Is anyone Feeling Tired? I Am!
Today I am probably preaching a sermon on one of the most familiar passages in the Bible, Matthew 11:28-30. It is right up there with “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” When we were kids we may have even memorized this familiar passage for Sunday School using one of the older Bible translations like the King James Version. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, KJV). Since the early days of the church’s existence, this passage has been used for comforting the grieving, encouraging the struggling, and giving hope when all else seems to have failed. I myself have used these scripture verses for numerous funerals. I have read it an untold number of times; I have it highlighted; I have memorized it. But I would bet most don’t even know the context of the passage. The context of the passage is looking at the verses we are studying in relation to the verses, chapters, and broader narratives that surround it.
Full video of entire sermon
It is strange but I discovered when I first started to prepare my sermon I really had little sense of the original setting or context of this passage in Matthew's gospel. I had not thought about what had happened before our passage for today. There is a danger in not knowing the context of a passage of scripture, we may misuse it and force onto it a meaning that the author might not have meant, or - worse - we may completely miss where the words are the most heartfelt and beneficial.
The context for Matthew chapter Eleven is this: Jesus was having one of those days! You know the kind of day when nothing goes exactly the way it was planned. The kind of day when staying in bed seems to be an option that should have been taken. The kind of day when the only words spoken to you, or at you, are words of criticism and sarcasm. The kind of day some of us have far too often. That was the kind of day Jesus was having. You don’t think He could experience a “bad day?” Remember he was fully human and had the full range of human emotions, he was sinless but he was certainly human.
Let’s look at the scriptures and see why Jesus is having a bad day or perhaps it was a bad week.
Matthew 11:1 Jesus has finished relaying instructions to His twelve disciples on their mission to preach to the towns and villages of Israel that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Jesus also goes out to preach and teach among the lost sheep of Israel in the same way His disciples are doing. However, perhaps he finds himself sad and lonely as he leaves on his journey. He misses being with his disciples.
Matthew 11: 2 - 15 He had just started his time of teaching when a group of disciples from John the Baptist approached him. John was now securely locked away in a prison cell, but from that dark imprisonment, he had sent these followers with a question. “Are you really the one?” This question was not what Jesus wanted to hear, especially from John of all people. After all, John had seen and heard! How could he possibly challenge the integrity and character of Jesus this way?
Matthew 11:16-19 Jesus continued His teaching, still stinging from such a probing question from one like John, he spoke of children playing in the marketplace. Their games were the games of energy-laden young people; their laughs were the sounds of joy. None of them paid any attention to him. Jesus remarked to himself how their reaction to him was the same as he saw in their parents and other adults. Everywhere he went, it now seemed, people were so preoccupied with their own games, their own ways of living, and their own agendas that no one paid any attention to him, his Word, nor the word of grace offered. We know what it feels like to be ignored, overlooked, and treated as if what we said and who we were did not matter in the least. Everyone is just too busy to take much notice.
Matthew 11:20-24 Finally, he expresses a word of grief and sadness over His rejection by two cities. Remembering his time in the twin cities of Chorazin (cho RAY zin) and Bethsaida, remembering the many displays of power and the miraculous events which had taken place in the lives of their citizens, he recalled that it had not made any impact at all. No one was responding and no one was repenting. Everyone seemed impressed, but not enough so to allow his Word and power to transform their lives. We know what it feels like to have everything we have been working for, planning for, and investing ourselves in becomes worthless.
Matthew 11: 25-27 So what does Jesus do? He does not go home and slam the door, become a couch potato, sulk, binge-watch Netflix and lick his wounds in private. No! That kind of behavior might be what we would do but no, he lifts his eyes toward heaven, to God who is the source of his life, his authority, and his well-being. Jesus knows that he draws his strength from this spiritual fountain of life and from the grace that is extended to give courage and power and passion for living. “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants (Matthew 11:25, NRSV).” After having one of those days, Jesus finds it in himself to offer a prayer of thanks to God. Whatever the source of that kind of faith and life and experience, it’s just what I need when I am having those kinds of days. It’s just what we all need!
