Saturday Evening Service

We'll begin this time of worship with some words from Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah chapter 40.

Isaiah 40 · chapter mention Isaiah 40 · chapter mention

! I'm reading from verse 28.

!

We'll sing to God's praise now from the Scottish Psalter, from Psalm 40, verses 1 to

Psalms 40:1

verse 5. You'll find that on page 259 of the book. Psalm 40, and we sing from verse 1 to

verse 5 of the Psalm.

I waited for the Lord my God and patiently did bear. At length to me he did incline my

voice and cry to hear. He took me from a fearful pit and from the miry clay, and on a rock he

set my feet establishing my way. He put a new song in my mouth, our God to magnify. Many

shall see it and shall fear, and on the Lord rely. And we'll sing down to the end of verse

verse 5 to God's praise.

I waited for the Lord my Lord, a nation he did bear. A word to me he did.

I waited for the Lord my heart and patiently did bear. He took me from the fearful pit and

he took me from the mighty clay, and on the war he set my feet establishing my way. He put a new song in my heart, and on the

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The man whose trust

And of all the Lord provides

Please pray not the blood

Or such as turn aside tonight

O Lord, my God, who may be not

The waters of Christ come

My gracious Lord to us, Lord God

How all those are gone

Enorms are none

And there on the air

To be in the air

Deep in air

That's the stream of death

That I voy voy voy

That I voy voy

Let's unite our hearts together in prayer

Let's pray

Heavenly Father we thank you

that once more you have called us to come

into this place and we have the privilege of knowing

that we are in your presence

because we have the promise that we're

even two or three of us meet together

in the name of Jesus you are here with us

in the power of the Holy Spirit

we thank you Lord that that is a promise

that is something that we can depend on

we can lean on

that you are here with us

and we pray that we would know

that not only is a promise that we can grasp with our minds

but we pray that we would experience

that sense of your presence

as we gather in this place this evening

even as Callum has spoken

of our hearts burning within us

we pray that we would have that experience

that we are in the presence of God

we pray that as we wait upon you

that you would indeed meet with us

and renew our strength

we thank you for the psalm that we have sang

that psalm that is so familiar to us

a psalm that speaks out as the testimony

of a man who was saved by God

and we praise you that even though

that psalm was written many thousands of years ago

in a place far from here

these words can be taken by each one of us

and we can identify with all that the psalmist speaks of

if we are your people

just as he confessed his sin

that sense of the miry clay and the pit

that experience

that conviction of sin

that comes over us

when God the Holy Spirit begins to work

as he confessed sin

Lord we confess our sin this evening

we must examine self

not others

but we are called to examine self

as we prepare to come to the table

and as we do so Lord

we confess that we are sinners

and we pray that you would forgive us

we think of the things that we have said

that we wish we hadn't said

maybe even in the last few days

we think of the silences

that we have allowed to stretch on

when we should have spoken up

a word in season

we think of the times

when we have acted and reacted

in a way that is more of selfish impulse

than a response that is molded by your spirit

we think about even the thoughts

that are hidden from others

but are seen by you

the motivation sometimes

of our hearts

and Lord as we examine self

we confess that we are sinners

in thought and word

in deed

and we cry out with one of old

God have mercy on me

the sinner

we thank you that as we do so

we have the promise

that we are forgiven

we thank you that we can

enter into the joy

that comes through this psalm also

we can sing of the salvation

that is promised to all

who look to the Lord

look unto me

and be ye saved

believe in the Lord Jesus Christ

we are told

and you will be saved

call upon the name of the Lord

and you will be saved

and so Lord we do that even

this evening

afresh

perhaps there are some

who have come under

a conviction of sin

in past years

and have never actually

cried out with

the tax collector

God have mercy on me

and we pray that even

in these moments

in this hour tonight

there would be none

who feels the weight of sin

and leaves under that weight

but we pray that each one of us

would cry out for mercy

that we would seek

and receive the grace

that is offered to us in Christ

and that we would be enabled

