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Take My Yoke

A backpack full of burdens, a Sabbath showdown in a grain field read aloud, and a two-person yoke that makes the load lighter

  • 🏔️ Youth 16–18
  • Week 11
  • 📅 Sunday, March 14, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ invites everyone who is weighed down to take His yoke through covenants, and He gives real rest, the kind the Sabbath and sincere prayer are meant to bring.

I can yoke myself to Jesus Christ by keeping my covenants, let Him help carry what’s heavy, and use the Sabbath and prayer to draw closer to Him.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 11–12; Luke 11 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 11–12; Luke 11)
Know the chapters

Matthew 11–12 and Luke 11 cover a lot. John the Baptist is in prison. He sends disciples to ask if Jesus is really the One, in Matthew 11:2–6. Jesus answers with evidence and blesses those not offended in Him. Then comes one of the most loved invitations in scripture: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” That’s Matthew 11:28–30. Matthew 12 moves into a string of Sabbath clashes with the Pharisees. There’s a warning that our words reveal our hearts, in Matthew 12:34–37, and a request for a sign. Luke 11 gives the Lord’s Prayer and the parable of the friend at midnight. It says “ask, and it shall be given you.” And it promises that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, in Luke 11:13.

A yoke is a wooden beam that joins two animals so they pull a load together. Jesus doesn’t promise no load. He promises to be yoked with us, and that His yoke is easy and His burden light. Latter-day prophets connect this to covenants. We bind ourselves to Him at baptism, each week at the sacrament, and in the temple endowment. In October 2022, President Russell M. Nelson taught that covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest. His talk was “Overcome the World and Find Rest.” He taught that keeping covenants makes life easier, though not easy. Many in this class will receive their endowment within a few years. This is a perfect week to make the temple sound like rest, not a list of rules.

Today’s scripture scene is Matthew 12:1–14. In the King James Version, “corn” means grain, likely wheat or barley. Later Jewish tradition counted reaping as work forbidden on the Sabbath. Plucking grain could be treated as reaping. Jesus answers with David eating the shewbread and priests working in the temple on the Sabbath. He quotes Hosea 6:6: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” Then He heals a withered hand in a synagogue on the Sabbath. He declares, “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days,” in Matthew 12:12. The scene ends soberly. The Pharisees go out and plot to destroy Him, in 12:14. In latter-day revelation, the Lord calls the Sabbath a day to rest from our labors and offer our devotions to Him, in D&C 59:9–10.

This age may raise hard questions. Sunday jobs, tournaments and homework are real decisions for 16–18-year-olds. The Savior moved the question from “What’s allowed?” to “What honors God and does good?” Help youth think in principles, not a checklist. Someone may worry about the sin against the Holy Ghost in Matthew 12:31–32. Be reassuring and accurate. Latter-day scripture describes it as knowingly denying the Savior after a sure witness and His power, and openly fighting Him. See D&C 76:31–35. A teen who’s anxious about it can be reassured. That worry and a desire to repent point the other way. Invite them to talk with a parent or their bishop.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 11:28–30, Matthew 12:1–14 and Luke 11:1–13. Open with Heavy Laden, where a volunteer holds a backpack while the class names burdens. Let Teach Mode run the Sabbath readers’ theater from their seats. Do the human yoke with Matthew 11:28–29. Keep two discussion questions. End by reading Matthew 11:28–30 slowly. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” Every step has a no-supplies version.

What to bring3 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Matthew 11:28–30, then Matthew 12:1–14 and Luke 11:1–13. Set the books next to the backpack, not in it.
  2. On Saturday, text three class members to read the Narrator, a Pharisee and the Old Testament reader. The reader has 1 Samuel 21:6 and Hosea 6:6. No acting. They read from their seats.
  3. Think of a time a covenant with God made something easier, even when it wasn’t easy. If you have time, read President Russell M. Nelson’s October 2022 talk “Overcome the World and Find Rest.”

If your class is wild

  • The backpack hook works best with a strong volunteer who wants to prove they can hold it. Let them try. The point lands when they finally can’t.
  • Readers stay seated. The Pharisee part is fun to read with a little edge. But remind them these were sincere, careful people. That’s what makes the scene a warning for us.
  • Only you read the Savior’s words. Pause after “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” It’s the heart of the scene.
  • Keep the bonus Sabbath Spectrum free of judgment. Youth with Sunday jobs or split-family weekends have real limits. The goal is thinking, not scoring each other.
  • Let youth lead. Readers carry the scene, a youth leads the discussion, and someone says the closing prayer.

