INVITATION FROM JESUS (guest post)

These days are hard times for almost everyone in the world.  We face uncertainty about tomorrow, there is an illness that seems to be lurking at the door, as well as changes in lifestyle and habits in many areas of life that also have an impact on the family economy.  All of that can be a source of stress that can lead to new problems.  A reflection for us… In the midst of this difficult situation, is our faith getting stronger and more faithful in practicing God’s word, or do we just feel spiritually inadequate and tired.  Praise the Lord!  We have a Savior who invites us with all His love:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28, NIV)

What a comforting and encouraging invitation and promise!  However, we must not stop at verse 28 alone, because Jesus’ words continue until verses 29 and 30.  The unique thing is that “the invitation to come and the promise to be given rest” is followed by the command to take up His yoke and learn from Him:

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 29-30, NIV)

People who are weary and burdened are asked to bear the yoke and learn!  Wouldn’t the burden get heavier and tiring?!  What truth can we get from this passage?

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me”

In Jewish idea, a yoke means “a heavy burden”, comparable to the yokes resting on the bullocks’ necks.  That heavy yoke is a law that must be obeyed, which is the Mosaic Law.  The Law consists of hundreds of laws which are full of various rituals and are accepted as legalistic tradition.  The Pharisees and the scribes demanded the Jews to obey the laws, while the Pharisees and the scribes themselves didn’t do it.  We can find it in Matthew 23: 4, Luke 11:46, and Acts 15:10.  Thus, in this context Jesus invites people who are weary and burdened by religious laws and rituals that provide no peace.

As a substitute for that heavy yoke, Jesus Christ offers His yoke which is easy to bear and His burden which is light, that is the first and greatest commandment: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40). 

The Lord Jesus not only puts the yoke on our shoulders, but it’s His own yoke, which means He carry it together with us.  That’s why the yoke becomes easy and the burden becomes light.  Now, the same invitation is also addressed to us.  The Lord Jesus promises to give us rest, but we must be willing to bear His yoke.  In other words, we must live in His first and greatest commandment, that is love God and love neighbor as written in Matthew 22: 37-40.  Why? Because if we do God’s word only as laws that must be obeyed, then we will be tired of the various rules, “Don’t do this, you have to do that, and if you don’t do it you will receive the consequences.”  We will lose our joy in practicing God’s word.  Conversely, if we do everything out of love, then obedience will not be heavy because love will lighten all burdens (1 John 5: 3). There is no power greater than love, especially God’s love!

If we are full of God’s love, then we will be able to love God and others.  Love makes us treat other people in different ways.  Love makes us live our life in a new way, which is from God’s perspective.  We become stronger and calmer in facing struggles because it becomes easier for us to trust God.  For that, we must continue to walk with Jesus and learn from Him, to be His disciples.  Being a disciple of Jesus means being willing to be disciplined, willing to continue to be taught and trained, so that we become like Him, a person who is gentle and humble in heart.

“for I am gentle and humble in heart”

Many people have the concept of gentle and humble that only emphasizes action.  People who speak softly and not show anger will be considered as a gentle person, and people who deny their greatness in front of others are considered as humble.  In fact, it could be that a person who seems gentle and humble is actually rebelling in his heart or is deliberately controlling himself because he wants to be praised and considered good by others.  The biblical concept of gentle (meekness) and humble (lowliness) is not like that.  In the Greek text, the word “praus” (meek) and “tapeinos” (low) are followed by the word “tē kardia” (in the heart).  So, meekness and lowliness are attitudes that come from the heart, not only measured by visible actions.

Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God’s strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness.

Lowliness describing the person who depends on the Lord rather than self.

Let’s learn from Jesus and become like Him.  Jesus has authority and power, but He always submits to the Father and does everything according to the Father’s will.  Jesus also showed His boldness and anger when He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves in the Temple.  But He is also full of mercy on those who are weak and doesn’t reject those who are despicable.  Jesus always full of love and forgiveness towards sinners, including those who tortured and crucified Him.

If we build a relationship and learn from Jesus who is gentle and humble in heart, then we will get rest for our souls, because we know that we are fully accepted and loved.

And if we have meekness and lowliness, we will be calmer and peace in living this life.

Gentleness and lowliness will be reflected in the attitude in living everyday life.  A gentle person will give himself to be controlled by God, not by ego and emotions.  He can be assertive, even angry, but in the right and necessary portions.  A humble person will submit to God and rely on God, not boasting about himself and not looking down on others, because he knows that everything in him comes from God.  If we continue to develop gentleness and lowliness, we will be more able to understand and accept others, more forgiving, less hardened when we are reprimanded and not ashamed to admit mistakes.  We will become easier to control and lead by the Holy Spirit. And we know that we really need the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things, especially in tough situations like these days.