to sing that new song

of praise to God

that song where we want

with our voices

and in our hearts

and through our lives

to lift up the name of Jesus

our Saviour

and we thank you Lord Jesus

for all that you have done for us

as we prepare to come to the table

we think of the bread

and the wine

these elements

that speak of the body

of Christ given for us

and the blood

of Christ shed for us

we thank you that for us

the offer of salvation

the offer of grace

it is the free offer

all we have to do

is confess our sin

and receive

the grace

that is

that is gifted to us

but this weekend

as we gather

around the table

once more

we are reminded

of the great cost

at which

our salvation came

the death

father

of your son

your only

begotten son

we thank you

that he

laid down

his life

so that we might live

we thank you that

the Lord Jesus

came into this world

knowing

that he would be

despised

and

rejected

that he would be

forsaken

that he would suffer

the man of sorrows

that he would die

to pay the penalty

for our sin

and we thank you

that we remember

that death

over these days

so grant to us

Lord we pray

a clear vision

of the cross

that we might

be even more amazed

by the grace

that is outstretched

to us

and that we would be

even more

worshipful

and filled with love

in our hearts

for the God

who first loved us

so bless

these days

to us

we pray

bless

your word

to us

meet with us

we ask

and renew

our strength

as we come

together

as your people

we thank you

for those

who

have come

forward

into the

membership

of this

congregation

over these

last

couple of

days

for some

who have

transferred

here

for the

McCritchies

Lord

we pray

that you

would bless

them

and that

your hand

would be

upon them

and as we

remember

them

we remember

Ian

in Greyfriars

as he continues

to serve you

in Inverness

and we pray

your blessing

on his

ministry there

that you would

continue to use

him

to lift up

the name of

Jesus

that you would

sustain him

through the

days

that you have

ordained for him

as he

continues to

serve you

and we pray

for others

who have

come forward

for one

who came

forward

today

and we

ask Lord

that you

would bless

her

and that

she would

know your

presence

that she

would know

your peace

that she

would know

the joy

that each

one of us

would know

the joy

of your

salvation

as we

take the

bread and

we take

the wine

and we

remember

all that

Christ has

done for

us

and we

pray

Holy Spirit

that you

would continue

to strive

with others

this evening

for any

in this

building

who have

not yet

trusted

Christ

we ask

Lord

that you

would be

drawing near

to them

that you

would open

their eyes

as we

pray that

you would

open our

eyes

that we

would see

that we

are great

sinners

but Christ

is the

great

Savior

and we

pray for

those who

are outside

of the

building

as well

many who

will pass

going to

different

things this

evening

with no

thought

of the

things of

God

and yet

in a

moment

Lord

you are

able

to

change

your

heart

and to

awaken

a soul

and so

we pray

as we

did

yesterday

evening

for

awakenings

in these

islands

as we

have known

of in

the past

we pray

that you

would revive

your work

Lord

God

in the

midst

of the

years

we pray

for any

who are

your people

any who

may be

here tonight

and who

are trusting

in Christ

who are

forgiven

who have

been

cleansed

who are

saved

who are

secure

and who

have not

yet come

forward

we think

of the

woman

with the

issue

of blood

who was

healed

and who

felt that

healing

and the

joy

of that

but

hid back

in the

shadows

we thank you

that as she

heard the

call of

Jesus

eventually

she came

forward

to profess

that Christ

had healed

her

and if

there are

any hearts

that have

been healed

and cleansed

tonight

but still

the voice

is silent

we pray

that you

would give

courage

and clarity

that every

one of your

people

would come

forward

and profess

that Jesus

is their

Lord and

Saviour

so bless

us

we pray

be amongst

us we pray

we pray

for Calum

as he continues

to serve you

here

we pray

for all

the office

bearers

for the

members

for the

adherents

we ask

that in

everything

that is

done

that Christ

would be

lifted up

that each

one would

know the

joy of

worship

as we come

together as

your people

and we pray

on Lord

that this

congregation

as all

the

congregations

in this

place

would be

helped

as your

people seek

to reach

out with

the good

news of

the gospel

give us

opportunities

we pray

give us

courage

we pray

and as

the seed

of the

gospel

is sown

in this

community

we ask

that it

would bear

