Gentle and Lowly: Jesus, the Heart of God

Sunday we will interrupt our series in John’s gospel to focus exclusively on Jesus in order to prepare us to celebrate his birth. This year we will consider Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.” The focus will be on Jesus’ statement about what animates him, his heart. What characterizes his heart? He is gentle and lowly.

The context of this statement is his pronouncement of “woe” on the cities that he had ministered in but which rejected him. These communities had witnessed his miracles and teaching, but refused his gracious offer of salvation. If other cities, evil cities like Sodom, had seen these miracles and heard these teachings, Jesus says they would have repented. What anger do we provoke from God for rejecting his Son?

In this context, Jesus extends a gracious invitation, “Come to me, all who labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest.” This invitation is followed by his statement about his heart being “gentle and lowly.” Who is Jesus? Who is God? What motivates and animates the Trinity? Jesus tells us, “I am gentle and lowly in heart.”

A book that has prompted some of these thoughts, and I believe will bless you, is Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers,  by Dane C. Ortlund.

Let’s gather Sunday and peer into the heart of God for us!