Jesus is Our Rest (Not Our Program)

Many people in church will claim that Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship.

No better statement better conveys the central theme, the essence of Christianity.

Christ -- and I am nothing without him.

That phrase defines the Christian perfectly.

All of Christ, none of us, for Jesus takes every person out of death in trespasses to seated in heavenly places in Him.

The Bible reveals this wonderful Person to all who are willing to believe on Him and call on Him for salvation.

Jesus said to the Jews of His day during His earthly ministry:

"

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)

Jesus did not come to give us a program. He came to give us Himself.

The literal translation of verse 28 reads:

Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will rest you."

He is our rest, and He is all things for us:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)

Jesus does not invite us to bear the yoke with Him, but rather to let Him lead us in all things, and we can trust that God the Father will bless us in all things because we are in Christ, who is our rest, our Life, and our everything else.

No conception of God can equal all that Jesus is! Jesus is more than a program. He is Life Himself!

Working a program causes us to fall from grace (Galatians 5: 4), when Jesus offers His energy, His power, His goodness. He asks us merely to believe on Him (which for human beings wired to do more than believe, is very challenging indeed). Let Jesus by your Savior and your Shepherd. Forget the Twelve Steps, and let Jesus reign in your life, that you may reign in this life with Him!