April 25th, 2004, Sunday Morning
"Life is Easy"
The world's secret to success/relief is complicated and uncertain; Jesus' is a one-step guarantee
OPENING: Matthew 11:20-30
THE STRESSES, PRESSURES AND PROBLEMS OF LIFE ARE NOT SOLVED BY PILLS, PSYCHIATRISTS OR PSYCHICS. ALL RELIEF,
RESOLUTION AND ANSWERS COME FROM ONLY ONE SOURCE: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
- Matthew 11:25: God hides true wisdom from those who believe themselves to be learned, wise and
self-sufficient from God...
- Young, impressionable minds believe in God and His Bible (Word) simply because it's told to them while most
"scholars" and philosophers regard the Bible as a collection of fiction; a "tool for debate"
- Those who read and believe, without proof, have true faith (and are most blessed, per John 20:29)
while scientists and disbelievers require visual proof of the Bible's claims
- ...While revealing such secrets to those whom the world considers intellectually/physically weak and reliant
on God for all things
- "Babes": not infants or toddlers but simple-minded people who have not mentally/intellectually matured to
the world's (man's) standards of today
- God is speaking to those who will acknowledge they don't understand and need His help to figure it out
- He reveals answers to those who are helpless, weak and ignorant but declare God as their source of strength
- 1 Corinthians 1:26: God puts into power those whom the world doesn't acknowledge as mighty,
noble and wise; Examples:
- King David: a meek shepherd's boy--the youngest in the family (1 Samuel 17:33)
- Joseph: Rose to become king of Egypt (under Pharoah) which began by being sold as a foreign slave to Egypt by his brothers
who hated him
- To find and come to Jesus is to do so with a baby's mentality
- Luke 18:17: Jesus says you must receive the Kingdom of God (God's Word--the Bible),
"as a little child"
- Be open-minded to what the world considers foolish and have the faith to believe without seeing; for this is what
little children do
- Do not believe that talk shows, books, psychologists or psychics hold the answer; Don't believe in religions and
doctrine that says there is an "inner God" within you and that you have the power to be independent; for this is what
the world does
- John 3:17, John 20:31, Ephesians 2:18: Believe that God and His Son, Jesus, are
one, and that you cannot reach God without first praying to Jesus
JESUS, THE ONE WHOM YOU SEEK, ISN'T WAITING FOR YOU TO ASK; HE'S ALREADY MADE THE CALL TO YOU TO
RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE (become saved)
- John 3:16, Romans 1:16: Salvation is for everyone in this world--no one is left out of God's saving grace and love
- Matthew 11:28: Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
- "Weary" is present tense: your problems keep growing more difficult
- "Heavy laden" is present tense: you're loaded with a burden that you can't handle much longer
- You're working to the point of exhaustion, with no relief in sight
- Psalm 107:9: Bread (food) satisfies the body for only for a few hours but God fills and satisfies
men's souls for eternity
- Jesus is speaking to those who feel they can't go on anymore; People who feel:
- Weighed down by their own sins, which no amount of good deeds can recompense (Isaiah 64:6)
- Distrustful and cynical of others who have let them down or disappointed them
- Angry because no one meets their personal expectations/standards (i.e., timeliness, courteous driving)
- Bitter because life keeps dealing them a "bad hand," resulting in the inability to forgive-n-forget
- Scared of uncertainly of what the next hour or day has in store for them
- Scared to face the truth (i.e., not having those medical tests or not wanting to face the consequences for actions)
- Such exhaustion results in even more extreme difficulties and possibly the final dead end: death
- The final escape and admission of defeat: suicide
- Escape from reality: drinking, drugs, sex--temporal solutions to carnal lust
- Scarred anger: mad at the world and everyone leads to a deep bitterness resulting in a lonely death
UNLIKE THE WORLD'S METHODOLOGY TO SUCCESS, LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST IS VERY SIMPLE
- John 7:37: While different religions have different rituals and books on success have complicated
sets of recurring rules--with the disclaimer that what works for one may not work for another--Jesus' simple one-step
guarantee for all is: "let him come unto me"
- John 3:15: It's not about never breaking the law; it's not living a sin-free life; it's not
about performing sacraments; it's about solely having faith in Jesus' life and that He died for your sins so you may live
eternally with Him
- Matthew 11:29: Jesus said, "Take my yoke", meaning, "learn of me and keep my commandments"
- Just calling Jesus' name with your lips means nothing--even Satan believes in Jesus; you must also declare with
your heart; Then prove yourself by knowing/following His commandments for a healthy, successful life
- 1 John 5:3: Jesus' commandments aren't meant to take the fun out of life and they don't justify
you; They're meant for a non-burdensome, abundant life, greater than you could want for yourself (John 10:10)
- "Yoke": Man does not have the strength to carry his burdens, alone; pray to Jesus to take your burdens from you
and he will answer your prayers in His timing (Psalm 37:4)
- Don't just accept Jesus into your life--learn from Him and follow His example because He has a unique purpose
for you
- John 13:15, 1 Peter 2:21: Jesus "walked the talk" when He was on earth and it was recorded in His Word (the Bible)
so you may read and follow
- Jesus is gentle and omnipotent (complete power); I.e., He created the sun, moon, stars and earth
yet knows how to handle a baby just right
- Jesus is humble: He always puts others before Himself while others serve until the point of inconvenience and
then stop
- Results are always automatic and two-fold:
- Matthew 11:28: Jesus said, "I will give you rest"
- In your body: not just physical rest but mental; the peace and certainty to know that,
according to the Bible, we, the saved, have already won the final battle
- In your soul: eternal life in Heaven (instead of Hell)
CLOSER
Consider that God satisfies your life with all the answers; If a psychiatrist gave you all the answers, he'd lose his
business because you'd never need to come back
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is from your knees to the floor
(prayer)
Philippians 4:7: To have faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ means you don't have to understand
His love and how peace works--just accept it; Besides, God's peace cannot be understood by man
John 16:33: When you come to Christ (become saved), life becomes easier and more peaceful;
However, be on guard: you will also learn more about love and patience because to be one of God's saved children is to conquer
trials and tribulations you will face--not be exempt from them
Philippians 4:13: Not only will Jesus takes your burdens from you, He will give you the strength
and ability to do what the world declares impossible--a claim the world has been wrong about, time and time again