January 28, 2018_The Yoke of Jesus

 The Gospel is the Faith.

God is the giver of grace. People have come to know the grace of God because of the gospel. The gospel and faith are inseparable. The book of Matthew is the testimony of Matthew’s faith in Jesus; the book of Mark is the testimony of Mark’s faith in Jesus. We can say that the gospel itself is faith.

The Old Testament is the record of God’s work, but it neither portrayed God as the Father, nor did it ever introduce the Son of God. And yet, the book of Mark, the first book written among the four gospels and which forms the foundation of the entire New Testament, begins its first chapter by saying, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This introduction reveals the relationship between God the Father and the Son, and it declares the fact that the gospel begins through Jesus Christ.

God loves the Son and He is well pleased with Him. Our faith is to experience the wonderful relationship between the Father and the Son. We experience it through the Son. Our faith is not a religion. A religion gives laws and gives peace of mind when people keep them. At first glance it may appear to make people free, but the opposite is actually true. Religion binds people with the yoke of humiliation and shame.

The law of religion can smite a man’s conscience, revealing their need for salvation, but in itself, it cannot save man. That was true of the Old Testament law as well. The law could discipline man physically but it could not save man’s soul. The law was a sort of yoke. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of animals to control or guide them. Jesus used this term as a metaphor to explain the difference between the law and the truth.

Those who know the Father and the Son have life.

Matthew 11:25-30 says, “At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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.”

Mankind cannot receive the gospel by human wisdom. Anyone who considers himself to be wise may struggle more in their faith because of their own rationalizations. Anyone with open ears can have faith. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of Christ.” We don’t need to be clever in order to have faith, we need a pure heart.  

The gospel is about the relationship between God the Father and the Son. Jesus always emphasized, “The Father loves me. I obey the Father. The Father is the most high. I am the least before Him.” Who is God? He is the source of life and He Himself is life. Why do we call Him ‘Father’? Because He is The Most High. When someone asks you, “Do you know God?”, it is like asking, “Do you have life?” By experiencing this relationship between God the Father and the Son, we are saved and have eternal life.

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” It is the law that imposes labor and heavy loads upon people. The law requires penance. Those who are under the law try to offset the curse and punishment caused by their sins with their good deeds or through self denial, rather than by receiving grace. They try to escape the heavy yoke that oppresses them. But Jesus said, “Come unto Me and take My yoke upon you.”

Take the yoke of Jesus who is gentle and lowly in heart.

 Who is Jesus that we should take His yoke? He said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” What is meekness? Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5:5). The meek win over many people in this world. Being meek means harboring no feelings of hatred whatsoever. We can find this kind of gentleness in a mother’s love for her children. Mothers never hate their own children regardless how much they misbehave. If we are constantly insulted and persecuted by spiteful people, we may end up feeling bitterness toward them. And yet, the meek man overcomes those feelings bitterness.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” (Mt 5:43-47). Being meek means loving even your enemies.

Jesus also said, “I am lowly in heart.” Though He was equal with God He humbled Himself completely. Philippians 2:6-8 says, “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He who humbled Himself before God the Father by becoming obedient even unto death is the Son of God; knowing and believing in Him is the gospel.

Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you.” This means to receive His grace. The yoke of the law is too heavy a burden for man to bear, but the yoke and the burden of Jesus is light. Nevertheless, people still choose the heavy burden and treat the easy one as if it has no value. Jesus’ yoke is the only one that can give us true rest.

Abide in Grace

Sometimes people say, “Oh pastor, I don’t understand how such a person can receive grace! Watching him receive grace, I don’t want anything to do with grace now.” I understand the desire to see those who offended them be punished. But we must not have that attitude. We must test ourselves whether we have learned from Jehovah or from Jesus.

Jesus took our punishment, because He did not want us to take the punishment. He says, “Sinner, I have taken the punishment in order to pay the penalty for your sin. There is therefore no more punishment for you. Be saved, not through penance, but by grace!” When you are afflicted, do not be misled into thinking that you deserve to be punished and that you are being punished for your sin. When you are afflicted, repent immediately and be free.

Some people discipline themselves to come to church out of fear, thinking that they might be cursed if they don’t come to church. They might attend the service, but they will never experience joy in anything they do at church, because they do everything begrudgingly. We must understand that keeping the Lord’s Day is not a yoke of burden, but the yoke of grace that blesses and enriches our souls.

