1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: new sermons every week. 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: Hope you're blessed today. 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 3: Okay, So here's our scripture, Matthew, Chapter eleven, verse twenty eight. 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 3: Jesus is talking, and he says, come to me, all 8 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 3: you who are weary and burdened, and I will give 9 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 3: you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 3: If I am gentle and humble in heart, and you 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 3: will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is 12 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 3: easy and my burden is slight. Lord, did you bless 13 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 3: the reading of your word today? Thank you for the 14 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 3: message that you have given me. Speak through me now 15 00:00:54,200 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 3: in Jesus name, I pray, Amen, you can be seated. Well, 16 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 3: it's Mother's Day and I feel like it would be 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 3: a miss if I did not take a minute to 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 3: pick on my own kids. Now I have teenagers. Any 19 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 3: moms of teenagers here with me today? Let me know 20 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 3: online my kids are twenty. I know that's not a teenager, 21 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: but it basically is twenty eighteen and fifteen. I know 22 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 3: you're thinking, she does not look old enough to have 23 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 3: children that age. 24 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: I do. 25 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 3: Okay, listen, So I'm just want to say that raising kids. 26 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: Is no joke. 27 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 3: And for those of you who are here, you didn't 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 3: raise your hand. Maybe you have little ones and you 29 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: think that you cannot wait for things to get easier. Look, 30 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 3: this is all I have to say. It doesn't get easier, 31 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 3: It just gets different. And every season has wonderful and 32 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 3: hard and it's all mixed in at the same time. 33 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 3: So just buckle up, settle in, and stand your ground. Okay, 34 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 3: all right. So on our teenagers. They teenagers can be 35 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 3: really fun and they bring a lot of life into 36 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 3: our house and we have some amazing conversations and debates 37 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 3: around our dinner table. It's really fun, actually to get 38 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: to watch your kids grow up and to start to 39 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 3: develop their own opinions, especially when their opinions match up 40 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 3: with my opinions. I like that, and just watching them 41 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 3: begin to like thrive in their giftings. And one of 42 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,239 Speaker 3: the things that is easier with teenagers is a lot 43 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 3: of the communication happens over text messaging, and often my 44 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 3: kids will use words or phrases that are new to me, 45 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 3: or they're like, like I know them, but they're using 46 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 3: them in a different way, and sometimes I like them, 47 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 3: Like I like it when Abby calls me queen, but 48 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 3: then like I have figured out that she usually calls 49 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: me queen after I send her money, you know, So 50 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,519 Speaker 3: it's like, Mom, can I have money for lunch? And 51 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: I'll say yes, and she'll say thanks queen. So, but 52 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 3: there's one phrase that they all text me, and I 53 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 3: just I have mixed feelings about this phrase. There's just 54 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 3: there's something about it that bothers me and I have 55 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: been able to put my finger on it, and I 56 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 3: know that they're basically just saying yes, but to me, 57 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 3: it doesn't sit well with me. So the conversation might 58 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 3: go something like this. I will text Elijah can you 59 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 3: take out the trash? And he will reply, I got you, Abby, 60 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 3: did you practice piano? I got you. Graham, you need 61 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 3: to be home by midnight? I got you. And recently 62 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 3: it all clicked for me. So it's Graham's senior year 63 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: and his prom was right around the corner, and we 64 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 3: all know that boys are not like girls. They do 65 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 3: not plan their outfits months in advance, and they care, 66 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: but they don't care, and they don't remember to care 67 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: or something. I don't know. So about a month before 68 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: PRA I checked in with Graham and I texted him 69 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 3: and I was like, you know, what are you wanting 70 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 3: to wear it a prom? And he said, can you 71 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 3: help me find a baggy suit? So I was like okay. 72 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: So I sent him several links to several suits that 73 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 3: would arrive in plenty of time, and then I just 74 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 3: mentally checked it off my list. Well two weeks before prom, 75 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 3: I panicked and I realized that Graham never replied to 76 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 3: me and we had nothing on the way. Now, a 77 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 3: good mom would have just said, I guess you'll have 78 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: to wear your not baggy suit, the old one, But 79 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: that's not what I did. I rush ordered a suit 80 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 3: for him because it was a scene of prom, you know, 81 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: And I was like, it's flying. Oh okay, I'm a 82 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,559 Speaker 3: baggy suit. And so the souit comes in, it's five 83 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 3: days before prom, and of course the sleeves need to 84 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: be tailored. So I found the tailor. I found one 85 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 3: that was close to our offices where Graham works, and 86 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 3: I texted him this, I just I'm going to read 87 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 3: you exactly what I said. I said, I got your 88 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 3: suit to the office. You need to pick it up 89 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 3: and take it to the tailor. Please let me know 90 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 3: you see this, and he replies, I got you, okay, 91 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: it all came together. Why this phrase annoys me so much? 92 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 3: Because in this scenario, how do you got me? I 93 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 3: got the suit, I got the tailor, I got the 94 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 3: suit to the office. No, you don't got me. 95 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: I got you. 96 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: And I would like. 97 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 4: To take this opportunity on behalf of Mother's Everywhere to 98 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 4: children everywhere this Mother's. 99 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:45,839 Speaker 3: Day twenty twenty six. 100 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: I got you. 101 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 5: I got your lunch, I got your ride, I got 102 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 5: your cleats, I got your iPad, I got your toilet paper, 103 00:05:58,560 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 5: I got your dentist. 