Description

In this episode of Witnessing Christ from the New Testament, Mark and Molly discuss Matthew 11–12 and Luke 11.

This podcast episode covers the following:

Matthew 11:1–30

• Jesus Responds to John the Baptist's Doubts
• The Light and Easy Yoke of Jesus

Matthew 12:1–21

• Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath
• Jesus is the Servant of the Lord

Matthew 12:38–42

• The Sign of Jonah
• True Relationships that Matter

Matthew 11:37–54

• Religious Hypocrisy Denounced
• The Key of Knowledge Withheld

Key concepts in this episode include: 

• What are we to make of John the Baptist's doubts?
• What does Jesus teach John the Baptist about himself?
• What are we to do with our doubts?
• What yoke was burdening the people of Jesus' day?
• What is the easy and light yoke that Jesus gives?
• What relationships matter the most?

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Encourage your LDS friend to ask questions when you share the article "Is it OK to Ask Questions About God?" from Be Ye Perfect.

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Click here to download a Bible Study outline to share with your Mormon friends, family, and missionaries.

Share this conversation starter with your LDS friend:

Have you ever noticed the oxymorons in Matthew 11:30? It says, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Yokes are put around oxen so that they can pull heavy things. Burdens, by definition, are not light. Jesus is trying to make a point.

By nature, humans are all yoked to the law. And the burden of the law is intense, crushing, unbearable, and impossible. Maybe I can give the appearance of upholding the law outwardly, but my heart is filled with anger, lust, greed, and selfishness. Daily, I strive to do better, but the reality is I am weary and heavy-laden. I'm not even close to fulfilling my own checklists, let alone the checklist the law of God has for me.

But Jesus offers a different yoke—the yoke of the gospel! Jesus subjected himself to the yoke of the law, but it didn't crush him; he fulfilled it perfectly. He also carried a burden of my sin and suffered my condemnation on the cross. He did this so that I wouldn't have to, so I could be set free. And now, I am yoked to the gospel of full and free forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ.

Dear friend, what are you yoked to? If you are striving to climb a ladder, weary from completing a checklist, or burdened trying to earn forgiveness, you're not yoked to Jesus; you are still yoked to the law! 

Being yoked to Jesus is freeing, light, easy, and gentle. The yoke of the gospel isn't "do more;" it's "done in Jesus."