God’s people who are weary and burdened… Let us accept the invitation from Jesus.

Come to Jesus, take up His yoke and be His disciple, for He is gentle and humble in heart.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Not because being a disciple of Jesus is without process and carelessly, but because of Jesus Himself bore the yoke with us.

His love enables us to do His commandments with joy.

Come, accept His invitation and His promise, for only in Him do we find peace and rest for our souls, in the midst of whatever we are going through.

Amen.

By: Sella Irene – Beautiful Words

Photo Credit: Google Images ( wallpapersafari.com ) edited with pixlr apps

THE EMPTYTOMB

Hi all! In the next few days we will celebrate Jesus’ resurrection day. Honestly, toward to the Passover day sometimes I feel a bit sad and emotional because I still heard question like, “Is it true that Jesus has risen?” It could be normal if the question comes out from the unbelievers, but I really don’t understand when that question came out from people who have lived in Christ. It’s a very sad and weird reality! However, it’s okay! I’m trying to understand and accept this reality. I know that Jesus’ resurrection story has been a debate and causing the occurrence of pros and cons. Not only today, people who lived in Jesus’ time also didn’t believe or doubt; even worse some Jesus’ disciples also too (Matthew 28: 16-17)

Therefore, I’m longing to write about the facts of Jesus ‘resurrection. This post just a reminder that Jesus has really risen! I’m interested to choose Jesus’ tomb as a topic of this post. In my opinion the empty tomb was a starting point of the entire Jesus’ resurrection story. All things that happened in the tomb and the existence of tomb itself became a controversial story throughout the human life history and will goes on. Many people scientifically strongly objected to all things that happened in the tomb. They claim that it was only a legend or myth development created by Jesus’ disciples and followers. Some other argued it just an apologetics device rather than a historical fact that can be accounted for. The extreme opinion was said that Jesus actually never arose but His disciples stole Jesus’ body. Now, let’s take a look in detail what happened at the Jesus’ tomb.

The Angel of the Lord

The moment of Jesus’ resurrection begins with an amazing event. Along with a violent earthquake, The Lord’s angels with white clothes like a snow and appeared like a lightning came down from the Heaven, then rolled a multi-tons stone back at the entrance of the tomb then sat on it. (Matthew 28: 1-4) Oh, I imagine how wonderful the moment was. The angel sat on the stone was showing the magnificent of Jesus’ resurrection power and symbolized a glorious triumph over the death and sepulcher! Then the angel said to Mary Magdalene and other Mary who at the dawn went to look at the tomb,

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. “He is not here, He has risen, just as he said… (Matthew 28:5)

I took time for a while pondering this word then I tried to put myself as Mary Magdalene. When I heard the word, “He has risen, just as He said…” I am very sure the Angel not trying to delude me and there’s no more reason for me to not believe the angel’s words. The angel’s remarks has been totally become a very strong proof that Jesus has risen. The Angel wasn’t made up a fish story! Angels are the God’s messengers! They never lie! At the time, the angel was telling a thing that Jesus had said before (Just as he said…) but to convincing both of the women, the angle asked them to get into the tomb and showed where Jesus lay. The Angel said, Come and see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:6) A statement will be more credible if accompanied with authentic proof and at the time the angel gave an authentic, undeniable, and undoubted proof. The both of women didn’t see Jesus’ body. They simply found the neat grave clothes! After that the Angel told to the women tell to the Jesus’ disciples Jesus has risen from the dead and will see Jesus in Galilee (Matthew 28:7)

Women witnesses

My beloved readers, there was interesting thing in Jesus’ resurrection story and it becomes another absolute proof of Jesus’ resurrection. Titus Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian, says that women weren’t even permitted to serve as witnesses in a Jewish court of law. But at the time, the fact was, the women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary was mentioned and included as the first and main witnesses. I quote a comment of William Lane Craig about this matter; the discovery of the tomb by women is highly probable… Why women and not the male disciples were made discoverers of the empty tomb is that women were in fact the one who made this discovery. If I may conclude, the women, regardless of their status in Jewish society, were a part of grand design of Jesus’ resurrection story. The women had been plotted like that way. So if there’s an objection about women as witnesses, it doesn’t matter! Who cares! Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t a case in the court of law but a part of fulfillment of God’s promise. The happened fact the women found the empty tomb, they tell men (the disciples), the men made verification, and then they spread the word. It means the truth of the women’s testimony can be accounted for. So once again I think the idea of Jesus’ resurrection was only a legend created by Jesus’ followers is a very unreasonable idea. An event that involving trusted witnesses (though women) and someone else trust it cannot be called as legend or hoax!

