John 10:10 –
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The Easy Yoke

Matthew 11:28-30 –
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, 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.”

“Christianity has not so much been tried and found wanting, as it has been found difficult and left untried.” – G.K. Chesterton

1 John 5:3 –
“His commandments are not burdensome.”

What is the “easy yoke”?

Yoke – “Fitted on the neck of oxen for the purpose of binding to them the traces by which they might draw the plough, etc.”

Why do you think Jesus said that His yoke is easy?

The “secret of the easy yoke”

• Overall life of preparation of mind and body
• Daily regimen / disciplines

The secret = “living as he (Jesus) lived in the entirety of his life – adopting his overall lifestyle.” – Willard

Character Formation

Willard says, “the general human failing is to want what is right and important, but at the same time not to commit to the kind of life that will produce the action we know to be right and the condition we want to enjoy. This is the feature of human character that explains why the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We intend what is right, but we avoid the life that would make it reality.”

Think of running. If the average person wants to be able to run a marathon, will they be able to do it if they simply get up from the couch, put on some old sneakers, and go run (not having done any significant physical exercise in a while)? Of course not! And very quickly they will be complaining as to how hard running a marathon is. But what if that same person entered into a training program that involved regular exercise, healthy eating, etc? When it comes time to run the marathon, is it going to seem as impossibly difficult as it did before?

The “easy yoke” does not mean that we will be automatically infused with the necessary power to live right. It means that if we will take up the way of life that Jesus had (“learn from me”), then we will experience the power to live the life that He lived. The “easy yoke” does not negate discipline. Rather, discipline is the only way to the type of life that Jesus offers.

What Would Jesus Do????

Several years ago, this became a popular phrase. You probably saw the letters W.W.J.D. printed on bracelets, worn as a reminder and religious statement. Surely, this helped many people to make wise or better decisions; however, this motto falls short when it comes to complete discipleship to Christ.

Living life as “normal” and then asking “What would Jesus do?” in the midst of situations will not prove to be adequate. It may help us on occasion, but this essentially skips the step of learning to live like Jesus lived “behind the scenes”. It will not transform our inner character, only (and only on occasion) our outward behavior. It does not help us to become the type of person (character) that Jesus was.

Conclusion

“The secret of the easy yoke is simple, actually. It is the intelligent, informed, unyielding resolve to live as Jesus lived in all aspects of his life, not just in the moment of specific choice or action.” – Willard

Recommended Reading:

The Spirit of the Disciplines - Reissue: Understanding How God Changes Lives