IF YOU WERE ASKED WHICH VERSE IN THE BIBLE HAS THE BEST ADVICE ON HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

-- ONE OF YOU MIGHT SAY, "I WAS IN TROUBLE AND NEED.   I WENT TO THE BIBLE AND READ THE WORDS - THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT.   I LOOKED TO THAT SHEPHERD AND HE HELPED ME OUT OF MY TROUBLE.   THEN I WENT ON MY WAY."

--ANOTHER ONE OF YOU COULD SAY, "SORROW HAD COME TO ME AND I COULD NOT BE COMFORTED.   BUT WHEN I LISTENED TO THE WORDS OF JESUS - LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. YE BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.   MY HEART WAS COMFORTED AND THE DARKNESS FLED AWAY."

--ANOTHER PERSON HERE MIGHT SAY,  "THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I FELT THAT ALL THE WORLD WAS AGAINST ME.   MY WAY WAS HARD AND ROUGH.   THEN I FELT A HAND UPON MINE AND I HEARD A VOICE SAYING,   LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS. I WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE THEE.   THEN MY HEART WAS LIFTED UP AND I FOUND PEACE."

--STILL ANOTHER MIGHT SAY "I WAS IN DEEPEST SIN.   I WAS ON MY WAY TO RUIN. THEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD TOUCHED ME. I HEARD HIM SAY, HE THAT COMETH TO ME, I WILL IN NO WAY CAST OUT.   I CAME TO HIM AND HE SAVED ME FROM ALL MY SIN."

BUT I BELIEVE THAT MATTHEW 11:28 IS THE BEST DIRECTION THAT WE CAN HAVE FOR HOW WE SHOULD LIVE OUR LIVES.   JESUS LOOKED UPON THE MULTITUDE ONE DAY AND SAW THEIR LIVES, LIKE OURS ARE SO OFTEN, FILLED WITH STRESS, TROUBLE AND DISTRESS. HE OPENED WIDE HIS ARMS AND SAID, "COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."

DID YOU STOP TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR THIS MORNING TO SEE IF YOU COULD FIT CHURCH ATTENDANCE INTO YOUR SCHEDULE? HOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE WEEK?   DID YOU LOOK AT YOUR WORK AND MEETING SCHEDULES AS WELL AS THE SCHEDULES OF YOUR CHILDREN AND WONDER JUST HOW YOU WOULD GET EVERYTHING DONE?   ARE YOU THINKING, EVEN NOW, OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU GET HOME TODAY, JUST TO GET READY FOR TOMORROW?   AND, BELIEVE ME, STRESS SHOWS. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE LET YOU GET IN LINE AHEAD OF THEM IN A SUPERMARKET OR BANK?  AND, CAN YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME SOMEONE LET YOU OUT OF A SIDE STREET INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF TRAFFIC?   IT IS NOT NEWS TO US THAT STRESS AND STRESS INDUCED ILLNESSES ARE ON AN INCREASE.

BUT GOD, WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING WE DO AND EVERY WAY WE FEEL, ONCE AGAIN HAS HELP FOR US.   HE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TO SLOW DOWN, STOP, RELAX AND REGAIN OUR PERSPECTIVE.   HE SPEAKS TO US, JUST AS HE SPOKE TO THE MULTITUDES SO LONG AGO.   HE SAYS, "I WILL GIVE YOU REST."   AND, OH, HOW OFTEN WE HAVE FLED TO HIM.   HOW OFTEN WE SHOULD COME TO HIM .   WHAT SWEET COMFORT THERE IS TO BE FOUND IN THOSE WORDS, "I WILL GIVE YOU REST."

CLEARLY GOD RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEED FOR REST.   WE HEARD IN THE SCRIPTURE THIS MORNING THAT GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND EARTH IN SIX DAYS. AND WHAT DID HE DO ON THE SEVENTH DAY?   THAT’S RIGHT -- HE RESTED.   AND IF GOD FELT THAT HE NEEDED REST, CAN WE EVER THINK FOR ONE MOMENT THAT WE DO NOT?   AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN GOD FEELS WE NEED SOMETHING, HE ALWAYS GIVES US THE WAY FOR IT TO HAPPEN -- AND HE DOES JUST THAT IN MATTHEW 11.

EVEN AS CHILDREN, WHENEVER WE WERE SCARED, OR TIRED, OR SAD, REMEMBER THE PEACE AND SENSE OF SECURITY WE FOUND IN OUR FATHER’S LAP?   REMEMBER WHAT HIS HUG DID FOR US?   HOW HE COULD CALM US?

