Do You Know My Jesus?

Songwriters• William F. Lakey – nothing known• Vesphew “Vep” Benton Ellis (1917-1988)

– His father, Jack Benton Ellis, learned about the gospel when he was 12

• A traveling preacher / Bible salesman came to his home and was ordered to leave the property by Jack’s father

• Jack caught up and asked, “Mister, what book is that that makes my daddy so mad?”

• The preacher gave Jack a small New Testament and said he could have it free if he’d read the whole thing before he returned in a few days

• When he returned a few days later, Jack met him at the gate and told him he had read it 7 times already

– Preacher for 49 years– Published 500+ songs, recorded 5 albums– His four sons form the “Ellis Brothers” a singing quartet

The song• This song is a song of questions

– The questions are to make us think and find our own answers• Examining the questions should help us gain a

deeper sense of meaning of these questions– But the answers will still be your own

Stanza 1• Have you a heart that's weary, tending a load of care; are

you a soul that's seeking rest from the burden you bear?

• The questions are about the burdens we bear– Two kinds of burdens that we have in this life

• Burdens that others have thrust upon us • Burdens that we bring upon ourselves

– Often we can’t really tell which is which• Many of these cares and burdens we feel we

can handle by ourselves with no great problem– But, over the course of time, we either become

weary from doing this or we come upon problems that are clearly too large for us to handle (Lk 21:34)

Stanza 1• We have two choices

– We can try to work our way through these by ourselves, and probably fail

– We can seek help from someone who can help• Mt 11:28-30

– Jesus offers His help– He knows what we are going through (Heb 4:14-16)– He has gone through even more than we (Heb 12:1-4)

• God is offering us rest from our burdens – Ps 55:22; 1 Pet 5:6-7– Heb 4:1-2, 11-13– If the burden of sin is weighing you down, come to

Jesus and have that burden washed away (Acts 2:38)

Stanza 2• Where is your heart, O pilgrim, what does your light reveal; who

hears your call for comfort when naught but sorrow you feel?

• These questions are for those who have had the burden of sin removed– We’re pilgrims in this world (1 Pet 2:11-12; Heb 11:13-16)

• We search for something we know is not here

• We sojourn, we are passing through

– As we travel we are to draw others out of darkness• By being salt and a light (Mt 5:13-16)

– But if you let life’s burdens weigh you down, no one will be drawn to follow

» Tasteless salt, a light under a bushel

• By being comforted and comforting others (2 Cor 1:3-4)– No one will hear you calling them to find comfort in Jesus if

you have not found comfort in Jesus

Stanza 3• Who knows your disappointments, who hears each time you

cry; who understands your heartaches, who dries the tears from your eyes?

• The previous stanza does not mean we will have no sorrows

• These questions are (or should be) rhetorical for a Christian– The answer is God! (Ps 5:1-3)– He has given us reason to be comforted (Mt 5:4;

1 Thes 4:13-14,18; 5:11; 1 Pet 1:6-9)

Chorus• Do you know my Jesus, Do you know my friend? Have you

heard He loves you, and that he will abide till the end?

• Do you know Jesus?– Jn 14:1-15

• Do you know He wants to be your friend?– Jn 15:11-17

• Do you know He loves you?– Jn 3:16-17

• Do you know He has promised to abide with those who love Him and keep His commandments?– Jn 15:1-10

Conclusion• Are you tired of the burdens of sin in your life?

– Learn about Jesus

• If you know Jesus and you know what He has done for you, then how will you respond?

• If you have once followed Jesus, but have now fallen away, then come back to Him

• He loves you, He is calling for you

• Won’t you answer His call?