Cross Points 7.17
Christian Paradox:Burden is Light, but Cost is Great
Consider the following concepts as Jesus communicates to his disciples (including us):
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build, does not first sit down and count the cost?” (Luke 14:26-28).
Do these statements from Jesus create a conflict? Can they both be true? To say the least, we find a paradox with them, to say the burden is light while the cost is great. On the surface those statements do not seem to mesh, but let’s consider them.
What does Jesus mean when he says his yoke is easy and his burden is light? Most likely he is providing a contrast with the struggles of Jews keeping the Law of Moses. Learning all the rules and making all the sacrifices according to the law was burdensome. Few could keep up with all the details and comply as needed. In addition to that, the Jewish leaders had added hundreds of their own rules, making the “law” even more burdensome. But as people turned to Jesus the Messiah, his way is not the Law of Moses, but rather simply following him as people learn of his teaching. His way is a way of grace and forgiveness. Must the follower make the effort to follow and obey? Certainly. But as they stumble, grace is applied. And it is all motivated by love for Jesus, a whole different motive than the complications of a law system. His yoke is easy, his burden is light.
By contrast, what does Jesus mean when he says we must count the cost of being his disciple, and the cost includes our allegiance to him coming before our allegiance to family and self, even involves living sacrificially (bearing our own cross)? There is no hidden message here, he means what he says. Our allegiance to him must be primary in our lives. An example. If a person with Muslim parents becomes a Christian, they could be condemned and disfellowshipped with family, even persecuted, and lose their inheritance. A willingness to make such a sacrifice is required to follow Jesus in this messed up sinful world. The cost can be great.
So, with these thoughts in mind, we can see how loving Jesus as our motive to follow in faith makes the yoke of discipleship light (we follow because we want to, not because we’re forced to, not with countless laws to figure out); while we also see how following Jesus can come with a high cost, because we may need to sacrifice things we hold dear, to truly be a disciple. His burden is light, the cost is great.
Although discipleship involves obedience to the Lord, don’t make it a law system that weighs you down. Keep a focus on Jesus, love him, follow him, learn from his teaching (and his authorized apostles who taught on his behalf). Only with such a focus of love for the Lord will we be willing to pay the price that is sometimes required to truly find our allegiance with him.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build, does not first sit down and count the cost?” (Luke 14:26-28).
Do these statements from Jesus create a conflict? Can they both be true? To say the least, we find a paradox with them, to say the burden is light while the cost is great. On the surface those statements do not seem to mesh, but let’s consider them.
What does Jesus mean when he says his yoke is easy and his burden is light? Most likely he is providing a contrast with the struggles of Jews keeping the Law of Moses. Learning all the rules and making all the sacrifices according to the law was burdensome. Few could keep up with all the details and comply as needed. In addition to that, the Jewish leaders had added hundreds of their own rules, making the “law” even more burdensome. But as people turned to Jesus the Messiah, his way is not the Law of Moses, but rather simply following him as people learn of his teaching. His way is a way of grace and forgiveness. Must the follower make the effort to follow and obey? Certainly. But as they stumble, grace is applied. And it is all motivated by love for Jesus, a whole different motive than the complications of a law system. His yoke is easy, his burden is light.
By contrast, what does Jesus mean when he says we must count the cost of being his disciple, and the cost includes our allegiance to him coming before our allegiance to family and self, even involves living sacrificially (bearing our own cross)? There is no hidden message here, he means what he says. Our allegiance to him must be primary in our lives. An example. If a person with Muslim parents becomes a Christian, they could be condemned and disfellowshipped with family, even persecuted, and lose their inheritance. A willingness to make such a sacrifice is required to follow Jesus in this messed up sinful world. The cost can be great.
So, with these thoughts in mind, we can see how loving Jesus as our motive to follow in faith makes the yoke of discipleship light (we follow because we want to, not because we’re forced to, not with countless laws to figure out); while we also see how following Jesus can come with a high cost, because we may need to sacrifice things we hold dear, to truly be a disciple. His burden is light, the cost is great.
Although discipleship involves obedience to the Lord, don’t make it a law system that weighs you down. Keep a focus on Jesus, love him, follow him, learn from his teaching (and his authorized apostles who taught on his behalf). Only with such a focus of love for the Lord will we be willing to pay the price that is sometimes required to truly find our allegiance with him.