The 25-minute plan23 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Heavy Laden

3 min

Watching a backpack get heavier as the class names real burdens makes “heavy laden” feel like their own life.

  1. SAY“I need a strong volunteer. Hold this straight out in front of you, with one arm.”
  2. Hand them the empty backpack.
  3. Ask the class, “Name something people our age carry that nobody can see.” For each answer, like tests, college or anxiety, drop a book in.
  4. When their arm shakes, ask the volunteer, “What do you need right now?” Help, to put it down, someone to share it. Take the backpack and thank them.
  5. SAY“Jesus has an invitation for exactly this. But first, watch some very careful people make a day of rest feel heavy.”
🌪️ Don’t let the volunteer suffer long. The moment the arm shakes, take the backpack and thank them.

Class screen: 🎒 What do people our age carry that nobody sees? · Matthew 11:28

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A backpack, 8–10 heavy books (hardbacks, textbooks, or scriptures)

Arms Out

  1. SAY“I need a volunteer. Hold both arms straight out in front of you.”
  2. Ask the class, “Name something people our age carry that nobody can see.” For each answer, the volunteer imagines one more weight. The class counts seconds.
  3. When their arms shake, ask, “What do you need right now?” Listen for help, putting it down, or someone to share it.
  4. SAY“Jesus has an invitation for exactly this. But first, watch some very careful people make a day of rest feel heavy.”

Class screen: 💪 What do people our age carry that nobody sees? · Matthew 11:28

2. Story

Readers’ Theater: Lord of the Sabbath

8 min

Youth read Matthew 12:1–14 and the scriptures Jesus quoted, and hear the Savior turn the Sabbath from a list of rules into a day for mercy and doing good.

  1. SAY“I need three readers, from your seats. No acting. I’ll read the Savior’s words. Our Old Testament reader reads the scriptures He points to.”
  2. Tap Roles in Teach Mode to show the parts. The Narrator reads each scene. Readers read their verses when the screen cues them.
  3. After scene 4, ask, “The Pharisees asked, ‘Is this allowed?’ What question did Jesus want them to ask?” Is this merciful? Is this good?
  4. After the last scene, ask, “A man’s hand was healed. Why were they angry instead of happy?”
🌪️ If a reader is shy, you read the Narrator part. Let them take the Pharisee’s one-line objection.

Class screen: 📖 Lord of the Sabbath: readers’ theater · Matthew 12:1–14 · 1 Samuel 21:6 · Hosea 6:6

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures: the youth’s own Gospel Library app, or a printed Bible for each reader

  1. SAY“I need three readers, from your seats. I’ll read the Savior’s words.”
  2. Readers use Gospel Library. Hand your scriptures to anyone without it. The Narrator reads each scene from the screen, and readers read their verses when cued.
  3. After the last scene, ask, “A man’s hand was healed. Why were they angry instead of happy?”
3. Scripture

Take My Yoke

5 min

A two-person yoke shows why Jesus offers to share the load through covenants instead of simply removing it.

  1. SAY“Right before this Sabbath fight, Jesus gave an invitation. Let’s read it together.”
  2. Read Matthew 11:28–30. Ask, “He offers rest, and then… a yoke?”
  3. Link elbows with a volunteer. Carry the loaded backpack between you across the room, in step. Ask, “Who’s carrying the weight now?”
  4. SAY“A yoke joins two, so they pull together. We choose to be yoked to Him through covenants. Baptism. The sacrament. The temple.”
  5. Read President Nelson’s two lines from the conference quotes. Ask, “Easier but not easy. Do you believe that?” Then teach Matthew 11:28–29 with the hooks.