104 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 3: To point, I got you. 105 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 5: I've been getting you your whole life. 106 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 3: All the moms, if you're anywhere near your child, maybe 107 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 3: you just want to send them a text message. If 108 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 3: they're not with you, this is your opportunity to look 109 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 3: at them and say, I got you. Okay. Here's the 110 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 3: title of my message today. Are you ready for this? 111 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 3: God's got you, God's got you. We got to get 112 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 3: back to Jesus. Matthew eleven. I love this passage of 113 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 3: the Bible because Jesus is inviting his disciples into a 114 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 3: new rest. He says, come to me, all you are 115 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 3: weary and kevy, carry heavy burdens, and I will give 116 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 3: you rest for your souls. And today I want to 117 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 3: talk to anyone here who feels weary, imburdened, because I 118 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 3: think that account for most of us in this room. 119 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 3: Most of us are weighed down by something. We're weighed 120 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: down maybe by our job, or our bills, or relationships, 121 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 3: our commitments, our responsibilities. We're weighed down by the events 122 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 3: going on in our world, and we're wondering how it's 123 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 3: going to affect our families. We carry the weight of 124 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: our past decisions. We worry about the future. We think 125 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: about our dreams, we think about our challenges, we think 126 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 3: about our disappointments. And I want to show you that 127 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 3: Jesus is inviting you into a new kind of rest. 128 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 3: It's not a rest that means sleep. It's not a 129 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 3: rest that means a break from work. It is a 130 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: rest that means it's a lifting of your burdens. It's 131 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 3: a weight off your shoulders. So I want to look 132 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: at this passage again because I want to show you 133 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 3: something that I almost miss because a lot of the 134 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 3: times when I read the Bible. I'm not like Pastor Stephen. 135 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: When I read the Bible. I like to go to 136 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 3: the good verses, like, you know, I can do all 137 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 3: things through Christ to strength and being like I just 138 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 3: need that today. I just read that one, or you know, 139 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: all things work together for good. And then I stop 140 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: after the end of the good verse, and I sometimes 141 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 3: miss the context of the verses around it and being 142 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 3: able to understand what the verses really mean and who 143 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 3: they were spoken to and how I can actually apply 144 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 3: them to my life. So I want to get back 145 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 3: to read these verses again, and I want to show 146 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 3: you the events that we're surrounding what Jesus is saying 147 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 3: right here, and I want you to watch for the action. 148 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 3: So we'll start back at Matthew eleven. Verse twenty eight says, 149 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,079 Speaker 3: come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 150 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 3: and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon 151 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: you and learn from me, for I am gentle and 152 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 3: humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 153 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 3: For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 154 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 3: At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on 155 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 3: the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick 156 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 3: some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees 157 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,439 Speaker 3: saw this, they said to him, look, your disciples are 158 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 3: doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. He answered, haven't 159 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 3: you read what David did when he and his companions 160 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 3: were hungry. He entered the House of God, and he 161 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 3: and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not 162 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 3: lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 163 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 3: Or haven't you read the law that the priests on 164 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: the Sabbath duty and the temple desecrate the Sabbath. Yet 165 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 3: are innocent. I tell you that something greater than the 166 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 3: temple is here. If you had known what these words meant, 167 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 3: I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned 168 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 3: the innocent. For the Son of Man is lord of 169 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 3: the Sabbath. Jesus says these beautiful words to his disciples 170 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 3: on the Sabbath while they're walking through some grain fields. 171 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 3: He's teaching and he's demonstrating. It's not a coincidence that 172 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 3: he's telling them this on the Sabbath. He's talking to 173 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 3: them about rest on the day of rest, and he 174 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 3: allows them to eat some grain walking through the field 175 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 3: knowing that this is breaking a Sabbath rule. Now, what's 176 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 3: important to note is that during this moment in time, 177 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 3: the Jewish people were weighed down with rules. They had 178 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 3: rules on rules on rules about everything, but especially the Sabbath. Now, 179 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 3: these rules, they started out as well intentioned the Pharisees. 