THE GREAT INVITATION
SCRIPTURE LESSON MATT. 11:28-30
WE HAVE OFTEN HEARD THE WORDS OF JESUS TELLING US THAT MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDENS ARE LIGHT
I BELIEVE THIS NEED TO BE EXPLAINED SO THAT PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THE CHURCH DON’T GET THE WRONG IDEA THINKING THAT AS SOON AS THEY BECOME A CHILD OF GOD THAT THEY WILL HAVE NO MORE PROBLEMS
MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, YOUR PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAD BEFORE YOU BECAME A CHILD OF GOD ARE GOING TO BE THERE AFTER YOU ARE BAPTIZED, THEY ARE GOING NO WHERE.
THEN WHY IS THIS PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE?
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS IS TELLING US AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FARMING
THE WORD YOKE WAS USED FIGURATIVELY AS A SYMBOL OF HARDSHIP, SUBMISSION, OR SERVITUDE.
JEREMIAH WORE A YOKE TO SYMBOLIZE HIS MESSAGE THAT JUDAH SHOULD SUBMIT TO BABYLON (JER. 27-28).
WHEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CONSIDERED WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD ACCEPT REHOBOAM AS KING, THEY ASKED HIM TO LIGHTEN THE HEAVY YOKE, I.E., THE HARD SERVICE, THAT HIS FATHER, SOLOMON, IMPOSED ON THEM (1 KINGS 12:1-11). YOKE MAY REFER TO OTHER BURDENS OR RESPONSIBILITIES, SUCH AS SIN (LAM. 1:14), SERVICE TO GOD (LAM. 3:27; JER. 2:20; 5:5), SLAVERY (ECCLUS. 33:26), OR OBEDIENCE TO LAW (ACTS 15:10) OR CHRIST (MATT. 11:29-30).
THE STORY IS TOLD OF A PREACHER THAT JUST FINISHED HIS SERMON ON CHRIST’S INVITATION TO THE LABORED AND HEAVY LADEN,
AND A MAN CAME TO THE PREACHER AND ASKED HIM “DO YOU KNOW WHY CHRIST’S YOKE IS LIGHT, SIR?” “THE PREACHER REPLIED “BECAUSE THE GOOD LORD HELPS US TO CARRY IT, I SUPPOSE.”
“NO,” THE MAN SAID “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 WE WOULD PUT A WEAK OXEN ALONGSIDE A STRONG OXEN; AND THE LIGHT END WOULD COME ON THE WEAK OX, THE HEAVIER END ON THE STRONGER ONE.
“THAT’S WHY THE LORD’S YOKE IS EASY AND HIS BURDEN LIGHT, BECAUSE HIS YOKE IS MADE AFTER THE SAME PATTERN,
THE HEAVY END IS UPON HIS SHOULDER.”
BEFORE WE BECAME MODERN AND GOD TRACTORS TO PLOW THE FIELD, WE USE TO USE MULES AND HORSES
THAT SAME PRINCIPAL APPLIED
IF ONE HORSE WAS STRONGER THAN THE OTHER, THE FARMER WOULD SHORTED THE TRACES AND MOVE HIM BACK CLOSER TO THE LOAD, AND THE WEAKER HORSE WOULD HAVE HIS TRACES LET OUT LONGER MOVING HIM FARTHER AWAY FROM THE LOAD TO BALANCE THE PULLING POWER
HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO CARRY A HEAVY LOAD AND KNEW THAT YOU WERE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER PERSON
YOU WOULD TELL THEM, YOU TAKE THE LIGHT END AND I WILL TAKE THE HEAVY END
THAT IS WHAT JESUS IS TELLING US IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE
JESUS IS SAYING, YOU TAKE THE LIGHT END AND I WILL TAKE THE HEAVY END
NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED JESUS TO TAKE THE HEAVY END AT SOME POINT IN YOUR LIFE
THE STORY IS TOLD OF TWO UNITED STATES AIR FORCE PILOTS WHO SET TRANSATLANTIC SPEED RECORD IN THE SR-71 BLACKBIRD SPY PLANE IN 1975.
