March 9th, 2021
By Erika Davis
"As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross." Matthew 27:32
Crosses have become something beautiful for us. We wear them around our necks and hang them on our walls as a reminder of what Christ has done for us. However, the cross that Jesus died on was far from beautiful. It was heavy and painful to carry. The wood was likely rough and full of splinters, and after having been beaten and whipped, the burden of carrying it was overwhelming. So much so that Simon from Cyrene was called upon to help Jesus carrying His cross.
If you’ve been attending St. John’s for a few years, you’ve seen the video of the Watch the Lamb, and if you haven’t, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNT1AThOgME
This video shows the story of Simon from Cyrene as he is traveling to Jerusalem on the day Jesus is crucified. If you jump ahead to 4:58, you’re able to see the scene where he is commanded to help Jesus. I highly recommend watching this whole video because, while it is a dramatization, it’s a powerful look into what it might have been like to be a regular person on that day.
The imagery of this scene really captures for me how selfless and humbled Jesus made Himself for us. Here we have the Maker of the Universe, and He needs help to carry the cross. The reality of Him not having the strength to go on shows how human He made Himself, and the pain he was willing to endure in order to have our sins forgiven. In every step of His ministry, Jesus modeled the life He wanted us to live, and this is no exception.
What cross are you carrying into this week? What is the large, ugly burden that is becoming too much for you to handle? There’s power in walking alongside others. Reach out to a friend, a family, or a member of the St. John’s staff this week and let others lift the burden. We are better together, and our struggles become much more bearable when we have another to share it with.
"As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross." Matthew 27:32
Crosses have become something beautiful for us. We wear them around our necks and hang them on our walls as a reminder of what Christ has done for us. However, the cross that Jesus died on was far from beautiful. It was heavy and painful to carry. The wood was likely rough and full of splinters, and after having been beaten and whipped, the burden of carrying it was overwhelming. So much so that Simon from Cyrene was called upon to help Jesus carrying His cross.
If you’ve been attending St. John’s for a few years, you’ve seen the video of the Watch the Lamb, and if you haven’t, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNT1AThOgME
This video shows the story of Simon from Cyrene as he is traveling to Jerusalem on the day Jesus is crucified. If you jump ahead to 4:58, you’re able to see the scene where he is commanded to help Jesus. I highly recommend watching this whole video because, while it is a dramatization, it’s a powerful look into what it might have been like to be a regular person on that day.
The imagery of this scene really captures for me how selfless and humbled Jesus made Himself for us. Here we have the Maker of the Universe, and He needs help to carry the cross. The reality of Him not having the strength to go on shows how human He made Himself, and the pain he was willing to endure in order to have our sins forgiven. In every step of His ministry, Jesus modeled the life He wanted us to live, and this is no exception.
What cross are you carrying into this week? What is the large, ugly burden that is becoming too much for you to handle? There’s power in walking alongside others. Reach out to a friend, a family, or a member of the St. John’s staff this week and let others lift the burden. We are better together, and our struggles become much more bearable when we have another to share it with.
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