180 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 3: They were the teachers of the law. Their original intent 181 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: was good. They were trying to interpret the law so 182 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 3: that ordinary people could obey it under daily conditions. But 183 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 3: what happened was the law that was originally intended to 184 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 3: give God's people structure, it began to suffocate them, and 185 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: the people were burdened with the weight of all the 186 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 3: things they could and could not do on a daily basis. 187 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 3: They had rules for rules for rules, and when it 188 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 3: came to upholding the Sabbath, the day of rest, they 189 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 3: had developed thirty nine categories for what was or wasn't 190 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 3: considered work. Here's a few of the more extreme rules 191 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 3: that I found. So wearing a jacket was permitted, but 192 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 3: carrying one would be considered a sin. A tailor was 193 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 3: allowed to carry a need was not allowed to carry 194 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 3: a needle for fear of being tempted to mend a 195 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:26,079 Speaker 3: garment I like this one. No fire could be lit 196 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 3: or it's extinguished, but fires already burning could be used. 197 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 3: Baths were forbidden on the sabbath because if water is spilled, 198 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 3: it would be considered work to mop up the floor. 199 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 3: And then this one's pretty funny. Women were not permitted 200 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 3: to look into a mirror on the sabbath lest they 201 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 3: spot a gray hair and pull it out. Okay, now 202 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 3: we laugh because this seems really absurd. But I don't 203 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 3: know what's in your feed. But lately, as a woman 204 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 3: in her forties who who does look in mirrors and 205 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 3: find occasional gray hairs, my feet has a lot of 206 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 3: rules for rest too, Like here's a few that I 207 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 3: wrote down. I'm supposed to drink enough water during the day, 208 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 3: but not after seven pm, or you'll be up all night. 209 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 3: I'm supposed to avoid caffeine six to eight hours before bed. 210 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: I'm supposed to exercise so my body will be tired, 211 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 3: but not exercise too close to bedtime or you'll be awake. 212 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 3: You're supposed to wake up and go to bed at 213 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 3: the same time every day, even on the weekends. Avoid 214 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 3: long or late naps, keep naps under thirty minutes, no screens, 215 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 3: two hours before bed avoid having bright alarm clocks. I 216 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 3: think we have also made a job out of getting rest, 217 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 3: the one thing that was supposed to be relaxing. We've 218 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 3: turned into work in something that we need to worry about. 219 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 3: And this is what's happening in this passage. They managed 220 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 3: to turn the Sabbath, a gift, a day of rest, 221 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: into this impossible amount of work and something to worry 222 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 3: about if they were doing it right or doing it wrong. 223 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 3: And so when the Pharisees saw the disciples picking grain, 224 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 3: they wave the red flag. He said, Jesus, they're breaking 225 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 3: the rules, and and and Jesus. Of course, he turns 226 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 3: around and he and he uses scripture to overrule their rules. 227 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 3: And he starts talking about David and the priests, and 228 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 3: he quotes the prophet Hoseiah to them, and he says 229 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 3: to them, I am the Lord even over the Sabbath. 230 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 3: I came to set you free from these rules. Now, listen, 231 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 3: rules are man's attempt to define faith. There are way 232 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 3: of controlling the parts about God that we just can't 233 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 3: necessarily grasp. So we hear something like God wants to 234 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 3: have a relationship with you, and so we give it 235 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 3: a tangible definition. Well what does that mean? What it 236 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 3: means go to church, read your Bible, pray, memorize scripture, 237 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 3: and do these things and avoid these things. And these 238 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 3: parameters are not bad. They're meant to bring us joy. 239 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 3: They're meant to help us grow in our faith. They're 240 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 3: meant to give us sidelines so we don't ruin our lives. 241 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 3: But if we're not careful, we will begin to worship 242 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 3: the rules instead of the Savior. I wish I had 243 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 3: heard this message when I was in my twenties. There's 244 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 3: nothing wrong with Sabbath. Many people today practice upholding the Sabbath. 245 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 3: They set aside one day each week to rest and 246 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 3: to reset. That's amazing. Sabbath is it was given to 247 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 3: us by God. God rested on the seventh day of creation. 