Take My Yoke Upon You

Sermon: Take My Yoke Upon You

Part One: Matthew 11: 28-30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

God is inviting us to come to him. When Christ died on the cross and rose on the third day, he gave us direct access to God, the Father. In accepting Jesus Christ as God’s only Begotten Son and placing ourselves in his hands, we realize that our earthly problems are not important anymore.

1 John 5: 3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

We are to keep God’s commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. Christ never promised that obeying him would be easy. But the hard work and self discipline of serving Christ is no burden to those who love him. When we love someone, we do things for them because we want to.

God will never give you more than you can handle.

God created you so he knows you better than you know yourself. Jesus mentioned two kinds of people in his prayer. The “wise” person is arrogant in his own knowledge. He is full of his own self importance.

The other person is like the “little child” who is humbly open to receive the truth of God’s Word. If we are like a child, we are open and willing to learn. We care, we love, and we realize that only God has the answer.

To know God is to accept God as our Savior, and to know God is to know his voice when he talks to us.

I’ll tell you this: God talks to me and he talks to you even if you ignore him. God says to give him your burden. He will help you. God wants to lighten your yoke.

Read the full chapters of the scriptures referenced:
Matthew Chapter 11
1 John Chapter 5

Read parts 2 and 3 of this sermon

God’s Grace Is Sufficient For Your Needs (Part 2)
There’s A Mansion for You in Heaven (Part 3)

God Can Hear Your Cry and Save You

Sermon: The One That Is Lost

Part Three (Final): Isaiah 59: 1

Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Hear me, O Lord, I have sinned. Forgive me.

When you ask God for forgiveness, you are knocking on his door.

Matthew 7: 7-8

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Jesus is at the gate. He is in the wilderness, he is at the door, and he is in search of his lost sheep. If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do so now.

Knock on his door. His heart is open and he is waiting to accept you. He is saying to come as you are right now.

Matthew 11: 28

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

If you are one of the lost sheep, accept Christ now. The kingdom of God will rejoice, as each of his sheep return.

Knock, knock on his door, and he will open it!

Read the Full Chapters of the Scriptures Referenced:
Isaiah Chapter 59
Matthew Chapter 7
Matthew Chapter 11

Read the First and Second Parts of the Sermon, The One That is Lost
Part One: Jesus Came to Save the Lost
Part Two: Be Willing to Accept Jesus Into Your Heart

Be Willing to Accept Jesus Into Your Heart

Sermon: The One That Is Lost

Part Two: 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In this verse Peter is telling us that we do not know the time or day when God is coming, so we must do his work as if he is coming in the next second, minute, hour or day. God is not willing for any of us to perish, but the final decision concerning your fate is up to you.

God has his timetable …

And his timetable is not on our time. Jesus is waiting so that more sinners will repent and turn to him. We must not sit and wait for Christ to return, but we should live with the realization that our time is short and we have God’s work to do.

Who among you is over 25 years old? When you think back, do you ask the question, “Where did the time go?”

Time waits for no one …

But God is giving you the time to come to him, to ask for forgiveness and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Be ready to meet Christ any time, even today. Start serving now. We do not know when he is coming, but we know he is coming!

Matthew 18:14

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

God loves you and is waiting for you.

All you have to do is accept his son Jesus as your Savior. Since you are here now, God has given you another opportunity to come to him.

Read all of 2 Peter Chapter 3
Read all of Matthew Chapter 18

Please return next week for the final part of the sermon, The One That Is Lost. God Bless!

Jesus Came to Save the Lost

Sermon: The One That Is Lost

Part One: Matthew 18: 11-13

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

We are God’s children.

He loves each of us, and is truly saddened for the one that leaves and is lost. Think of it this way – if a family member or friend leaves and you don’t know where they are, you would be worried.

In this story the shepherd has 100 sheep. He knows where 99 are, but one is lost. He leaves the 99 because he not only knows where they are, he has made provisions for them. Before he leaves, he feeds them and puts protection in place so no harm will come to them.

God sent his only begotten son, Jesus, to save us.

This is what God does for us. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, who came into this world to die for our sins and then on the third day rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven to the Father.

But before this, Jesus went about preaching and teaching the Gospel. This is how he was preparing his flock. For the ones who accepted him as their Lord and Saviour, they went into the flock of God’s Hand.

Now for those who knew not of Christ, they were lost and had to be found. Jesus and his disciples had to go out into the wilderness and find the lost ones.

Read all of Matthew Chapter 18

Please return next week for Part Two of the Sermon, The One That Is Lost

Do You Deny Jesus By Your Actions?

Scripture: Matthew 26: 34-35, 75

Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. (34-35) Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.(75)

Scripture Commentary: We deny Jesus when we deny the truth

We all are or have been Peter. At some point in our lives, we have or will deny the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. We, like Peter, are in denial.

When we know we are wrong, we try to divert attention from ourselves. If we are in the act of doing something wrong, then for that moment we do not know Jesus. And, if confronted with our wrongdoing, we refuse to acknowledge it. By denying the truth, we turn our back on Jesus.

