Here are three reasons to obey God: (1) the command. We cannot obey sin and prosper (2) the pleasure - as we do God’s will we enjoy it (3) the power is FREE; it is NOT something that we must do, but what He does for us.
Matt 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
1. Rest is promised (vs28). Christ is not exchanging one burden for another. Indeed, we must SERVE God, but there is REST here. It is by the Spirit, by the blood (faith in Christ), and it is in a new nature that LOVES obedience and RECEIVES reward. We obey for our good.
2. “lowly in heart” (vs29) = He won’t lay upon us more than we can bear. There is no way to serve God, except God help us, and we won’t be tempted above what FAITH in Christ will conquer. He promises, “There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it“ (1 Cor 10:13). He will pardon and empower us; He receives us always, amidst the sorest tests, with promised strength.
3. “light” (vs30) = Obedience, holiness, happiness, and heaven are different ways of saying the same thing. The LIGHTENING of the soul is like the lightening of a burdened warrior, so you can win. The Spirit makes us able to do what we couldn’t do; He takes the ship tossed in the storm, and we receive Jesus, putting us IMMEDIATELY at the shore, stilling the storm, “But he said unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land where they went” (John 6:20-21). He is the power of joy, peace, and obedience; only seek obedience FIRST, and the REST of these things are added.
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