Matthew 11:20-30
July 6, 2008
Jeremiah 6:16-20
Patrick Preheim
Walk the Good Way
Many of us simply cannot hear this passage from Matthew without thinking of
the Handel piece which appears in the Messiah. The vocal lines dance with great
lightness as the soprano, alto, tenor and bass weave in amidst each other
carrying the melody. Administration of the sacrament of the sick (one of the
Roman Catholic sacraments) is another context in which I have heard this
scripture. Historically known as the “Last Rites” the post Vatican II church has
emphasized that the sacrament of the sick is for the living who seek healing,
not just for the dying seeking final reconciliation. I have often been
privileged to hear a priest preside over the sacrament, and more times than not
the service of anointing would begin with Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all you
that are weary and carrying heavy burdens... and so forth. The Mennonite
Minister’s manual includes Matthew 11:28-30 as one possibility in the section
titled “Anointing of the sick”, and the Anglican prayer book includes the verse
in the “at the time of death” liturgy. If the Anglicans, Mennonites, and
Catholics can agree on something we can practically conclude that the church
universal has accepted this piece of scripture as a pastoral word of comfort for
those whose work is nearly finished. While I accept its place in ministry to the
sick and the reality that many people have been blessed by these words at a time
of deep suffering, I think this usage has been too closely linked with ministry
near the time of death. Our text this morning was intended as solace for those
frustrated in the midst of their kingdom work, not comfort for those whose work
is potentially near completion. When I hear Handel’s music I feel inspired to
courageously meet the tasks before me. My chief concern may, in fact, be a
struggle with illness or death, but neither the text nor the music are that
specific. Listen to a few stanzas. [play a brief section of Handel’s “His Yoke
is Easy”] The music makes me feel relieved, ethereal, above it all. Handel
focuses on inspiration, not comfort, and I think Handel got it right. If I were
a score keeper I would say musicians 1, Prayer book theologians 0. The good news
of our text this day is that Christ lightens our spirits when we are weary with
the indifference of others, when we are burdened by obligation, when we feel
trapped. The good news is that Christ is there with us in the yoke as we plough
the field God has given us in this season.
What is it at the end of Matthew 11 that makes me say this is the good news of
our text? Well, Matthew11:25-30 is a bridge between verses 20-25 and two Sabbath
stories early in chapter 12. The verses immediately preceding the gentleness of
the yoke passage are filled with “woe statements” against people who listened
easily to the message of Jesus and chose not to modify their lifestyle in any
way. Those organizing the lectionary readings for today listed Matthew omitted
these hard words against three stubborn cities in Galilee, and I think they
skipped the passage because it is so caustic. The “weary” are not those who are
physically ill or the dying. More likely the weary are the faithful minority of
those communities frustrated by a largely indifferent people. The “weary” are
those who have been trying to plant seeds in dry and rocky hearts. The weary are
those who are still in the gospel work force, but they may be questioning if all
the frustration and rejection is worth it.
Even as indifference is the demoralizing agent prior to the great invitation of
Jesus, the impact of unchecked zeal receives attention after Matthew 11. The two
stories which directly follow our soothing words from Jesus could rightly be
designated for the over burdened. In Matthew 12:1-6 we have an episode in which
the Pharisee’s chastise a hungry Jesus and hungry disciples for gleaning food on
the Sabbath. What kind of religion is this, we hear Jesus asking, that tells the
hungry to buck up and suffer? Sure there are good reasons and times to fast, but
you do not impose a fast on the hungry. This story is followed by the account of
Jesus healing a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees understand this kind of
healing to be work which they do not endorse on a Sabbath. How ironic, Jesus
muses, that these religious leaders are more willing to rescue an animal on the
Sabbath than allow healing for one of God’s children. This is nonsense, Jesus
says. The legalism of Pharisee interpreted Torah (the situations described in
Matt 12:1-14) was depriving the hungry of food and the sick of care. These
people were heavy burdened. It is in this context that Jesus tells the people
that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Yes it is a message for the sick,
but also for those hungering for justice, passion, and food.
The rest that is promised to the weary and overburdened is not that of
inactivity. A person only takes a yoke if they intend on pulling something. A
good yoke is one that is carefully shaped so that there will be a minimum of
chafing. Jesus’ yoke will be kind to our shoulders, enabling us to carry the
load more easily. In this sense the burden will be light. Another feature making
the burden light is the presence of Christ by our side. A yoke often had two
slots for a pair of oxen. The Apostle Paul, for example, uses the two slotted
yoke as an analogy in his counsel to avoid being partnered with an unbeliever
(II Corinthians 6:4). Like I illustrated in the children’s time, two animals or
people yoked together necessarily need to go in the same direction. Paul is
concerned that a poor yoke mate might lead a Christian person down an
un-Christly path. In a case of positive yoking, Jesus invites us to take his
yoke. It is very possible Jesus was saying: “Become my yoke mate, and learn how
to pull the load by working beside me and watching how I do it. I will show you
the direction to go. We will plough the fields together and you will learn as we
walk together”. I have a couple of thoughts on the implications of being in the
yoke with Christ.
