(Matt 11:28-30) （太11：28-30）

Last Sunday, we shared a message that Jesus called His people to pray. 我们上周分享的信息是主耶稣呼召祂的子民祷告。Because “the harvest is plentiful, but workers are few”. 因“要收的庄稼多，工人少”。Jesus doesn’t call us to do anything on our own, 耶稣召我们不是要我们靠自己行，but calls us into partnership. 而是召我们与神同工。Even if we pray, 即便我们祷告，we are called to pray in partnership with the truth and the Holy Spirit. 我们被呼召与真理和圣灵同工来祷告。If you have a business partnership, 若是合伙做生意，it means that you do business together and share benefits together. 则意味着一同做事，同得好处。The marriage partnership means sharing life together.婚姻的伙伴关系则意味着一同分享生命。

Thankfully, we are in that kind of partnership with the Lord Jesus! 感谢主，我们和主耶稣就是这种合伙伙伴关系！In our weakness, Jesus Christ became like us, 耶稣基督代替我们的软弱，through His death and resurrection for us, 借着祂为我们死和复活，we have His life, 使我们得着祂的生命，and He took our body as His temple, 祂又以我们的身体为自己的殿，we are now partner with Jesus. 我们现今成为耶稣的同伴。We and Jesus share life together. 与主一同分享生命。We belong to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ belong to us! 我们属于祂，祂属于我们！And God is love! 并且，神就是爱！We therefore have a partnership with love! 因此与神同伴就是与爱同伴！God is the solution to all the problems of life! 神是一切生命问题的解决者！We therefore have the partnership with the solution giver! 与神同伴就是无烦恼同伴！Isn’t that amazing? 是不是很奇妙？Today, we will continue to look at the call to partnership.今天，我们来继续分享与神同工的呼召。让我们来读 (马太福音 11:28-30) Let’s read Matt 11: 28-30 “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.” 凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。 我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。 因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”(马太福音 11:28-30)

1, An invitation of rest. V. 28 进入安息的邀请，28节

Are you overwhelmed by the things of this world? 你的心是否被今世的烦恼压倒？Are you exhausted or stressed because you’re trying to shoulder your life burdens on your own? 你是否因想要自己担当生命中的重担而感到疲惫和压力？Many years ago,  after I had prayed for a sister, 几年前，我为一位姊妹祷告，that night, I had a dream about her, 那晚，神赐给我一个关于她的梦，I saw that she did her best to manage all kinds of parcels in order, big and small, 梦里我看到她很努力地把各式各样、大大小小的包裹摆整齐，and carried them on her own shoulders, 然后背在自己的肩上，she was bent over and burdened and barely able to move forward. 她压弯了腰，几乎走不动。

After the dream, I knew that God was telling me the root, 醒来，我明白了神在告诉我，the reason why she could hardly grow in faith. 她的信心不能成长的根源是什么。that’s because she couldn’t really trust in God. 是因她不能真信靠神，She bore all her life burdens by herself. 靠着自己担当生命中的重担。When I was thinking about it, 当我思想这事，I came to realise why she overate, 开始明白她为什么暴食，because she was trying to relieve stress her way. 因她用自己的方式去解压。However, it caused her a mild form of type 2 diabetes.  但却给她带来了轻微的II型糖尿病。

Life has enough stress and troubles. 生活中充满压力和难处。A survey showed that more than 60% of Kiwis are stressed at least once a week with financial and work-related issues. 有项调查显示，超过60%的新西兰人每周会不止一次因财务和工作问题而感到压力。People over 50 years old, 50岁以上的人，were stressed by their health issues and those of their family. 则因自己和家人的健康问题而感到压力。The main cause of stress for young families was having enough money to live on. 经济压力是青年夫妻的主要压力。Young Kiwis were more concerned about job security, workload and having enough money to live on. 年青人担心的则更多是工作保障、工作负荷、足够收入来源等等。Jesus knows the troubles, the difficulties, and the problems we have to face each day of our lives.主耶稣了解我们每天所面对的各种难处、困境、问题。

