"The Yoke of Freedom"

By:   Pastor Milton Coats

E-mail:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.

Usually when you think about a yoke, that which is heavy, hard and produces bondage come to mind.  However, there is a yoke that is easy, light and produces freedom.  It’s the yoke of freedom.

A yoke is a wooden instrument placed around the neck of oxen or other strong animals, yoking them together in order to work together.  The yoke would evenly distribute the load on both sides.  In the aforementioned verses, Jesus extends the invitation to all who would accept unlimited freedom to take his yoke.  The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were consumed with doing what was right.  They sought not only to abide by God’s law but added a great number of their own rules.  Their man-made rules and expectations created heavy burdens and hard yokes around the people necks.

Jesus said his yoke was easy and his burden was light.  When we yoke up with Jesus, the yoke doesn’t evenly distribute the load.  Jesus becomes our burden bearer and our heavy load carrier.  We are yoked together with him, but we’re just going along for the ride.  Jesus is the Christ.  He is the Messiah; he is the anointed one and his anointing.  Isaiah 10:27 says “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing”.

As America celebrates its 249^th birthday, I’m thankful to live in this great country, the land of the free and the home of the brave.  But what I’m most thankful for is the freedom and liberty I’ve found in Jesus the Christ.  The scripture says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”.  (John 8:36).  So, I exhort you to embrace the yoke of freedom and standfast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free!