The Yoke of Rest

In Nomine Iesu
St. Matthew 11:28-30
July 6, 2008
Pentecost 8A-Proper 9

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.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus~

Sometimes it happens in bed. Sometimes it happens on the sofa. This time of year it can also happen on the beach. And you can be sure it happens in the La-Z-boy recliner. What happens? Rest happens! Perhaps you could add to that list of rest-full locations. Then, of course, there are places where we don’t expect to find rest: on the job, in the lawn or garden, sitting in the classroom. Those are places where work is going on. Rest and work are different things that usually happen in different places.

This is why Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel might sound somewhat confusing. When Jesus says, “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest,” that sounds great. But then He goes on to say, “Take my yoke upon you . . .” Now, this sounds like a contradiction because putting on a yoke indicates that there’s work to be done, not rest to be given. How can Jesus promise to give rest to the weary, and in the next breath tell the weary to put on his yoke? Yokes are for work, not for rest.

But let’s back up for a second. When I was growing up, the only time I heard the work “yolk” was to describe the yellow part of an egg. Of course, that’s yolk spelled Y-O-L-K. Jesus, however, is describing a yoke, spelled Y-O-K-E—an implement that was used to bind and control animals. Back in the old days, horses and oxen were yoked to pull a plow in the field. The yoke kept the beasts of burden from running off when there was work to be done. The yoke was used to control and direct the hard-working animals.

But in ancient times it wasn’t just animals that were yoked. People—slaves—often wore a yoke to show that they were under the authority of their master. Most often, instead of wearing an actual yoke, they would wear something around their neck or ankle to indicate their slave status. Incidentally, that’s the origin of the necklaces that many of you are wearing today. What used to symbolize the yoke of slavery is today a fashion statement. The same thing was true for rings worn around the finger. In fact, even today a wedding ring symbolizes that husband and wife are yoked to one another.

The point of all this is simply to show that the yoke was a sign of work; not a sign of rest. How strange, then, that Jesus should make this promise: “Take my yoke upon you . . . and you will find rest . . .” But how can a yoke—even a “light” yoke—help us find rest for our souls?

It doesn’t make sense, but this is exactly what Jesus promises you. In wearing His yoke—in submitting yourself to Him in faith—you will find rest for your soul. You can’t earn this rest by your good behavior. You can’t buy this rest with your wealth. Jesus says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” Wearing the yoke of Jesus means that your life is controlled and directed by Him. He’s the One holding the leash—pulling the reigns. Your life is bound to Christ as a bride is bound to her groom. Wearing the yoke of Jesus means walking in His ways, delighting in His will, keeping His commands.

But the problem is we’re sinners. We’re not interested in yoke-wearing or cross-bearing. We don’t care to be in submission to Jesus or anyone else for that matter. We’ll gladly take the rest that Jesus promises; but we’ll just as gladly leave the yoke-wearing and cross-bearing for somebody else. When you’re not wearing the yoke of Jesus it means that you’re living your life on your terms. Instead of faithfully receiving the rest that Jesus gives, we go looking for the rest and relaxation that money can buy—and money and buying and earnings—they become the yoke around our necks. When you’re not wearing the yoke of Jesus it means that you can wander off wherever you please—looking for cheap thrills online, or pursuing the recklessness that comes from drunkenness. When you’re not wearing the yoke of Jesus—when you’re not submitting to Jesus and His Word—it means that you want others to submit to you and you’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen—even if you have to say some things that really shouldn’t be said.

Beloved in the Lord, it’s all a lie. Apart from Jesus and His yoke, we may have the desire to do what is good, but we cannot carry it out. And the evil that we don’t want to do—these are the very things we keep on doing. You need to be yoked to Jesus. Because this is how it works: either you’re yoked to Jesus, submitting to Him, allowing Him to guide and direct you by faith; OR ELSE you’re yoked to your sins, submitting to them, allowing them to guide and direct you to a place where you will be forever “free” of Jesus.

To all of us so worn and weary of our sin, Jesus gives the invitation: “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy and my burden is light and you—you will find rest for your souls.” Are you weary and burdened by your sin? Have you slipped out of the yoke of Jesus one too many times to follow your own sinful desires? Jesus wants you take His yoke again, and learn from Him. Learn what it means that He’s gentle and humble in heart. Learn what it means that only Jesus is able to rescue us from this body of death.

This past week I read of a Sunday school teacher who read to her class the words of Jesus where He says, “My yoke is easy.” The teacher then asked her class, “Who can tell me what a yoke is?” One little boy said, “It’s something you put on the necks of animals.” Then the teacher asked, “What is the yoke that God puts on us?” To which one little girl responded, “It’s God putting His arms around our necks.” She viewed the yoke of Jesus . . . as a hug from Jesus. She knew that wearing that yoke is not a burden, but a blessing. She knew that wearing the yoke of Jesus means living each day knowing that the Savior has placed His arms of love and forgiveness around our necks.

The arms of Jesus which are holding you today in love—those arms have carried a burden that was not easy. Jesus bore a yoke that was not light. In fact, the Greek word for “yoke” is also used for the crossbeam which Jesus took up and carried to the place of His execution (ABD, vol.6, “yoke”). Because Jesus has carried that yoke—the burden of your sin and death—today He invites you to take up His yoke of rest and forgiveness and life.

“Come to me,” says the Savior, “all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Beloved in the Lord, this is the place where weary and burdened sinners can come to Jesus. This is the place where Jesus gives you rest, peace, forgiveness and hope. In fact, Martin Luther in the Large Catechism, wrote that the words, “Come to me and I will give you rest” are nothing more than an invitation to the Lord’s Supper—to receive the body and blood of Jesus—to have the burden of your sin taken away. Here at this altar Jesus lightens your burden with His forgiveness. Here at this altar Jesus puts His arms of love right around your neck.

The yoke of Jesus gives you rest. When you’re wearing that yoke it means that Jesus is running the show—Jesus is directing your life—Jesus is leading you to heaven. He carried His cross so that you can wear His yoke. He’s done the work and you get the rest. Amen.