The Power of Unbelief VS. The Secret to Finding Rest
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Do you remember the Abbot and Costello act:
“Who’s on first?”
“That’s right.”
“I mean, who’s the guy that plays first base?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Tell me! What’s the player’s name on first?”
“No, no. What’s on second.”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh, he’s on third….”
That’s hysterically funny. On stage.
BUT SERIOUSLY, have you ever found yourself in one of those no-win conversations in real life?
Proverbially speaking: You bring out fries and a hamburger, but the person decides he wants mashed potatoes. So you give him the mashed version, to which he says, “I don’t like potatoes. I want salad. No burger.” And on and on . . . driving you nuts.
Changing one’s mind is inherently human (and on occasion, signals dementia.)
BUT WHAT IF . . .
The person in the example above wasn’t simply changing her mind. She lied to purposely be in disagreement. Even when you showed her the order you wrote down as she spoke it, she “changes her answer and declares the new answer truth.”
Does that sound too ridiculous to be real?
Let’s take it a level deeper.
TRUTH IS PRESENTED—but I don’t believe it, which forces me to make up lies to keep proving what I refuse to believe. What our culture believes as “right” changes every decade. Even scientists make a habit of changing their minds in order to claim the latest “theory” as truth.
TRUE STORY:
Two men shared the exact same message, each with a different approach. Watch what happened:
“What I mean is this:
When John came, he dressed in the clothes of a prophet,
and he did not eat and drink like others but lived on honey and wild locusts.
And people wondered if he was crazy,
if he had been possessed by a demon.”
Facts set aside, had the audience stuck with their way of thinking—John was crazy and demonized—I’d see no problem. But. . .
“Then the Son of Man appeared—
He didn’t fast, as John had,
But He ate with sinners and drank wine.
And the people said,
‘This man is a glutton!
He’s a drunk!
And He hangs around with tax collectors and sinners, to boot.’
Well, Wisdom will be vindicated by her actions—
not by your opinions.”
–Jesus Christ (Matt 11:17-19 The Voice)
BOTH men delivered the identical message: “Change the way you believe (repent), for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John was bringing the best news mankind could hope for: the Kingdom of God is at hand. As in, the Maker Himself is coming to set things right. John ruffled holy feathers.
Out of pride, the religious leaders formed opinions out of their unbelief. He’s too radical! Too fanatic! Animal pelts are for animals to wear, not humans. Who do you think you are, telling us to change how we believe?
Then the Maker’s Son shows up to take back the keys of dominion over the earth and to restore those keys to the intended keepers—you and me (Matt 16:19). And the unbelieving religious leaders called Him a glutton and a drunk.
Unbelief kept them bound to the law, much of which they distorted and abused. Their minds reinterpreted what their closed hearts could not comprehend.
UNBELIEF cannot respond to the truth
v25. For that very reason, God chose not to reveal divine truths to the “wise and clever” rulers but instead to babes and those unlearned. Then, to those who did believe, Jesus offered REST.
“Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden (from legalism and burdensome attempts to please God) and I will give you rest…. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.”
Following religious practices to find Peace and Life will ultimately fail. Only out of an intimate relationship with the meek and humble Savior, will our souls find rest.
REST . . . today, because His Kingdom IS at hand.
Am I resting or striving?
Am I laboring to be good and do right, or am I yielding to the power that can make the good flow supernaturally through me?
Am I burned out?
“My yoke is easy and My burden light.”
If His yoke is truly easy…
(chrestos)
Useful, Pleasant
Good, Comfortable
Suitable, Serviceable
Well-fitting
. . . then we would live so lightly that we find continuous Joy in working and simple day-to-day living.
Divine Joy is not a “feeling” we work up in our minds through positive thinking techniques.
We’re talking a supernatural Fruit of the Spirit dwelling and thriving in us.
Not drudgery.
I must, I should, I ought— These thoughts could be warning signs that I’m carrying a yoke of slavery (to religion) instead of the yoke of freedom.
“Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
1) Come to Me – is the first step
2) Come all – clarifies which one of us is welcome
3) I (Jesus) will give – denotes where the “power” to rest will come from.
Believe!
And find rest
The Way of the Embattled Spirit
