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[3109.12 --> 3110.66] especially, I suggest,
[3110.72 --> 3111.60] in our workplaces.
[3112.22 --> 3114.42] But this hard work is made easy
[3114.42 --> 3117.70] because it is the Lord of creation
[3117.70 --> 3119.16] who comforts,
[3119.52 --> 3120.42] and more importantly,
[3120.70 --> 3123.84] who equips us for this right way of living.
[3124.82 --> 3126.48] And so if you have your Bibles with you,
[3126.90 --> 3129.46] or if you can take a look on the screen,
[3129.86 --> 3131.10] we read from God's Word
[3131.10 --> 3132.56] from the Gospel of Matthew.
[3133.54 --> 3136.00] In chapter 11, we read from verse 25.
[3136.00 --> 3139.64] At that time, Jesus said,
[3139.64 --> 3141.06] I praise you, Father,
[3141.18 --> 3142.80] Lord of heaven and earth,
[3142.92 --> 3145.04] because you have hidden these things
[3145.04 --> 3146.16] from the wise and learned
[3146.16 --> 3148.28] and revealed them to little children.
[3149.08 --> 3149.70] Yes, Father,
[3149.84 --> 3151.96] for this is what you were pleased to do.
[3152.48 --> 3154.80] All things have been committed to me
[3154.80 --> 3155.94] by my Father.
[3156.32 --> 3158.68] No one knows the Son except the Father,
[3158.76 --> 3161.30] and no one knows the Father except the Son,
[3161.38 --> 3164.28] and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
[3164.84 --> 3166.18] So come to me,
[3166.36 --> 3168.54] all you who are weary and burdened,
[3168.54 --> 3170.24] and I will give you rest.
[3171.20 --> 3173.96] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
[3174.06 --> 3176.68] for I am gentle and humble in heart,
[3176.80 --> 3179.50] and you will find rest for your souls.
[3180.40 --> 3181.32] For my yoke,
[3181.92 --> 3184.94] my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
[3185.48 --> 3186.80] This is the Word of the Lord.
[3188.84 --> 3191.12] And so upon my reading and reflecting,
[3191.92 --> 3193.44] I thought of four questions
[3193.44 --> 3194.94] that helped me think a little deeper
[3194.94 --> 3196.26] about the passage
[3196.26 --> 3198.04] and about Jesus' tough teaching here.
[3198.54 --> 3199.68] So these four questions
[3199.68 --> 3201.18] will be up on the screen for you.
[3201.42 --> 3202.00] First of all,
[3202.34 --> 3203.96] who is Jesus talking about
[3203.96 --> 3205.74] when He says the wise and learned?
[3205.86 --> 3206.22] He says,
[3206.60 --> 3208.42] you have kept these things
[3208.42 --> 3209.84] from the wise and learned.
[3210.52 --> 3211.14] Wise and learned,
[3211.22 --> 3211.70] who are they?
[3212.12 --> 3212.44] Second,
[3212.68 --> 3213.98] who are the little children then?
[3214.20 --> 3214.68] He says,
[3215.00 --> 3216.32] the Father kept these things
[3216.32 --> 3217.62] from the wise and learned,
[3217.70 --> 3219.76] but revealed them to little children.
[3220.10 --> 3221.46] So who are the little children?
[3221.98 --> 3222.30] Third,
[3222.30 --> 3224.06] who is Jesus claiming to be
[3224.06 --> 3224.84] in this passage?
[3225.34 --> 3226.44] Because I suggest
[3226.44 --> 3228.50] it was a very scandalous message,
[3228.90 --> 3230.64] especially to those Jews,
[3230.94 --> 3231.80] first century Jews,
[3231.92 --> 3233.48] receiving this message from Him.
[3234.26 --> 3235.02] And then lastly,
[3235.62 --> 3237.06] why or how
[3237.06 --> 3238.86] is wearing Jesus' yoke
[3238.86 --> 3240.24] easy for our lives?
[3240.36 --> 3240.70] Again,
[3240.98 --> 3241.74] what I suggested,
[3241.86 --> 3242.78] this is good news.
[3243.10 --> 3245.00] This is good news for us.
[3245.68 --> 3246.66] And so these questions
[3246.66 --> 3248.00] sort of outline our whole passage.
[3248.00 --> 3249.04] So let's tackle
[3249.04 --> 3250.04] the first two questions.
[3250.62 --> 3251.00] For that,
[3251.12 --> 3251.76] we need to look at
[3251.76 --> 3252.84] the actual context.
[3253.34 --> 3255.54] Because in the immediate context
[3255.54 --> 3257.66] of Jesus speaking these words,
[3258.28 --> 3259.64] the verses right before it,
[3260.12 --> 3261.54] Jesus is speaking judgment
[3261.54 --> 3263.78] against the unrepentant cities
[3263.78 --> 3265.28] and towns that He ministered in.
[3265.70 --> 3266.98] So He goes and shares
[3266.98 --> 3268.04] the good news of the kingdom,
[3268.20 --> 3269.40] but these cities and towns
[3269.40 --> 3270.32] do not receive them.
[3271.16 --> 3272.46] And then from that,
[3272.60 --> 3273.98] after calling judgment
[3273.98 --> 3275.12] and woes on those
[3275.12 --> 3276.00] unrepentant cities,
[3276.68 --> 3277.94] Jesus right away
[3277.94 --> 3279.60] turns and then praises
[3279.60 --> 3280.28] the Father.
[3281.22 --> 3282.38] It's a bit of a weird image
[3282.38 --> 3283.34] if you think about it.
[3284.28 --> 3285.22] Because right after,
[3286.16 --> 3287.38] again, like I said,