1. My yoke is hard and my burden is heavy Fettes Park Baptist Church 28 th Dec 2014 Alvin Chew Matthew 11:30

2. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matt 11:30

3. Our experience can sometimes feels like…

4. “Christianity has not so much been tried and found wanting as it has been found difficult and left untried.” G.K. Chesterton

5. “It costs a man as much or even more to depart from the ways of God. Narrow, exceedingly narrow is the way to perdition.” Soren Kierkegaard

6. … the way of a transgressor is hard. Proverbs 13:15(b) … His commands are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 (b) What do other scriptures say?

7. The “experiential gap” Scripture Experience VS

8. How can the yoke of Jesus be easy and his burden be light? Are we missing something here?

10. It is Jesus’ offer to ALL! 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. Matt 11:28-30 Easy yoke is a PROMISE by Jesus

11. What’s a Yoke? A piece of wood fastened on two animal for load sharing…..

12. Yoke is used in many different ways in the bible Burden 1 Kings 12:4 Oppression Isaiah 9:4 Slavery Exodus 6:6 Union 2 Cor 6:14

13. What does “yoke” mean in this scriptural context? 1. Union 3. Abide in Him 4. Keep “in Step” 2. Shared Burden

14. 1. Come to me all ye who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 2. Take my yoke upon you and 3. learn from me… Matt 11:28-29 The Secrets to Easy Yoke

15. 3 Keys to Easy Yoke Come to me Come to the Right Source Take my yoke Carry the right burden Learn from me

16. Learn from Jesus The secret of easy yoke is to learn from Jesus how to live our TOTAL LIVES, how to invest all our time and our energies of mind and body as He did. Dallas Willard

17. Nov 2013

18. Physical training is of some value but godliness has values for all things holding promise for both the present life and the future 1 Timothy 4:8

19. There are many people I know possess a vision of (personal) evolution yet seem to lack the will of it. They want, and believe it is possible, to skip over the discipline, to find an easy shortcut to sainthood. Often they attempt to attain it by simply imitating the superficialities of the saints, retiring to the desert or taking up carpentry. Some even believe that by such imitation they have really become saint and prophets, and are unable to acknowledge that they are still children and face the painful fact that they must start at the beginning and go through the middle. So, ironically, in their efforts to avoid necessary pains of discipline they miss the easy yoke and light burden. Spiritual training is key to experiencing easy yoke M. Scott Peck The Road Less Traveled

20. Jesus lived 33 years on earth, He spent 94% of his time in preparation and only 6% of His time on active ministry

21. The life of Jesus from Matthew’s perspective Birth of Jesus CH. 2 5 BC AD 27AD 28 AD 29 JESUS’ MINISTRY Year 1 JESUS’ MINISTRY Year 2 JESUS’ MINISTRY Year 3 Baptism & Temptation Ch. 3 & 4 Galilean Ministry Ch. 4:18 Calling of Matthew Ch. 9 12 disciples sent out Ch. 10 Fed the 5000 Ch. 14 Passion week Ch. 21-27 Jesus’ resurrection Ch. 28 ACTIVE MINISTRY “BEHIND THE SCENE”

22. Examining the life of Jesus 1.Solitary prayer (Matthew 14:13,23, Mark 1:35, Luke 4:42, 5:16). 2.Fasting / feasting on God’s word (Luke 4:2, Matthew 4:2). 3.Simple living (Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58). 4.Submitted to earthly authorities (Luke 2:51, Matthew 17:24-27). 5.Devoted time for the social outcasts (Matthew 21:28-32). 6...

23. List of spiritual exercises Disciplines of Abstinence Solitude Silence Fasting Frugality Chastity Secrecy Sacrifice Disciplines of Engagement Study Worship Service Prayer Fellowship Confession Submission Dallas Willard The spirit of disciplines

24. Just do it Put your hands on the plow You can learn from People God sometimes uses People to teach us Practice makes perfect With practice, even what is hard can become easy Take this home with you…