248 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 3: He wants us to have rest from our work too. 249 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 3: But that's not what this message is about. I'm not 250 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 3: talking about physical rest today. I'm not talking about going 251 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 3: on vacation. I'm talking about what you carry and why 252 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 3: are you carrying it? And should you be carrying it? 253 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 3: And why are you so tired? And how do we 254 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 3: find rest? And so Jesus he's introducing this new idea. 255 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 3: He's saying, what if there is a way to find 256 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 3: rest while you're living out your every day life. And 257 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 3: I believe that God sent me to tell you today 258 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 3: that you're letting some things weigh you down that He 259 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 3: never intended for you to carry. And there's a rest 260 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 3: that we can enter into as believers in Christ that 261 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: goes beyond the rules, and it allows us to somehow 262 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 3: move through the hardship and the difficulties and the seasons 263 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 3: that we go through in life in a way that 264 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 3: we never knew was possible. Jesus is redefining rest and 265 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 3: he's using this word picture of a yoke to define it. Now, 266 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 3: the irony here is funny because a yoke was an 267 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 3: instrument that represented work. So a yoke is a piece 268 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 3: of farming equipment that would have been a common sight 269 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 3: in this day and time. It was a piece of equipman, 270 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 3: that you would use to harness two oxen together in 271 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 3: order to pull a heavy load. I have a picture 272 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 3: so that you can sort of get your mind around this, Okay, 273 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 3: So here we have two oxen who are yoked together. 274 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 3: They're pulling a plow, and the man behind them the 275 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 3: farmer he's guiding the plow. This would have been a 276 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 3: picture that they knew well. So essentially, Jesus is saying 277 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 3: to us true rest is found when we do the 278 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 3: work together, saying, yoke up with me. He's calling them 279 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 3: to relationship over rules. He's inviting them coming to me. 280 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 3: All you who are weary and burden, and I will 281 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 3: give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn 282 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 3: from me, for I am gentle and humble and hard, 283 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 3: and you will find rest for your souls, for my 284 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 3: yoke is easy and my burden is light. Today I 285 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 3: want to point out three words straight from this text 286 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 3: and break it down. Come, take learn. Pharisees said, do 287 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 3: do this, don't do that, do better, do more. Jesus says, Come. 288 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,959 Speaker 3: He's calling you. He's calling the weary and the burden 289 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 3: that I want you to know today that if you 290 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 3: feel weary or burden, that is the very thing that 291 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 3: qualifies you to come to Jesus. We get this backward. 292 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: We think we need to get rid of our burdens 293 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 3: so that we can come to Jesus. We think in 294 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 3: order for God to use us, we have to get 295 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 3: rid of the weight of our guilt, get rid of 296 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 3: our shame, get rid of or somehow make up for 297 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 3: our mistakes or our worries or anxieties. Before we can 298 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 3: come to Jesus, we have to make ourselves a vessel 299 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: that he could use, or somebody that he would even 300 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 3: want to Why would he want to partner up with me? 301 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 3: I'm so weighted down, but we think that God needs 302 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,239 Speaker 3: someone that he would want to yoke up with and 303 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 3: pull the weight together. Right, But the opposite is actually true. 304 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: The very fact that you feel burdened is what qualifies 305 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 3: you to come to Jesus. He's waiting with the gift 306 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 3: of rest that he has for you, but in order 307 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 3: for you to receive it, you have to come to him, 308 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 3: He says, come to me. Stop going everywhere else to 309 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 3: find rest. You're not going to find rest at sandals. 310 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 3: Stop numbing, stop avoiding, Stop thinking that rest is something 311 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 3: out there. Stop going to other people to relieve your burdens. 312 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 3: You don't have to work harder to avoid these feelings, 313 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 3: he says, Just come to me. Come to me, And 314 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 3: then he reveals something about his heart. He says, I'm 315 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 3: gentle and humble in heart. Now did you think that 316 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 3: this is the only time in all four We're Gospels 317 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 3: that Jesus reveals the nature of his heart. I read 318 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,719 Speaker 3: a book by the man the name of a man 319 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 3: named Dane Ortlund, and he says that when the Bible 320 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 3: talks about the heart, it's talking about the center of 321 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 3: all we do, like the reason we get out of 322 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 3: bed in the morning, the center of who we are. 323 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 3: And he said, so, when Jesus reveals his heart to us, 324 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 3: he could he could have revealed a lot of things. 325 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 3: But what he says, my heart is gentle and humble. 326 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 3: Some versions say lowly of heart, gentle meaning he has 327 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,959 Speaker 3: open arms for you, not pointing fingers. His heart towards 328 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 3: you is not judgment, it's patience, it's kindness. It's love, 329 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 3: not lecture. And when it says that he is lonely 330 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 3: in heart, this is look did I say lonely lowly 331 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 3: in heart? It's talking about the King of kings and 332 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 3: the Lord of lords, the one that one day we 333 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 3: will all bow our need to and confess that he 334 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 3: is Lord. That guy he humbled himself so that he 335 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 3: could be accessible to you. His heart towards you is gentle, 336 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 3: it's not harsh, it's not condemning, it's not punishing. He's 337 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 3: gentle and lowly. He bends towards you. He wants you 338 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 3: to get in the yoke with him. He's okay with 339 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 3: your mess and your problems and your mistakes. This is 340 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 3: who we are coming to. Jesus, then, Jesus are gentle 341 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 3: and lowly savior who wants to give us rest. Says, 342 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,439 Speaker 3: come to me, all you who are weary and burdan, 343 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 3: and I will