A Yoke for Rest

Our Need for Rest

This past went to a network lunch hosted by Pastor Serve. I wanted to hear a word of encouragement, perhaps a word of advice, on how to get out from underneath the weariness of ministry. Have you ever been there? I was looking for Sabbatical resources and have since found some that I plan to pursue. While I think highly of the idea of a Sabbatical, there is more to rest and recovery than a once every seven (or 15) year extended break.

This passage often comes to mind. It’s a familiar passage, which can often cause it to be pigeonholed with an overly simplified meaning. I want to share some observations about it that I hope will help you find refreshment in the rest Jesus offers.

Jesus is the source of rest

The first observation is perhaps the most obvious: Jesus is the source of rest. We see this in the passage that immediately follows when the Pharisees complain about the disciples picking heads of grain on the Sabbath as they walked through the grainfields. Instead of rebuking his disciples, as the Pharisees wanted him to do, he explains instead:

English Standard Version Chapter 12

8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus gives rest. It isn’t in your strict law keeping of the Sabbath command that refreshes your soul, it is Jesus. The sabbath command was given so that God’s people could stop and see the work of God, both his creative and redemptive work, which was accomplished through the Son. It was never about checking a box, or simply stopping work.

What’s interesting about this passage is that Jesus never actually condones the disciples’ picking heads of grain. Ordinarily, the preparing of grain would be done ahead of the Sabbath so that on the Sabbath day, the work would be done and that time could be spent remembering the work of the Lord. What’s different about this case is that the disciples are picking the heads of grain because they are with Jesus as he went through the grainfields. They are with Jesus. That’s the point. That’s why its okay. The bigger purpose of the Sabbath, to be refreshed by the work of the Lord is happening. Jesus is the giver of rest, the giver of restoration. Do what you can to get your work done during the six workdays, so that you have a day set aside to spend with Jesus. I think as pastors, like anyone else, we get busy and that time alone with Jesus slips away and we find ourselves perpetually weary.

Rest comes by way of a yoke

The second observation comes from the verses that follow the familiar verse 28:

English Standard Version Chapter 11

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.”

How does Jesus give you rest? He says, “take my yoke upon you.” That seems a bit of a contradiction. A yoke is a wooden beam you put over oxen (or other animals) to lead them in work. If you had a yoke on your neck, taking it off would seem the way to ease your weariness. But Jesus says, “take my yoke upon you.” So, what’s going on with this? To find the answer let’s look at the descriptive language Jesus uses. He says in verse 30, “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” “Easy” and “light” are comparative terms. They are meant to contrast with a yoke that is hard and a burden that his heavy. What is this contrasted with? This is not the only time Jesus speaks of burdens on backs. Later in Matthew (ch.23) Jesus speaks of the scribes and Pharisees,

English Standard Version Chapter 23

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

If you had a yoke is something you long to take off when you’re weary.

The works righteous way of the Pharisees is in view here, which says, “here’s what you must do in order to be God’s people.” It’s a system left up to the individual to perform, a system that receives no help from the teachers. They can’t help, since its a self-help approach, a form of self-salvation.

At the very least, Jesus is contrasting his teaching with theirs. But there is more than just that in mind. Jesus is comparing his yoke against every other yoke, his way with every other way. The implication is that everyone is headed in some particular direction. The yoke is simply a way of picturing the truth behind that direction. It’s guided by something, some set of principles, some system of values, some worldview. That’s the yoke of culture. It’s a yoke that brings weariness. It’s a yoke that demands and demands and demands from you without every filling you up. In contrast, the yoke that Jesus would give you is one that brings rest for your soul. It is a yoke, because you have to be led by something, by someone, in some direction. But this yoke brings rest.

So what does this yoke look like? Verse 29 provides our answer.

English Standard Version Chapter 11

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.

“Learn from me.” That’s the yoke. Follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Do what Jesus does. Live like Jesus lives. Seek to serve others, to feed others, to bring healing to others.

English Standard Version Chapter 13

For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

John explains, ()

English Standard Version Chapter 2

By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

It’s a simple picture really. When we live the way we were created to live, reflecting our creator, our souls will find rest. Our souls will be at peace. The gospel, the good news, is that Jesus died the death we deserved to die, thus taking the burdensome yoke from our backs. He sends his Holy Spirit to be our guide, the one with the reigns to our yoke, the one guiding us into the truth found in the Word of God as to how we are to live. We could do nothing but kick against the goads, so to speak, before the justifying work of Jesus’ death.

Let me encourage you. Jesus is the Lord of rest. By faith, we see him as our only savior, our only way to the giver of rest. There we get to exchange our burdensome and heavy yoke for one that is light and leading us toward rest for our soul. Practice the Sabbath, seeing it as time spent with Jesus, doing the works of Jesus, that you find your soul delighting in him.