I will give you rest − Mt. 11:28
What reader of God's Word is not familiar with this magnificent promise? The Lord Jesus Christ wants to give us rest. Most "believers" interpret this offer as relaxation from all the mental and physical stress of hectic modern everyday life. Who would not gladly accept this offer and allow the Lord Jesus Christ to free them from their burdens and needs? Undoubtedly, the Lord wants to do this at any time. But the question arises as to whether He is not often simply being harnessed to provide us with a relaxed and peaceful life. The Lord Jesus Christ – the "heavenly errand boy" and "comforter of souls"?
Unfortunately, the fact is that we are responsible for most of our hardships and difficulties to a certain extent. And these in turn cause constant unrest, tension, anxiety, excessive demands, and much more in our souls – not to mention the psychosomatic consequences, which account for over 70% of all causes of illness. If we were to carefully and consistently examine our entire lives, including our past, in the light of God's Word, we would not only be rid of a myriad of disturbances, but also of our inner turmoil. In principle, we would not even need to ask the Lord Jesus Christ for help. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light (1 John 1:7), the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).
In truth, the Lord Jesus Christ means a different kind of rest – it is rest from all meaningless, religious ("Christian") works. And moreover, this rest is linked to an intimate fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord invites all who labor and are heavy laden (Mt. 11:28). This does not primarily refer to people with mental health issues who are burdened with worries and fears. Rather, the Lord Jesus Christ is addressing his followers who are laboring in the wrong way in following him. And the reason is obvious: false burdens are being placed on them. They have heard a different, false gospel (Gal. 1:6) – a gospel of legalistic, religious performance.
In Mt. 23, the Lord Jesus Christ defines false teachers who bind heavy burdens on people but do not lift a finger themselves (Mt. 23:4). And when a crisis arose at the beginning of the church age because Messianic Jews wanted to oblige believers from the nations to observe the Mosaic Law, James said in Acts 15:10: Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? Paul later mentions a yoke of slavery to the Galatians (Gal. 5:1). So false yokes were placed on the believers. And what did the Lord Jesus Christ speak of in Mt. 11:28-30? Of false yokes that lead to unrest – and of His yoke, which leads to complete rest in Him!
The Greek root of words such as "rest," "resting," etc. has a direct connection to the Sabbath. Unfortunately, this term is usually completely misunderstood and confused with the requirement to observe the seventh day according to the law. But in truth, the Sabbath is a type of complete rest in Christ – rest from all meaningless, legalistic works of our own. The Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Sabbath. And when we are completely in Christ and rest in Him, then we rest in all His accomplished works – then we fulfill the Sabbath perfectly 365 days a year. We rest in Christ in the good works that God has prepared beforehand (Eph. 2:8-10). We have entered the Sabbath rest of God's people (Heb. 4:9-11). As a result, we are in Christ, for example, just as holy, righteous, and perfect as He is – bestowed in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).
It is obvious that people who want to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ and who want to follow the Word of God precisely are particularly at risk. If they are preached a different gospel than the gospel of Christ – namely, a “gospel” of legalistic performance – then they are burdened with heavy loads, filled with constant fear and anxiety that they will miss the mark. And this anxiety can make them sick! In addition, they fall prey to the great accuser and prosecutor, Satan (Rev. 12:10).
Consequently, we must first learn the true gospel of Christ and then live it out and implement it correctly. And this is precisely where the Lord Jesus Christ applies his "therapy." Instead of allowing ourselves to be burdened with false, religious ("Christian") yokes, we should take up the yoke of Jesus Christ (Mt. 11:29). But what does that mean in practical terms?
We find a profound interpretation when the Lord Jesus Christ is confronted with the possibility of divorce. At that time, He literally replied: Therefore, they are no longer two, but one flesh. What God has yoked together, let no man put asunder (Mt. 19:6). When two people enter the covenant of marriage, they are one flesh from that moment on, that is, yoked together into one unit. And they can no longer free themselves from this yoke, nor may they be freed – at least according to the opinion of the living God!
This is precisely the image that the Lord Jesus Christ uses. When a person accepts Him as their life after having correctly heard and understood the gospel of Christ, they are "yoked together" with the Lord Jesus Christ to form one entity. They become one flesh and one bone with the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:30 – Luther) – like the type of marriage (Eph. 5:31-32). This is our voluntary decision, namely, to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and allow ourselves to be "yoked together" with Him. Among other things, this leads to the loss of our old life. Only in this way can Christ become our life (Phil. 1:21; Rom. 6:5 ff.). In Christ, we are instantly freed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13) and thus also from all religious slave drivers. Instead, we rest in the works of Christ; we rest in Christ. And the effect is: rest and freedom!
If we truly are in Christ, then we are also in all his wonderful qualities, such as his gentleness and humility. We are increasingly filled and shaped by the gentleness and humility of Christ – through the power of his Spirit and life dwelling within us. And that means learning from Jesus Christ to be gentle and humble (Mt. 11:29).
We lose every yoke of religious ("Christian") slavery and instead take up the yoke of Christ. It is affirming all paths in following Christ, walking in his footsteps (1 Peter 2:21). But wherever life in following Christ leads us, the Lord himself will be present in us, carrying us through, leading us in triumph (2 Cor. 2:14), in his victory that has overcome the world (1 John 5:4). Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39). In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37). The Lord Jesus Christ will never burden us with His yoke (1 Cor. 10:13) – for it is His yoke – and we only carry it with Him!
What is the fruit of this life? Total rest in Christ – or the fruit of the Spirit amid hectic everyday life (Gal. 5:22). A profound mystery – the mystery of Christ!
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