give you rest. And then he says, 344 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 3: take my yoke upon you. So now we have to 345 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 3: take action. We have to we have to put the 346 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 3: yoke on. Okay, can I illustrate this for you? So 347 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 3: all the eies who cheered earlier that you are coming 348 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 3: to reflect. Any of you were you? Were you here 349 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 3: last year at Reflect? Okay? 350 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: Cool? 351 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, all right? So do you remember this? Okay? So 352 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 3: at Reflect we talked about fighting the good fight and 353 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 3: finishing the race, and we talked about all of the 354 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,479 Speaker 3: things in life that were called to carry and the 355 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 3: things that were not called to carry. As we run 356 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 3: this race that's marked out for us. Nod your head 357 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 3: if you if you remember the sermon, so I can 358 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 3: feel good about how hard I worked on that sermon. Okay, okay, 359 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 3: So remember how I told you that I got one 360 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,959 Speaker 3: of these because Instagram told me that I needed it 361 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 3: so that I could be strong and open jars when 362 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 3: I'm seventy years old. So I told you though that 363 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 3: it was you know it was. It was. It was September, 364 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 3: and I got in mine in June, and that I 365 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 3: was waiting for it to get cooler before I really 366 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 3: started wearing this my walks. Well, I have a bit 367 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 3: of a confession. I do not feel in all honesty 368 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 3: that I have the right to put this thing on 369 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 3: again in front of you, because I have had the 370 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 3: cooler weather of fall, winter and spring. And I confess 371 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 3: to all of the women of our church that I've 372 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 3: maybe worn this thing three times since it made its 373 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 3: appearance on this very stage. And so because like this 374 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 3: is what I've decided, this thing it takes all the 375 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 3: fun out of walking, Like walking was the last shred 376 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 3: of exercise that I did not dread until the enemy 377 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 3: the Internet told me that my walks don't count if 378 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 3: I'm not wearing one of these, and I'm sorry, but 379 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 3: I just don't want to do it. I have decided 380 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 3: that I am not giving up the enjoyments of walks 381 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 3: around my neighborhood with my husband so that I can 382 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 3: open a jar when I'm seventy. Look props to you. 383 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 3: If you love your hot girl walks, you do you Okay, Okay? 384 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 3: So anyway, so because of that, I feel a little 385 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 3: bit hypocritical bringing this on in front of you. So 386 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 3: I thought maybe I could get my dear friend Amy 387 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: Corbett to come up here. Everyone help me welcome Amy 388 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 3: Corbett to the stage. Okay. Chunks and Amy were the 389 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 3: very first couple to commit to starting this church with us. 390 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 3: They have been by our side for twenty years. Amy 391 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 3: is one of my best friends in the whole world. 392 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 3: And you know, Amy, I thought about how many times 393 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 3: my husband has called your husband on this stage during 394 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 3: a sermon for an illustration, and to my knowledge, you 395 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 3: have never been used as an illustration. It's been twenty years. 396 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 3: It's been a long wait. Today's your day to shine. 397 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 3: Happy Mother's Day. Okay. Amy is going to represent us 398 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 3: today all of the people who feel weary and heavy burdened. Now, 399 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 3: Amy and I have been close for twenty four years, 400 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 3: and I'm pretty sure I know everything there is to 401 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 3: know about Amy. I know things about Amy that she 402 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 3: has forgotten. I'm still mad at that girl who stole 403 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 3: your baby name twenty one years ago. We're that kind 404 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 3: of close. Okay. Now, when we think of the yoke 405 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 3: that Jesus is talking about, we could think that the 406 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 3: yoke is sort of like this weighted vest, and inside 407 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 3: the vests are all of the weights that we carry. 408 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 3: So I've got some weights here, Like Amy has severe allergies. 409 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 3: Amy's allergic to chicken. Who's allergic to chicken? Amy is? 410 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 3: So Amy carries the weight of allergies and of a 411 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 3: health issue. Okay. Amy's the mom to two young adults 412 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 3: who also texts I got you, So we're gonna give 413 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 3: her a wait for that. Amy is married to Chunks Corbett. 414 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 3: So I mean, obviously this is a weight that Amy, 415 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 3: that Amy carries. Okay, I don't know if you know this. 416 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 3: Amy works full time at Elevation. Her job. One of 417 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 3: her jobs is to get Elevation worship songs on Apple 418 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 3: Music and Spotify and radio. Aren't grateful for Amy, okay, 419 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 3: but she she carries the weight of the responsibilities of 420 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 3: her job. Here is a wait to represent Amy's sin 421 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 3: and her mistakes. Amy doesn't have a lot. But we 422 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 3: have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 423 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 3: So so we've got a wait for all of her, 424 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 3: her sins and her mistakes. This is the things that 425 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 3: Amy's worried about that are keeping her up at night. 426 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 3: She carries that weight. This is a wait for grief. 