2. THE INVITER: Matt 11:28(KJV): Jesus is the Caller and the Inviter here. Who is He? He is the Lord the All Sufficient One
a. To the sinner, He is Jehovah Joshua, the Saviour – Is 43:11; Hosea 13:4; Jer 14:8
b. 1To the sick, He is Jehovah Rapha, the Great Physician – Ex 15:26
c. To the lost, He is the Way – John 14:6
d. To the stranded, He is the Open Door – John 10:7, 9
e. To the confused, He is the Wisdom of God – 1 Cor 1:24
f. To the ones forsaken, He is the never forsaken friend – Heb 13:5
g. To the one in battle, He is the Lord of Hosts – Isa 47:4
h. To the poor, He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who meets our needs – Gen 22:14
i. David says He is beautiful for all situations – Ps 48:1-2
j. About himself, He says, “I AM THAT I AM” – Exod 3:14
3. THE INVITED ONES: Matt 11:28(KJV):
All the struggling/toiling ones like Peter – these are persons working without results; labouring without profits; people engaged in motion without movement; these are people travailing but giving birth to nothing. Luke 5:1-5(KJV), Isa 26:17-18(KJV)
All the burdened ones – these are persons whose energy and resources are being wasted and are slowed down by the load of weight they carry without a corresponding or abundance of support.
i. Burdens of guilt and accusation like the condemned woman of John 8:10-12
ii. Burdens of other people’s responsibilities like the Isreakites building the store houses of the Egyptians in Exod 1:11
iii. Burdens of shame like the barren Sarah, Rachael and Hannah
iv. Burdens of sorrow – like Naomi and Ruth of Ruth 1: 20-21
v. Financial burden – 2 Kings 4:1ff
vi. Burdens of judgement and punishment like in the case of the inhabitants of Jericho – 2 Kg 2:19ff
vii. Burdens of the mistake of the past and of the wasted years like David in the case of Bathsheba and Esau in the sold birthright
4. THE INVITATION: Matt 11:28(KJV)
The invitation is to rest. Heb 4:7-11(NLT)
The invitation is to come and experience God’s rest from satanic harassment, sin, sickness, poverty, oppression, obsession, bondages, etc
Examples:
* In Matt 8: 1-3, He gave rest from leprosy to the leper that came
* In Luke 13:10-16, He gave rest to the bent over daughter of Abraham
* In Mk 9:14-27, He gave the lunatic boy rest from satanic torture
* In Matt 9: 20-22, He gave rest to the woman of the issue of blood.
5. THE CONDITIONS TO RECEIVING DIVINE REST
i. Come unto me - Matt 11:28(KJV). Stop going to where you are faced, where you will always be disappointed.
ii. Divine Partnership - Matt 11:29(KJV): Become God’s partner. Let him walk with you, be with you. If you allow him become your yokefellow, whatever cannot intimidate or worry God will no longer do the same to you.
iii Readiness and Commitment to following God’s Principles - Matt 11:29(KJV): When you follow God’s principles, you will enjoy the diversities of the rest that God promised to His people in His word both now and for ever. Jer 6:16(KJV, NLT, NCV)
Discover and follow God’s principles concerning your spiritual life, marriage, finance, academic, business, etc and you will find rest for your soul Isa 1:19(KJV)
Prayer Points:
HEBREW 4:9-10
i. Isaiah 14:3-7
ii. Exodus 5:5 - Breaking the yoke of the taskmasters
iii. Exodus 33:14-16
iv. 2 Samuel 7:1,11 - Rest from enemies
v. 1 King 5:4 - Rest on every side cf 1 chronicles 22:9 ; 22:18
vi. 1 King 8:56- Rest on the God’s people