We're gonna be in the book of Matthew, Matthew chapter 11. It's a very basic, it's a very basic sermon. It's honestly a very basic truth, but it's kind of funny how some of the most basic things that we find in the Bible can be some of the most challenging things to really tackle. You know what I mean? It's so much easier said than done as the saying goes. We're gonna look at three verses and it's gonna be very basic, but we're gonna be talking about the caring call of Christ. And this call is not just to those that are unsaved, but this is a call to all. This is a call to all those that hurt and struggle. Matthew 11. Oh, it'd help if I would be in the right place too. There we go. Matthew 11. Verse 28 to 30 says, come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Let's go to the Lord in prayer real quick. Lord, I just thank you for what you've done for us. Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness. Lord, we do not deserve this call that you give to us. Lord, we do not deserve the care that we receive from you. Lord, I thank you for the fact that you took the time to not be a dictator, but Lord, you're a caring savior. Lord, I thank you for all that you've done. Lord, I pray that you use this time in your word. And I know, Lord, if you do anything out of today, Lord, it's your spirit, it's you working, Lord. I just thank you for all that you've done in Jesus Christ, precious name I pray, amen. Before we really get started, whenever I start to talk about Christ and his care and love and compassion towards us, you have to kind of think about the element that humans have to where we need interaction. We need care. We need friends. We need family. We need all of these things. And I've actually, and just through life, I have witnessed what it's like to see different age groups and different people be isolated. And I think of times where I would go to nursing homes And when I was in college preaching at different nursing homes, and I would actually help my friends that preached at nursing homes, driving them to, and man, I remember one summer, I would actually preach at four or five different nursing homes on Sundays in between services. And I can't tell you how many times I'd come across a couple or maybe even just a widow or a widower that has family, but hasn't seen them in years. stuck alone. And I remember times where even me and my buddy, we've actually been kidnapped by some of these old people sometimes. I remember one time, actually, I think all the, you know, it was his particular nursing home had the really extreme cases it seemed like, but we would show up and visit after we would preach at one of his nursing home locations. And I remember one time there was this elderly lady that she just, she loved to cook. We'd show up just to visit with her, and we would always try to make it five, ten minutes. We'd be there for an hour eating refried beans that she actually made from scratch. She'd make us some tacos, bring out some salsa, and we'd be stuck there eating for like an hour. And she always told my buddies, like, oh, you're so handsome. I've got a great granddaughter I need to get you introduced to. And as funny as that is, it gets very sad because I remember one time we had an elderly man that had not had a visitor for over like four years, I think at that point. Not a single person to come by and just sit down and ask him how he was doing. Just to sit down and just say, hey, how are you? I love you, I care about you. And it was the first time in four years he had had a visitor, and it was us. And we were there for about 20 minutes. We got up and tried to nicely excuse ourselves. And he got up quickly and stood in front of the door and just would not let us leave for another hour. He was just that desperate for interaction, for care. And it's just, it's one of those things where you, when you visit those situations with people in elderly homes or even kids in juvenile corrections facilities, I've preached at those. Those kids are certainly around other people, but man, they're isolated. They're on the defense. They don't have anyone they can trust. And I've been able to work with some of those kids and see a lot of them saved just by sitting down with them and just letting them take down that wall that they have to keep up all the time. And it just kind of makes me think of Christ. He's there for each and individual person. He's there for all of us. We have the basic need for cares also. We would have problems if we never interacted with people, right? I can't tell you how many times, the hardest times in my own life was when I was single, didn't have any friends, didn't have anyone to spend time with and alone. I had free time, I'd be able to go and spend time with people, but no people to spend time with. And those are some of the darkest times in your life. But Jesus here is calling out to all people, promising them care and rest. Of course, the degree of care and rest that we find in Jesus is far greater than anyone else we could have a relationship with. And this call for care, that caring call that he has for us, like I said, is not just for those that are not saved, but it is for the saved alike. He is calling out to each and every one of us to have and keep that relationship with Him, to rely on Him. In fact, Romans 5, 8, it encourages me in the fact that God commended His love towards us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Even while we were sinners committing atrocities, In that moment, Christ cares for us. How many of you had family or friends that did something that was just despicable towards you? And in that moment of them doing that, did you say, you know what, I love you? No, that wasn't your response. When someone hurt you, your response is hurt, it's pain, it's oftentimes anger, lashing back. But the funny thing is, with Christ, even when we have done wrong towards him, his response was never anger. His response was love