What makes Jesus' yoke light? (Matthew 11:1-30)
We were doing family devotions the other night, and I was so proud of two of them, and found their insights so helpful, that I thought I'd sidetrack for a week and just make a record of this for myself. And the best way I know to do that, is to teach on it. So this week we will work from Matthew 11:1-30. At some point, I have every intention of teaching a series on Matthew. I love Matthew; it's my favorite book in the Bible. But for now, this will be just one week.
Let's start by reading Matthew 11:1-2 (NIV no reason-- that's what biblegateway naturally loads first for me):
11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
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"Preaching," as far as I know, always refers to proclaiming the good news about Jesus to outsiders in the NT. Peter didn't want to wait on tables because he was evangelizing (Acts 6), not because he was "preaching from the pulpit." So Jesus was "teaching," and "preaching/proclaiming."
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John has some doubts, about whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. He's in prison, which is unexpected, and maybe he's wondering if he threw his life away for the wrong person.
Jesus responds by giving his this encouragement, in Matthew 11:4-5 (NIV no reason):
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
In the gospel of Matthew, at this point, Jesus has healed lots and lots of people, from lots and lots of weaknesses, and diseases. He's proclaimed the good news to the needy-- and part of that good news, is healing. There is life in God's kingdom. There is freedom from all of Satan's power (Matthew 10:1). [And Matthew set up chapters 8-9 to prepare us for Jesus' words here. Matthew systematically told stories of healing, for each of these things Jesus names.] So Jesus reassures John, that the miracles are proof that Jesus is Messiah.
In verse 6, Jesus says something that's maybe unexpected:
6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Jesus is not the type of Messiah that people expected. There's something about him, that's surprising. John the Baptist is evidence of this. If John is unsure, lots of people are unsure. There's just something about Jesus, that makes it hard to commit to him as Davidic king. And so Jesus, knowing this, offers a blessing to "anyone who doesn't stumble on account of me." Jesus is maybe not what you expect, in some ways. But he is who you expect, in the big way. He is in fact the coming one. He is Messiah.
Now, what exactly is it about Jesus that causes stumbling, potentially? Jesus unpacks this, as we continue reading. Matthew 11:7-19:
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’[c]
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
One of the surprising things about Jesus, is how he lived. Jesus enjoyed life. He ate, and he enjoyed the food. He drank, and he enjoyed the wine. And, on top of this, Jesus spent time with the wrong crowd. He was a friend, not to the righteous, but to tax collectors and sinners.
Honestly, if Jesus was a member of this church, or its pastor, most of us would leave the church. We'd be super bothered by someone who spent his time in bars, or at parties, hanging out with "sinners." We'd say, he's spending his time with the wrong people. He's doing everything wrong.
But how would Jesus respond? The last line of verse 19: "Wisdom is proved right by her deeds."
You can tell Jesus is doing everything right, because "sinners" are joining God's kingdom, and people are being healed, and freed. The good news of the kingdom, is truly good news, for lots of people at this point. And if any of you are brave enough, and "wise" enough, to live like Jesus did, the rest of us need to keep our mouths shut, and realize we are the ones doing it wrong.
Verses 20-24:
(20) Then, he [Jesus] began to reprimand the towns in which he had done most of his miracles,
because they didn't repent.
(21) Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida;
because if in Tyre and Sidon they had been done-- the miracles-- the ones happening among you-- long ago in sackcloth and ashes they would have repented.
(22) Nevertheless, I say to you, for Tyre and Sidon, more bearable/tolerable it will be on the day of judgment than for you,
(23) and you, Capernaum, is it as far as heaven that you will be exalted?
As far as Hades, you will be brought down,
because if in Sodom the miracles had happened-- the ones happening among you-- it would have remained/abided until today.
(24) Nevertheless, I say to you that for the land of Sodom, more bearable it will be on the day of judgment than for you.
Jesus had just said, "Blessed are those who don't stumble on account of me." And now we read about whole cities, and towns, where Jesus was rejected. Where people did stumble. The people in these towns saw incredible miracles, and those miracles did nothing for them. The people refused to repent-- to turn from their sins, and turn to Jesus. And as a result, it's going to be horrific for them on the day of judgment. When Jesus returns, in judgment, to earth, people are judged on the basis of their works (Matthew 7:24-29; 25:31-46). And they are also judged, on the basis of how much light they've received.
There are people who have seen healings, and signs, and wonders, and they've heard the good news about the kingdom. And some of these people refuse to repent. They've been given everything they need-- they've heard the whole gospel, preached in power (1 Thessalonians 1:5; Romans 15:19)-- and they didn't repent.
For those people, the day of judgment is going to be especially bad. What exactly this means, I don't know. But there are degrees of judgment, and it will be worse for them, than the most wicked people in the OT.
Verse 25-27:
(25) At that time Jesus answering/responding, Jesus said,
"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you hid these things from the wise and intelligent,
and you revealed them to children.
(26) Yes, Father,
because in this way, pleasing it was before you.
(27) All things to me have been handed over by my Father,
and no one knows the son, except only the Father,
and no one, the Father, he knows except only the son, and to whomever the son wishes to reveal [him].
When you stop and think about signs and wonders, you'll realize they are a polarizing thing, in many ways. When you see people healed-- on youtube, or in church, or anywhere-- you have to make a decision about what you've seen. Is it real? Are you being scammed? Most of the people with the greatest healing ministries of our time-- Todd White, Benny Hinn, Curry Blake-- have this following of people who are determined to show that none of this is real. For every youtube video of Todd White laying hands on someone, there are two videos explaining to you why this is a deception. So healings cause division. Some people praise God, and come to Jesus, when they see the miracles. Others, flat out reject them, and reject Jesus.
In verse 25, Jesus praises God, and he says that God is the one responsible for these two extreme reactions to miracles.
By using miracles, God has set it up so that the wise and intelligent reject Jesus. The wise and intelligent want to call themselves "discerning." They want to say they use "discretion," and that they see the world clearly. But their "discernment" keeps them from Jesus.
And people who come to Jesus like children, open-minded, see the truth.
Now, is all of this unfair?
What we are seeing here, is that true wisdom, and true intelligence, are not a matter of IQ. They are a matter of humility. People who are humble, and open-minded, can come to Jesus. They don't stumble on the miracles. They don't stumble on Jesus hanging out with sinners. When they see Jesus doing these things, they are actually drawn to Jesus.
So those are the two reactions we've seen. Some, seeing Jesus, become his disciples. And some, seeing Jesus, harden their hearts, and refuse to repent.
We see these two groups, and we understand how they happen. But the question you need to ask yourself, is how will you respond? What do you think about Jesus? This brings us to verse 28-30:
(28) Come toward me, all of the ones laboring and burdened, and I will give you rest/relief from toil.
Jesus looks at the world, and he sees a people struggling with heavy burdens. They are caught in sin. They are oppressed by satan. They are struggling with all kinds of physical problems. And Jesus knows that he is the answer to all of those things.
And so he opens it up, and offers an invitation to everyone-- including you. If you have these burdens, come to Jesus, and Jesus will give you rest. These burdens are not something you need to carry any longer.
At the same time, simultaneously, we have verse 29-30:
(29) Take up my yoke upon you and learn from me,
because gentle/meek, I am, and lowly/humble/servile in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls/lives.
(30) For my yoke is easy to carry,
and my burden, light, it is.
Jesus offers rest to you. Right? But the path to that rest, comes from taking Jesus' yoke upon you, and learning from him.
This idea of "learning," is the key to understanding Jesus here.
Jesus has taught a great deal, already, so far in Matthew. If we'd done this the right way, we'd have worked through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and the Commissioning of the Disciples (Matthew 10). We'd have had lots of opportunities to learn from Jesus.
And if we'd read through that, and really took Jesus' words to heart, we'd maybe find ourselves struggling here.
Jesus' yoke, at first glance, doesn't seem very light. Let's turn to Matthew 5:17-20 (NRSV):
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,[c] not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks[d] one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus' words here are widely misunderstood. Lots of people think Jesus "fulfilled" the law by dying on the cross, and freeing us from the law. But that's not at all what Jesus means. Jesus "fulfills" the law, by explaining what God actually wants from his people. And what this means, concretely, is that Jesus raises the bar from where Moses left it. God expects more from his people. God expects a higher level of obedience now, than He did for Israel. Your righteousness has to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, or you won't get into heaven's kingdom (Matthew 5:20).
[And we fulfill the obligations of the law, as we walk in step with the Spirit. That's why we aren't under condemnation (Romans 8:1-4).]
Jesus then unpacks this in the rest of chapters 5-7. Moses had taught the people, don't murder. But Jesus says, "don't be angry" (Matthew 5:21-26). Jesus raises the bar.
Now, I've heard all of this explained very differently. Some people think Jesus is saying all sins are equal. Murdering someone, is like being angry with them. Committing adultery, is like looking lustfully at a woman. Both are sin, and no sin is worse than any other, and we all sin. This completely misreads Jesus. Jesus is raising the bar-- even looking lustfully at a woman, is like committing adultery. And both put you on the path to hell (Matthew 5:30). It's not enough that you don't murder someone. Even calling someone a "fool," puts you in danger of hell (Matthew 5:22). Both are dangerous. Jesus is raising the bar.
Another good example is found in Matthew 5:31-32:
Moses taught the people, if you divorce, give her a certificate of divorce. But Jesus says, "don't divorce, except in the case of sexual immorality (Matthew 5:31-32).
Moses taught the people, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but Jesus says, "Don't retaliate" (Matthew 5:38-42).
He then tops it all off in Matthew 5:48: "Be perfect, therefore, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect."
That's the bar. Be exactly like your Father in heaven.
Jesus then concludes the sermon on the mount like this, Matthew 7:24-29:
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus here is talking about the day of judgment. If you "hear" Jesus, and "do" what Jesus says, you are building your life on a firm foundation. And you will be fine, on the day of judgment.
But verse 26, if you "hear" Jesus' words, and don't "do" them, you're foolish. You're building your life on the wrong foundation, and great, your fall will be.
This is the yoke that Jesus gives. This is what he teaches. Now let's go back to Matthew 11:29-30:
(29) Take up my yoke upon you and learn from me,
because gentle/meek, I am, and lowly/humble/servile in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls/lives.
(30) For my yoke is easy to carry,
and my burden, light, it is.
How can Jesus say that his yoke is light? How can he say that it's easy to carry? How can he say that this is the path to rest?
That's the question I asked my kids in devotions. How can you read Matthew 5-7, in one sitting, and talk about Jesus' yoke being light?
As a family, we answered my question three different ways. I think all of us answered rightly. We had good insights. But amusingly, none of us fully heard Jesus' words. Jesus tells us how this is possible. And we all missed it. So let me give you four reasons, why Jesus' burden is light:
(1) God has given us his Holy Spirit. (Kid #2). The Spirit enables obedience. He gives us the desire, and the power, to obey. Ezekiel 36:22-32:
22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you shall remember your evil ways, and your dealings that were not good; and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds. 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, O house of Israel.
When you become Jesus' disciples, God gives you a new heart, and He gives you a new spirit-- His Spirit. And when He does this, He enables obedience. So child #2 was completely right. Jesus' yoke is light, because we have the Spirit to help us (Romans 8:4).
(2) The second reason Jesus can say that his yoke is light, is because he knows that God will help in other ways. Child #1. Specifically, this has to do with material things, and money.
Jesus says, don't store up treasure on earth (Matthew 6:19). But that's exactly what we want to do. We want to be able to look at our pantry, and our bank statement, and know that even if the world completely falls apart, we will be fine for a while. But Jesus encourages us, that we don't have to do this. God values you; God will take care of you, like He takes care of the flowers, and the birds. Jesus promises, that if you strive first for God's kingdom, and his righteousness, that you won't lack. God will give you what you need (Matthew 6:26-33). The path to financial security, runs through trusting God.
So when it comes to money, Jesus' teaching is a light yoke, because with that yoke, comes God's promise that He will take care of us.
(3) The third reason Jesus can say that his yoke is light, is because his yoke, is a good yoke. Jesus is pointing you toward the best possible path in life. It's a path marked by contentment, by forgiveness, by healthy relationships. It's a path marked by faithfulness to your spouse.
All of those things, are good things. When you make a marriage work, in tough times, you'll come through the
other side with a stronger, healthier marriage. And you'll come through that, appreciating your spouse more. And they'll appreciate you more, too, which is nice. [and you are less likely to break your relationship with your kids as well, if you stick to your spouse].
When God becomes your Heavenly Father, you're adopted by a good God. God is a loving Father. He watches over you; He provides for you.
When you are reconciled to your brother or sister, you've created a friendship that's better than it was before. Friendships that survive fights, are deeper, and stronger. Plus, Jesus would say, you won't end up thrown in jail.
There's all kinds of perks, to being reconciled when you've wronged someone.
If you don't take on Jesus' yoke-- his teaching-- and you do it your own way, what's the end result? Unfaithfulness. Broken marriages, and families. Lost friendships. Discontent. Unhappiness. A lack of blessing. No relationship with God, or his son.
Jesus' yoke, is a good yoke.
(4) The fourth reason we should take on Jesus' yoke, is based on what Jesus actually says in Matthew 11:29. Let's reread it:
(29) Take up my yoke upon you and learn from me,
because gentle/meek, I am, and lowly/humble/servile in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls/lives.
Jesus has a yoke, and that could be scary, potentially. We understand that the bar is high. But it's not scary, or heavy, because of who Jesus is.
Jesus is gentle. Jesus is humble. And Jesus is, by nature, a servant.
Jesus is the kind of boss, or king, that's a privilege to serve. The kind who understands your weaknesses. The kind who wants only what's best for you. The kind who values you, and who doesn't exalt himself over you.
Jesus has set the bar really high. But he's not walking around with a ruler, ready to rap knuckles. He's not walking around with a scowl, picking fights. Jesus wants only what's best for you. He is a good Lord. A good Davidic king. A good Messiah.
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It's possible this morning that some of you aren't really Jesus' disciples. You'd call yourselves "Christians." But you've never taken Jesus' yoke on. You've "heard" Jesus' words, but you don't "do" them.
Maybe, you live this way because you think Jesus "fulfilled" the law by dying on the cross. You've misunderstood what Jesus wanted, and what Jesus did. And you didn't even know there was a yoke. That was me, for sure, until I was 15. I remember sitting in a cabin at camp, reading a book about following Jesus, and realizing that I wasn't truly Jesus' disciple. A shocking moment. In that moment, I submitted to Jesus. I repented. And I took Jesus' yoke on, and became his disciple.
Or maybe, you live this way because you live with a misunderstanding of Paul. Your whole life, you've been warned that "works" don't do anything. You've been warned against "legalism," and against focusing too much on obedience. I've been in multiple churches where any talk of commitment, and self-sacrifice, and yokes, leads someone to pipe up quickly, "We will always sin." Talk about loyalty, and living a cross-shaped life, for very long, and people get nervous.
In every church, it seems like someone always tries to lower the bar.
But Jesus says, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and scribes, you won't enter God's kingdom" (Matthew 5:20). Jesus says, "Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect." That's the bar. That's the expectation. When you sin, you confess, and repent (Matthew 6:12, 14-15). But you don't live in sin. You live, consecrated to God.
There is no difference between a Christian and a disciple (Acts 11:26). It's not a two step process, where you become a Christian first, and then later, optionally, Jesus' disciple. Jesus is really clear: if you don't "hear" his words, and "do" them, you are not his disciple. There is no discipleship, apart from taking on his law (Matthew 7:23; it's really important we translate that literally, "the ones working the lawlessness"-- we need to hear "law" in his words there; it ties the whole "sermon" together). And you will not be safe on the day of judgment.
Hearing Jesus words, by itself, is no protection. The sinner's prayer, is no protection. Your obedience, is your protection. You built your life on the right foundation-- on obedience to Jesus' words-- and you will be okay. You took on Jesus' yoke. You took on Jesus' law (Matthew 7:23). That's what gives you confidence. That what gives you "assurance" (1 John 2:1-6). You are Jesus' disciples, not in words alone, but in action. You follow him; you obey him. And that's how you know you are okay now (1 John 2:1-6), and that you will be okay on the day of judgment (Matthew 7:24-29).
And what this passage adds to all of this, is that this obedience, is a light yoke. Obeying Jesus is good for you. And God promises you that if you commit to Jesus-- if you take his yoke on-- He will give you all kinds of help. You don't do any of this alone.
So Jesus sets the bar high. But don't misunderstand this, and assume that Jesus is inviting you to something really hard, or painful. Jesus is inviting you to a far better way of life-- a life in true relationship with him, and with his Father. A life of freedom from human's worst enemies. A life of peace, and contentment, and forgiveness, and healthy relationships.
It's truly a light yoke. And if you haven't taken it on, understand two things: First, this yoke isn't optional. There is no path to Jesus, apart from the yoke.
And second, this yoke gives rest, and peace, and comfort, and prosperity in life. It's a good yoke, because it's offered by a good Savior.
