Today (6th Oct) we laid to rest our sister Joan.
She died last week, aged 87.

What did I love about Joan?
I loved that she was loyal.
I loved that she was brave. I remember especially an occasion when she very publicly stood up and spoke out when when someone I know was being treated unjustly.

But what I loved about Joan the most, I think, was that she was a plodder.
(I mean that as a compliment, by the way.
I admire the plodders in life. I would love it if others saw me that way.)

William Carey

Two hundred years ago, was a man who is famous in Christian circles today. His name was William Carey.
He is credited with launching the Modern Missionary Movement which saw Christianity break out of Europe and European settlement, and reach out into the rest of the world.
But Carey was not well-liked in his day. The Establishment – if they even knew about him – looked down their noses at him.

How did he keep going? His secret, he said, was:
“If you give me credit for being a plodder you will describe me justly. Anything beyond that will be too much. I can plod.”

Plodding is a wonderful Christian virtue.
Jesus said, “Because things get worse and worse, the love of many will grow cold. But she who keeps plodding on to the end shall be saved.” (Matt 24:12-13)
Joan plodded on to the end.

Some launch into the rarified reaches of the atmosphere like a skyrocket: they go up in a blaze of glory. But only to drop back to earth, like a spent sky rocket, cold and dead.
Jesus warned against those like this: “who hear the word and immediately receive it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, and endures only for a while.” (Matt 13:20-21)
But Joan was not like that.

Rather rejoice…

In the Gospels we read of the disciples returning in a blaze of glory from their own missionary adventure. We’re told they were all excited, bursting with the news of what they had done: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 
Jesus’ response is interesting. He says to them: “Yes, that’s great. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17,20)

Our greatest joy is not in being skyrockets.
A person’s greatest joy can only be this, that: “his, or her, name is written in heaven.”
Joan’s greatest joy was that her name was written in heaven.
Joan’s greatest joy today is that she is in heaven.

How did that happen? How did her name get to be written in heaven?
It was not her plodding that got her name written there.
(By the grace of God, her plodding got her there in the end.)
But her plodding didn’t get her name written there in the first place.

Listen to how Jesus gives thanks to God when the disciples returned from their mission and reported how many had been brought into God’s kingdom:
“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
“Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” (Luke 10:21, cf Matt 11:25)

“Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.”
That’s how Joan’s name came to be written in heaven. It was “good in the sight of God”, to: “hide these things from the wise and prudent” and to “reveal them” … to Joan

What “things”? What did God reveal to Joan?
Well, He revealed to Joan that she could not earn her place in heaven. All the plodding in the world does not earn you a place in heaven.
No, God revealed to Joan that only the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for her on the cross, earned her the place in heaven she now enjoys.

Responding to Christ’s invitation

And God revealed to Joan how that could be hers.
Because, whatever God reveals to you makes no difference, unless you respond.
Jesus dying on the cross does not benefit you, unless you respond.

Joan responded. She heard the words of Jesus, when He said: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)
Joan heard. She responded. She came to Christ – and found rest for her soul.
And now, she has entered into that eternal rest that is only found in Christ.

Only in Christ!
As Jesus says in Matt 11: “No one knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (v.27, cf Luke 10:22)
Jesus said, “I am THE way, I am THE truth, I amTHE life. No one comes to the Father except through Christ.” (John 14:6)

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
There is only rest – ultimate rest – to be had in Christ.
Joan found that rest.

Wide is the gate…

Sadly, not all find that rest for their souls.
Elsewhere Jesus tells us that:
– “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are MANY who go in by it.
– “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are but A FEW who find it.” (Matt 7:13-14)

In the same passage where Jesus offers “you rest” for your soul, He refers to these “many” who spurned that rest, when He cried out against those in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
These were all cities around Galilee, where Jesus spent most of His life ministering. Capernaum was His home base; after He left Nazareth, that’s where He made His home.
No one heard the words of Jesus more than those in these cities.

But, what does Jesus say?

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
“For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Really? Tyre! Sidon!
These cities that spawned the pagan worship of Baal! These cities that gave Israel Queen Jezebel, the most wicked queen ever to sit on the throne in Israel!
“But I say to you,” says Jesus, “it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you who’ve heard My words, but ignored them.” (Matt 11:20-22)

“And you, Capernaum,” says Jesus. (I mean, this was His home town.)
“If the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you who’ve heard My words, but ignored them.” (Matt 11:23-24)

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Jesus offers this invitation to you and me.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,” He says, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart.
“And you will find rest for your souls.”

It is wonderfully comforting to know that, this day, Joan has found rest for her soul.
It is wonderful to know that that rest is offered to you and me too.

Don’t ignore those words.
To reject Jesus’ offer of rest is folly.
It will be more tolerable for the pagan cities of the ancient Middle East, than for the one who rejects Christ’s offer of rest.
It will be more tolerable for sodomites today, than for the one who rejects Christ’s offer of rest.
Why? Because there is nowhere else for rest to be found.

Nothing in my hand I bring

Nothing you have done can earn that rest.
– Not all your good deeds…
– Not all the religion of those very religious cities: Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum…
– Not even all your plodding…
…can earn your place in heaven.

Only where Joan has found rest today, can you find rest for your soul:

Nothing in my hand I bring,
    Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
    Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
    Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,” He says, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”