No religious leaders in this world said, 从来没有哪一个宗教领袖这样说： “come to me, and I’ll give you rest.” “到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。”Mahammad couldn’t give people rest; 穆罕穆德给不了人安息，Buddha couldn’t give people rest, 佛祖给不了人安息，they all died, 他们全死了，they had no power to give their sinful people rest for their souls! 全无带给自己的子民 灵魂安息的能力！Instead, they impose heavy religious regulations on their people’s shoulders, 他们反而将宗教条规的重担压在自己子民身上，but couldn’t guarantee a future for them. 却又无法保证他们的未来。Only our Lord Jesus只有我们的主耶稣，who rose from the dead gives resurrection power to His people to rest in Him! 祂从死里复活，将复活的大能赐给祂的民，使神之民在主里得安息！And ensure the eternal life.并应许有永生。

With regard to doing good, the bible says, 至于做善事，圣经这样说，“the law is holy, the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Romans 7:12”律法是圣洁的，诫命也是圣洁、公义、良善的。 (罗马书 7:12) “the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. Romans 7:14” ……律法是属乎灵的，但我是属乎肉体的，是已经卖给罪了。 (罗马书 7:14) What happens if I do my best to follow God’s commands? 我若尽力遵行神的命令会如何？What happens if I try to love God and people in my own strength? 我若自己尽力爱神爱人会如何？I will wear out! 我必定精疲力尽！I will become exhausted, hurt and give up. 我必定劳苦、受伤，最终放弃。The sinful nature can’t obey God’s commands. 堕落的人性无法遵行神的命令。Even before the fall of Adam and Eve, 就算亚当夏娃尚未堕落前，what happened in the Garden of Eden? 在伊甸园又发生什么事？They disobeyed God’s command by eating the forbidden fruit! 他们守不住神的命令，吃了神吩咐他们不可吃的果子！As Christians, 作为基督徒，if we try to do good things by ourselves, 若是靠自己做好事，we put a religious yoke on our own shoulders, 就是把宗教的轭放在自己肩上，and increase the burdens for ourselves! 给自己加增重担！This is not what Jesus gives us! 这不是主耶稣要我们做的！

So Jesus invites us by saying, 于是主耶稣邀请我们说：“come to me, and I WILL give you rest!” “到我这里来，我要使你们得安息！”If in faith and in the Spirit we come to Jesus by reading and praying, 若凭着信心借着圣灵我们以读经和祷告来到主前，He will give us rest. 祂就赐给我们安息。Religious regulations will not give us rest! 宗教条规不能给人安息！Before we start the day, 在每一天开始前，we come to Jesus! 让我们来到主前！Before we act, 在我们做事前，we come to Jesus! 让我们来到主前！

Only Jesus knows what lies before us. 惟有主耶稣知道前面会发生何事。There may be rejection, opposition, stress, difficulties, hardship or temptation before us. 也许前面有被拒绝、反对、压力、艰难、困苦、试探。We can be burdened by fear, shame, setbacks, disappointment, depression, or anger. 我们可能被惧怕、羞愧、后退、失望、沮丧、愤怒压垮。Jesus invites us, 于是主耶稣邀请我们说：“Come to me, I’ll give you rest”!  “到我这里来，我就使你们得安息！”

Look at our Lord Jesus, 让我们看主耶稣，what had happened to him before he gave this invitation? 在他发出这个邀请前 发生了何事？ Jesus preformed lots of miracles in the cities he went to, 他走遍各城各乡施行神迹，but the people didn’t repent, but rejected him.可人们总不悔改，却拒绝他。Image that, How frustrating! 想一下，多叫人沮丧！But under the pressure,但在压力下，Jesus showed us the beauty of his life, 耶稣却显出了他荣美的生命，and the enemy couldn’t push him down with compliant or unforgiveness or disappointment.仇敌不能藉着埋怨, 不饶恕，或沮丧使他跌倒。Because Christ rested himself in the Father.因为主基督安息在父怀里。 And he shared life with the Father.他与父同享生命。In God’s perfect love, there was no fear! 他在神完全的爱里，就没有惧怕！ Even when he was rejected by people, 即便被人拒绝时，he expressed conviction, joy, peace, and gratitude, 基督所表现出来的是坚信、喜乐、平安和感恩。

