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6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. - Psalm 4. A day will ultimately come when we will sleep for the last time here on earth. Our hope and trust given to us by the LORD Jesus is that this sleep will be in the peace and safety of Christ; looking to His resurrection, that we too may by grace be forever with Him throughout eternity future. This is our peace and joy in a life often filled with trials and afflictions of being a Christian. Note our cluster of blessing in Psalm 4: deliverence and assurance our prayers are heard (v.1); grace (v.3); joy (v.7) and peace & safety (v.8). Thanks and praise to our LORD! |
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Jesus suffered and died on Calvary saving His people and freeing them from the old covenant laws of brutal animal sacrifices and animal blood which pointed to the New Covenant and the blood of Christ.
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. " (Galatians 3:24-26).
The blood of Christ is the blood of the New Covenant and is decribed in many ways throughout God's word:
Innocent (Matthew 27:4)
With Christ the old covenant ceased and believers now became ministers of a new covenant:
"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:6-18).
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38,39).
Hebrews chapter 9 is another chapter which speaks of the Old and the New and the difference between the blood of goats and the cleansing blood of our LORD Jesus Christ:
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood." (Hebrews 9:11-18).
So we see from Matthew 11 that Jesus lifted our burdens at Calvary. But we must remember to keep this all in the context of the entire Bible. Some who are critics or some who look for the wrong things in salvation may either say these verses in Matthew contradict the ones that relate to a Christians suffering or the latter may think that the Christian life is one of ease with no afflictions. Both are wrong.
Matthew 11:28-30 is speaking of salvation. Christ has done all the work in the salvation of a Christian, therefore the individual has no burden or work that must be done and this is wonderful. However, Jesus did also tell us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is no contradiction. While we are saved by grace, we also are rejected and suffer as Christ did.
Another misconception about Matthew 11:28-30 is that some feel that because they are saved by grace they have no need to do anything for God or other Christians. Actually instead of being saved, such fruits could very well be an indication they are not saved at all if they feel this way because God has told us over and over again in His word that salvation is evidenced by the things we do for our LORD; not by own own will, but because He is at work in us:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10).
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:12-17).
Works are only truly good if the glory is going to God who deserves every drop of it and not sinful mankind.
The beautiful thing about Salvation in Christ is that He has done everything and requires nothing of us. He is the Potter who will shape and mold us.
Life is often difficult at times and we live in a fleshly body so the things pertaining to life on earth will often be hard; but the road paved to heaven is easy for us as children of the LORD, because Jesus bore it all; all the suffering and rejection that our King went through would lighten our burdens and by His faith place our hopes in Him forever:
"And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:8-11).
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