The Yoke of Service-About my Father's Business

Jesus was only 12 years of age when, on a yearly temple visit, He went missing. His parents anxiously sought after Him and eventually found Him in the temple, talking earnestly with the learned men. The doctors and elders marveled at his understanding for a youth of such tender age. When His parents asked why He had stayed behind and caused them so much anxiety, He replied: “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” [Luke 2:42-52]

Jesus’ entire life was spent doing the Will of His Father [John 4:34]. He went about doing good, healing and setting at liberty all who were oppressed by the evil one. His meat was to do His Father’s Will and to finish the work.

Jesus has bid all who are weary and heavy laden to come to Him and rest. However, the rest He offers is not a passive rest of inactive lethargy. Instead He offers to exchange your yoke of sin, bondage and the cares of this world for a yoke of service which is “easy and light.”[Matt 11:28-30]

God sent Jesus into the world for a purpose-to redeem us from our sins and to show us the way to the Father. Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, so He sends us out to finish the work [John 17:18].  He has left nothing undone for our salvation. Now He bids us to go and tell the world of His marvelous grace and redeeming love. Jesus’ heart beats for the lost children of this world. His passion should be our passion. His mission should be ours.

He has left each of us a special work to do in the Great Commission [Matt 28:18-20]. He has given gifts to be used earnestly in this service. It is time to stop playing church and start working for God. The church has been asleep for long enough. It is now time to cast off the cloak of slumber and get moving for God! Time is fast running out, and the harvest is ready yet workers are still few.

It is encouraging to have attended the last Church Business meeting and to know that there are plans to get everyone actively involved in the mission of promoting the Good News of the Gospel beyond the walls of our church. We must pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send us forth as His workers to complete the Mission that He saw fit to entrust us with.

Let us get enthusiastic as we go about our Father’s business with zeal.

Scripture refs:Luk 2:42-52, Jn 4:34, Jn 17:18, Matt 11:28-30, Matt 28:18-20, Hab 2:2)

"In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."- John 4:31-34


"As thou [Father] hast sent me [Jesus] into the world, even so have I also sent them [ my disciples] into the world."-John 17:18


"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."-Matt 11:28-30

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."-Matt 28:18-20

What kind of brother are you?

The story in Luke 15 tells of a young man who demanded his inheritance so he could start a life of his own. After much deliberation, his father is forced to accede to his request as his son refuses to see the error of his ways. The son squanders his inheritance on riotous living, and soon is left empty - handed. Friends desert him as his inheritance dwindles. Eventually he is alone, left to fend for himself in an unfamiliar and hostile world. He possesses little skill or wisdom as he refused to use the time spent with his father to learn a trade or help in the family business. As a young Jewish lad he eventually finds himself hired as a keeper of swine, a job that in his culture would have been viewed as unclean and despicable.

Eventually he comes to his senses and returns home, planning to beg the forgiveness of God and his father and to secure a place among his dad’s hired labourers, as he is no longer worthy to be called his son. The magnitude of his sin weighs heavily on him as he walks the dusty road to his village. Suddenly from afar, he sees a figure running toward him, robes flapping ridiculously. He immediately recognizes his father, arms outstretched and looking less than dignified as he dashes toward his son to embrace him, kissing him on the neck. With tears in his eyes, he commands that the best robe be put on his son, sandals on his feet and the signet ring of authority on his right hand thus restoring him to the position of honour he once held as his son.

Meanwhile the older son who had remained with the father came in from the fields after a hard day’s labour and was less than impressed with the reason for the great celebration the father had arranged. After his brother had left home, he had to carry the workload of two men and he had no time for fun or celebration. He reasoned that he was better than his brother. After all he had sacrificed much to remain with his father. He felt unappreciated, and his grudging obedience to the father was taking its toll on him.

As part of the church of Christ, what kind of brother are you? Are you happy when your brother in the Lord comes home, sinful though he may be? Remember, you have sinned too. Take the example of Jesus to heart. As our elder brother, He chose to leave the glories of Heaven to risk all to save us. Now that we are safely home, he commands us to do the same. We are to go into the world, looking for straying children of our Father for He longs to welcome them home.

Scripture references: Luke 15:10-32

Finding Glory in the Cross of Shame

As Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, the tears rolled down his face. The prophecies of Is 53 must have flashed through His mind and the frail garb of His humanity shuddered at the thought of the brutal death that soon awaited Him, but mostly the weight of sin that He would have to bear and the resulting separation from His Father. He faced the greatest trial of His life on earth and He faced it alone.

Every person on this earth faces trials on a daily basis. Jesus has not promised us a life of ease but He has promised to be with us “even unto the end of the world.”  In John 16:33, our Lord warned us that in this world we would have trouble, but in His mind as far He was concerned He had conquered the world even before the Cross! He did not say “I will overcome the world.” He said “I have [past tense] overcome the world”!

As followers of Christ, we are called to “take up our crosses” and follow Him (Matt 16:24). Sometimes it feels like we don’t choose our crosses, but rather they choose us. However, God has promised that He would not let any trial befall us that we are not able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). It stands to reason therefore, that the stronger in God you become, the greater your trials will be.

Even those who do not believe in God face trials! The difference is that we have our forerunner, Jesus Christ, who has shown us how to conduct ourselves in the face of looming trials with confidence, grace and strength. Living in the shadow of the cross of uncertainty is not easy, but Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and “in all these things, we are more than conquerors because of Him who loved us and gave His life for us.”

Many of our trials are not as serious as that which Jesus faced. The uncertainty of tomorrow is not as serious as the knowing certainty that tomorrow brings only suffering and a cruel death. We sometimes struggle to sleep before a big exam, but can you imagine how Christ felt the night before His crucifixion! We think that working under conditions of looming retrenchment is cruel; what about living your whole life knowing that you were born to die for a race of humanity that would largely reject you? Christ still faces pain and anguish when people who know the truth about Him willingly backslide and fall back into sin because that basically means they think nothing of the cruel death He  suffered and the price He paid to save them (Heb 6:6). Tomorrow, in all likelihood, I will have the gift of freedom. My hands and feet will not be nailed to a cross. Therefore, I have much to thank God for! My trials at this moment are lighter than those of Christ and His persecuted church.

If we cannot deal with the light afflictions of today, how will we deal with facing death for the sake of our faith? Remember, Jesus Christ was “the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” but He is our victorious Saviour who found “joy in the cross”!

"Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."-Heb 12:2

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."-Heb 5:7-8

 Scripture refs: Heb 5:7, Matt 26:37-45, Is 53, Heb 4:15, Heb 12:2