fruit

as we

hear our

prayers

cleanse us

from our

sin

and go

before us

we ask

we pray

all this

in Jesus

name

Amen

we'll sing

again now

to God's

praise

we'll sing

this time

from

Psalm

121

again the

Scottish

Psalter

page

416

Psalm

121

I to

the hills

will lift

mine eyes

from whence

doth come

my need

my safety

cometh

from the

Lord

who heaven

and earth

hath made

we'll sing

the whole

of this

Psalm

to God's

praise

I to

the hills

will lift

mine eyes

from whence

doth

come

my

name

my

safety

cometh

from the

Lord

who heaven

and earth

hath

made

my

safety

cometh

from the

Lord

who heaven

and earth

hath

made

I

who

till not

bless

life

nor will

be

summer

that

he

is

behold

he

that

he

exists

voy

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

He shall not smite, nor yet the sun by day.

The moon by night, he shall not smite, nor yet the sun by day.

The Lord shall keep thy soul, he shall preserve me from all ill.

Hence for thy going, I'll stand in, God keep forever will.

Hence for thy going, I'll stand in, God keep forever will.

If I could ask you to turn with me now please to Matthew chapter 11.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 11, page 984 in the Bible here.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 11, page 984 in the Bible here.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

And we looked at the first part of the chapter yesterday evening down to verse 24.

And I want this evening and into tomorrow morning also to look at the verses from 25 through to the end of the chapter.

So Matthew chapter 11 and we're reading from verse 25 to verse 30.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

At that time, Jesus declared, and think about the context actually here as we looked at it last evening.

Jesus has just spoken some of the strongest words of judgment on these cities that he had preached to,

that he had performed amazing, miraculous works in, and they dismissed him.

They rejected him.

And so there's really strong words of warning in the verses immediately preceding this section.

That's the time that Matthew is speaking of.

And now we have the contrast that comes through.

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.

Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

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.

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.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading of his word to us.

We're going to sing again now to God's praise.

Again, the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 116, page 395.

Psalm 116.

And we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 7 of the psalm.

I love the Lord, because my voice and prayers he did hear.

I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear.

Of death the courts and sorrows that about me compass round.

The pains of hell took hold on me.

I grief and trouble found upon the name of God the Lord.

Then did I call and say, Deliver thou my soul, O Lord.

I do thee humbly pray, God merciful and righteous as ye gracious as our Lord.

God saves the meek.

I was brought low.

He did me help afford.

O thou, my soul, do thou return unto thy quiet rest.

For largely, lo, the Lord to thee his bounty hath expressed.

These verses of Psalm 116 we sing to God's praise.

I love the Lord, because my voice and prayers he did hear.

I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me this year.

Of death the courts and sorrows that about me compass round.

The grace of heaven to hold on me.

I, while I live, will call on him.

I, while I live, will call on him.

I, while I live, will call on him.

I, while I live, will call on him.

singing in singing

Amen.

If you could turn back, please, with me to Matthew chapter 11.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

And as we come back to these verses, once more, let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word that we have sung.

We thank you for the bounty that is found, that we are able to meditate upon and receive

as we take time to listen to your voice and to think once more upon the wonder of the

gospel, the good news about Jesus.

We thank you that every salvation story, even as we sing the Psalms and as we hear these

accounts of crying out for salvation.

We thank you that every experience, every answered prayer for salvation that was received and

known leads us to the cross where we see Jesus.

And we thank you that we hear in the verses that we have read the words of God the Son who

says, come to me.

And so we ask that you would enable us, Lord God, in this time to come, to come afresh to

Jesus.

That we may know the blessing, the rest, the peace, the joy, the contentment that is found

only in him.