he said, 那时，耶稣说：“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. Matt 11:25-26” 那时，耶稣说：“父啊，天地的主，我感谢你！因为你将这些事向聪明通达人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来。 父啊，是的，因为你的美意本是如此。 (马太福音 11:25-26) Resting himself in the Father ensured that Christ lived a victorious life on earth. 基督能在地上过得胜的生活，是因他安息在父里面。He also called us to learn from him.并且呼召我们学他的样式。

2, A call of sharing the yoke with Jesus. V.29-30与耶稣同负一轭的呼召，29-30节

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.” 我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。

What does a yoke mean?轭是什么意思？Look at the picture on the screen, 请看屏幕，you can see that two oxen share the workload together under the yoke.你可以看到两只牛负同一个轭。It means that they are controlled by the same power so that they move forward in the same pace.这意味着他们被同一股力量控制，所以能够步调一致。 Sometimes, 有时，an older, more experienced animal is yoked with a younger, less experienced one, 一只有经验的成年动物与一只年轻的、缺乏经验的动物套在一起，so that the older one can train the younger one while they work together. 这样年纪较大的就在作工时训练年轻的。Don’t you think it’s a little bit strange that Jesus calls us to rest in Him by putting a yoke on us? 你不觉得耶稣叫我们在他里面得安息，是借着套个轭在我们身上，有点奇怪吗？A yoke wasn’t created for rest! 轭不是用来休息的呀！But for work to be controlled under the same power. 而是用来使劳作同步的。Wearing a yoke when you move is not easy,当你套上轭后行动起来是不容易的，from the picture you’ve seen that you can’t move forward freely on your own, 从图片可以看到，你不能随己意任意地向前，but need to walk in step with a partner. 需要与同伴步调一致（同行）。 

When Jesus invites us, the weary and the burdened to come to Him to find rest, 当耶稣邀请我们这劳苦担重担的人到他那里得安息的时候， it seems to say, 似乎说的是：“take off the yoke you are wearing which causes you to be weary and burdened. 脱去你们身上现有的轭，这轭使你们疲乏，是重担。” What is this yoke Jesus refers to? 这现有的轭是指什么？This yoke refers to sin, 这个轭就是罪、legalism, 律法主义、disobedience, 不顺服、doubt, 怀疑、unbelief, 不信、pride, etc骄傲等，which cause us to live in fear, 它们使我们生活在恐惧、shame, 羞耻感、condemnation, 定罪感、worries, 忧虑、anxieties, 焦虑、lies, 谎言、addictions, 上瘾、lust, 欲望、helplessness, 无助、despair, 绝望、 even suicide.甚至自杀之中。

Our Lord Jesus knows the trouble we are facing.我们的主耶稣知道我们所面对的难处。He sees and has compassion on us!他看到了并怜悯我们！Therefore, Jesus calls us to take up His yoke and learn from Him, 因此，耶稣呼召我们负上他的轭，so that we may find rest for our souls.学他的样式，好叫我们的灵魂得安息。And his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.他的轭是容易的，他的担子是轻省的。

What is the yoke of Christ Jesus? 基督耶稣的轭是什么？Why is the yoke of Christ Jesus easy?为什么基督耶稣的轭是容易的？When we look at the picture of two oxen under a yoke together, 当我们看两只牛一起在轭下的画面时，we see that famers train young oxen to plow by partnering them with mature oxen.就会发现，农夫训练年轻的牛耕地，是把它和成熟的牛（放在一个轭下）成为伙伴。The mature oxen pulls most of the weight and directs them where to go.成熟的牛负重，并引领方向。The younger one is to simply follow in the same direction and keep the same pace with the mature one.年轻的牛只要沿着同样的方向走，与带领的牛保持同样的步伐。

