Jesus gives us Rest…

Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship Scotland
Sunday 4th of February 2007

Matthew 11:25-30.

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.
26 "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
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.
28 "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 "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.
30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Look at Verse 28


• Come to me
• All you who labour
• All you who are heavy laden
• And I will give you rest

Verse 29

• Take my yoke upon you
• Learn of me
• For I am gentle
• For I am lowly in heart
• And you will find rest for your souls
• My yoke is easy
• My burden is light


Jeremiah 6:9-17


Thus says the LORD of hosts: "They shall thoroughly glean as a vine the remnant of Israel; As a grape-gatherer, put your hand back into the branches."
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it.
11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD. I am weary of holding it in. "I will pour it out on the children outside, And on the assembly of young men together; For even the husband shall be taken with the wife, The aged with him who is full of days.
12 And their houses shall be turned over to others, Fields and wives together; For I will stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD.
13 "Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD.
16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways 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. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'
17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.'



We will not walk in it

We will not listen.

We will not rest in the provision of God!


Look at Verse 16


• Thus says the Lord stand in the ways and see
• Ask for the old paths
• Where the good way is
• And walk in it
• Then you will find rest for your souls
• But they said
• We will not walk in it
• We will not listen to the trumpet of warning!


Walking in the good way, where you find rest for your souls!

But they said, we will not walk in it.

The choice to walk in the good way, asking for the old paths, where the good way is, and they said; ‘we will not walk in it.’
The record of God’s people is a record of choosing their own way!



The prophet Daniel gives us insight.

Listen to the words of his prayer and understand the desperate condition of God’s people at that time.



Daniel 9: 13-19

“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,
5 "we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
6 "Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land.
7 "O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day-to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
8 "O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.
9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.
10 "We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
11 "Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him.
12 "And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
13 "As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.
14 "Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.
15 "And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day-we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
16 "O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.
17 "Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate.
18 "O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
19 "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

Daniel prays for mercy for God’s people.

Look at Verse 9.

• To the Lord our God belongs
• Mercy
• And forgiveness
• Though we have rebelled against Him


Look at Verse 18
• For we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies

Verse 19

• O Lord, hear!
• O Lord, forgive!
• O Lord, listen
• O Lord, act.
• Do not delay
• For your own sake
• My God
• For your city
• For your people are called by your name!

The trumpet is sounding, and your people have not entered your rest, because of unbelieve!

Have Mercy upon us O Lord!


Come to me and I will give you rest

You will find rest for your souls

To the Lord our God belongs mercy

To the Lord our God belongs forgiveness

Though we have rebelled against him

But that is Old Testament Ronald. So it is, lets go to the New Testament and see if God has changed the gaol posts!


Matthew 20:29 – 34

“Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.
30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
33 They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

• "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
• Be quiet!
• But they cried out all the more…
• Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!’
• Jesus stood still

Halliluhjah when Jesus stands still.

When your cry of mercy reaches the ears of Jesus Christ, he stands still.

You become His reason for passing by this way this morning!

• Jesus called them
• Jesus said to them
• What do you want Me to do for you?
• Lord that our eyes may be opened
• Jesus had compassion on them
• Jesus touched their eyes
• Immediately their eyes received sight
• They followed Jesus

What do you want form Jesus?

This is the New Testament! Hallilujah! This is resurrection land where you become the reason for Jesus being here in this building today.

Hebrews 4:14 – 16

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

• Come with boldness to the throne of grace
• Come with boldness to obtain mercy
• Come with boldness to find grace to help in your time of need
• Stand up and come boldly to the throne of grace this morning
• We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses
• Jesus our high priest was in all points tempted as we are
• Yet with out sin
• Stand up and come boldly to the throne of grace this morning
• Come with boldness and receive mercy in your time of need




James 2:8-13

“If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself," you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

• At the cross righteousness and peace have kissed, mercy has triumphed over judgement.

To the Lord belongs mercy and forgiveness though we have rebelled against Him!


Psalm 85: 1-13


“LORD, You have been favourable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your mercy, LORD, And grant us Your salvation.
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.


• Show us Your mercy, LORD, And grant us Your salvation.
• Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
• Yes, the LORD will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase.
• Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.


• Thus says the Lord stand in the ways and see
• Ask for the old paths
• Where the good way is
• And walk in it
• Then you will find rest for your souls
• But they said
• We will not walk in it
• We will not listen to the sound of the trumpet
• We will not enter his rest
• All because of unbelief.




Matthew 6:31- 33

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

• After all these things the Gentiles seek
• Seek first the kingdom of God
• Seek first His righteousness
• And all these things shall be added to you.


James 3:17

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

• But the wisdom that is from above is …full of Mercy

Jude 1:21

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

• Keep yourselves in the stream of the Love of God
• Looking for the mercy that will come to you through the Lord Jesus Christ
• It will surly come to you and bring you to eternal life

Ephesians 2:4 -13

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”


• God who is rich In mercy
• Has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
• God who is rich in mercy
• In Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ



Romans 9:14 -24


“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion."
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.”

• I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.
• It is not of him who wills
• It is not of him who runs
• But of God who has mercy

It is not of him who says:

• I will not walk in the good way
• I will not listen to the sound of the trumpet
• I will not enter his rest

It of God who has mercy on us all.


Luke 1:50

“…His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”

Matthew 12:7

Luke 6:27-34

"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 "bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
29 "To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
30 "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
31 "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

• Be merciful
• Just as you Father also is merciful

Enter into the rest of Jesus

Ask for the old paths, where in is the good way and walk in it


Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

• Blessed are the merciful
• They shall obtain mercy

Enter the rest of Jesus Christ, be merciful, compassionate, and have pity!

The alternative does not bare thinking about.

Matthew 18:32

"Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
34 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."


God be merciful to me a sinner

Amen!