Introduction
From the moment we are born,
we have the capacity, and the need, to learn.
We learn from our parents, we
learn at school, we learn from various experiences (good and bad).
Often learning involves
change, which can be embraced OR resisted.
We learn most as we actively
seek to understand our experiences of life in terms of what these teach us.
As we do this well, we not
only gain knowledge, but also wisdom i.e.
the ability to apply
knowledge well in real-life situations.
Who Learns the Most?
Most of us, when we come to
know Jesus, at whatever stage of life that occurs, still have a lot to learn …
mostly about … what it means
to follow Jesus in everyday life.
We note that in the first
part of our reading (verse 25b),
that certain knowledge is
hidden from the “wise and intelligent”.
Logically, that is because
they are self-satisfied in themselves, and are NOT open to anything new.
God doesn’t waste too much
time on them.
Rather we read that special
knowledge of God and his ways … is revealed to “infants”!
These are those who accept
that they are young in the faith.
These are those who accept
their need of insight and learning, and do NOT put up resistance.
The (deeper) things of God
will NOT be revealed to those who think they know it all,
but rather to the humble and
open.
Learning & the Bible
This means that we come to
any bible passage ready to see something new,
and be taught by God’s Spirit
how we might understand and apply this in daily life today.
This is very different from
assuming we already know it all, and can just parrot its meaning.
It’s like when Margaret was
leading us at last Tuesday’s home group,
and talking about the
significance of the temple curtain being torn in two,
that my mind was taken far
and deep in exploring even more
possible understandings and
applications of this wondrous biblical text.
In coming to Jesus, as part
of our discipleship, we are committing to lifelong learning.
The Bible is a living book,
it can speak to us fresh each day.
There is yet more light and
truth to come forth from God’s Word.
And we can get this on our
own in our quiet place … to be sure,
but the best forum through
which such enlightenment and truth might break through,
is in the Spirit-led
community of the church – in large and small groups.
Knowing Jesus
This all starts with seeking
Jesus.
We know that we can come to
Jesus any time in our tiredness and with our heavy burdens.
We read that Jesus will give
us rest –
meaning that he will restore
our well-being, and give us his peace, and reset our path forward.
But part of this developing
trust relationship … is being “yoked” together with Jesus.
This is so we don’t form a
sort of ‘on again and off again’ type relationship with Jesus.
We need to go for permanence
and continuity!
This is so we don’t have
those extreme ‘mountain top and valley floor’ type experiences.
This is so we don’t go three
steps forward, then three steps backward to where we started out.
Instead of coming and going
from Jesus, we are “yoked” to him!
In so doing, we become
lifelong learners under the best mentor available!!
Being “Yoked”
Whereas it may seem onerous
and restrictive to be “yoked”, it is actually quite the opposite …
that is, when you are “yoked”
to Jesus!
There were negative images of
being “yoked” to harsh Roman oppression, or being “yoked” to
the empty heavy ritual
observances of Hebrew tradition;
but this “yoke” – being
“yoked” to Jesus – was completely positive.
Jesus was saying that life
with him, although we are still earthbound (with many challenges),
will be completely different
… somehow better … actually life-giving … re-gaining our true humanity!
In being “yoked” to Jesus
alone, we have been freed from slavery to oppression of various kinds.
We have been released from
religious dogma that only makes us feel inadequate,
into a relationship where we
only feel acceptance.
We have been released from
the worldly standards of having to be good enough,
into a relationship where we
only experience grace.
We have also been released
from the implications of judgement,
to live in a beautifully
harmonious relationship with our Creator.
This is not a big
stick, not the cane that we used to get at school in my day; but rather
a gentle “yoke”.
This is God’s preferred way
of guiding us … with gentleness.
Even the shepherd’s “rod and
staff” were to comfort me (Psalm 23).
We read (in verses 29 &
30) that Jesus is a gentle teacher, always serving our collective best
interests,
always seeking to grow us
into our God-given potential, and guide us into our God-given future.
We would surely want to be
guided into God’s best plans for His world.
This is all very good news
for anyone who has suffered under any type of oppression in
the past (whether government,
cultural, institutional, peer-group or individual oppression).
