Rest for the Weary
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28)
When income tax was first introduced here in Canada in 1917, the new Income Tax Act ran just shy of 4000 words. It was a simple document outlining a simple law. Since then, the rules and regulations have ballooned to just over 1 million words. The original law has been hedged and fenced and made more detailed. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees would take simple laws and add rules and regulations to them. In the case of the Sabbath law, they didn’t quite add a million words – but they did articulate fully 39 categories of activity that were prohibited on the Sabbath. Is this what the Lord had in mind for experiencing “Sabbath rest”? Are you weary and tired and wanting to find true rest? The Gospel of Matthew has a hope-filled, relevant word for you today.
Matthew 12 records that Jesus entered a synagogue– the place of Sabbath gathering—and encountered a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees saw an opportunity to accuse Jesus of breaking Sabbath law, and they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” (v. 10). In the Pharisees’ eyes, the disabled man had presumably had this ailment for a long time—this was not a medical emergency—and so surely his healing could wait 24 hours. Jesus replied by pointing out that almost anyone would be willing to help an animal in distress on the Sabbath. He reasoned, “Of how much more value is a man than a sheep? So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (v. 12). Jesus then mercifully healed the man’s hand—an act that was so detestable to the Pharisees that they “went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.” (v. 14)
What we are seeing here is not simply a difference of opinion about how to honour the Sabbath – how to treat a day of rest. We are seeing the clash between worldly religion and the true salvation-rest that Jesus brings. The skewed religion of the Pharisees spoke of rest but really just placed burdens on the backs of people. The bone-crushing legalism of the Pharisees stood in sharp contrast with the mercy shown by Jesus who lived out Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” Some might imagine that Christianity is the religion of “do” – but actually it is the message of “done”. Jesus did everything needed to bring us to the Father when He died on the cross at Calvary. He was the true servant of the Lord, described by the Prophet Isaiah in this way: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till He has brought justice through to victory.” (vv. 18-21) Since the Pharisees sought salvation by law-keeping, they broke bruised reeds all the time. The smouldering wick of faintly burning hope was snuffed out in an instant by their demands, rules, and guilt. In contrast, Jesus brought justice by laying down His life to pay in full the price of sin and to clear the debt of all who would receive Him. Jesus is committed to tenderly caring for the bruised reed – of coaxing into flame the smouldering wick of hope.
Are you feeling weary and worn out by the demands of religious duty? Do you have a burden needing lifting? Come to Jesus for rest today. In contrast to the rules and regulations offered by worldly religion, Jesus invites you into salvation rest with these refreshing, life-giving words: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28)