Jesus Came to Bear Your Burdens
Advent 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsThis sermon deals with the idea that Jesus came to bear our burdens, one of the reasons for this arrival.
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Children were not meant to carry the burdens that adults do. Corrie Ten Boom, the Christian lady responsible for rescuing many Jews from certain death during World War II, tells the following story.
“Sex,” I was pretty sure, meant whether you were a boy or girl, and “sin” made my aunt very angry, but what the two together meant I could not imagine. And so, seated next to Father in the train compartment, I suddenly asked, “Father, what is sexsin?”
He turned to look at me, as he always did when answering a question, but to my surprise he said nothing. At last he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over our heads, and set it on the floor.
“Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?” he said. I stood up and tugged at it. It was crammed with the watches and spare parts he had purchased that morning.
“It’s too heavy,” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load.
It’s the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you.” - from The Hiding Place: The Story of Corrie Ten Boom
Corrie’s father did her a favor that day. He bore a burden too big for her to carry.
Psalm 55 tells us about One who came to bear our burdens, whether it is information, insult or anguish of any kind.
Just some observations about this Psalm. This is a Maskil of David, which is probably a liturgical or a musical term. Its contents are a lament, which means “...to express deep regret, grief, or sorrow.” We can lament through words or actions. Lamenting is a common theme in the Bible. In fact, there is an Old Testament book named Lamentations.
Psalm 55 tells us of burdens and teaches us what we are to do with ours. First, we learn that...
Life presents unique challenges; some of which are very personal.
Life presents unique challenges; some of which are very personal.
The opening verses to this song reveal that the writer is anxious. He feels alone and is a bit overwhelmed at the situation he is facing. He identifies some of the feelings he has in verses four through eight.
He has anguish in his heart (vs. 4).
He is terrified of dying (vs. 4).
He is consumed with fear and trembling (vs. 5).
And it overwhelms him (vs. 5).
He wants to run away Psalm 55:6-8 Some call this a “Calgon” moment. Do you remember the old Calgon commercials in the 1970s? “Calgon, Calgon, take me away!”
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.”
Other people long to escape their predicament with drugs or alcohol. Some use substances as a form of medicating their state of mind.
Others shut down and stay in bed. All of these are symptoms of an escape mentality. But it does no good if you wake up and your problem is still there.
What’s unique about this Psalm is that the source of anxiety was the betrayal of a friend. Notice what it says in Psalm 55:12-14
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God’s house we walked in the throng.
We are not given any details about this conflict of David’s. Was it a staff member? What is a close friend? Was it a family member? David had those that could have fit the description. Saul turned on him and tried to kill him on a few occasions. David’s own son Absalom tried to take the throne by force.
Yet some of us can identify. Maybe you are here this morning and you’ve experienced a type of betrayal. Someone has forsaken your confidence. An individual you thought you could count on has turned their back on you. Maybe this was a family member or a colleague or even a friend.
Life has many challenges and some are intensely personal. What do you do with such a situation? Are you left alone to suffer?
The answer is NO! The Christian faith teaches you that...
You are never alone in your challenges.
You are never alone in your challenges.
The Scriptures tell us of God’s capacity to be a friend. He was Abraham’s friend (Isaiah 41:8). He spoke with Moses as a friend talks to a friend (Exodus 33:11).
In Psalm 34:18 we are told:
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
We are promised His presence at the most trying of times. Psalm 23:4
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
When you go through a trial, it is then that you must draw near to God.
Andrew Murray was the son of a missionary. He became a well known minister in South Africa. He said this about trials:
“In trial and weakness and trouble, He seeks to bring us low, until we learn that His grace is all, and to take pleasure in the very thing that brings us and keeps us low. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His presence filling and satisfying our emptiness, becomes the secret of humility that need never fail.”—Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, Andrew Murray
“The humble man has learned the secret of abiding gladness. The weaker he feels, the lower he sinks, and the greater his humiliations appear, the more power and the presence of Christ are his portion.”—Humility and Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray
In other words, God especially reveals himself to the meek and lowly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Your responsibility is to trust the Lord and give Him your burdens.
Your responsibility is to trust the Lord and give Him your burdens.
Psalm 55:22 tells us:
22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
Jesus told His disciples in
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Isn’t it strange that our first notion is to be standoffish towards God. We are like Peter in the boat: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” We don’t understand the love of God. We need it explained to us, and then we have to warm up to it.
I know some that regard God as an interest, not as a friend or confidant. But Jesus invites us to come to Him. He offers to bear your burdens.
In this season of giving, the Lord invites you to give your burdens to Him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Our Scripture asks us to engage Him. Funny how so many look for a “sign” from God, when actually, He looks for a sign from us of just the slightest acknowledgement.
How may you cast your burdens on the Lord? One way is through active trust. Give it to Him! Refuse to be consumed by worry and anxiety.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Another way is through prayer. Psalm 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
Another is through reading your Bible, especially memorizing portions of Scripture that are particularly encouraging. You and I need a Bible in here (point to heart) and here (point to head).
There is that scene from the 1980 movie “The Elephant Man,” starring John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins. The story is of John Merrick who was a severely deformed man and his ill treatment in British early 20th century society.
The scene depicts Mr. Merrick being questioned as to his fitness to stay where he is presently living, or go to an institution. Just when the physicians leave his room and are leaning towards sending him away,
Their conference is interrupted by Mr. Merrick reciting the 23rd Psalm. When I asked how he knew it, the Elephant man said: “It’s my favorite.” One of the most powerful ways the Bible ministers to us is when we can recall certain verses that speak into our lives at important times.
Do you have a favorite verse? A portion of Scripture that especially speaks to you?
Another way in which the Lord bears our burdens is by your talking with a friend or counselor and praying with them. Including the body of Christ in your burden, big or small.
In all of these ways, the Lord carries us along. Psalm 68:19
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
Conclusion
Conclusion
John Newton once said:
“I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large for us to lift.
But God does not require us to carry the whole at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick, which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow, and so on.
This we might easily manage, if we would only take the burden appointed for us each day; but we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday's stick over again today, and adding tomorrow's burden to our load, before we are required to bear it.”—John Newton
In all of these ways, we must avoid making it harder than it is.
A man was bragging that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocket knife. When asked why he had not cut off the lion’s head, the man replied: “Someone had already done that.”
