Sunday: The Light Yoke of Christ
In Matthew 11:20-27, Jesus begins with a powerful rebuke to some of the cities in Galilee who rejected His ministry. What makes the rebuke, and His warning of condemnation, so frightening is that these cities had been given great opportunities to know the truth. He, the Truth (John 14:6), had walked in the flesh among them. And if that weren’t enough, He had performed many “mighty works” (Matt. 11:20) there, as well; and yet, they refused to repent.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
Indeed, He said that if the “mighty works” (Matt. 11:23) He had done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom, then “‘it would have remained until this day.’” In other words, they were worse than the Sodomites.
Right after that, in verses 25-27 (Matthew 11:25-27), Jesus starts praying to the Father, thanking Him and then talking about the close relationship between the Two. And He also acknowledges all that had been given Him by the Father, in a sense showing even more clearly why His rejection by those cities was so tragic.
Read Matthew 11:28-30. What is Jesus saying here, and why would it come right here, just after what He had just said?
After denouncing unbelief and reaffirming His closeness with the Father, Jesus offers everyone who is weary, rest in Him. In other words, He is telling the people not to make the mistake these others made by rejecting Him. He has the authority and power to do what He says, and He says that by coming to Him you will find rest for your souls. Given the context, that rest would include peace, the assurance of salvation, and the hope that those who reject Him don’t and can’t have.
What else does Jesus mean when He says He will give us rest? Does it mean laziness? Does it mean anything goes? Of course not. Jesus has a very high standard for us; we saw this in His Sermon on the Mount. But a relationship with Jesus is not intended to wear us out. By learning of Him, by emulating Him and His character, we can find a rest from many of the toils and troubles of life. And, as we will see, one expression of that rest is found in keeping the Sabbath.
| How do you experience the promise that Jesus offers us here? What does being “gentle and low” have to do with bearing a light burden? |
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The Holy Spirit is the source of motivation for a right character. When we choose that God's Spirit of Love is the motivation of our soul, righteousness is easy--even natural. We are teachable in the ways of our God and right living is not so foreign to us. Without this Divine Motivation we are not able to live a life without sin, even if we try hard as we can. But with the Divine Spirit to motivate our thoughts and feelings we cannot sin unless we abandon Him and try to go on our own motivation. With His Divinity as our motivation we can be like Jesus in character both human and Divine because His Spirit is Divine and He is our primary motivation. Get the primary motivation right and all else follows rightly. It's easy then. This process requires our permission. God will not force His Spirit on us. We must choose His Spirit continually for complete success. Watch and pray always or we will fall when temptation comes.
Very nicely put Mr.Don,
Very succinctly said
The context in Matt 11:20 is a continuation of John the Baptist in Matt 11:1,2,18,19. Jesus leveled some pretty heavy accusations. Yes They were all justified. The accusations were a matter of unbelief. If any warning had been received or believed, the results are beyond the predicted calamities in Sodom and others.
Jesus has more love and compassion than one might imagine. Matt 11:25-27. Jeremiah 31:3
Jesus is telling us to stop seeking other ways. No contented person will keep searching. Finding your heart desires mean resting your soul upon the retrieved findings. If something is good enough for you, seek to keep it by every noble way possible.
What about the gospel of truth? Especially because someone Has purchased it through His own blood there is belief that life is in the blood. Because of that account we know to seek life through Him and accept His mercy and glory since we human beings know what it is to have good blood.
You won't be lost searching for Him to obtain rest since His character is perfect. Every bit of search is valuable and intend to accelerate life and joyful living.
We can experience Christ's promise only after we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
All that was offered by Him then is still being offered today, but there are still so many who continue to reject Him. He is patiently waiting...
His yoke is easy and his burden is light, but however we still have something to bear. Following Jesus is not an easy task but all help is available to see us through. Without Him, our burdens become burdensome and our lives become wasteful.
Jesus promises rest for our soul! Rest from guilt and the associated pain and soul labor! Bodies get rest every nite, but souls get rest by abiding in Jesus!
Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
This passage begs the question, then why didn't God do those works in Tyre and Sidon so they could repent?
