New Testament -- Gospel Doctrine: Lesson 10: “Take My Yoke upon You, and Learn of Me”

"Lesson 10: “Take My Yoke upon You, and Learn of Me”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)

Purpose

To help class members understand that as we take the Savior’s yoke upon us and do his will, we will find the peace and joy that he has promised.

My comments and questions:

Notice again that what the Lord wants for us is PEACE and JOY.
His yoke is easy and his burden is light. See notes near the end of this post about "burden" and "light." He does not want us to dwell in darkness or heaviness.
How do we allow ourselves to be yoked with the Lord and with others who would together with us serve Him?
Ask the class, "How can he say his burden is light? Aren't our responsibilities within the gospel great (and heavy)? Consider how much easier it is to do a job when you are working with others.
What does a yoke do for the oxen?
new oxen were trained by yoking them to an ox that already “knew the ropes” so to speak.

Allows them to be servicable
Helps them bear more than they otherwise could
Can join their strength with that of others (at least one other)
keeps them in the best path for accomplishing what must be done
Is a yoked ox usually guided, directed?
The word "yoke" is believed to derive from Proto-Indo-European *yugóm (yoke), from verb *yeug- (join, unite).
My thought: Consider sled dogs joined in the "traces."
Yoke -- Genesis 27: 39And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy ^abrother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt ^bbreak his ^cyoke from off thy neck.

This is a sweet site about oxen (and includes commentary about Matthew's reference to the yoke. http://prairieoxdrovers.com/index.html
-- Oxen are quiet and unassuming animals that give back far more than they take. They are willing to work long hours with a comparitively small amount of feed and care. Their humility and gentle perseverance are a constant source of example for us all.
-- slow, steady pace (my thought -- not really mine, but Milton's : "They also serve who only stand and wait.")
--Working with these draft animals is necessarily carried out with a close partnership between the handler and the team,
My thoughts again, remembering the "calves to the stall" scriptutes:
- grow up as calves of the stall, Mal. 4:2 (3 Ne. 25:2).
- Malachi 4:2
  ¶But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
- righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, 1 Ne. 22:24
- 3 Nephi 25:2
  But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall.
Calves as an offering -

http://lds.org/manual/new-testament-class-member-study-guide/lesson-10-take-my-yoke-upon-you-and-learn-of-me?lang=eng --

Scripture chain.
Matthew 11:28–30
Mosiah 24:8–15
Alma 12:33–35
D&C 54:10
D&C 59:23

From October 2010 Conference -- http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/rest-unto-your-souls?lang=eng

It is through the healing Atonement of Jesus Christ that we may have the strength to stand tall and strong and to have our souls be filled—with light, understanding, joy, and love. His invitation is extended to “all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him” (2 Nephi 26:33). His promise is:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29).
Of this rest President Joseph F. Smith said: “To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God, and we do not ask any questions of anybody about it; they are welcome to their opinions, to their ideas and to their vagaries. The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into ‘God’s rest’” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 56).

Preparation

Ensign Article http://lds.org/ensign/2007/03/lessons-from-the-new-testament-my-burden-is-light?lang=eng&query=his+yoke+light

Howard W. Hunter, "“Come unto Me”", Ensign, Nov. 1990, 17 http://lds.org/ensign/1990/11/come-unto-me?lang=eng&query=yoke

Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge "The Way," , (October 4, 2008) http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-way?lang=eng&query=yoke

1. Read, ponder, and pray about the following scriptures:
1. a. Matthew 11:28–30. Jesus invites all who labor and are heavy laden to come unto him, take his yoke upon them, and learn of him.
28¶^aCome unto me, all ye that ^blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.
29Take my ^ayoke upon you, and ^blearn of me; for I am ^cmeek and ^dlowly in ^eheart: and ye shall find ^frest unto your souls.
30For my yoke is ^aeasy, and my burden is light.

[For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3]
1. b. Matthew 12:1–13; Luke 13:10–17. Jesus declares that he is Lord of the Sabbath. He heals on the Sabbath and is criticized for it.
1At that time Jesus went on the ^asabbath day through the ^bcorn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ^cears of corn, and to eat.

Deut. 23:25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.

