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Rest unto Your Souls

A question from a prison cell, an invitation to the weary, and a Sabbath made for doing good

  • 📖 Adult Sunday School
  • Week 11
  • 📅 Sunday, March 14, 2027
🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ invites everyone who is weary to come to Him and take His yoke; His burden is light because He pulls with us, and His Sabbath is a day for rest and for doing good, not for heavier rules.

I can bring the Savior my honest questions and heavy burdens, yoke myself to Him by covenant, and use His Sabbath to rest and to do good.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 11–12; Luke 11 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 11–12; Luke 11)
Know the chapters

Matthew 11 opens with John the Baptist in prison sending a question to Jesus, then Jesus’s tribute to John, His lament over a generation that rejected both John and Himself, and His warnings to Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. It ends with one of the most loved invitations in scripture: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden” (11:28). Matthew 12 moves to two Sabbath confrontations, a quotation from Isaiah about a servant who will not break a bruised reed (12:18–21), the charge that Jesus casts out devils by Beelzebub, and His teaching that a tree is known by its fruit. Luke 11 adds “Lord, teach us to pray,” the friend at midnight, the promise of the Holy Spirit to those who ask, and woes on lawyers who “lade men with burdens grievous to be borne” (Luke 11:46).

Herod had imprisoned John (Matthew 14:3). From his cell John sends disciples to ask, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (11:3). The text doesn’t say whether John asked for his own sake or for his disciples’. Jesus answers with evidence, not a rebuke: the blind see, the lame walk, the poor hear the gospel, echoing Isaiah’s prophecies of the Messiah (Isaiah 35:5–6; 61:1). Then He adds, “blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (11:6), and praises John publicly as more than a prophet.

A yoke is a wooden beam that joins two animals so they pull together, and teachers of the law spoke of taking on the yoke of God’s commandments. Jesus offers His own yoke and describes Himself as “meek and lowly in heart” (11:29); the footnote says gentle and humble. The next chapter shows what heavy burdens looked like. Jewish tradition, later written down in the Mishnah, listed thirty-nine categories of work forbidden on the Sabbath, including reaping and threshing, so disciples plucking and rubbing grain could be accused of both. Jesus answered that “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days” (12:12).

Twenty-five minutes goes quickly. This lesson reads Matthew 11:2–30 together and then turns briefly to the Sabbath in Matthew 12. Luke 11 (teach us to pray, the friend at midnight) is ready in the extras and the bonus step if you have time.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 11:2–30 and 12:9–13 once. Open by asking, “Besides weight, what makes a load feel heavy?” Read Matthew 11:28–30 together and ask what Jesus commands and promises in each verse. Spend most of the time on the Heavy Burdens questions. Close by reading 11:28 again, inviting one or two testimonies, and asking each person to bring one burden to the Savior this week and plan one way to do good next Sabbath.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Matthew 11 and 12:1–14 straight through, then skim Luke 11. Mark Matthew 11:3, 6, 28, 29 and 30, Matthew 12:12, and Luke 11:46.
  2. Ask two people ahead of time to read: one for John’s question (Matthew 11:2–3) and one for Isaiah 35:5–6. A quick text on Saturday is plenty.
  3. Pack the heavy bag and set it by your chair where the class can see it but not what’s inside.
  4. Think of your own honest answer to “What is the heaviest thing I’m carrying right now?” You won’t share details, but if the room is quiet you can say how it feels.
  5. Pick the two or three discussion questions you most want to reach. You won’t have time for all of them, and that’s fine.

Discussion tips

  • Quiet class? Give a minute to reread Matthew 11:28–30 silently and pick the one word that means most to them. Then use the pairs moment; people who won’t speak to the room will talk to a neighbor.
  • One voice filling every pause? Thank them warmly, then say, “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t had a chance yet,” or send the next question to pairs first.
  • John’s question from prison may touch someone who is carrying doubts or unanswered questions. Treat sincere questions with the same respect Jesus showed John: answer with what you’ve seen and felt, never with embarrassment or scolding.
  • The Sabbath discussion can slide into lists of dos and don’ts, or quiet judgment of other families. Keep it personal and positive: what brings me closer to the Lord, and what good can I do?
  • Visitors and new members: explain who John the Baptist was and why he was in prison, tap the references on the shared screen, and never ask someone to read aloud without checking first.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Each “On the screen” line is what the class sees on a shared screen in Teach Mode in the Gospel Sparks app; on paper, read it aloud or write it on the board. On the web you can play Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Heaviest Thing

3 min

Opens with a physical load and a question about what really makes burdens heavy.

