Amen. Thank you for tuning in. I'm Darrell Bailey. Service for Christ as we get into our afternoon morning message, amen. God's repeated word. Thank you for tuning us in here on us as we look at our message for today service for Christ a man God's repeated word and what is that word come? Here as we look to Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 as we see the word Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give your rest now I've got the wrong date on this thing as I do, but today, December the 29th, the 28th of Kislev, 5785 of the Hebrew calendar, amen. And so I'm glad that when we look at the wonderful word of God, each and every one of us, as we come in here, service for Christ, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves, your servants for Jesus' sake. Now, you know, God's repeated word here in Matthew chapter 11, reminds us that all of our labor, that we're heavy laden, that the Lord says, I'm gonna give you some rest. He says, come. And it incapacitates God's recurring call throughout scripture that tells us, amen, that we're to come to him. And so I'm glad that when we look at the wonderful word of God, amen, Dr. Clarence McCartney is one of the ones that talked about that as well. But I hope and pray, let's get into a time of prayer before we do anything else or say anything else. And let's ask the Lord to bless those that are in need. I'm thankful that my sister finally got to come home from the hospital today as she fell. out in the parking lot of Ingalls on Christmas Eve and was rushed with her lungs had filled up with fluid where her blood pressure had spiked. And I thank God for the prayer warriors and the great physician that she's back home resting as well. Amen. And so Let's open up, I give thanks as we get ready to go into another new year in a few days. That we wanna thank the Lord for what he's given us these past year. It's been some challenges that we always face as we come through a life. But let's ask the Lord to strengthen us as we get ready to go into another year. As at Bethel Crossroads this morning, all of us, we shook hands with one another. and dismissed with shaking hands, not dismissing with prayer, but shaking hands and letting each other know that I'll either see you again in 2025 or I'll see you in glory. And so I thank God as we pray. Let's have that time together and reflect upon all of this past year's blessings that the Lord has given us. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, we come before you, and Lord, with grateful hearts, and Lord, we ask, Lord Father, that through your constant invitation to draw closer to you this coming year. I want to just be thankful, Lord, for your love and your grace that you have been there for us through this past year. And, Lord, that as you extend to us through Jesus Christ, Lord, we look at the truth of the word today and we pray, God, that, Lord, that you'll just take and open our hearts to receive, Lord, Father, every area of our lives that you'll guide us into your understanding and obedience, Heavenly Father, that we may leave Encouraged in the Word of God. And Father, I want to thank you, Lord, for being that great physician for all of us, Lord, this morning. And I send out the blessings of God that you would be the healer and the great physician of the many that are out there today. I pray, God, that, Lord, that you would just come into someone's heart this morning that's never received Jesus Christ. And Lord, I'm so thankful that, Lord, that you have given us the greatest blessings this past year. There's no one that loves us like you love us. And now, Lord, with your repeated word, your favorite word, your special word that we come to you here this morning, we ask your blessings upon that reading of the word of God in Jesus' marvelous mighty name. Amen. All right. Now, I'm glad that when we look at the word of God, every one of us as we see this this morning, we come to a time of God's repeated word. And he says, coming to me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Can you just imagine some people are carrying a little heavier loads than other folks are right now. You know who you are, what kind of load that you're carrying. Amen. But I'm glad that the Lord has that repeated word throughout. the Word of God, amen. And He tells us to come unto Him, amen. This invitation from Jesus is a call to experience the rest that only He can give. It speaks of a spiritual rest that frees the soul from anxiety and guilt and fear, hallelujah. It is that rest that is God's peace, which He's modeled in Genesis chapter two, verse two, amen. He said, on the seventh day, God ended his work, which he had made, and he rested. And I'm glad the writer of Hebrews affirms this, that there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hallelujah. And so in Hebrews 4, 9, think about it. Rest in the midst of all of the chaos that's going on right now for all that respond to Jesus's call. The burdens of sin and the fear that are lifted, praise God. And so, I'm glad that each and every one of us, as we go through