For My Yoke is Easy

Opening

Are you tired?

The preceding circumstances of our text today was when John (The Baptist), while behind bars, sent his disciples to the Lord Jesus while He was preaching in the towns of Galilee to ask if He was really the “Messiah”.

John “The Baptist” doubted Jesus being the One sent by the Father? Hmmmm...

Well, after he got arrested and thrown behind bars, I guess it is understandable to question himself if he had correctly identified the “Messiah” after all. But if John was doubting Jesus, some in the audience may have been starting to doubt John being the “Forerunner” of Christ. So Jesus discussed the Baptist with the crowds. John too came in some unexpected ways but was nevertheless to be viewed as the forerunner, fulfilling old testament prophecy (Exodus 23:20). In fact, John was the greatest man to live under the old covenant. But he would not live long enough to see Christ’s death and resurrection establish the new covenant.

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of His miracles had been performed because they did not repent. Towns like Chorazin, Bethsaida, Tyre, Sidon and Capernaum. And at that time Jesus said...

Matthew 11:25-30

Matthew 11:25–30 NIV

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6833 Defining God’s Yoke

A teacher read to her class the text, “My yoke is easy.”

“Who can tell me what a yoke is?” she asked.

A boy said, “A yoke is something they put on the necks of animals.”

Then the teacher asked, “What is the yoke God puts on us?”

A little girl said, “It is God putting His arms around our necks.”

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6833 Defining God’s Yoke

A teacher read to her class the text, “My yoke is easy.”

“Who can tell me what a yoke is?” she asked.

A boy said, “A yoke is something they put on the necks of animals.”

Then the teacher asked, “What is the yoke God puts on us?”

A little girl said, “It is God putting His arms around our necks.”

A teacher read to her class the text, “My yoke is easy.” “Who can tell me what a yoke is?” she asked.

A teacher read to her class the text, “My yoke is easy.”

“Who can tell me what a yoke is?” she asked.

A boy said, “A yoke is something they put on the necks of animals.”

A boy said, “A yoke is something they put on the necks of animals.”

Then the teacher asked, “What is the yoke God puts on us?”

A little girl said, “It is God putting His arms around our necks.”

Tan, P.L., 1996. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times, Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Picture of an actual “Yoke”

Revealed to Little Children (Hidden from the wise & learned)

Children are:

Dependent

Submissive

All Things Have Been Committed to Me

This could refer to all knowledge. It also could indicate complete authority, the totality of existence, or everything needed to carry out the ministry of Jesus (, ).

Invitation to Those Who are Weary and Burdened

Here, Jesus’ yoke represents His teaching.

Allegiance to Him and His Kingdom results in a sense of peace

It is not laborious, but instead joyful

Learn from Me

Gentle

Humble

In Him you will find rest for you souls

My Yoke is Easy & My Burden is Light

In contrast to the burdens imposed by Israel’s religious leaders ()

Is the Lord’s Yoke really easy? Is His burden truly light?

When I decided to accept the Lord’s calling to serve, things were not easy and the burden weren’t light either. But I experience joy in everything that I do, because I do them for the Lord (). When I started ministry 5 years ago, I started loosing everything. As I was drawn closer and closer to serving God, I tried to juggle between things, ministry & business. True to the saying, “you cannot do things at the same time”, and moreover true to the unfailing words of the Lord that, “we cannot serve two masters” (). I lost my construction business. We had a building in Santiago that was making me a good amount of passive income from its rent, until, I decided to terminate my tenant to give way to my plan to retrofit the place and provide shelter to that church the Lord started through me, but I lost that property too. I lost many other things but its no longer necessary for me to enumerate them all. Despite all these, I decided to follow and serve Jesus, I know I must deny myself, because whoever loses their life for the gospel will save their lives ().

Is it easy serving the Lord through Agape? Definitely not! But it is the joy of serving that fuels to keep going.

So, my personal answer to the question is, YES! The Lord’s yoke is easy and His burden is light if we...

1. Keep learning from Him;

2. Always remain Gentle;

3. Always stays Humble.

Apostle Paul told the believers in Ephesus when he taught them about “Unity & Maturity” in the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:2 NIV

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.