"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11: 28-30
Here is the offer itself that is made to us, and an invitation to accept of it. After so solemn a preface, we may well expect something very great; and it is a faithful saying, and well worthy of all acceptation; words whereby we may be saved. We are here invited to Christ as our Priest, Prince, and Prophet, to be saved, and, in order to that, to be ruled and taught by him.(1.) We must come to Jesus Christ as our Rest, and repose ourselves in him (v. 28), 'Come unto me all ye that labour.' Observe, [1.] The character of the persons invited; 'all that labour, and are heavy laden.' This is a word in season to him that is weary, Isa. l. 4. Those who complain of the burden of the ceremonial law, which was an intolerable yoke, and was made much more so by the tradition of the elders (Luke xi. 46), let them come to Christ, and they shall be made easy; he came to free his church from this yoke, to cancel the imposition of those carnal ordinances, and to introduce a purer and more spiritual way of worship; but it is rather to be understood of the burthen of sin, both the guilt and the power of it. Note, All those, and those only, are invited to rest in Christ, that are sensible of sin as a burthen, and groan under it; that are not only convinced of the evil of sin, of their own sin, but are contrite in soul for it; that are really sick of their sins, weary of the service of the world and of the flesh; that see their state sad and dangerous by reason of sin, and are in pain and fear about it, as Ephraim (Jer. xxxi. 18-20), the prodigal (Luke xv. 17), the publican (Luke xviii. 13), Peter's hearers (Acts ii. 37), Paul (Acts ix. 4, 6, 9), the jailor (Acts xvi. 29, 30). This is a necessary preparative for pardon and peace. The Comforter must first convince (John xvi. 8); I have torn and then will heal. [2.] The invitation itself: Come unto me. That glorious display of Christ's greatness which we had (v. 27), as Lord of all, might frighten us from him, but see here how he holds out the golden sceptre, that we may touch the top of it and may live. Note, It is the duty and interest of weary and heavy laden sinners to come to Jesus Christ. Renouncing all those things which stand in opposition to him, or in competition with him, we must accept of him, as our Physician and Advocate, and give up ourselves to his conduct and government; freely willing to be saved by him, in his own way, and upon his own terms. Come and cast that burden upon him, under which thou art heavy laden. This is the gospel call, 'The Spirit saith, Come; and the bride saith, Come; let him that is athirst come; Whoever will, let him come.'
[3.] The blessing promised to those that do come: 'I will give you rest.' Christ is our Noah, whose name signifies rest, for this same shall give us rest. Gen. v. 29; viii. 9. Truly rest is good (Gen. xlix. 15), especially to those that labour and are heavy laden, Eccl. v. 12. Note, Jesus Christ will give assured rest to those weary souls, that by a lively faith come to him for it; rest from the terror of sin, in a well-grounded peace of conscience; rest from the power of sin, in a regular order of the soul, and its due government of itself; a rest in God, and a complacency of soul, in his love. Ps. xi. 6, 7. This is that rest which remains for the people of God (Heb. iv. 9), begun in grace, and perfected in glory.
(2.) We must come to Jesus Christ as our Ruler, and submit ourselves to him (v. 29). 'Take my yoke upon you.' This must go along with the former, for Christ is exalted to be both a Prince and a Saviour, a Priest upon his throne. The rest he promises is a release from the drudgery of sin, not from the service of God, but an obligation to the duty we owe to him. Note, Christ has a yoke for our necks, as well as a crown for our heads, and this yoke he expects we should take upon us and draw in. To call those who are weary and heavy laden, to take a yoke upon them, looks like adding affliction to the afflicted; but the pertinency of it lies in the word my: "You are under a yoke which makes you weary: shake that off and try mine, which will make you easy." Servants are said to be under the yoke (1 Tim. vi. 1), and subjects, 1 Kings xii. 10. To take Christ's yoke upon us, is to put ourselves into the relation to servants and subjects to him, and then of conduct ourselves accordingly, in a conscientious obedience to all his commands, and a cheerful submission to all his disposals: it is to obey the gospel of Christ, to yield ourselves to the Lord: it is Christ's yoke; the yoke he has appointed; a yoke he has himself drawn in before us, for he learned obedience, and which he does by his Spirit draw in with us, for he helpeth our infirmities, Rom. viii. 26. A yoke speaks some hardship, but if the beast must draw, the yoke helps him. Christ's commands are all in our favour: we must take this yoke upon us to draw in it. We are yoked to work, and therefore must be diligent; we are yoked to submit, and therefore must be humble and patient: we are yoked together with our fellow-servants, and therefore must keep up the communion of saints: and the words of the wise are as goads, to those who are thus yoked.
