The Yoke: 2nd Symbol Of Christianity

THE YOKE: 2ND SYMBOL OF CHRISTIANITY

Mt. 11:29-30

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: A FLYING DEAD DUCK

1. John McKay, of the NFL, tells a story illustrating the supreme confidence of University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant.

2. “We were out shooting ducks, and finally, after about three hours, here comes one lonely duck. The Bear fires. And that duck is still flying today. But Bear watched the duck flap away, looked at me and said, ‘John, you are witnessing a genuine miracle. There flies a dead duck!’” [McKay, A Coach’s Story]

3. Obviously, he was denying he missed. Any duck that is still flapping isn’t dead. Nor is a Christian dead to Sin when they’re still toying with the world!

B. MESSAGE IDEA & SCRIPTURE

1. The Cross is the great symbol of Christianity. It sits atop church steeples, it’s the central symbol on the Christian flag, it’s worn on earrings and necklaces, and is the identifying mark of Christians around the world. It’s an awesome reminder of all that Jesus suffered and Jesus spoke of the cross as symbolic of Christian dedication. "Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).

2. But we’re going to find that Jesus also spoke of another symbol as representing our union with Him and service for Him: the Yoke!

3. This is found in Matt. 11:28-30, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

I. PURPOSE OF YOKES & HISTORY OF THEIR USE

A. DEFINITION & HISTORY

1. Yoke Defined: “A contoured crossbar having two U-shaped attachments that fit around the necks of a team of oxen or other draft animals, with a central ring for hitching the team to a cart, plow, or other load.”

2. HISTORY. Before modern times, farmers didn’t have machines like tractors to do the work. They used donkeys, horses, or oxen to plow the fields. Trees and stone blocks were also hauled by the harnessed animals.

3. Evidence has been found of yokes in China as early as AD 500 and AD 800 in Europe, but the Bible speaks of the use of yokes as early as 1760 B.C. (Gen. 27:40).

B. ADVANTAGE OF YOKE: GREATER STRENGTH

1. Pairing up animals not only doubles their strength, but triples and quadruples it! A horse-pulling contest was held. One horse could pull 4,500 pounds and the other horse pulled 4,000. You’d think, if together, they could pull about 8,000 pounds together. Not so. When teamed up, the horses could pull 12,000 pounds together (or a third more total weight)!

2. This indicates that when we get into harness as a yoke-fellow with Jesus Christ, that we not only have our strength to draw on, but His mighty strength! So the difficulties of life are much more easily handled.

II. THE TWO YOKES

There are two yokes. The first is Satan’s/ the world’s/ sin’s yoke. This yoke is heavy and wears you down. The second is Christ’s yoke. It is easy & light.

A. SATAN’S YOKE

1. ALL LOST PEOPLE HAVE THE YOKE OF SLAVERY TO SATAN ON. As the Lord Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” John 8:34. We’ve all sinned, therefore, every one of us has been a slave to sin! Jesus in Matt. 6:24 stated that everyone was subject to one of two masters, God or mammon.

2. Those without Christ wear a heavy yoke of sin. They are slaves to that sin, controlled and bound to it. Satan has them blinded to this fact. They were born with this yoke so they often don’t even know they have it on. It is a heavy yoke and it’s forcing them closer and closer to eternal death.

3. Satan’s yoke is heavy. In Deut. 28:48, God wanrs the Israelites that if they leave Him “you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. [They] will put an iron yoke on your neck....”

4. In Christ, God takes away the world’s heavy yoke. See Isa. 10:27 and Jer. 30:8.

B. CHRIST’S YOKE

1. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters;” you have to choose who you will serve. So, precious Saints, if you want to be servants of God, if in your heart there burns a holy desire to serve God, begin at the right place. Jesus directs you to the DOOR of entrance into His service when He says, “COME UNTO ME, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

2. Jesus gives us freedom – we don’t have to buy it; we can’t earn it, nor deserve it. He says, “COME TO ME -- by believing on Me, trusting wholly in Me, and surrendering your self-will. Then you’ll find Me to be your All in all and I will give you rest.”