THIS IS JUST WHAT JESUS DOES.   HE FINDS LIFE FORCES DRIVING US.   HE FINDS US HEAVILY LADEN WITH BURDENS AND CARES. BUT HE SAVES US AND GIVES US THE BEST ON THIS EARTH AND THE BEST IN HEAVEN.   YES, THESE ARE SWEET WORDS,  "COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."

LET’S LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER AT THE NEED FOR THIS REST.   TRY THIS EXPERIMENT.   STOP IN THE MIDST OF YOUR BUSY DAY TO OBSERVE THE WORLD AROUND YOU.   LOOK AT THE PEOPLE RUSHING TO MEET DEADLINES, VERY OFTEN SELF-IMPOSED ONES AT THAT, RUSHING TO GO NOWHERE SPECIAL.   NOW LOOK AT THEIR FACES -- HAPPY?  WORRIED? SCOWLING?   CERTAINLY NOT AT PEACE.

WE ARE LIVING IN THE MOST RESTLESS AGE THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.   THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE CONTENT TO GO FOR A SLOW RIDE IN A BUGGY;  THEN WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE CAME ALONG MEN SAID THAT WE CERTAINLY COULD NOT STAND TO DRIVE OVER FIFTEEN MILES PER HOUR.   BUT NOW WE RIDE EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.   WE MOUNT UP IN JET PLANES AND RIDE SIX HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR IN PERFECT COMFORT.   THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WOULD GO TO CHURCH AND NEVER BE IN A HURRY FOR THE SERVICE TO END.   THE HYMNS WOULD LAST AN HOUR, THEN SOMEONE WOULD PRAY FOR TWENTY MINUTES AND A PREACHER WOULD PREACH FOR AN HOUR.   THE PEOPLE TOOK ALL OF THAT AND CAME BACK AT NIGHT FOR MORE. BUT NOW WE WANT THE PREACHER TO "MAKE IT SNAPPY."   IF WE CAN’T GET OUT OF CHURCH IN LESS THAN AN HOUR, WE BEGIN TO COMPLAIN.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WOULD WAIT A WEEK FOR THE NEXT TRAIN, BUT NOW THEY GROWL WHEN THEY MISS ONE SECTION OF A REVOLVING DOOR.   THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE VISITED OUR RELATIVES AND WERE GLAD TO SPEND A DAY OR A WEEK.   NOW WE DO WELL TO SPEND AN HOUR WITH MOTHER ON HER SPECIAL DAY.   OH YES, THE WORLD IS, INDEED, FULL OF UNREST, STRIFE AND STRUGGLE.   WE NEED TO LISTEN TO HIM WHO SAID, "COME UNTO ME."

EVERYONE NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND REST. THE POOR MAN WHO LIVES FROM HAND TO MOUTH IS NO DIFFERENT FROM THE RICH MAN WHO GOES TO THE MOUNTAINS IN THE SUMMER AND SOUTH IN THE WINTER OR THE MAN WHO TOILS AT THE SAME GRINDING JOB FOR FORTY YEARS.   IN MANY HOMES BOTH PARENTS WORK AND THERE IS ALWAYS A STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE.   MANY TIMES THIS STRESS RESULTS IN QUARRELS AND BICKERING. PEOPLE ARE BUSILY LOOKING FOR THAT INDEFINABLE SOMETHING THAT WILL GIVE THEM FULFILLMENT, FORGETTING THAT THE ANSWER IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM.   JESUS SAYS SIMPLY, "COME UNTO ME, YOU WILL FIND REST IN ME.." HOW MUCH SWEETER ARE LIVES WOULD BE IF WE ANSWERED HIS INVITATION.

YOU MAY ASK YOURSELF, ‘THIS SOUNDS GREAT, BUT CAN GOD REALLY GIVE US THAT REST?   WELL, HE HAD THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE WORLD, TO HEAP UP THE MOUNTAINS AND TO SCOOP OUT A PLACE FOR THE SEAS.   HE HAD THE ABILITY TO CREATE MAN WITH A MIND AND A VOICE AND A HEART AND A SOUL.   HE HAD THE ABILITY TO HEAL THE LEPER,   TO GIVE SIGHT TO THE BLIND AND TO BRING LIFE TO THE DEAD.   HE HAD THE ABILITY TO FEED FIVE THOUSAND ON A FEW LOAVES AND FISHES.   HE HAD THE ABILITY TO STILL THE RAGING STORM AND TO QUIET THE WAVES OF THE SEA. SURELY, THEN, HE HAS THE ABILITY TO GIVE US REST.

HE MADE SOME PROMISES TO US WHEN HE WAS HERE, AND HE HAS KEPT EVERY ONE OF THESE.   HE PROMISED TO SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT AND NOW THE HOLY SPIRIT IS HERE, DWELLING WITHIN OUR HEARTS.   HE PROMISED TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS AND EVERY DAY OUR PRAYERS ARE HEARD.   HE PROMISED TO GIVE REST TO OUR TROUBLED SOULS AND BODIES AND HE GIVES US THAT REST WHEN WE COME TO HIM.

NOW, IN TODAY’S SOCIETY, INVITATION LISTS ARE USUALLY VERY SELECTIVE.   BUT THE GREAT THING HERE IS THAT JESUS INVITES EVERYONE TO FIND THIS PEACE, NOT JUST THOSE WHO ARE WORN DOWN BY THE STRESSES OF LIFE.

HE INVITES THOSE WHO ARE BURDENED WITH A LOAD OF SIN.

WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND HAVE COME SHORT OF GOD’S EXPECTATIONS FOR US.   BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD MADE US REALIZE OUR LOST CONDITION.   WE CRY OUT, EACH OF US, "LORD, WHAT SHALL I DO?"   JESUS THEN SAYS, "COME UNTO ME. I WILL TAKE YOUR BURDEN AWAY.   I WILL REMOVE YOUR SINS." WHAT WONDERFUL WORDS FROM OUR WONDERFUL SAVIOR.

PICTURE, IF YOU WILL, A MAN SINKING IN QUICKSAND.   HE CRIES OUT FOR HELP.   ONE MAN GOES BY AND SAYS TO HIM, "I AM SORRY FOR YOU, BUT I AM NOT GOING NEAR THAT QUICKSAND TO HELP YOU."  ANOTHER GOES BY AND SAYS, "BE MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE."   THEN ANOTHER MAN COMES TO HIS RESCUE.   HE ASKS NO QUESTIONS, BUT SIMPLY REACHES DOWN AND LIFTS THE MAN OUT OF THE QUICKSAND.   THAT IS WHAT JESUS DOES TO US.   HE SAYS TO EACH OF US, "COME UNTO ME AND I WILL LIFT YOU OUT OF YOUR SIN."

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE SLAVES TO THEIR SIN.   IT HAS THEM IN A DEATH GRIP. PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO OVERCOME SIN BY THEMSELVES.   THEY NEED THE HELP THAT ONLY JESUS CAN GIVE.   LIKE THE MAN WHO HAD BECOME A HABITUAL DRUNKARD - THE DOCTOR TOLD HIM HIS DRINKING WAS INJURIOUS TO HIS HEALTH,.  AND MIGHT CAUSE HIS DEATH.   HE VOWED HE WAS GOING TO GIVE UP HIS DRINKING HOWEVER, HIS GOOD RESOLUTION DID NOT LAST LONG.   WE NEED MORE THAN HUMAN STRENGTH TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION.   WE WILL FAIL IF WE DO NOT WELCOME THAT HIGHER POWER INTO OUR LIVES TO HELP US RESTORE OUR PERSPECTIVE.

SO, IF WE ARE FIGHTING SOME SINFUL HABIT REGARDLESS OF HOW BIG OR SMALL, IF WE ARE FIGHTING WITH STRESS AND PROBLEMS AND TEMPTATIONS, WE NEED THE HELP OF ONE GREATER THAN OURSELVES. JESUS SAYS TO US,  "COME UNTO ME AND I WILL HELP YOU."

EVERY PERSON HAS SOME SORROW, SOME BURDEN THAT BREAKS THEIR HEART.   JESUS TELLS US TO BRING EVERY SORROW AND EVERY BURDEN TO HIM.   HE ASKS US TO TRUST HIM, AND TO LET HIM HAVE OUR PAIN. AS HELEN STEINER RICE SAID, "I KNOW HE STILLED THE TEMPEST AND CALMED THE ANGRY SEA. SO I SURELY KNOW THAT IN HIS LOVE, HE’LL DO THE SAME FOR ME." -- AND HE DOES...

THOMAS WAS A DOUBTER JESUS HAD RISEN FROM THE DEAD, BUT THOMAS HAD NOT SEEN HIM.   THE OTHER DISCIPLES DECLARED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THE RISEN SAVIOR, BUT THOMAS WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT.   THEN ON A MARVELOUS SUNDAY MORNING, JESUS CAME AND STOOD BEFORE HIM AND SAID, "REACH HITHER THY HAND AND THRUST IT INTO MY SIDE AND BE NOT FAITHLESS, BUT BELIEVE." AND THOMAS CRIED OUT, "MY LORD AND MY GOD."   HIS DOUBTS FLEW AWAY WHEN HE CAME TO JESUS.   IF WE HAVE DOUBTS, WE SHOULD COME TO HIM AND ALL OUR DOUBTS WILL FLY AWAY.   WHAT A GIFT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS BURDEN OVER TO GOD.

I HOPE BY NOW WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS INVITED TO FIND REST AND PEACE WITH GOD, BUT JUST HOW DO WE FIND IT?

