Matt 11:20-30

Matthew 11:20-30
In vv. 20-24 Jesus compares the cities in which He worked most of His miracles to the infamous wicked cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, cities that God actually destroyed because of their sin. He tells these cities where He performed miracles that their judgment will be even greater because they were shown much about Jesus and yet they rejected Him. We can easily make application to today's world. In this nation we have Gospel-preaching churches within reasonable driving distance for almost everyone; we have Gospel-preaching and teaching radio and TV; we have Bibles readily available to us for a reasonable price; and we can read! Not every society has such opportunities. And because God has given us so much, He requires more of us, and He will judge individuals for brazenly rejecting Him when so much light about Him is shining all around us.

We see in vv. 25 and 26 that Jesus praises the Father because He has revealed His Word in such a way that it does not take the "wise and learned" to understand it. In fact, they often cannot understand it because they refuse to read and take it for what it says. The true understanding of God's Word is for those who come in child-like faith, accepting the truth and understanding it the best we can. I like to listen to the radio preacher Alistair Begg - ( https://www.truthforlife.org/ and they also have a FB page and a podcast). Anyway, one of the sayings he often uses is "Make the plain thing the main thing and the main thing the plain thing." In other words just take the most obvious meaning, and you'll usually be right on! This is what Jesus was teaching in these verses.

Finally, we are promised rest in vv. 28-30. This rest comes in the form of peace with God in knowing the assurance of our salvation. We don't have to work and strive for it or live in fear of losing it, but it is offered to us as a gift! We can rest in that!
Jesus says, "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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Here is George Frederic Handel's musical interpretation of v. 30!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqIfmteN1_c