July 6
- Does Jesus Give us
a Heavy Cross or Easy Yoke?
In the second lesson Paul described a conflict
between willing and doing. As you
listened to his inner struggle, perhaps you could identify with him - even say
I’ve felt that way.
What I don't
understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing
things I absolutely despise... I can't be trusted to figure out what is best
for myself and then do it. Romans 7:15 Message translation
Despite every good intention, we find that we do
not follow through. I can will what is right but I don’t do it. In
Paul’s analysis, this results not from some character
defect or lack of will, but from the omnipresence of sin.
The moment I decide to
do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight
in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight... The power of sin within me keeps
sabotaging my best intentions…7:22
Paul, a respected religious leader, is sharing this
problem in a letter to the members of the Roman congregation. This is a problem
for everyone, but especially for the sincere religious person who desires the
good. Paul suggests that this struggle,
and at time inability, to do what one knows is right is an inescapable experience
of Christians in this life. He reminds us that sin’s power is such that it
corrupts even the best instincts of the most faithful and religious person.
Maybe it’s comforting to know that the great
apostle struggled just as we do - that he wasn’t always successful in doing
what’s right - or avoiding what’s wrong.
I obviously need help!
I realize that I don't have what it takes… I decide to do good,
but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My
decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. 7:20
What is the remedy for the problem? It’s not more human resolve to do good - not a greater exercise of will-power. After all, you can’t try harder than Paul
did.
Is there no one who can do
anything for me?
The answer, thank God, is that
Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to
set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with
all my heart, but am pulled by then influence of sin to do something entirely
different. 7:24,25
No human initiative, no matter how good or
forceful, can overcome the power of sin.
Only Christ can. Our battle with sin and temptation is futile without
deliverance from our Lord Jesus Christ.
A classic horror novel is the Strange Case of
Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis
Stevenson. It’s the story of a doctor
who concocts a potion that changes him into Mr. Hyde, a self-centered monster.
Asked where he found the model for the character, Stevenson replied: “I found
it in my nature.” He knew firsthand the meaning of Paul’s words,
I do the very thing I hate.
On the other hand, turning to the movies, there’s a
scene where the character played by Humphrey Bogart justifies himself saying, “A man takes a drop of gin too much once in
a while - it’s only his nature.” To which Audrey Hepburn replies, “Nature is
what we were put on earth to overcome.”
We can’t let our sinful nature control or define
us. That’s means we admit our sin and don’t try to excuse or justify it. Instead we confess our sins and our need for
help. We receive God’s forgiveness and
his offer of help. With Christ’s help we
put off our old ways and fight against our personal demons - which can be a
daily struggle even with the support of friends. But the great thing about
forgiveness is that we know there is another opportunity waiting for us, and
now we don’t have to make the same mistake again.
Take my yoke upon you – the yoke of being his disciple
– and learn from me – then you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:
29
Jesus calls you to be His disciple - Learn from
me. A disciple is by definition a learner – a student – and we are summoned
to a new form of learning, in which Christ’s Spirit is our teacher.
How do we learn from Jesus?
First, by praying daily and
worshipping every Sunday – and thus staying in contact with our teacher, whose
Spirit is among us. Second, by reading a little of the Bible every day and then joining a
Bible study class or group – by listening to the voice of Christ’s Spirit
speaking to us through His word.
Third, by being actively involved
in the fellowship of faith, the church. Our
brothers and sisters can encourage us and the Spirit can use them to guide us. Fourth, by giving of ourselves in some way in service to others –
putting our God-given talents and abilities to use.
These are the habits of a disciple – prayer and
worship; reading and studying the Bible; fellowship with other followers and
service. These are the ways we learn
from Jesus, and thus strengthen ourselves.
In the monologue on a late night show, the host
often makes a joke out of two seemingly unrelated news stories…
So about a week and half ago, a host noted a story
about a national survey of belief in God which showed there are more people who
don’t believe in God in California then any other state. More atheists in
Second news story: A meteorologist noted a strange
and unusual weather event that caused thousands of lightning bolts to rain down
from heaven on
More atheists in
John Haugee might say
this is an example of the wrath of God.
But as a Lutheran, I would disagree with him. We believe what Jesus taught: God is a loving
Father, who never afflicts His children, even those who don’t believe in
Him. And in love, the Father sent His
Son to be our Savior.
Jesus invites us: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me -
My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30
Think about a yoke.
Yokes are those things that are used to bind two oxen together to plow a
field. You put the two oxen’s heads in
it and they are yoked together. They
pull together. Jesus says he’s going to
give us a yoke, but because of our yoke-mate, the burden becomes lighter.
A man went over to help someone move some furniture
around. One of the family members, a
nine year old, really wanted to help. A
teenager grabbed one end of a heavy dresser, and the nine year old rushed to
grab the other end. Of course his end of
the dresser didn’t budge. So the man
said “Let me help you with that. Let’s
lift together.” So the two of them lifted one end… Even with his grunting and
straining, if the little guy let go, the man would not have noticed the
difference. But if the man had let go,
the little boy would have been crushed.
Jesus says “Come to me all you
who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Then he bends down, takes on the brunt of our load
and says “Let’s go”. Where we would be
crushed going it alone, Jesus helps lift that burden.
The burden is light because Jesus is the one who
helps his disciples carry the burden.
Let me give you a visual image of Jesus
words of invitation in today’s gospel. In
the Lutheran Cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark, above the high altar, is a life
sized statue of Jesus, with his hands extended in welcome - “Come to me,
all you who are weary”, and his head bent downward, “For I am gentle and
humble of heart.”
That statue beautifully expresses Jesus words and
once you have seen it, it comes to mind every time you hear these verses.
But one more thing about that statue of Christ with
his hands outstretched. Because
his head is looking down, as you stand in the nave, you can not see Jesus’ face. If you wish to see the Master’s face, you
must accept His invitation, go forward to the altar rail and kneel. It
is only when you are kneeling before the altar that you can see the face
of Jesus.
“Come unto me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I
will give you rest. - rest for your souls”
But to see his face, you must
literally come to him and kneel before him at the altar - kneel before him just as you
would to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion - because it in the sacrament
that you meet the Master
- in the sacrament ,
Christ comes to you to help you bear that burden, to refresh you if you are
weary and give you a share of His strength and power.
- In Holy Communion, the Savior offers you rest and
peace for your souls.
The Risen Jesus says to you “Come to me, my child,
come to me. I know you’ve been carrying
a heavy load, the weight of your pains, the burden of your sins, the load of
all your worries. Come here and I will
give you rest.”