I get the impression that God never wants to overwhelm us. We would always need faith to trust in Him. Depending on where we are on the faith spectrum He gives us enough evidence so we can make an intelligent decision, but never to drown us so we have no choice than to believe.
Sometimes sabbath is an all day inside of church event (choir, pathfinders, etc), instead of going out and reaching others or visiting the sick. Maybe we should try to do that more. I know i will.
Matthew 11:25 KJV
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
pru·dent ˈpro͞odnt/adjective: acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
Interesting choice of words. Jesus thanks the Father for those who are as simple minded as babes. Those who are not puffed up in their own wisdom, that are able to ask questions without all the baggage of self-interest and conceit. We usually consider a prudent person is judicious in their resources, a frugal and honest person who is planning well for their estate. Jesus rejected this for this context. Why?
Matt 10:28-31. He takes care of me so I can bless others, right?
The comparison to babes is that they are trusting. MATT 18:1-5
The way I've answered the last question is, that there is no drama, with a "lowly and gentle" spirit. The expectation(s) are not too high, or "downright" outlandish, as with dealing with Pharisees!
In other words, Adherence to CHRIST IS not done on the basis of strength through "works".
Unless we be like little children..(humble)......
INDEED!
That is the key, Ms. Kimberley, that is the key indeed!
? too Well Said!
Critically and cryptically speaking,is the Christ yoke as light as the text above shows?
Christ invited those who want to follow Him to take up their cross daily and follow Him. So the contrast is between the burden of sin or the burden of the cross.
By all indications this definition of a YOKE, "a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull", makes it clear that a yoke is a very difficult and encumbering burden to carry, right?. Likewise, the following synonyms: harness, collar, coupling, tackle, tack, equipage. I shudder to think of what those poor animals go through under this kind of "enslavement" every day. Thankfully, this is NOT the kind of yoke that Jesus invites us to take up in (Matt.11:28-30), because His "yoke is easy". He invites us, instead, to throw off our "old yoke", the symbol of the burden of sin and take up His, liberation from sin.
The truth is, that without Christ we are entrapped in the same way by the burdens of sin, as the animals yoked neck-and-neck to each other. The quotes below by E.G. White are very inspiring but sobering:
"Take My yoke upon you," Jesus says. The yoke is an instrument of service. Cattle are yoked for labor, and the yoke is essential that they may labor effectually. By this illustration Christ teaches us that we are called to service as long as life shall last. We are to take upon us His yoke, that we may be co-workers with Him" -The Desire of Ages, p. 330.
"There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world's standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred, and their life made a weariness. In order to gratify ambition and worldly desires, they wound the conscience, and bring upon themselves an additional burden of remorse. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces. Our Lord desires them to lay aside this yoke of bondage. He invites them to accept His yoke; He says, "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." He bids them seek first the kingdom of God." DA, p 331.
You may listen to and be blessed by this Aria from "Handel's Messiah":
Come unto Him, all ye that labour,
Come unto Him,
Ye that are heavy laden,
And He will give you rest.
Take His yoke upon you,
And learn of Him,
For He is meek and lowly of heart,
And ye shall find rest
And ye shall find rest unto your souls.
The more we become like 'babes' (without our own plans and desires) the easier it is to be filled with God's will for our lives. The yoke is light b/c God is leading and carrying the burden. The more we trust His leadership the easier it will be to plow a straight line toward His harvest.
Oh Lord, help us . . .
Those who take Christ at His Word, and surrender their souls to His keeping, their lives to His ordering, will find peace and quietude. Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus makes them glad by His presence. In perfect acquiescence there is perfect rest. (Desire of Ages, chap 34, p 331)
A yoke is carried by two or more animals as oxen etc.Jesus is asking us to discard the communal yoke and come to him individually.In this context am reminded of the invitation in John 3:16 whereby whoever individual is convicted of their burdenful yokes of sin and comes to Jesus may not perish but be saved and rest from their burdens.
Being used to double yokes, I used to think that Christ was calling us to serve *with* Him and that He would carry most of the burden. I still believe that He *does* carry most of the burden, but I now believe that the "yoke" is mainly a symbol of service.
Although usually two animals are yoked together, some are yoked singly. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoke) Perhaps this also parallels Christ sending out His disciples two by two, but there being occasions when some had to go alone ...