Matthew 11

Happy Mandy Thursday Folks!

I always wondered what the relationship between Jesus and John was growing up. They were cousins after all, only six months apart. Did they both always know what was going to happen? John doesn't seem too sure in this passage and so he sends his disciples while he was in jail to Jesus to make sure Jesus was the Messiah. When asked Jesus replied, "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor." What is Jesus talking about? Jesus is quoting Isaiah 61, like he does in Luke 4. That passage pronounces freedom for those under oppression, but interestingly Jesus leaves out one part of it: the prisoner being set free. Then Jesus begins to teach about John the Baptist and who he was: the one who prepared for the Messiah's coming. Both he and Jesus are scorned by the religious leaders who Jesus calls violent.

Jesus then switches to a lament and warning against the cities he had just visited and performed miracles there. He says if he had performed the miracles elsewhere, in two Greek cities no less, they would have repented. Jesus is not a magic show to be exploited. His message is one of healing and repentance. Jesus is Lord and Savior. He is not someone to be used, but rather someone to be followed. Jesus goes on and says that children have figured this out, but not adults for some reason. Then Jesus gives one of my favorite sayings from the Bible, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

We need that. We need rest. Most of us are so busy. When I was in Africa a couple of years ago, the Africans had a word for "white person." It is "Muzungu." It means "one who runs in circles." Take some time to rest in the presence of God. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Let the peace of Christ come over you and free you from the burdens of life.

"God, grant us rest in your presence. Place your yoke upon us because our yoke weighs us down. Amen"