427 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 3: I know that Amy's lost several loved ones, and that's 428 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 3: something that she thinks about in that that weighs her down. 429 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 3: But here's the thing that I want to illustrate to 430 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 3: you today. Most of us think that God is another 431 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 3: one of these A lot of us have gotten the 432 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 3: wrong impression about God. It's easy to confuse having a 433 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 3: relationship with God with religion. But Jesus did not die 434 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 3: so that we would be weighed down by a different, 435 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 3: more modern set of rules. Jesus came to set us free. 436 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 4: Romans, and one says, there is therefore now no condemnation 437 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 4: for those who are in Christ. 438 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 3: Jesus, the enemy wants you. He wants nothing more than 439 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,360 Speaker 3: for you to think that you need to try harder. 440 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 3: He wants you to think that you need to pray more. 441 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 3: He wants you to think that you need to clean 442 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 3: yourself up. He wants you to think that you need 443 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 3: to prove that you are worthy, and I want you 444 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 3: to know that that is not from God. Jesus is 445 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 3: not another weight in your vest First John five three. 446 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 3: Look at this. It says, we know we love God 447 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 3: because we keep his commands, and his commands are not burdensome. 448 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 3: Listen to this. God's way is meant to make you lighter. Says, 449 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 3: take my yoke upon you from My yoke is easy 450 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 3: and my burden is light. Okay, so we put those 451 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 3: weights down right here, and let's take this vest off, 452 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 3: because as long as we have this vest on, I'll 453 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,399 Speaker 3: hope because I know it's haapy. We cannot take up 454 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 3: the yoke that Jesus offers. So okay, this is not 455 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 3: the yoke that Jesus is talking about. This is Jesus 456 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:32,439 Speaker 3: came to save us, not to weigh us down. And 457 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 3: no matter what is weighing you down, no matter what 458 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,479 Speaker 3: feels like it is about to take you under, I 459 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 3: want you to know that God's got you. Take his yoke. 460 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 3: He says, his yoke is easy. Some scholars suggest that 461 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 3: that word means that it's well fitting. His yoke is easy, 462 00:28:55,360 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 3: His burden is light. It lifts you, and then he says, 463 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 3: learn from me for him, gentle and lowly of heart. 464 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 3: This is a process. Jesus is not saying that when 465 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 3: you take his yoke that you're immediately gonna be freed 466 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 3: of all pain and hardship. Pain and hardship are part 467 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 3: of living on this earth. When you learn to take 468 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 3: his yoke, you not only allow him to abide with 469 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 3: you in your place of need. He wraps you up 470 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 3: no matter what is weighing you down. He offers you 471 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 3: open arms. He stands by ready to show you that 472 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 3: there is a new way for you to carry this 473 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 3: load together. Jesus, your Savior is in it with you. 474 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you. Amy gonna have that check it 475 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 3: just in case I need it. Okay, I'm I put 476 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 3: these down here. Stay with me here. I want to 477 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,719 Speaker 3: show you another passage of scripture. I want to take 478 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 3: you to Hebrews chapter four because I want to show 479 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 3: you something else that we can learn about Jesus. 480 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: Now. 481 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 3: The Book of Hebrews. It was written to Jewish Christians, 482 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 3: and the Jewish Christians they were second guessing their conversion 483 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 3: to Christianity and they were wanting to go back to 484 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 3: the old, more comfortable Jewish customs and laws, because sometimes 485 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 3: rules they make you feel good, they make you feel safe. 486 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 3: And the writer of Hebrews, he's trying to convince them 487 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 3: the whole book, he's trying to convince them not to 488 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 3: go back to the burden of the old law. And 489 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 3: he gets to chapter four, verse eleven, and it says this, Oh, 490 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 3: you're gonna like it. Let us therefore make every effort 491 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 3: to enter into that rest, so that no one will 492 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 3: perish by following their example of disobedience. For the Word 493 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 3: of God is a life and active sharper than a 494 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 3: double edged swords to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. 495 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 3: It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing 496 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 3: in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is 497 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 3: uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him, to 498 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 3: whom we must give an account. Therefore, since we have 499 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 3: a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus, 500 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 3: the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the 501 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 3: faith that we profess. For we do not have a 502 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 3: high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses. 503 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 3: But we have wine who has been tempted in every 504 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 3: way just as we are, Yet he did not sin. 505 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 3: Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, 506 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 3: so that we may receive mercy and find grace to 507 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 3: help us in our time of need. Now we get 508 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 3: a new picture of Jesus. Matthew tells us that Jesus 509 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 3: said that he is gentle and lowly of heart. But 510 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 3: Hebrews adds to us tells us that Jesus is our 511 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 3: great high priest. The job of the priest in the 512 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 3: Old Testament was to represent the people to God. Jesus 513 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 3: came to earth and he lived in human form. He 514 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 3: was tempted, the scripture just told us in every way, 515 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 3: but he knew no sin. That means that he can 516 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 3: be our high priest. He not only knows all of 517 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 3: the things that we carry that are making us feel weary. 