Week 8 - From Duty To Delight

“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.” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)

For the Chinese, 2009 was the year of the Ox. In present-day Singapore, we rarely come across an ox unless we visit the zoo. Not so for Jesus. Living in an agrarian society, Jesus and his disciples were well acquainted with oxen and the yoke.

“My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” These words that Jesus spoke seem impossible. How can a yoke be easy and a burden light? A yoke constrains. It is placed onto animals to make them work and “slave” together. A burden, by inference, is heavy, isn’t it? What does He mean by an easy yoke and a light burden?

”My Yoke Is Easy”

A yoke is a long wooden beam with two recessed areas on the underside to fit over the necks of a pair of animals, usually oxen, to harness them together to pull a plow, a cart or some other load. Yokes for humans were also used. These were simple beams or poles carried across the shoulders with a load attached to each end.

With the yokes, they were able to carry heavy loads. A street hawker carrying his wares with the help of a yoke was a common sight in Singapore in the 1960s.

What then is the yoke that Jesus referred to and offered rest from? He said: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart…” We are to take upon ourselves the willingness to learn from Him. A learner is a disciple. Hence, to take up Jesus’ yoke simply means to become His disciple. This, however, requires more than just knowing His teachings. It requires actions on our part — doing the work He did and living the way He lived. The yoke, put on animals for pulling heavy loads, is therefore a metaphor for the disciplines of discipleship.

Jesus said that His yoke is “easy.” The word “easy” is in Greek chrestos, which can mean “well-fitting.” In Palestine, ox-yokes were made of wood. It was common practice for the oxen to be brought in and the measurements taken. The yoke was then fabricated, and the oxen were brought back to have the yoke fitted on. The yoke was carefully adjusted, so that it would fit well and not rub against the necks of the oxen. The yoke was in a sense tailor-made to fit them.

Jesus says, “My yoke is easy [fits well].” What He means is that the life He gives to His disciples is not meant to hurt them, but is specially made to measure to fit them. Whatever situations God brings upon His people are permitted by Him in the first place. He has a purpose for everything that happens to us.

The rest Jesus offers His disciples enables them to overcome fear and anxiety, and to face uncertainty, with the joy and peace from God.

”My Burden Is Light”

Jesus says, “My burden is light.” The word “burden” reminds us of the “heavy loads” that the Pharisees place on men’s shoulders — with all their laws, and their long list of do’s and don’ts. Christ’s burden is “light.” His requirements are no less stringent than those of the Jewish teachers, but they can be borne more readily because He provides the strength through the Holy Spirit. Christians are not promised freedom from illness or calamity, but they experience God’s sustaining grace so that they are not crushed or driven to despair.

An easy yoke and a light burden! That is how Jesus describes discipleship. Not a duty to fulfil, but a delight to enjoy. Hence, He is able to declare that we will find rest for our souls both in this world and when our days are done on earth. The rest Jesus offers His disciples enables them to overcome fear and anxiety, and to face uncertainty, with the joy and peace from God.

Throughout time, these three verses (Matthew 11:28-30 ) have been among the most beloved in the New Testament. Last week, a relative of one of our members went home to be with the Lord. The family requested the verse, “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” as the message for the vigil service. The preaching from these words of our Lord Jesus Christ brought comfort and refreshment to the bereaved family.

Jesus says, “Come to me.” That is our part; He also says, “I will give you rest.” That is His promise. May we humbly come to Him daily and experience the “rest” that Christ promises to those who follow Him. May we experience the delight of being a disciple of Christ.