On His Shoulder

February 11

Never mistake activity for achievement. John Wooden

Although the primary application for basketball coach John Wooden’s insight is physical action, there is a spiritual application. Some people busy themselves un-doing the work of God by endeavoring to place sins that have been forgiven, burdens that have been lifted, back on the shoulders of the one who’s been released from them. And in so doing, they place a grievous burden of sin upon themselves.

Isaiah 9:6 says something remarkable about the coming Savior. Here the prophet tells us, “…the government is upon His shoulder…” Those few words contain the seed of the plan of salvation. The government of God’s eternal Kingdom must be upon the shoulder of Jesus, because no one else has the ability to carry it!

We who are weak, fallen creatures are not able to bear the demands of the Kingdom of our Holy, Righteous God! We who are, “Wise (but truly foolish) in our own conceit…) Proverbs 26:12, have not the understanding to rule the Kingdom of the Lord of the Universe! But He says He wants us to rule and reign with Him! He says we will judge angels! (I Corinthians 6:3) How can we who have failed to obey His immutable law govern His Kingdom and judge His angels?

It’s because Jesus Christ has taken the burden of the government of the Kingdom upon His shoulder! When the cross of Calvary was laid across His sinless shoulder, the weight of the law was upon Him. The burden that we could not carry was given to Jesus to carry in our behalf—and He did carry it to Golgotha and to hell for us!

Because of what He has done, we are accounted righteous when we believe in Him (Romans 4:13). Because of what He has done, we are worthy to rule and reign in the heavenlies with our Lord and Savior. We do not need to be busy pursuing righteousness. We do not need to be busy pursuing holiness. Though they are required for mere residence in heaven, let alone ruling in heaven, we needn’t concern ourselves about them for Jesus has already supplied them for us!

He has taken the weight of them upon His shoulder. Because He has done so, He can invite us to, “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:28. Our Jesus is the KEYSTONE in the structure of our lives. We build all areas of our endeavors around that one great thing He has done for us—around the fact that He has taken upon His shoulder the weight of our sin and given in its place, “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garland of praise for the spirit of heaviness,” Isaiah 61:3. He has given us salvation! Don’t let anyone lay the burdens of sin or sickness or failure or regret upon you again.