What is the yoke of Christ Jesus? 基督耶稣的轭是什么？We can see the yoke of Jesus in his prayer, 我们可以在他的祷告中看到耶稣的轭：“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done. See Luke 22:42” 说：“父啊！你若愿意，就把这杯撤去；然而，不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思。” (路加福音 22:42)   Jesus’ yoke is always the Father’s will, 耶稣的轭就是成就父的意思，the Father’s direction, 父的方向，the Father’s purpose to be done!父的旨意计划！Trusting in the Father and perfect obedience is the yoke of Jesus Christ!信靠天父，完全顺服是耶稣基督的轭！Christ was yoked to the Father, 基督与父同负一轭，the Father carried most of the weight.父担了绝大部分的重担。So he rested in the Father!他就在父里面得了安息！When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats 1 Peter 2:23. 他被骂不还口；受害不说威吓的话，只将自己交托那按公义审判人的主。 (彼得前书 2:23)。

Under the yoke of entrusting himself to the Father who judge justly, 在将自己交托那按公义审判的父的轭下，Christ Jesus died, yet he was resurrected!基督耶稣死了，却复活了！And at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 万膝要跪拜耶稣的名，every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!万口都要承认耶稣基督是主！He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.他坐在至高神的右边。

3, A Call to learn from Christ. V. 29学基督样式的呼召29节

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me”, “你们当负我的轭，学我的样式”，When we take the yoke of Christ, 当我们负基督的轭时，we keep in step with Jesus, 我们就与耶稣同步同行，we no longer are controlled by the power of the sins of the flesh, 我们不再被肉体的罪所辖制，but are controlled by the power of God.而是伏在神的权下。This is the wonderful yoke of grace.这是恩典的轭。The yoke of Jesus supports and helps us to fulfil God’s purpose for our lives like Christ did. 耶稣的轭能帮助成就神在我们生命中的计划， 就像基督成就父的计划。

But is it always comfortable for us? 但这对我们会是舒服的吗？No, it won’t be at first.不，一开始不会。To be honest, 老实说，the yoke of sin feels deceitfully light at first. 罪的轭在刚开始时反而会有迷惑人的轻松。It gives us a moment of pleasure and feels good (see Heb 11:25). 让我们感到有罪中之乐，而且感觉很好（见来11：25）。

A sister told me一位姊妹说 that many years ago her relationship with her husband was terribly broken多年前她和丈夫的关系很破裂。One day一天 when her husband rang her and said当她丈夫打电话说, “I won’t go back home until finishing my work in a week.”“我要做完工作一周后才能回家。” She felt extremely free and said她感到极大的自由并说, “Praise the Lord感谢神, that God has heard my prayer! 祂听了我的祷告！now I’m happy because I’m free我真高兴因我自由了.” Is this sense of freedom and joy from the Lord?这是从神来的喜乐和自由吗？Of course, it’s not!当然不是！Counting others’ faults gives us deceitful light at first. 计算他人的恶在起初是有迷惑的轻松感。But in the end, it leads to brokenness and death.但最终引人入破碎的心和死亡。

Do you feel comfortable when you are angry and you just say or do whatever you like?当你发火时，顺着怒气任意妄为，你觉得舒服吗？Yes!是! Do you feel comfortable when you want to watch unhealthy stuff you just do it?当你想看不该看的马上就看时，你觉得舒服吗？Yes!是! When we do just what we feel like, 当我们凭己意行，we feel comfortable and free at first.我们最初会感到舒服和自在。But what am I receiving if I yoke my life to selfishness?但是，如果我把我的生命套在自我之下，我会得到什么呢？Pride?套在骄傲下？Judgement?论断下？Anger?愤怒下？Lust?淫乱下？Greed?贪婪下？Legalism?律法主义下？ that I’m comfortable with? 套在我自己觉得舒服的轭下？我会得到什么呢？The wage of sin is death.罪的工价乃是死。And no one can escape suffering the consequences from taking pleasure in sin.没有人能逃脱罪中之乐所带来的后果。That’s why the world is full of broken-hearted people, and broken relationships.这就是为什么这个世界充满了伤心的人，破碎的关系。