TRAVELING AT THAT SPEED, THEY DID NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANY ONE TO GET THEM WHERE THEY WERE GOING!
BUT LATER, WHEN MAJOR JIM SULLIVAN, THE PILOT, AND MAJOR NEIL WIDDIEFIELD, WERE ON THEIR WAY FROM LONDON TO THE FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW, THEIR CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. THEY HAD TO BE RESCUED BY A PASSING MOTORIST.
NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU ;ARE GOING TO NEED JESUS ONE DAY TO PICK UP THE HEAVY END TO GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO
TWO POINTS AND THE LESSON IS YOURS
POINT ONE, YOU CAN REST IN JESUS
POINT TWO, JESUS WILL GIVE A PURPOSE TO YOUR LIFE
POINT ONE, YOU CAN REST IN JESUS
FIRST OF ALL WHAT IS A YOKE IT IS A WOODEN BAR OR FRAME BY WHICH TWO DRAFT ANIMALS (AS OXEN) ARE JOINED AT THE HEADS OR NECKS FOR WORKING TOGETHER
ANOTHER FORM OF A YOKE IS AN ARCHED DEVICE FORMERLY LAID ON THE NECK OF A DEFEATED PERSON
ANOTHER YOKE IS A FRAME FITTED TO A PERSON’S SHOULDERS TO CARRY A LOAD IN TWO EQUAL PORTIONS
NOTICE IN THE DEFINITION, THE YOKE MUST BE FITTED TO THE ANIMAL OR PERSON THAT IS GOING TO USE IT
A YOKE THAT IS NOT FITTED PROPERLY MAKES CARRYING THE LOAD A MISERABLE JOB
THE YOKE THAT IS NOT FITTED PROPERLY, IT WILL RUB SORES ON YOUR SHOULDERS OR ON THE ANIMALS NECK
UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS IS SAYING ABOUT HIS YOKE
JESUS IS SAYING, I AM NOT JUST GOING TO PUT A LOAD ON YOU WITHOUT GIVING YOU SOME MEANS TO CARRY THAT LOAD
I AM GOING TO USE A YOKE JUST LIKE THE WORLD USES,
BUT THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS I AM GOING TO FIT THAT YOKE SO THAT I WILL HAVE THE HEAVY END AND YOU WILL GET THE LIGHT END
CHURCH NO ONE IN THE WORLD CAN FIT A YOKE LIKE JESUS
CHRIST PAINTS TWO PICTURES IN THIS PASSAGE. ONE PICTURE IS OF
EXTREME WEARINESS. THIS IS THE PERSON WHO HAS GONE AS FAR AS HE CAN; HE CAN GO NO FARTHER—HE CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER STEP
IN OTHER WORDS, HIS YOKE HAS RUBBED SORES ON HIS NECK AND HE CANNOT WORK ANY MORE
THAT IS THE WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TODAY THAT YOU MEET WHEN YOU START TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE CHURCH, THEY HAVE A SORE SPOT
THEIR YOKE HAS RUBBED A SORE ON THEIR NECK AND THEY NEED SOME HEALING OINTMENT TO CURE THE WOUNDS
JESUS IS THE BALM THAT IS NEEDED TO CURE THE SORE NECK FROM THE YOKE OF THE WORLD
THE OTHER PICTURE IS OF EXTREME PRESSURE.
THIS IS PERSON IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE; HE CANNOT TAKE ANYMORE.
ALL OF THE CARES OF THE WORLD HAVE CAVED IN ON HIM AND HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO TURN TO JESUS AND LET HIM TAKE CONTROL
JESUS IS TELLING IS IN THIS INVITATION, MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT
JESUS IS TELLING US, I AN NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU OUT THERE BY YOURSELF TO CARRY THAT LOAD, I WILL BE THERE TO PICK UP THE HEAVE END
JESUS DOES NOT SAY WHAT CAUSED THE WEARINESS OR PRESSURE (HEAVY BURDENS).
