Take My Yoke

Mt. 11:28-20

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you , and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Since Jesus invited the hard working and the heavy laden to come to Him, how do these people differ from the wise and understanding people mentioned in this passage? To clarify Jesus revealed the heart condition of the people in the cities where He had done great miracles. In v. 25 it says that God had hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to children. Why, because these people believed themselves to be wise in the ways of the world and understanding in the ways of established religion. They felt that their works were enough to give them spiritual significance as in the case of the Pharisee and scribes. So when they saw Jesus performing miracles, they began an outright attack against Him instead of coming to Him for rest for their souls. Their self-sufficiency was their self-righteousness! Yet, Jesus didn't stop caring or offering. He wanted to give rest to those who felt the burden of a works religion, a religion that was devoid of soul-rest. Instead, what Jesus offered was exactly what they needed! He came to bring rest!

In my Bible it says that the 'yoke' was a common metaphor for the law. The people were compared to oxen who were yoked to carry a heavy load, that load was the burden of the law. By contrast, Jesus offered a yoke that was easy with a light burden. His yoke reflected his gentle and lowly heart. His life's mission was to pay the debt, to assume the guilt, and to shed His blood. Once and for all He fulfilled the 'yoke' of the law and replaced it with His yoke of salvation through grace. Sadly, it was a salvation that was seemingly impossible for the people in these great cities to understand or to receive.

I see this invitation still being offered. Maybe people today are not struggling with the weight of a complex works-based religion, but they are struggling with the weights of a God-rejecting culture. Whatever the weights and burdens in this life, Jesus is still gentle and lowly in heart. He is still offering a salvation by grace and faith alone. But, like then, people must still see and believe His claims. Belief is the rub because it comes through faith! Today, those who are wise in themselves often do not see and accept Jesus' claims of grace. Sadly, they reject this greatest gift of all. Yet, that easy yoke and light burden is offered to all. I wonder why Jesus' yoke is considered easy? I think it is because once I am His, I don't have to carry the load alone anymore. His Holy Spirit dwells within me helping me in any way that I need. The Spirit is the Helper that Jesus gave to believers when He went back to heaven. I have the load-lifter dwelling within! No wonder the yoke is easy and the burden is light.

Father,

Thank You for opening my eyes to these great claims of grace. Thank you for replacing my heavy yoke of sin with the easy yoke of Jesus and making my burden light. Put within me a fire to share this with others so that they too might have the gift of grace.

In Jesus name,

Amen