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The Heart Of Christianity Is Relationship

Christianity is often maligned by modern man for being difficult, hard to live out, and even impossible. Its critics will say that Christianity is just a bunch of burdensome rules and there is no way that anybody can be expected to follow them. Such a viewpoint is inaccurate: based upon a false understanding of what the heart of Christianity is. Rules are not the heart of Christianity. The heart of Christianity is relationship. It is the relationship that each and every one of us has with Jesus Christ. That relationship allows us to follow the rules and handle whatever burdens may come our way in this life. It is not always easy but as we move forward in our Advent preparations, let us remind ourselves that we do not walk this path alone.

Jesus Thanks His Father

Come to me, all 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.” Matthew 11 : 28-30

Scriptural Analysis

Jesus has just finished addressing his Father and now turns to address the world of potential disciples. Come to me is Jesus’s invitation to all of those people who are spiritually tired. He is inviting these people into a deep relationship with himself. In the particular context of this invitation, he is likely addressing those who are struggling to keep up under the burdens of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus promises to provide their spirit rest and inner peace.

The invitation also comes with the request to bear the yoke of Jesus. This is a call to follow the Messiah, to a life of discipleship. Disciples learn not only from the word of Jesus but also by imitating his actions as well. He makes sure to let us know that his yoke is easy and light. In the time of Jesus, a yoke was often used by peasants for carrying heavy objects or a yoke used by oxen doing hard work. Using such an image would have sparked the idea of burdensome work making following Jesus look like a chore. Jesus tries to clarify that being a disciple is not without effort but not an exhausting burden either. It is something that everyone can do.

Daily Application

The yoke is a metaphor that would have been very familiar to the Jewish hearer of Jesus’s words. They spoke of the yoke of the Law, the yoke of the commandments, and yoke of the Kingdom, and the yoke of God. However, Jesus was likely thinking about something different when he selected this metaphor for the particular teaching.

The word translated as yoke in Greek is chrēstos, which translated literally means well-fitting. Ox yokes were made of wood and they were custom-made for each ox so that they would fit well and not rub the back of the animal. There is a legend that Jesus made the best yokes of anyone and people would come to him from all over to have a yoke made for their ox.

Whether or not that legend is true, it is likely this ox yoke metaphor that Jesus was using. Consider that ox worked in teams. Therefore, a yoke is custom fit for two to wear. When Jesus urges us to take up his yoke, he is telling us don’t worry, he is right there with us helping us to carry the burden. He is the other “ox” attached to the yoke. There is a saying that you hear all the time that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. That is false. He most certainly does. However, he never gives us more than we can handle with his help: when we are yoked with him.

As we approach the halfway point of our Advent journey take time to think about all of the burdens we have in life. Whether it is carrying for a sick child, dealing with a challenging job, raising an opinionated teenager, or watching over elderly parents, whatever burdens you have, bring them to the Lord. Jesus very much desires to shoulder those burdens with you and not leave you on your own. However, Jesus is not one who pushes himself upon people. He must be invited in, and we must ask him for help.

Building a relationship with Jesus Christ takes time and effort. Just as you can’t build a relationship with your best friend without investing time and effort, the same is required when it comes to Jesus. That time is prayer: when we talk to him and share what is going on. We often fall into the trap of thinking that he is God and already knows everything so we don’t need to share it with him. That trap is a dangerous trap to fall into. Why Jesus knows everything he still desires for us to share our hearts with him: to tell him what is going on in our lives.

For these final days of Advent, resolve to spend time each day with our Lord in prayer. If you already do that, give him a few more minutes of your time. Then, open your heart and share with him what you think about life and how you truly feel. That is what will build a relationship with Jesus, a relationship that lightens the yoke of life.

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