IT DOES NOT MATTER, WHAT CAUSED THE SITUATION, ALL THAT MATTERS IS THERE IS A WAY OUT
HIS INVITATION IS OPEN TO ALL. IT IS A SIMPLE INVITATION, REQUIRING SO LITTLE AND OFFERING SO MUCH.
1. COME UNTO ME (V.28).
2. TAKE MY YOKE - LEARN OF ME (V.29-30).
AND YOU ARE GOING TO FIND REST AND PEACE FOR YOUR SOUL
THE FIRST GREAT INVITATION TO THIS GENERATION IS “COME UNTO ME.”
WHO IS TO COME? THE WEARY AND THE BURDENED—THE PERSON WHO IS LABORING AND HEAVY LADEN, EXHAUSTED, DESPERATE, EXTREMELY TIRED AND WEIGHED DOWN, READY TO STOP AND COLLAPSE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT EXHAUST US ARE...
·WORK; BEING OVERBURDENED WITH TOO MUCH TO DO
·WORLDLINESS AND CARNALITY (FLESHLY PLEASURE)
·SIN AND GUILT AND THE POWER OF BOTH
·MONEY & MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AND THE UNSATISFYING SPIRIT OF BOTH
·FAME AND THE EMPTINESS OF IT
·POWER AND THE LONELINESS OF IT
·THE RITUALS AND TRADITIONS OF RELIGION
·RULES AND REGULATIONS
NOT KNOWING THE TRUTH OF LIFE IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CAUSES OF EXHAUSTION.
SEARCHING FOR TRUTH BUT NEVER COMING TO THE TRUTH DISCOURAGES, FRUSTRATES, EXHAUSTS, AND BURDENS US. IT CAUSES US TO GIVE UP AND SAY IT IS NOT WORTH FINDING THE TRUTH IF IT IS THAT HARD TO FIND.
IT LEAVES US EMPTY, UNCERTAIN, AND INSECURE ABOUT THE FUTURE.
WHY SHOULD THE WEARY AND THE HEAVY LADEN COME TO CHRIST? VERY SIMPLY, CHRIST
WILL GIVE THEM REST. CHRIST WILL GIVE REST TO THE STRUGGLING AND DESPAIRING SOUL AND TO THE
EMPTY AND LONELY SOUL—NO MATTER HOW INTENSE THE STRUGGLE AND DESPERATE OR EMPTY THE PERSON MIGHT BE
NO PERSON HAS GONE TOO FAR FOR CHRIST TO INJECT HIS REST INTO HIM—IF THE PERSON WILL ONLY CALL UPON CHRIST AND BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WILL, HE CAN FIND REST FOR HIS SOUL
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR RECEIVING THIS REST?
THERE IS ONLY ONE CONDITION: A PERSON MUST SIMPLY COME TO CHRIST.
YOU WILL NOT FIND THE ANSWER IN ..
· SEARCHING AFTER TRUTH THROUGH RELIGION (AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS).
·IT IS NOT POSITIVE THINKING (AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS).
·IT IS NOT SEEKING THE COUNSEL OF TRUE AND RELIABLE FRIENDS (AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS).
THE ANSWER TO REST IS COMING TO JESUS CHRIST.
REST IS AVAILABLE, BUT WE HAVE TO COME TO
JESUS CHRIST IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE REST OF GOD.
“COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER, SAITH THE LORD: THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW; THOUGH THEY BE RED LIKE CRIMSON,
THEY SHALL BE AS WOOL” (ISAIAH 1:18).
“AND THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, COME. AND LET HIM THAT HEARETH SAY, COME. AND LET HIM THAT IS ATHIRST COME. AND WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM TAKE THE
WATER OF LIFE FREELY” (REV. 22:17).
POINT TWO, JESUS WILL GIVE A PURPOSE TO YOUR LIFE
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME.”
1. WHY SHOULD A PERSON TAKE UP THE YOKE OF CHRIST?
WHY SHOULD A PERSON BEGIN TO LEARN OF CHRIST?
THERE ARE THREE REASONS.
