Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary

BIBLE REFERENCE:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man
be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:14-15

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the
righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:1-2

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

I wrote “Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary” after a most interesting experience. The company secretary of a large shipping firm telephoned the Seaman’s Chapel and requested that I visit a young merchant seaman, who was lying critically ill in a Glasgow Hospital. After getting permission from the nursing sister, I went in to visit the young sailor. I found him glad to have a visitor and eager to hear what I had to say. I talked about general things for a few moments and the put my hand in my case for a tract, not knowing which one I would pull out. It happened to be a tract based on “Pilgrim’s Progress,” with a color reproduction of “Pilgrim” coming to the cross with a great burden on his back. I showed the young seaman this picture and told him the story in brief, adding that Pilgrim’s experience had been my experience too. The more I told him, the more anxious he became. I explained that, when I came to the cross of Christ, my burdens rolled away, and my sense of sin and guilt before God was removed. By this time, the tears were running down his cheeks, and he nodded his head when I asked him, “Do you feel this burden on your heart today?” We prayed together, and never shall I forget the smile of peace and assurance that lit up his face as he said that his burden was lifted! Later that night, sitting by the fireside with paper and pen, I could not get the thought out of my mind–his burden is lifted! I started writing, and the words flowed on to the paper. The tune was written at the same sitting, but never for a moment did I imagine that this little hymn would become a favorite throughout the world. Since that time, I hear people from all over the world who are being blessed and saved, through the singing of this hymn.

I was born on September 1, 1925, in the town of Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, of humble Scottish parents. I had the great advantage of a godly mother who brought me up in the truth of the gospel. At the age of sixteen, I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and later joined the local Baptist Church. There I was soon busily engaged in Sunday School work, in open air meetings, and tract distribution.
I commenced my apprenticeship at sixteen years of age as an engineering draftsman, but as the call to Christian service increased, I commenced studying for the ministry at the Evangelical Baptist Fellowship Bible College in Glasgow, Scotland. Thereafter I became Assistant Superintendent in the Seamen’s Chapel in Glasgow, one of the area’s outstanding evangelistic centers. From there, I was called to the famous Tent Hall, Glasgow, the largest evangelistic center in Scotland, where I was pastor and superintendent for almost nine years. From there, I moved to the capitol town of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness, to become pastor of the Inverness Baptist Church for five years. Here I was married to Esther Marr, from nearby Beauly, and we now have a son, David Lawler Moore. I travelled across the Atlantic on several occasions to tour America and Canada, preaching in churches of many denominations and participating in various Bible Conferences.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When Jesus died on the cross he voluntarily took upon himself the sins of the whole world. Jesus told Nicodemus concerning his death, that he must be lifted up just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Then Jesus said to him; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 55 to cast our burdens upon the Lord and he shall sustain us.

We all want to rest that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 11:28 but are we willing to take upon us the yoke of Christ and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly in heart. We are warned in 2 Corinthians 6:14 not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers and in verse 17 we are commanded to come out from among them and be ye separate. Instead we entangle ourselves with the cares of this world. We seek after more and more things, bigger, better and newer. Soon we become slaves to the things they acquire. Let us not enslave ourselves but pray that Jesus releases us from the idolatry of materialism. There are many examples of those who lost everything and testify that their lives are now simpler and their Christian walk is sweeter and closer with God.

There is though one burden that was not lifted at Calvary and that is the burden for lost souls. Is this burden burning deep in your soul? Does the love of Christ flow through you like rivers of living water? Share the love of God with someone today and let them know if they will repent of their sins and except his sacrificial work on the cross for their sins that he will lift their burdens and wipe away all of their sins, then they can live for the Lord and with the Lord forever.