Get off the Treadmill
Matthew 11:25-30
September 10, 2023
The New York Times ran an article called "Happiness 101." They wanted to get to the root of what really makes people happy. A team of researchers concluded that Americans seek happiness in the wrong way.
They concluded - - people think ‘if we can experience more and more pleasure - - - it will bring me happiness. Researchers said anyone who thinks this way are on the hedonic treadmill.
The hedonic treadmill was first named in 1971 and basically it means we pursue our highs, but ultimately we always return to the baseline and pursue the newest highs so that we can satisfy ourselves. It comes from the word hedonism, which is the continual pursuit of self-gratification or happiness. It’s a form of narcissism.
Think about our patterns to acquire things - - - we move from
desire to striving for it.
Then we obtain it and are happy
Then it’s not new and we gain a new desire
It’s like phones. A new one comes out and you believe you need it, you spend your money on it, get it, are happy with your shiny new phone, but then it’s no longer new and new phones come out. And you start over again.
It’s the thought that I need to accumulate more, buy that new dress or purse, or car or phone and that will bring me happiness, but acquiring this golden prize just doesn’t cut it. So, we pursue something bigger and better . . .
. . . and frankly that’s exhausting.
So, the article was correct. Great start, but they crash and burn their landing. Because the solution to find real and true happiness is to GIVE YOUR LIFE AWAY.
Well, on the surface that sounds kind of Christian. Be sacrificial like Jesus was. Hey, they’re on the right path. But sadly, they fell short in their solution.
Their conclusion was this - - - - in order to find fulfillment in my life I need to give more money to that charity; or I need to serve at the mission; or I need to do something, which still sounds good, but the goal - - - - the motivation is for me to receive something.
I hope you're seeing what the problem is with all this. The problem with their solution is that it’s really self-defeating, because my acts of service are no longer acts of service if they're merely a means to fulfill a greater end, which is me.
I want happiness, so I'll serve, I'll give money, I'll do something. The problem is that I’m not doing these things because of my passion to serve or because I love the people, but because it’s supposed to make me feel good about me.
It’s not because I want to honor and glorify God. It’s really about glorifying me.
So, why am I carrying on about this? Because this is exactly what Jesus spoke about. How many times when you read the Bible do you see Jesus talking to the Pharisees and religious elite and He’s telling them they need to die to themselves in order to live for Christ?
It’s over and over and over. And we often seek to find that happiness through the religion of doing, until we can’t do anymore.
In the gospel of Matthew, in chapter 6, during the sermon on the Mount, Jesus assumed that His disciples would do what these researchers suggested.
That's why in Matthew 6, Jesus says
When you pray …
When you give …
When you fast …
It was an expectation. The deeper question was the motivation. Why are you doing these? Is it to earn favor with God? Is it to feel better about yourself?
Or - - - - is it because you’re passionate about Jesus and serving and fasting, reading the Bible, praying and giving your money are opportunities to serve God and His people?
You see, if you’re doing all of these things to attain happiness as a duty, then this is going to wear you down. There are days when reading the Bible for me is so much fun, that I read extra. It’s a privilege and a joy to be able to do these things, but they should never be a chore and burden.
Last week we talked about work and 2 weeks ago, an offer from Jesus. And we’re going to look at it again. It’s what Jesus offers us, because I really think we’re weary, tired, exhausted and in need of what Jesus is offering us. In Matthew 11, beginning in verse 25, we read - - - -
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30
When Jesus spoke about the weary, the heavy-ladened, those who labor, He's talking to the religious. Jesus wants us to understand when I live a life that is constantly saying through my deeds, ‘Hey God, look at me! Look what I’m doing for you - - - we’re trading the hedonic treadmill of worldly pursuit for the hedonic treadmill of religion. It will wear you out. He's offering us a great exchange. Exchange the yoke of religion for the yoke of gospel living.
I love what Jesus does, because this passage calls for us to take action, all based upon the offer from Jesus. There’s 3 words I want you to recognize.
28 Come
29 Take
29 Learn
Verse 27 reminds us that because Jesus knows the Father, Jesus chooses to reveal the father to us. And that’s really important because if we don’t know the Father through the gift of Jesus, then all of this is pointless. Jesus calls us and chooses to reveal the Father to us. That’s always our starting point! Know God!
Then, Jesus calls us. He says "Come to me …" That Greek word for come is used in the New Testament to speak of an invitation. He chooses us and then calls us. It’s an invitation to experience what God is offering us. It’s not a command of “COME HERE NOW!”
It’s that pleading invitation of “come, please, come, come to me!” That’s the great invitation from Jesus. Sometimes that invitation comes from a friend, who gives us this great offer. We live in a world which is so worked up and so weary, but looking for relief in all of the wrong ways.
God chooses. God calls. Then here's our response, it comes in verse 29. Jesus says take — "Take my yoke." Exchange the yoke of religion. Exchange the yoke of the world . . . . stop chasing your tail and seeking happiness in all of the wrong ventures. Stop and get off of that treadmill . . . . Stop running AND TAKE what God is offering . . . . and that’s a relationship with Him!! One where you can experience rest, peace and find joy!
You receive by faith. In other words, Jesus is calling us to enter into a relationship with Him.
Then He says, "Learn from me." It’s interesting that the Greek word for learn comes from the same word for disciple. So, we’re called to learn as His disciple.
