Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden

Sermon notes from 27 March 2017

Matthew 11 verses 20 - 30

"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

 I suppose as we read through these chapters there are a number of things mentioned.  Verses 20 and 21 speak of the repentance and responsibility that falls on men and women when they hear the gospel.  To those who have never repented a great judgment will fall on them.  Verses 25 and 27 speak of revelation.  Whenever it comes to the gospel message we seek to reveal Jesus as the only Saviour that others might see who he is.  Jesus was not just a man but God manifested in the flesh.  In verses 28 to 30 there is the great thought of rest.  This is one of many invitations throughout scripture.  It doesn`t come from a man but from the God of heaven - the Lord Jesus.  "Come unto me" that is where we are to come to.  One of many invitations - 700 in scripture.  Genesis 7 God speaking out of a finished work - "come thou and all thy house into the ark".  He is invited to come into a finished work.  The last one is found in Revelation 22 as Jesus brings the pages of scripture to a close - verse 17 gives an invitation "let him that has a great thirst come" "let him that heareth say, come."  The God of heaven wants to save you.  That is why the invitation goes out.  The gospel has come out, perhaps around the doors to come to the mission.  Invitation has gone out because men need to come to Christ.  The scriptures say we need to come unto God because he invites us to come, longs for us to come.  There is no point in coming to any other - "neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved". (Acts 4 verse 12) We need to come to him.  John 14 verse 6 "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me."  The scriptures tell us to come to Christ.  Also because of the seriousness of sin.  Sin is a very serious problem because it has affected the very heart of God.  It separates man from God.  It will keep us eternally separated from God.  It cost his son - God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. (Habakkuk 1 verse 13)  As God looked down from heaven before destroying the world with a flood he realised man`s heart was only evil continually.  He is a God of love and mercy.  He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked yet he promises the soul that sins it shall die because of his holiness and righteousness.  God hates sin but he loves the sinner. Sin is the things we do wrong, breaking the laws and commandments of the God of heaven.  The severity of the sentence is horrendous.  Sometimes when children do wrong we tell them to go and sit on the naughty step by way of punishment.  Whenever we think of men and women committing horrendous crimes and are sent to prison for 20/30 years, yes some deserve to be there but it is nothing because at the end of their time they will get out.  The punishment and seriousness of punishment.  It is an eternal punishment to finish in an awful place called hell where the fire will never be quenched, there will be continual burning but nothing shall ever be consumed, where the worm dieth not. (Mark 10 verse 43, 46, 48)  In that place there is weeping and wailing and knashing of teeth.  After 10,000 years we will realise we are only beginning to suffer.  Tonight we have a soul that will last for the lifetime of God.  Either finish enjoying all the pleasures of heaven or finish in the pits of hell suffering eternally.  A place of eternal suffering and darkness.  We need to come to Christ because of the simplicity of salvation.  He wants to save you.  "Come unto me and I will - tremendous promise.  He will indeed save you though the Bible tells us because of the person of Christ and because of the price paid to purchase it.  It was the Lord who had to go all the way to Calvary.  We are not redeemed with corruptible things but with a Lamb without blemish and spot.  You can have your sins forgiven. (1 Peter 1 verse 13)  Acts 13 verse 38 "through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins."  The man who receives Christ has his sins forgiven.  It doesn`t have to be worked for.  He paid for it all.  Completely finished.  Not only do people need to come to Christ but thank God you can come because of this great invitation.  Those who have rejected Christ are still invited.  Maybe done that in weeks, months, years gone past because of his love.  The invitation comes again.  He is longsuffering and merciful.  God has still extended the day of salvation, gives you another opportunity.  Regardless of your culture or nationality.  There are no limits to it.  John 10 verse 9 "if any man enter in, he shall he saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture."  2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new."  We can only come on Christ`s terms.  Reading here of the thought of repentance.  One of the great terms that Christ will save you under.  You have to repent of your sin.  Repentance is doing an about turn.  Facing a different direction.  Facing God again.  Not just being sorry for your sin.  Sorry enough to leave them behind.  Mark 1 verse 15 the Lord said "repent and believe the gospel."  Luke 13 verse 5 "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  Remember how on the great day of Pentecost when Peter got up and preached "repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out." (Acts 3 verse 19)  One of the terms of repentance but also faith.  "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11 verse 6)  "Lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2 verse 9)  Faith has got to be exercised.  If you think about it, believe in your heart, when you put your faith and trust in Christ,  the moment we come to Christ and put all in his hands.  He is the one who does the saving and keeping.  Only come on Christ`s terms and in Christ`s time.  When we read the scriptures it is always with the word "now".  "Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation". (2 Corinthians 6 verse 2)  God may have spoken to you yesterday, maybe spoke to you today but he says "my spirit shall not always strive with man." (2 Corinthians 6 verse 2) "Boast now thyself of tomorrow for you do not know what a day will bring forth." (Proverbs 27 verse 1)  You have an opportunity tonight to repent of your sin and to come unto Christ.  "Come now let us reason together says the Lord" (Isaiah 1 verse 18)  In Job 22 verse 21 we read "acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace."  Cannot promise opportunity tomorrow but you have the opportunity tonight because God is here.  The invitation goes out "him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6 verse 37)  You can come tonight.  Will you come?  Not only in Christ`s timing and in Christ`s terms.  You can only come because of Christ`s triumph.  Think of all he has accomplished at Calvary.  A personal work only Jesus could do.  "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him." (Isaiah 53 verse 5)  We will never understand how deep the wounds were and how dark that night was when God laid on him the sins of the world.  He entered into darkness alone, experienced all the pain and suffering alone.  He was forsaken of God, left alone that you and I might not be alone.  It was a personal work.  It was a priestly work.  Hebrews 10 verse 12 "after he had offered a sacrifice for sin forever."  The great high priest in the Old Testament went in once a year but never without blood.  It is a permanent work, once for all sacrifice never needs to be repeated.  It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.  That is the great truth of the gospel.  Christ Jesus died for the sin of the world.  The just for the unjust to bring us to God.  The invitation goes out to you.  As God will plead with you.  Not everyone will come to Christ.  John 4 verse 40 "ye will not come to me that ye might have life."  The gospel is very clearly preached across our land.  The invitation is clearly given.  Thought of responsibility comes on us.  The moment you hear the opportunity or invitation then you have to make a decision.  The responsibility falls on your shoulders.  The decision is yours tonight.  The invitation has gone out in the gospel tonight.  "The light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light for their deeds are evil." (John 3 verse 19)  People need to come to Christ because of the seriousness of sin.  The severity of the gospel.  He will not cast you out.  It doesn`t matter what you have done in life.  We can give you the opportunity, the invitation to come.  God`s desire is that you will come and that you will be with him at the end of life`s journey.  The promise is I will give you rest.  Not might but he will.  Come in genuine repentance and faith and trust in him.