Back to the Bible: Matthew 11:20-30

Jesus had done many miracles in Galilee, but they didn’t turn away from sin. He said that if the cities God brought judgment on in the past (like Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom) saw what they had seen, they would have repented sincerely and been saved.

But, the Galilee cities would face judgment knowing that they had seen Jesus and His miracles and rejected them. They’d be brought down to Hades (the place of the dead). When judgment came, their condemnation would be worse because of the evidence they ignored.

Then, Jesus gave thanks that it was the simple who had seen God’s will. God had revealed Himself by His grace. Only those who know Jesus can know the Father. Jesus made Himself known to those He chose. The ones He chose were those who didn’t see themselves as “wise” and “understanding” but who would come to Him as “little children” and learn from Him.

So, Jesus offered an invitation. If you’re burdened, He will give rest. Take His yoke on your shoulders and learn from Him. He is a gentle and lowly teacher. He offers rest for your soul. The yoke He calls you to take on is easy and the burden is light.

Lessons to Learn:

Don’t ignore the evidence. We don’t have Jesus right in front of us, but we have the word of God revealed to us. On this side of Jesus’ coming  with such easy access to the Bible, we are in a very similar position to the cities of Galilee. If we refuse to turn away from sin and turn to the Lord, we will have no excuse. We will stand in judgment knowing that we had God’s will right at our fingertips. You may think you’re too smart for this religious stuff. Jesus isn’t surprised people think that way. He is thankful when people realize they don’t have  the answers and come to Him to hear God’s word.

Jesus’ burden is light. Wait! Isn’t the way hard? (Mt. 7:13-14). Doesn’t discipleship require total commitment, even to the point of the cross? (Mt. 10:38-39). Yes. But, the forgiveness and hope He offers make His commands a joy, not a burden (I Jn. 5:3). We obey Him with confidence that His instructions are always for our good. He’s not making us jump through hoops for no reason. But, He has called us to become His disciples in view of the real rest it will give our souls.
We can always rest assured that whatever Jesus calls us to do or not do is never because He doesn’t love us or is demanding the unnecessary. His requirements and boundaries come from His gentle, lowly leadership.

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