Struggling

Struggling – Matthew 11: 16- 30

Intro: Have you ever tried to tighten a screw with one of these (a butter knife)? It can be done; but, it is much easier to do it with the right one of these (a screw driver – 2 types: regular and fillips). It is even easier with one of these (an electric screwdriver). The point is that we may struggle with a task, a job or even life if we don’t have the right tools.

I I am not going to be dealing with VSS. 16 – 24 this morning. I want to concentrate on VSS. 25 – 30 because I believe the speak more directly to where most people are in society today. These verses are peculiar to Matthew, who either used his own tradition or composed it himself.

A How many of you this morning feel worn out, washed up, and hung out to dry? By that I mean we are just “weary” because we deal with turmoil, divisions, and negativity. There is very little positive going on in our city, country or the world.

B Jesus addresses that same situation in VS. 28 “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened . . .“ Is that how you feel? WEARY AND BURDENED!

C The GK word for weary is kamno / ??µ? is most often translated as to be weary from constant work. I ask you: are you weary of working hard and getting nowhere; being sick or in pain with no relief in sight; or tired of the negativity and discord? Are you “weary” of the situation in which we live today?

II Perhaps the answer is escaping to somewhere or something. Is the answer drugs, alcohol, meditation, or taking a long vacation. No matter what you do, reality is none of these “solutions” address the root cause of the weariness.

A The answer to our weariness is the 2nd half of VS. 28 “and I will give you rest.” This passage is often used at funerals; but, the “rest” that Jesus talks about is not eternal rest.

B The “rest” that Jesus offers is a synonym for salvation, associated with the kingdom of God and eternal life. There are 2 GK words for REST. The 1st is anapausis / a??pa?s?? that is literally translated as cessation from labor.

C The 2nd word is sabbatismos / saßßat?sµ?? which is the word used here. It refers to the repose of Christianity, a type of heaven.

III The kind of rest Jesus offers is not the same as the rest that the world offers.

A We might prefer to stop working because we are weary or tired of doing what that job entails. You may have used the description of your situation as being sick and tired.

B We are not promised that the load will be removed or even lightened. Rather, Jesus explains what he means. VSS. 29 – 30 “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.”

C Jesus speaks of HIS YOKE. In the time of Jesus, a yoke was a wooden device used by farmers to link together two oxen to plow fields. A common practice was to put together an oxen have experience in plowing fields with an oxen new to the experience. A yoke is meant for 2: in this case, Jesus and us.

Concl: In 1989 Bill Withers wrote a popular song expressing the very essence of this passage. His lyrics say, “Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you to carry on, for it won’t be long, ‘til I’m going to need somebody to lean on.”

This is exactly what Jesus is saying. We can “lean on” Jesus when we’re not strong. Jesus is our friend and with Him, he bids us “Come to 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.”