Look down the corridors of New Testament events.
Scan the exhibits of men & women there in the pages of Holy Scripture -- & tell me whose place you would like to have filled.
Would you like to have been the one who handed Jesus the loaves & fishes?
Would you like to have been a recipient of His healing power?
Or would you like to have broken the alabaster jar at His feet?
Perhaps you would like to have been one of the disciples -- or maybe Zacchaeus -- or even Lazarus who was raised from the dead.
What about Simon! -- No, not Simon Peter -- but Simon of Cyrene!
He was the most privileged man in the world -- for it was he who carried the Cross for Jesus.
I've always felt that Simon of Cyrene would also have died for Jesus -- had he been given that opportunity!
One of the most interesting characters of the Bible is also one of the least known characters in the Bible.
Only three Bible
verses tell of this significant event in the life of Simon of Cyrene: -- one
verse only in each of the synoptic gospels: -- one verse in Matthew, one in
Mark, one in
May I read all three to you this morning?
Are you ready to do a quick Bible search?
The details are sketchy -- & we are left to fill in the blanks.
We have, as it were -- only the pieces of this jig-saw puzzle.
But can you capture the picture here?
In the eyes of the crowd that fateful day -- Jesus was nothing but a common criminal on His way to the place of execution.
In fact the soldiers are leading three criminals of the court in the parade of death up the incline to a nearby hill outside the city -- a hill "called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull" (Matt. 27:33).
The three are half dragging -- carrying their crosses past women & children whose hands are pressed to their lips in fear & in sorrow.
Others in the
crowd are angry & profane -- but all stand aside to wait & to witness a
cruel & brutal execution by
One of the three
in this convoy staggers & falls beneath His heavy cross directly in front
of a man named Simon -- from
Simon apparently arrived at the precise moment when Jesus could no longer drag -- or carry -- His cross.
Even the soldiers recognized that Jesus was utterly exhausted -- & one of them looking around for a helper -- spotted Simon.
Bewildered by all that was taking place on this day of the Passover -- Simon is further confused when a soldier grabs his garments at the chest -- & pressing his sword to Simon's stomach -- shouts: -- "You, sir, carry His cross!"
With that -- the soldier shoves Simon in the direction of the wooden beam.
Simon's plans that fateful day have suddenly been interrupted.
He had no plans for carrying crosses.
He had come a
long ways -- to
He had come like
all faithful Jews to offer sacrifices for himself -- & for his synagogue
back in
But the Cross was thrust upon this one -- Simon of Cyrene.
This is something he had not expected; -- & it was not of his choosing.
However -- he had no choice but to bear that cross!
And that Cross -- & the Man for Whom he bore it -- altered the course of Simon's life forever!
Do you wonder that Jesus staggered beneath the weight of the Cross?
Tradition has it that Jesus fell beneath the weight of the Cross as He went His painful way up the dreary path toward Calvary's hill to die for the sins of all mankind. -- Oh, believe me -- Jesus was not a weakling!
It was now Friday -- & Jesus had not slept since Wednesday night.
He had gone
through the rigorous
The scourging at the height of a mock trial had been so very taxing.
And now weak from the lack of sleep & the loss of blood -- the Cross was perhaps more than He could bear -- at least as rapidly as the soldiers desired.
It would be interesting to know where the disciples of Jesus were in this time of His dire need. -- Where were the disciples in this hour of crisis?
They had promised to be true to their Master.
Where was Peter -- the disciple who had vowed to go to prison -- or to death -- rather than desert his Lord?
Where were the other ten who had also vowed their love & loyalty?
Were they standing in the crowd -- watching the unfolding of the sad drama? -- Why did not any of them come forward to help?
Fear made cowards of them -- just as fear makes cowards of men today! -- They were ashamed & afraid.
To make a public confession of loyalty at this juncture -- would invite the scorn of the entire multitude; -- they, therefore, left Jesus to suffer alone.
Had any one disciple rushed forward to lift the Cross -- he would have won eternal honors -- but it was not to be!
So -- none of the disciples came forward to aid Jesus -- & His Cross was carried by a stranger -- one named Simon of Cyrene.
When those Roman soldiers saw Simon -- perhaps they saw from him a sympathetic look -- or perhaps they saw a pair of broad shoulders -- & a physique adequate for the job.
At any rate -- according to the Scriptures -- they compelled Simon to carry the Cross.
That word "compelled" -- is such an interesting word -- a strong word: -- "... him they compelled to bear his cross” (Matt. 27:32).