Now this is the hardest part of our lesson, and therefore it is qualified (v. 30). 'My yoke is easy and my burden is light'; you need not be afraid of it.
[1.] The yoke of Christ's commands is an easy yoke; it is 'chrestos', not only easy, but gracious, so the word signifies; it is sweet and pleasant; there is nothing in it to gall the yielding neck, nothing to hurt us, but, on the contrary, must to refresh us. It is a yoke that is lined with love. Such is the nature of all Christ's commands, so reasonable in themselves, so profitable to us, and all summed up in one word, and that a sweet word, love. So powerful are the assistances he gives us, so suitable the encouragements, and so strong the consolations, that are to be found in the way of duty, that we may truly say, it is a yoke of pleasantness. It is easy to the new nature, very easy to him that understandeth, Prov. xiv. 6. It may be a little hard at first, but it is easy afterwards; the love of God and the hope of heaven will make it easy.
[2.] The burden of Christ's cross is a light burden, very light: afflictions from Christ, which befal us as men; afflictions for Christ, which befal us as Christians; the latter are especially meant. This burden in itself is not joyous, but grievous; yet as it is Christ's, it is light. Paul knew as much of it as any man, and he calls it a light affliction, 2 Cor. iv. 17. God's presence (Isa. xliii. 2), Christ's sympathy (Isa. lxxiii. 9, Dan. iii. 25), and especially the Spirit's aids and comforts (2 Cor. i. 5), make suffering for Christ light and easy. As afflictions abound, and are prolonged, consolations abound, and are prolonged too. Let this therefore reconcile us to the difficulties, and help us over the discouragements, we may meet with, both in doing work and suffering work; though we may lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him.
(3.) We must come to Jesus Christ as our Teacher, and set ourselves to learn of him, v. 29. Christ has erected a great school, and has invited us to be his scholars. We must enter ourselves, associate with his scholars, and daily attend the instructions he gives by his word and Spirit. We must converse much with what he said, and have it ready to use upon all occasions; we must conform to what he did, and follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21. Some make the following words, 'for I am meek and lowly in heart', to be the particular lesson we are required to learn from the example of Christ. We must learn of him to be meek and lowly, and must mortify our pride and passion, which render us so unlike to him. We must so learn of Christ as to learn Christ (Eph. iv. 20), for he is both Teacher and Lesson, Guide and Way, and All in All.
Two reasons are given why we must learn of Christ.
[1.] 'I am meek and lowly in heart', and therefore fit to teach you.
First, He is meek, and can have compassion on the ignorant, whom others would be in a passion with. Many able teachers are hot and hasty, which is a great discouragement to those who are dull and slow; but Christ knows how to bear with such, and to open their understandings. His carriage towards his twelve disciples was a specimen of this; he was mild and gentle with them, and made the best of them; though they were heedless and forgetful, he was not extreme to mark their follies. Secondly, He is lowly in heart. He condescends to teach poor scholars, to teach novices; he chose disciples, not from the court, nor the schools, but from the seaside. He teaches the first principles, such things as are milk for babes; he stoops to the meanest capacities; he taught Ephraim to go, Hos. xi. 3. Who teaches like him? It is an encouragement to us to put ourselves to school to such a Teacher. This humility and meekness, as it qualifies him to be a Teacher, so it will be the best qualification of those who are to be taught by him; for the meek will he guide in judgment, Ps. xxv. 9.
[2.] 'You shall find rest to your souls.' This promise is borrowed from Jer. vi. 16, for Christ delighted to express himself in the language of the prophets, to show the harmony between the two Testaments. Note, First, Rest for the soul is the most desirable rest; to have the soul to dwell at ease. Secondly, The only way, and a sure way to find rest for our souls is, to sit at Christ's feet and hear his word. The way of duty is the way of rest. The understanding finds rest in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, and is there abundantly satisfied, finding that wisdom in the gospel which has been sought for in vain throughout the whole creation, Job xxviii. 12. The truths Christ teaches are such as we may venture our souls upon. The affections find rest in the love of God and Jesus Christ, and meet with that in them which gives them an abundant satisfaction; quietness and assurance for ever. And those satisfactions will be perfected and perpetuated in heaven, where we shall see and enjoy God immediately, shall see him as he is, and enjoy him as he is ours. This rest is to be had with Christ for all those who learn of him.
