A Better Covenant

Jesus says:

25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I have decided to talk about Grace this entire month. Why? Because I think our culture is starting to become more works oriented. We are busy people who don’t feel good until we are doing! We have to be reading a bunch, discipling a bunch, serving a bunch, giving a bunch, and studying a bunch. Once again we, being of the reformed tradition, will never say we must work to earn God’s love, but boy for some reason success is found in doing and not resting.

For some reason these words of Jesus is much different. He commands us to come and promises us rest. Or as I read this, He beckons us, urges us, even woo’s us to come, and the reward for obeying is REST. We are a restless culture. And our preaching caters to this mentality versus outright challenging it. But this is one of the many elements found in the Grace the Father provides in the Son. We don’t stock pile a bunch of Good Works then lay them at the feet of Jesus and after everything is weighed, tested, and checked for quality, get a value card. No we come naked, broken, with a backpack full of weight and lay them at His feet and He promises His Rest or better yet His Grace! I am so saddened by the continue weight of trying I see many of our brothers carrying around. This weight doesn’t make you stronger it prevents you from resting at the Master’s feet. Trusting only in Him and the result of this rest causes us do the things He desires for us to do.

You see today we aren’t missional enough, we aren’t evangelizing enough, we aren’t redeeming the culture enough, we aren’t spiritual enough, we aren’t emergent enough, we aren’t religious enough! We are more than enough, in Christ Jesus. Our entire stock value is placed in our position in Him and we cant’ strive enough, toil enough, work enough, make enough disciples, give enough, serve enough, surrender enough, study enough, minister enough, learn enough, nor love enough. That is why God condescended to man! Paul asks

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

For some reason we refuse to rest in Christ. Once again we aren’t bold enough to say it. But pick up the latest book, or listen to many of the sermons. Man, rest just isn’t the focus. But it is what Christ promised! All of our relationships rather vertical or horizontal has to flow from the Divine Grace found in resting in Jesus Christ. Christians should not be weighed down with the guilt that they aren’t doing enough. Why? Once again Christ did it for us. We are under a Gracious New Covenant, which was purchased by the Lamb who intercedes for us and indwelt with the Holy Spirit that prays for us (Romans 8).

My challenge to you today isn’t to go out and do anything. But only that you find rest, peace and solace, in the Lord Jesus. Our entire Christian life will be warped and distorted if we don’t recognize the Grace provided by the Godhead. As you pray doing in a spirit of rest, as you go out to make disciples, do it in a spirit of rest, as you read your bible, do it in a spirit of rest, and as you live out your Christian life, do it in a Spirit of rest! Why, because the lamb was slain for this rest, lets not waste one drop of His blood trying to do what He already accomplished in His death, burial and resurrection.