life, C.S. Lewis said one time, God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself because it is not there. There is no such thing. And so I'm glad that the application is the rest that Jesus offers is not circumstantial, but it is relational. Are you seeking a part from Him? Listen, because He's the only one that can give you the rest, but you've got to be able to come to that favorite word of His, amen? That repeated word, come. And I'm glad that the acronym of that, that we see, comes before us. And he says, here through the word come, C-O-M-E. He tells us, he says, cast your burdens in Psalms 55, 22. Bring all your struggles, bring all your sins, hallelujah, and your weariness to the Lord, he tells us. He says, open up your heart in Proverbs 3, 5. Trust Him fully and surrender your self-reliance. He tells us as we come, meet with Jesus in Matthew 11, 28, that we center on. Encounter the Savior that offers rest and peace and then experience His rest in John chapter 14, verse 27. Receive His lasting comfort and assurance for your soul, praise God. And so I'm glad that when we look back and we look at Brother Clarence McCartney, a renowned preacher of past days, amen, that he observed the word come might be one of God's favorite repeated words throughout the entire Bible because it's found over 600 times in the wonderful word of God, amen. And so here we look and realize that throughout scripture, amen, that we see, praise God, that the word come is found before us, praise God. Scripture represents God's gracious invitation to humanity. And so this divine call begins in Genesis where God invites Noah and his family into the ark for salvation, hallelujah. and it echoes all the way through the Bible to the book of Revelation where the Spirit and the bride urge come. And so the word come is God's cherished word throughout all of the Bible. It may be true as the word appears all of these hundreds of times that begins in Genesis when God said, come thou and all thy household into the ark in Genesis chapter seven. verse one and he continues to the final chapter as he goes all the way through the bible that the spirit and the bride say come and let him that hear us say come and let him that is a thirst come out of the book of revelation chapter 22 verse 17 you see the first use of the word come out of Genesis sets the tone for that deeper significance that God extends his invitation to man during the times of impending judgment. And I'm glad that when we go through life today, each and every one of us. I'm reminded of the movie, The Mission. Robert De Niro, he's toting around this pack of armor and everything with him, praise God. And so, every one of us, as we look at our characters today, we're all carrying around a heavy net of weight upon ourselves. Here in this movie, he carried a net filled with weapons and armor up a deep mountain as an act of penitence, but eventually someone cuts the net and they free him loose. You know what? Just as they'll use this movie as an example of the characters that are in it. Amen? Every one of us, as he gets up that mountain, he collapses in tears. Jesus invites you and I to go, and as we let go of the backpack of guilt, we let go of the backpack of shame and sin, as the writer of Hebrews 12-1 encourages us to lay aside every weight Are you carrying the burdens that Jesus has already offered to take from your back? Hallelujah. And all of a sudden you've picked them back up from the altar and you're still carrying them. Come to Him for rest and your soul. Praise God. And so, I'm glad each and every one of us, when we look and realize today that we can come to him because I'm glad we can have the come of salvation. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The invitation from Jesus is a call to experience, amen, the rest that only he can give. And it speaks of a spiritual rest, the kind that frees the soul from anxiety and guilt. and fear. The rest is God's peace that He gives us. Amen. I'm glad that on the seventh day God ended His work which He made and He rested. The writer of Hebrews said, There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Think about it. Rest in the midst of life's chaos. And so each and every one of us, it is that come of salvation, amen. It is that come of separation, hallelujah. Paul said, wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And Paul was quoting from Isaiah chapter 52, verse 11, when he wrote 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 17, that here Paul's quoting Isaiah and he urges believers to leave the influences of sin and walk in holiness, praise God. The separation that was twofold, a departure of sin and a commitment to Christ. And so, every one of us, when we look, that separation doesn't mean isolating ourselves from the world, but living in a way that reflects Christ while reaching others. It is the come of salvation. It is the come of separation. And it is also the come of satisfaction, because John chapter 21, verse 12, the Bible tells us, amen, Jesus said to them, come and dine. And I'm glad that each and every one of us have an invitation that demands a response. And through it, God transforms our lives. Come and dine, praise God. And so you can cast your burdens, you can open your heart, you can meet with Jesus, you can experience his rest, as I spell the acronym of come, praise God. When we look at this, we first of all, we see that it tells us of God's repeated Word. Today, that we explore how this simple yet profound Word carries the weight of salvation, carries the weight of separation, carries the weight of satisfaction, hallelujah. And so, when we look And we realize of what it does. We say, first of all, the call of God is an invitation to everybody, to all, amen, to come unto me. That is universal. That is personal, praise God. And so, I'm glad that he says, and he tells us of this, is who is invited, amen. And so the come of salvation is what we see, praise God. Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 that he's talking about, praise God. And so each and every one of us, when we look and realize that God's invitation to come unto me is universal and is very personal. is invited. Well, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, praise God. The spiritually burdened, the weary, those longing for peace out there, as we get ready to go into another year, if the Lord permits, that Isaiah 55 says, Ho everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. And so, who is invited? Everyone, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. What does it mean to come? Amen. Trust in Jesus, amen, as your savior and yield to his care. And so the prodigal son finally returned to his father in Luke chapter 15, verse 20, hallelujah. And so I'm glad, why should we come? Because he's the only source of rest and peace that you'll ever find. Jesus doesn't just offer rest. He is rest. And so we see that from him. Jody N. Yoder in Our Daily Bread shared the story of James Martinson who lost his legs in Vietnam and he turned to alcohol and despair. But through God's grace and the encouragement of Christians, he accepted Christ. He found peace that transformed his life and it changed his testimony. And I quote him, it wasn't wheelchair marathoning that changed me. It was Jesus Christ. And so I'm glad that Jesus doesn't just offer rest. He is rest when we look and realize that each and every one of us as we go through the battles of life today, praise God, we look and we see that that call of God that He gives us, praise God. It is that call of God that is an invitation to all of us, amen. That, he said, that it carries the weight of salvation. It is an invitation to all to carry that weight, the come of salvation. But secondly, the condition of humanity today. A burden too heavy to bear. That he says, that's the come of separation. He can separate you. He can give you what no one else can through that way. Our sin struggles and our self-reliances make us weary, but Jesus offers us freedom, praise God. And so, I'm glad that when we look at the thought, our sin and our struggles and self-reliance make us weary, but Jesus offers us freedom, praise God. And so, it is that come of salvation, a separation that He gives to us, amen. And so each and every one of us, when we look at God's repeated word, amen, we see the burden of sin, guilt, and shame that weigh heavily on our souls, amen. The psalmist of Psalms 38.4 that he talks about, amen, that he tells us about, praise God. But first he says, wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. It is that come of separation I want you to come away from what you used to be. I want you to have the calm of separation, amen. And so it's the condition of humanity, the burden too heavy to bear, praise God, by yourself, amen. And so every one of us, when we look and realize that it is the burden of sin itself, amen. Psalms 38.4 says, for my iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they're too heavy for me. And so, not only the burden of sin, when we look at a burden too heavy to bear, but it is the burden of life's pressures that are out there, the stress of the daily responsibilities, and also the unmet expectations that we have as well. And so, We also see the burden of self-sufficiency. Every one of us wanted to defeat her. That was going on, amen. But all of a sudden, we realized that in her story of what she did, amen, to be able to go through the very difficult time, the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways in 1952, she attempted to swim from The fog of uncertainty and the pain that is out there today, amen. And I'm glad that Quartin Boone, all the things that she went through with the hardship of being in a concentration camp, she said, worries do not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strength. And so I'm glad each and every one of us as we go through life today, we're all have God's repeated word, amen, that will help us carry the weight of salvation. It'll help you carry the weight of separation. It'll help you carry the weight of satisfaction, praise God, because when we look and realize that it's the call of God, that is an invitation to all, the weight of salvation, amen. We see the condition of humanity, a burden too heavy to bear, amen. It is the weight of separation, amen. But thirdly, we see the comfort of Jesus, rest for the weary, amen. That is the come of satisfaction. And so Jesus provide that deep lasting and rest that our hearts needs, amen. that we go through today, praise God. Jesus provides that deep, lasting rest that transforms our hearts and our lives. Amen. Rest from guilt. through his forgiveness and grace. 