“Boy, you’re gonna’ carry that weight”

Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

 http://www.poemhunter.com/lyrics/songs/lyric.asp?artist=3336&song=37974

Bear – In 1988, the Beatles released Abbey Road.  One of its memorable lyrical tunes was Golden Slumbers, a song that provided the world with the Beatles view of life.  “Boy, you’re gonna’ carry that weight a long time.”  Life is weight training.  Not a day goes by without an added pound to carry.  The only relief is the grave.

Thousands of years before John and Paul wrote those words, another man looked toward a solution.  He was Lamech.  When his son was born, he foresaw weight relief.  He called his son Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest” (Genesis 5:29).  Little did he know that the rest he would find was the same rest anticipated by Lennon and McCartney – a long sleep in the ground.

Is that God’s perspective?  Are you just going to carry your weight until the grave removes you of the burden?  There is good news.  Paul offers the law of Christ – relief for the weight bearer.

But if you thought Paul had your financial difficulties in mind, think again.  If you thought he was talking about problems with your spouse or your children or your boss, take a closer look.  If you thought he was speaking about your health concerns or your job issues or your long-term security, you need an adjustment.   Bearing burdens is not the same as caring for each other, at least in one important sense.  Yes, we all have the weight of the world’s operating circumstances to shoulder.  But if we are going to bear burdens under the law of Christ, we will have to do more than give assistance.  We will have to take on the weight of sin for others.

The Greek verb, bastazo, comes from a noun basis.  It means, “to raise upon a foundation.”  What is that foundation?  It is the death and resurrection of Jesus.  If I am going to bear your burdens, I must become the one who lifts the weight of sin from your shoulders and places it on Jesus.  I must lead you to see that no man can carry this weight.  It is my job, and my honor, to lift it from you by bringing you to the One Who is able to carry it.  If I do everything else for you in life, but I fail to bear this burden, I fail you – entirely!  Of course, I am called to show compassion and to love sacrificially.  But it is wasted effort if the rest you receive ends in the grave.  John, Paul and Lamech are wrong.  You don’t have to carry that weight.  I can take you to the weight remover.  His name is Jesus.