James Nisbet Commentary - Matthew 11:28 - 11:28

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James Nisbet Commentary - Matthew 11:28 - 11:28


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

CHRIST AND LABOUR

‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour.’

Mat_11:28

We have witnessed the entry upon the stage of our political history of a new power—the power of labour, united, organised, conscious of its strength. In spite—nay, in view—of all possible anxieties, we dare to say to the new power, ‘Welcome! and God be with you.’ ‘God be with you’: that is the root of the matter. If the new power will only say, ‘If Thy Presence go not with us, carry us not up hence!’ The effect of the new force for good or evil depends in the last resort upon the moral and religious ideals by which it is inspired, upon the quality of personal character that lies behind it.

I. The leader needed.—And thus it is that all our sympathy for this new, fresh, real spirited movement cannot blind our eyes to the great need in which it stands. What is that need? It is the need of a Moral Ruler, a Leader, a Spiritual King, filled with compassion for its wants, vindicating its best desires, uniting its truest ideals; and yet chastening its self-will, subduing its passions, uplifting its character. We know that there is such a leader watching and waiting for it—Jesus, the Redeemer, the Lord and Brother of men, unseen, but real and watching. This Leader can bring to the men who need Him the gifts which no other leader can command.

II. A spiritual ideal.—He can bring a spiritual ideal and example, one which will call upon them indeed to come to the service of their fellows but remind them that they must first discipline themselves. It will teach them that, if the Kingdom of God is to come without, it must first be established and embraced within. It will teach them that to conquer the evils in the world they must also conquer the evils in their own souls. He will give them an example which will strengthen them by humility and rebuke their self-seeking.

III. Spiritual power.—This Leader brings a power to enable men to rise to His own example. It is not so much fine moral sentiments that the people need. There are plenty of them in the air. It is the power, the resolute strength to enable them to keep true to their better selves and to resist the personal temptations with which they are encompassed. What they need—what we all need—is a personal influence dwelling with us in the very sanctuary of our own heart and keeping us loyal to our best selves. That personal influence is the grace of God, the indwelling Christ passing into the spirit of man through the Holy Spirit of God.

IV. A steadfast faith.—This Leader can give what no other leader can give—the rest, the tranquillity of a steadfast faith to believe that on the side of the bettering of the world stands, eternally, God; to know that however one’s efforts may be thwarted and buffeted for the time, yet the cause is secure in the hands of the Divine Will. This is the only source of the patience which makes a man strong to wait as well as eager to fight, and gives him in the midst of his feverish activity a sense of inner sureness and calm. ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and I will give you rest.’

Our English Church must seek to stand in the midst of all the hopes and fears, the toils and energies, of this English people as one, like its Master, that is content to serve.

Bishop C. G. Lang.

Illustration

‘A Socialist candidate at the General Election of 1906 thus described the reason why he felt driven, by his own need, to come to Christ—to return to Christianity:—“I know that I am like other men, weak and frail; that I commit sin and often do things that I should not do; but I also know that whatever strength to fight sin, whatever enthusiasm I have for working with and for others for their social salvation, comes from the fact that I believe that Christ first loved and cared for me, and from my absolute faith that beyond me, yet all round about me is the power of God. After active work in the labour movement for thirty-five years I am convinced that there is only one solid foundation on which that movement can rest, and that is the foundation fact which Jesus Christ laid down, that he who would gain his life must lose it.” ’



CHRIST’S INVITATION

‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

Mat_11:28

This invitation addressed to a certain class. To the self-sufficient it has no attraction, but to every one with an unsatisfied want down in his heart, the words bring peace and hope.

I. Invitation from the living Christ.—When He says ‘come’ He means ‘Believe in My Love and trust Me as your Guide.’ We can never know peace of believing while we keep in touch with the world. Go to Him in the troubles of life.

(a) In poverty: worldly friends will forsake, but he says ‘Come; I will show you how I could live My Divine Life although I was poor.’

(b) In loneliness: the loneliness of Christ was of the worst sort, the solitude of spirit; and if we go to Him He will impart His secret—‘Yet I am not alone, the Father is with Me.’

(c) In discontent: when we weary and vex our souls Jesus comes and offers ‘rest.’ He shows us what His life was, and our grumbles die out. The cure for discontent is to have one aim to finish the work ‘which Thou gavest Me to do.’

II. Its permanence.—The invitation holds good to the last, and when our need is blackest Christ’s help will be brightest.

Dean Ovenden.

Illustration

‘In the days of the Commonwealth, Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Charles I, was taken prisoner and placed in Carisbrook Castle. She languished there alone, separated from all the companions of her youth, till death set her free. One day she was found dead with her head leaning on the Bible, which was open at the words “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ’

(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE PROMISED REST

The busy world not a happy or restful world. Why?

I. Outward trials and reverses.—Unexpected disappointments have crushed their hopes. They have been stung by unkindness of friends. Men are not always so cheerful as they appear. Many carry secretly the burden of a wearied and withered heart. Men often seek artificial relief, but they get no rest because they do not come to Christ for His rest. Whatever the trouble, there is no rest but in Him.

II. Minding earthly things.—We need not take any extreme case of inordinate indulgence. Enough that we take the common example of a worldly person. Whatever touches his earthly prospects touches the apple of his eye. Yet it never occurs to him that the whole pressure of his burden comes from a misplaced trust, of a seeking after happiness where God never intended he should find it. Christ calls men off from vain pursuits. Only in Christ and from Christ can the deep yearnings of the human heart be satisfied.

III. The burden of sin.—To those weary with a sense of deserved condemnation and casting about continually for a rest, the voice of Christ comes in the text. Christ honours an undivided trust, unshared with anything, looking unto Jesus away from all other reliefs.

IV. We need rest from the assaults of sin, temptations of the world, cares of life, fear of falling away from our hope; and these rests are all comprehended in text.

Prebendary Daniel Moore.

Illustration

‘In olden times, before printing was invented, the copyists laboured long and carefully at their manuscripts. Some texts, those I suppose they thought most important, were written in silver or gold or red or blue, and thus marked out from the rest. We have not Bibles now printed in divers colours, yet I am sure if our hearts have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit the sacred Book is all aglow with texts that have cheered or helped us. No verse I think is more worthy of being printed in gold or vermilion than this.’