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You can turn with me and your 
Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew for our meditation this evening 
before the supper. Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11, we'll pick 
up at the end of the John the Baptist section where Jesus comments 
on the Baptist in verse 11. I'll read to the end of the chapter 
and then our focus will be at the end of the chapter, verses 
25 to 30. A familiar passage, one that 
I hope is encouraging to our hearts as we consider our blessed 
Savior, that good shepherd of the sheep, that one who receives 
us unto himself and cares for us perpetually. So beginning 
in chapter 11 at verse 11, assuredly I say to you, among those born 
of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist, 
but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 
And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom 
of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And 
if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 
He who has ears to hear, let him hear. But to what shall I 
liken this generation? It is like children sitting in 
the marketplaces and calling to their companions and saying, 
we played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We mourned 
to you, and you did not lament. For John came neither eating 
nor drinking, and they say, he has a demon. The son of man came 
eating and drinking, and they say, look, a glutton and a winebibber, 
a friend of tax collectors and sinners. But wisdom is justified 
by her children. Then he began to rebuke the cities 
in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did 
not repent. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to 
you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which 
were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would 
have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, 
it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of 
judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted 
to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works 
which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have 
remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall 
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment 
than for you. At that time, Jesus answered 
and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that 
you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and 
have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed 
good in your sight. All things have been delivered 
to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. 
Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to 
whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to me, all you who 
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my 
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly 
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is 
easy and my burden is light. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, we thank you for the written word of the living and 
true God. We thank you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 
As He teaches and brings to remembrance all things, we ask that He would 
guide us now as we consider this wonderful passage of Holy Scripture 
where our blessed Savior calls us to Himself and promises that 
rest which no man can give. We give glory to You for so great 
a salvation. for justification, for sanctification, 
for that glorification that one day we will enter into. Till 
such time, God, give us that appreciation, that gratitude, 
that thankfulness, and help us to embrace happily, willingly, 
and joyfully the yoke of our blessed Savior, that we would 
indeed follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Again, forgive us now 
for all of our sin, and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. Well, in this particular section 
of Matthew's Gospel, we see an emphasis on both opposition to 
our Lord, but as well reception to His mission. We notice specifically 
here in verses 16 to 19 that He's reproving that generation. 
They always had something to complain about, and he puts it 
this way. Verse 18, John came neither eating 
nor drinking, and they say, he has a demon. The Son of Man came 
eating and drinking, and they say, look, a glutton and a winebibber, 
a friend of tax collectors and sinners. They were never happy. 
They were not religiously minded. They were not scripturally minded. 
They were not prepared. They were not ready to see and 
behold the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want you 
to notice that sort of complaint, or rebuke rather, by our Lord 
in verse 19. I think that's a little bit more 
serious than might meet the eye. In the book of Deuteronomy, the 
incorrigible son, the glutton, the wine-bibber, was delivered 
up to the elders of the city to be executed. So these men, 
at least implicitly, are charging that the Savior of sinners is 
a vile, wretched man. And then we see this condemnation 
of the unrepentant cities that have witnessed the glorious works 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Great debate by Greg Bonson and 
Gordon Stein. Bonson said, miracles don't make 
theists. You must be born again. And I 
think this is a classic case of that particular scenario. 
These cities had seen, these cities had witnessed, these cities 
had actually seen with their own eyes the various and sundry 
works of our Lord Jesus of a miraculous nature and yet They did not repent. So Jesus closes that section 
with this strict condemnation in verse 24, but I say to you 
that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the 
day of judgment than for you. So if as we follow the gospel 
narrative and we see this continued opposition against Christ, it 
might be the case that we get a little discouraged. Is anybody 
going to come to Him? Does anybody believe on Him? 
Does anybody want to know the joy of the Lord as their strength? 