The unknown tomb

Now let’s look to the tomb itself. There were so many disclosed theories to break the fact and truths of Jesus’ resurrection. There was a theory said that the Jesus’ tomb site was unknown. Well you know this theory made me take a deep breath and felt really confused. The Jesus’ tomb was unknown? I think this’s (I’m sorry to say) the dumbest theory ever revealed. I’ve no idea at all why they can make this stupid theory. I think the theorists had forgotten three important fact that written in the Bible. First, the brand new, hewn out of solid rock tomb was owned by the rich man from Arimathea named Joseph a member of supreme council of the Jewish (Sanhedrin) who asked Pilate to take Jesus’ body for burial (Matthew 27: 57-60) the second thing, at the time, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary also were there (Matthew 27:61) And later after three days, those women went back to the same and exact location, as did the disciples who ran to see it by themselves when hearing from the women that the tomb was empty. The third, because of the concern that Jesus’ body will be stolen by Jesus’ disciples, then the leaders of the Jewish priest took extra precautions (Matthew 27:65). They ensured that Jesus’ tomb was guarded by groups of highly trained Roman soldiers with very strict rules. So I think those who made this theory weren’t smart enough made a theory! Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene and other Mary, the Roman soldiers, they all knew where the exact location of Jesus’ tomb! I’ve personal opinion about the tomb. Though until now still a debate about the precise location of the tomb, it doesn’t matter! For me personally, the reason why Jesus dead, it does matter!

The broken seal

Beside guarded by highly trained soldiers, Jesus’ tombs was also sealed with Roman seal. A seal represented the power and authority of the Roman Empire. Break the seal means dead! And the ruthlessness of Roman soldiers was well-known and feared so there was no one dares to break the tomb that automatically break the seal, and steal Jesus ‘body even by Jesus’ disciples! Actually, Jesus’ crucifixion made the disciples confused, afraid, and most of them were hiding. Even Peter, who swore he willing to die for Jesus, denied Jesus three times before the crucifixion!

The unusual stone position

There was unusual thing in the tomb. When the women and other people were approaching the tomb in the morning they found the unusual position of the rolled stone. To explain the stone position, Mark, in his gospel mentioned “Anakulio” from the root “Kulio” which mean “roll” So “Anakulio” (with preposition “Ana” means “to roll up a slope or an incline” I imagine something about this stone. It’s not too difficult a small number of men put the stone weighing one to two tons in place because typically the place in front of the tomb was sloped down. But isn’t so easy for a few men to roll the stone uphill to the slope. The unusual position of the rolled stone was another proof that Jesus’ body wasn’t stolen even by the disciples. It was so impossible for a few men roll the stone away secretly without being noticed by the Roman soldiers. Moreover, the tomb was guarded all the time. Periodically the guard would be exchanged.

The grave clothes

My beloved friends, actually the tomb wasn’t completely empty. Jesus was gone, but His grave clothes still there and became a silent witness and showed a supernatural nature of His resurrection. John in his gospel carefully explained the fact that the Jesus’ grave clothes were still in place. (John 20: 1-7) the grave clothes lay there as if Jesus’ body lifted out of the grave clothes. When buried, Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen cloth with aromatic spices mixed with a gummy substance called “myrrh” The myrrh will strongly adhered to Jesus’ body. Logically, let say the Jesus’ body was stolen; the thieves will work as fast as they can and take the Jesus’ body along with the grave clothes. It was so impossible and a ridiculous act the thieves take some time to separate the grave clothes and the body then again laid it out neatly.

My dear readers, after we’re reminded again by six important facts in the Jesus’ tomb that I submit in this post, I hope and pray there’s no more doubt in our heart and mind about the facts of Jesus’ resurrection and stop wasting our time and energy to think unneeded thing about Jesus’ resurrection. All theological facts have been completely written in the Bible even written by four apostles. Trustable and credible historical facts also have been found. Now is just a matter of our faith! Jesus’ resurrection among the dead is a foundation of Christian faith. It’s written in 1 Corinthians 15:14,

and if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

The resurrection of Christ made the apostles’ faith drastically growing so they were daring to proclaim the God’s word and they were willing to be martyr. Jesus’ resurrection was becoming a revival of their faith. I also earnestly pray what has happened to Jesus’ disciples at the time also happens to us. Maybe we don’t have to be martyr but we’re experiencing a resurrection of faith. Our faith becomes stronger in waiting for the next fulfillment of God’s prophecies and promises, and by faith keeps watch until His second coming.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42)

And by the firm faith we’ve great longing to spread the truth of God’s word to all people especially to unbelievers so they repent, believe, be saved, and they become disciples of God, as Jesus commanded to us,

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

Happy resurrection day from me, my husband Kevin, and Andrew! God Bless!

Karina – Living by faith

Special thanks to Sister Sella Irene for the great suggestions

Image source: urantiansojourn.com