Why Not Let Jesus Carry Your Burdens? - Matthew 11:25-30

The Father Revealed in the Son

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 

We see the spontaneous joy in Jesus' voice as he communicates to his Father, which he does on so many occasions.  All throughout Jesus' ministry we see him in constant communication with His Father, which we call prayer.  Even in Jesus' darkest hours he cried out to the Father. I.e. "My God, My God why have you forsaken me." 

Jesus was pleased that the Father had revealed himself to all people including those least expected to be in His kingdom.  He saw the duplicity and pride of the Jewish leaders while those who weren't so privileged came with with open hearts and minds. 

By "little children" he doesn't mean as much their age but their simple trust in him like a child trusts in their father or mother.  

26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

God's desire has always been for all people to be saved.  1 Timothy 2:14 God is not pleased when anyone rejects him, but he is pleased to reveal himself when anyone receives him like a child.  This shows us that God doesn't arbitraily choose some and not others.  

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

In these Jesus makes an obvious reference to His divinity.  "Since Jesus referred to Himself as the Son, we have another staggering self-focused statement from Jesus. Here He proclaimed that only He had a true relationship with God the Father, and that the Father could only be known through the Son (to whom the Son wills to reveal Him). These are astonishing self-claims." (Guzik)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

These next two verses are two of my favorite in the bible and I would encourage you to memormize them.  They show us the gentleness and love of Christ, and his desire for us to draw near to us.  Weary and burdened can mean physically, emotionally and even spiritually.  Jesus knew the burden of sin and the burden of guilt, and he did not want people to have to carry it.  Eventually he will carry this burden to the cross.  

Come’; he drives none away; he calls them to himself. His favorite word is ‘Come.’ Not, go to Moses – ‘Come unto me.’ To Jesus himself we must come, by a personal trust. Not to doctrine, ordinance, nor ministry are we to come first; but to the personal Saviour.” (Spurgeon)

According to Carson, "Labor implies the burdens we take upon ourselves, and heavy laden implies the burdens others put upon us." 

29 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. 

A yoke was put on the back of the oxen to help them to carry the load.  An easy yoke was one that aws smooth and allowed the animals to transfer the load relatively easily.  If  the yoke wasn't well fitting, the load became almost unbearable to the animal.  Jesus is most likely referring to the load and burden the Law places on us, especially as Matthew is written to a primarily Jewish audience.  

Jesus shows us his great humiility and his servant's heart in these words.  Jesus is willing to carry his disciples' load, if they are willing to learn from him.  Importantly we know Jesus is referring to something more of a spiritual than physical nature.  Jesus is promising a "soul rest" which will be accessible by what he will accomplish on the cross.  

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Many people think following Jesus is hard.  If they do, they are thinking of Jesus as a task master who cares mostly about rule keeping.  But Jesus promises just the opposite. As we follow him, we will walk in the "easy yoke".  We can let Jesus do the "heavy lifting"!  

"If your yoke is hard and your burden is heavy, then we can say that it isn’t His yoke or burden, and you aren’t letting Him bear it with you. Jesus said it plainly: My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Do you view following Jesus as hard?  How does this passage describe what following Jesus is like?  Are you someone who tends to carry your burdens, or are you quick to allow Jesus to do it?  What burden can you give over to Jesus today?  Remember he is gentle and humble and heart and doesn't want you to carry it alone. I have found that living in Jesus' easy yoke is the ONLY way to truly live!