EASY BURDEN (31 OF 52)
Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30
This content is part of a series.
Easy Burden (31 of 52)
Series: Lectionary, Year A
Christopher B. Harbin
Matthew 11:16-30
We are pretty good at putting up defenses. It is a mechanism that helps us navigate through life. We learn early on to shift blame onto others, to deny our misdeeds, to pretend we never fail, and to ignore the wrongs we have committed. We may do this in response to a shame culture. We may do this with the belief that we must protect ourselves from being cast in a bad light. We may believe we will lose something of great value if we are found out to be less than perfect. It can become a great burden for us to continue to keep up the facade of perfection, of hiding behind a mask of righteousness. Could Jesus be addressing this on speaking of an easier yoke and a lighter burden?
People all around Jesus had a host of arguments against accepting the words of the prophets God had been sending them. They had a host of arguments against accepting Jesus as coming from God. They chastized John the Baptist for being too strict in removing himself from the simple pleasures of living. His living beyond the comforts of society, wearing rough clothing, eating a nomadic diet, and eschewing the finer things in life was enough reason to shun his message and cast him as being possessed by some demon. After all, the blessings of life come from Yahweh's bounteous provision and we should all enjoy them as given by the hand of God!
The critique against John was not really about his lifestyle, however, it was an argument designed to insulate them from his message of repentance. They did not want to hear that they were somehow failing to measure up to God's full will for their lives. They needed to protect the status quo, their history and heritage. They needed to divert attention from the critiques John leveled against their society as mistaking the form of religion for the reality of pursuing God's design for life.
When it came to Jesus, there was a whole other set of arguments agai ...
Series: Lectionary, Year A
Christopher B. Harbin
Matthew 11:16-30
We are pretty good at putting up defenses. It is a mechanism that helps us navigate through life. We learn early on to shift blame onto others, to deny our misdeeds, to pretend we never fail, and to ignore the wrongs we have committed. We may do this in response to a shame culture. We may do this with the belief that we must protect ourselves from being cast in a bad light. We may believe we will lose something of great value if we are found out to be less than perfect. It can become a great burden for us to continue to keep up the facade of perfection, of hiding behind a mask of righteousness. Could Jesus be addressing this on speaking of an easier yoke and a lighter burden?
People all around Jesus had a host of arguments against accepting the words of the prophets God had been sending them. They had a host of arguments against accepting Jesus as coming from God. They chastized John the Baptist for being too strict in removing himself from the simple pleasures of living. His living beyond the comforts of society, wearing rough clothing, eating a nomadic diet, and eschewing the finer things in life was enough reason to shun his message and cast him as being possessed by some demon. After all, the blessings of life come from Yahweh's bounteous provision and we should all enjoy them as given by the hand of God!
The critique against John was not really about his lifestyle, however, it was an argument designed to insulate them from his message of repentance. They did not want to hear that they were somehow failing to measure up to God's full will for their lives. They needed to protect the status quo, their history and heritage. They needed to divert attention from the critiques John leveled against their society as mistaking the form of religion for the reality of pursuing God's design for life.
When it came to Jesus, there was a whole other set of arguments agai ...
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