Well, Jesus highlights that there are those who, by God's grace, 
receive. Those who, by God's grace, do 
come to Him, both here in chapter 11 at verses 25 to 30, but as 
well, notice over in chapter 12 at verses 46 to 50. So after 
an extended treatment in chapter 12, a vile, wretched opposition 
to our Lord, notice in 1246, while he was still talking to 
the multitudes, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside seeking 
to speak with him. Then one said to him, look, your 
mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak 
with you. But he answered and said to the 
one who told him, who is my mother and who are my brothers? And 
he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, here 
are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of my Father 
in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." So while there was 
opposition, while it was a continued and increasing opposition, there 
were nevertheless those who by grace came to the Lord Jesus 
Christ. So let's look specifically at 
chapter 11, verses 25 to 30, to notice the foundation for 
that, or the reason or rationale why sinners come to our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Notice he doesn't emphasize the 
goodness of man. He doesn't emphasize the free 
will of man. He doesn't emphasize the wisdom 
of man. He doesn't emphasize that they make better decisions 
than others. No, there are three things he asserts here, three 
things that Matthew asserts. First, the sovereign will of 
the Father, verses 25 and 26. Secondly, the mediatorial office 
of the Son, verse 27. And then the gracious declaration 
of the Savior in verses 28 to 30. So it's that foundation or 
that context by which sinners move from darkness to light. But note first in terms of the 
sovereign will of the Father in verses 25 and 26. At that 
time, again, the context is very specific, there is opposition, 
there is enmity, there is hatred, there is a detestation of our 
Lord by the unbelieving Jews. So at that time, Jesus answered 
and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. He's 
not taken unawares by this. He's not caught off guard. He's 
not surprised. He's not saying, I just don't 
know why they're not coming to me in multitudes. I just don't 
know why I'm being frustrated at every step of the way. Christ 
was never of that mindset. Christ was always resolute. Christ 
was always determined. Christ as the mediator definitely 
knew the purpose for which he came into this world. So instead 
of reacting in frustration to this continuing tide of opposition, 
he rejoices in the Father. I thank you, Father, Lord of 
heaven and earth. He expresses that intimate relation 
that he sustains with the Father by calling him Father. He acknowledges 
the sovereignty of God by calling him the Lord of heaven and earth. 
There's nothing outside of his control. There's nothing outside 
of his purview. There's nothing outside of his 
absolute sovereign power. Remember Rahab confessed that 
she understood that Yahweh of Israel was the God of heaven 
and earth, the majestic and most high, the glorious one. Well, 
Jesus sees the Father in that particular light. So he says, 
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. Now notice 
what he thanks God for, the particular content of this prayer. Again, 
as man he prayed, as God he is prayed unto. He's praying here 
to the Father according to his humanity, and he says, that you 
have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have 
revealed them to babes. So the opposition to our Lord, 
the rejection of our Lord, again, was not based on him being frustrated 
in his purpose and plan to save his people from their sins. This 
was the power of God. And when Jesus uses this particular 
language, it ought to cause us to stand in awe. You have hidden 
these things from the wise and prudent. I don't believe Jesus 
is teaching that there's actually wise and prudent people, but 
those who are wise and prudent in their own eyes. Those whose 
estimation of themselves is far more advanced than it ought to 
be. Turn back to chapter 9, specifically 
in verse 12. This is the scene where Jesus 
has saved Matthew. Now Matthew is called to gather 
a feast in his home to celebrate and as well to evangelize. And 
the guest list was other tax collectors and other sinners. 
And of course, when the Pharisees saw it, they whined, they grumbled, 
and they complained. That's particularly what Pharisees 
do in the New Testament. And then we see this statement, 
well at the end of verse 11, why does your teacher eat with 
tax collectors and sinners? When Jesus heard that he said 
to them, those who are well have no need of a physician but those 
who are sick. But go and learn what this means, 
I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the 
righteous but sinners to repentance. When he says, I didn't come to 
call the righteous, he is not speaking of a category of righteous 
persons out there that have no need of redemption by our Lord 
Jesus Christ. There is a group of people out 
there, not here specifically, I hope, that think that they 
are righteous, that see themselves as wonderful, that do not see 
their need for the Lord of glory. So back in chapter 11, I praise 
thee, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things 
from the wise and the prudent, those who do not want the Savior, 
those who do not see their sin, those that don't see the gravity 
of offending a thrice holy God. As well, when somebody sees this 
particular passage, I think the inclination might rise up, well, 
that doesn't seem fair. God hides gospel truth? God hides truths that can save 
sinners from those very sinners who stand in need? Is that okay? Is that legitimate? Is that lawful? We like to clamor on about fairness 
today. That doesn't seem fair. This 
is an act of God's justice. This is an act of God's judgment. This is an act of God's sovereignty. This is an act of God's power 
and of God's glory. Notice then that Jesus goes on 
to say, and have revealed them to babes. So there are some he 
hides gospel truth from, and there are others he reveals gospel 
truth from. And then notice in verse 26, 
even so Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. In Calvinism 
or Reformed circles, we talk about the good pleasure of God. 
Brethren, that's not just an add-on or a tack-on to show our 
Calvinistic card or credentials. Everything that obtains in terms 
of the salvation of sinners is according to the good pleasure 
of God Most High. Notice, again in verse 26, even 
so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. It's not 
looking for outside approval. God doesn't care what men think 
with reference to his sovereign grace. And as well, he doesn't 
seek outside counsel to confer with the likes of us and to run 
it by us to see if, in fact, we approve of his dealings with 
men. Turn to the book of Romans. In 
Romans chapter 11, after a lengthy section celebrating the sovereignty 
of God, specifically in election and predestination, Paul ends 
this subsection in 11.33 to 36. And he says, oh the depth of 
the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable 
are his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who has 
known the mind of the Lord or who has become his counselor? 
Or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him. 
