A distinguished painter was conducting a class for aspiring artists. He was speaking on the subject of artistic composition. He emphasized that it was wrong, for example, to portray a woodland, a forest, or a wilderness, without painting into it a path out of the trees. When a true artist draws any kind of picture, say a landscape, he always pictures an “out”. Otherwise the tangle of trees and the trackless spaces depress and dismay the onlooker.
Sometimes life seems that way. The trials or struggles that we find ourselves wrapped up in seem to overwhelm us and are too much for us to bear. Yet, Jesus, in the last few verses of Matthew eleven, gives us this hope, this door of opening to our trials that lets the glimmer of the light of Christ come through and show us the way “out”. He said, “Come unto Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The “yoke” that Jesus was talking about was a sort of harness linked about an ox’s neck, and often two oxen were so yoked together in order that they might plow up the hard ground together, opening the soil and making it easy to plant seeds. Its make up was a bar going across the top of the oxen’s necks with a double loop of rope or even a loop made out of wood that brings the two loops together in the middle. Think of the letter “w” and you will get the idea. Ropes were tied at each end that then came together in the hands of the plowman so that he could direct the oxen in the direction that he needed them to go. What Jesus is saying here is for you and me to be “yoked” together with Him. In this way, Jesus and ourselves are tied together so that we might trust our souls and our concerns to Him so that He might carry both ourselves and our loads, making our loads easier to bear. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”
This “yoke” that we bear begins first by coming to Jesus Christ, and simply believing in Him as our Savior, casting all of our cares and all of our lives upon Him, becoming His disciples and followers. He calls for “all you who labor and are heavy laden,” to come to Him. Sinners, are you weary because of the ways of your iniquities? Jesus is calling for you to come to Him and find speedy relief. You who are carrying the burdens of your guilt, you too, come to Jesus and His sacrifice upon the cross, and find instant pardon for your burdens. Believers, who are sorely tempted, and oppressed by the remains of your carnal mind, come to His cleansing blood, and be washed and purified from all your sin, and find uninterrupted rest in this complete Savior. All are invited to come, and all are promised rest. If only a few find rest from their sins and from their vile affections, it is because only a few come to Christ to receive it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and narrow is the way that leads to rest, but only a few make use of the way “out” provided.
Some time ago a traveling evangelist was singing unto himself the song, “I’ve Been Redeemed”. A fellow passenger, upon hearing him, joined him in the song. After singing, the evangelist asked the stranger, “Have you been redeemed?” “Yes, praise the Lord,” was the answer. Then the evangelist asked, “When did your redemption occur?” “About two thousand years ago,” came the reply. “Two thousand years ago,” the evangelist thought to his mind? This man doesn’t understand, so he questioned, “Two thousand years ago?” “Yes sir,” came the reply, “but I’m sorry to say that it has not been much more than a year ago that I have experienced it.”
Yes, your redemption, your salvation, was supplied some two thousand years ago, but it’s not until you come to Jesus as your Savior that you can experience it. Have you come to Jesus to find your way “out”?