and care. Jeremiah 31.3 says, the Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. The people that tell you that God does not care, They just don't know God. And the funny thing is, is I tell a lot of people that they start talking about that aspect of, well, I just, I have a hard time loving God, or I have a hard time understanding how God loves me. If you wanna grow closer to God, obviously read your Bible, but particularly look up those passages that display the love that God has towards you. If you wanna grow in your relationship with God and love towards Him, study how much He loves you. You can't help but love Him back. You cannot help to love Him back. But let's look at three aspects of how Jesus cares for you. We're gonna look at three aspects of how Jesus cares for you. The first is who he is calling to, who he is calling to. And the funny thing is, is we may read over this passage, come unto me all ye that are labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. We may skip over that and think, oh man, that's, I mean, that's for the people that are extremely exhausted or don't have any hope in life. But the funny thing is, if you really think about what he's talking about, who he is addressing, We fit in one of these categories very easily, if not all the time, but from moments in our day. Now again, come unto me all you that are labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Now there are actually four different people that you can point out that Jesus is calling to in this passage, in this verse. First of all, of the four, the first of the four that we can point out is the separated and the lonely. And if you think about it, can you tell someone that is already there with you to come to you? That's the first thing you have to realize. He's talking to people that are separated from him, that are lonely. And it's not just those that are lost, but how many times in our day do we find ourselves waning and wandering from God? We start relying on our own flesh, on our own strength, on our own understanding. And we find ourselves, I'll admit to it, where I find myself, you know, I'm not even looking to God for these answers. I'm not communing and spending time with God throughout my day. Jesus is obviously addressing those that are not with him already. He is calling out to those that don't know him. There is no doubt something missing from humankind and in each individual. There has always been a search for something of meaning, something to fill the gap, that void. Jesus calls unto those that are separated unto him. I can't tell you how many times I work with people and they have that void that they're trying to fill. I know people that filled it with, tried to fill it with drugs, tried to fill it with other relationships, tried to fill it with, you name it, anything. can give you that false satisfaction in the void that you have in your life. Now, he also calls out to those that labor. Now, it feels kind of funny to think about it. I know I certainly relate to the aspect of laboring hard and needing some rest. But the word speaks out to those that have worked, those that are exhausted, one that has toiled and one that is weary. I can tell you in a test that, again, times that are really dark, times that you're alone and have no one to turn to, but I can tell you also that when you overwork yourself, it changes who you are. I remember being in college and working two full-time jobs and doing full-time school, and it just changes you. you and it's just amazing how a nap seems like it could really make a difference. But Christ is offering offering relief, rest in that sense. He also calls out to those that are heavy laden. This does not speak of exhaustion from like labor, but it is an internal weight that is placed upon the spirit and soul. It talks about a burden, a load, or something that just simply heavy upon us. It talks of someone that has a type of anxiety or holding onto a burden that they couldn't get rid of. How many times do we hold a burden? Something we can't share with people. And we hold onto that burden, it weighs you down. I mean, good night. You can be exhausted from manual labor and you can be just as exhausted about stress and anxiety. about the burdens you bear. Good night. I can tell you this. Honestly, I have had a knot in my stomach for the past year just thinking about buying this house. It's stressful, especially in the market. And it was so funny because I had forgotten that I had that knot in my stomach until the moment my real estate agent told me they accepted the offer. And as soon as I had that words from his mouth, like it wasn't just like excitement, it was a sigh of relief to where that not my stomach was gone. And I'd forgotten it was there. And the only reason I remembered it was there is because it was suddenly gone and I can feel that pressure off. What kind of burden are we bearing today? This isn't just for those that are lost. How many burdens and trials, temptations that we go through. Christ is calling to you, calling and telling you He cares, to rely on Him. The last of the four that we see are those that need rest. And I kind of almost think of those that have ailments. But I know that sometimes I need rest from certain things. Maybe I need some rest from work, physical exhaustion, something mundane. Maybe I've been thinking too much or I need rest from someone. But Jesus promises to give us rest to those that need rest. Have you guys ever had that point where you're just so tired you can't seem to get rest? I mean, I've gotten to that point where, especially when I was in college, I was so exhausted to the point where I finally could sleep after working two days straight that I couldn't sleep because I was too tired. I mean, it's just crazy how being unrested can have such a physical effect on you. And if we are all honest with ourselves, we fit in those categories very often, if not all the time, maybe daily. But