"I Will Give You Rest"

Here we go. All right. Blessings to you all I hope you're doing well. It is a windy windy windy windy day and in case you're wondering no, I did not ride my motorcycle to the office this morning, but I did think about it for a short time but decided that probably it wasn't the smartest idea. So here I am with you today. God be praised. It is good to be with you and such a pleasure to be with you like this each and every morning do me a favor as you've been so faithful and doing this mark down below either a thumbs up or comment down below a lecture there and I'd appreciate that. I do keep track of that. Well as we gather together this morning, we gather the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and let us sing our morning praise. I hope you're enjoying this morning praise song and encourage you to sing along at home. Okay? Holy God bless this day with new breath and we shall be living words of pray. He's saying your joy Proclaim God's glory rise and sing. The whole morning has come then praise all creation song of the earth and lied from Heaven. God is alive. All the Earth is filled with rejoicing lied. I'm like the Hollander of God Christ has risen forever Joy of our hearts and hope all of our dreaming.

May we learn to become your kingdom. May we be your kindness and love is our calling give Doug your presence children of God and spare ribs up Jesus. God is light our way or God of the living Urn to be with you wise Jesus the Lord our Paul Ryan from is life for the Blind and food for the hungry.

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed Alleluia. Our text for today is from Matthew chapter 11, these very familiar words beginning with verse 25.

At that time Jesus answered and said I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and The Prudent and revealed them to babes. even so father Or so it seems seem good in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father nor does anyone know the father except the Son and the one whom the son Will's to reveal him. Come to me all you 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. I will give you rest. What a beautiful promise. Especially a beautiful promise when we are in the midst of personal tragedies natural disasters. These things take a personal toll on us all. I even heard the other day that this pandemic that we're going through right now. Coupled with isolation that we're having to endure back just on the radio driving in this morning. I heard that o'clair is extending their stay-at-home order now through the end of May. At any rate this isolation. This pandemic takes its toll on us as well. There is a price to pray a very huge price to pay dear friends. Price to pay both in our body and our mind. You know when a problem hits us a huge problem hits us adrenaline starts pumping through US starts pumping through our bodies and then when the problem has subsided or the adrenaline has wore off. I don't know about you but I feel exhausted. I feel shaken.

Equally fear and anxiety drain our emotions. On a day like today that is so windy and windy wind Warrior to the so windy and blustery wind to read. Where did I come from? That's a combination between blustery and windy. So I just kind of made up a new one wintry. But at any rate daylight today, I'm thinking of that tornado that ripped through the Wheaton area last summer back on you and I were on a bike ride couple days ago. And as we were coming down Highway 29 approaching the Wheaton area where the tornado had went through all that section where all those trees were knocked down. We saw that someone had come in a group of people that come in and started clearing out all those trees. Now, this is gigantic Lane that is ripped through those Forest where you can see where the tornado hit went through. And a low and behold what we saw just stunned us because in right in the middle of all of that was someone's home. I didn't know house was back there. And I can't even imagine. I hope they weren't home when the tornado went through but I can't even imagine what it would have been like how the adrenaline would have would be pumping through her body had they been whole but unbelievably so that house was untouched as strange as tornadoes are it with right up to the house and made a turn right turn and just kept on plowing down the plowing down the lane.

amazing amazing There's something physical and emotional.

even mental Let's goes on when disasters strike when things happen exhaustion comes with it as well because as I mentioned a bit ago. The adrenaline wears off. And we find that were just out of gas. There may even be some sort of spiritual emptiness as well as specially as the problem Wayne's on for a long time. We might find that we just have nothing left to say nothing left to do. Not that weird outing not that we're running out of words or we're running out of Faith, but we're just simply running out of words our prayers. Just simply we can't even muster up. Hardly Awards phrases like Lord have mercy This pandemic that we're living through this covid-19 has left me feeling like that a time or two.

We've been in this now for what 6 7 weeks. The adrenaline created by worry over jobs worry over businesses worry over am I going to catch this? I know it's subsided and it's leaving many people drained. But here's the good news in the center of all of this and the center of our empty exhaustion. stands our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and he stands with just the right words. It's invitation and his promise are exactly what we need to hear. Come to me. And I will give you rest.

Our lord Jesus is exactly as he said he would be he is gentle he is humble. He's not demanding. He gives of himself. He places no additional burden on us. No work on us. Jesus doesn't say do this or do that. He doesn't say if you would have only done this or if you would have only done that then I will bless you. No. He tells us to take take my yoke upon you. That is the Yoke of faith. It is his harness that binds us to him. And it's easy because it's it's nothing of our doing. It's A Gift To Us gift created by the Holy Spirit It's burden of faithful. Holy living is light because Jesus bears at all and he did it all for you and me. You see their friends with Jesus has done as he Has Lifted from our shoulders the burden of our sin and guilt. He takes he takes from us to the draining questions and doubts of like I could have done that or I should have done more or maybe I could have taken better care of myself. Of course the big question, why doesn't God do something? He takes that all from us. You see God has done something though. He took the weight of our guilty took the weight of our shame and he placed it on his son and Jesus born doll. Keyboard all along with our sin and took him to the cross and where he was nailed to and he died in our place and he rose to New Life and now he has set us free. And now the empty burden of sin of guilt of Shame are all Left Behind. They're left behind at the cross and at the empty tomb. You see our lord Jesus who was crucified in living and in risen, he now feeds us with his word and with his body and blood in his only son. There he forgives us our sins and he restores us. The spirit leads us with new life and new Strength. He Comforts us with his word and with his Word of Promise that I am with you always to the very end of the age. And because of all this we now live even surrounded by the effects of this pandemic with its lost. In the hope of the life to come. Ivar rest to come beefing Take my yoke upon you and I will give you rest. He said. Speaking of rest. Remember our God created who created all of us at the time of creation back in Genesis. He rested. From his work on the 7th Day on the Sabbath. And on a Sabbath our lord Jesus rested in the Tomb. where he slept because his work for read every deeming us was finally finished. It was finally over. And so for us also the book of Hebrews tells us in chapter 4 that there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Then will come the waking. to endless Joy at Our Saviors invitation and it's invitation is simply this come to me.