Well, this is the sum and substance of the gospel call and offer: we are here told, in a few words, what the Lord Jesus requires of us, and it agrees with what God said of him once and again. 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him'.
Thus spoke the Saviour of the world
Thou to the pure and lowly heart
Ev'n so! thou, Father, hast ordained
Thou only know'st the Son: from thee
Come then to me, all ye who groan,
Take up my yoke, and learn of me
For light and gentle is my yoke;
and raised his eyes to heav'n:
To thee, O Father! Lord of all,
eternal praise be giv'n.
hast heav'nly truth revealed;
Which from the self-conceited mind
thy wisdom hath concealed.
thy high decree to stand;
Nor men nor angels may presume
the reason to demand.
my kingdom I receive;
And none the Father know but they
who in the Son believe.
with guilt and fears opprest;
Resign to me the willing heart,
and I will give you rest.
the meek and lowly mind;
And thus your weary troubled souls
repose and peace shall find.
the burden I impose
Shall ease the heart, which groaned before
beneath a load of woes.
"Come hither, all ye weary souls,
"They shall find rest that learn of me;
"Blest is the man whose shoulders take
Jesus, we come at thy command;
Ye heavy-laden sinners, come;
I'll give you rest from all your toils,
And raise you to my heav'nly home."
I'm of a meek and lowly mind;
But passion rages like the sea,
And pride is restless as the wind."
My yoke, and bear it with delight;
My yoke is easy to his neck
My grace shall make the burden light."
With faith, and hope, and humble zeal,
Resign our spirits to thy hand
To mold and guide us at thy will.
In the New International Version...
We also warmly recommend these superb writings, "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." by John Charles Ryle, "Bible Reading" by John Charles Ryle, and "A Call To Prayer" by John Charles Ryle, to our readers.You'll find a selection of J.C. Ryle's books below them, on the same pages. They make for some of the most profitable, edifying, encouraging and uplifting Christian books available, and are classics which have stood the test of time!
If you appreciate the writings of the godly Bishop Ryle, you'll certainly delight in those of the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon, whose sermons were flashed around the world by telegraph and reprinted in full the following day in newspapers from New York City to Sydney, Australia! We particularly recommend "All of Grace", "Justification by Faith", "The Outpouring Of The Holy Spirit", and "A Revival Sermon".
And how could we adequately describe the preaching of the incomparable Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose pulpit ministry in Britain had an effect felt around the world! We warmly recommend his sermons, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son", "God and Mammon", "The Light of the World", "The Salt of the Earth", "Jesus on Prayer". "The Call to Battle", and "A Living Hope of the Hereafter".
And for a moving witness to steadfast Christian faith under persecution, see "The Scottish Covenanters".
Click here for more Classic Christian Sermons and Writings
Looking for a church in Mimico, Mimico-by-the-Lake, or Etobicoke?
Click here for a select listing of Christian churches in this area.
![Bestselling Christian Books by, and on, Charles Hadden Spurgeon ['C.H. Spurgeon'] from Toronto Christian Book Centre, your single source for Christian Bibles, Christian books, Christian music, Christian videos, Christian children's books, Christian computer software, and Christian DVDs, serving global customers online from Toronto, Ontario, Canada](spurgeonban.gif)
We have provided in the box below a live, continually-updated listing of the current bestselling books on this topic at Amazon.com. Please click on any of these titles to read extracts from, or reviews of, these books. You can also place an order for any of themt at the same time with Amazon.Com, if you wish, and enjoy speedy delivery plus the low Amazon.Com price!
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is your business on the Lakeshore, on Lakeshore Blvd West, on Lakeshore Blvd. East, on the Toronto waterfront, on Bloor Street, on Queen Street, on King Street, on Dundas Street, on the Queensway, on College Street, on the Kingsway, on Yonge Street, on Bay Street, on University Avenue, on St. Clair Avenue, on Eglinton Avenue, on York Mills Road, on Sheppard Avenue, on Lawrence Avenue, on Wilson Avenue, on Steeles Avenue, on Kipling Avenue, on Islington Avenue, on Royal York Road, on Jane Street, on Keele Street, on Dufferin Street, on Bathurst Street, on Bayview Avenue, on Leslie Street, on Don Mills Road, on Victoria Park Avenue, on Pharmacy Avenue, on Warden Avenue, on Birchmount Road, on Kennedy Road, on Midland Avenue, on Brimley Road, on McCowan Road, on Markham Road, or on Kingston Road?