Class screen: 🪵 A yoke joins two so they pull together. · Matthew 11:28–30 · Covenants yoke us to Him

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A backpack, 8–10 heavy books (hardbacks, textbooks, or scriptures)

Human Yoke

  1. SAY“Right before this Sabbath fight, Jesus gave an invitation. Let’s read it together.”
  2. Read Matthew 11:28–30. Ask, “He offers rest, and then… a yoke?”
  3. Link elbows with a volunteer and walk across the room in step, acting out a heavy load between you. Ask, “Who’s carrying the weight now?”
  4. SAY“A yoke joins two, so they pull together. We choose to be yoked to Him through covenants. Baptism. The sacrament. The temple.”
  5. Read President Nelson’s two lines from the conference quotes. Ask, “Easier but not easy. Do you believe that?” Then teach Matthew 11:28–29 with the hooks.

Class screen: 🤝 Walk in step. Pull together. · Matthew 11:28–30

4. Talk it over

Real Talk

4 min

Honest questions connect rest, the Sabbath, our words and prayer to decisions youth are making now.

  1. SAY“Let’s make this real.”
  2. A youth discussion leader reads the questions and calls on people. Pick two or three. Let silence work. Share one honest answer yourself.
💬 Ask the class
  • What would it really look like to bring something heavy to the Savior this week?
  • When has keeping a commitment to God made something easier for you, even though it wasn’t easy?
  • The Pharisees had a rule for everything, but they missed mercy. What question helps you make Sabbath choices better than a list does?
  • Matthew 12:34 says our words come from what fills our hearts. What do our texts, comments and group chats say about our hearts?
  • Luke 11:13 promises the Holy Spirit to those who ask. What might change if you asked for that, every day this week?

Class screen: 💬 Real talk

5. Testimony

Rest unto Your Souls

3 min

A quiet, personal reading of the Savior’s invitation lets each youth decide what to bring Him.

  1. SAY“Read Matthew 11:28–29 silently. When you get to ‘heavy laden,’ think of the one thing in the backpack that’s yours.”
  2. Give them twenty seconds.
  3. Share a short time a covenant made life easier. If it fits, testify that the temple is a place of rest. The endowment is a yoke that helps.
  4. Introduce the Walk Yoked challenge. Ask a youth to pray.

Class screen: 🕊️ “Come unto me… and I will give you rest.” · Matthew 11:28–29

6. Wiggle break

Sabbath Spectrum

2 minBONUS

A bonus stand-up spectrum turns the Savior’s Sabbath principle into honest thinking about real choices youth face.

  1. SAY“Everyone stand. This wall is ‘Draws me closer to God.’ That wall is ‘Pulls me away.’ The middle is ‘Depends.’”
  2. Read these and let them move: A nap. Visiting Grandma. A tournament game. Scrolling for an hour. Family history. Homework due Monday. Texting a struggling friend.
  3. When people split, ask someone in the middle, “What does it depend on?”
  4. SAY“Jesus gave us a question, not a longer list. Does this honor God and do good?”

Class screen: ↔️ Closer to God, pulls me away, or depends? · A nap · Visiting Grandma · A tournament game · Scrolling for an hour · Family history · Homework due Monday · Texting a struggling friend

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

4 minBONUS

A bonus team quiz reviews Matthew 11–12 and Luke 11.

  1. SAY“Two teams. Ten seconds to agree on each answer.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown. Give a bonus point if a team can name the chapter.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: Matthew 11–12; Luke 11

Readers’ theater

Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1–14 ↗

Reading parts (volunteers, from their seats)

  • NarratorReads each scene’s setup from the screen, from their seat.
  • PhariseeReads the Pharisees’ objection in Matthew 12:2 and their trap question in Matthew 12:10, from their seat.
  • Old Testament ReaderReads the scriptures Jesus points to, 1 Samuel 21:6 and Hosea 6:6, from their seat.

Scenes

  1. 🌾 Hungry disciples walk through a grain field

    It was the Sabbath. Jesus and His disciples were walking through a field of grain. The disciples were hungry. So they picked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate as they walked.

    🙌 The Narrator reads Matthew 12:1.

  2. 🧐☝️ “That which is not lawful!”

    Some Pharisees saw it and pounced. To them, picking grain counted as harvesting, and harvesting was work.

    🙌 The Pharisee reads Matthew 12:2.

  3. 📖 “Have ye not read what David did?”

    Jesus answered with their own scriptures. When David was hungry, he ate the holy shewbread from the house of God. And every Sabbath, the priests work in the temple and are blameless. Then He said something startling. One greater than the temple is here.

