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 11:28-30
Jesus extends the greatest invitation of all time with these words. He is calling to those who are burdened down and heavy with the cares and circumstances of life. He promises to replace those weights with rest and a lighter load.
“COME” = This speaks of a present call to “come now”. Jesus is calling for all to quit waiting and/or hesitating and come to Him for today/now is the day or time of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
“Weary” = laboring; to grow weary, tired or exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief). Life may have you overwhelmed or feeling defeated, but Jesus has offered to give you peace and rest.
“Burdened” = carrying an unnecessary load.
“Rest” = allow time to stop and recover your strength in order that you might continue on in life. However, the difference is that from this point on in the journey you will have Jesus with you to help you bear the load.
The Yoke of Jesus Christ vs. the Yoke of the World:
1. Jesus will never put more on us than we are able to bear.
Life will demand and demand from us and the world around us will never be satisfied.
The world will not accept our indication that “this is enough”, but will push us beyond what we can bear.
For those that are in relationship with Christ, He has promised to provide a way of escape in the midst of anything we may be tempted or tried by.
2. Jesus will never give up on us.
The world will treat us with an attitude of what have you done for me lately and use us for its benefit.
The world will bail on us in our time of weakness or greatest need.
The promise over and over in the Word of God is that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised to always be right there.
3. Jesus will never replace us with someone or something new and better.
The world will always be progressing and moving toward something greater and we can become quite expendable.
Jesus will stay beside us at all times and never leave us nor forsake us.
It doesn’t matter if you are 8 or 108, Jesus still loves you and has a plan for your life.
Jesus loves you just as you are and sees you as good enough for Him.
4. Jesus will greatly reward us for our faithfulness.
It often seems that no matter how much you give to the world, it only takes from you and never gives you anything in return.
Jesus has promised in John 14, that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that where He is we may also be. His reward for us and for our faithfulness is of ultimate, out of this world proportion.
The reward of the Lord is not just for those who finish first, but it is for all those who finish.
5. Jesus will help us bear the load.
Proverb 18 tells us that we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother, and one who is there to help carry the load.
For those who take up Jesus Christ, He is by your side and helping you through all things. And, when necessary, He is carrying you through.