For of him and through him and to him are all things. To whom 
be glory forever, amen. So he incites or invokes the 
prophet Isaiah, who has known the mind of the Lord? What finite 
creature has plumbed the depths of the infinite? And then he 
turns to the book of Job, and he says, or who has become his 
counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid 
to him. Back in Matthew 11, verses 25 
and 26, this is an absolute declaration of glorious sovereignty on the 
part of God Most High, acknowledged by Jesus. And just by way of 
a practical observation, has it ever perplexed you when you've 
met Christians that have a problem with this? I couldn't believe 
in a God of predestination. I couldn't believe in a God who 
elects. I couldn't believe in a God who functions in that particular 
manner or capacity. Well I'm sorry, you don't get 
to define your God, you don't get to pick the God and model 
the God after your own wayward heart. You must submit, you must 
bow, you must confess, and you must acknowledge the glory of 
this God who on the one hand hides these things from the wise 
and the prudent. But on the other hand, reveals 
them unto babes. If you are a babe, don't complain 
about the method of grace. If you are a babe, praise God 
most high that he's opened your eyes, that he's called you out 
of darkness into marvelous light. And know that if he's done that 
for you, there's hope for a multitude of sinners out there. We don't 
know who the babes are. We don't know who the wise and 
the prudent are. So what is our call? to go out and to proclaim 
the gospel to every creature under heaven, to make known Christ 
and Him crucified and resurrected, to talk about His life, His death, 
His resurrection, and the significance of that for justification by 
faith alone. So the Lord Jesus, as He begins, 
revels in the absolute sovereignty of His Father. Then notice, secondly, 
in verse 27, He speaks of the mediatorial office of the Son. 
Verse 27, all things have been delivered to me by my Father, 
and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know 
the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills 
to reveal Him. That's Johannine theology. John 
tells us that just about on every page in the book of John. See, there's no contrariness 
between the gospel writers. They all preach and teach and 
confess the same Christ, the same Father, the same Spirit. 
They come at it from different angles to emphasize different 
theological truths. But here Matthew is giving us 
a glimpse into the mediatorial office of our blessed Savior. 
He's not mediator because he's performed well and God conferred 
that upon him. He's not mediator because he 
was the best possible choice out of the lot. He is the mediator 
because he is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. He 
is the mediator because that unity of essence with the Father, 
and he in the covenant of redemption took to himself the reality that 
he would assume a body, he would assume our humanity, he would 
live for us, he would die for us, and he would rise again for 
us. So in verse 27 he says, all things have been delivered to 
me by my Father. which is a statement that no 
regular creature could make. There's only one who could make 
that statement. It's the God-man. It's the Lord 
Jesus Christ. All things have been delivered 
to me by my Father. It's like John 5, when Jesus 
says that the Father has entrusted to me judgment. The Father has 
entrusted to me the conferral of life. The Father has entrusted 
to me the access or denial into the very kingdom of heaven. Well, 
who could say that among us as fellows? It's only the Word became 
flesh who dwelt among us. So he says, all things have been 
delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except 
the Father. Now, I think it's the John 1 
18 sort of a thing. No one has seen God at any time. 
Yet the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father 
has declared Him." So it's not that we don't know God, it's 
that the one who knows the Father with that kind of intimacy, they 
have the same nature, that one functions as the mediator to 
allow us access or entrance in to the presence of God. He is 
the mediator. Nor does anyone know the Father 
except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal 
Him." So the emphasis here is upon the mediatorial role of 
the Son. We learn that in Hebrews 7. One 
who comes to the Father through the Son will have that salvation 
to the uttermost. The graciousness of the Son. 
Brethren, I would concede, maybe, maybe, I don't know, just from 
the hip here. Concede, maybe, with Calvinism 
or Reformed theology. No, I wouldn't concede it for 
a second, because the Bible teaches it all too clearly. But let me 
just try to paint this scenario here. If we had this God who, 
for the most part, only hid. If we had this God who, for the 
most part, only hid. Then, again, I'm not actually 
saying this. There might be a reason for people 
to whine. But the whole purpose and intention of the coming of 
the Son of Man is to save His people from their sins. And when 
you turn to the book of Revelation, is it just a few people? It's 
a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe, 
tongue, people, and nation. It's what I always try to encourage 
us as Calvinists or Reformed believers. When we go out and 
we evangelize, the issue isn't, Well, there's only this little 
handful of people that are going to be saved. The issue is that 
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that 
whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting 
life. In other words, Christ has said, all that the Father 
gives me will come to me. and the one who comes to me I 
will certainly not cast out." Not only does Jesus possess or 
have this relation to the Father wherein He can reveal the Father, 
and the Father reveals the Son, but we see that the Son wills 
to do this. In other words, He doesn't undertake 
this mission grudgingly. He doesn't undertake this mission 
with some sort of a capacity to only damn and bring judgment. The glory of the cross is that 
there's a great multitude that's going to enter in as a result 
of the cross. But I think as well we see the 
exclusivity of the Son. There's not two mediators. There's 
not five mediators. There's not a whole host of ways. 
Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to 
whom the Son wills to reveal Him. There's one way to the Father, 
and it's through the Son. John 14, 6, I am the way, the 
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except 
through Me. So now before we head into this glorious or gracious 
declaration of the Savior, think about the backdrop to the gracious 
declaration of the Savior. The sovereign will and purpose 
of God to save His people from their sins. The power of Jesus 
Christ as mediator vis-a-vis prophet, priest, and king to 
save His people from their sins. So when Jesus says what Jesus 
says in Matthew 11, 28-30, you cannot detach it from what has 
preceded. In other words, I would suggest 
the only way you could effectively preach Matthew 11, 28-30 is by 
an absolute emphasis upon the sovereign will of the Father 
and the mediatorial office of the Son. If we didn't believe 
in God's sovereignty, if it was up to man and their free will, 
if it was up to man to better his condition and his own strength, 
perhaps adding a bit of Jesus to season his life and to make 
it go a little bit better, who would want to preach the gospel 
in that context? When we go out and evangelize 
or when pastors or preachers get behind pulpits, they're not 
coming here with an appeal to you and your wisdom or you and 
your will to make good decisions for Jesus. I know and am convinced 
that God has been well pleased to save His people from their 
sins. He has enacted that or executed 
that in the sending of His Son, who lived for sinners, who died 
for sinners, and who was raised again for sinners. And it's based 
on those verities, those truths, those blessed realities, that 
the then exhortation to come to Jesus makes sense. So now 
notice the gracious declaration of the Savior, two parts here. 
First, the encouragement in verse 28, and then secondly, exhortation 
in verses 29 and 30. Note the encouragement proper, 
verse 28, come to me. Pretty simple, isn't it? Notice 
what it negates. Notice what it doesn't say. That's 
a good help in theology. You call this, in the doctrine 
of God, apophatic theology. That means negations, things 
that God isn't. It teaches us great truth about 
what God is. You've got words like infinite. 
That means He's not finite. Invisible. That means He's not 
visible. You've got these things stated 
negatively in the Bible because of that distance between God 
and the creature wherein we learn what God is first and foremost 
by what he's not. And I think in a statement like 
this, come to me, what is he not saying here? Notice he is 
not saying, do for me. Work for me. Go out and try harder 
for me. See, that would be good advice. 
If a guru, a religious teacher, a master said, you know, you 
need to get your life together, get up at five, have a good breakfast, 
make sure you read your Bible and pray, go out for a run, exercise, 
pick up heavy things, put them down, go to work, show up on 
time, actually breathe and function like a normal human being, you'll 
probably own the company and, you know, not too distant future. 
That's all good advice. It's not gospel. This is a problem, 
brethren. Try harder, be better, do more, 
scolding, lecturing. Jesus says, come to me. It's 
so simple, it's so sublime, it is so glorious, it is so wonderful. The encouragement is to come 
to me. It is Christ alone who is the 
mediator of the covenant between God and men. It is Christ alone 
who is able to reveal the Father to men, according to verse 27. 
It is Christ alone who brings men out of darkness into marvelous 
light. It is Christ alone who saves 
to the uttermost all that draw nigh to God through Him. It is 
Christ alone, by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in 
which the sinner has peace with God. So when Jesus says, come 
to me, there's a lot He's not saying, but the glorious fact 
is that He's saying a great deal. Salvation is found in Jesus. Salvation is found in the Lord 
of Glory. Salvation is found in that one 
who lived, who died, and was raised again for sinners. That 
one who, as we will see, the closer he gets to Jerusalem, 
he announces the manner in which he will affect this. Look at 
chapter 16. Chapter 16, specifically at verse 21, from that time, 
Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, 
suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes 
and be killed and be raised the third day. Look at chapter 17. 
Chapter 17 and verse 22, now while they were still staying 
in Galilee, Jesus said to them, the Son of Man is about to be 
betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the 
third day He will be raised up. And they were exceedingly sorrowful. 
And then notice as well in chapter 20, chapter 20 specifically at 
verse 17, and then we need to appreciate the response of the 
disciples on the heels of this. So 2017, now Jesus going up to 
Jerusalem took the 12 disciples aside on the road and said to 
them, behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man 
will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and 
they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles 
to mock and discourage and to crucify. And the third day he 
will rise again. So the fact is is that he says, 
come to me. And then he fleshes out or displays 
for us what the coming to me means. It means to believe on 
him. In light of his death and resurrection, 
it is intriguing here in this section, chapter 20, he announces 
that he must go to Jerusalem and be crucified. And then on 
the heels of that, in verse 20, then the mother of Zebedee's 
sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something 
from him. And he said to her, what do you wish? She said to 
him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your 
right hand and the other on the left, in your kingdom. Huh, Jesus 
just said he's going to die. Jesus just said he's going to 
be scourged. Jesus just said that he's going to be bloodied 
and beaten and brutalized in Jerusalem. He has said he'll 
be raised again, but they constantly don't hear that part. So if we 
judge based on the other situations where he announces these things, 
they only seem to focus upon his death. So he just announces 
that he's gonna die, so now they come and they jockey for position. 