1 John 1, 9, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And so I'm glad that through that repeated word out through from Genesis all the way to Revelation, as we see the wonderful word of God, amen. I'm glad that we have rest from guilt. It is that come word that gives us satisfaction like no other word can give us, amen. Rest from striving, amen. Learning to rely on His strength instead of our own, amen. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, amen. And then, not only rest from guilt and rest from striving, but rest for eternity. The ultimate peace and joy of eternal life with Him. In John chapter 14, verse 27, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. And so I'm glad that each and every one of us, as we get ready to close out, This afternoon a man the rest that only the Lord can give Jesus said come unto them and come and die and it is that Satisfaction that when we come and sit down at the table with our Lord and Savior that he can give us the greatest Satisfaction he can fill us up completely with the spiritual nourishments that no one else can can receive amen and so whether we receive salvation we can walk in holiness or enjoy fellowship with Christ the invitation is clear God desires closeness with us and I hope and pray that every one of us that the word come is more than just an invitation It's a reminder of God's unfailing love and His desire to be in fellowship with us. The come of salvation calls us to find rest in Christ, and the come of separation urges us to live holy lives that are set apart. And I'm glad that that come of satisfaction invites us and urges us to live holy lives set apart for him, amen. I'm glad that each and every one of us, that deep and fulfilling relationship that only he can give to us, praise God. We live each day responding to that call with faith and obedience. Charles Spurgeon said, you're invited to come not because you're righteous, but because you're a sinner. And so each and every one of us as we look and realize that this message invites us to reflect on God's repeated word. Recognize your need for the rest. Identify the burdens that you carry, the sin, the stress, and the self-reliance and bring them to Jesus, amen. Not only recognize your rest, but respond to God's call today. Don't wait. Jesus is inviting you to come as you are and experience his rest. And lastly, rely on Jesus daily, not just as a spare tire when things are going wrong, but rest isn't just a one-time gift. It's a daily relationship with him. And I'm glad, just like the old lighthouse keeper that was faithful in keeping the light on for the ships in the storm. of decades of never leaving his station despite the storm and the isolation because why did he never leave his station when he was asked because people's lives depend on this life staying bright your Bright light is very dependable for other people's lives. You need to keep that light of your lighthouse on because somebody's watching you. Jesus is the light of the world. And he never abandons us. And his invitation is one of constancy and faithfulness in today's turbulent world. Are you keeping your eyes on that steady light? of Christ, amen, because each and every one of us, amen, as we recognize God's repeated word, praise God, for those that are overwhelmed by their busyness, be still and know that I'm God. For those battling mental health challenges, amen, that will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. For those struggling with sin and shame, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and as we close out, I hope and pray that each and every one of you, that you would begin to thank the Lord for all that he's doing in our lives today. I hope and pray that you would remember. Precious Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you, Lord, for all your powerful words that you give us from the Word of God. But the Word come is one of satisfaction. It is one Lord that gives us our salvation, Lord. And it is one Father that gives us more than anything else throughout Genesis all the way to Book of Revelation. I pray that someone here, Lord, this morning, Father, would use that repeated word of yours throughout the Bible and take it to heart and apply it to their life and let it give them the rest and the joy and the satisfaction that no one else can give to them. In Jesus' marvelous mighty name that we pray, hope and pray that you got something out of our message, amen, this morning. And may God bless you for tuning us in. Happy New Year to each and every one of y'all.