We all come to the dinner table, whether on Sunday meals, holidays or special occasions and it is obvious that someone prepared the table ahead of us. The order of life is that the easier it looks the more work it entails. We should approach the Lord’s Table with the knowledge that this was created in eternity past. He not only provided the lamb….He was and is the lamb.
In our lifetime they have initiated many days to appreciate certain segments of society: Labor Day – for the workforce; Boss’ Day, Professional Administrative Assistant’s Day (PAD), etc,. We need to consider that though we are the fingers, feet, mouthpiece – the body parts that feel the movement; it is really God Himself that is doing the work. Philippians 2: 13: “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure”. Let’s show our appreciation for the one who truly does the work – the Lord, Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Labor Day holiday honors the labor force and as such, is placed to generally precede the start of the academic and business year. It is a great illustration of our Christian life: labor/birth first, then school and learning – discipleship. Discipleship is a ship that will land us safe in his hands. In Matthew’s gospel narrative, where Jesus had been honoring John the Baptist and reproaching the cities where most of his miracles occurred (Matthew 11:20), He cites these cities because they did not repent. Jesus is looking for a deeper work in us and in people in general. He did use the language of cities and nations, because He offered them such grace and mercy as a whole. Here Jesus is inviting His followers into a bond with Him …. He does the work; we trust His word and get to know Him better = closest formula we’ll get. Matthew 11:28 begins with come to me, where “come” is the Greek word “deute”. It means “come hither, come”, and it is an exclamatory word in the imperative, so it is more of a command than a request. Matthew 25:34. Who should come to him? Those who toil (Greek word “kopiontes” from “kopiao”, meaning “toil and load or burden”, and are burdened (Greek word “phortizo” meaning “to place a burden on someone; to load them down). It generally means here the heaviness of the Mosaic Law, traditions, and consciousness of sin that weigh people down; those trying to work/earn their way to God. That’s a burden with a real “burr” under the saddle, so to speak. He didn’t say “come ye perfect, receive your star”. He invited them into his strength. His promise was “I will give you rest”, “rest” being the Greek word “anapauso”, meaning “rest and calm”. I see the word “pause” in there, and when you use the pause button on the remote, it keeps the picture in place, though the movement forward is stopped. We need a pause to remind us that the picture stays the same – God is still perfect and fully able, for the picture is about Him and our knowing Him. He lets us catch up a bit, occasionally. Then He adds that we are to do something ourselves: “take my yoke on you”. The word “yoke” is the Greek word “zygon”, meaning “a heavy burden, pair of scales”. A yoke is a wooden cross bar over the neck of a pair of animals, who then share the load they are carrying. When we take on the yoke of Jesus, we are only helping on the cross bar – the horizontal part and He still carries the bulk of the load. He also provides the vertical body that meets the cross bar and reveals the cross of the King of Kings. He adds: “learn of me”. Jesus is the teacher. The word “learn” is the Greek word “mathete” (see math within), from “manthano”, meaning “learn, ascertain” and it includes knowledge of the person who is the object of that knowledge – meaning Jesus. We’re not just learning facts about Jesus; we’re ascertaining who He really is and that’s what a disciple is. Isaiah 50:4, says I listen as a disciple – that word “disciple” in Hebrew is “limmud”, meaning, “taught as a disciple and accustomed to something”. It is learning in word, deed, and relationship and ultimately helps us to become accustomed to being in His world. How? Being bound to Him in his yoke, where you’ll hear His heartbeat and move as one. Finally, you will find rest for your souls. The word “find” is the Greek word “neurisko”, has word risk in it, and means “to discover, find”. That is a process and it’s called discipleship; setting sail aboard His Majesty’s vessel, the Son of God. It’s a place of calm for our soul; the Greek word “soul” is “psychais” from psyche, meaning “breathe, the soul, to blow”. It is that person’s individual psyche, life port. The soul is the mind, emotions, and will – the character/identifier of you as a person. Who gives us rest? The wind/breath of God, the Holy Spirit. Why? His yoke is easy and light, the Greek word for “easy” is “chrestor”, meaning “good and serviceable, useful”, and “light” is the Greek word “elaphros”, meaning, “easy to bear, not burdensome”. Our burdens are heavy; Jesus’ yoke is light because He carries the bulk of it. Get joined to Him. Be a disciple up close – tied to Him. As he saw what the Father did and He did that, let us discover who He is and what He can do and let’s learn that. Then our service will be useful and satisfactory to Him (good) and we will be able to bear it. It gets tougher when we allow the flesh in; that’s dead weight.
The future at His feet – Matthew’s account said for them to come, yield, and learn. We learn at His feet where He first crushed Satan’s power – His head, and as we look forward to eternity with Him, we will be at His feet with no “de”feet, because He is the victor.
We can’t even imagine what that day will look like, but the lessons will be over and the worship will never end.