518 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 3: He is a priest who empathizes with our weaknesses, meaning 519 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 3: he actually knows how we feel. And because of his 520 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 3: work on the cross, we can look look at that 521 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 3: that last verse again, this has got to be the 522 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 3: most beautiful verse in the entire Bible, maybe one of Okay, 523 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 3: it says this look at it verse sixteen. 524 00:32:52,920 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 6: Let us then approached God's throne of grace with confidence, 525 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 6: so that we may receive mercy and find grace to 526 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 6: help us in our time of need. 527 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 3: I'm sorry one more time. What was that third word? 528 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 3: Let us then approach our pastor just spent the last 529 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 3: two weeks telling us how we can change the end 530 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 3: to then. And this is so beautiful because this is 531 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 3: a then moment for you. We have the opportunity to 532 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 3: come before the throne and we can trade this for this. 533 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 3: Let Us then approach God's throne. Some of the versions 534 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 3: say boldly, so that we may receive mercy and find 535 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 3: grace in our time of need. In other words, every 536 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 3: weight in this vest I can't even lift it up. 537 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 3: Why do we wear those things? Every weight in this 538 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 3: vest is either part of by mercy or empowered by grace. 539 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,959 Speaker 3: That's something you can write down. Every weight you bear 540 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:15,840 Speaker 3: is either pardoned by mercy or empowered by grace. Now 541 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 3: here's the difference between grace and mercy. Warren Weiersby said this, 542 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,400 Speaker 3: I'm gonna read it slow because you kind of have 543 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 3: to listen. Mercy means that God does not give us 544 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 3: what we deserve. Talking about like punishment or judgment. That's mercy. 545 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 3: Grace means God gives us what we do not deserve, forgiveness, pardoned, 546 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 3: new life power. Every weight that you carry, God's got 547 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 3: you covered either mercy or grace in your time of need. 548 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 3: So if you carry the weight of shame from a 549 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 3: past mistake, you can come boldly and receive mercy. If 550 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 3: you carry the weight of a lost loved one today, 551 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 3: you can come with confidence and receive grace to get 552 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 3: through your grief. If you're walking through a job plus, 553 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 3: there's grace. Maybe you could have handled this situation differently. 554 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,720 Speaker 3: There's mercy. Maybe you're trying to finish the school year strong, 555 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 3: there's grace. Rest is not an event, it's an invitation 556 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 3: to receive grace and mercy in your time of need. 557 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 3: You do not have to go through life feeling weary 558 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 3: and burden. All you have to do is come boldly 559 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:49,640 Speaker 3: and accept the gifts of mercy and grace. Pastor Stephen 560 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 3: said something last week that really stuck with me. He said, 561 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 3: you can't always change the result, but you do get 562 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 3: to choose your response. I really spoke to me and 563 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 3: as I was praying about like how God wanted me 564 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 3: to break this down and to make this really clear 565 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 3: and practical. I was just thinking about that and the 566 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 3: weights that we carry and how they fall into these 567 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 3: two categories, like the ones that we probably could have prevented, 568 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 3: the ones that and the ones that we carry that 569 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 3: we're outside of our control. Like, for instance, maybe you 570 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 3: made a bad choice and you would give anything to 571 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 3: go back and relive that moment again and make a 572 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:35,240 Speaker 3: better choice, and that moment weighs you down. Others carried 573 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 3: burdens of things that we could not have prevented. Maybe 574 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:40,880 Speaker 3: you have an illness, you have a family situation that 575 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 3: you have to manage every single day, and you feel 576 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,439 Speaker 3: like it just sets you back. We don't always get 577 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 3: to choose the things that are weighing us down. But 578 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:54,319 Speaker 3: Pastor Stephen said, we can choose our response, And sometimes 579 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,839 Speaker 3: I think that we need to get bold with our 580 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 3: situations and respect bond to what we're going through rather 581 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 3: than just react. Do you know what I mean by that? 582 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 3: Like when my boys were little, they were wild, like 583 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:15,799 Speaker 3: two little boys two years apart. They ran everywhere. They're 584 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,279 Speaker 3: like running and darting everywhere, and so it's hard to 585 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,359 Speaker 3: like take them anywhere and I remember one time we 586 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 3: went to the offices in the middle of the day 587 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 3: and Elijah like somehow, I don't know, he was probably 588 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,400 Speaker 3: like four years old. He got away from me and 589 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 3: he ran over to the door of his dad's office 590 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 3: and he was about to go in, and one of 591 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 3: our staff members stopped him and said, you can't go 592 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 3: in there. They're having a meeting. And Elijah looked back 593 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 3: at that staff member and said, yes, I can. That's 594 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 3: my dad. The enemy wants you to stay weighted down 595 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 3: with shame and anxiety and worry. He wants you to 596 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 3: think that weary is your way of life. And I 597 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,880 Speaker 3: want you to know that that is a lie, and 598 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,920 Speaker 3: it's gonna take some for you to break free from it. 599 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,799 Speaker 3: But you can come boldly to his throne. You are 600 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 3: a child of God. Because of Jesus, we can come boldly. 