Luke 23:26 “As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.”
Obviously, to a Christian, the person they most admire in the Bible and whom they most would like to be like would be Jesus. However, I see other people in the Bible, like the Apostles, to emulate. Additionally I would like to do what Simon the Cyrene did, help Jesus carry the cross.
Although some would like to believe that Simon voluntarily carried the cross for Jesus, the verses that mention this act do not indicate that to be true. (Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26 He was forced to do that by the Romans because Jesus was so weak after suffering the brutal beatings and lashings that He struggled to carry the cross to the destination on Calvary. Nevertheless, he did help Jesus carry the cross.
There are beliefs that He became a Christian and perhaps they are true, but we have no proof, though it is something nice to fancy. And yes, he was forced to help Jesus. But he did help Jesus carry the cross.
I was forced by the curse I was under (original sin) to the cross. I was forced to come to the cross and repent and follow Jesus, that is, if I wanted eternal peace with God. Yes, the curse and my inability to not sin forced me to the cross, and I’m eternally grateful that it did.
As we know, Jesus died for our sins. He alone provides eternal peace between God and man. For those who love and obey Jesus He commissioned of us to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) In Matthew 16:24-26 and Mark 8:34 Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. What is the cross that Jesus wants us to carry, what is His high command to us? It is to love God with everything that we are and to love each other. (Mark 12:30-31) And if we are saturated in thankfulness for Jesus and what He did for us, then we will obey Him. (John 14:15) Out of our love and thankfulness to God we have this to do: To carry His love for the world to the world, and to each other, lifting up the name of Jesus so that all may have the opportunity to come to the cross to worship Him live with Him for eternity.
We, like Simon the Cyrene, are called to carry the cross. We are to share the Gospel. If our hearts are wise we repent and the love of God compels us to carry the cross to the world. So, what Simon did one day I pray that I remain committed to do every day. I want to help carry the cross. Love for Jesus and thankfulness to Him compel me. Let me serve Jesus daily, or let me die trying. I want to carry the cross with my name on it that I have received from Jesus. It is not burdensome (Matthew 11:28-30) and I have an assignment that I daily joyfully look forward to. What a wonderful God we serve! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.