SERVANTS UNDER THE YOKE

"I am wholly the Lord's; and wholly devoted in the spirit of sacrificial obedience, to the constant, complete, and energetic performance of the Divine will." - Adam Clarke

"Seeking our own interest to the neglect of Jesus Christ is a very great sin, and very common among Christians and ministers. Many prefer their own credit, ease, and safety, before truth, holiness, and duty, the things of their own pleasure and reputation before the things of Christ's kingdom and His honour and interest in the world." - Matthew Henry

"Christ has a yoke for our necks...and this yoke He expects we should take upon us and draw in...Servants are said to be under the yoke... and subjects... To take Christ's yoke upon us, is to put ourselves into the relation to servants and subjects to Him, and then to conduct ourselves accordingly, in a conscientious obedience to all His commands, and a cheerful submission to all His disposals: it is to obey the gospel of Christ, to yield ourselves to the Lord: it is Christ's yoke; the yoke He has appointed; a yoke He has Himself drawn in before us, for He learned obedience...A yoke speaks some hardship, but if the beast must draw, the yoke helps him. Christ's commands are all in our favour: we must take this yoke upon us to draw in it. We are yoked to work, and therefore must be diligent..." - Matthew Henry

In this message, we want to talk about the "yoke" in the Christian walk and how it pertains to you.

In Matthew 11:29, Jesus clearly commanded - "Take My yoke upon you..." He used the picture of oxen who were "under the yoke" in order to get the farm work done. To be "under the yoke" then became a figurative expression for laboring for one or for being in the service of anyone. It came to mean being "yoked" to an occupation or obligation. To "take on a yoke" actually became a symbol of submission.

Every Christian is required to take on "the yoke of the kingdom of heaven" every day. What this means is that he is to embrace Christ and obey Him...having all bad passions and inclinations restrained... and being subject to His laws.

In 1 Timothy 6:1, the Apostle Paul used the expression - "Let as many servants as are under the yoke..." These were slaves who were "under the yoke" as bondservants - under hard and disagreeable conditions. It denoted that they were in subjection to or laboring for another - "yoked" to work - and not to be idle!

Stop and think of what is being said here!

The oxen "under the yoke" was "yoked" to labor.
The servant "under the yoke" was "yoked" to labor for his Master.
The Christian "under the yoke" is "yoked" to work for the Lord Jesus.

Idleness and ease is out of the question!

Are you getting Holy Spirit's drift?

The Child of God is not called to sit still...lay aside the performance of good works...or live a pleasure-driven life. On the contrary, he is to be constantly doing the will and work of his Lord.

We find this principle of being a servant throughout the Scriptures.

Romans 1:1 says - "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ..."
Philippians 1:1 says - "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ..."
Titus 1:1 says - "Paul, a servant of God..."
James 1:1 says - "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ..."
2 Peter 1:1 says - "Simon Peter, a servant...of Jesus Christ..." Jude 1:1 says - "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ..."
Revelation 1:1 says - "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants..."

These were all "servants" "under the yoke." They were slaves who had the understanding that they were not free to do their own will. They were at the control of another - appointed by Jesus to His great work. They were His entire property...not their own...whose life and powers belonged to Him. They had no right to dispose of or employ themselves but in the strictest subserviency to His will.

Being "servants" "under the yoke" meant that they didn't "seek their own" but the "things which are Jesus Christ's" (Philippians 2:21). They didn't seek their own comfort and ease. Rather they denied themselves and minded Christ's cause instead of their own interests. They made the things which pertained to His kingdom their great and leading object.

Being "servants" "under the yoke" caused them to deny their own private agenda, the indulgence of earthly appetites, and the love of dominion. They did not follow after pride, ambition, covetousness, luxury, or secular interests. In Romans 16:18, Paul mentioned those of a totally different spirit - "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly..."

Being "servants" "under the yoke" caused them to be God-pleasers rather than man-pleasers. Galatians 1:10 says - "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." No longer did they aim to please people. The purpose for which they lived and acted and shaped their conduct was to do God's will and to be found pleasing in His sight.

Being "servants" "under the yoke" made them imitators of their Master - doing the things He did...bearing the things He bore... loving the things He loved...and walking as He walked. John 12:26 confirms this fact - "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be..."

Being "servants" "under the yoke" brought them great "boldness" in speaking God's word - "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word" (Acts 4:29). They were determined to persevere in doing their duty to God. They would need boldness, courage, resolution, and openness to accomplish the task of proclaiming His truth with irresistible power.

And lastly, being "servants" "under the yoke" brought them the anointing of the Holy Ghost which they needed to deliver the "word of the Lord" to the nations - "And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:18).

The oxen "under the yoke" was "yoked" to labor.
The servant "under the yoke" was "yoked" to labor for his Master.
The Christian "under the yoke" is "yoked" to labor for the Lord Jesus.

Read these words from Matthew Henry again - "Christ has a yoke for our necks...and this yoke He expects we should take upon us and draw in...We are yoked to work, and therefore must be diligent..."

You are a "servant" "under the yoke."

Let those words sink deeply into your heart and mind today.

God has a plan for your life. He expects you to fulfill it.

The only thing that will keep you from fulfilling it is your own plan.

You are a "servant" "under the yoke." You are "yoked" to work.

Therefore, be diligent in what you do.

Whatever you do - Don't let your Master catch you being idle!

May God Bless His Word,
Connie

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