Promises, promises

We continue by considering the Amazing things Jesus promised. During His time on earth, Jesus made many promises about the peace and hope He offers us. This collection of Jesus’ promises gives us great hope that He truly is the Saviour of the world.  Matthew 11:28-30 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.

It seems almost counter cultural that something the restricts and is a tool of burden yoke should be used by Jesus as the means of bringing peace and comfort. 

These words of Jesus are in stark contrast to the scribes and Pharisees who laid heavy burdens on people by imposing on them the so-called 'traditions of the elders', rules and regulations not found in the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus scorned these 'traditions.' Instead he urged his followers to take his 'yoke' upon themselves. A yoke provided discipline and direction for an animal at ploughing time. Jesus' yoke is easy because what he teaches, no matter how challenging, gives meaning, direction and peace of soul to a person's life.

The yoke was a wooden frame used to harness together a pair of oxen at their necks so that they could pull a plough or some other load. It was a balancing device. Sometimes a younger ox needed to be taught to work and thus was paired with an animal of more experience. This beautifully illustrates our relationship with Christ. As we walk by his side, sharing the yoke and burden, the load does not disappear but is made lighter.

A preacher had finished his yoke sermon when a good man came to him and said "I wish I had known what you were going to preach about. I could have told you something."

"Well, my friend," the preacher said, "may I have it still?"

"Do you know why His yoke is light, sir?"

"Well, because the good Lord helps us to carry it, I suppose."

"No, sir," said said the man, shaking his head, "I think I know better than that. You see, when I was a boy at home, I used to drive the oxen, and the yoke was never made to balance as you said. Father's yokes were always made heavier on one side than the other. Then, you see, we would put a weak bullock in alongside a strong bullock; the light end would come on the weak ox, the heavier end on the stronger one. That's why the yoke is easy and the burden is light, because the Lord's yoke is made after the same pattern, and the heavy end is upon His shoulder."

You call it a yoke, Lord; and indeed it rests on my shoulders. 

Yet it fits me as though I was made for it. 

In times of weakness and hour of need,

yours is the strength by which we carry on,

the shoulder we rest our head upon.

When our load is heavy and too much to bear,

yours are the arms stretched out to help us

the grace that we depend on.

In times of weakness and hour of need,

your voice is heard,

‘Come… find rest.’

This is grace divine,

the path we tread to wholeness

of body and spirit,

the path that leads to you,

and for which we offer our offering of praise. Amen