Scripture: Matt 11:28-30, 16:24-25, etc.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).
Coming to Jesus means leaving the world of darkness and coming to the light. To do this, repentance is necessary. Repentance means turning from the mentality of darkness to Jesus’ teaching of light. All actions of sin arise from the mentality of darkness.
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 (v. 29).
In simple terms, the mentality of darkness is wanting to save one’s life. The opposite of this is the mentality of denying oneself, which Jesus expresses figuratively as “take my yoke upon you.”
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (v. 30).
Speaking of denying ourselves, we usually think it is difficult and we cannot do it, but Jesus says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Now, think about this. Which is easier: living in the dark with anxiety and fear, not knowing where you are going, or living in the light, knowing where you are going and heading to? Moreover, the yoke you bear is the yoke of light that Jesus bears with you. He says, “Learn from me” so that he will teach us how to bear this yoke. The key to this learning is to pay attention to his character of being “gentle and humble in heart.” How “gentle and humble” was he? This character was revealed most clearly in his death on the cross. It is the yoke of light, and we have taken the same yoke upon ourselves and become learners from him. John says in his letter:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 John 3:16).
Those who take upon themselves the same yoke as he did are the ones who learn from him and walk as he walked. John also says:
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (2:6).
on a cross. The opposite of this yoke is to “save one’s life,” which is the usual way of life in this world. We believers must know the difference between these If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matt 16:24-25).
(From Sermon Summary, “Children of Light” No. 8)
