Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XIV (Rest for the weary).
My summary
This week Newton preaches on 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' (Mat 11:28)
Newton teaches us about the Messiah as the one who gives rest for the weary.
We learn about the:
(i) invitation;
(ii) promise of rest and refreshment.
What grabbed me
As usual, I liked Newton's conclusion: 'Come therefore unto him, venture upon his gracious word, and you shall find rest for your souls ! Can the world outbid this gracious offer ? Can the world promise to give you rest when you are burdened with trouble? when your cisterns fail, and your gourds wither ? or when you are terrified with the approach of death, when your pulse intermits, when you are about to take a final farewell of all you ever saw with your eyes, and an awful, unknown, untried, unchangeable eternity is opening upon your view ? Such a moment most certainly awaits you ; and when it arrives, if you die in your senses, and are not judicially given up to hardness and blindness of heart, you will assuredly tremble, if you never trembled before. Oh ! be persuaded ; may the Lord himself persuade you to be timely wise ; to seek him now, while he may be found, to call upon him while he is yet near ; lest that dreadful threatening should be your portion ; 'Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh.''
Who could refuse such a gracious offer?
Next week's reading
Read Sermon XV (Messiah's easy yoke).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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