Jesus models an alternative
social experience of inclusion and mutual service that seeks the
best for the other. We are no
longer enforced labourers, but rather willing servants.
As we said last week, former
tasks become life-giving ministries!
The “yoke” in mind here, was
the wooden collar than ran across the shoulders of a pair of oxen
(which is hitched to a
plough). This “yoke” enabled the oxen to jointly pull enormous weights,
the burden being equally
distributed over both the animals.
Some farmers will “yoke” a
mature hardened ox together with a younger weaker one,
where the more mature animal
handles most of the weight for a time
(and the younger one … not
that much at all),
while this younger one grows
and learns and gains the capacity to carry its fair share.
There is great sense in being
“yoked” with a stronger wiser partner.
The “yoke” functions to keep
the oxen from going in directions different than the farmer would have
them go. Pushing the
metaphor, the more experienced ox helps the less experienced … to interpret
the will of the farmer, as he
steers the plough.
When the stronger ox turns,
the younger one learns to go the same way.
If we want to know the
Father, if we want to follow the Lord God,
then we have to be “yoked” to
Jesus – as we read (back in verse 27b) …
“… no one knows the Father
except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him”.
When God pulls the reins,
Jesus responds, as do those “yoked” with Jesus;
such a natural trust and
responsiveness has developed.
We learn how to do life
through a ‘tight’ relationship with Jesus.
We come to know Jesus so
well, that we start to feel about people and situations the same way Jesus feels about
them.
We see how Jesus interacts
with other people, and we learn to interact like he does.
We develop our ethical
thinking alongside Jesus.
The goal of all discipleship
is to become like Jesus.
Yet, there is room for
diversity here,
because we retain all the
good and unique parts of our personality.
And thus we provide a
multitude of entry points for those seeking God.
The “yoke” we fit into with
Jesus is NOT a ‘one-size-fits-all’,
where there is likely some
discomfort or sizing problem.
Adjustments can be made …
fitting perfectly according to our particular all round situation.
The “yoke” we share with
Jesus actually has a very unique design.
We can come as we are, right
now – we don’t have to make ourselves any more ready, and we don’t have to try to
become good enough … we can’t under our own steam anyway.
We don’t have to put on any
formal clothes – t-shirt, shorts and thongs are okay.
“For my yoke is easy [or
kind/good], and my burden is light” (verse 30).
Life is ‘lighter’ when we are
doing what we are supposed to be doing according to God’s big picture.
We may still be busier – but
about the right things, in the right places; and life will actually weigh less.
So, what attitudes do we need
to have to embrace lifelong learning??
Humility and openness.
In being “yoked” with Jesus,
what are we open to??
Now the burdens of life are
being carried across two sets of shoulders,
with Jesus carrying at least
half the weight, and probably more;
what could we be learning??
- new perspectives on old problems
- being calmer, less frustrated, more purposeful
- the possibility of a change of direction
- less individual control and more Spirit-control of our movements
- coping better with set-backs and ongoing difficulties
- taking greater responsibility for our actions – confession and repentance
- receiving grace and forgiveness (and forgiving ourselves)
- dealing better with bitterness and offering more forgiveness to others
- seeing the responsibilities of life in a far more creative way
- bringing all our deep questions and concerns – those areas of life in which we do not have peace
- how to love others – our neighbours
- being convicted regarding each and every way that Jesus wants to bring compassion, justice, healing and salvation to people.
Conclusion
All this allows us to be part
of God’s mission in the world.
Whether that’s in Papua New
Guinea, Zambia or Burma;
Wandiligong, Mt Beauty,
Harrietville, Porepunkah or Bright –
we are undertaking the
ministries that God has gifted and called us to be involved in.
And as each of us is “yoked”
with Jesus, we will learn together and
minister together as the
unified ‘body of Christ’ in all its glorious diversity.
We will study the Gospels
(Mark, Matthew and Luke, John) with a fine tooth comb,
to discover together how to
live like Jesus.
We will take up our
particular weight-bearing duty in this partnership with Jesus.
Jesus shares our burdens, as
we share his redemptive intent for the world.
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