A. CHRIST IS MEEK AND LOWLY. SOME OWNERS OF OXEN WERE MEAN AND HARSH BOTH IN THEIR TRAINING AND IN THEIR WORKING OF THE OXEN,
CHURCH PERHAPS YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS SAME SITUATION IN THE WORLD, MAYBE YOU ARE IN A BAD RELATIONSHIP IN YOUR HOME, MAYBE IT IS AT WORK, MAYBE IT IS WITH YOUR BOSS, BUT NOT CHRIST. YOU CAN’T HAVE A BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST
HE IS MEEK AND LOWLY, CONSIDERATE AND UNDERSTANDING, MILD, GENTLE, LONGSUFFERING AND ENCOURAGING TO EVERY PERSON WHO CAME TO HIM.
B. WE WILL FIND “REST” (anapausin PWS: 3275) (MATTHEW 11:29).
C. CHRIST’S YOKE IS EASY; HIS BURDEN IS LIGHT (MATTHEW MAN’S LIFE AND TASK WHILE ON EARTH.
THE WORD “EASY” CAN ALSO MEAN WELL-FITTING. CHRIST IS
SAYING THAT HIS YOKE, HIS LIFE AND TASK, ARE FITTED TO A PERSON.
IT IS JUST WHAT A PERSON NEEDS, AND IT IS EASY, THE EASIEST LIFE AND TASK THE PERSON COULD LIVE AND
UNDERTAKE.
IF YOU WANT MEANING TO YOUR LIFE, LET JESUS COME IN AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOUL
IF YOU WANT PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE, YOU NEED TO LET JESUS COME IN TO YOUR HEART
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP, JESUS IS CALLING TO YOU TODAY
HE IS SAYING COME TO ME AND I WILL GIVE YOUR REST, AND I WILL GIVE MEANING TO YOUR LIFE
“WHEREFORE IN ALL THINGS IT BEHOVED HIM TO BE MADE LIKE UNTO HIS BRETHREN, THAT HE MIGHT BE A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN THINGS PERTAINING TO GOD, TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. (HEBREWS 2:17-18).
JESUS WENT THROUGH SOMETHING SO THAT HE WOULD KNOW WHAT YOU AND I ARE GOING THROUGH
THAT IS WHY HE WILL TAKE THE HEAVY END OF THE YOKE
“FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN” (HEBREWS 4:15).
“CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM; FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU” (1 PETER
5:7).
IF YOU WANT TO FIND PURPOSE AND MEANING FOR YOUR LIFE. A PERSON MUST SIMPLY TAKE CHRIST’S YOKE AND BEGIN TO LEARN OF HIM.
THIS SIMPLY MEANS THAT WE ARE TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE AND LABOR UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, DIRECTION, GUIDANCE, AND CARE.
EVERY MAN HAS HIS YOKE, THAT IS, HIS LIFE TO LIVE AND HIS TASK TO DO WHILE ON EARTH.
FROM BIRTH HE LEARNS FROM OTHERS HOW TO LIVE AND HOW TO DO HIS TASK.
SOME TEACHERS ARE HARD TASKMASTERS, AND MOST COURSES IN LIFE LEAD TO EXHAUSTION AND LIVING UNDER HEAVY BURDENS.
THE ONLY TASKMASTER WHO CAN TEACH AND ASSURE TRUE REST (OF BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT) IS CHRIST, AND THE ONLY YOKE THAT REALLY FITS AND PROVES TO BE EASY IS THE YOKE OR LIFE AND TASK OF CHRIST.
THE YOKE OF JESUS WILL LEAD YOU TO FIND PURPOSE AND MEANING FOR YOUR LIFE AND ALL OTHERS YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH
“AND HE SAID TO THEM ALL, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME” (LUKE 9:23).
“I HAVE COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY” (JOHN 10:10).
“I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES: HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING [OF
LASTING VALUE]” (JOHN 15:5).
“FOR THIS IS THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: AND HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS. FOR WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH.
WHO IS HE THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD?” (1 JOHN 5:3-5).