  1. Lift the heavy bag and set it down with a thud.
  2. Ask: “Besides the actual weight, what makes a load feel heavy?”
  3. Take several quick answers. Listen for things like carrying it alone, not knowing how long, not choosing it, carrying it badly.
  4. SAY“Today Jesus offers the weary a different kind of load, and we’ll start with a good man in prison who had a question.”

On the screen: 🎒 Besides the weight, what makes a load feel heavy?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A backpack or tote bag loaded with a few heavy books

  1. SAY“Picture carrying a heavy box up a long flight of stairs.”
  2. Ask: “Besides the actual weight, what makes a load feel heavy?”
  3. Take several quick answers. Listen for things like carrying it alone, not knowing how long, not choosing it, carrying it badly.
  4. SAY“Today Jesus offers the weary a different kind of load, and we’ll start with a good man in prison who had a question.”
2. Story

Read It in Context: A Question from Prison

6 min

Reads Matthew 11 as one arc, from John’s question to the Savior’s invitation, so the invitation lands in context.

  1. Open Teach Mode to the scripture scene. The shared screen shows one scene at a time.
  2. Read each scene’s context yourself, then let the assigned readers read their verses. You read the Savior’s words; no one is assigned to speak as the Lord.
  3. Keep it moving: context, verses, next scene. Save comments for the discussion.
  4. After the last scene, let a few seconds of silence sit before moving on.

On the screen: ⛓️ Matthew 11: from a prison cell to “Come unto me” · Follow along in Matthew 11:2–30

3. Scripture

Take My Yoke

4 min

Studies the Savior’s invitation closely so class members see that He offers His yoke and Himself, not a load-free life.

  1. Put Matthew 11:28–30 on the shared screen and read it slowly.
  2. SAY“A yoke is a wooden beam that joins two animals so they pull together. Teachers of the law spoke of taking on the yoke of God’s commandments. Jesus offers His own.”
  3. SAY“With the person next to you, find a command and a promise in each verse, and find what Jesus says about Himself.”
  4. After a minute, draw it out. The footnote says “meek and lowly” means gentle and humble. He doesn’t promise no yoke; He promises His yoke, with Him in it.

On the screen: 🐂 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. · Matthew 11:28–30 · Find a command and a promise in each verse.

4. Talk it over

Heavy Burdens and a Light One

6 min

Helps adults tell the burdens Christ lifts from the ones we pile on, and bring honest questions to Him the way John did.

  1. Read Luke 11:46 aloud first, then pick two or three questions.
  2. Start the second question in pairs: give one minute to talk with a neighbor, then invite a few to share with the room.
  3. Let silence work. Count to seven in your head before rescuing a question.
  4. If the room is quiet, share your own answer first.
💬 Ask the class
  • What kinds of “burdens grievous to be borne” do people load onto themselves or each other today, even in the Church?
  • John was faithful and still in prison, with a question. What does Jesus’s answer in Matthew 11:4–6 teach us about handling our own sincere questions? (Talk with a neighbor first.)
  • What does it look like to be yoked with the Savior in an ordinary, overloaded week?
  • How have your covenants made your load lighter, even when life didn’t get easier?
  • Who do you know who is heavy laden right now, and how can we help them find His rest?

On the screen: ⚖️ “Burdens grievous to be borne” … or “my burden is light”? · Luke 11:46; Matthew 11:28–30

5. Talk it over

Lawful to Do Well

4 min

Turns the Sabbath from a list of restrictions into a sign of love for the Lord and a day for doing good.