It means they forced him to carry to cross!
Simon had come with fervent soul to worship the God of his Fathers -- but instead -- was compelled by these hateful Romans to carry the cross of a criminal!
Why should he be made the victim of this ill-starred circumstance?
But there was no court of appeal against the injustice of the soldier's request. -- These Roman soldiers were a law unto themselves.
They compelled him to carry the cross!
Perhaps God looked down at that moment -- & smiled!
And such service to God's one & only Son -- would be amply rewarded!
Today we look back & see only the glory of it; -- & the time came when Simon too -- saw nothing but the glory in this act to which he had been compelled to do.
Bearing the Cross was not a pleasant task -- but in the end it brought great blessing & reward to Simon -- & to others!
The Cross did at least three things for Simon of Cyrene.
Let's look at the difference the Cross made in Simon's life.
1. The Cross Brought Simon into the Presence of Jesus!
While Simon may
have been no stranger to
Bible scholars agree that until this time -- Simon had probably not even heard of Jesus -- much less to have listened to Him preach -- or witness any of His healings.
What appeared at the moment to be a curse -- to be compelled to carry a cross -- turned out to be the richest blessing in Simon's life.
It brought Simon into the presence of the One Who was to die for the sins of the world.
I believe that when that Cross was lifted from Jesus -- the Savior slowly arose -- & with quiet dignity looked into the eyes of His helper.
Simon returned the look -- & in seeing the face of Jesus -- he looked into the very heart of God!
My friends -- life's greatest privilege for you & for me is to come into the very presence of Jesus -- the Son of God!
Oh, if only we could grasp the significance of this thought!
The greatest benefit in the trials & the burdens of life -- is that they often drive us to our knees in prayer!
The burdens of life can become blessings in disguise -- when we allow them to actually bring us into the presence of God!
Any crisis -- however awful or horrendous it may seem at the time -- serves an eternal purpose if it succeeds in bringing us into the presence of Jesus!
Sometimes the most significant prayer we pray is that of a simple sigh -- as we lament & bemoan & weep.
A simple sigh -- that manifest our sadness -- is never overlooked by God!
We don't always have to see the sun to know that it is shining -- for things are not always what they seem to be.
My friends -- the sun is always shining, somewhere in the world.
It depends on where we are as to whether or not we can see it.
And the promises of God are always shining! -- We may not see them in the midnight hour of life -- but if we cry out to God in our darkness -- by that very act -- we are always brought into presence of our Lord!
The cross brought Simon into the presence of Jesus -- & our burdens can likewise serve to bring us into the presence of our Lord.
2. The Cross Made Simon Follow in the Steps of the Savior!
Simon stared at the Man beneath the cross that day & saw His blood-stained body -- & wondered what it was all about.
In Luke's Gospel we read that Simon was compelled to carry the cross "after Jesus." -- Simon had to follow in Jesus footsteps.
Therefore Simon was able to watch the Prisoner as He stumbled along His way. -- Then, suddenly, the procession came to an abrupt halt.
Jesus was speaking to some women -- & His words -- were filled with pity -- warning them of coming disaster (Luke 23:27-31).
Simon listened
to those words addressed to the sorrowful women -- & then he followed Jesus
all the way to
The crowd -- for a time -- was kept at a distance -- but Simon had been made to carry his burden to the summit -- & Simon was able to see & hear everything.
By the time the
man from
He was there when Jesus was nailed mercilessly to the Cross.
He witnessed the thrusting of the cross into the ground -- & watched as Jesus hung there between heaven & earth.
He heard the request of the thief -- & the response of Jesus.
He listened as the Lord prayed from the Cross -- "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
He listened as Jesus expressed love for His mother & His friend, John.
He listened in awe as he heard Jesus cry out in anguish at His Father's averted face -- & as Jesus expressed His terrible thirst.
Simon watched it all -- as Jesus bore the pain of redeeming a world -- & gave Himself back to His Father in complete submission.
Finally Simon marveled at the confession of the Roman officer who said: -- "Truly, this was the Son of God!" (Matt. 27:54).
At all this Simon saw & heard -- he wondered -- & then he believed.
Was it true? -- Had he carried a cross for the Son of God -- the Messiah -- the Lamb of God?
What did it all mean? -- And perhaps God smiles again!
I wish there was a record of the details as to the transformation which changed the life of this one, Simon of Cyrene.
But God did not choose to reveal the entire story.
But somewhere -- somehow -- the power of this Figure on the central Cross became real to Simon -- & he gave his allegiance to the Christ.
The work begun
at
Three days later -- the news of the Resurrection of Jesus brought new excitement to the city -- & more particularly to Simon of Cyrene.
When Simon lifted that old rugged cross off the shoulders of Jesus -- he was more than compensated! -- He had discovered the Savior!
Has Jesus changed & transformed your life?
Are you walking in the steps of the Savior?
I would not give a plug nickel for a religion that did not change me!
I'm so glad that when I came to Jesus -- & decided to follow Him -- it made all the difference in the world in my life!
I see everyday how the downward path of sin destroys people's lives -- & I am ever so grateful that God changed the direction of my life!
Has He changed your life? -- Are you following Jesus today?
That brings me to my third point --
3. The Cross Changed Simon & His Family Forever!
It was the Cross that brought not only Simon -- but his entire family -- to know the Christ.
This is very likely the same Simon mentioned later in the Acts of the Apostles -- who was one of the Cyrenians responsible for starting the Antioch church (Acts 11:20; 13:1).
Mark's Gospel gives us insight concerning Simon's family members -- by naming the sons of Simon -- "...the father of Alexander & Rufus" (15:21).
Mark makes a special point of indicating that Simon's sons were well known by the readers of his Gospel.
While not much
information is given about these two sons -- it is believed that they were
active in the early church -- especially in
Many years later
-- the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at
These terms of deep affection indicate that both mother & son had become intensely precious to Paul.
That lovely lady -- without doubt now the widowed wife of this Simon of Cyrene -- had become like a mother to the Apostle Paul.
And the
remarkable life of Rufus had gained for him distinction among the Christians in
Bible scholars agree that this Rufus of Rome was indeed the son of the Simon of Cyrene.
Were these two sons -- Alexander & Rufus -- with their father on that fateful day on which Simon carried the cross -- as the song Watch the Lamb -- suggests?
Or did Simon return home -- a changed man -- & share his testimony with his family? -- We do not know the answer to that question.
But we do know that God poured into that home an abundant measure of His grace -- & thereby rewarded the man who had carried the cross for the Prince of Heaven.
It must have been with great delight & joy to Simon in later years to tell of this great experience of carrying the Cross for the Lord, his Master.
I think one of his favorite subjects -- while talking to others -- was, “I carried His Cross!"
Calvary made a
difference for Simon -- &
In the words of
a very popular song entitled Thanks to
Today I saw the same old crowd I knew before.
When they asked me what had happened -- I tried to tell them,
"Thanks to Calv'ry I don't come here anymore."
Thanks to Calv'ry I am not the man I used to be,
Thanks to Calv'ry things are different than before.
While the tears ran down my face -- I tried to tell them,
"Thanks to Calv'ry I don't come here anymore."
Conclusion: -- Oh, Simon! -- What a privilege was yours that troubled day -- though at the time you were not aware of its everlasting significance!
All Christians -- then & now -- would have liked the privilege bestowed on Simon of Cyrene.
But let us never forget that the same opportunity awaits us all -- for Jesus said: -- "Whosoever will come after me -- let him deny himself -- & take up his cross -- & follow me" (Mark 8:34).
So I ask: -- Must Simon bear the cross alone,
And all the word go free?
No! There’s a cross for every one,
And there's a cross for me.
Simon was "compelled" to bear the cross -- but Jesus invites us to take up our cross! -- Have you? -- Have you?
Jesus has many lovers of His crown -- but few bearers of His cross! -- We don't like to be jostled out of our complacency by a call to cross-bearing.
Even fasting for one meal makes us uncomfortable -- & this is a very minor form of self-denial.
When we walk with Jesus & "take up the cross" -- we may experience the ridicule of the world for identifying ourselves with the Savior.
The "religious right" is not a popular group in our current society.
This means going counter to the world's way.
It means refusing to live according to the world's phony standards of popularity -- or success -- or accumulation of money & things.
Cross-bearing especially means going against the swift current of easy morality & cheap ethics so prevalent in today's permissive society.
Yes -- cross-bearing is a call to a higher plane of Christian living & service.
It is a burden! -- A burden like wings to a bird -- or sails to a ship -- it carries us forward & onward to the desired heavenly home.
We do not choose what our cross will be.
We choose only to bear it for Him -- for Jesus -- whatever it is.
We only accept the cross & simply follow Jesus.
May God help us to accept the cross -- & bear it with grace -- with His unfailing & enabling grace.
"Take up thy cross & follow me."
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice
When Jesus gave His all? (-- Ackley)
Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