“GOD’S LABOR UNION”
Matthew 11:28-30
On this Labor Day Weekend we recognize "working people." I am amazed we have still retained this holiday in our country, seeing that we have all but abandoned the work ethic. "Welfare Week." Maybe!
Most Americans think manual labor is the president of Mexico.
The cruciFIXion fixed the sin problem!
No one is saved BY works. We ARE saved, however, UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10).
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
A Labour union is an organisation of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas---our text invites us to be co-labourers with Lord by allowing Him to do all the work!!
Applies to SAINTS & AINTS—Salvation primarily and Sanctification secondarily
In UNION with Him as we LABOR!!
I. THE INVITATION “come unto me”
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).
It is an invitation to stop trying to acquire or attain salvation by your works -,
A.The word Jesus spoke Not “GO”
“Come” is inclusive. It includes any and all who will come.
“Come” is conclusive. He is the Author and finisher of our faith.
“Come” is exclusive - It rules out any other method of salvation other than in Christ Jesus.
Salvation isn’t TRYING it’s in TRUSTING! Not a new LEAF but a new LIFE!
Its not RULES & REGULATIONS or RELIGION it’s a RELATIONSHIP!
Its not REFORMATION it is TRANSFORMATION! !!
Its not a SYSTEM it’s a PERSON!!!!
B.The weariness Jesus saw
Æ “Laden” not Laden as in Osama-Bin
Context : The Pharisees had called the people to embrace rules and regulations.
They were striving instead of seeking after God.
Following God had become obligation instead of adoration .
BTW I hope that’s not YOU this morning!
* LADEN LINE— a shipping term for a two tone line used around boats
Jesus was talking to a group whose ship was full, and they were overwhelmed.
It was more than they could carry.
(Mat 23:4) “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”
II. THE MOTIVATION “I will give you rest”
We live in what is without a doubt the most restless time ever on earth.
Political unrest (5 kids) –economic unrest and all the rest of the unrest!!!
* The child 12 and under is busy playing three different sports, taking lessons or going to practice--
attending activities, and doing homework.
The Teenager is like busyness on steroids. They have school, sports, band, clubs, and in the summer they have a camp for everything.
Did you know that our teenagers are processing information 3xs faster than Busters and Boomers?. That means on the Information Highway we are traveling about 30mph and teens are traveling @ 90mph.
Young Adults are busy having two jobs, two kids, and too many bills! Working extra in attempt to get ahead.
Seniors are having to do more n more and have less n less to show for it. IT NEVER ENDS! Not even at the REST home!!!!
And EVEN after- REST IN PEACE only applies to those who have applied this truth!!!
Æ Again, WORKS wont WORK! “Give” not “earn”- It’s “rest” not “reward”
Æ ARE YOU RESISTING A REST?
III. THE PARTICIPATION “take my yoke”
YOKE -- still used around the world on animals (and aircraft!)
Was a wooden implement used to GUIDE and GOVERN!!!
Once we are saved, we are individually called to be harnessed to Him!
You can’t be part of a Labor Union if you are employed!!
We are not in this thing alone! Yoke singular- not a double yoke % 50/50 but ONE yoke!
He is not calling us to walk alone; He is calling us to walk with Him!!!
It is an instrument of service, and it is also an instrument of submission.
You have to lower your heads to get into a yoke 1 Peter 5 “God resisteth the proud….grace to the humble”
You have to YIELD to the YOKE!
A. A decision – “take”
ÆSalvation precedes surrender. Ill. Can’t live like a married man until you are married. After you are saved, you should live like a saved person.
How can doing more work for God relieve your burdens?
Col 1:29 “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”
Not rest resulting from the absence of work; it is the willingness to embrace what God has called you to do.
ÆME & guy I worked with at FOCUS GOLF -told me how he’d been in Jail and De-tox “Don’t you find that Christian life RESTRICTIVE?”
YES it restricts—from bondage! Wont end up in De-Tox—Jail—Prison etc.!!
* The DEVILS YOKE is different !! Jesus Yoke is FREEING!
B. A development - learn
Æ In NT times, a pupil who submitted himself to the mentoring and instruction of a RABBI was described as taking on the yoke of that teacher, to learn from them. To be their understudy.
* A yoke would be like us describing a football coach’s philosophy.
We might say the coach preaches “running the football.” We could describe another team’s offensive system as “West Coast or a spread offense.”
A defensive coach may be committed to the 3-4 blitzing defense instead of 4-3 traditional defense.
Taking the yoke of Christ is to acknowledge that Jesus is the Master and you are the servant. He’s the coach, and we are the player.
When we take His yoke upon our lives, we embrace His position and go with His game plan!!
As you yoke up with him, you will grow. You’ll get close and get to know Him better.
Æ “easy”. The word translated easy means “tailor made” or “fitting perfectly,”
Jesus as a carpenter made yokes!
* I once heard a story about a man who went shopping for a new suit. The salesman pointed out a handsome blue suit and the man tried in on. "It's a nice suit," the man acknowledged, "but it doesn't fit me." "
“The pants are too long," the man replied. "Not at all," said the salesman, "just widen your knees a bit" -- which the man did. "But the jacket sleeves are too short," said the man. "Just pull your arms in a bit," replied the salesman -- which the man did. "I'm afraid the waist is a bit too tight for me," the man complained. "Come on," said the salesman, "you can suck that stomach in an inch or so, can't you?" "I guess so," answered the man. The man raised one last objection: "The shoulders are too tight in the jacket." "Not at all," said the salesman, and instructed the man to hunch in his shoulders toward his neck.
"Ok, I'll take it," said the man and out he went: knees astride, arms pulled up, stomach pulled in and shoulders hunched up. Just then two women walked by and spotted his man. "My, my," said one of the women, "what a strange looking man." "Yes," said her friend, "but what a nice fitting suit."
Relationships, especially close relationships, depend upon two people being a good fit for each other.
* Me and Bro Billy and car—connection was corroded….didn’t FIT. Wasn’t clicking
You've probably seen advertisements for dating services. They
all promise to locate someone that will be a good match for you
-- a good fit. The more compatible you are with another person,
the easier it is to live with them.
à The idea of a yoke pictures the forward motion of two connected together, going in the same direction. You cannot be yoked to Jesus and go your own way anymore.
C.A discovery - find
Why wear a yolk? To plow fields---to cultivate harvests.
Mt 9:37 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few”
Its one thing to EXAMINE these verses and these truths---and another thing to EXPEREINCE them!!!!
We must join Gods Labor Union!
Hebrews 4:9-11—“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
INVITATION:
Have you been to Jesus and experienced the rest of salvation, and have you been to Jesus and experienced the rest of service?
Jesus once said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
There is nothing to do but come. John 5:40 states, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”