Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

What exactly did Jesus mean when He spoke about burdens? Many of us go through life with burdens we are not entirely aware of – self-righteousness, stress, anxiety, worry, fear, cares of this life, poverty, curses, debts, sin, guilt and condemnation. 

We are on a journey through life and many of us carry all these heavy burdens needlessly. If you were embarking on a long journey with all these heavy stones in your backpack, what kind of progress do you think you could make? This was what Jesus was talking about. 

Jesus Christ has not asked us to do anything He hasn’t already done. Click To Tweet

Mark 10:36, Jesus Christ has not asked us to do anything He hasn’t already done. He is our perfect example in all things. We just need to follow in His footsteps and replicate his character. Matthew 26:36, Jesus always took the lead and showed us the way. 

Matthew 16:24 – “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up the cross and follow Me.” When we understand what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, we will find rest, life and peace. 

All that Jesus Christ went through and did on earth was for us. Click To Tweet

Isaiah 53 makes it clear that all Jesus Christ went through and did on earth was for us. Jesus didn’t need to go the way of the cross for Himself but for us. He was righteous. To us who are being saved, this is the power of God unto salvation. 

Only the blood of Jesus Christ can forgive and cleanse thus removing burdens of sin. The burdens of the world were upon Him. He even experienced the rejection of God, evident when He cried out ‘Father, why have You forsaken Me?’ on the cross. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:21

Yoke speaks of obedience. Many think that if they only believe in Jesus, that is enough but when the first church believed, they obeyed – they had the fruit of obedience, (Hebrews 5:7-9). Mentally agreeing is not enough; you have to be yoked to Jesus Christ in obedience. He says learn from Me. 

God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud. Click To Tweet

Jesus is inviting all of us to come to Him. The Bible says God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud. So, we must humble ourselves, understand we cannot do it in our own strength for salvation is found in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved, (Acts 4:12).

[The blog is written by Ed Gardiner; Sermon by Ivan Semenyuk]