Take My Yoke

Carlton L Johnson

Matt 11:29 • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Giving honor to God the father ,and God the Son,and God the Holy Ghost pastor Thomas, Rev. Perry in his absent, Rev. Tarver officers members and friend good morning may God bless you all with this message

Prayer: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be accepted in thy sight O Lord my strength and redeemer.

Topic: Take My Yoke

Text:Matt 11:25-30

Thesis All Christians must go through Jesus Christ to understand God.

Purpose: The purpose of this text show that life can be so much easier when we learn from Jesus.

Introduction:

Author:

MATTHEW

Matthew’s Gospel is the first of the four Gospels we have collected in the New Testament.

Matthew tells the whole story of Jesus, from his remarkable birth in Bethlehem to his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. He includes Jesus’ baptism and temptation, his preaching and teaching in Galilee, and many of his parables about the kingdom of God.

The Bible Guide Matthew

Matthew’s Gospel is the first of the four Gospels we have collected in the New Testament.

This Gospel is a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Matthew shows how Jesus fulfils Old Testament prophecies, and that his church is the fulfilment of the history of Israel.

Matthew writes for Jewish Christians. He tells them that Jesus had Jewish roots. He also wrestles with the problem that the Jews have rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and now persecute his followers.

Matthew’s Gospel is useful for teaching new Christians and instructing Christian leaders. It has five clear sections of teaching, including the famous Sermon on the Mount. It shows how Christians should understand the Jewish law and live out the heart of its meaning.

Finally, Matthew gives a clear call to Christian mission. Jesus, the risen Christ, sends his disciples to preach his gospel and make disciples among all the nations of the world.

Outline

This Gospel is a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Matthew shows how Jesus fulfils Old Testament prophecies, and that his church is the fulfilment of the history of Israel.

Matthew writes for Jewish Christians. He tells them that Jesus had Jewish roots. He also wrestles with the problem that the Jews have rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and now persecute his followers.

Matthew 11:25–30 KJV 1900

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus a Model of Praising

Matthew alone discloses this scene of prayer. It is an example from Jesus of wisdom being vindicated by what it does (v. 18). It is also a contrast to the rejection He has just condemned, a reaction that is antagonistic rather than adoring.

The Scenario of Praise (25–26)

A recognition of God’s control. Jesus shows this in acknowledging that God is “Father,” who controls the things within His responsibility. Jesus also displays it in seeing God as “Lord,” who is over the things of His domain. God, He says, is Lord “of heaven and earth,” the complete sphere His controlling power created (; ), and which He commanded in many miracles to do His bidding, and ever sustains. He is Lord, too, in His control over men, whether those who trust Him as John the Baptist has just done (), or defy Him but must face His judgment as He has made pointedly clear (11:20–24).

Matthew 11:6 KJV 1900

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Genesis 1:1 KJV 1900

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 KJV 1900

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.

God’s control as in being the creator and King is often celebrated in psalms of praise (146–150 etc.). Jesus, the living Word, is the perfect model of giving the credit that the written Word teaches the receptive to offer God.

Recognition of God’s choice. Men may live by the deceit that they alone make a choice; but finally, God is the One who sovereignly exercises His choice. He has hidden the things of His wisdom (cf. v. 18) from those wise and intelligent in their own conceits (vv. 30–34). And He has revealed them to the humble, the receptive, babes dependent on Him (v. 29; ).

Luke 7:35 KJV 1900

35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Recognition of God’s character. God’s choice is in accord with His goodness, what is “well-pleasing in Thy sight.” His character that can act out of this sterling excellency is consistent with what is of wisdom in His sight.

Paul later extols God as well for His sovereign excellency. This appears at the end of .

The Summons to Blessing (27–30)

Praise such as Jesus models will have reason also to saturate His disciples as they see both Father and Son in their capacities depicted here.

The pathway through the Son (27). As Jesus will claim to be “the way, the truth and the life” (; cf. ), here He insists that none can know the Father except by Jesus’ will to reveal Him. The statement is not denying that the Holy Spirit knows the Son or the Father. It is only emphasizing at the moment the relationship between Father and Son. And it is in comparison with men. Men as sinners do not of themselves have the ability to come to know the Father or the Son (cf. , ). They become able to know them only by their gift, their revelation, and their drawing of people to know them.

God has chosen to give the privilege through the Son, and of course also by the convicting work by the Spirit ().

John 16:8–11 KJV 1900

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The King’s Conflicts (Matthew 11–12)

Invitation (vv. 25–30). Why did the religious leaders rebel against John and Jesus? Because they (the leaders) were intellectually and spiritually proud and would not become little babes in humility and honesty. There is a vast difference between the spoiled children of the parable (Matt. 11:16–19) and the submissive children of this statement of praise. The Father reveals Himself to the Son, and the Son reveals Himself and the Father to those who are willing to come to the Son in faith. These verses indicate both the sovereignty of the Father and the responsibility of the sinner. Three commands summarize this invitation.