  1. Read Matthew 12:1–2, then 12:10–13.
  2. SAY“Tradition counted plucking and rubbing grain as reaping and threshing. The Pharisees watched Jesus in the synagogue hoping to accuse Him.”
  3. Share Elder Russell M. Nelson’s words about the Sabbath (in “From general conference” below).
  4. Ask one or two questions, then move to the testimony on time.
💬 Ask the class
  • Why do you think the Pharisees cared more about the rule than about the man with the withered hand?
  • Elder Nelson asked himself what sign he wanted to give to God. How could that question change your Sabbath?
  • What is one way to do good on the Sabbath that also brings you rest?

On the screen: 🤲 It is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. · Matthew 12:1–13

6. Testimony

Rest unto Your Souls

2 min

Ends with testimony of the Savior’s rest and a concrete invitation for the week and the next Sabbath.

  1. Read Matthew 11:28–29 again.
  2. Invite one or two people to share, in a sentence or two, a time the Savior made a heavy load lighter.
  3. Bear a short testimony that Jesus Christ is gentle and humble, and that His rest is real.
  4. Invite: “This week, bring one burden to Him by name and ask Him to pull with you. And plan one way to do good next Sabbath.”

On the screen: 🌿 Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest. · Matthew 11:28–29 · This week: bring Him one burden. Plan one Sabbath good deed.

7. Talk it over

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

5 minBONUS

Adds Luke 11’s teaching on persistent prayer and the gift of the Holy Spirit if you have time.

  1. Read Luke 11:1 and 11:5–13.
  2. Point out that the friend at midnight isn’t asking for himself; he needs bread for a guest.
  3. Ask one or two questions.
💬 Ask the class
  • The disciples watched Jesus pray, then asked Him to teach them. What have you learned about prayer by watching someone else pray?
  • The friend at midnight kept knocking for someone else’s sake. Whom are you knocking for right now?
  • Of all the good gifts the Father could give, Jesus names the Holy Spirit. Why might that be the gift we most need?

On the screen: 🌙 How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask? · Luke 11:1–13

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A light, friendly review if you finish early.

  1. Split the room down the middle into two teams.
  2. Launch Scripture Showdown on your phone or tablet and read each question aloud.
  3. After each reveal, read the reference so people can mark it.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

On the screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: how well do you know Matthew 11–12 and Luke 11?

Read it together

A Question from Prison

Matthew 11:2–30 ↗

Reading parts

  • Reader 1Reads Matthew 11:2–3, John’s question from prison. You’re reading scripture, not playing a character.
  • Reader 2Reads Isaiah 35:5–6, the prophecy Jesus’s answer echoes.

Scenes

  1. ⛓️ A question from a prison cell

    John the Baptist prepared the way, baptized Jesus and testified of Him. Now Herod has locked him away. From prison he sends two of his disciples to Jesus with a question.

    🎬 Reader 1 reads Matthew 11:2–3.

  2. 👁️ “Go and shew John again”

    Jesus doesn’t scold. He points to what the messengers can see and hear with their own eyes, in words that echo Isaiah’s prophecies of the Messiah, and adds a gentle blessing.

    🎬 The teacher reads Matthew 11:4–6. Reader 2 reads Isaiah 35:5–6.

  3. 🌾 “More than a prophet”

    As John’s disciples leave, Jesus turns to the crowd and honors John publicly. He was no reed blowing in the wind and no courtier in soft clothes.

    🎬 The teacher reads Matthew 11:7–11.

  4. 🎶 Children in the marketplace

    Jesus compares His generation to children who refuse to play either wedding or funeral. John was too strict for them; Jesus was too friendly with sinners. Nothing would satisfy them.

    🎬 The teacher reads Matthew 11:16–19.

  5. 👶 Revealed unto babes

    Then Jesus prays aloud, thanking His Father that these things are hidden from the self-assured and revealed to the humble and teachable.

    🎬 The teacher reads Matthew 11:25–27.

  6. 🐂 “Come unto me … and I will give you rest”

    Finally, Jesus turns to everyone who is worn out and weighed down, and offers something no one else could.

    🎬 The teacher reads Matthew 11:28–30 slowly. Let a few seconds of quiet follow.