Jesus is describing many of us. I know he is describing me. I know He is describing all the Adults who worked with VBS this past week. He knows our situation. Tired. Stressed out. Battling fatigue. Our nerves are on edge.
A young mother was describing a terrible day she had experienced. The washing machine broke down, the telephone kept ringing, her head ached, and the mail carrier brought a bill she had no money to pay. Almost to the breaking point, she lifted her one-year-old into his highchair, leaned her head against the tray, and began to cry.
Without a word, her son took his pacifier out of his mouth and stuck it in hers. This is an “ah” moment folks. It goes with the pressures of modern life. Some of us are stressed out and we are tired. Some of this is due to work. Studies show we’re working harder than ever. As a result, many of us are not getting enough sleep. This is true for young people as well as adults.
Jesus says to us and to them, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.” That’s encouraging, isn’t it? But what does it mean?
Most of you can visualize the kind of yoke Jesus had in mind. It was a kind of crossbar with two U‑shaped pieces that encircled the necks of a pair of oxen. The easiest interpretation of this text is that when we are yoked to Jesus, he walks beside us and helps us bear our burdens. We don’t have to bear the weight of our world by ourselves. That is the obvious teaching, and it is a beautiful teaching. But there are many ways in which being yoked to Christ gives us rest.
Note, first of all, that there are other forms of fatigue more draining than physical fatigue. Mental fatigue and emotional fatigue can wear on us far more than physical fatigue.
In 1863, the Civil War was raging and the end was far from sight. Abraham Lincoln was out for a ride with his friend and aide Noah Brooks. Brooks, noticing the president’s obvious fatigue, suggested that he take a brief rest when they got back to the White House.
“A rest,” Lincoln replied, “I don’t know about a rest. I suppose it’s good for the body, but the tired part of me is inside and out of reach.”
Lincoln was acknowledging a very important truth. There are many sources of fatigue. Physical fatigue may be the most benign. There is the fatigue that comes from stress. Fatigue that comes from worry. Fatigue comes not only from worrying about the future but also worrying about the past. Fatigue that comes from trying to be something we are not.
Physical fatigue, unless overdone, helps us sleep peacefully at night. Emotional and mental fatigue actually keep us awake. That’s when we get really, really tired.
Years ago I received a phone call from a member of a former church. It had been many years since I had been his pastor or even spoken to him. I am not sure how he even knew where I was but he found me. I was delighted to hear from him but I immediately went into Pastor mode wondering what was wrong. It was good just to hear his voice again but I asked the loaded question, “What’s wrong, Tom? There was a long pause then he said, “Jimmy committed suicide.”
Jimmy was his 20-year-old son. Tom told me that since Jimmy’s death, his life was crumbling around him. He no longer attended church and had daily shouting sessions with God and Gloria his wife. He had sought pastoral counseling and thought he had gotten his act together. “That was the problem,” he said, “it was all an act.”
He defined his life by fear. He was afraid of losing his job, Gloria, and that he’d start drinking again. “Pastor, I have lost over thirty pounds.” All because he could not force himself to eat. Sleep was fitful. “I am afraid to go to sleep. I go to bed at midnight and lie awake until 2:00 a.m., doze off for an hour or so, and then I get up, pull out the bottle of whiskey, sit it on the table and just stare at it. Then I put the whiskey away for another day, and go back to bed again until I get up at 5:00 a.m.”
After about an hour, with times of prolonged silence, the “conversation”, such as it was, was coming to an end. After another moment of silence, he let out a deep sigh.
“Tom, are you okay?” I asked
"I feel better now,” said Tom.