And of course Jesus chides them, and then this culminates in verse 
28. He says, as he likening himself 
to the model that they ought to follow, not to the Gentile, 
not to the heathen, just as the Son of Man did not come to be 
served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. As 
Machen says, the announcements, he doesn't say it like this for 
this purpose, but I think this is the framework. He says that 
Christ died is history. Christ died for sin is theology. So in chapters 16, 17, and 20, 
the Lord of glory announces that he must go to Jerusalem. He must 
be tried. He must be scourged. He must 
be crucified. He must be resurrected. Well, 
wouldn't you possibly ask the question, Why are you going to do this? 
Now, don't put this past them, brethren. It was Pentecost that 
flipped the switch on. When John the Baptist says, behold, 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that indicates 
people did see, people did understand. But as I've said, and as Barcelo 
said, people forgot. They forgot the old covenant 
system. Not completely, they were still under it, technically. 
They forgot the significance of the Day of Atonement. How 
is Jesus the Lamb of God? Well, 2028 is theology. 2028 
is explanation. 2028 gives us the goods as to 
how the one who says, come to me, can actually receive sinners 
unto himself and bless them with so great a salvation. With reference 
to the invitation, exhortation, encouragement, I realize some 
don't like the word invitation. It sounds like you're going to 
a birthday party. Let's call it a divine or an effectual invitation, 
whatever we need to do to sort of disabuse it of that notion 
that you're free to take it or leave it. But when he says, come 
to me, in verse 28, Gill makes the observation. He explains 
that Jesus kindly invites, he uses invites, and encourages 
souls to come unto him. But it is to be understood of 
believing in Christ. Brethren, the rest of Scripture 
makes that very clear. Come to me. Now, we'd see a historical 
application in his earthly ministry according to his humanity. He's 
standing there. He's actually verbalizing these words. A person 
standing on the fringe could come to him. They could be physically 
in proximity to him. The emphasis is on faith. Come 
to me. He says, Gill continuing, it 
is to be understood of, believing in Christ, the going of the soul 
to Him, I like that language, the going of the soul to Him, 
and the exercise of grace on Him, of desire after Him, love 
to Him, faith and hope in Him, believing in Christ and coming 
to Him are terms synonymous. He cites John 6.35. Listen to 
Machen. He says, the true reason why 
faith is given such an exclusive place by the New Testament, so 
far as the attainment of salvation is concerned, over against love 
and over against everything else in man, except things that can 
be regarded as mere aspects of faith, is that faith means receiving 
something. Listen to this, this is profound. 
It means receiving something, not doing something or even being 
something. The center of the Bible and the 
center of Christianity is found in the grace of God. And the 
necessary corollary of the grace of God is salvation through faith 
alone. When Paul comes to deal in Romans 
3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 and the book of Galatians, 
what's the theme? What's the note? What's the battle 
cry? We are justified by faith alone. That launched the Protestant 
Reformation. Now there were forerunners to 
that to be sure, but that was the emphasis. It's not our faith 
plus works. It's not our faith plus our faithfulness. 
It's not a Roman Catholic scheme. It's not the new perspective 
on Paul scheme. It's not the federal vision scheme. It is 
rather grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. That's 
the emphasis in this come to me. Now, as we look back at 1128, 
we notice who he's addressing. The debates are sort of further 
explicated or explained here. Notice in 28, come to me, and 
then he says, all you who labor and are heavy laden. All you 
who are labor and are heavy laden. I'm sorry, verse 28, all you 
who labor and are heavy laden. He's not addressing somebody 
who's physically weary. He's not addressing somebody 
who's had a hard day at work, 60, 70, 80 hours at work this 
week, schlepping whatever it is they schlepped, and they're 
tired, and Jesus says, come to me, we'll have a spa time, and 
I'll rest you. That's not it. He's dealing with 
the sin problem that affects man. He's dealing with the heavy 
ladenness and the labor and the burden of sin. In Psalm 38, 4 
to 6, the psalmist writes, For my iniquities have gone over 
my head, like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My 
wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I 
am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the 
day long. Brethren, that's who he's addressing 
here, not the wise and the prudent and the wise, the guys that think 
they're righteous in the sight of a thrice holy God. Psalm 38, 
18, for I will declare my iniquity. I will be in anguish over my 
sin. Psalm 130, a psalm we looked 
at, I think two months ago at the supper. Out of the depths 
I have cried to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your 
ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. That's, 
again, not sorrow and distress because it was tough to be a 
king. He says, if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, 
who could stand? But there is forgiveness with 
you that you may be feared. The distress and the sorrow of 
David's heart wasn't the external enemies. It was the internal 
enemies. And Jesus says, come to me, all 
you who labor and are heavy laden. And then notice the promise that 
he gives there. It's very specific. It's very clear. I will give 
you rest. And I think in the context, it's 
certainly rest from your sin. It's rest from that overwhelming 
burden. It's rest from that wretchedness, 
that ball and chain that drags you down. But I would suggest 
as well in the context, it's rest from pharisaical religion. These guys that were fastidious 
about tithing, mint and anise and cumin, but neglected the 
weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and faith. The 
kinds of guys that would load up burdens upon people's backs 
that they themselves could not carry, Jesus rebukes them in 
Matthew chapter 23. And so far, as they tell you 
Moses correctly, do it. But don't follow them in their 
practice. Don't follow them in their manner. 
