week of 2-1-11 2nd recorded HighQuest Bible study

The passage I read was Matthew 11:25-30

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011:25-30&version=NIV

My summary of the passage is this:

Here Jesus thanks His Father God for making the truth known to the disciples but allowing the pridefull and knowledgeable to remain blind to it. He then tells the disciples that He knows the Father and can chose to reveal the Father to people. Also, He says He will give rest to the weary and burdened that would come to Him. He then wraps up this passage advising that His yoke is easy and His burden is light and He is gentle and humble in heart. We can come to Him and receive this yoke instead of the heavy yoke we currently carry, and we can learn from Him.

These are my words and as such cannot be taken as anything other than my attempt to summarize this passage. Please do not take my words as a replacement for the actual written word of God. Please read the passage for yourself if you seek the complete knowledge and wisdom found in the Word and accept no substitute.

As I reflect:

Absolutely awesome! A great deal is actually covered in this passage so I will try to keep my reflection notes short as to not babble on for pages. 1^st, starting in verse 25 Jesus is speaking to God aloud. The word says “answered” which implies the communication occurring both ways between this person of the trinity and God the Father. Jesus is thankful that God chose not to reveal to the wise and prideful but to the “babes” which is the word used here to represent the disciples because of their lack of education. It’s actually a bit sarcastic in the light of making fun of the view that the self righteous prideful educated men would have called the disciples who actually were more in the know then them. The knowledgeable men of the time were those that rejected Christ and His miracles. It was those that were willing to follow as children and that God chose to reveal to us these things that were enlightened as to the true nature… nay, super nature of this person of Jesus Christ. I believe this for me can be taken as a reminder to not allow the search for knowledge or obtaining of knowledge to become such a self serving pride that I might become blind to the truth found in approaching our Lord as a child.

In verse 28 Jesus goes on to speak to the disciples regarding the difference in the yoke of the world and the yoke that He offers. The yoke of the world, this heavy burden that He speaks of is more fully explained in Matthew 23:1-4 as He warns against the Pharisees’ hypocrisy.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.’”

Matthew 11:28 sticks out most to me in this passage as He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This simply has to make it into the memorization verse pile for the family. Such a useful thing to know and use when we feel heavy burdened by this world. We must remember as Christians that we carried the burden of this world. It was a huge burden upon our backs and we have been relieved of that burden upon coming to Christ. He took away the troubles of this world and replaced it with His yoke. We now no longer toil in vain. We have rest for our souls in knowing that the day our body dies, our spirit will be led out from the body and into our Heavenly home in the presence of our Lord. Until that time, we have the joyous knowledge that God is with us now through His Holy Spirit that guides us, leads us away from temptation, gives us outs when we are tempted beyond what we can bare, helps us carry when our burdens seem heavy, lights our path when we don’t know which way to step, comforts us when we have been persecuted, and allows us the many opportunities for growth and joy through trials and tribulations that the world causes but just doesn’t understand. And to think He says, “come”, thus inviting and driving away none. You are invited if you have not yet taken hold of His yoke. It is freely offered for you to exchange now your burdens for the light yoke of the Lord. Let none draw anyone to themselves but let us draw the unbeliever to Jesus who says, “come”.

My response to the Lord:

Lord, I thank you for your free offer and I fully accept. Thank you that because of your mighty redeeming blood I do not have to walk in this world alone. I can come to you and lay my heavy burdens at the foot of the cross, and walk in your ways. I thank you that you allow me to disciple after you. I thank you that you would even hear me but all the more that you would forgive me, be merciful to me, take my cold heart out and placing your heart in me heal me, and call me your own. This yoke is truly easy when compared to the yoke of the world. You took that weight on for me and now when I fall or begin to struggle, you are there to carry me that I would not be left behind. May I never again approach the foot of the cross and pick back up my burdens. May my walk as one of your children reflect my thankfulness for what you have done in adopting and teaching me your ways Father. May I always give you praise and all honor and glory due your name. In the great and mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.