1. The direction we face is important. Jeremiah says we stand at the crossroads
(6:16). Our texts invite us to consider the direction we are facing. We can’t be
yoked to Jesus if we are facing sideways or backward. Our emotional or physical
state is, I believe, less important than the direction we are pointing. Jesus
knows that some of us are weary and frustrated. Jesus knows that some of us are
hungry. Jesus knows that some of us have health issues equivalent to a withered
hand. Jesus knows that people are dying. All of that is immaterial so long as we
are facing the proper direction. Psalm 145:14 reads that “the Lord upholds all
who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down”. It is truly good news
that we don’t have to be perfectly healthy or be a worldly success to join Jesus
in the yoke. All we need to do is look at the world the same way Jesus looks at
the world. And you know something, viewing the world from the perspective of
Jesus does lighten the load. Jesus sees the coming kingdom. Jesus sees that
death has no victory over God’s children. Jesus sees that the setbacks we
experience at not the final episode. When we view the world from alongside Jesus
we can’t help but feel purpose and hope.
2. Facing the right direction, however, is only part of what it means to be
yoked with Jesus. Jeremiah invites his audience to “ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it”. Walking is active and it is not always
easy. I think Jesus knows this. Jesus invites his audience to walk the good way
with him. A personal relationship with Jesus strengthens us as we seek to walk
the good way. It is not enough to simply hear the words of Jesus on a daily or
weekly basis. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum represent the people who see
the good way and choose not to walk in it. Woe to them, Jesus says. The
Pharisees represent those who are more concerned about image and power than
walking in the good way. Jeremiah and Jesus invite us to walk in them. Will we
choose to walk the good way? Do we accept the invitation of Jesus to walk and
pull with him on the good way? Will we allow the faith community, which is the
body of Christ, to be a place where assistance is offered and received? This is
not the stuff of illusions. A relationship with Jesus makes a difference. In my
meditation and work on this text this week I was empowered to begin addressing a
tenuous relationship in my life. It is not always easy to pick up the phone or
write the letter that begins healing, but Jesus helps if we allow ourselves to
be yoked with him. Many times I see the good way and it is Jesus who helps pull
me in the right direction. Walking with Jesus is real and it makes a difference.
This is good news. Jesus, our yoke mate, helps us to plough is a good direction.
If accepting the help of Jesus or this congregation is something that you feel
led to do, please let Anita or me know with a note on the blue card in your pew,
with a word after church, or a call mid week.
3. I have a final thought on being yoked with Christ. We do not need to fully
understand Jesus the Christ to be yoked with him. We grow in our understanding
as we walk along side of him. Our faith, in fact, only grows through
experiential learning. We learn more about Jesus the farther we walk in the yoke
with him. To be yoked with Jesus the Christ does not require the faith of the
martyrs. Being yoked with Christ does not assume peace in one’s family or even
peace within. Being called a Christian does not mean we have all the answers. We
simply have this conviction that a trust in Jesus makes a difference in walking
the good way. When Wayne Dueck dropped off the horse yoke he shared about the
way he would train horses (and Wayne said I could share this with you). He said
that if he were trying to train a young gelding he would pair it with his old
mare which was his most trustworthy horse. The young gelding knew nothing of the
mare and nothing of life under the yoke. At first the young horse would fidget,
stomp around, and pull this way or that. The old mare was un-phased by the
anxiety and dis-ease of the younger horse. She would stand and walk as Wayne
directed. In a surprisingly short time, Wayne said, the young gelding began to
imitate the older mare. The young gelding would bond with the mare and imitate
the behaviours of the more mature horse. The gelding knew nothing of the life or
experiences of the mare, but he did imitate her. We do not need to fully
comprehend Jesus the Christ to be shaped by him or his Father who art in heaven.
This is good news that we do not need to know everything of Jesus, our yoke
mate, to be influenced by him. We come to understand him and bond with him more
fully in time. By spending time with Jesus in the yoke we begin to take on his
essence. Experience with Jesus in the yoke leads to greater understanding.
I want to conclude where we began. As we once again listen to Handel’s music I
invite you to consider the sermon or the meditations God has placed in your
heart.
Let us pray. O Lord, you know us. You know our worries, our burdens, our
hardness, our frustration, our egos, and all else that keeps us from walking the
good way. And still you invite us to take your yoke and walk along side you. You
and your Christ are gracious. Help us turn the right way at the crossroads, to
walk the good way, and to accept your invitation. In your name we pray. Amen.