After Pentecost (Proper 9) | Year A | Gospel reading Matthew 11:25-30 | TJ Torgerson
In our culture, we often wear “busyness” as a badge of honor. When someone asks, "How are you doing today?" we quickly answer, "Oh, I have just been so busy." We say it partly because it is true, but also because in our culture, there is a perceived added value to being busy and productive.
I live in Maine and work in youth ministry. So, for me, that means during the school year, there are a lot of weekly tasks to be done because school is in session and families are in town. In addition to that, there are all the regular church activities that take place during those months: Easter, Christmas, small groups, annual meetings, district meetings. Then, in the summer, when the regular church stuff slowdown that gives “real pastors” an opportunity to rest and get ready for the fall when everything starts up again. However, in youth ministry, things don't slowdown in the summer. Instead, a plethora of special teen events and activities replace all the things that slowdown in "regular" church. On top of that, we try to squeeze in family vacations or weekend trips. And what do you get? Busy and worn down.
I know I am not the only one who has felt worn down. Living in a culture that values busyness means it is inevitable for people to feel worn down, especially when you add all the other stressors of life.
Put all of this together, and it seems that everyone is tired from something or tired of something. Perhaps it is being physically and mentally tired because of the weekly and daily grind—the rat race—to make ends meet. Or we can get emotionally tired from heartache, family problems, heartbreaking loss. Sometimes it feels like wave after wave of emotional pain hits us—and it drains us. There is often more worry than there are waking hours in the day, so we lie awake at night to make sure all the worrying gets accomplished.
We can also get tired spiritually. We hold ourselves to a very high standard and grow weary from not being able to live up to it. Or we let others set requirements for us, holding up the bar and demanding that this is what it means to please God. Religiosity can sometimes place an impossibly heavy burden on our backs, and we get tired trying to lift it. Another way we can become spiritually tired is if we are living in sin or neglecting spiritual practices.
Busyness and the tiredness that comes from it are problems. It is a problem now, and it was a problem that Jesus was familiar with and something that he personally addressed. He said:
"At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 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.'" (Matthew 11:25-30)
Simply put, if you need rest, there is rest in Christ. If you are worn out from life, come to Christ. If you are fatigued, Jesus said, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." But the confusing thing is that Jesus continues by saying, "Take my yoke upon you…”
It's confusing because it doesn't make sense to say, "I will give you rest, here take this yoke." What does a yoke have to do with rest? A yoke is "an instrument made from bent wood that was placed around the necks of animals or persons [as a mark of slavery]." [1]The yoke was for working. So, is Jesus trying to pull a bait and switch here? He promises rest and then gives a yoke?
The problem is that we get the idea that rest means a lack of work, a lack of doing, or activity, burden, or responsibility. Of course, having time away from those things, times of relaxation, is needed. But there must be more to rest than relaxation, or else coming for rest and gaining a yoke does not make a lot of sense.
The rest that Jesus gives is not simply moments of relief in a busy schedule; it is a life of rest. With the yoke being a symbol of slavery, Jesus is calling us to submit to a new master, and in doing so, we will find a life of rest, which is different from a season of relaxation.
When Jesus says, "Come to me, take my yoke," He is calling us to cut ties with the things that previously ruled over us (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth) and enter into a relationship in which He rules over us. The yokes on our backs are driving us into the ground—Jesus calls us to a better way.
Making this shift requires a step of trust. We have become accustomed to our yokes. They are heavy but comfortable. They are worn in all the right places. In many ways, the yoke we carry feels like part of us. In some cases, it has even begun to fuse to our skin. Removing it is painful. The new yoke, sure, it is light, but it is new and awkward and not broken in.
So Jesus reminds us, "I am gentle and humble." Jesus doesn't stand over us like a policeman or angry taskmaster ready to whip us and drive us into the ground. He is not telling us how worthless and terrible we are. He is not condemning us, holding us down, or standing on our back. Jesus is gentle, humble, patient, and He guides and teaches us along the way, giving us rest for our souls.
Does this light and easy yoke mean Jesus' standards are easier or that He expects less from us than others do? Is Jesus permissive, saying, "Just be yourself, you do you, and whatever that is, it's good and okay"?
I don't think so. In fact, we will find in our lives that Jesus expects more from us, and His standard is higher because He loves us and knows who He created us to be. Author and teacher Scot McKnight says that the Sermon on the Mount can be reduced down to one word. And that word is "more."
We will find that when it comes to our families and relationships, He expects more from us than the world does. When it comes to how we treat one another, when it comes to our business dealings, when it comes to our life, Jesus expects more from us. Consider this: do you expect more from your child or more from that strange kid sitting in the sandbox picking his nose? Why?
So, if Jesus expects more from us, then what does it mean that His burden is light?
I think this illustration explains it well:
A teacher read to her class the text, "My yoke is easy.
"Who can tell me what a yoke is?" she asked.
A boy said, "A yoke is something they put on the necks of animals."
Then the teacher asked, "What is the yoke God puts on us?"
A little girl said, "It is God putting His arms around our necks." [2]
God expects more from us because of His love for us, but His burden is easy and His yoke is light because He helps us along the way. He is the source and author of life, and the more we walk with Him, the more we are revitalized. The more familiar His way (His yoke) becomes.
So when you are tired spiritually, receive His grace. When you can't reach that impossible bar; God's grace sustains you. If you feel trapped in sin, God's grace empowers you and sets you free. Rest in the knowledge that there is not anything you can do to make God love you more or love you less.
When you are tired emotionally and worried about everything, receive His grace. Trust in His care and providence. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
When you are tired physically or mentally, receive His grace. The grace that gave you the permission and the command to rest. The act of rest and relaxation requires trust in God. If you are physically or mentally tired and it feels like all you do is work, work, work—take the Sabbath rest He provides. Trust that the universe won't implode if you take a day or a week off.
Are you weary and heavy-laden? Come to Jesus.
[1] Jeremiah K. Garrett, “Yoke,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). [2] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1507.
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