Painting an Invitation

My Uncle Alf died recently. He had a great yearning to be a painter. But I think He would have been surprised to find one particular painting in a frame. At the top of this picture Alf has written, “Wyeholm Exercises. Burnt Amber.” It was a working painting. It wasn’t intended to be looked at and admired, it was to help Alf learn how to use burnt amber. Even so, I like it and I’ve framed it.

I doubt if Jesus ever painted in oils or water-colours, but He was a great painter with words. And there are a lot of people who love to stand back and admire what Jesus said. But that wasn’t what Jesus had in mind. He was creating pictures that we are supposed to learn from, pictures that are intended to change our lives.

Here’s an example of what I mean. The people Jesus talked to would regularly have seen pairs of Oxen yoked together to pull a plough. And it was fairly common knowledge that only a fool tried to yoke two novice animals together. What you did was put a novice alongside an older ox that knew the ropes and would train the novice. That’s the background.

As you read what Jesus said, don’t think, ‘what nice sentiments, what fine words’ but do what Jesus desires of you, and put yourself in the picture, think about how it relates to you,

Matthew 11:28-30 “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.”

Where are we in this picture? We are the weary and burdened, or we are yoked to Jesus. Are you weary of life, wearied by life, are you burdened? Jesus didn’t limit this to any particular cause, we just have to be feeling burdened, it doesn’t matter whether we are burdened by guilt, or overwork, or inactivity, by meaninglessness or hopelessness, by fears or worries. Jesus says to us, “Come to me,” He has the answer. Once we are yoked to Him, learning from Him, following Him, He promises, “I will give you rest,” and “you will find rest for your souls.”

This next example is one that so touched the imagination of Holman Hunt that he actually turned it into a painting that you can see hanging in St Paul’s.

Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Where are we in this picture? We are on the other side of the door from Jesus aren’t we? But what happens if we open the door? Is Jesus like one of those naughty kids that play knock and run? No! He actually wants to come into our lives. He wasn’t joking, Jesus really wants to be with you. He really is willing to put up with all your moans, all your failings, because He really cares for you. In fact He died for you.

But when you open the door to Jesus, He doesn’t just come in as your friend, He comes in as Jesus your saviour, to rescue you from hell and to bring you at last to heaven, He comes in as Jesus your God to be worshipped, He comes in as Jesus your Lord to be obeyed, and He comes in to stay.

Jesus gave us these pictures because we need Him in our lives. These aren’t just nice pictures, they are an invitation from Jesus to you, and He means it.

I still have a book that was given me when I was a child, it’s called, ‘If Jesus came to my house’ and it’s by Joan Gale Thomas. It starts like this, “If Jesus came to my house and knocked upon the door I’m sure I’d be more happy than I’ve ever been before. I’d run downstairs to meet Him, the door I’d open wide, and I would say to Jesus, ‘Oh won’t you come inside?’”

That’s the response Jesus wants from us, that’s what He’s waiting for, as He patiently knocks at the door of our hearts, He’s waiting for us to open the door and let Him in.

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