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Matthew 11:25-30 (ESV)
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."
“Rest In The Redeemer”
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. Plenty of research shows there are various problems with not having enough sleep. An article posted by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services notes,
“But lack of sleep affects a person in one of two ways, (Belenky said.) First, sleeplessness influences the day-to-day performance of tasks…‘You short-change yourself of sleep, and you see the effects immediately. You can make a bad decision. You can miss something. Have a moment's inattention, and you're off the road.’ The longer-term effects of sleep deprivation involve a person's health. Doctors have linked lack of sleep to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, depression and substance abuse.” http://www.4woman.gov/news/english/611908.htm
A great deal of time and money went into proving such a study, but there is an easier way to go about it. All you have to do is take some youth to a Higher Things conference in St. Louis for a week and you will get a similar answer. 10 ½ hours of driving, large doses of caffeine, and youthful energy can drain the very life out of an adult, even a pastor. A ten-minute nap can be priceless.
Our country also rested on July 4th to remember and celebrate the independence of this nation. A great deal of sacrifice went into establishing and protecting the liberties that we enjoy as Americans. It only seems right that with the constant work needed for keeping such freedom. A day of rest in that freedom lets us treasure it all the more in order to fight for it every day. Of course, Jesus’ words in our Gospel reading are something very different than addressing our need for rest in this life. If you are tired, agitated, or unable to focus go to bed. If you did not get much out of July 4th, listen to those in Iraq who thank us for offering them freedom from suppression. However, what Christ declares is more than a day or an hour of sleep only to wake up and work again. He promises that we can rest in Him all the days of our life for He rested for us on the cross.
The savior said, “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; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” These were the words our Lord spoke right after condemning several cities for not repenting. Whole communities would rather rely on what they built in experience and knowledge than what God was building for them by the body and blood of Jesus. The simple question to the opening words of today’s Gospel reading is, “Are we adults or children?” In this life, we are always becoming adults. Since the day of our birth, our parents taught us what it means to live in the world with every step and word. A baby born today is an adult to a baby born tomorrow. The force of being an adult is strong because it comes from a life under the Law. It is what makes youth want to grow up because they recognize the authority and freedom that adults supposedly have. At the same time, it is what also keeps adults from ever becoming children again because we cannot go back. Jobs, responsibilities, and relationships pile more and more work upon our life. Even those later in years may retire from physical labor, but they still have the task of being the elder who teaches and loves the younger.
Jesus goes on, “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. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The savior wants all adults be they 2, 15, 30, 60, or 100 years old to become restful children of the Gospel. Jesus commands us “Come” for He knows the Law only rules in the life of adults. The sinful nature as well drives the youngest to the oldest to try to justify these lives, but that brings little rest. Instead of escaping to the savior with repentance and faith, men try to live in laxity or complete hardness. Some do it by stretching out the Law to fit their life of sin, while others narrow it down enough to imagine they actually have pleased God in all that they do. Everyone wants to believe they can handle their life. No one wants to seem like they cannot carry the load. Yet, St. Paul proclaims, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Baptism into Jesus promises us a different birth by the Gospel. There is no Law or sin, but only forgiveness and life. There is a rest as children of God by daily dying and rising with Christ in the cross. He is for those who labor without relief under the Law as adults, those who know that sin only twists life all the more and makes it even harder to carry.
The Lord of salvation finishes by saying, “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." Adults will deny what Jesus gives thinking it to be more rules for their life. Adults will have no desire to learn because they supposedly have figured it all out. Yet, children of baptism gladly receive what the savior gives because His yoke is the cross that He carried for our sin and death. Children of baptism are open to learn from Christ’s Word for they know that He is gentle and lowly in heart. He will forgive us our sins, will bring life out of our death, and has promised there is a victory by His triumph over the cross. Christ comes again today at the Lord’s Supper and the Words of the Old Testament prophet Zechariah ring true, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey...” The body and blood of the savior present promises that we can rest in Him for He rests with us as the risen savior of the cross. No one needs to be the adult before God because no one else has the authority, responsibility, and job of our salvation but Jesus.
Just like the lack of sleep in our daily lives will have consequences, so will there be consequence if we do not continually rest in Jesus. It will be a life of trying to self-justify. It will be having works that only create more works. It will be a salvation for adults and not for children. All can leave the Lord’s presence today refreshed and rested by what the savior gives in His Word and Sacrament. We go back into our lives as adults of all ages with our various callings and responsibilities, but redeemed in heart and mind as the children of God in Christ. How difficult it will be to remain a child of the Gospel in this world and not feel the forceful desire to grow up as an adult in the Law. That is why the Lord Jesus has made the yoke easy. The cross is for sinners built out of the sacrifice made by God’s one and only Son. Just as the burden is light for He carried it by His suffering and death for all. Rested children can rise to enjoy the good works God wishes to do in our life, but it is always with the call by our Father to come, take, and learn to rest in His Son. The first word children say for all that God gives is nothing else but, “Amen.” Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding be with your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus to life eternal, Amen.