Yoked Together with Christ 1 – January 1 Message

TOPIC: YOKED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST

TEXT: LUKE 9: 23 – 26   

23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

INTRODUCTION

Today, we shall begin by doing a very short introduction to the theme for the year 2023. The focus is on Discipleship.

The word ‘Yoke’ actually means different things in the Bible.

A.  There is the Satanic yoke.  – this is a  symbol of slavery and oppression from the powers in the land. E.g  1 Kings 12:4,9-11(oppression) and in 1 Tim. 6:1. (slavery)  Therefore, breaking or removing the yoke thus symbolizes liberation from oppression and servitude.

B.  There is the agricultural yoke, as given in 1 Sam. 6:7…(when the Philistines wanted to return the stolen Ark)

§  A yoke is a shaped wooden bar placed across the necks of two oxen (or other draft animals) and connected by a beam to a plow or cart. As the animals pull, the weight of the load is carried by their shoulders.

§  A yoke is not essentially made to make life difficult for the bearer but is indeed fashioned to make difficult things simple.

§  A yoke is not a fashion statement, it is a service emblem.

§  A yoke is not for all, it is for the deserving. 

C.  The Spiritual yoke. 2 Cor. 6:14. Do not be yoked together with an unbeliever…. In Matt 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This is the Yoke we are eagerly desirous of putting on this year…

–         Easy and Light

–         Helps us to learn from Jesus

–         Sets free the weary and the burdened….giving them rest.

Before we go further in this study, I want us to note ONE condition given to be able to carry this precious Yoke…

–         Deny yourself (NIV)

–         Disown yourself (TPT)

–         Turn from your selfish ways (NLT)

The only thing I want us to focus on this morning is ‘yourself’. What were the components of ‘yourself’  in the past years…..?

–         Cheating

–         Unfaithfulness

–         Unseriousness

–         Just complaints…

Turn from such ways today…..

IN CONCLUSION

Will you give the full ownership to Christ from today?

Read Part 2 Here

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