You and I have rest dear friends in Jesus our lord you and I have this promise that he is going to care for us. It's all we have to do is come to him. So let us know go to him in our prayers. Asking him for his help. Let's pray as we pray. Let's pray for our medical personnel. Let's pray for those who are home alone and dealing with loneliness.

My brother things that the Lord puts on our mind, let us pray.

or Jesus when we are exhausted by the events of life. Comfort us dear Lord, we pray

Comfort house

And Phyllis with strength. To continue with the work that remains to be done.

When we are burdened by our sin and fold us in your forgiveness and rest. Lead us to find refreshment in your word and sacrament. So that we might share with others the comfort and hope that we have in you. Heavenly Father we ask you that you would give us Grace to trust you during this time of of the during the time of this pandemic. And mercy dear Lord put an end to this. And all that afflicts us. Give relief to those who suffer. comfort those who mourn sustain all medical personnel in their labors. And cause your people to always serve you in righteousness and holiness. For God you alone are worthy and you are worthy of our fear and you were worthy of our trust. And by your son you have given us peace and rest. So dear Lord, we ask that you turn from us this day.

Turn us away from every anxiety. Internist toward you or your fatherly heart. I Was Made known and Christ crucified Don't let our faith rest on the shifting Sands of the Comforts of this world the shifting Sands that we hear on the news each day.

Help us instead your lord to rely on you. Help us dear Lord to seek first your kingdom in your righteousness confident that you will add every needful thing and work and every circumstance together for our good. For you alone determine our days. So dear Lord, I pray that you would give those whose plans have been turned to disappointment. And bring Stillness to those who are adrift in uncertainty. Vacations that have been playing it been canceled. etcetera Lord reprove us gently what our pride leads us to turn away from you. And creating us new Hearts fix firmly in your mercy, which is constant your salvation one for us in Christ, which is certain. And the hope of eternal life you have prepared for us, which does not disappoint.

father we asked you to look upon the lonely. We asked you dear Lord when brace them with your love. and in the midst of their pain We asked you your Lord that they may know you were biting presents. Help us to see your love and care and the communion of saints and in the company of all the angels.

Heavenly Father you sent your son Jesus Christ Our Lord into our flesh.

Who is our high priest now? Where your word says he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Yes, Lord. He is the embodiment of your Divine love. So dear Lord embolden us. by your unfailing love to turn in Love Tour neighbor to reach out to those in need. Even if we don't know if they have any causes dear Lord to pick up the phone and call the sea with if anyone is in need to see if they're okay.

Help us dear Lord to embody your unfailing love to them. Drive out all fear, give us wisdom and caution. And move us with compassion.

movies with compassion Give us words of Grace and comfort. That your name may be made known and glorified in the midst of Aries every sorrow. provide your Lord for all people who are in need We thank you for this day. And we thank you for your love and grace through Jesus Christ Our Lord who taught us to pray Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation. But Deliver Us from Evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen. Please join me as we pray Luther's morning prayer.

I think you might have only father through Jesus Christ your dear son. That you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. And I pray that you would keep me this day also from sin and every evil. They're all my doing some life may please you. 4 into your hands I commend myself my body and soul and all things let your Holy Angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me Ahmed and let us know Confessor, Christian faith. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only son. Our Lord was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried He descended into hell the third day. He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence. He will come to judge the living and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints the Forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life Everlasting. Amen. let us sing out on our A little Praise Chorus. I love you Lord. I Love You Lord and I lift my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul Rejoice take joy my king in what you hear in your ear. I Love You Lord and I live to

Oh my soul rejoice.

Take joy my king.

What you hear?

And now May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit bless you and keep you and protect you now and always amen. I just a real quick announcement tomorrow. We have our Romans Bible class. It's a zoom a Bible class. That is it's a video conference. If you need some help knowing how to get onto the zoom let me know today and I'll be happy to walk you through that. If you need the code, it's the same code that we use last time. But if you need it again, let me know and I'll be sure to send that to you also yesterday. I published a video on on the National Day of Prayer that's coming up a week from tomorrow. And I sent that out to everyone in our congregation that's on our email list. I posted it on Facebook. If you haven't seen it yet. Please take a moment. It's only 4 and 1/2 5 minutes long at the most the video but take a moment to look at it. It's an important video. It's a call that I'm making to our entire congregation to fast and pray and that's all I'll give some explanation. Meantime I pray you have a blessed day in the Lord. Alright, be safe. My friends your loved and missed. God bless.