I will tell you, if you feel separated or alienated from God, He's calling to you. If you are physically exhausted and drained, He is calling to you. If you are burdened down and there's something heavy on your shoulders, He is calling to you. If you are unrested physically, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally, He is calling to you. The second is why Jesus is calling to you. And it says again in verse 29, take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Jesus tells us some interesting things here. He first of all tells us to put on his yoke. A yoke is used in farming techniques. I don't know if you know what a yoke might be. We just actually, I've never watched A Little House in the Prairie, but my wife introduced that to me and we watched the whole series in like one sitting. Well, not one sitting, but that's kind of what we watched when we had downtime. and good night all jokes aside it's it's a what is it i know pastor calls it little tragedies on the prairie or something like that but um man it you you want to feel you want to feel good about our our country and and how easy we have it in like go watch a little house in the prairie anyways But the funny thing is, that reminds me of that time where a yoke would have been used, and you would have horses, ox, donkeys, all kinds of different animals that would fit into that. But of course, before we had large tractors or machinery, that's what we would use to till and work the ground. But this... this yoke would have been on the shoulders of the two animals that would have hooked up to pieces of equipment. Of course, if you were to get new and young animals, and like they would do back in this time, they had a special training yoke. I don't know if you've ever heard of a training yoke. Now, a normal yoke, it's both animals bearing the burden and working in unison to pull this heavy weight. The funny thing is, as a training yoke, when you had a young horse, a young oxen that's never worked the plow, they don't just naturally take to it to where you just throw a yoke on them and they're working. They have to be trained by another experienced animal with it. And this yoke would actually have all of the weight on the elderly the more trained animal and the yoke would actually have loose connections on the other side for this younger animal to learn. And there would be no pressure behind, no weight to bear for that young animal. All of it would be born by the more trained, seasoned animal. And it honestly, this is that yoke that he is referring to. He is trying to train us and teach us with a yoke. And it's not a yoke He'll take off. It's not a yoke that He'll ever be done using with you. He is planning on taking the brunt of the weight. All of the burden that you bear today, He is willing to take for you. He still wants you to work though. He still wants you to do your part. to walk with him, like that young with the elderly would have done. And he wants to join in with us in that work. He wants us to learn from him. Not only is he a teacher to us all, but an example to us. He points out the fact that he is meek and lowly. Now, to be meek is not weak or humble. While being humble and meek go hand in hand, to be humble deals with the state of mind and attitude, but to be meek deals with your actions and interactions with other people. Oftentimes people see humbleness and meekness as weakness because those that don't understand it would not be able to recognize the difference. And it's a funny analogy, but I honestly think of President Roosevelt, and he would actually use this term called speak softly and carry a big stick. Now, which this attributes, he, Roosevelt, would actually attribute this saying from Africa, but there's no actual proven literature that actually uses this saying. So his time in Africa, he pulled it off of the people in Africa, and it was a saying he brought back to the States. Of course, no one can really confirm this, but another saying similar to this, which I've never heard until I did some research, was the iron fist in the velvet glove. I don't know if you guys have heard that. But these references are typically applied to government, military, and foreign relations. But this is also an example of meekness. Meekness recognizes the fact that there is power, but it is not being used. It's that aspect that in those times, Roosevelt, of course, he had different goals and priorities and whatnot with the government. But there's that aspect that God wants us to be meek like Him. We're talking the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords that can speak things in and out of existence. He is all powerful, but yet He is meek, under control of that power. Now, of course, the third is how Jesus can do this. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. With all that Jesus shows us and promises is astounding. No other person in our lives would be able to do something of this magnitude. No one person could keep such a promise. Each of them would fail most of the time or completely. As much as I give my word to my friends and family, like I'm here for you, I wanna help you. There's going to be times where I can't. There's going to be times when I have other commitments, or there's oftentimes where it's a time where I can't help them. I just can't. But the great thing is, is Christ is there for you, for every situation you bear. But how is he going to do it? It isn't easy, nor can we do it for each other like he can do it for us, but it is simple. