“COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YOU FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE I EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT”  
Mathew 11:28-30

 … COME TO ME…

Jesus gave this call to all, both the Pharisees, the religious people and the sinners. He is still giving this call today to all. You might be a religious person, but you lack rest from sin, sickness, the world and the devil. You are constantly being oppressed and defeated, falling here and there into sin and temptation. Being pressed and oppressed by demons, afflictions, and infirmities, in dreams, in your work and business, you are always struggling and attacked. Following Jesus is difficult for you. This call is for you today.  He is still calling on you.

Or maybe you are a sinful man, you come to church rarely, you have never committed yourself to Jesus, you live on your own terms, you only acknowledge God when you are in need or in trouble. You do as you please without regard or reverence for God.  You sin with no remorse or prick in your conscience. You, fornicate, commit adultery, receive and give bribe, you don’t feel sorry at all for these.  You drink, smoke openly, you cheat and curse and you abuse, gossip, and backbite. You don’t claim to be religious or holy, you are yoked with unbelievers, and you party, revile and speak evil of men. Your hands are stained with blood, you cover your sins and presently you are eating the bread of deceit. You have stolen properties which are still in your possession; you are using false certificates and forged results.

Or maybe you have even repented, a Christian, possibly a leader or worker in church. But you have not stopped sinning you still indulge your flesh in secret lust you lie and commit all kinds of sins, yet you know it’s wrong and you feel much guilt and condemnation. There is rest for you also if only you will come.

Please note that, there is no way you will come  to Him, and not have rest… as many as touched Him were made whole… as many as call on his name will be saved. You cannot say you have come if you don’t have rest. The truth is that you have not come… you are only assuming you have come. If you really come… rest is certain.    Jesus   is calling on you today…come unto me… no matter how deep or how far you have gone in sin. He can give you rest from this heavy burden.

HOW MUST WE COME TO JESUS TODAY

  • Come in repentance Act 2:38
  • Come in faith Hebrew 11:6

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principle of Christ,

let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God” Hebrew 6:1

REPENTANCE

 This was the first thing that Jesus preached… if we must come to him we must repent first. Many of us have claimed to have come to Him. But we cannot receive anything because we did not come in repentance. Also, some claim to have repented but there is no change in their lives… they complain that they have done this severally times but is has not worked.

What is repentance – It basically means “change of mind or attitude towards God” Repentance is the first step to take towards God. It gives God the freewill and permission to operate in your life. It also means to forsake one’s sin or a willingness to do so. Deliberate steps must be taken to stop sinning and end any connection with it. It is a decision you take to turn away from sin and the way of the world and to turn towards God. Once that decision is made God works and the result is what is called fruit of repentance, a changed life.

Somebody said I have repented severally but I keep going back, and it seems I cannot repent again the issue here is this, you took the first step quite okay- but you didn’t proceed to take the next; faith towards God. If today, you step further your repentance will be confirmed

FAITH

Faith is a substantiation of the word of God. Faith simply means, God says it, I believe it, I agree with it, and I act based on it. It is to reckon, to agree with what God says, and take it be so, no matter your feelings, experiences, external circumstance, and opinions or religious mindset of others, the devil’s opinion, and whatsoever.

See yourself for who you are now in Christ… a new person

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” 2 Corinthian 5:17 this is true, you are not the old you. You have a new life in Christ, in God. Christ is living in you now you have a new status in Christ as a child of God.

For example; God says if I believe  in Christ I am  a child of God John 1:21, I take it to be so  and I consider myself no longer  a sinner but a child of God. God says if I am washed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, that I am justified and declared not guilty. I take it to be so even if I feel guilt, I am not guilty, this is faith. God says if I come I will have rest. I take Him for His word, I come and I believe I have rest… even if every other thing or person is saying the contrary… so this faith is based on the word of God. God’s word says Christ is my righteousness,

I believe it and it is so.  He Says that I am not a debtor to sin I live with this consciousness and I decide not to sin based on this reality… sin shall no longer have dominion over me… it is settled.  If He says I am healed I declare it settled.

