Blessed tranquility of the soul! Matt.11:28-30
The scriptures for this study:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.11:28
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.11:29
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.11:30
The word rest here means blessed tranquility of soul.
A. What is the yoke which Jesus was called to carry?
1. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jn.1:29*
**This yoke is heavy beyond imagination!
2. Matt.11:16-21-->
To what can I compare this generation?
They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.
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: Here is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."
***Can you imagine, trying to save those refuse to be saved?
3. Matt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how often I have longed to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
4. Apostle Peter described it this way! 1 Peter 2:23-25
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
B. Why was Jesus able to say my yoke is easy and my burden is light!?
1. Jn.14:31 The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me…
2. John the Apostle explained it this way: 1 Jn.5:3
This is love for God: to obey his commands. His commands are not burdensome.
C. A voyage from Jerusalem to Rome, Paul show us how! Acts chapter 27
1. Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo,
and to our own lives also. 27:10
2. But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said,
followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 27:11
3. When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 13
4. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 27:14-155. After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said:
Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete;
then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 27:21
6. Now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost;
only the ship will be destroyed.
Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said:
Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar;
and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.
So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
7. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive.
Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.
After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all.
Then he broke it and began to eat.
They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 27:34-37
D. Conclusion:
Does anyone wonder, why Paul was so calm in such a dangerous time?
1. Yes, besides this: for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
2. Please also read what he wrote:
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.
If anyone does not love the Lord-- a curse be on him. Come, O Lord! 1Cor.16:21-22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wInaoRE144k