Jesus had just been rejected by the people in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, so He gave a broad invitation to any who would to come and learn from Him. This ultimately became the broad call to people from every nation, tongue and people to come to Him. Christ’s goal was for them to learn much more than what He had to say or even to learn Who He is. Jesus wants to reveal Himself in such a way that people’s lives are radically changed by coming to Him.
There are many key words in His invitation.
Matthew 11:28-29 NIV Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus was giving a personal invitation to come into the fellowship of the Son of God.
When we respond to His call, we will learn of Him or learn from Him. This call to “Come to Me” was given to all who are “weary and burdened or heavy laden.” The Lord was offering rest from things that make us weary and burdened.
The word “weary” means those who are tired from hard toil, feel fatigue, work, labor, or effort. The word “burdened” means to be heavy burdened or loaded down.
Then Jesus said His burden is easy and His yoke is light. Jesus is willing to make a trade. He will take our weariness and heavy burden and give us a light and easy load. The Lord came for this reason to be the Burden Bearer. He wants to take and bear away from us the burden and weariness that sin and Satan have brought.
The key to this relief is for us to “come” and “Learn of Christ” or “Learn from Christ.”
We are entering the school of Jesus Christ. In some schools, all that is taught is the lesson that the teacher gives. Jesus is not wanting us to just learn what He says, we are going to learn Jesus Christ. Truly, His words are spirit and they are life and light.
His words carry transformative power. His words carry the authority that comes from God. Jesus wants us to learn what He has said, but even more He wants us to learn Him and all that fellowship with Him brings. The goal is to learn Christ in such a way that we are impacted by coming to Him.
Ephesians 4:20 NKJV But you have not so learned Christ
The original text indicates that: “you have not so learned the Christ.” Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul made a great distinction when he left out the word “of.”Our goal is not just to hear what Jesus says, as a teacher, but to learn the Teacher. “Learn Me.”
We have been called into the fellowship of God’s Son to “Learn Him.”
We have been called to know Christ Jesus, to take in the life and light that is within Him. We have been called to dwell in His presence and take in and absorb everything that He is. We have been called to be changed into the image and likeness of the Son of God. Jesus has issued this call to come so that we may become partakers of His goodness, grace, and person.
After Jesus said, “COME AND LEARN”, His next statement was,“I AM.”
That is why we are coming to Him and entering the School of Christ. We need to come and learn from Him. He is the Lesson and the Teacher. Our focus is to be turned to Him.
What is Jesus like? What can we learn from careful observation of Him?
We need to hear what He says, but as it is in life, we will learn more from what He does, and Who He is. We will learn from sitting with Him in heavenly places. We will learn by hearing His words and His heart. We will learn by partaking of His goodness, grace, mercy and power. We will learn by the anointing that is upon Him.
We want to hear what Jesus says and we want to see how He handles life. What is His character, and demeanor?
We are going where the disciples went with Christ. We are going into the School of Christ. Before they could go out into the world and adequately represent Him, they had to come under His discipline and be taught Christ.
Learning Christ is the goal of everyone who has been born again.
Our goal is not what we have attained thus far in our spiritual life. We have aspirations to partake of the fullness of His life, joy, peace and love.
The Apostle Paul put this into proper perspective.
Galatians 1:15-16 NIV84 …God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me…
The Amplified translation says …“by His grace” God “saw fit and was pleased to reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me…”
This is much more than an observation of Christ. God revealed His Son in such a way that Paul was changed on the inside.
Then he spoke of a special revelation he was given of heaven and the paradise of God.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NLT I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
Can you imagine the splendor of being caught up to behold the glories that abound in heaven?
Then he said: Philippians 3:10 NLT I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.
“I want to know Christ.”
Our goal is to be exposed to more and more of Jesus Christ so that we may say, “I know Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead.” My soul, mind, and whole being wants to know more and more of Jesus.
Learning Christ cannot be achieved without the active work of the Holy Spirit.
We may attempt to learn Christ and the various aspects of His character, nature, and teaching. We can study His works, miracles, and sufferings. We can historically learn all about His earthly life and the places He went and His genealogy.
Only the Holy Spirit can properly reveal Christ in us.
We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s anointing and help. Jesus said He would pray the Father to send the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13-25 NASB95 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
It is not enough to know of the love of God.
His love is the greatest love. His love brought us in from the dark. His love accepted us when we were not lovable.
We must know more about Jesus our Lord.
We must know by experience His love, joy, peace, kindness, mercy, grace, faith, righteousness, holiness, goodness. We should talk about it and rejoice in all that we have received.
We need the Holy Spirit to take what belongs to Christ and make it real and alive in us.
When the Holy Spirit has entrance into us, He takes what belongs to Jesus Christ and discloses or makes Him known in you.
When we started learning Christ, we were confronted with the weakness of our flesh.
The Lord’s disciples had the same issues we have. They walked with Him and were taught by Him. He showed them His miracles. He provided for their physical and spiritual needs. Yet, they constantly had difficulty understanding everything they saw and heard. That is why Jesus told them they needed the Holy Spirit to disclose and make Him known. We have heard His words, have been called out of our past sins, have been healed and delivered by His power. We also need the Holy Spirit to throw light on all that Jesus Christ is.
Jesus told His disciples: “Learn of me… and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)
We are totally dependent on the Holy Spirit in this. We need the vibrant, vigorous, and animated work of the Holy Spirit, if we are going to learn Christ. We are not searching to learn about His love, grace, mercy, power, peace, joy, kindness, faith… We can know that He has all love, joy, peace, grace, mercy, and power and not enjoy and personally benefit. We must have the intervention of the Holy Spirit to search out the profound and deep things of God and reveal them to us.
We want to learn Christ.
- Learning Christ brings us into His victory, power, and life. Learning Christ affects us on the inside and outside.
- Learning Christ makes His power more real in our lives and our outreach to one another and the world.
- Learning Christ builds us up in this faith and teaches us to trust the Father.
- It shows us His power that overcomes the world.
- Learning Christ demonstrates His glory, mercy, and grace to others.
- Learning Christ brings His love, joy, peace, grace, mercy, and power alive in our lives.
- It becomes a functional part of us.
The Lord’s goal is to radically change us so that we bear His image and likeness in this world. He wants to bring us into the Holy Places and share in His life and light.