So clear our minds, we pray, of all that would distract us, all that has preoccupied us over

these days and perhaps over the last week.

Cleanse us from sin, the sin that weighs us down.

Bind the evil one, we pray, that he may not be able to assault us and attack us.

And fill us with the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit who inspired Matthew to record these words

as we have them written down, that he would be our teacher, that the Holy Spirit himself

would illuminate our minds and touch our hearts and spotlight Jesus, that we may fix our eyes

upon him.

And we ask all this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Matthew chapter 11 and looking at verse 25 down to verse 30.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

And where I'd like to begin this evening is with the idea, the doctrine, the words that guide

us here into thinking about God's will.

We often talk about God's will.

We often wonder about God's will.

Sometimes, even in our every good day conversation, we will answer in terms of God's will for our lives.

Something maybe as ordinary as an invitation to go and join friends for dinner in six weeks' time

or six months' time, we check the diary.

And if it's free, we'll come back in our response and we'll say, I'd be delighted to meet you.

I'll see you at this place at this time, DV, Dio Valenti, which means God willing.

And when we pray, as we come together as God's people to pray, as we attend prayer meetings,

we draw near in worship and we bring our petitions in prayer as we are taught to,

we ask for things.

But often we add rightly as we ask for things, if it be thy will.

And so God's will, God's ways are often mysterious to us.

His ways are higher than our ways.

Often God's will is obscured from our view and our understanding.

But sometimes God's will is revealed to us.

There are aspects of God's will that are shared with us.

And Jesus speaks in this passage about the will of God, the will of the Father.

And that's where we begin this evening.

Three points in the time that we have.

We'll think first of all about the will of the Father.

God, the Son, Jesus, he tells us about the will of the Father.

The second thing we'll see is the way to the Father.

We're taught how we can know the Father, how the Father can be revealed to us.

And the final thing we see or we hear is this amazing call.

The call of the Son.

The will of the Father, the way to the Father, and the call of the Son.

So first of all, the will of the Father.

Verse 25 as we pick this up.

At that time, Jesus declared,

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

that you have hidden these things, these gospel things,

from the wise and understanding,

and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

Now, in Jesus' ministry,

in this world, as it's recorded for us in the Gospels,

it's very clear for us to see that Jesus,

he met a lot of resistance.

And the majority of the resistance that Jesus met with

was concentrated in people who were wise

and understanding in their own estimation.

Jesus clashed most regularly

with people who had a very high opinion of themselves.

I was reminded when I was preparing

of a story that came back to my mind from Loch Caron,

the first place I had a charge.

And we'd, as a family, just moved to Loch Caron.

We were getting our boxes unpacked and getting organized.

And our next-door neighbor was a Highland gentleman

called Donnie Colonel,

a wise, witty, warm character.

A character.

And he would be in and out most days

asking how we were getting on.

And I remember one day he said to me,

have you met this one?

Have you met that one?

Have you met the next person?

And I said, yes, I've met this one.

I haven't met that one next.

And then he said, he says, have you met,

I'll change the guy's name,

but he says, have you met Jim?

And I said, well, as a matter of fact,

I have met Jim.

I could remember Jim.

He was a very confident character.

I said, yes, I have met Jim.

And Donnie paused.

And he says, Jim is a very, very, very important man.

And then Donnie paused with a half a smirk on his face.

And he said, by the way, Jim told me that himself.

Now, Jesus met a lot of Jims.

We have a record in the gospel of Jesus encountering lots of people

who thought that they were very, very important.

And sadly, the majority of these people were religious people.

They were scribes and Pharisees.

And in their own view, in their own estimation,

they were wise and they had great understanding.

They were very, very proud people.

And it's true that many of these people would have been able to recite large sections of the Old Testament.

They had a good grasp of the scriptures in terms of recall.

They may have had an excellent understanding of church law.

They may have been religious experts and had their names in many of the institutions of theology.

But when it came to the gospel, when it came to the good news about Jesus,

these things, these gospel things were hidden from them.

They couldn't see.

