Red Letter Bible Study-- Matthew 11:20-30 (Jesus promises rest for the soul)

 Week 3 Day 1--Matthew 11:20-30

Jesus calls out the cities He's been ministering in, because they are unswayed by the many miracles they've witnessed.  Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom had all been warned of judgment by the prophets of the Old Testament; they are pagan cities,  but Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are cities in Israel.  Jesus breaks out in a prayer of thanksgiving that the ones who God would call are hearing and following.  That God's will is being done.  Christ Jesus, the Messiah--leader, savior--has all the power and knowledge given to Him by God.  Jesus is the revelation of God among us.  And His revelation is this--Come to Him, take His yoke, learn from Him, and rest.  

Jesus is  dealing His fellow Israelites a low-blow by saying these pagan cities would be more likely to accept Him than them.  Most Jewish people would know the fates of Tyre and Sidon (They are known now as Sour and Saida in modern-day Lebanon), and they would definitely know the judgment of Sodom.  When Jesus says "Woe", He's expressing grief for His own people, who refuse to see the promise of God unfolding before them.  He doesn't dwell on the negative, but praises God that people's lives are being changed;  wisdom according to the world or religion does not trump the wisdom or knowledge that comes when God reveals Himself to us and we see and accept it as a child.  (The word here for "child" is the same as used in Psalm 119:130 "The unfolding of your words give light, it imparts understanding  to the SIMPLE.")  That's God's will.  Jesus' has been given all power to extend this invitation to ALL—come to Jesus, bind yourself to Him, learn what He’s like, and only then can you truly find rest   

This section changes me by showing me that God’s greatest work isn’t always happening in the most obvious places   The Jewish people of Jesus’ day weren’t willing to trade their knowledge, which was more of an ethnic heritage than a religion, to walk with Christ and learn from Him.  As “church people”, I’m afraid we might  struggle with the same thing. We have our programs and projects; we dutifully put “serve” on our list, and mark it off when we are done.   But our soul can only find “blessed tranquility” by doing life God’s way.