Heaven Comes Down
Matthew 11:25-30
English Standard Version
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things
from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes,
Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed
over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and
no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses
to reveal him. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus says “I thank you…” A flood of praise to the Father
from Jesus. A flood of praise for “babes” receiving the Gospel. Babes, common
people, the workers, the untutored people of this world. “Babes,” the very souls
of this world, that Jesus came to reach and teach and love and give the Gospel to,
for all time.
True understanding must be given by God. I can’t obtain true
understanding by my own effort. True understanding is a gift from above. Heaven
Comes Down with this gift of the Way and the Truth and the Life, through God
himself, in the form of the flesh of Jesus, and in the spirit of Truth in the
Holy Spirit, all from the Father. True understanding is a gift from God as Heaven
Comes Down to you and to me, day after day after day.
As Heaven Comes Down, I humbly acknowledge my need of a
Savior. I know that sin dwells in me. I sin every day and hate that I sin every
day, yet I still sin. I don’t want to sin, I don’t set out to sin, yet I sin.
And I know that in the midst of my sinful being I need a Savior. A Savior to
take away this power that sin holds on me and release me from my sinful life to
a new life. So, I turn. I turn to God and look and reveal the sin in me that
God is already aware of, but that I need to bring before the feet of Jesus.
Jesus came in humility, and I come to Jesus in humility. I
come to Jesus aware that I’m but a “Baby.” I need Jesus to remove the power of
sin from my life, to release me back into this world of sin, daily to serve and
love God and those God gives to me every day of my life.
Aware of my sin, I can’t know heaven, unless heaven comes
down to me. Jesus stoops down to earth and blesses me, and you and all
creation. Jesus stoops down and gives creation the gift of faith. This faith is
driven by the resurrection, that reveals Jesus, One with the Father, revealed
through the Holy Spirit, once and for all time to all of God’s Creation. You
see, Heaven Comes Down.
And Jesus invites us. Jesus calls all to come after him, to
follow him. Jesus takes the Law, which shows me my sin, because he can, and he
chooses to. Jesus is above the Law. Jesus is God. Jesus takes the Law which
points me to my sin and removes it from my back, and gives me a “yoke” of love
for God and one another and a “yoke” of praise to God. Jesus removes the power
of sin over my life, and replaces this power with an easy burden of love for
God and for neighbor.
When I’m at my weakest point, in the midst of the knowledge
and weight of my sin, when I’m weary and tired and completely worn out. Heaven
Comes Down. Heaven Comes Down in Jesus, to me, and to you, and to all the “babes”
of this world. Jesus takes the burden of sin, forgives sin and gives us his
power of eternal life.
The result of Jesus coming down?
Rest… peace… calm…
ease.
As Heaven Comes Down; Jesus plants faith in us. Faith that
brings forth belief. Belief in God that frees us to serve God, free from our
sin holding us back from loving God and those God gives to us each and every
day.
The result of this Heaven that Comes Down?
Refreshment in the freedom from sin that Jesus gives to us
day after day after day, yet once and for all time. It’s EASY! Freedom, lined
with love. Freedom of a new “yoke.” A yoke no longer lined with the splinters
of my sin digging into the flesh of my tired, sore neck. No! Freedom to wear a
new Yoke of love for God and love for all the people God gives to me to love
each and every day of my life.
Heaven Comes Down. Thanks be to God, that Heaven Comes Down
to all the “babes” of creation, through the love of God in Christ Jesus… today…
tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen
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