Rest

 April 13, 2023

Matthew 11 is everyman’s story. John the Baptist had faithfully preached, lived sacrificially, and is now in prison from which he would never emerge alive. A dank, dark cell is a far cry from the open spaces and fresh air of the desert, and he was questioning. Sending some of his followers to Jesus, he asked, “Was I mistaken? Did I get this Messiah thing wrong?”

Jesus’ response is hardly encouraging. “Look at what I’m doing! People are being healed, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the Gospel is being preached to the poor.” Jesus’ success is hard encouragement in the face of John’s failure. I wonder how John received Jesus’ words.

In the rest of Matthew 11, Jesus praises John, ridicules the never-satisfied opposition, and condemns the cities that refused to repent. Then come verses 28-30, which seem strangely out of place.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are 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.””

Is he speaking to discouraged Joh, and therefore to us in our discouragement and disappointment? We worked hard, were faithful, but failed. The revival we sought never came, the success we imagined never materialized. Others were popular, their ministries and families thriving, while we waste away in a prison of dark, damp despair. We long for the exciting days of wild freedom, of crowds hanging on every word, of a family living in love and harmony instead of conflict, deceit, and abuse. Like John, when they were unleashed against us, we second-guess our decision to confront the Powers with their sin.

To all the Johns in the world, Jesus says, “Come to me and find rest.” When life is falling apart, when success is an illusion, when opposition threatens to swallow you alive, hear Jesus say, “Come to me and find rest.” And with Peter, I say, “Lord, where else could I go? You have the words of life.”