Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1322
“Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I willgiveyou rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
[The Tabernacle was on this night thrown open to strangers, all the regular congregation kindly vacating their seats.]
Our Lord had just been declaring the Doctrine of Election, thanking the heavenly Father that He had chosen babes, though He had passed by the wise and prudent. It is very instructive that, close upon the heels of that mysterious doctrine, should come the gracious invitation of my text—as much as if the Lord Jesus would say to His disciples, “Let no views of predestination ever keep you back from proclaiming fully My Gospel to every creature.” And as if He would say to the unconverted, “Do not be discouraged by the Doctrine of Election. Never let it be a stumbling block in your way, for when My lips have said, ‘I thank You, O Father, that You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes,’ I also proceed to speak to you in the deepest sincerity of heart and say, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
I shall notice at the outset who it is that makes so large a promise and gives so free an invitation. There are many quack doctors in the world and each one of these cries up his own medicine. Who is this Man who calls us so earnestly and promises rest so confidently? Is He an impostor, too? Will He play us false? Does He boast beyond His ability? Ah, it cannot be thought so, for this Man, this marvelous Man who promises rest to those who come to Him, is also God! He is the Son of the Highest as well as the son of Mary! He is Son of the Eternal as well as Son of Man and He has power, because of His Divine Nature, to accomplish whatever He promises to perform!
As a Man, the Lord Jesus was noted for His truthfulness. From His lips there never fell an equivocation. He never boasted beyond His ability or led men to expect from Him what He could not render. Why should He deceive? He had no selfish end to serve or ambition to gratify. Did He not come to tell men the Truths of God? It was His errand and He did it thoroughly. Believe Him, then! As you are persuaded of the truthfulness of His Character, accept His teaching. And as you believe in His Deity—if you do believe, and I trust you do—believe in His ability to save and at once trust your soul in His hands! If He is a mere pretender, do not come to Him. But if, indeed, you believe my Lord and Master to be faithful and true, I beseech you attend, at once, to His call!
Where is He now? He is not here, for He is risen. But since He spoke these words, He has lost no power to save, but in a certain sense has gained in ability—for since He uttered those words He has died the death of the Cross by which He obtained power to put away the sins of men! He has also risen from the grave, no more to die, and He has gone up into Glory with all power given unto Him in Heaven and in earth. He is King of kings and Lord of lords! And it is in His name and by His authority that we proclaim to you the Gospel of Christ, according to His Words, recorded by the evangelist Mark—“All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth: go you, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
It is an enthroned Redeemer who tonight invites you! See that you refuse not Him that speaks. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them. Therefore doubt not His power to save you, but come to Him at once and find rest unto your souls. Jesus being the speaker, and His authority and ability being both clear, we shall now come to dissect the words and may God grant that as we do so, the Spirit of God may use every syllable and press His Truth home upon our hearts!
And, first, I notice here a character which, dear Friends, I think describes you as the laboring and the heavy laden. Secondly, I notice a blessing which invites you—“I will give you rest.” Thirdly, I notice a direction which will guide you—“Come unto Me: take My yoke upon you: learn of Me.” And, fourthly, I notice an argument which I trust may persuade you—“I am meek and lowly in heart. My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
I. First, then, here is a character which, no doubt, describes a considerable number of those here assembled—“ALL YOU THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN.” The words look as if there were a great many such persons—“all you,” and, indeed, so there are, for laboring and burden-bearing are the common lot of the sons of Adam. Laborers and loaded ones constitute the great mass of mankind—and the Lord Jesus invites them all without exception—high or low, learned or illiterate, moral or depraved, old or young—“all that labor and are heavy laden” are comprehended in His