Jesus chooses. He invites. And we respond by taking, entering into a relationship with Jesus. Then we live a life of discipleship. We follow and we learn from Him. And when we learn from Jesus, it’s not like going to school and taking tests, it’s learning in a relationship. It’s growing into the person God has called you to be. It’s savoring the relationship and wanting to get together again and again.
This is wonderful, and yet the truth of the reality is that when we take, when we enter into a life of discipleship, there is a simultaneous leaving. And this is what we so often struggle with.
Taking, accepting the offer from Jesus, also demands leaving. It means we must let go of something.
We see this theme over and over again in the Bible. Think about Jesus calling the disciples. They had to take Him and leave something behind. Follow Jesus and leave your nets behind, leave your tax collectors booth, leave your families. And some people were reluctant and wouldn’t and walked away sad and I would posit, wearied and heavy burdened.
In order to take Jesus we must at the same time leave certain things. I'm here to tell you by way of experience that there's nothing in this life that could even compare with Jesus. That to leave the things of this life pales in comparison to what we will find in Christ.
Now, religion isn’t bad, but it’s when we’re stuck in a works righteousness type of living that it becomes bad. When we believe the more I do, the more I get. So, we keep on doing and doing and doing. Or we do the opposite, we use all our power to resist temptations and say NO and NO and NO - - - - again and again.
Follow these rules and you’ll find contentment, stop doing this and you’ll be happy. Do this, then don’t do that and you’ll become righteous. If you live that way, you will never get to the point where you believe . . . “aah, I’m good! I’ve got Jesus and that’s all I need.”
It's the maddening part about religion and who the world calls us to be. You never get to a place where you check the box and you can find rest. You don't know how to get off of the treadmill of comparison. You just never get there.
It's like the ancient Greek myth of King Sisyphus. This is the king who thought he was smarter than all the other gods. He got Zeus angry with him. So, ultimately, Sisyphus dies and is cast into the underworld. As a punishment for his crimes, Hades made Sisyphus roll a huge boulder up a steep hill. He was told if he got it to the other side, he would be released.
So, he started pushing the boulder up the hill. Except that this was an impossible task. Hades rigged it, so that every time Sisyphus approached the top, the huge boulder would roll back down to the bottom of the hill and he’d start all over again.
So, Sisyphus was to live an eternity of useless efforts and unending frustration.
Thus, pointless or absolutely impossible activities are sometimes described as "Sisyphean.”
We often think, if I just move this rock, I’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, or I’ll feel better about myself, I’ll finally be happy and find peace. But that’s not what happens.
You'll find momentary areas of progress. It looks like you’re progressing. It’s like shoveling in a blizzard. You get a few inches up and by the time you’re done, the area you first started in has over an inch. So, what do you do, you keep shoveling. That’s Sisyphus in a nutshell. You’re never finished. There’s no rest.
It wears you out. We don’t know how to have real joy. We struggle with when others receive something good. It's the maddening part about it. We can intellectualize it and say yup, I’m struggling, but we fail to get off that treadmill.
There’s a story about a very wealthy man who had one child. It was a beloved son in whom he loved very passionately. Tragically this son died at a very young age. This man was filled with grief. As a coping mechanism he began to travel the world, and as he traveled accumulated rare pieces of art. Over the years he amassed a very rare art collection.
Some years later his wife died. Soon after that, this man died as well. According to the stipulations of his will, because it had no heir, his estate had to go up for auction. People from all over the world gathered at this man's estate. They're all excited about getting their hands on some rare art.
The auction begins and the auctioneers says, "Here's the first piece." They carry it out. It’s a painting by an unknown artist of a little boy, simply called The Son.
The people in the crowd knew this was no masterpiece and started murmuring, wanting the good stuff to be put up for auction. It was a picture of a little boy, and to be quite honest with you, the people in the crowd who had come from all across the world, they said we don't like this.
He asked for bids of $100, and nobody bid anything. Finally, he got down to $20, and an elderly woman bid on it. The auctioneer offered the people chances to bid for it. Nobody else wanted it and the auctioneer said, "Going once. Going twice. Sold for $20."
After that was settled the people began to stir in their seats and the auctioneer banged his gavel again and said, "This auction is now over." People were in pandemonium. They said, "What do you mean this auction is over? Where is all of the precious art?”
The auctioneer explained, "this first painting was actually painted by the father and the child is his son. The father stipulated that whoever has the son receives all He has."
Friends, that's the gospel. He who has the Son, Jesus, has it all. There's nothing in this life that could remotely compare to Jesus Christ. That's why I want to encourage you - - - - -
No amount of status, significance, or anything like that can compare with the Son.
No boy or girl can take the place of Jesus.
Alcohol and drugs and addictions cannot take His place.
The biggest and best homes and cars can’t take His place.
All the body imaging won’t make you more attractive to Jesus.
Whatever your past is . . . it doesn’t matter, because Jesus is calling you!
He wants you! He calls you to come to Him! He chose you! And now He wants you to take His yoke. That yoke isn’t punishment, it’s learning to trust the one who is holding the reins, and that’s God. He’s giving you the discipline and wisdom and courage and power to overcome whatever has been thrown your way.
When we have Jesus; we have it all. Have you clung to Him with all of your grip and left all behind to follow him? What idols, what gods are competing for the affection and that are only rightly due to the Son? Would you and can you leave them - - - and take the yoke of Jesus and trust that His yoke is easy, it’s light, it’s meant to give you rest and hope; and the only joy you’ll ever need.
The message of the gospel is that the one who has the Son, has it all.
Do you have it all?
