"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

God has made a great promise of rest, and we must obtain it. Without it, we are tossed and lost, under every burden and care. With it, we have eternal life and the joy thereof. Oh, how I'd love to see people rejoicing in God. Let us learn the condition, the command, and the comfort.

First, He gives us the condition. It's rest for the weary and heavy burdened! It's rest for sinners, who've offended God and spurned His mercy. It's rest for drunkards and law breakers, who have repented.

We feel the guilt and the burden of our sins. We feel the bondage that we're not able to break out of. We feel failure and shame. We feel that God cannot love us, hell is our portion, and we can't be used. (Oh, the failure of a worthless life.) We feel helpless and unworthy. What horrible bondage is the depravity of sin.

The devil is too strong for us, and he tricks us. He deceives us into thinking that we can get away with sin - that guilt and bondage are not bad - and we can block God out. He deceives us that God won't forgive, so we labor under hard bondage to make ourselves good enough. We fail!

Oh, the agony of guilt, shame, and sorrow! Look at what sin has done.

Secondly, He gives us instruction. "Come to Me… take My yoke upon you, and learn!"

Learn the blessed gospel of God's grace. Learn to be forgiven, because there's no condemnation. Anyone who trusts in Christ is justified from all things, which he could never free himself from. "Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." You're accepted before God, guiltless, and holy.

Learn how the Father chose you from the beginning, loved you with special love, and always planned your salvation - how He put you in Christ from the beginning.

Learn how He redeemed you with His own blood. The Lord Jesus died on Calvary as the sin bearer, substituting Himself under the wrath of God to pay your penalty.

Learn how the Holy Spirit comes to every believer with quickening power, raising us from the dead… how He gave us conviction to draw us away from sin. Learn about the power He gives to live in newness of life [Rom 6:4].

Do not deny it. Do not disbelieve! Don't let your sins call God a liar! Resist the devil, who says, "You can't be holy. You will fall back into lying, stealing, drunkenness, and perversion." Stop looking for perfection in yourself, and learn the gospel that we're perfect in Christ, and we grow in holy conduct - not in a straight line upward, but with faults and errors - and He is gentle and gracious (meek and lowly in heart) to teach us and guide us. He keeps on helping along the way of holiness, never abandoning us, but forgiving and forgiving, and giving and giving!

Learn from Him, Oh weary sinner, and you will find rest.

Thirdly, let's talk of this rest. It is peace, joy, and satisfaction. It's immense comfort from God, so that the soul is thrilled. It's relief from the guilty conscience and joy in obedience, which is a fountain of shameless fulfillment and pleasure. He's a good God that gives utter contentment, and something unspeakably great within, so that we thirst no more [1 Pet 1:8]. He gives the deepest longing of our soul to us - that we love God, walk by faith in Christ, and enjoy the powerful communion of the Spirit.

No tongue can describe HOW MUCH BETTER rest is than sin. Our hearts burn while He talks to us and opens the word along the way. The thrill of answered prayer, and the suggestions of a leading God! Hallelujah, let His name be praised forever.