Practically apply your new life in God

Now, this is where some miss it, they don’t practice the new life. If God have taken residence in you then act it! Act your new life. Declare it boldly in your dealing with men and your affairs henceforth. Don’t even wait for people to ask you tell them. “I am a new creation “, “I am dead, I am a new person now in Christ”. If temptation, your old friends and others come around to lead you back to sin, tell them “sorry o! I am a new person now… the old person you knew is gone this new person is from heaven he does not commit evil.” Be bold about this don’t be afraid or ashamed. This is the way to ensure and secure your rest in Christ.

Now if we come in repentance and by faith as explained above we are guaranteed of rest, nothing can stop it. However, it doesn’t end here we will need to take a step further, if we must have a complete experience of rest.

…TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN OF ME… 

Now this is very important except if we want to be satisfied with the little experience we have. We must go further with the lord to take up His yoke and learn of Him. And find rest for our souls. Take up my yoke and learn of me, so what does it mean for us to take up the Yoke of Jesus. It means to tie our lives to His, like two cows, joined together to plough the field. It means I don’t live for myself again……….. and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:15 I am compelled to do only what Jesus permits me to do, not what I feel like doing again.

Actually, grace does not mean we are free to live as we want, but it means we are free to live as we should. It means henceforth, Christ determines everything, my movements, my life, my family and my work, finance, career, business, my association etc. the yoke of Jesus, only allows me to go where He permits, to say what He permits, to do what He permits, to think what He permits, to watch what he permits. To marry only the man or woman He permits me to marry, to dress, to do business only as He permits me. We run into trouble if we live our lives on our own terms as free rangers. We must yield everything to Christ fully to allow him to be Lord.

On the other hand is to do only what He teaches us to do; i.e. learn of Him. In order words it is to walk and live like Jesus. When they reviled him, how did He respond? When He was in trouble how did He act? When He was in need how did He act? How did He relate with His parents, siblings, the religious people of His day, with women? How did He pray? What was His attitude towards money etc?

This is an exciting life-long process of learning and conformation to his image. As we study the Bible, Pray, Fellowship with other believers, Serve the Lord etc. we discover more of Him and become more like Him. This is what is called discipleship and until we move further to take this step with the Lord, we will never experience the fullness of the rest Christ promised.

So finally note two things.

  • … For I am gentle and lowly…
  • …. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light

…For I am gentle and lowly

That is the kind of teacher Jesus is, even as He dwells in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is not a wicked teacher, a task master, dreadful, mean and sarcastic, He deals with us as children, He knows our frailty and weakness. He himself was tempted. He is a merciful High priest, a comforter. In our learning of Him, we might fail and make mistakes, we might get discouraged at our progress or lack of it but He wants us to understand that He knows our every weakness.

…For my yoke is easy and my burden is light

Many think that to follow Jesus is hard however, let me say that it is not; instead it is the ways of sinners that is hard. Life under the yoke may seem difficult but it is not, it is easy. In fact you are assured of provision and protection when you are tied to Jesus. He becomes responsible for you. You can rest of all fears and anxieties. This is the way to discover your life. The burden of Jesus is light. His commands are not grievous.  This is the way to live freely and happily.

While sinners will have to contend with sin, the difficulties of life, and the temptation of the devil on their own. It is not so for all who are under His yoke. They have the grace and mercy of Jesus. Unlike the people of other religions who have to make up to certain standards, programed rules and regulation, to please God. It is not so with us.  We do not have to pay the price, the price has been paid for us.

Brothers, sisters and friends, Jesus is calling you today. Come in repentance, come in faith, there is rest for you. It doesn’t matter how many times you have tried to come, if you will come, come today with faith and all things will work. May be you have even come in repentant and faith still you have no rest. Today take His yoke upon you. Let it be that you decided to come today You can decide to take His yoke and begin an exciting lifelong walk and  adventure of learning and discovering the  life of Christ. Enjoy abundant eternal life and unending bliss and blessing here on earth in the midst of the corruption, difficulties and moral chaos. (Ps 23:5). 

Advertisement