THIS IS THE BEST PART OF THE MESSAGE. JESUS SIMPLY SAYS TO US,  COME UNTO ME. THAT’S ALL, JUST COME UNTO ME.

ONE DAY JESUS STOPPED BY A WELL JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SYCHAR.   A SINFUL WOMAN CAME OUT TO DRAW WATER.   JESUS TALKED TO HER AND SOON SHE WAS EXPRESSING TO HIM AN AGE-OLD LONGING FOR REST AND FORGIVENESS AND PEACE OF MIND.   HE ASSURED HER THAT HE COULD GIVE HER ALL OF THESE THINGS.   SHE BELIEVED IT AND PUT HER FAITH AND TRUST IN HIM.   SOON SHE WAS BOUNDING BACK TO THE VILLAGE, HAPPY BECAUSE SHE HAD FOUND PEACE FOR HER SOUL.   MANY OF US HAVE TRIED THE WELLS OF THIS WORLD AND THEY ARE NOT SATISFYING.   WE MUST COME TO JESUS, FOR HE ALONE CAN GIVE US PEACE.

MY FAVORITE STORY IS ABOUT A MAN WHO HAD A DAUGHTER WHO WAS A CRIPPLE.   SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE ONE STEP.   ONE DAY THE MAN CAME HOME WITH A PACKAGE FOR HIS WIFE.   HE ASKED THE LITTLE GIRL, "WHERE IS YOUR MOTHER?" "SHE IS UPSTAIRS,"  REPLIED THE LITTLE GIRL.  THEN THE FATHER TOLD HIS DAUGHTER THAT HE HAD A PACKAGE FOR HER MOTHER.   THE LITTLE GIRL SAID, "LET ME CARRY IT UP TO HER."  "WHY, HONEY, YOU CAN’T EVEN TAKE YOURSELF UP," REPLIED HER FATHER.   THEN THE LITTLE GIRL SAID, "BUT I CAN TAKE THE PACKAGE AND YOU CAN TAKE ME."   SO THE MAN PICKED UP BOTH THE GIRL AND THE PACKAGE AND CARRIED THEM UPSTAIRS.   THIS IS JUST WHAT JESUS DOES FOR US. WE HAVE MANY BURDENS TO BEAR;  WE CANNOT CARRY THEM ALONE.   BUT WE CAN COME TO JESUS AND HE WILL CARRY BOTH US AND OUR BURDENS.

YES, NINETEEN HUNDRED YEARS AGO, JESUS STOOD BEFORE THE RESTLESS MULTITUDES AND SAID, "COME UNTO ME AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." HE IS STILL SAYING THAT TODAY. DO YOU NOTICE THE PEACE YOU ARE BEGINNING TO FEEL HERE AND NOW?   TUNE INTO YOUR BODY.   FEEL YOUR PULSE BEATING MORE SLOWLY,   YOUR MUSCLES RELAXING, YOUR THOUGHTS BECOMING CLEARER?

RELAX NOW AND LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF HELEN STEINER RICE:

WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF MAN REACHES HIS GOAL,

"AND GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT LOSES HIS SOUL --

FOR WHAT HAVE WE WON, IF IN GAINING THIS END,

WE’VE BEEN MUCH TOO BUSY TO BE KIND TO A FRIEND,

AND WHAT IS THE LIFT TO MAKE THE HEART SING,

WHEN LIFE IS A COLD AND MECHANICAL THING --

AND WE ARE BUT PUPPETS OF CONTROLLED AUTOMATION,

INSTEAD OF "JOINT HEIRS’ TO GOD’S GIFT OF CREATION."

AS A FRIEND OF MINE SO APTLY PUT IT, "IF GOD DID NOT WANT US TO TAKE THE TIME TO STOP AND SMELL THEM,  HE WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN US SO MANY BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS."

YES, IF WE COME UNTO HIM WITH ALL OF OUR SINS,   ALL OF OUR SORROWS,   ALL OF OUR DOUBTS AND ALL OF OUR FATIGUE, HE WILL CAUSE THE SUN TO SHINE IN OUR SOUL.

SO, IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR STRESSES AND PAIN,   IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR EFFORTS TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE AND TO BE THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN, COME UNTO JESUS. HE WILL PUT HIS ARMS AROUND US AND IF WE LEAN OUR HEAD UPON HIS SHOULDER., ALL OUR WEAKNESS AND TIREDNESS AND EXHAUSTION WILL FLEE.  "COME UNTO ME" SAYS JESUS, "AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."

THIS IS THE GREATEST INVITATION YOU WILL EVER RECEIVE.  JESUS IS INVITING YOU.  WILL YOU COME?

Gloria Bradford

Past Sermons

Prayer Requests

E-mail

Home

Geocities