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Meditations, Reflections, Bible Studies, and Sermons from Kowloon Union Church  

The Yoke of Christ

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 9 July 2017 by the Rev. Ewing W. [Bud] Carroll, Jr. The scripture readings that day were Matthew 11:16-19; 25-30.


     Today’s Gospel reading shows us two very contrasting views of Jesus:  one, of anger and disappointment; and another, of comfort and kindness. 
     Jesus asked, “With what shall I compare this generation? Most likely he was referring to the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of his time.  They were unhappy with John the Baptizer [remember John wasn’t a Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic or Anglican.  But he was a baptizer!].  Crazy looking/acting John; weird clothing; eating bugs and leaves; baptizing people in the Jordan River, but not bathing there! The religious leaders were complaining:  How dare this strange, weird man go around baptizing people and claiming God’s rule was coming?
     The Scribes and Pharisees were equally unhappy with Jesus.  They accused him of violating the religious laws they so faithfully tried to protect and honor.  How?  By eating with unquestionable people – tax collectors, alcoholics and women of questionable character; enjoying a good time with friends and God forbid - performing miracles on the Sabbath.  Who did he think he was!
      In Jesus’ time, men performed the Hora, the traditional circle-like dances at Jewish wedding feasts.  [If you’re from Northern Luzon, you know the Igorot custom of men dancing at weddings!].  Jewish women were responsible to mourn at funerals:  the longer and louder, the better.  Probably like children everywhere, when playing, there were times when maybe the boys wanted to mourn; or the girls wanted to dance. And they likely ended up in heated arguments about who got to do what.  Sound familiar?   So Jesus compares these religious leaders to little kids being childish, not child-like.
     But Jesus’ anger and unhappiness was not just directed towards the Scribes and Pharisees.  Don’t we wish!  But also towards you and me.  Towards today’s Christians who demand that others live the Christian Faith – according to our understanding and desires.  Jason was born into a Hong Kong Buddhist family.  During his university years he became a Christian and joined a very conservative church group.  They always encouraged their members to be truthful.  So, one Sunday morning during a time of sharing, Jason asked to speak.  Thanking the members for encouraging truthfulness, he told them he was gay.  His truthfulness was rewarded with a ”Good-by, please don’t come back.”  Don’t you dare dance, mourn or step outside OUR comfort zones.
     Fortunately, in the last few verses of today’s Gospel, we see a very different Jesus.   In his modern version of the Bible, The MESSAGE, Eugene Peterson translates this famous passage  ”Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.  I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it.  Learn the unfound rhythm of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live free and lightly.” In the more traditional translations this last verse reads, ”My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 
     Matthew shows us the real Jesus:  angry and disappointed with religious leaders “yoked” by narrow thinking and closed minds.  Religious people who thought they were doing the right thing but so often were lessening, not living God’s love.  By contrast a Jesus who offers comfort, peace and rest; a love offering to ease whatever burdens keep us from more fully experiencing the best of God’s gracious love.  So what is the yoke that Christ offers us?  Let me share three possibilities with you.
     1.  Firstly, the yoke of faith, not law.    Have you ever been to Singapore?  Did you buy one of those T-shirts showing “All my parents brought me from SQ was a T shirt showing 100 no’s.  No this, no that. Or like this photocopy of a Singapore Lion with the words  “Singapore is a fine city.”  A play on the word fine, not as something wonderful, rather, having to pay a SQ$1,000 fine for chewing gum; a fine for tossing a cigarette on the ground, a fine for spitting; a fine for wasting water; a fine for not flushing a public toilet.  Of course we need to have rules and regulations for daily life!  No matter at home, school, work, church, government. But Christian faith is more YES than NO.  More love than law.  Paul Tillich, a famous theologian once noted, “The burden that Jesus helps us, the church, remove is the burden of religion!”  Christ doesn’t invite us to a slavery of religion.  He invites us to a living and loving relationship with him; to a savior, not a system.
     2.  Secondly, the yoke of Christ lightens our burdens. Beware of those who preach and sing songs guaranteeing financial prosperity and profit for Christian believers!  Those kinds of views are in themselves a heavy burden.  Seeking to follow Christ doesn’t mean less pain or less abuse.  Christ’s yoke doesn’t remove tough and difficult experiences from our daily lives.  Some of you know first-hand the dangers and difficulties heaped upon you because of your faith in Christ.  But the Good News is that Christ’s yoke helps us to face these burdens.  No wonder Paul could write, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
     3.  Thirdly, the yoke of Christ is easy.  Wait a minute. Easy?  Yes, easy.  The Greek word translated here as easy doesn’t mean simple, comfy.  It means fitting, appropriate, tailored just for us.   In the mid-80s I returned to the U.S. to work in my church’s Mission Office.  Sadly, I was expected to wear a suit, to appear more “business-like”.  No more Balinese batik shirts. So off to George, a Shanghai tailor on Wanchai’s Lockhart Road.  My spouse reminded George to provide room for me to grow.  As we returned for the first fitting, George greeted us with a smile stretching from Jordan Road to Admiralty.  Turing to my wife, he said, “See, lots of room to grow.” The trouser legs were about a foot longer than I needed.  George must have thought I would grow taller, not wider!  But Jesus doesn’t make that kind of mistake.  His yoke fits us; perfectly tailored – and always leaves room for us to grow!
     Years ago on a visit to Indonesia I watched a farmer plowing his land, preparing to plant a new rice crop:  shirtless and shoeless, sloshing through nearly knee-deep mud with two oxen yoked to his ancient-looking wooden plow; one large ox and one baby ox.  It looked so unfair to have that small ox having to pull that plow with the larger ox. Their strides were different; the older ox was filled with strength and endurance.  But I was the only one who seemed to think this was a problem.  You could tell I wasn’t reared on a farm!
     Then it dawned on me. The older ox was pulling more than its share; the younger ox, far less.  The younger, weaker ox was learning from the stronger, older, more experienced ox.  Yoked together, they were a team, walking and working for one common purpose.

     How is with us?  Can we hear Jesus speaking to us today?  To our needs, our fears or whatever burdens may be crushing our spirits?  Whatever burdens keep us from being more caring, kinder, more generous and loving?  Yoked with Christ, we can bear any burden.  Christ’ yokes us, not to a childish but to a child-like faith; filled with trust, a willing spirit and a joyful heart.  Today, Christ call to each of us ”Come to me and I will give you rest.  Keep coming to me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  Amen.        

# posted by Kowloon Union Church : Sunday, July 09, 2017



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