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. When he says that the yoke is easy, it has a greater and deeper meaning than you think. It means that it is good, manageable, better, or my favorite, gracious. It's a yoke that we could never realize that we had on. Of course, when he says that this burden is light, the statement is an oxymoron. It does not work together and it's contradictory. That would be like calling me tiny. It's an oxymoron. But Jesus himself can give us the kind of light burden that he's talking about. The creator and sustainer of all can give us great things, Romans 8, 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. I'm encouraged in that verse right there, because no matter what, I know that even if I make mistakes or things don't work as they are planned, Even when I goof up royally, God uses it for good. He does. That's a light burden right there. Even when I make mistakes, God makes it out to work for the good. John 14, 27, peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Philippians 4.7, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. John 16.33 says, these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Now, I can't really say and explain how God does it, but if you're willing to give him the chance to give you the peace that you're looking for, he's got plenty of it for you. I can't tell you how many times I'll be in the middle of a, what in the world do I do moment, and I have that moment of panic, and I just take a deep breath, and I just give it to God. And I have to tell myself that. Lord, it's yours. You'll make good of it whether I make the right choice or not. I'm gonna try to make the right choice. But no matter what, he gives us that peace if you're willing to stay yourself. And instead of getting caught up in the moment, get caught up in God. Of course, all of this is very opposite of how the world describes all of this and attributes it. People in this world look for opportunities to lighten their load oftentimes by passing it on to the next guy. But there is a key to all of this. And we have to simply come to where he is. We have to simply take that yoke upon us. There's a verse you find in 1st Peter that really does sum up this aspect. 1st Peter chapter five and verse seven, casting all your care upon him. for he careth for you. I don't know if you guys have gone fishing. I actually had gotten pretty good for a while fishing with a net if we were fishing off a boat and whatnot. It's actually a lot of fun. But the funny thing is, is one thing I learned when I started casting nets is that when you go to cast a net, you don't just come to the side of the boat or wherever you're casting it from and just kind of like plop it to the side. When you go to cast a net, you have to really take hold of that net, grasp it firmly, and with every muscle and fiber of your being, you have to completely cast it out from you. And the funny thing is, is Christ purposely talks about casting your cares. It was actually the same verb describing casting a net, the same way you would cast a net. The funny thing is, is a lot of us Christians will take that care, loosely hold onto it, and just kind of like throw part of it out and hold onto it. Or what we'll do, have you guys ever seen someone that cast a net and quickly pulls the rope right in the middle of it being in midair? Well, that net just falls to the water. But we as Christians do that oftentimes. We'll still have one hand on, we'll still have one hand on our burdens or our tribulations that we are trying to bear and hold onto it. Or maybe we'll cast it, and then at the last moment, we're like, nope, I'm gonna hold back onto that. When you are to cast your cares upon Him, you are to completely release it with everything you've got. David himself understood this in the Old Testament. Psalms 55 verse 22, cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. And again, in Psalms 62, eight, it says, trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. What have we been holding back? What have you been holding back? We all have things that we're having to bear. As the saying goes, you're either coming out of a storm, going into a storm, or you're in the middle of a storm and a trial. But how many times do we unnecessarily bear that burden by ourselves without God because we simply don't give it to Him? We don't listen to the call that He has given. Isaiah, God wants us to rely on Him, trust Him, depend on Him. Isaiah 41.10 says, fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Sure sounds like God is gonna put everything He's got into helping us. Jeremiah 29, 11 says, for I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. I'm gonna read that one more time and listen to what it says. Jeremiah 29, 11, for I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Christ is calling unto you with peace, ready at a moment's notice, with not a thought of evil towards you, to give you an expected end. What are you holding onto today? And what are you not giving to God? Let's go ahead and go to the Lord in prayer. with heads bowed, eyes closed, and we're gonna have some music playing in just a moment. I don't know what burdens you might be holding onto today. I don't know what trials you might be facing. The call that Christ has towards us, that caring call, doesn't stop. He's always calling unto us. caring for us, loving us, watching out for us. I wonder if there's anyone here today that maybe you don't know Christ. This all starts with a relationship with Him. If you have not accepted Him for salvation, none of this really does matter. because the expected end for those that are not saved is hell and fire. And I hope that all those here have accepted Christ, but if there is one here this morning that knows that, you know what, it doesn't matter if I find peace or not, I know that I have a home in hell. I hope that you'll get that rectified and only Christ can save you from that. John 114 and the... excuse me, John 5, 24 to 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. This all starts with salvation. Salvation in Jesus Christ. But this call is not just for those that need salvation, but us Christians that have burdens that we have been unnecessarily bearing. That we've been trying to shoulder these things on our own. I hope that everyone that's here will continue to give that burden, that care to Christ.