Christ’s Yoke
Matthew 11:28-30
In
what ways do mortals “labor” and become “heavy laden”?
Identifying and focusing on temporal,
material circumstances (“maya”), which generate fear and mental/emotional
burdens.
We become weighed down with sin and its
effects.
What
is the “rest” that Christ offers?
It is being “grafted” into the true vine
(see Alma 16:17).
It is being made one in Christ as He is
one with the Father.
It is being made pure (sanctified by the
Spirit, being made spotless, having their dispositions changed – see Alma
13:12).
It is entering into His presence (see
D&C 84:24 and Moroni 7:3).
What
is the Lord’s “yoke”?
It is the tool that enables our
relationship – to help us become one – it is our covenant, enabled by the Holy
Spirit.
How
does taking the Lord’s yoke or covenant upon us help us to “learn of (Him)”?
We learn that His atonement is real as we
are born of the Spirit.
We learn of His unconditional love for us
as we are filled with charity for others, and feel His love for us.
We learn to be like Him as we serve those
who hate us, forgive those who hurt us, and intercede with God on behalf of
those who won’t grant mercy to us.
How
is His yoke easy and His burden light?
The heavy burden of perfection is not
ours in this life – while “no unclean thing can enter God’s presence”, Christ’s
atonement and the covenant He will make with us allow us to be perfect “in
Christ” (see Moroni 10:32-33).
Our job is to give away the heavy burden
of perfect performance by sacrificing on the altar our heavy burdens of sin and
a broken heart and contrite spirit – these are the terms of the covenant (yoke)
and they are easy in that we can actually do them in this life, and the burden
of abiding in that covenant is light because we are sanctified by the Holy
Spirit (and filled with light, incidentally) and receive a mighty change of
heart where we actually want to love Him.
Lord of the Sabbath
Matthew 12:1-14
Why
was it not lawful to gather corn on the Sabbath day?
The Law of Moses forbade using a sickle
to harvest grain on the Sabbath (specifically someone else’s).
The Priests and Scribes created an oral
tradition of standards that expanded on the definitions in scriptures – to
prevent using a sickle, they just forbade ANY gathering of grain on the Sabbath
day.
So, it was actually lawful by the Law but
not by the oral traditions (their standards or the current practices of their
Church).
What
does “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath Day” mean?
It is His day and He will dictate how it
is to be spent.
What
does the phrase “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” teach us about how the
Lord would have His day spent?
Not in ritual sacrifice.
But in real service, mercy and
ministering to people with love.
READ Luke 13:10-17
Why
did Christ heal on the Sabbath?
To show them how to keep the day holy –
through love and service.
To show them that they were hypocrites
and devoid of love, and that man (His work and glory) is more important than
tending to other “emergencies” like an animal in trouble.
To break them of their addiction to
man-made standards which they worshipped as if they came from God, because they
came from their priesthood leaders.
The Woman and the Pharisee
READ Luke 7:36-50
Why
did the woman wash Christ’s feet and anoint them?
She knew who Christ really was.
She was willing to do whatever it took to
be clean – she had a broken heart and contrite spirit.
Why
did the Pharisee not observe the common customs of the day with regards to a
dinner guest like Christ?
While he may have had a voyeuristic
fascination with Christ (like King Herod did), this pharisee did not believe
that Jesus was who He said He was – the Messiah.
So, he disrespected Christ – he wanted to
embarrass Him publicly.
Although
the Pharisee was very religious, what quality did the woman possess that he did
not – and it prevented him from receiving forgiveness?
Love.
His heart was hard and cold.
Accused of Devil Worship
READ Matthew 12:22-30
Christ
is clearly showing He has power to heal, power over the elements, and power to
cast out the devil – so what are the two choices the Jewish leaders have to
explain His abilities?
Either Jesus is the “Son of David”.
Or He is a devil worshipper and is channeling
Satanic power.
It is interesting that being a
spiritually gifted individual on one’s own, didn’t enter their equation; this
could be because of their understanding (or lack thereof) of the way things
work in the unseen world and the light that individuals have (and can manifest
of their own free will and choice without being commanded in all things) OR
they actually understood that if you weren’t serving God directly with your own
spiritual gifts and powers, you were not His and all that are not His are the
devil’s.
What
does Christ’s argument about a “house divided against itself” mean?
Satan’s kingdom doesn’t work that way –
he won’t kick himself out of a body just to make it seem that the mortal he is
in league with is not really a devil worshipper (see the story of Legion and
the swine – Mark 5:1-20).
A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruit, or visa-versa (see Matthew 7:17).
