Matthew 11,25-30. 2. Trinity

Matthew 11,25-30                   3920

2. Trinitatis 047

Albanus, Martyr 286/303. Albanus, Martyr 404

21. Juni 2020

1. O Generous God, our earthly Provider; give us all things according to Your will, so that we always experience abundantly Your Fatherly faithfulness and grace.  Amen. (Starck 118 ¶ 3) 

2. »At that time Jesus declared: „I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants; 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. Draw near to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me that I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your lives. For My yoke is pleasant, and My burden is light.“« 

3. Last week we heard Jesus tell us about the rich man and Lazarus and the efficacy of the power of God’s Word to convert people to faith. Today we hear that God invites and gathers into his house those whom will partake of his gracious banquet. 

4. We all bear a great burden of sin. Our conscience daily reminds us of this burden we bear. The Holy Scriptures tell us that we have sinned against God and our neighbors. The Apostle Paul tells us: »All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3,24). The 10 Commandments exhort us to fear, love and trust God; they quickly reveal how often we fail to do that. Again Paul: »By works of the law no human being will be justified in God’s sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin« (Romans 3,20). 

5. Jesus taught that the law is at its foundation twofold: 1. Love God with all your heart, and 2. Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10,27). To love God often contradicts mankind deepest heartfelt beliefs. At our core, we are religious and spiritual people; God created us this way. But in our sin, we believe that there are many paths to God. The Scriptures teach that God is our Father. This is nothing novel or new, for mankind has held this from the very beginning. Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greco-Roman religions all have a pantheon of gods with one god who is the supreme deity and often known as the father: An, Amon-Re and Zeus, respectively. »I am Yahweh; that is My Name; My Glory I give to no other, nor my prayers to carved idols« (Isaiah 42,8). »You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, soul and might« (Deuteronomy 6,5). »You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve« (Matthew 4,10). Jesus taught that no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom He chooses to reveal Him. »I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me« (John 14,6). There is only one God and one path to him, and that is through Jesus Christ.  

6. Before this path to God leads to everlasting rest. Jesus exhorts us: »Draw near to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.« Jesus is gentle and humble in heart. Jesus takes our heavy yoke of guilt and sin. In return, He gives us His yoke which is light and restful. The way to find rest is to trade the heavy burden of sin and failure for Jesus’ own yoke (Gibbs 590), for His yoke is pleasant and His burden is light.

7. But what is Jesus’ yoke? A: His yoke is nothing other than to become a disciple of Jesus (Gibbs 590). The Gospel according to Matthew tells us many things about being Jesus’ disciple. Jesus preached: »Repent, for the reign of heaven is at hand« (Matthew 4,17). »Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who  built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods rose and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock« (Matthew 7,24-25). »The reign of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field« (Matthew 13,44). »Simon Peter confessed: „You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, be killed and on the third day be raised« (Matthew 16,16.21). »Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life« (Matthew 19,29).  

8. Christ’s yoke is less like a collar of servanthood and more like a ring of sonship. St. Paul tells us: »If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise. You are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God« (Galatians 3,29.4,7). 

9. The symbol we often use of Christ’s yoke is the cross or the crucifix. This reminds us of the burden Christ took from us and bore upon Himself. »Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities; and with His wounds we are healed. Yahweh has placed upon Him the iniquity of us all« (Isaiah 53,5.6). All things have been handed over to Jesus by His Father, and we are the beneficiaries of that grace and mercy. Our sins are forgiven. Our debts have been paid in full. We never face a trial or tribulation alone, for Jesus is by our side often carrying us through it when we can no longer walk. If we wander away, then He welcomes us home as His son or daughter. Jesus’ yoke is pleasant and light, for it is a yoke of grace and mercy.

10. Today we hear that God invites and gathers into His house those who will partake of His gracious banquet as His heirs, as His sons and daughters. Next week we will hear that Jesus’ ministry is to find those heirs who have become lost and bring them back to His Father’s house.  Amen.

11. Let us pray. O Lord, our Strength, Rock, Fortress and Deliverer; impart to us the Holy Spirit, so that flowing from our faith we love You and our neighbor.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Soli Deo Gloria

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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2020 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Matthew 11:2 – 20:34. Copyright © 2010 Concordia Publishing House. 

Starck, Johann. Starck’s Prayer Book. Copyright © 2009 Concordia Publishing House.