They would not see Jesus.

They were filled with spiritual pride.

And spiritual pride is the biggest obstacle to seeing Jesus.

If we are wise and understanding in our own eyes,

we won't be able to see Jesus clearly.

If we are wise and understanding in our own eyes and think that we are something,

the cross will make no sense to us.

It will be of no relevance to us.

And the good news that Jesus preaches will be hidden from us.

J.C. Ryle says this.

Those to whom the gospel is revealed are generally humble,

simple-minded, and willing to learn.

Let us watch against pride.

In every shape, pride of intellect,

pride of wealth,

pride in our own goodness.

Nothing is so likely, says Ryle,

to keep a man out of heaven

and prevent him seeing Christ as pride.

So long as we think we are something,

we shall never be saved.

Let us pray for

and cultivate humility.

And so Jesus,

as he teaches the disciples here,

and as we have this record from Matthew,

we are given a negative example.

We are given an example of what we are not to be.

We are not to be those who are wise

and understanding in our own eyes.

We are to fight against any creeping spiritual pride.

And then we have the positive

from verse 25.

Jesus, having illustrated what we're not to be,

he teaches us what we are to be like.

He teaches us what the Father would will us to be like in our approach.

And he says in verse 25,

we need to become like little children.

Now, in that day, much more so than in our day,

little children had very low position.

Little children didn't have money or power or influence.

Little children in that stage,

in that age,

they couldn't stamp their feet and demand rights.

And little children,

they hadn't become cynical

and hard-hearted.

We don't read in the Gospels of little children

clashing with Jesus

and resisting and pushing Jesus away

like the wise and the understanding were.

Little children, we are told in the Gospels,

they were coming to Jesus.

And Jesus says,

it is the will of the Father

to hide salvation

from the spiritually proud

and to reveal salvation,

to reveal the Savior

to the humble,

to the lowly,

to those who come like little children.

Augustus,

this top lady in the hymn,

Rock of Ages,

has a great line

and it says in that hymn,

nothing in my hands I bring,

simply to

thy cross

I cling.

and that's the way

that we are to come to Jesus.

We come like little children.

Whether it's the first time

or whether it's the thousandth time,

this is how we come.

We come like little children.

Nothing in our hands we bring.

We come with empty hands.

We come with hearts

that we pray that the Spirit has opened.

We come ready to receive

the salvation,

the grace that Jesus offers.

And as we approach the Lord's table,

let's ask the question,

who comes to the table?

Who is it that is called

to come to the table?

And the answer is

only those who see that

they are not worthy.

Only those who see

that we have nothing good

in ourselves

that we can offer God.

we don't come with

a spiritual portfolio.

We come with empty hands.

We come acknowledging

the fact that

there is nothing

that we can trade in.

You know,

when it comes to

the stage where we want

to buy a new car,

we see the car

that we want

and we go to the salesman

at the garage.

and we ask about the price.

But in the conversation,

we're saying,

I have another car

parked out the back

and it's just four years old

and I've looked after it

and it's only got

50,000 miles on it.

So what will you give me for it?

I want to do a trade-in.

Let's come to a deal.

Let's negotiate.

Let's bargain here.

Let's trade.

And that's the way

we approach

a salesman

in a garage.

But

when we come to Jesus,

let's remember

that

we have nothing

that we can negotiate with.

There's nothing

that we can come

and bring

to trade in.

as we prepare

to come

to the Lord's table.

Jonathan Edwards said,

you contribute nothing

to your salvation

except the sin

that made it necessary.

It's a very humbling

truth that is pressed in on us.

You contribute nothing.

I contribute nothing

to my salvation

except the sin

that made it necessary.

And so

as we come

to the Lord's table,

as we come

to Jesus,

we come

not like the wise

and understanding.

That's the lesson.

we come

telling Jesus

about the

good religious

things we do.

We don't come

showboating

the great

theological truths

we have grasped.

We come

in humility

with reverence

and simple

faith

like little

children.

This is the will

of the Father.