2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3But he said unto them, Have ye not ^aread what ^bDavid did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the ^ashewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the ^asabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the ^atemple.
7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have ^amercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
8For the Son of man is Lord even of the ^asabbath day.
9And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10¶And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Luke 13
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

11¶And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he ^alaid his ^bhands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to ^awork: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the ^asabbath day?
17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
1. c. Luke 7:36–50. A woman seeking forgiveness washes the Lord’s feet with her tears; Simon the Pharisee criticizes Jesus for letting the sinful woman touch Him. Jesus teaches Simon the parable of the two debtors and forgives the woman.
36¶And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37And, behold, a ^awoman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster ^bbox of ointment, GR flask
38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and ^aanointed them with the ointment.
39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred ^apence, and the other fifty. GR denarii; one denarius was a workman’s daily wage.
42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly ^aforgave them both. ^bTell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are ^aforgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48And he said unto her, Thy sins are ^aforgiven.
49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that ^aforgiveth sins also?
50And he said to the woman, Thy ^afaith hath saved thee; go in ^bpeace.
2. Additional reading: Isaiah 58:13–14; Matthew 11:16–19 Good and evil, fruit; 12:14–50; 26:6–13 -- the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.-- ; Mark 2:23–3:12; 14:3–9; Luke 6:1–11; Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–19.

Sabbath

Isaiah 58: 13¶If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the ^asabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the ^ahigh places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Mark 2 23And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, ^ato pluck the ears of corn.

3. If the following materials are available, use them during the lesson:
1. a. “Come unto Me,” a seven-minute segment from New Testament Video Presentations (53914).
2. b. The picture Mary Fielding and Joseph F. Smith Crossing the Plains (62608; Gospel Art Picture Kit 412), which shows a pair of yoked oxen.
4. Suggestion for teaching: As you prepare each lesson, prayerfully consider how to encourage each class member to participate. Demonstrations, small group discussions, role playing, and other appropriate activities can help class members be more actively involved. (See Teaching, No Greater Call [36123], pages 61–72, 159–184.)

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin the lesson.

Ask a class member to come to the front of the class and hold out his or her hands. Place some books or other heavy items in this person’s hands. Continue loading the member’s hands with objects until he or she becomes somewhat burdened. Then ask:

• How far could you carry this burden before stopping to rest? What arrangements would you have to make to carry the burden a great distance?

Explain that there are many kinds of loads, or burdens. Some are physical, while others are spiritual or emotional and not as easy to see. Many unseen burdens can exceed our strength to bear them alone, and we become weary. This lesson discusses how the Lord can lighten our burdens and bring us rest.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us and learn of him.

Read and discuss Matthew 11:28–30.

• What does it mean to “labour and [be] heavy laden”? (Matthew 11:28). What are some examples of burdens we bear in this life? How can the Lord “give [us] rest” from these burdens?
• What is a yoke? (Display the picture of Mary Fielding and Joseph F. Smith and point out the yoked oxen in the picture. Explain that a yoke is a frame or bar that can be placed on one or two people or animals pulling or carrying a heavy load. The yoke balances the burden and makes it easier to manage. In addition to its literal meaning, the concept of a yoke also appears in many scriptures as a metaphor for bondage or servitude; see Jeremiah 28:2; Alma 44:2.) What does it mean to take Christ’s yoke upon us? (To humbly do his will and allow him to guide and direct our lives.)

If you are using the video presentation “Come unto Me,” show the first part of it now. Stop the video when President Howard W. Hunter has finished speaking.

• The Lord states, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). In what sense is the Savior’s yoke easy? Why do some people think that the Lord’s teachings are too restrictive? How does obeying and serving the Lord make our burdens light?

2. Jesus declares that he is Lord of the Sabbath.

Discuss Matthew 12:1–13 and Luke 13:10–17. Invite class members to read selected verses aloud.

"The Disciples Picking Wheat On The Sabbath" - James Tissot

• What did the Pharisees do when they saw Jesus’ disciples pick corn on the Sabbath? (See Matthew 12:1–2. Explain that the Pharisees’ interpretation of the Mosaic law ignored the true spirit and purpose of the Sabbath and instead focused on traditions that greatly restricted Sabbath activities.) What did the Lord teach as he responded to their accusation? (See Matthew 12:3–8.)
• What did Jesus mean when he said, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice”? (Matthew 12:7. He wanted the people to focus on loving others, not merely on performing public religious ceremonies.) How can we use this principle to guide our Sabbath activities?
• What did Jesus teach about the purpose of the Sabbath when he healed the man with the withered hand and the woman bound by an infirmity? (See Matthew 12:10–13; Luke 13:10–17.) What did he teach about the Sabbath in Mark 2:27–28? (Point out that the Joseph Smith Translation of Mark 2:26 explains that the Sabbath was given as a “day of rest” and a day to “glorify God.”) What can we do on the Sabbath day to glorify God? How can keeping the Sabbath day holy make our burdens light and bring us rest?

