Jesus says, "Come to Me."
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
St. Matthew 11:28-30
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
We gather to hear the words of Jesus. Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)
We can easily understand the difference between labor and rest. We can relate to something being a burden or something being easy. Now these are some thoughts that we can associate with. You know what it feels like to work hard and then to be able to stop and take a break. You know what it feels like to carry a heavy weight and then to set it down. If you’ve ever traveled from one place to another, then you know the feeling. Whether it’s going from your house to the airport or from the airport to the hotel, you know the feeling. The weight of all those suitcases is tiring. You have one bag hanging from a shoulder strap, one bag in your hand, and with your other hand you’re pulling along two more bags. You know the feeling. You know how burdensome it is.
But you also know the feeling of the rest that comes when you are finished. After you drop off all those suitcases at the check-in desk at the airport, then you can freely move about the terminal. Your shoulders begin to float. You can breathe easy and take a seat. What a relief!
However, once you’re off the plane, they load you back up with all your bags. Again, you are heavy burdened with all that baggage. We can understand the feeling of labor and rest. When weighed down we desire that the load would be made light and easy.
Now of course this is an earthly reality, but we didn’t gather here tonight to hear about traveling tips for making your load easier. We have gathered here to listen to Jesus who says, “ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)
The burdens in our lives are far heavier than a load of suitcases. As we live in this world as pilgrims, we are constantly weighed down with doubt, despair, anxiety, illness, death, and the worries of life. We wonder where God is in the midst of all the chaos.
We are burdened with our own sins against God and each other. When we take God’s law seriously and recognize how much we sin daily, we are troubled with our imperfections and impurities. Our hearts accuse us before God and we cannot bear the punishment. If we were honest with ourselves, we would be unable to look at God face to face. Our guilt causes us to look the other way.
Yet, in the season of Lent, we are not called to set our eyes on ourselves, nor are we called to look away from God. Instead, we are taught to set our eyes on Jesus. We are learning to come to Jesus and in Him find rest. Not a mere temporal physical rest, but an eternal spiritual rest. Jesus promises rest for our souls.
Jesus is gentle with us and not harsh. Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save. Jesus did not come to judge, but to pardon. Jesus came to bear our burden. Jesus came to take our yoke upon His shoulders. In exchange, He gives us His yoke that is light. Jesus is not like the airport that takes our baggage for a while and then returns it. Jesus doesn’t charge us a standard few for carrying our load. He doesn’t expect a tip. He helps us freely without price.
In Lent, we learn to view Jesus as the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. In Lent we learn to trust in His words of promise. We learn to look to Him and listen. The Father says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Matthew 17:5 (ESV) The Holy Spirit says, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. John 15:26 (ESV) The Son says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (ESV) The Lord bless you, the Lord give you rest, and the Lord grant you peace in the midst of this life and peace at the last. Amen.
