(I should tell you that its somewhere around 4:30 a.m. and I’ve been awake for a couple hours now, oh the joys of jetlag. Anyhow, if this doesn’t make sense let me know and I’ll go back and edit it when I’m more coherent.)

We began our second full day of touring by visiting the Mount of Beatitudes. Most believers are very familiar with the Sermon on the Mount. But I think few truly understand the significance of what this sermon was really about.

When a talmid, or disciple would follow a rabbi he would learn everything he could from the rabbi. But the most important thing he could learn, was how the rabbi interpreted and taught concerning the law of Moses. The rabbis teachings, beliefs, and interpretations of the law was called his yoke. If you were to follow a rabbi, you would have to take on his yoke.

The Sermon on the Mount was in many ways, Jesus opportunity to share his yoke with his disciples. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that he hasn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, and then he goes on to refer to various facets of the law, and what his interpretation is concerning the law. You can recognize this by statements like, “You have heard it said. . . . but I say. . . .” So this entire Sermon on the Mount is Jesus way of simplifying the law and helping his disciples understand how they should live according to the law. It was his yoke.

In Matthew 11:29, Jesus invites anyone to follow him, and to take up his yoke. But he especially invites people who are tired and weary. Why? I think he’s talking to the people who’ve spent so much of their lives trying to keep a list of do’s and don’ts. Trying to live a righteous life in their own power. If you’ve ever tried living that way, its nothing short of exhausting. Many Christians do live that way. Their relationship with God is based on keeping a list of rules, and not breaking them. Jesus says, if you’re tired of living that way, come to him, take up his yoke, and then he says the unthinkable: “Its easy.” WHAT? Are you kidding? That’s blasphemy? Easy to follow Christ? NO WAY!!!! Its supposed to be hard, its supposed to be a sacrifice. Its supposed to pull blood, sweat, and tears, from you. But the thing is, he took the blood sweat and tears so we don’t have too.

I think we’ve made serving God too complicated. At another point Jesus simplifies his yoke, and he says the two greatest commandments are 1. Love God and 2. Love Others. If we do that, we fulfill all the requirements of the law.

Have you taken up the yoke of Christ? Or are you having fun doing it your own way? is your Christian walk, hard, miserable, somber, empty of joy? Then you’ve got it all wrong. Take up his yoke. Bring the life back into your life with the Christ.

Keep following the rabbi.