    🙌 You read Matthew 12:3–4. The Old Testament Reader reads 1 Samuel 21:6. You read Matthew 12:5–6.

  4. ❤️ “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice”

    If you understood this scripture, He told them, you wouldn’t have condemned people who did nothing wrong. The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

    🙌 The Old Testament Reader reads Hosea 6:6. You read Matthew 12:7–8.

  5. 🏛️✋ A man with a withered hand

    Later, in the synagogue, there was a man whose hand was withered. The Pharisees saw their chance. They set a trap. They wanted something to accuse Him with.

    🙌 The Pharisee reads Matthew 12:10.

  6. 🐑🕳️ A sheep falls into a pit

    Jesus answered with a question. If your sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath, won’t you grab it and pull it out? And how much more is a man worth than a sheep?

    🙌 You read Matthew 12:11–12. Pause after “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

  7. ✋✨ “Stretch forth thine hand”

    Then He said to the man, “Stretch forth thine hand.” He stretched it out. And it was restored, whole, just like the other one.

    🙌 You read Matthew 12:13. Everyone takes three seconds of quiet.

  8. 🤫 The Pharisees go out to plot

    You’d think everyone would celebrate. Instead, the Pharisees walked out. They held a council about how they could destroy Him. A man had been healed. And all they could see was a broken rule.

    🙌 The Narrator reads Matthew 12:14.

Key verse

Matthew 11:28–29 ↗
“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.”
In plain words: Everyone who is worn out and carrying too much: come to Jesus. Let Him yoke Himself to you and teach you. He is gentle and humble, and with Him you will find rest.
🙌 Memory hooks: “Come unto me” = beckon with one hand · “heavy laden” = shoulders slump · “I will give you rest” = shoulders drop and relax · “Take my yoke upon you” = rest a hand across your shoulders · “meek and lowly in heart” = hand on heart, head slightly bowed · “rest unto your souls” = deep breath out.

More verses

Matthew 11:30 ↗
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
In plain words: Being yoked to Jesus makes the load lighter, not heavier.
Matthew 12:12 ↗
“How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”
In plain words: People matter more than rules about sheep. The Sabbath is a day for doing good.
Matthew 12:34–35 ↗
“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things”
In plain words: What fills your heart comes out in your words. A good heart produces good things.
Luke 11:13 ↗
“how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
In plain words: If imperfect parents give good gifts, Heavenly Father will surely give the Holy Ghost to anyone who asks Him.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 🪵 Yoke
  • 🎒 Heavy laden
  • 😌 Rest
  • 🙇 Meek and lowly
  • 📅 Sabbath
  • 🌾 Grain field
  • 🍞 Shewbread
  • ✋ Withered hand
  • 🐑 Sheep in a pit
  • 👑 Lord of the Sabbath
  • 💎 Treasure of the heart
  • 🌙 Friend at midnight
  • 🚪 Ask, seek, knock
  • 🕊️ Holy Spirit
  • ⛓️ John the Baptist
  • 🤝 Covenant
Clues for each word
  • Yoke: Wooden beam that joins two to pull together
  • Heavy laden: Carrying too much; He invites us to come
  • Rest: What He promises to give our souls
  • Meek and lowly: How Jesus describes His own heart
  • Sabbath: A day for doing good, He said
  • Grain field: Where the disciples plucked and ate
  • Shewbread: Holy bread David ate when hungry
  • Withered hand: “Stretch forth thine hand”
  • Sheep in a pit: You’d pull it out on the Sabbath
  • Lord of the Sabbath: What the Son of man is, Matthew 12:8
  • Treasure of the heart: Good words come out of it
  • Friend at midnight: Knocked until his neighbor gave three loaves
  • Ask, seek, knock: Luke 11:9 promise about prayer
  • Holy Spirit: The Father gives it to those who ask
  • John the Baptist: Sent questions from prison
  • Covenant: A promise with God that yokes us to Christ
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. Who did Jesus invite to come unto Him for rest?
    • A. All that labour and are heavy laden
    • B. Only the Twelve
    • C. Only the Pharisees
    Show answer

    ✅ A. All that labour and are heavy laden Matthew 11:28. The invitation is to everyone who is carrying too much.

