Christ's Heart For You | His Name Is Jesus Week 5

“In the four gospel accounts given to us — 89 chapters of biblical text...in only one place – perhaps the most wonderful words ever uttered by human lips – do we hear Jesus himself open up to us his very heart.” - Charles Spurgeon

Matthew 11:28-30 “ come to me, all who labor and our heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

The posture most natural to Jesus is not a pointed finger, but open arms.

The point in saying that Jesus is lowly is that he is accessible to all.

The minimum bar to be folded into the embrace of Jesus is simply: open yourself up to him. It is all he needs.

Verse 28 “all who labor and are heavy Laden”.

Jesus is not merely willing to receive repentant sinners. He is drawn to them.

Only as we walk ever deeper into this tender kindness, can we live the Christian life as the New Testament calls us to.

His yoke is kindness and his burden is light.

Our natural intuition can only give us a God like us. The God revealed in the scripture deconstructs this and reveals to us one who’s infinitude of perfections is matched by his infinitude of gentleness.

“Yes, he is the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes and longings. Yes he is one whose holiness causes even his friends to fall down in fear, aware of their sinfulness. Yes, he is a mighty teacher, one who’s authority outstripped even that of the religious PhDs of the day.To diminish any of these is to step outside of vital historic orthodoxy. But the dominant note left ringing in our ears after reading the Gospels, the most vivid and arresting element of the

portrait, is the way the Holy Son of God moves toward, touches, heals, embraces, and forgives those who least deserve it yet truly desire it” - Dane Ortlund

When Jesus Christ sees the fallenness of the world all about him, his deepest impulse, his most natural instinct, is to move toward that sin and suffering, not away from it.

Jesus’ entire ministry was one of giving back to undeserving sinners their humanity.

“Christ’s own joy, comfort, happiness, and glory are increased and enlarged by his showing grace and mercy, in pardoning, relieving, and comforting his members here on earth.” - Thomas Goodwin

You must come to Jesus.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,

lost and ruined by the fall;

if you tarry till you're better,

you will never come at all.