Hands that Invite

based on Matthew 11:28

Pastor Richard Mau

Ash Wednesday – March 5, 2003

Immanuel Lutheran – Des Plaines, IL

 

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

 

Hands.  We do so much with our hands.  Why, even when a finger is a bit sore, we find how much we depend on our hands.  Imagine not having the use of one hand or the other for even a few moments.  We have so many expressions that tell how important hands are. 

• With one hand tied behind my back. 
• A right-hand man. 
• A left-handed compliment.   
• I have to hand it to you on that one.
• Hand it over.
• The situation is in hand.
• Helping Hands
• A “Handy” person.

 

(The man with the watermelons).  We speak with our hands as did that man.  Hands alone can also speak as they quietly convey messages.

§         Waving in a greeting, “Hello” or “Goodbye”

§         Clenched fist

§         Twiddling thumbs or tapping fingers

§         Pointing in various ways.

§         Beckoning

§         Folded hands

§         Outstretched hands in embrace.

§         Shaking hands in greeting, in agreement, or in making a covenant.

§         Hands held up in despair.

 

During the next six weeks we are exploring the hands of the Savior as we walk through the passion of our Lord, all that he endured so that you and I can be his own again in perfect love and righteousness.

 

 

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

            Today we see the Savior’s hands held out in invitation.  He calls out, “Come to me.” He doesn’t want you to look anywhere else.  Jesus is God.  Jesus is the Son of God the Father.  God’s first commandment is, “You shall have no other Gods.”  He explains that when he says that he is a “jealous God.”  God does not want to share you with any other God.  God wants you to be 100% his own dear child.  And, the only way to the Father is through the Son.  That is why he sends Jesus, to call on you, to invite you to receive the blessings he wants to give to you.

 

            Come to me, all who are weary and burdened.  When you look at your sins, your sinfulness, and how you have turned against God in your actions, in your words, and deep in your inner thoughts, you are burdened with the guilt of those sins.  It is an overwhelming burden that no one can carry.  When you know God’s punishment for sin is death, eternal separation from him in the torrents of Hell, you are terrified and look for relief.  No matter how adept one becomes at hiding sin, it keeps coming back to convict you that there is no way out by yourself. 

 

            Jesus calls out to all who are weary from this weight of sin.  Jesus tells us in Mark 1:15, “Repent and believe the good news.”  The good news is that sins turned over to Jesus in repentance are forgiven.  Trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins is the key to heaven.  There is only one way to our heavenly father,  Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6]

 

            An invitation is given.  The only way to receive what is offered in the invitation is to accept that invitation.  No one can receive forgiveness of sins unless they accept that invitation that Jesus gives.  If you turn down an invitation, you do not receive the benefits of that invitation.  Those who deny Jesus as the Son of God and forgiveness of sins through him, do not receive the blessings given by that invitation. 

 

Jesus hands today, in invitation, “Come to me. . . and I will give you rest.  He promises rest from the guilt, the anxiety, the frustration, and fear of death that sin brings.  The rest he brings is peace, peace in your heart, peace in your innermost parts.  You no longer need to be afraid of God knowing how much he loves you that he gave his own dear son for you.

 

Those hands that invite, invite you to come to the cross where he carried the burden of your sins for you.  On that cross he suffered the torment of hell, being forsaken by God in your place.  On that cross he gave up his flesh and poured out his blood as a sacrifice that paid the price for your sins, to buy you back from sin, death and the devil.

 

Today you have the blessing of knowing that you were baptized into that death.  Your sins went to the grave, carried by Jesus on your behalf.  Today you have the blessing of being yoked with him as he carries the weight of those sins for you, making your burden easy again.  Today he calls you by his word, his word of truth.  Today you receive the invitation to partake of his very body and blood that was shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.  God wants you and all people who are laden and burdened with sin to come to him, find refreshment in him, and be saved.

 

After 2000 years Jesus still uses his hands to call to you, to invite you to come to him.  They are strong hands as God made the world and universe through them.  [John 1]  With these hands God made all of humanity, including each of you.  These same hands embraced all people, both Jew and Gentile, wealthy and outcast, with physical disease and those cast out by society, leaders and beggars alike.  These same hands invite you no matter who or where you are, what your past or present may be, as he forgives all sins entrusted to him.

 

Yes, you will continue to have burdens in this life because it is a sinful world.  But Jesus’ hands will carry those burdens with and for you so that you will remain faithful to the end and receive from those hands the crown of life, eternal life.

 

Amen.

 

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