One of the great temptations of modern Christianity is to want divine assistance without divine rule. We want the Spirit's comfort without the Spirit's governance. We want power without surrender. We seek resurrection life while refusing to heed the call to die. 

Read the Word and we must see this is never offered or promised. 

Jesus' invitation was never: "Come and experience power that belongs to you."

It was, "Come to me all who are weak and heavy burdented and I will give you rest." If we stopped there, we could make the case the we get handed a bucket full of "rest" and we can go our merry way. But it doesn't stop there. Jesus goes on to use a very strange metaphor from the agricultural world of his time - a yoke. "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

In pre-modern times, a yoke was a wooden harness that joined to laboring animals such as ox together so their combined labor could be channeled to a plow of other implement. The yoke permited them to work together. If one was stronger than the other, the burden would be divided by strength with the dominant one doing the heavy pulling. Those one could face a "heavy" yoke, and the other a "light" yoke. Jesus says, if we walk beside him, our yoke is light because Jesus pulls massive spiritual weight! Our part is to stay in the yoke, stay at His side, and do not get ahead of him.  

Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." To be His disciple, we must not think we can go our way, do our thing, or remain the same as we were before coming to Christ. He accepts us exactly as we are - that is grace! But he loves us too much to leave us as he found us - that is also grace.

The resurrection is promised. But the cross must be taken up. What that means for each of us is revealed in an progressive, unfolding way. Step-by-obedient step, we learn what it means. 

The Spirit's governance is threatening to the flesh precisely because He does not come merely to assist our self-directed lives. He comes to displace self-rule. Maybe it is cliche but no less true - He will be Lord of all or Lord not at all. The yoke spells both wonderful promise and extreme self-limitation. A yoke restrains and constrains. It is costly in that way. It is also gracious beyond words because it brings us into such closeness to Jesus! 

And really, how does the unconstrained life turn out when we ramble off on our? Each of us answers that. For me, it goes rotten and very quickly so. As I surrender to Jesus, I do what I would otherwise loath and find joy in it. I turn away from what used to entice, and I find Shalom. Peace. That is my sincere testimony.

The flesh says: "Empower me. Advise me."

The Spirit says: "Follow Me."

The flesh says: "Improve me. Bless me. Rid me of this particular embarrassing habit."

The Spirit says: "Give me all of you. Die with Christ and live by His life."

The flesh says: "Help me accomplish my plans."

The Spirit says: "Yield your plans and receive Mine."

This is not ultimately a call to loss, but a wonderful exchange: Death for Life!

We relinquish autonomy and receive communion.

We surrender control and receive peace.

We die to self and receive Christ's dynamic life.

We empty ourselves and discover that God fills what is emptied. He takes our misery, emptiness, and death and gives life, joy, purity, and peace.

That is why the call to holiness is never legalism when rightly understood. Legalism says: "Make yourself holy."

The Gospel says: "Present yourself to God."

Legalism relies on self-effort. Holiness begins with self-surrender. Everything is delivered by grace that is accessed by faith. However, saving faith is never passive, or a pretense for lackadaisical excusing of willful transgression.

He gives "the Spirit without limit" (Jn. 3:34b) when we give him ourselves without limit.

Search our heart of hearts, Oh Lord. Show us what we are blind to and reveal what is hidden. We yield to Your authority and Your will. Put your divine finger on what You will - we relinquish all to You. And, like the one who found buried treasure in the field, we do so with great joy! Amen  

• Pastor Mark