to Revelation. |
[563.36 --> 566.12] And you have specific examples like this, |
[566.40 --> 568.94] in the book of Job, Proverbs, Ezekiel, Matthew, |
[569.28 --> 571.00] specifically in Luke's Gospel, |
[571.34 --> 574.10] where Jesus says that I have come for the sick. |
[575.06 --> 576.74] I have come to heal the sick, |
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