3. Jesus forgives a woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee.

If you are using the video presentation “Come unto Me,“ show the remainder of it now. Then read and discuss selected verses from Luke 7:36–50.

• The woman who entered the house of Simon the Pharisee carried the burden of sin (Luke 7:37). What did the woman do that allowed Jesus to take away her burden? (See Luke 7:38, 44–50.) What can we do so the Savior will remove the burden of sin from our lives?
• How did the sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee differ in their attitudes toward Jesus? (Contrast the woman’s repentance, respect, humility, and love with Simon’s pride, lack of courtesy, and judgmental attitude. See also the quotation below.) Why are the qualities that the woman possessed important as we repent and seek forgiveness? How do the qualities that Simon possessed keep us from repenting?
Elder James E. Talmage taught: “It was a custom of the times to treat a distinguished guest with marked attention; to receive him with a kiss of welcome, to provide water for washing the dust from his feet, and oil for anointing the hair of the head and the beard. All these courteous attentions were omitted by Simon” (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 261).
• How would Simon’s attitude toward the woman have made her burden seem heavier? How might we sometimes make another person’s burden of sin seem heavier? What can we learn from the Savior’s response to the woman?
• Even though she had not been invited and would risk being treated unkindly by Simon and his household, the woman came directly to Christ as soon as she knew where to find him (Luke 7:37). What can we learn from her example? What obstacles might keep us from repenting and coming unto Christ? How can we overcome these obstacles?
• What can we learn from the parable of the two debtors? (See Luke 7:41–50.) How is sin comparable to debt? (See Luke 7:44–50.) How can having Christ as our “creditor” make our burdens light?

Conclusion

Testify that we can choose to take upon ourselves the burdens of the world or the yoke of Jesus. Testify that Christ’s teachings are true and that we will find rest when we follow him. Encourage class members to learn of Christ and obey his teachings so they can find rest and peace.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. The importance of unity

Read and discuss Matthew 12:22–30.

• How are we sometimes divided against ourselves in our families, homes, or wards? What can we do to become more united?
• Jesus told the Pharisees, “He that is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30). Why is this so?

2. “Every idle word” (Matthew 12:36)

Read and discuss Matthew 12:33–37.

• What do the words we speak reveal about us? Why did Jesus place such importance on the words we speak? What are some examples of “idle words”? (Answers may include sarcasm, gossip, lies, profanity, rudeness.) How can we strengthen our commitment to speak only in good ways?

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Definitions of Burden:

/ˈbɜrdn/ Show Spelled[bur-dn]
–noun

1.

that which is carried; load: a horse's burden of rider and pack.
2.

that which is borne with difficulty; obligation; onus: the burden of leadership.
3.

Nautical .

a.

the weight of a ship's cargo.
b.

the carrying capacity of a ship.
4.

Mining . overburden ( def. 3 ) .
5.

Metallurgy . the minerals charged into a blast furnace or steelmaking furnace.
6.

Accounting . overhead ( def. 6 ) .
–verb (used with object)

7.

to load heavily.
8.

to load oppressively; trouble.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English, variant of burthen, Old English byrthen; akin to German Bürde, Gothic baurthei; see bear¹

—Related forms
bur·den·er, noun
bur·den·less, adjective

—Synonyms
1. See load. 2. weight, encumbrance, impediment. 8. weigh down, saddle, try, afflict, perturb, plague, grieve, vex.

2. bur·den "My burden is light./ˈbɜrdn/ Show Spelled[bur-dn]

–noun

1.

the main point, message, or idea.
2.

Music . the refrain or recurring chorus of a song.
Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English bordoun, burdoun < Old French bourdon droning sound, instrument making such a sound

—Synonyms
1. substance, core, crux, nucleus, essence.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011.