I found that so strange. Tom still had his problems, his grief, his depression, his insomnia, and his alcoholism. What did I do? I listened to him talk, I remained quiet, and prayed silently for him. In my mind, I was sitting with my friend beneath a big tree on his family farm throwing small stones at empty whiskey bottles. I gave him no profound pastoral counseling. I offered no answers. All I offered was some time and my unconditional love as a friend. Remarkably he said, “I feel better now Pastor.”
“That’s great Tom.”
“Pastor, I think I can sleep now. I can rest. I am not sure why or how but it feels like someone is helping me carry my load. I feel like my fear has been lifted. What is that scripture passage you preached on years ago about Jesus and his yoke?”
“Yes, Tom, I think you are thinking of Matthew 11:28-30.”
“Pastor, can you say it as a closing prayer?
“It would be my honor. I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children such as Tom and I. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will when Jesus said come to me, you are weary and burdened, 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 soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Amen.”
“Pastor, thank you for listening and for a few minutes of help carrying my burden. I miss you.”
“Tom, I miss you also and please feel free to call anytime night or day. You talk and I will listen. ”
What Tom had done was to let go of some of his burdens and take on Jesus’ lighter yoke. He allowed Jesus to help carry his grief and pain. Jesus did not take away all of Tom’s burdens but He promised rest for Tom’s soul and help carrying those burdens. I did not try to explain what had happened, I think he understood when he said he could rest now. We had shared a special moment where Jesus silently took on some of Tom’s burdens because Tom let go of them.
It was clear to me that Tom found some relief in our conversation. It also became clear to me that I also found some relief, too. This phone call was difficult and very stressful. I was bathed in sweat and exhausted when I hung up. At times during the conversation, all I could do was groan in prayer and say, “Oh Father”. I was overwhelmed with Tom’s needs and my inadequacies. I was so spent that I turned off my cell phone completely to not be wakened later. I needed to sleep.
However, I could not sleep after I went to bed. But there was a deep peace in my heart and I felt blessed. Suddenly a song was playing in my head about burdens being lifted at Calvary. Then I realized that Jesus took not only our sins with him to the cross but he also took our burdens.
Verse 1
Days are filled with sorrow and care
Hearts are lonely and drear
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near
Chorus
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Calvary, Calvary
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near
I learned an important point about turning my worries over to God in my conversation with Tom. There are other sources of fatigue more draining than physical fatigue. Our faith in Christ helps us deal with these more serious causes of fatigue.
Folks when we are yoked to Jesus we no longer have to prove to the world that we belong. Many of us have a vast insecurity in our hearts about our own self-worth. This insecurity makes every task we handle more difficult. Often we expend an enormous amount of energy trying to be something we are not.
Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher who suffered bouts of extreme melancholy, undoubtedly due to a difficult upbringing. One day he wrote in his Journal, “And now, with God’s help, I shall become myself.”
What a liberating thought: “And now, with God’s help, I shall become myself.” Not what others expect me to be. Not some unrealistic image I have of myself. No, with God’s help, I shall become who I really am. No more stressful pretenses. No more misguided strivings. I will relax and be me. When we feel accepted by Christ, then for the first time in our life we become free. When we are yoked to Jesus we no longer have to prove to the world that we belong.
This is to say that when we are yoked to Jesus, we know that we are loved, accepted, and forgiven. It is amazing how much inner turmoil can be eliminated from our lives when we know we are loved, accepted, and forgiven.
My friend, are you lying awake at night worrying about your future, worrying about your past, wondering whether you measure up, wondering whether you are loved, accepted, or forgiven? Let it go. Let it go . . . at the foot of the cross. There is one who loves you, one who died for you. He took your burdens to Calvary.
There is an ancient legend that says that in the region of Galilee two thousand years ago, all the farmers knew where to get the finest yokes for their oxen. There was a certain carpenter in Nazareth famed for shaping and smoothing the wood so that the burden on their oxen would be as light as possible.
Christ is still in the business of fashioning yokes to ease the burdens of his weary children. He still says to people today, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.”
Amen