Key Text: Matthew 11:28-30, (40-BSG-11Y)/ Theme: Take My Yoke.

The Yoke of Christ? Exploration –(Mt 7:24; 17:5; Jn 13:17; 14:21-24; 15:10-14; 1 Cor 9:21; 2 Cor 10:5; 1 Thess. 4:2; 2 Thess. 1:8; Heb 5:7, 8, 9).

What is a Yoke? “Originally an instrument of service designed to make cooperative effort possible, the “yoke” became, from ancient times, a sign of submission, especially to a conqueror. A victorious general mounted a yoke on two spears and made the defeated army march under it in a token of submission. To “pass under the yoke” was a common expression designating submission and servitude (cf. Jer. 27:1–11, 17; Jer. 28:1–14).”

A W Pink writes that…

• “The “Yoke” is a figure of subjection. The force of this figure may be easily perceived if we contrast in our mind oxen running loose and wild in the field and then harnessed to a plow where their owner directs their energies and employs them in his service. Hence, we read that, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lam. 3:27), which means that unless youths are disciplined, brought under subjection, and taught to obey their superiors, they are likely to develop into sons of Belial—intractable rebels against God and man.”

The purpose of a yoke was not to make the burdens of draft animals heavier but lighter; not harder, but easier to bear. Thus, the true meaning of the word “yoke” becomes clear. By “My Yoke,” Christ meant His way of life. The “yoke” of Christ is none other than the divine will as summed up in the law of God and magnified in the Sermon on the Mount.” — (The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, 5:389).

What is the Yoke of Jesus Christ? What is the implication of taking Christ’s yoke upon us? It means obedience (keeping God’s Law), surrendering ourselves to His Lordship, submitting to His rule, and letting His will be done! His will become our will (Mt 6:10b). Matthew Henry commenting on this text, had this to say: “We are here invited to Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King, to be saved, and in order to this, to be ruled and taught by Him.” As the oxen are yoked to submit to their owner’s will and to work under his control, those who would receive the “rest of soul” from Christ are here called upon to yield to Him as their King.

Beloved, what makes Jesus’ yoke easy, and His burden light is that He carried the burden we were meant to carry in His perfect obedience to the Law of God. Thus, His perfect obedience is applied (imputed) to us through faith, just as His righteousness was exchanged for our sin at the cross (2 Cor. 5:21). Our obedience to Jesus then becomes our “spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1). Furthermore, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who works in our lives to mold us into the image of Christ, thereby making the yoke of Jesus easy and His burden light.

Have a Good Night: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1, NKJV)