Divorce rate are rapidly increasing, 离婚率正迅速上升，children are suffering all kinds of problems. 儿童遭受着各样的问题。But thank God, 但是感谢神，death is not the last word! 死亡并非最终定论！Grace and truth came through Jesus! 恩典和真理已借着耶稣赐下来！Take off the yoke of sin! 脱去罪的轭！but take up the yoke of Christ. 负上与基督同轭！That can bring true freedom for our souls! 可以让我们的灵魂得着真自由！The yoke of Christ means to be obedient to the Father’s will. 负基督的轭，就要顺服天父的旨意。

Let’s think about our own problems:让我们来思想自己的问题：why does a life of obedience to God?为何我们常常觉得，顺服神？sometimes feel totally contrary to how Jesus describes it? 和耶稣所说的轻省是那样的完全不同？Jesus says his yoke is easy! 耶稣说他的轭是容易的！Why do we find it so hard and heavy going to follow Him? 为何我们发现跟随他是如此艰难和沉重？When we review the image of the two oxen under a yoke, 我们回想一下那副轭下两只牛的图画，we know that if the younger oxen has its own idea about where to go, 就可以知道 如果小牛自己想着要去哪里，and doesn’t want to trust the mature oxen, 并不愿意相信成年牛，the younger one will find it hard and heavy going under the yoke of the older oxen. 小牛会发现在成年牛的轭下行走是困难和沉重的。The same for us, 我们也是一样，the yoke of Christ is not easy to the self-willed. 对于充满自己意思的人，与基督同轭是难的！That’s why Jesus says,所以耶稣说，“learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,and you will find rest for your souls.”  “我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息。”I love the KJV version, 我喜欢KJV版本的翻译，“for I am meek and lowly in heart”,“因为我内心温顺卑微”。

Why was Christ Jesus so comfortable carrying a yoke while following the Father? 为什么基督耶稣负轭跟随天父是那样的舒服轻松？And lived a victorious life on earth? 并且能在地上过得胜的生活？The key is that he was meek and lowly in heart! 关键在乎他的内心温顺卑微！He didn’t live for his own will and own wishes,他活在不是为了自己的想法和意愿得成就，but lived for the purposes of the Father. 而是为天父的旨意活。Christ calls us to learn from him, 基督呼召我们学他的样式，to be meek and lowly in heart. 内心效法温顺卑微。What is meekness?什么是温和柔顺？Meekness is not weakness!温和柔顺不是软弱！Because our Lord Jesus Christ was full of the power of God! 因我们的主耶稣基督充满了神的大能！He healed the sick, 他医病，cast out demons,赶鬼，and raised the dead, 使死人复活，even the winds and the waves obeyed him. 甚至风和海也听从他！But he willingly made himself nothing;但他却甘愿把自己打造成什么也不是； he never quarrelled or strived for recognition;他从不为得人称赞认可而和人争；Christ never accepted hurt or rejection when people showed him contempt and mocked and opposed him;当基督被人藐视、嘲笑、抵挡时，他从不接受伤害或拒绝；he was numbered with the sinners, 他被列在罪人之中，instead of showing hatred, 他没有仇恨，he interceded for sinners,反为罪人代求，“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they do.” “父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所作的，他们不晓得。”How lowly in heart our Saviour is! 我们的救主何等心存谦卑！The powerful Lord Christ Jesus was willingly under control of the Father’s will! 大能的主基督耶稣却心甘情愿顺服天父的旨意！Are you willingly under the control of the Father’s will? 你甘愿顺服天父的旨意吗？Are you willingly taking up the yoke of Jesus? 你甘愿与基督一起负轭吗？Are we willingly fighting for meekness and humility on our knees?你甘愿为得着温柔顺服谦卑而去祷告争战吗？ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”“凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”