14/04/2023
Theme: KNOWING THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON
Text: Matthew 11:25-30
By: Lalaine Crisostomo
Introduction:
- Our journey as Christians starts with a calling and is completed with our response to that call.
- This response varies on how we personally know the one who calls us.
- In our text in Matthew 11:25-30, we know that it is Jesus speaking
- In these 6 verses of this passage we can see that the first 3 verses speak about Jesus relationship to the One He calls “Father” and in the next 3 verses speak about an invitation that Jesus had posted.
Main Thoughts:
v.25 – 26 (Read) Jesus had made the comparison between wise & learned and the infant. If we are to make an illustration of a circle:
a. the wise and learned could no longer contain the teachings of Jesus (proud- they set standard to whom they will absorb wisdom)
b. the infant with the blank sheet could absorb everything that Jesus taught.
- (This is the kind of heart that the Father wants to reveal the kingdom)
v. 27 (Read) Three (3) Points that have been revealed by Jesus regarding His relationship with the Father:
1. All authorities have been given by the Father to the Son
2. There is an intimacy between the Father and the Son
3. Jesus revealed the Father to the called/chosen.
- We were able to know the Father & His redemptive plan because of Jesus.
vv. 28 – 30 speak about the Invitation to the called/chosen:
v. 28 (Read)
1. Called to be saved – the phrase “Come to me” is an invitation of Jesus for us to come to Him for repentance and be free from sin and guilt.
-This is an invitation for a free gift of salvation because Jesus had already paid the price for our sins.
-He is the ransom for our freedom.
Story: There was this story of a teacher who was about to drown in the river. A passerby jumped in and saved the teacher. After that rescue incident, the teacher visited her lifesaver to thank him. The teacher said: “Mr. thank you for saving my life, I owe you everything.” The lifesaver responded: “ Ma’am you owe me nothing. Just see to it that you are worth saving.” Are we worth saving?
In God’s eyes, we were worth saving, not because we deserve to be saved or did something to earn it. Our salvation comes purely as a result of God’s grace. Now that we are saved, just see to it that you are worth saving.
v. 29 (Read)
2. Called to be disciples – the phrase “Take up my yoke and follow me” is an invitation to become followers of Jesus.
-Why did Jesus used the word yoke as the metaphor?
-Yoke is a wooden frame placed on the back of the animals to make them pull in tandem
-This metaphor is telling us to be hooked with Jesus as we walk side by side with Him,
- this kind of relationship will surely develop intimacy, all your days you are learning from Him.
But with the busyness in our schedules, sometimes one of the most important thing that we often get to left out is a time to spend with Jesus. We might rarely have schedule for prayer and reading the bible. Sometimes life in this world becomes overwhelming that the One who can help us the most doesn’t get the opportunity to have a part in our schedule.
How much time do we spend with Jesus everyday?
v.30 (Read)
3. Called to serve – the phrase “For my burden is light” is an invitation of Jesus for us to carry His burden as He also help us carry all our personal burdens
Man’s burden (means our worries, cares, concerns and problems, these are our heavy loads),
Jesus burden is considered light (refers to responsibility to proclaim the redemptive plan through Jesus and to share to others about the Kingdom of the Father as He revealed it to us).
-Jesus is telling us that we can find rest in working for Him.
Story: In 1992 Olympic, a runner from Great Britain named Derek Redmon was injured in his leg in the middle of the race which caused him to fall down on the race track. Derek didn’t want to quit so he tried to get up and drag his leg no matter how painful just to finish the race. A man jumped in the race track, run to Derek and wrap his arm around Derek to help him, so arm in arm the two were able to make it across the finish line. Who was that man who helped carry Derek to the finish line? He was Derek’s father.
-God wants us to carry each others burden.
-Remember that we are called by God to serve
-We can serve God by serving others.
-The ultimate purpose of our service is for the glory of God. That’s why after we serve, we say “God is good” and not “I am good”
-The purpose of serving is to lift the Name of Jesus as the ultimate example of servanthood in the washing of the feet of his disciples (John 13:12-15)
- In our self-serving culture with its me first mentality, serving is not a popular concept, we only serve because we want to be served or we serve because we have seen something that we could gain in return.
- Jesus is not pleased with this type of service.
- The passion for serving must come from the heart.
- Serving is about love, not duty. It should come freely, not forced. It is an opportunity, not an obligation. It is about others, not self. (Matthew 20:26-28)
- The heart of serving is to use every gift, skills, talents and abilities that God has given us to serve others.
- Serving is forged out of the heart that is yielded to Jesus and identity is in Christ.
Challenge:
- Is there a consuming fire that burn in your heart to serve others around you who needs to experience the love of God through you?
- Imagine the impact if thousands of Christians were to get passionate in serving their communities
- Why should it not begin with us?
