Thomas J Parlette
“Words for a Tired People”
Isaiah 9: 1-4
1/22/23
Once upon a time, there was a multi-millionaire who built a new home and filled it with only the best. Fine antique furniture, the newest and best appliances, smart technology everywhere. He even bought a $200,000 grand piano. One day, his brother came to visit and brought his 3 year- old daughter with him. And when this little girl saw the brand new, shiny people – her eyes lit up and she did what most children with a piano. She started banging away on the keys. Needless to say, her father and he millionaire uncle quickly put an end to her musical expression. Only a master should play such a precious instrument, right?
Or consider the friend of mine who recently inherited a 250 year-old grandfather clock, handcrafted in England. Unfortunately, every once in awhile, it stops ticking. Well, what do you do when a priceless heirloom is broken? Do you call the local handyman and hope for the best? Do you channel your inner Arthur Fonzarelli from “Happy Days,” slap the side of the clock and hope it starts ticking again? Probably not. No, you call the best clock repair shop you can find and bring in the experts.
Or, let’s suppose your spouse is ill. He or she needs a delicate open-heart surgery. Maybe you made “A’s” all the way through high school biology, you successfully dissected a frog, and you’ve keep up on all the latest advances watching reruns of ER and Grey’s Anatomy. Do you go ahead and try to do the operation yourself. No- of course not. You come to the World Famous Mayo Clinic and see a specialist. You’d only take your loved one to the best.
Now, how about us? How about you? When something goes wrong with our lives, where do we go for help? Do we seek out a professional, a specialist. Maybe. But how often do you call a friend, or stop by a neighbor’s place for advice. How often do you look up old Dear Abby columns, or turn on Dr. Phil or just start Googling. Maybe too often.
But remember what Jesus said, “Come to me.” Come to me all you who labor and are heavily burdened – I will give you rest. When we depend on an organization, we get what an organization can do. When we depend on psychiatrists and doctors, we get the best medicine can do. When we depend on government, we get the best the government can do – which sometimes isn’t much. But when we come to Jesus – well, we get the best that God can do!
You know, every so often people stop by my office to talk about some problem they have or some situation they are facing. Sometimes they’re a member of the church – I know them and they know me. But sometimes people stop by who aren’t members and who have little or no religious affiliation at all. One of the big tip-offs is when they call or ring the doorbell and ask to talk to the Father. Only two people would call me that, and they usually just say Dad. One of the things that I hear very often is where they’ve already been for help. “I’ve talked to my mother. I’ve listened to my friends. I’ve been to the Salvation Army. I’ve tried Family Services. I’ve seen a therapist.” It seems that God gets put on the list as kind of a last resort. “Nothing else has worked – I guess it’s time to try God.”
But Jesus says, “Come to me.” Maybe he means “Start with Me.” When your life is broken, when you are weary and run down, when you are hurting or in need of repair – come to Jesus. He is not called the Divine Healer for nothing. You could also think of Jesus as our Spiritual Manufacturer’s Rep – the one who is licensed to fix you. Jesus can look at your life, diagnose the problem and put it right. “Come to me,” says Jesus. Not as a last resort, start with me. Those are the words that a tired people need to hear. And I think all of us feel tired – body and soul – now and again.
There was once a German tourist who was asked, “What impresses you most about the United States.” He answered, “I wouldn’t say impressed, but I am struck by the fact that you are a tired people. Clerks, wives, husbands, friends, teachers, young people, leaders, institutions – you are all so tired!” Could it be that he was right? Is America tired? Have we worked and toiled to win a badge of deep mental, physical and spiritual fatigue? May be.
Just look at our homes – count the divorced or separated people you know. In many cases, their relationships just wore them out. How many parents are too tired to really raise their children. How many homes are more like a laundry, hotel and diner. We are a tired nation. We could all do with some rest. Did you know that it takes about 18 million sleeping pills to put America to sleep each night?
Even our institutions are tired. Churches are lukewarm. Our government is facing crisis after crisis and nobody trusts anybody anymore. It feels like we may have more than one military crisis on our hands with Russia, Ukraine and maybe now China as well. The law is tired and seemingly lax and nobody is happy with Congress. Even our money is tired – for we all know that a dollar doesn’t buy what it used to.
A more affluent society has never before existed. A healthier people has never lived. And yet there has never been a more worn out people.