Don't follow them in their course. The Pharisees were not the promoters 
of true religion. They were not the promoters of 
a healthy rest in God most high. They were the kinds of guys that 
would complain when Jesus would heal somebody on the Sabbath 
day. Six days you shall labor and 
do all your work, come to the synagogue on that day to be healed. What kind of a monster is that? 
Jesus says, you know, if you have an ox or a donkey that falls 
into the ditch, you fetch it out. You're going to show more 
regard for a beast of burden than you are for a daughter of 
Abraham, for a son of Abraham. These were not men that were 
calculatedly promoting rest in religion. And again, we need 
to guard our hearts against that mindset. The gospel isn't good 
advice, it's good news. It's not get up, do your job, 
be faithful, be healthy, all that sort of thing. It's to come 
to Jesus for salvation. Now, that's the encouragement 
or invitation, the effectual divine invitation. Notice the 
exhortation in verses 29 to 30. It says, take my yoke upon you. 
What does that mean? It means when we come to Jesus, 
when we believe the gospel, Soteriologically or theologically, we see that 
sanctification follows justification. We're not justified freely by 
God's grace, receiving the forgiveness of sins and imputed righteousness 
alone. I mean, we get all that, but 
we have a new mindset. We have a new desire, a new will. We're new creatures in Christ 
Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. We want to do the will of Him. 
who saved us. There's the gratitude response 
to God's grace that overcomes our guilt. And so Jesus says, 
take my yoke upon you. Remember, our confession says, 
faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, 
the coming to me, is the alone instrument of justification. 
Yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied 
with all other saving graces, and is no debt faith, but worketh 
by love. So Jesus says, very simply, take 
my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly 
in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is 
easy and my burden is light. The idea of yoke, according to 
Davies and Allisette, it came to be a metaphor for obedience, 
subordination, or servitude. The Lord Jesus uses it to speak 
of discipleship. Come to me in faith, you're justified 
freely by grace, you receive the forgiveness of sins, you 
receive an imputed righteousness, and now in the life of sanctification 
you willingly take to you the yoke of Jesus. But that yoke 
of Jesus isn't some all-encompassing, joy-killing, life-sucking drudgery. Look at how he explains it. He 
says, learn from me, and then goes on to say, for I am gentle 
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. See, John tells us this way in 
1 John 5. He says the commandments of God, 
they're not burdensome. I mean, they are to the world. 
Tell the world that they're in sin today because they didn't 
go to church on the Sabbath. Are they going to say, thank 
you, give me more? No. They're going to roll their 
eyes. Well, probably many Christians 
would do that, too. I don't want to just pick on 
the world. But you start showing the world the law of God. And 
what do they do? Do they receive it happily? Joyfully? Oh yeah, that's such a, no, they 
despise it. It's a burden to them. There 
was a comedian when I was growing up and he had this bit and he 
said, I believe in seven of the 10 commandments. Ha, ha, ha. 
Everybody laughs, that's such a joke. We just pick and choose 
what we want from God's buffet, what we want to do. God's law 
is not burdensome to those who are justified freely by grace. 