The second point,

the will of the Father

is the first thing

that we are taught

by Jesus

as we listen in

to this

lesson.

The second thing

we see here

is the way

to the Father.

Jesus says

in verse 27,

all things

have been handed

over to me

by my Father.

So that's

where we start.

So what's Jesus

saying in that

statement?

Well,

Jesus is saying

in that statement

what Matthew

is teaching

so clearly

right throughout

the Gospel.

Jesus is saying

that he is king.

All things,

says Jesus,

all authority

has been handed

over to me

by my Father.

Jesus is making

clear that he

has authority,

that he has

kingly authority.

And we see

that kingly authority

illustrated in

lots of ways.

We could just

glance back

through a few

chapters.

You can do that

yourself later

in the evening.

And as we scan

over the past

few chapters,

we can see

where the

authority of Jesus

is so clearly

demonstrated.

when Jesus

preaches,

people listen.

Matthew 7

and at verse 29

says,

he was teaching

them as one

who had

authority,

not as the

scribes.

he's teaching

them like the

king,

but he was

and is.

And then

there's the

miracles.

We see all

these records

of miracles

in Matthew's

Gospel.

Jesus is healing

the sick.

He is

casting out

demons.

He's raising

the dead.

And through

these miracles,

through these

signs and

wonders,

we see the

authority of

Jesus.

And even if we

rewind a few

verses to the

section that we

were in last

night,

we listen to

Jesus as he

pronounces

woe on

Carazin and

Bethsaida and

Capernaum.

And as he

pronounces these

woes, he is

showing that he

has authority

to judge.

He is judge

and king.

And now

Jesus goes on

to teach that he

has authority

to save.

Verse 27.

Jesus says,

no one knows

the Son

except the

Father.

And Jesus is

teaching in

these verses

that he is

God the Son.

He calls

God his

Father,

which to

us doesn't

surprise us,

but to those

who are listening

on this day,

they would have

been shocked

and appalled

to hear such

language.

And yet

Jesus is just

teaching the

truth.

of who he

was and

is.

No one

knows the

Father

except the

Son.

Verse 27,

if I continue,

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.

And with

that statement,

Jesus,

he emphasizes,

he gives

us

something of

a window in

to the

Trinity.

there's

something of

the intimacy

of the

Trinity

revealed to

us as

Jesus speaks

of his

Father and

the relationship

between

Father and

Son.

But then

Jesus goes

on, you

could say,

to open the

door further

to show

us

that we

can know

the

Father.

Something

that would

have shocked

the people

as they

heard him

speak.

So how

can we

know the

Father?

How can

the Father

be revealed

to us?

How can

we be

brought

into

relationship

with

God?

The most

important

question any

of us will

ever grapple

with, how

can we be

brought into

relationship

with God?

How can

we know

the Father?

How can

we gain

access to

heaven where

the Father

is?

And the

answer is

through

Jesus.

Jesus.

And

only

through

Jesus.

No

other way,

no other

name,

no other

route,

no other

religion,

no other

man.

Only

Jesus.

The only

way that we

can know

God, the

only way that

the Father

can be

revealed to

us is

through

Jesus.

this

connects

with

John 14

6,

these

familiar

verses

that we

know so

well.

Jesus

says,

I am

the way,

the way,

singular,

full stop.

No one

comes to

the Father

except

through me,

says Jesus.

Jesus.

Or

John

John 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10

and verse

9,

Jesus

says,

I am

the

door.

The

way to

the

Father

is

through

Jesus,

the

Son.

One

commentator,

again,

it's

Ryle,

says,

Jesus

bears

the

keys.

To

him,

we

must

go for

admission

into

heaven.

He is

the

door.

Through

him,

we

must

enter.

He

is

the

shepherd.

We

must

hear

his

voice

and

follow

him.

If

we

would

not

perish

in

the

wilderness,

he

is

the

physician.

We

must

apply

to

him.

If

we

would

be

healed

of

the

plague

of

sin,

he

is

the

bread

of

life.