Could we really be that tired? Maybe. If so, Jesus invites you, “Come to me all who are tired and heavy lade. I will give you rest.”
You know, the Greek word for rest is actually best translated as “relief.” I will give you relief. The Christian life is not a rest from any and all struggle, work, engagement or involvement. It is a gift, a relief, so one may devote their energies constructively.
In our passage for today, Isaiah was speaking to a tired people. Just two verses before, in Chapter 8, v.21 and 22, we hear that people were discouraged, hungry and angry. They were worn out and tired. Yet Isaiah brings hopeful words. Words that we believe speak about Jesus. “You have given the tired, hungry nations great joy, Lord. You have broken the yoke that burdened them and defeated their oppression.”
Yes, America does seem tired. We all seem worn out. We are a tired people. We fit very well into Isaiah’s description I think. And that’s why Jesus’ words are so relevant. But Jesus isn’t for everyone. Jesus doesn’t call everyone to follow him. He calls people like James and John and the other fishermen. Jesus calls the tired and the heavy laden. Jesus doesn’t call for the self-sufficient, for those who can “take care of myself, thanks very much.” Jesus only calls to those who feel a need. Those like James and John, who feel they need something more. “Come to me all who are tired and heavy laden,” he says, “and I will give you relief.”
Jesus also says, “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.”
Notice that Jesus gives two commands and a promise. The commands – “Come to me” – and- “Take my Yoke” – are what make the promise “I will give you rest and relief” come true.
Also notice that Jesus says that we must be saved from something- to something. This should not surprise us. God saved Israel from Egypt -to the promised land. God saves us from the flesh – to the spirit. Jesus says we need to be saved from our weariness – to his yoke.
Now when Jesus spoke of his yoke, he was speaking from the perspective of a skilled tradesman. He was flashing back to his boyhood days. You remember, Jesus was a carpenter for 20 years or so before he turned into a preacher. His father Joseph taught him the trade. Together they ran a little shop in Nazareth. I imagine it may have been located in the poor side of town, down some inconspicuous, dusty little street. But it was a pleasant shop, well-kept and nestled beneath the shade of some olive trees. I imagine you could hear frequent laughing, maybe some whistling or singing mixed in with the sounds of hammering and sawing. The smell of freshly cut lumber would fill your nostrils as you entered the shop. And out front, legend has it, there was sign which read, “Our Yokes Fit Well.”
According to tradition, Joseph and Jesus, and probably at least some of his brothers, made the best oxen yokes money could buy. People would come from all over the region to have their yokes made by Joseph and Sons. Jesus would take very detailed measurements, select the finest pieces of wood, cut it, shape it and sand it down until the yoke fit each animal like a second skin. Every yoke made by Joseph and Sons fit perfectly.
And now, some years later, Jesus no longer makes yokes for oxen. Now he makes yokes for people. And these yokes fit just as well. They are smooth, light-weight and tailor-made. God gives us each a tailor-made yoke, so to speak. God has a plan for everybody’s life. God has a job for you to do. And better than anyone else, you are qualified to do it.
So what is your yoke in life? What is your calling? What is your ministry? Ask God. If you really want to know God’s will, then the Lord will find a way to show it to you. Seek the advice of the best, seek out the specialist, and you will get an answer.
I wonder how many of you have heard the story about the puppy who was spinning around and around in circles? An old dog sauntered up to watch, and after a few minutes he asked, “What are doing?”
“I’m chasing my tail,” panted the puppy. “You see happiness is in my tail. When it wags, I’m happy. When it droops, I’m sad. Happiness is in my tail. So, if I can catch it, I will always be happy.”
After he had his breath, the puppy went back to spinning around and around, trying to catch his tail. Finally, he dropped to the ground, all out of breath, worn out and tired. The old dog, still watching all this, said wisely, “You know, I used to chase my tail. But one day I found that if I just went about my business, happiness followed along right behind.”
Today, Jesus’ invitation goes out to any of you who’ve been chasing your tails, searching for happiness and are just as worn out and tired as the people Isaiah was speaking to you way back when. The word for you is come to Jesus. He will give you rest. He will save you from your sins and give you a well-fitted yoke, whatever that may be. And when you go about the Lord’s business, happiness is sure to follow right behind.
May God be praised. Amen.
