Jesus said, “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, NIV)
Jesus lived this life we are called to live in a way that made it look easy. How did He do it? Before I answer that, I would like to ask you about what you believe and how you live this life.
When we consider this Christian life and its possible requirements, what do you believe to be the main points to consider? What are the key operatives for this good life to work perfectly and flow smoothly at all times, without hi-cups, speed bumps, accidents, problems and mishaps?
If you are as human as I am, then you know what I am saying is a bit of idealistic thinking. Yet, for most of us, these are the very things that bring us distress, confusion, and misunderstanding when it comes to living the Christian life. Subtle negative contributors (religious weights) can be shackled to this Christian life without us realising. They sneak in along the way during our learning and growth and weigh upon our experience.
The weights of religious expectation and formality have brought with them a snare and an excessive burden beyond what Jesus said He had given us to carry. Refer again to the opening verse in Matthew 11 above. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
There are several verses in Scripture that release us from these weights. Most of these verses address the burdens the religious leaders of that day had placed upon the people’s shoulders. Jesus scornfully addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees who held to these high expectations. It is hard enough to live without all the rules and regulations that we place upon our shoulders, let alone from those in high positions.
These beliefs we hold on to look like the many storylines, scenarios and self-talks that we give ourselves in how we should respond, talk and live among others, attempting to demonstrate our faith and Christian living as some form of the model believer. Yet, if we are completely honest with ourselves, we fail more times than we would like to admit, most times in fact, pretty badly, not only in our own company but also in the presence of everyone around us. Yikes!
And yes, sometimes those religious weights can be piled up on us so high by the most innocent of remarks by those who have no idea about the true Christian life. Nevertheless, they suggest that our performance is somewhat sub-par as if they have a great knowledge of what a Christian truly is.
Those in the world live under the same misconstrued view of the life truly heaven sent. For the world and its simple-minded perspective, the Christian life looks like a really nice, kindly person who would do anything and everything for you. They never say an unkind word, never do or say anything wrong. They are always happy and cheerful, having every part of their life look like it just came fresh out of the wrapper, unblemished and stain-free, a brand new and shiny kind of life.
Well, as I said before, if you are as human as I am, then you know what I am saying is a bit of a high ideal or just a plain misshapen view of reality.
Hebrews 12:1 says casting off every weight, laying aside every encumbrance,… or mass, burden and impediment.
This was said in the face of all the laws, regulations, and rituals heaped upon the shoulders and backs of the common people, weighing them down under a load too great to bear. Jesus did not take kindly to those who did such things but spoke very pointedly.
They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. (Matthew 23:4, NIV)
The load, the burden, the weight or the yoke is the same thing. It was the yoke of the law! This was the very thing Paul addressed in his letter to the Galatians believers. The band of men called Judaisers from Jerusalem followed Paul around in an attempt to bring disrepute to him and his gospel. They were attempting to bring the Galatian Christians back under a yoke of slavery, the Law of Moses, which had been fulfilled and put aside by Jesus Himself. Matthew 5:17, Ephesians 2:15.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1, NIV)
Now, for us who believe, a new way has been opened to those who claim Christ as Lord—a new way of the Spirit of life in Christ. The law was an external, rule and ritual-based living before God, but grace is now an internal governing power that God supplies through Jesus and fully satisfies His Holy laws and righteous requirements.
So when the Galatians attempted to mix the two, the gospel of grace and legalism of the Law, Paul exclaimed that they nullified grace by their works.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (Galatians 2:21, NIV)
Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:3, NIV)
So, coming back to my original question about how Jesus lived this life so easily, the answer is also really easy. He is this life! It makes complete sense that if Jesus is the author and perfecter of this thing called the Christian life, then it would be easy for Him to live it perfectly and in every way, right?
Other translations offer the following ways to say the same thing about Jesus.
He is:
- The pioneer and perfecter – NIV
- The leader and the source – AMP
- The founder and perfecter – ESV
- The source and perfecter – HCSB
- The author and finisher – KJV
- The beginner and finisher – The Message
- The initiator and perfecter – NLT
- The originator and perfecter – NASB
- The author and perfecter – Wuest, NAS95
- The originator and model – DGB
Jesus has become the very means for us to live this very life. This is what and who we need to spend our time on and in getting to know, to find out about, to discover and learn this Christ. He is its life, power, enabling, source and means to walk this walk.
So when you find yourself struggling against sin, being hammered by unseen forces, being pressurised by circumstances, stumbling through situations, hearing of peoples’ high expectations speaking wrongful words against you etc, know this: that there is one who is greater than all of these things and He has made a way so that you may be able to endure all in the power of another life. His life!
So, lay down the weights you have picked up. Cast off every unnecessary burden placed upon your shoulders by you, others or sincere misunderstandings. Discover Jesus and the power of His altogether heavenly life which lives inside of you, right at this very moment.
‘What is the yoke of Christ? It is bringing the kingdom of God into ordinary human life’ – Dallas Willard
Rest back into Him, lay down the burden of performance-based Christian living, and recline into His abiding love. Just like the branch rests in the trunk of the tree, all the life-giving sap flows in and produces the fruit of an abiding life, already made pleasing to God, already made righteous, and already made acceptable to God in Christ.
Recline and rest, and He will produce the fruit of an abiding life.