Abide in grace. Take Jesus’ yoke upon you. A man’s conscience constantly condemns him. Not only when he physically commits a sin, but also when he lusts in his heart or harbors thoughts of hate or envy toward someone else. If you surrender to the condemnation, you will drift away from God. Once you have drifted away from God, you will end up thinking that you deserve to suffer the consequences of your sin and you will resist relying on God’s grace.

Anyone who is carrying the heavy yoke not only does not recognize the fact that they themselves have received grace. And they do not realize that other people have received grace as well. Such a person would say, “If you sinned, you must be punished. You don’t deserve grace.” On the other hand, anyone who abides in grace even though they have sinned, experience God’s grace more deeply. Romans 5:20 says,” The law came so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded much more.”

People give tithes or offerings grudgingly instead of joyfully because they do not abide in grace. To those hypocrites who do not know God’s grace, God would say: “You who despise My name! When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer those that are lame and sick, is that not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle a fire on My altar in vain!” (Mal 1:6-10)

Take off the yoke of conscience. Having conscience is good for living in this world. But there is no work of the Holy Spirit in a conscience. The Holy Spirit works only in the yoke of Jesus. Are you sick? Abide in grace! Are you poor? Abide in grace! Are you beset by all kinds of troubles? Abide in grace! Is it hard to see other people being saved easily and without suffering? Abide in grace! Come to Jesus, take His yoke upon you, and learn from Him.

Pastoral ministry is the duty of nurturing the souls of Christians who have been purchased by the holy blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the church, teaches by the Holy Spirit, makes the church serve by the Holy Spirit, gives faith and hope, and makes them persevere and endure by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and at last you will be My disciples.”

From the first moment that I, Semuon, was called by the Holy Spirit and was guided by Him, I did the work of preaching the gospel, and finally, by following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I established Sungrak Church in this place. At that time, I prayed that Sungrak Church would grow only by the Holy Spirit and preached sermons only by the Holy Spirit. If the working of the Holy Spirit was not with me, I cannot do any work. Therefore, I prayed by the Holy Spirit, always seeking for the fullness of His inspiration, and with the inspiration I received, I carried out the pastoral ministry.

Pastoral ministry requires the fullness of prayer, power and inspiration. Until now, in the face of great and important matters, I always prayed first and then received great answers of inspiration, and pursued the growth of our church through God’s inspiration. Rather than seeking the opinion of man, I prayed to the Lord Jesus and always asked for inspiration, being full of the faith that I need to receive wisdom from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I preached sermons that were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and even for all the works of constructing church buildings, I only prayed and with the inspiration I received, carried them through regardless of the circumstances.

During the past 50 years, I pastured by eagerly trusting only in the Holy Spirit, but today we are experiencing a great trial. They are accusing the pastor of arbitrarily assuming dictatorial authority. However, it is not dictatorship, but I prayed enormously, and with the answers of inspiration I received each time, I worked without fear and overcome the world. Even for constructing church buildings, I prayed, and according to the inspiration I received, I made the sketches and gave them over to the architect. And by praying in all matters, I worked by turning the inspiration I received into great power, regarding it as great wisdom.

The pastor has the duty of praying, receiving inspiration through prayer, and doing his ministry. Pastoral ministry is not about consulting with people and gathering the opinions of man. Jesus Christ also prayed and then taught His disciples. Pastoral ministry is not done by the wisdom of man. It is not done by the will of man either. Pastoral ministry is about doing only the work that the Holy Spirit instructs. Therefore, I am praying much more, more than all others, and fulfilling each work one by one.

However, people’s opinions which area big threat to the ministry are violating the pastor’s inspiration. The apostles devoted themselves to the work of prayer and the preaching of the word, and delegated the work of service to the deacons. Those who were full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit were ordained as deacons. Good seed were scattered on the soil, but it has been revealed that the enemy has sown weeds over night. It has become the great task given to us to overcome the conflict between inspiration and the thought of man.

Spiritual workers of service in the church are gradually disappearing. But what can we do since those workers, who used to work by the Holy Spirit, are now throwing away the glory of faith and hope and calling themselves mere laborers? It has become very difficult to ordain lay ministers in the future. The church must be preserved only by the Holy Spirit.

[gmedia id = 92]

Outline translated by Sarah Lee
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by Sarah Lee
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee