By Pastor Brent D  Smith
Baker Independent Baptist Church

Text:  Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26

Topic - Discipleship

I.  SIMON OF CYRENE (Mt. 27.32; Mk. 15.21; Lk. 23.26).

    A. Cyrene was a city in Libya, North Africa.

NOTE:   -Many Jews had settled there and certainly it was the Passover  that brought him to Jerusalem.  It is possible that  Simon was not a stranger in Jerusalem but residing a fair distance from  Jerusalem, he may not have had the privilege of hearing Christ preach.

    B.  Father of Alexander and Rufus.

        -Not much information given but history tells us that the sons       were active in the early church.
 

II.  SIMON COMPELLED (Mt. 27.32; Mk. 15.21; Lk. 23.29).

    A.    Carrying the Cross

NOTE:  It was the custom for the condemned man to carry his own cross to the place of execution (Jn. 19.17).  Normally, under Roman law, the convicted criminal had about 10 days from conviction to death.  However, in Christ's case, He barely had time enough to breathe.  This was totally rushed from beginning to end. Luke tells us that Simon was compelled (literally forced) to carry the cross.  What human being would desire to cary the heavy load of "death" for a criminal?

    B.    Bearing the Cross

NOTE:  Christ had endured so much suffering, and had no rest during the night , that physically he had no strength left to carry the cross.

     C.  Where were His disciples right now?

Fear makes cowards out of man.  This is seemingly what happened with His disciples.

III.  SIMON CUMBERED (Lk. 23.26).

     A.  The burden was laid upon Simon.

NOTE:   So it is with sin.  Simon carried his burden to Golgotha's Hill. Then, Christ took the burden of sin from the life of Simon and bore it in Simon's place.  O, WHAT LOVE!

     B.  The burden was to be carried by Simon.

NOTE:  Simon had to walk most of the way from Jerusalem to "The Place of the Skull."  I am sure that even at time the knees of Simon buckled under the weight of the cross.  We would buckle under the weight of sin and be crushed by it had it not been for Jesus walking by our side.  God gave Simon grace to carry Hid Son's cross for a while and Simon would carry the crown (salvation) for eternity.
 
IV. SIMON CONVERSING.

     A.  No man can come into direct contact with Jesus and not be saved!

NOTE:    I believe that while Simon and Jesus walked together for those few minutes that they must have had a conversation.  Scripture does not record for us what was said, but I believe something was said.  Some have said that Simon was a disciple of Christ even though he was living in Cyrene.

     B.  I wonder what the last words might have been that Simon spoke to Christ.

        1.  "I love you, Lord."
        2.  "Thank you, Lord."
        3.  "Lord, it should be me dying on this cross."
 
V. SIMON CONTEMPLATING.

     A.  The Scene to behold

NOTE:  I believe Simon, after unloading the cross from his shoulders,  slowly stood erect and began to look around and take in the  scene around him.

        His eyes beheld:

                1.  The Roman soldiers.
                2.  The thieves.
                3.  The crowd, reviling and mocking Christ.
                4.  Christ's disciples far off.
                5. Christ's own mother.
                6.  THE BLOOD OF THE SAVIOUR COURSING DOWN HIS BODY FOR HIS OWN SINS!

     B.  A True Disciple

NOTE:  He was the only disciple (not one of the 12) to be near enough to Christ to actually behold the literal driving of the spikes into the body of Christ.  
 
CONCLUSION: We must remember, that to be a true disciple of Christ, one must be willing to follow Christ "bearing his cross" (Mt. 16.24), and "bearing his reproach" (Heb. 13.13).  As a Christian and disciple, we must know the "fellowship of his sufferings for us," and patiently submit to all the sufferings for Him to which we are called; for those only shall reign with Him that suffer with him; shall sit with him in His kingdom, that drink of his cup and are baptized with his baptism.

Are we close enough to Christ to —
        -To feel what Simon felt?
        -To hear what Simon heard?
        -To see what Simon saw?
        -To feel what Simon felt?

If not, then changes must be made today if we are to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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