601 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 3: We just read in Hebrews that the Word of God 602 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:19,319 Speaker 3: is alive and active, sharper than any two edge short. 603 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 3: It says it's able to divide between soul and spirit. Now, 604 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 3: when this was written, they didn't have the completed work 605 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 3: of the Bible like we do, but many of them 606 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 3: had walked with the word himself. You know, the word 607 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:40,880 Speaker 3: became flesh and dwelt among us. The words of Jesus, 608 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 3: the things that he taught, They were fresh, and they 609 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 3: were circulating among them. And I wonder if the writer 610 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 3: of Hebrews, when he said let us enter into this rest, 611 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,360 Speaker 3: if he was recalling the words that Jesus had said 612 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 3: when he taught his disciples about this new rest. And 613 00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,640 Speaker 3: I want to tell you today that there is not 614 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:03,000 Speaker 3: only mercy for every bad decision that you have made 615 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,359 Speaker 3: and grace for every situation that you face. I want 616 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:09,800 Speaker 3: you to know that there is a word that God 617 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:13,480 Speaker 3: wants to give you that you can cling to. You 618 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:18,440 Speaker 3: can get bold with the Bible. There is instruction in 619 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:22,239 Speaker 3: this book. There is victory in this book. There is 620 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 3: comfort in the words of this book. There is power 621 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,880 Speaker 3: found in this book. When I was in college, I 622 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,280 Speaker 3: was taught that I was supposed to write out scripture 623 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 3: and put it up where I could see it. And 624 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,000 Speaker 3: I thought that it was something I was supposed to do, 625 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 3: you know, like a rule. But now I'm a girl 626 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,319 Speaker 3: and woman and it's not a rule to me. It's 627 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:43,880 Speaker 3: a lifeline for me. And recently I got a fresh 628 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 3: journal and I started writing out scripture that I felt 629 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 3: that God was giving me about different things that I 630 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:54,239 Speaker 3: was going through, things that were weighing me down. And 631 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,320 Speaker 3: I would just find the couple Bible verses each week 632 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 3: and I would write it out, and then I just 633 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 3: began to read these scriptures out loud when I felt overwhelmed. 634 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:11,080 Speaker 3: And it's not magic, okay, but I can tell you 635 00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:15,480 Speaker 3: that even though the situations that I was praying about 636 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 3: didn't necessarily see some massive change because I spoke scripture 637 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:23,760 Speaker 3: over them, but somehow they just weren't weighing me down 638 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:28,960 Speaker 3: the same way I felt a lift off of my shoulders. 639 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 3: And I want you to know that you can get 640 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 3: aggressive about the things that are weighing you down and 641 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:37,640 Speaker 3: just given to them. And that's how I wanted to 642 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,000 Speaker 3: end this week, because I want to pray for you 643 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 3: that you would be able to start to gather scripture 644 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 3: that speaks to you with what you're going through. I 645 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:47,879 Speaker 3: can get a journal, you can get some index cards 646 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 3: and get post note. You can get gas receipts and 647 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:52,680 Speaker 3: write a verse on the back of it and it 648 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:56,919 Speaker 3: start to read those verses out loud because you can 649 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,839 Speaker 3: come boldly. Maybe you think like I can't come to God. 650 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,240 Speaker 3: I don't know what to say. You can come boldly 651 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:08,400 Speaker 3: to His throne of grace and receive mercy and grace 652 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,800 Speaker 3: in your time of need. That's what I want to 653 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:19,279 Speaker 3: tell you today. Jesus, gentle and lowly of heart, he 654 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:22,319 Speaker 3: bends towards you, and he stands before you today with 655 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:26,880 Speaker 3: open arms, and he's offering rest for your soul. 656 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:30,400 Speaker 7: And I just want that to minister to you. I 657 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:34,200 Speaker 7: just want you to think about that for a moment, God 658 00:41:34,239 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 7: of the Universe, he wants to yoke up with you. 659 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:41,560 Speaker 3: He wants to lift your burdens. You don't have to 660 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:47,400 Speaker 3: carry your burdens all by yourself. He stands by, ready 661 00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 3: to help in your time of need. 662 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 2: Hey, I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 663 00:41:55,719 --> 00:41:58,319 Speaker 2: make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 664 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 2: get you all of these new message as soon as 665 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:03,759 Speaker 2: they're available. I also want to take a moment and 666 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:05,640 Speaker 2: thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 667 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 2: Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 668 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:12,600 Speaker 2: just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 669 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,560 Speaker 2: able to reach people all around the world. And if 670 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:18,080 Speaker 2: you want more information on how to be a part 671 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 2: of Elevation click. 672 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,440 Speaker 1: The link in the description. Thanks again for listening. 673 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:25,879 Speaker 2: Make sure to leave a review, share the message and subscribe. 674 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 1: God bless you.