The Yoke of Christ
Notes
Transcript
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal 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.”
Do you sometimes feel that no one really cares?
Do you feel that you are not so recognized for all your efforts?
Do you think you are not getting any respect?
“An old man was on his death bed and had less than a day to live. As he lay there reflecting on his life, he smelled his favorite cookies in the kitchen. So using his last bit of will and effort, he dragged himself out of bed and crawled to the kitchen for a cookie. He sat down at the table and reached for one when his wife popped his hand with a wooden spoon: "Don't touch it! Those are for your funeral!"
Life can be frustrating at times.
Have you ever felt that you are doing too much and accomplishing so little?
Does it seem that you have done a lot and end up at the very same place where you started?
Life feels like a stationary bike sometimes. You exert a lot of effort, putting all your energy and going 100 mph, but actually gets you nowhere.
What could be the issue?
The world will say three things:
You are not doing enough. Try harder..
You have no concrete goals. Set some goals that are achievable.. don’t aim for the home run at the start— better yourself — self development is key.
Try something else - maybe your vocation is not for you.. find happiness.. what really matters is your happiness — follow your heart!
Just quit! What you’re doing is the very essence of insanity.
“Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”
What really is the issue?
Let me explain to you the biblical concept of a Yoke.
Yoke
Yoke picture here.
Binds an animal to another animal, or to a wagon, or to a plow.. to haul a burden.
Biblically, a yoke is something that binds someone to something or someone else. Yoke refers to slavery and some form of bondage.
What yoke are you carrying today?
The yoke of Rejection.
This may well be rebellion.
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
This is a prayer that Jesus also prayed in the context of evangelizing cities.. when He sent the 72 to preach the gospel. Shaking the dust off your sandals.
Jesus’ frustration. yet He relied on the Father’s sovereign will.
What did he mean that the Father had hidden these things from the wise and understanding? Is God intentionally blinding them and shutting their ears? The problem is their arrogance.. (background)
For goodness’ sake, God in the flesh came to them doing miraculous works, and they continue to reject them.
2. The Yoke of Religion.
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Religion is finding our way to God. We do not make our way to God..
The key is receiving what has already been handed down by God to Jesus —>
Quit striving,, talk religion here.
3. The Yoke that Jesus offers.
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.”
The greatest invitation ever.
Jesus invites you this morning:
Are you weary? Broken? Burdened?
Don’t come with all you your accolades, self efforts, prestige. Come in humility, brokenness, empty-handed.
Take Jesus’ yoke upon you..
Not a promise of an easy life.
Balloon Illustration. - Helium- The more Jesus you adds, the lighter you become.
“This is all to our advantage, and to the display of our Lord’s great graciousness. We come, and therein he obtains the company of a beggar, a leper, a patient, a repulsive rebel: this is no gain to anything in him except his pity. But surely he expects something of us to reward him for receiving us? By no means. We are to come to him, not that we may give him something, but that he may give everything to us. What a Lord is this!” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
Conclusion:
Who already took on social media today? — Paint a beautiful picture.. truth is we’re a mess, a total mess without Jesus Christ.
What we see in this passage is simply Jesus offering us everything in Him. We aren’t to do anything or bring anything, but only to receive the treasure that is Christ. And this isn’t meant only for those who are coming to know Jesus for the first time, but this is for us Christians as well.
we all feel how broken and needy we are. And here Jesus says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” He’s not calling us to come and be amazing for Him, but to come and be amazed by Him.
We don’t glorify Christ by acting like we are better than we are, or by merely trying harder or doing better… We glorify Christ by showing how good and gracious He is with our lives, and we do that first and foremost by resting in Him.
And Jesus says to come to Him just as we are.
And when we do we truly magnify who He is. And that’s how we glorify Christ. No doubt, we must fight sin, pursue holiness, and seek to be faithful in this world… But that starts with and is fueled by this glorious Christ who grants weary sinners like us rest for our souls. So let’s commit ourselves to magnifying the glory of Christ this year by running to Him and resting in Him again and again.
Let’s not focus so much on being amazing for Christ, but being amazed by Christ,
Take Jesus up on His offer, take His yoke.
and there find rest for our souls.
CROSS
Sinners’ prayer. (unbiblical?)