To those who take the yoke upon themselves by grace, placed upon 
them, it's not a burden. It's not grievous. It's not punishment. It's not torture. That's why 
it really isn't the case that pastors should have to harangue 
people or scold people. If you are blood-bought children 
of God who have the Holy Spirit in you, you should want to do 
what God calls you to do. It really is that simple. I realize 
there's a lot of mitigating factors in there, and I'm not picking 
on you. I've got those same mitigating factors as well. So he makes 
this statement, learn from me, gives this enticement, for I 
am gentle and lowly in heart, gives this blessed promise, you 
will find rest for your souls. I think possibly background is 
Jeremiah 6 16, thus says the Lord, stand in the way and see 
and ask for the old paths. where the good way is and walk 
in it, then you will find rest for your souls. And then he describes 
or ends this with a description of his own yoke. For my yoke 
is easy and my burden is light. It's not oppressive. It's not 
pharisaic. It's not judgmental, it's not 
neo-Nomian or legalistic, it's not papist, it's not new perspective-ish, 
it's not federal vision. My yoke is easy and my burden 
is light. Turretin says, before it, the 
law, was an instrument of the spirit of bondage to throw down 
and bruise man. but afterward it becomes the 
instrument of the spirit of adoption to promote sanctification. Thus 
the law leads to Christ and Christ leads us back to the law. It 
leads to Christ as the Redeemer and Christ leads to the law as 
the leader and director of life. I think that's a great way to 
express the normative use of the law. And we ought to praise 
God for this motif. Justification by God's grace 
alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone. But that faith, 
the instrument of faith, is not alone. It's always accompanied 
with all other saving graces. And we have sanctification. Well, in conclusion, I think 
that what we ought to appreciate in the passage is that there 
is a remedy for overwhelming burden of sin. Come to me, all 
you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Whatever 
non-rest you may be going through presently. Whatever hardship 
or trial or affliction you may be undergoing, whatever difficulties 
may face you, be them in the home, be them in the church, 
yeah, sometimes we have issues in the church, be them in work 
or society, know this. You have rest spiritually. You 
have peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. You 
have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ 
Jesus conferred upon you by a God of absolute glory and grace and 
mercy. So whatever your issues, find 
rest tonight in the means of grace that God has ordained for 
the encouragement of your soul. As well, we ought to appreciate 
in the passage the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. I wanted to 
read one more quote from Machen. Listen to what he says, the Christian 
religion is intolerant to the core. Don't let this get out 
because we'll be shut down. Because if there's one thing 
you cannot be in today's world is intolerant, unless you're 
intolerant against the Christian religion. That's perfectly acceptable. So Machen flips it on its head. 
Well, actually he didn't have pride flags all over his city 
when he wrote this, I'm sure. So he says, the Christian religion 
is intolerant to the core. There lies the whole offense 
of the cross and also the whole power of it. Always the gospel 
would have been received with favor by the world if it had 
been presented merely as one way of salvation. The offense 
came because it was presented as the only way. and because 
it made relentless war upon all other ways." Wow. That's the 
kind of religion we need today. That's the kind of proclamation 
we need today. That's the preaching of an exclusive 
Christ to the glorious Father in the Spirit that is going to 
be blessed of God. We cannot play games with the 
godless. We cannot play games with the 
he-then. We don't capitulate, we don't accommodate, we tell 
them the truth. 16 ounces to the pound, knowing 
that it's that truth that ultimately brings gospel rest. If we love 
men, we'll preach the biblical Christ in all of his fullness 
to every sinner under heaven. If we actually love men, we will 
tell them the truth as it is in Jesus. I would suggest it's 
not loving. And dare I say it is hateful. 
to tell people things that are lies about the Savior to try 
to make them feel good. Our purpose isn't to try to make 
people feel good. Our purpose is by God's grace 
to set forth the glory of Jesus Christ such that sinners may 
come to Him and find rest for their souls. Take His yoke upon 
Him, learn from Him, and understand that He is the most blessed, 
the altogether lovely, and the chief among 10,000. Well, let 
us pray. that He would make effectual 
and apply these truths to the hearts of men, women, and boys 
and girls. For God, we have great expectations 
that from every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every 
nation, a great multitude will be assembled in that church triumphant. And we look forward to that, 
and we bless you for that. So, God, help us to be faithful, 
help us to be servants, help us to embrace that yoke of Christ 
with joy, with thanksgiving, and always, always delighting 
in the rest that we have in our blessed Savior. And we pray in 
Jesus' name, amen. We can turn to Matthew 26 as 
we now move into the supper. Matthew chapter 26, just a couple 
of reminders before we pass out the elements and participate 
in the supper. First, the ordinance or sacrament 
is for believers only. If you're not a believer, we 
would encourage you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and 
be saved. Listen to Matthew 11, 28. As well, the ordinance is 
for believers who are dealing with their sin. And by that, I don't mean perfection, 
absolute positive holiness, because nobody would ever take the supper 
on this side of glory. We're not going to have absolute 
positive holiness and perfection until that side of glory. And 
so for now, we need to seek by God's grace. I think Paul summarizes 
it well in Acts. He says, I try to live with a 
conscience void of offense toward God and men. In other words, 
you're maintaining short accounts with the Lord in your sin, you're 
maintaining short accounts with others in your sin. This was 
the problem in Corinth. There were sins going on in the 
life of the church there. There were the haves excluding 
the have-nots, and there was no repentance, there was no remorse, 
there was no sorrow over that. So Paul rebukes them, Paul upbraids 
them, Paul chides them for that conduct in connection with the 
supper. It is not right to live at odds with your brother, with 
your sister, with your family. As well, the ordinance is a means 
of grace to be sure, but we need to remember the elements are 
not changed. The bread does not become the actual body of Jesus. The wine or grape juice does 
not become the actual blood of Jesus. Jesus is speaking metaphorically 
when he says, this is my body, this is my blood. It's not transubstantiation 
as the papists teach. It's not consubstantiation as 
the Lutherans teach. Both of those models introduce 
Christological Heresy, difficulties, to divinize the flesh of Jesus 
means that He doesn't redeem us from our sins. He must assume 
our humanity, and our humanity is not divinized humanity. So 
to do that or to teach the ubiquity or the everywhere presence of 
the physicality of the body of Jesus is not good. So we do not 
imbibe that, but as well, we need to understand that God in 
this is gracious and merciful, strengthens and builds us up 
and nourishes us according to his mercy. And then I would suggest 
finally, the ordinance points us to Christ. It's not wrong 
to take a moment to reflect on how bad you are, but always go 
back to how good he is. We oftentimes get preoccupied 
with ourselves. Oh, I'm so bad. I'm so wretched. 
