What does Mathew 11:28 mean please?
Listen: 117.6
Matthew 11:28 is one of the most beloved of the Lord’s invitations to men to come to Him. For a truer sense of this passage, let’s go back and read Matthew 11:20, “Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.” How sad, that in the cities where the Lord had really manifested His person, love, and work, there was much rejection of Him. The Lord upbraided, or scolded these cities for their unbelief and refusal to repent. After this scolding, the Lord makes a tender and loving appeal to all individuals. Let’s read Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
The Lord simply says, “Come unto me.” What a blessed invitation. While many people, especially dignitaries, are unapproachable, the Lord bids all to come to Him. We have an assuring message in John 6:37 where the Lord Jesus promises, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Just come to Jesus in faith. He will not refuse you. He will not cast you out.
It seems in Matthew 11:28, that the Lord limits His invitation to those, “that labour and are heavy laden.” Why is that? It is only those who truly desire rest that will come to Him in repentance and acceptance. There are many today who are working hard to earn their salvation. From sun-up to sundown, they struggle to achieve God’s blessing of eternal life. Surely this must be very tiring, with no assurance that God has accepted their labors and has given them eternal life. Then, there are those who struggle under the burden of their own sins. They seek to live their lives, but the weight of their sins burdens them down to the point they can no longer go on. These are the people who are called. These are the people who will truly put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior and Lord.
Let me ask you, dear friend: are you tired of working to attain salvation? Let me assure you that your efforts are in vain. You cannot earn your salvation. If you could, you would be your own savior! Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” It is a gift of God’s grace through faith that will give you salvation. Your works are useless in trying to obtain your salvation. Titus 3:5 makes it clear that it is, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”
Perhaps you are struggling under the great burden of your sins. You have tried to do good; you go to church; you give your money; you have done all you know how to do, but the weight of your sins is still upon you. Come to Christ. Believe on Him; accept Him as your savior, and you will feel the weight of your sins being lifted as Christ takes the burden of your sins away from you. The Apostle Peter said of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 2:24, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
We further read in Matthew 11:29-30, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” If you have never come to the Lord Jesus for salvation, let me encourage you to come to Him today. He will not reject you. He loves you and wants to save you. Consider the words of the Lord Jesus in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (117.6)