“Come.” The Pharisees all said “Do!” and tried to make the people follow Moses and the traditions. But true salvation is found only in a Person, Jesus Christ. To come to Him means to trust Him. This invitation is open to those who are exhausted and burdened down. That is exactly how the people felt under the yoke of pharisaical legalism (Matt. 23:4; Acts 15:10).

“Take.” This is a deeper experience. When we come to Christ by faith, He gives us rest. When we take His yoke and learn, we find rest, that deeper rest of surrender and obedience. The first is “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1); the second is “the peace of God” (Phil. 4:6–8). To “take a yoke” in that day meant to become a disciple. When we submit to Christ, we are yoked to Him. The word “easy” means “well-fitting”; He has just the yoke that is tailor-made for our lives and needs. The burden of doing His will is not a heavy one (1 John 5:3).

“Learn.” The first two commands represent a crisis as we come and yield to Christ; but this step is into a process. As we learn more about Him, we find a deeper peace, because we trust Him more. Life is simplified and unified around the person of Christ. This invitation is for “all”—not just the people of Israel (Matt. 10:5–6).

The promise of the Son (28–30). Jesus tells of advantages He gives, then assurance He guarantees.

(1) The advantages He gives. These are in vv. 28–29. He promises that those who will do so may “Come to Me.” They are weary from exhausting work, effort of whatever kind that does not really result in knowing Him and having His advantages. They also are bearing an intolerable burden. It involves their human insufficiency, guilt due to sin, and unfulfilled longing without Him. The advantage He extends is “rest,” being enabled to count on sufficiency from Him, peace where guilt has accused, and satisfaction where they were disquieted.

Another way of making this promise is in His putting hearers at ease to “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me.…” When one truly will “Come,” he or she is to be so identified with Jesus as to be, by way of illustration, fitted into the same yoke with Him. A person is identified with the way Jesus is moving and the work He is doing, as an ox that comes alongside another to pull with him. phrases the case as denying oneself, and taking up one’s cross to go with Jesus.

A person takes the yoke (to go where Jesus is going and do what He wills), “and learns from Me.” The “and” shows that to “take,” rightly understood, goes right along with learning from Christ. One learns where indeed He is going and what His will is. His life with Jesus involves coming to Him (appropriation), taking His yoke (allegiance), and learning (assimilation).

As coming responds to the prospect that one can find “rest,” taking the yoke and learning can live in the good of that “rest.”

(2) The assurance He guarantees. Jesus is able to give rest as a gift in grace out of what He is in Himself. He explains this twice (“for,” 29, 30). The two emphasize complementary facets that offer assurance. The first is, “for I am gentle and humble in heart.” In this, He is perfectly at ease in Himself as He, not the disciple, is sufficient (cf. ). He also is humbly of a servant spirit submissive to the will of the Father who handed over to Him all things pertinent to His role. The one who will “Come,” “Take … and learn” can live in the benefit of and in step with what He is too.

2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV 1900

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

The second explanatory clause is in the last verse. “For My Yoke is easy [pleasant], and My load is light.”

What Jesus is in His own Person (gentle and humble) complement what His performance is in pressing into the yoke and carrying the load.

Since all who really do “Come … Take … and learn” are in the yoke with Him, the all-sufficiency of what He is makes His yoke pleasant and the load light. He gives the pleasantness by putting them at “rest” and renders the load light by letting them commit all the care they might sense on Him ()

1 Peter 5:7 KJV 1900

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Though His servants work as co-laborers, Jesus bears the heavy brunt of the load, taking it on Himself (cf. ).

Psalm 55:22 KJV 1900

22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Principles of prayer appropriately permeate the passage.

First, a scene (“At that time,” 25) of contrasting faith that receives the Word with folly that rejects it as in the preceding verses is fitting for praise. Jesus relates praise to both attitudes (v. 25). Believers, sharing the true message, can praise God in either case, or both; it is a dark day only for those whose hearts are closed against the Saviour.

Second, praying with encouragement no matter what response faithful ministry has provoked has a great stimulus in dwelling on the Father having things under control. Jesus who could give the pleasant yoke and light load is the ideal example of resting in God.

Third, the one who initially will come, take and learn can continue the attitude—coming, taking and learning. Much of this is in the fellowship that draws near to “Ask … Seek … Knock” ((; cf. ). Much is in prayer that takes Christ’s yoke seeking to grasp ways to go where He goes and do what He wills. Much is in prayer that keeps learning from Christ how to live in His rest rather than being too weary and heavy-laden (; ); learning to be gentle and humble, and be all the things He teaches for all the walk.

Luke 18:1 KJV 1900

1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Philippians 4:7 KJV 1900

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 4:16 KJV 1900

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Matthew 7:7 KJV 1900

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Matthew 7:7 KJV 1900

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Fourth, the way can be “pleasant” in prayer or any other part of the life, even if the work is hard and opposition abounds due to sin. Jesus experienced this, so did Paul, and so many others. For taking Christ’s yoke is consistent with being enabled to do all things through the yoke-partner, Christ, who strengthens (; cf. 2:13; ).

Philippians 4:13 KJV 1900

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Colossians 1:11 KJV 1900

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Closing

The New International Version Chapter 15

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

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