Oh, you can do that for the rest of your life. But the goal is 
to remember Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection, 
his broken body and shed blood. So those reminders given, we 
will read the section after we receive the bread. The brothers 
will come and pass out the bread. And while they do that, we will 
remain seated and we will sing 340. 340, again, remain seated 
as the brothers pass out the bread. ♪ There is a garden filled with 
life ♪ ♪ A garden filled with grace ♪ ♪ There is peace that's 
within my heart ♪ ♪ There's a garden filled with grace ♪ O come, O come, O come, O come, 
O come, O come, O come, O come, to Bethlehem. This is my Redeeming love has been my theme, 
and shall be till I die. And shall be till I die. and shall be till I die. Redeeming love has made my fear, 
and shall be till I die. In heaven, O earth, speak this 
song, ♪ I'll sing in your power to save ♪ ♪ And this, for this 
we tell in tongue ♪ ♪ My silent in the grave ♪ ♪ My silent in 
the grave ♪ ♪ My silent in the grave ♪ till all the ransomed church 
of God be saved to sin no more, be saved to sin no more. You read in Matthew 26, that 
verse 26, it does say, and broke it and gave it to the 
disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body. Well, let us 
pray. Our gracious and our blessed 
God, we thank you for the provision of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
in the fullness of the time you sent forth your son born of a 
woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law. And 
we know from our Bibles that he does that by giving his own 
life on our behalf. We thank you that he took the 
wrath and the punishment of God almighty in Himself on the cross 
for us men in our salvation. We bless you, we praise you, 
and we thank you. And we pray now in Jesus' name, 
amen. We'll take together. Well, you can turn again in your 
hymn books to 352. Just a reminder, the juice is 
in the outer ring. If you're inclined to take juice 
instead of wine, the juice is in the outer ring of the dish. 
We will remain seated and sing 3, 5, 2. In my place with His blood. Alleluia! What 
a Savior! Filthy, vile, and helpless we, 
Swamp-less land of prophecy, Hold us o'er tentatively, Alleluia, 
our Savior! Alleluia, what a Savior! When He comes, our glorious King, 
All His ransomed home to bring, Then anew His song we'll sing, 
Alleluia! What a Savior! Continuing in verse 27, then 
he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, drink 
from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, 
which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say 
to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on 
until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, 
they went out to the Mount of Olives. Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God, we know that the blood of Jesus Christ, your son, 
cleanses us from all sin and we rejoice in that. We ask that 
you would help us to continually reflect upon these truths, what 
we have in the gospel and who we have in the gospel. May this 
be a help to us and may it promote to us or promote in us that happily 
taking the yoke upon us and following our blessed savior. We give all 
glory and praise and honor to you now and we pray through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord, amen. We'll take together. Well, after the Passover, the 
Lord and his disciples went to sing a hymn, and that was most 
likely from the Psalter, Psalms 113 to 118. So we'll close our 
service tonight with 117B, as in Bravo, intriguing that they 
would sing of Gentile inclusions in the covenant promises of God. 
We'll stand as we sing Psalm 117B together. ♪ Come, Lord, come, all ye nations 
♪ ♪ All ye peoples, sing his praise ♪ ♪ For his truth endures 
forever ♪ ♪ And his steadfast love is great ♪ ♪ He is faithful, 
he is faithful, alleluia ♪ you O Israel, hope in the Lord, for 
with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption, 
and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. God, I pray 
that you would go with us now, that we would be pleasing in 
your sight, and that you would bless and strengthen us each 
and every day. Again, look with favor upon the sick amongst us. 
Bless and encourage all of us who are going through any spiritual 
difficulties or trials. Help us to glorify you, and we 
pray through Christ the Lord, amen. Well, we'll close with 
a brief time of meditation.