We

must

feed

on

him.

If

we

would

have

our

soul

satisfied.

!

He

is

the

light.

We

must

walk

after

him.

If

we

would

not

wander

into

darkness,

he

is

the

fountain.

We

must

wash

in

his

blood

if

we

would

be

cleansed

and

made

ready

for

the

great

day

of

account.

The

so-called

wise

and

understanding

who

were

rejecting

Jesus,

they

were

choosing

woe,

they

were

choosing

judgment,

they

were

choosing

hell.

But

those

who

came

like

little

children

to

Jesus

were

being

assured

that

this

was

the

way

to

the

Father.

So

the

will

of

the

Father

is

that

we

will

come

to

Jesus

like

little

children.

The

way

to

the

Father

is

through

Jesus

the

Son,

the

Savior.

And we

finish

with the

call

of the

Son.

Verse 28

is as

far as

we'll

get.

Jesus

says,

come

to

me,

all

who

labor

and

are

heavy

laden,

and I

will

give

you

rest.

Weerspe,

the

commentator,

says,

the

Pharisees

all

said

do

and

tried

to

make

the

people

follow

Moses

and

the

traditions,

but

true

salvation

is

found

only

in

a

person,

Jesus

Christ.

And

that

person,

Jesus

Christ,

God

the

Son,

the

Savior,

the

King

of

Kings,

he

says

to

us,

come,

come

to

me.

And

just

think

about

the

privilege

of

that

and

the

wonder

of

that.

The

magnitude

of

the

goodness

of

the

news

that

is

communicated

to

us

in

that

God

the

Son,

the

Savior,

the

one

who

promises

access

into

heaven,

eternal

life,

forgiveness

of

sin.

He

doesn't

push us

away.

He

doesn't

hold us

at a

distance.

He

says

come.

I was

watching

a

video

on

the

computer

the

other

day

and

there

was

a

concert

and

the

lead

singer

was

singing

and

at

one

point

he

extends

his

hand

and

this

girl

in her

20s

or 30s

is

invited

onto

the

stage

and

she

sings

along

with

this

singer

and

all

these

comments

underneath

are

saying

how

amazing

that

she's

not

pushed

back

by

security,

how

amazing

that

she

gets

to

come.

This

is a

life

changing

experience.

It's

only a

singer.

It's

only a

moment.

But

there's

such

amazement

that

this

singer

who's

got

some

degree

of

importance

says

come.

And

yet

here

the

King

of

Kings

the

Lord

of

Lords

the

Saviour

the

Son

of

God

says

come

to

me.

Who

can

come?

Well,

those

to

whom

the

Father

has

revealed

the

Son.

Verse

25.

If we

think

back to

the day

that

Jesus

first

spoke

these

words,

there

were

many

who

heard

the

call,

but

they

wouldn't

come.

They

could

see no

reason

to

come

to

Jesus.

The

beauty,

the

glory,

of

Jesus

was

hidden

from

them.

So how

do we

know

tonight

if the

Father

is

revealing

the

Son

to

us?

How

do we

know

if this

call

is for

us?

Well,

we

know

because

we feel

weary

and

heavy

laden.

And we

know

that the

reason

for the

weight

that makes

us weary

and weighs

us down

and leaves

us restless

is sin.

sin.

And when

we see

that,

when we

feel that

God

is working

in us,

Jesus told

us in

John

John 16 · chapter mention

chapter 16

and verse

8 that

when the

Spirit

comes,

He

convicts

us of

sin.

And we're

told in

verse 25

that the

Father

reveals

Jesus

to us

as the

Savior of

sinners.

And when

these things,

these things

come together,

when we

see,

as I pray

that we

see tonight,

that we

are great

sinners

and that

Christ

is the

great

Savior,

we are

to come

to Him

in

response

to His

call,

to us.

And we're

to confess

our sin.

We're

to ask

Him to

take the

weight of

that sin

from us.

And that's

what the

cross is

all about.

The

weight of