Do not reject the God who saves you from disaster.

Acting in the ways listed above flatly deny your relationship with Jesus. If any of those descriptions apply to you, then you are on the road to rejecting Christ.

In our minds, we declare that we will not disown Him, but in our actions, we scatter like the disciples.

It is easy to say that we are devoted to Christ, but our words don’t hold weight until they are tested in the face of persecution. If you live in the way Jesus teaches, then you will never reject him.

You know that he will never reject you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 26

Come Unto Me, All Ye That Labour

Scripture: Matthew 11: 28- 30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Scripture Commentary: Accept the invitation to come unto Jesus

Jesus invites us to rely on Him when He says, “Come unto me…” Accept him as Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten son and He will free us from the earthly burdens that we carry. When we put ourselves in Jesus’ care, the problems we thought we had are no longer important.

God gives us a peace that is so relaxing that it gives us the answers we need. Jesus mentions two kinds of people in his prayer: the “wise” who are arrogant in their own knowledge, and the “little children” who humbly open themselves to receive the truth of God’s Word.

Are you wise in your own eyes, or do you seek the truth in childlike faith, realizing that only God holds all the answers?

Christ’s death and resurrection gave us direct access to God the father. We are so fortunate that Jesus has clearly revealed God to us. He gives us His truth and tells us how we can know The Father.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 11

The Wise Take Time to Prepare

Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-4

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Scripture Commentary: Are you wise or foolish?

Matthew 25 tells us to be prepared because Jesus Christ is coming. What about you – are you prepared?

If Jesus came today and asked you what have you done in His name, how will you answer? Have you fed the poor, visited the sick, helped someone in need or prayed for someone?

In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” Help others. Show love. We are responsible for each other.

You will give an account on judgement day.

Jesus gives us the parable of the 10 virgins. Five came prepared, and five did not. The bridegroom took those who were ready to the wedding banquet, and he told the others when they returned that he didn’t know them.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

Additional Reading:
John Chapter 14

Judas Let Himself Be Used by Satan

Scripture: Matthew 27: 3-5

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Scripture Commentary: All of us have been in Judas’ shoes

How many times have we said or done something that we regret and wished we could have taken it back? If we truly think of the consequences of our actions before we say or do something, we wouldn’t do it. All of us are like Judas at some point.

Judas allowed Satan to use him. Consequently, we place ourselves in Satan’s hands when we let him use us.

Judas returned the silver to the priest but they refused to take it back and free Jesus. Therefore, they, too, became Satan’s instruments.

When we let ourselves slip into doing the wrong thing, we become like Judas. The Word – The Bible – shows us right from wrong, and the path to follow. It gives us the direction to travel, and all we have to do is follow God.

Forgive and forget. Love and help one another. Don’t be a hindrance. Ask “What would Jesus Do?”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 27

They That Were Ready Went In With Him

Scripture: Matthew 25: 6- 10

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Scripture Commentary: Will you be ready when the time comes?

God has planned a banquet for us … and He sent each of us an invitation to attend. Sadly, we won’t all be there. Are you ready? Why not? Because not everyone has read the instructions for how to get to the banquet.

Where are these instructions? The instructions – the roadmap – is The Bible.

The instructions are easy to understand. In Matthew 25, He gives us three parables to help us find our way. These parables tell of three separate stories of joy, foolishness and judgment.

The first parable tells of ten virgins. Five are prepared and ready to go with the bridegroom; five are not and as a result, they are not able to go to the wedding banquet.

In the second parable, a master entrusts his money to three of his servants. When he returns, the servants must give an account of what they did with the money.

Lastly God tells us how it will be when the Son of Man sits on His throne in heavenly glory. He asks a number of questions: did you feed me, give me drink, clothe me, or visit me when I was sick or in prison?

What will be your answer?

Will you be in the group that He tells, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire”? Or will you be part of the group that He tells to “take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world”?

God loves you, and He has shown you the way to eternal life with Him. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed.

Our relationship with God must be our own.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

Jesus Fulfilled the Prophecy as King

Scripture: Matthew 12: 17-21

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Scripture Commentary:

The people in Jesus’ time expected the Messiah to be a king. They forgot the prophecy detailing the kind of king He would be. The Book of Isaiah showed the king to be a quiet, gentle ruler who brought justice to the nations. Although Jesus fulfilled the prophecy, the people were looking for the big bang.

Like the crowd in Jesus’ day, we may want Christ to rule as a king orchestrating great and visible victories in our lives. Do not look for the big bang miracle. Look at your life and see what Jesus has done for you. You are the big bang! You are the miracle!

God created you, He loves you, and He lets His light shine in and on you. He gave His only begotten son for you.

Are you working in His name? Have you told anyone about Our Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for you?

Let Jesus into your life, and feel and see the love He has for you. Get down on your hands and knees and thank Him for His goodness.

God loves you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 12

Additional Reading on the Prophecy of the King:
Isaiah Chapter 42