Luke 9:52-56
The Cost of Following Jesus
Luke 9:57-62
Matthew 8:18-22
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy Two
Luke 10:1-20
Matthew 11:20-24
Jesus Praises His Heavenly Father
Luke 10:21-24
Matthew 11:25-27
Rest for the Weary and Burdened
Matthew 11:28-30
At the Home of Martha and Mary
Luke 10:38-42
The Cost of Following Jesus
Luke 9:57-62
Matthew 8:18-22
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy Two
Luke 10:1-20
Matthew 11:20-24
Jesus Praises His Heavenly Father
Luke 10:21-24
Matthew 11:25-27
Rest for the Weary and Burdened
Matthew 11:28-30
At the Home of Martha and Mary
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
Luke 11:1-13
Luke 11:1-13
What was Jesus’ occupation? You might answer “a carpenter”. But only once is ever he called a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and that was by those of his hometown who rejected him, not necessarily as the Messiah, but as a rabbi. That was actually Jesus’ occupation: a rabbi. Thirteen times in the New Testament he is called such, and 41 times he is called a teacher.
Jewish boys began school at an early age and they would memorize the entire Torah (for us, the first five books of the Bible). The best students would continue their education, and by the time they were teenagers would memorize much if not all of their Scriptures (our Old Testament) and be well versed in matters of the Law. It was every Jewish boy’s dream to be invited by a rabbi to follow him and to be taught by him. A rabbi would test a young man, asking many questions to see if he was the best of the best and therefore worthy of being his follower. If the young man – really the teenager – passed the strenuous test, the rabbi would say Lech Acharai, meaning “come, follow me”. He would then teach the young man what was called his yoke – his interpretation of the Scriptures and his application of the Law. For those that didn’t pass the test the rabbi would tell them to return home, learn the family trade, and hope their sons would make the grade.
On Saturday, March 8, in our 40 Days to a Fuller Life daily reading we read the account of Jesus’ calling four fishermen to follow him. Have you ever wondered why they so quickly dropped their nets, leaving their families and their profession, and did just as he asked? Because, like every Jewish young man, it was their dream to follow and learn from a rabbi. But they were fishermen, which means they more than likely had already failed a rabbi’s test. They had probably already been sent home and told to work with their fathers. And here was this other rabbi, calling out to them, telling them to follow him. They were getting a second chance to fulfill their dream.
And then in our reading today in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says these words:
Jewish boys began school at an early age and they would memorize the entire Torah (for us, the first five books of the Bible). The best students would continue their education, and by the time they were teenagers would memorize much if not all of their Scriptures (our Old Testament) and be well versed in matters of the Law. It was every Jewish boy’s dream to be invited by a rabbi to follow him and to be taught by him. A rabbi would test a young man, asking many questions to see if he was the best of the best and therefore worthy of being his follower. If the young man – really the teenager – passed the strenuous test, the rabbi would say Lech Acharai, meaning “come, follow me”. He would then teach the young man what was called his yoke – his interpretation of the Scriptures and his application of the Law. For those that didn’t pass the test the rabbi would tell them to return home, learn the family trade, and hope their sons would make the grade.
On Saturday, March 8, in our 40 Days to a Fuller Life daily reading we read the account of Jesus’ calling four fishermen to follow him. Have you ever wondered why they so quickly dropped their nets, leaving their families and their profession, and did just as he asked? Because, like every Jewish young man, it was their dream to follow and learn from a rabbi. But they were fishermen, which means they more than likely had already failed a rabbi’s test. They had probably already been sent home and told to work with their fathers. And here was this other rabbi, calling out to them, telling them to follow him. They were getting a second chance to fulfill their dream.
And then in our reading today in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says these words:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for 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.”
Why do you think Jesus used this yoke analogy? Because he was a rabbi; and as I mentioned earlier, a rabbi’s teachings were called his yoke! To those who are weary, Jesus is saying they can take on the burden of his teachings, his words, his application of the Law – his yoke – and they can find rest.
For the Christian desiring to live the FULLER LIFE, Jesus is here saying that he longs to place on you a yoke, a burden even; and that yoke is quite literally that which he has taught. It’s exactly what a rabbi would say and do. Don’t resist him; don’t ignore the expectations he has placed on those who follow him; take his toke – his teaching – and learn from him.
For the Christian desiring to live the FULLER LIFE, Jesus is here saying that he longs to place on you a yoke, a burden even; and that yoke is quite literally that which he has taught. It’s exactly what a rabbi would say and do. Don’t resist him; don’t ignore the expectations he has placed on those who follow him; take his toke – his teaching – and learn from him.
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