Take the Yoke of Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

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.”

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In many ways, the demands of Jesus as a disciple-maker. His interpretation of the law in the Sermon on the Mount is more radical compared to the traditional interpretation. Murder by merely being angry wuth a brother. Adultery by merely lustful glances. Loving your enemies. Praying for your persecutors. These demands and hard and tough.

But this thing we know: unlike the Pharisees who tie up heavy burdens which are hard to bear and lay them on people’s shoulders which they themselves are not willing to move with their fingers, Jesus is most concerned about the weightier matters of the law. His demands are not some arbitrary and unnecessary burdens but things that really matter.

Submit yourself to the discipleship of the world and all you will find are heavy burdens being laid on your shoulders. Their weight is unbearable and after consuming all your energy, you will in the end find out that you labored in vain.

The invitation to come and take the yoke of Jesus is an invitation to discipleship. The “yoke” here is what is put on animals so they could pull heavy loads. Put yourself under the discipleship of Jesus— all you who are weary and heavily burdened. “Take my yoke and learn from me”— that’s a discipleship language because a disciple is a learner. With Jesus, we have the authoritative interpreter of the law. None of the things he teaches is worthless. Every word of Christ satisfies the soul.

Take note also of the character of the disciple-maker. He is gentle and lowly in heart. This is the attitude of our disciple-maker toward us: gentlenes, not harhness; lowliness, not arrogance.

When you do come to Jesus and submit yourself to his gentle discipleship, what will you get? You will find rest. The concept of rest as promised in the Bible is primarily eschatological— that is a rest we garner at the end of time. But in this passage, it is indicated that it also a present reality. We who are tired from carrying unnecessary burdens will find rest in the arms of the gentle and lowly teacher. There is no other place where we could find such rest. Only in Christ. Only in Jesus.