The gospel of rest

There are many false prophets in the world (1 John 4:1) distorting the Good News about Christ (Galatians 1:7). How can we distinguish between truth and error?

Jesus Christ is the answer!!!! He provides rest for the weary. He provides heavenly food for the hungry spirit. He provides living water for the thirsty soul. He is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, a friend to the lonely, and freedom for prisoners.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NLT)

Jesus didn’t use the past tense. He didn’t speak only to those who had been weary in the past but now have gotten strength in the present. He didn’t use the future tense. He didn’t speak only to those who have strength now in the present but might be weary sometime in the future. He spoke to you right here and right now. He used the present tense. If you are weary right now in the present, he wants you to come to him right now in the present, and he will give you rest right now in the present. Any time you are weary, come to Jesus. Every time you are weary, come to Jesus.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ took your place. He did the work that you could not do. He took the punishment for your sins. He gives the rest that you cannot earn.

This is even more profound when you consider the implications of the kind of heavy burdens that Jesus was talking about.

“Come to Me, all who are weary²⁸⁷² and heavily burdened⁵⁴¹² [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 AMP)

2872 kopiáō

(from 2873 /kópos, “exhausting labor”) – to labor until worn-out, depleted (exhausted). See 2873 (kopos). –HELPS™ Word-studies

5412 phortízō

overload (pack up), causing someone to be (literally) “weighted-down.” See 5413 (phortion). –HELPS™ Word-studies

If you think pleasing the Lord requires zealous religious righteousness (Romans 10:2-3) and strict rules and regulations (Luke 11:46), then Jesus Christ is speaking directly to you. Come out from your man-made religion. Those things obscure the gospel of rest in Jesus Christ. Accept this invitation from the Lord Jesus Christ…

“Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 GWT)

Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. (Hebrews 4:8-11 NLT)

Jesus Christ is most pleased with us when we are most satisfied with him.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)

Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again. But those who drink the water that I will give them will never become thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give them will become in them a spring that gushes up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

Jesus told them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty. (John 6:35)

For deeper study: