WATCHWORD:
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Mathew 16:24-26
20 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, sent from God!” 21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. 22 “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. Luke 9:20-24
Meditation:
Are You A Simon?
“As he watched, a woman, tears running down her cheeks, stepped forward and, with a cloth, wiped blood from Jesus’ face. A guard rushed up and roughly pushed her away, she staggered and fell. Jesus reached out a hand, but the guard blocked him. The sight caused Barabbas to turn away in sadness and disgust.
There was that mob of men, following Jesus laughing and striking him with scourging whips. Behind them came another man, Simon, dragging a long heavy post. Barabbas realized these were parts of a cross. It was a sad, awful scene…” (From A Life for Barabbas, Chapter 4, Page 14)
One Good Friday, not that long ago, I witnessed a dramatic singing of the song “Watch the Lamb” that brought tears to my eyes. The song tells the story of Simon of Cyrene who, with his two boys, happened to be on King David Street in Jerusalem when Jesus passes by. He is being beaten and lead to Golgotha to be Crucified. Simon is grabbed by a guard and made to carry a part of the cross, and the experience changes him. The final stanza completes the story:
I stood for what seemed like years, I lost all sense of time
Until I felt two tiny hands, holding tight to mine
My children stood there weeping, And I heard the oldest say
“Father, please forgive us, The lamb ran away.
Daddy, Daddy, What’ve we seen here
There’s so much that we don’t understand,”
So I took them in my arms, We turned and faced the cross,
And I said, “Dear children, Watch the Lamb”
Jesus spoke to his disciples on at least two occasions, predicting his death and their task of taking up their cross and following Him. At the time, I wonder if those disciples had even an inkling of what Jesus meant. Here was a special man they had followed for over 2 years, throughout Judea and parts of Syria, all around the sea of Galilee and now, here they were approaching Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks. This was the man that was going to lead the Jewish nation out from under the thumb of Rome. This is the man on which they had placed their very lives. What was he talking about, taking up a cross, what does that mean? Why would I want to carry that awful thing?
In truth, they didn’t know what he meant, until later, as the events unfolded and they went through their own odyssey of shock, sorrow, unbelief, and finally faith and understanding. It was after Pentecost that it made sense. Now they knew. They were to take up the cross, they were to witness and share, they were to go and make disciples.
We don’t know what happened to Simon of Cyrene or his two little boys after Calvary. What we can surmise is the experience had some impact on him, and maybe the children, probably similar to the fictional continuing life of Barabbas, who indeed does carry His cross.
So, the question, “Are You A Simon?” That is the path that Jesus lays out for all who believe in Him. But He promises us, “Take my yoke (My cross) upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Stan: So, God, who are you? What’s your name?
God: I am who I am. It’s funny, Moses asked me that exact same question once. I gave him the same answer in Exodus 3:14. I don’t think he liked the answer then either, but at least you’re in good company.
Stan: I Am. What kind of name is that? I want a God who I can talk to, who I can take a closer walk with, who I can relate to, who I can ask for stuff, and who will be my big spiritual ATM and give me what I want.
God: Is that a fact? Hmmm. Isn’t it enough that I know your name?
Stan: But, I Am, there is a part of me that wants desperately to know you. You see, I will be restless until I find my rest in thee…Wait a minute, God, I think I feel a song coming on.
God: Oh my, Me. Stan, I don’t think the world needs another song from you. Just write it out.
Stan: Ahhh.
Closing Prayer:
Father, we thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for our sins on the cross at Calvary. Lord, help us follow in His footsteps and take up our crosses daily. Help us nail our flesh to that cross so that we can deny ourselves every day. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