  2. How did Jesus describe His own heart?
    • A. Strong and fearless
    • B. Meek and lowly
    • C. Quiet and hidden
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Meek and lowly Matthew 11:29. Learn of Him, and you’ll find rest.

  3. What did the disciples do in the field that upset the Pharisees?
    • A. Built a fire
    • B. Carried heavy loads
    • C. Plucked and ate grain on the Sabbath
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Plucked and ate grain on the Sabbath Matthew 12:1–2. To the Pharisees, that counted as harvesting.

  4. Which Old Testament hero did Jesus mention eating the shewbread?
    • A. David
    • B. Moses
    • C. Elijah
    Show answer

    ✅ A. David Matthew 12:3–4. Human need mattered more than a ritual rule.

  5. “I will have mercy, and not…”
    • A. “…judgment”
    • B. “…sacrifice”
    • C. “…rules”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “…sacrifice” Matthew 12:7, quoting Hosea 6:6.

  6. What animal did Jesus say you’d rescue from a pit on the Sabbath?
    • A. A donkey
    • B. A goat
    • C. A sheep
    Show answer

    ✅ C. A sheep Matthew 12:11–12. And a man is worth far more.

  7. According to Matthew 12:34, the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the…
    • A. mind
    • B. heart
    • C. scriptures
    Show answer

    ✅ B. heart What fills our hearts spills into our words.

  8. What does Luke 11:13 say the Father gives to those who ask?
    • A. Riches
    • B. Long life
    • C. The Holy Spirit
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The Holy Spirit Better than any gift an earthly parent could give.

  9. In Luke 11, what did the friend at midnight ask to borrow?
    • A. Three loaves
    • B. A lamp
    • C. A coat
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Three loaves Luke 11:5–8. He kept asking and received as many as he needed.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier!”

— President Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” October 2022

Read in the Take My Yoke step, after the yoke demonstration.

Read the talk ↗
“Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.”

— President Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” October 2022

Read right after the first line in the Take My Yoke step, then ask whether they believe “easier but not easy.”

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Did You Think to Pray? Hymns, no. 140

    Pairs with Luke 11 and the prayer race. Find it ↗

  • I Need Thee Every Hour Hymns, no. 98

    A quiet opener for a lesson about coming to Him with what’s heavy. Find it ↗

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    Taking His yoke means walking where He walks. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Walk Yoked

This week, pick one heavy thing. Bring it to Heavenly Father in a specific, out-loud prayer. Ask for the Holy Ghost’s help with it, like Luke 11:13 promises. Then plan next Sunday on purpose. Choose one thing that honors God and does good for someone.

Text the parents

This week we talked about the Savior’s invitation in Matthew 11:28–30 to take His yoke and find rest. We read aloud how Jesus healed on the Sabbath in Matthew 12. Ask your teen why Jesus would offer a yoke to someone who’s already worn out. What’s one Sabbath choice they’ve had to think through?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

⛓️ Are You the One? · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 11:2–6. John the Baptist is in prison, sending a question.
  2. Ask, “Jesus didn’t just say yes. He pointed to evidence. If a friend asked whether Jesus is real, what would you point to?”
  3. Read Matthew 11:11. Jesus honored John right after John asked a hard question.

🌙 Friend at Midnight · 4 min

  1. Two volunteers read Luke 11:5–8 from their seats. One is the friend knocking at midnight for three loaves. The other is the neighbor in bed.
  2. Ask, “Heavenly Father isn’t the grumpy neighbor. So what is Jesus teaching?” If a tired neighbor answers persistence, how much more will a loving Father?

📱 Screenshot Test · 3 min

  1. Read Matthew 12:34–37.
  2. Invite each youth to privately scroll back through their last ten messages or comments. Ask, “What treasure of the heart does this show?”
  3. No sharing required. Ask, “What’s one word you want more of in your messages this week?”

🚪 Ask, Seek, Knock Race · 4 min

  1. Two teams get two minutes to find as many truths about prayer in Luke 11:1–13 as they can. Each truth needs a verse number.
  2. Teams take turns reading one truth. It counts if it’s specific and in the text, like keep asking in verse 8.
  3. Ask the winners, “Which one will change how you pray tonight?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Youth 16–18 lessons