Key verse

Matthew 11:28–30 ↗
“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.”
In plain words: Jesus doesn’t promise a life with no load. He invites us to come to Him, be joined to Him, and learn from Him, and He pulls with us so that the weight becomes bearable and our souls find rest.

More verses

Matthew 11:6 ↗
“And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
In plain words: There is a blessing for those who keep trusting Jesus even when His ways surprise them.
Matthew 12:12 ↗
“How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”
In plain words: People matter more than rules about the Sabbath, and the Sabbath is a day made for doing good.
Matthew 12:20 ↗
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.”
In plain words: The Savior is gentle with what is fragile. He won’t snap a bent reed or blow out a flickering wick.
Luke 11:13 ↗
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
In plain words: If imperfect parents give good gifts, our perfect Father will certainly give the Holy Ghost to those who ask.

Scripture Showdown6 questions

  1. Where was John the Baptist when he sent his question to Jesus?
    • A. In the wilderness
    • B. In prison
    • C. At the Jordan River
    Show answer

    ✅ B. In prison Matthew 11:2: “John had heard in the prison the works of Christ.”

  2. What did Jesus tell John’s disciples to do?
    • A. Tell John what they had seen and heard
    • B. Bring John to Him
    • C. Wait for a sign
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Tell John what they had seen and heard Matthew 11:4–5: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the poor hear the gospel.

  3. What did Jesus promise those who labour and are heavy laden?
    • A. Riches
    • B. Long life
    • C. Rest
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Rest Matthew 11:28: “and I will give you rest.”

  4. How did Jesus describe Himself in Matthew 11:29?
    • A. Mighty and strong
    • B. Meek and lowly in heart
    • C. Wise and prudent
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Meek and lowly in heart The footnote says “meek and lowly” means gentle and humble.

  5. What did the disciples do on the Sabbath that the Pharisees criticized?
    • A. Plucked ears of corn to eat
    • B. Went fishing
    • C. Carried their beds
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Plucked ears of corn to eat Matthew 12:1–2. Jesus answered with the example of David and the shewbread.

  6. According to Jesus, what is lawful on the Sabbath?
    • A. To travel far
    • B. To buy and sell
    • C. To do well
    Show answer

    ✅ C. To do well Matthew 12:12, just before He healed the withered hand.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.”

— Elder Russell M. Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” April 2015

Share in Lawful to Do Well, after reading Matthew 12:10–13.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • The Lord Is My Shepherd Hymns, no. 108

    A hymn of rest and restoration under the Lord’s care, fitting for “Come unto me.” Find it ↗

  • I Need Thee Every Hour Hymns, no. 98

    A quiet closing hymn for anyone who is heavy laden and coming to the Savior for rest. Find it ↗

This week’s invitation

Yoked with Him

This week, name one heavy burden in prayer and ask the Savior to pull it with you, then take one covenant-keeping step that yokes you to Him: the sacrament, the temple, scripture study or a sincere repentance. And plan one way to do good next Sabbath: a visit, a note, a meal, or time with family.

Take it home

In Sunday School we read Matthew 11–12: John the Baptist sent a question from prison, Jesus invited all who are weary to “Come unto me … and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), and He taught that “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days” (Matthew 12:12). Take it home: at dinner, ask what feels heavy for each person this week, read Matthew 11:28–30 together, and plan one way your family can do good next Sunday.

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🚪 The Friend at Midnight · 5 min

  1. Read Luke 11:5–10.
  2. Explain that “importunity” (11:8) means persistence, even boldness.
  3. Read Luke 11:11–13 and ask: “What does the ‘how much more’ teach about Heavenly Father’s willingness to answer?”

🎋 A Bruised Reed · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 12:15–21, where Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1–4 about the Lord’s servant.
  2. Point out verse 20: He will not break a bruised reed or quench smoking flax.
  3. Ask: “When have you felt like a bruised reed or a smoking wick? How has the Savior treated you then?”

🥣 Clean Within · 4 min

  1. Read Luke 11:37–42.
  2. Point out that Jesus doesn’t say tithing mint and rue is wrong; He says not to leave “judgment and the love of God” undone (11:42).
  3. Ask: “What outward habits of ours are good, but could crowd out the love of God if we’re not careful?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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