Reason #766

We went to see Son of God tonight. It was a great movie, hard to watch at moments, but definitely a must see. Even though I know the story, seeing it acted out really gave me a different perspective on a lot of things. Therefore, the next few nights of my blog will definitely be about my thoughts of the movie. The good thing is, I don't have to worry about spoiling it for you because you already know the ending.

"As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus." - Luke 23:26

 

It appears that Simon is helping Jesus carry the cross. After all, Jesus can hardly move. His body has endured so much by this point that it's amazing He's still alive. And yet somehow, He has managed to drag this wooden cross quite a ways before needing help. I don't know if He wasn't moving fast enough of if the soldiers were showing a little mercy, but they called on Simon to bear the weight of the cross. I can imagine he was caught completely off guard at this assignment. I am sure this was the last thing he was expecting to do. But Simon picked up the cross and he followed Jesus, bearing the very object on which His Savior would soon hang.

 

But I think there's more to this act than meets the eye. I think there is greater purpose than just an act of relief. Of course, for Jesus' sake, I am so glad Simon was there to carry that cross. It was the least that could be done for Him. And although it appeared that Simon was carrying the cross for Jesus, it's really the other way around. You see, Jesus had been carrying that cross for Simon. Jesus had taken a beating for Simon. Jesus was wearing a crown of thorns for Simon. He had been wrongly convicted for Simon, and He was going to be crucified for Simon. And not just for Simon, but for you and for me, too. And so even though it seemed that Jesus couldn't have made it to Golgotha without Simon's help, Simon wouldn't have made it to Golgotha without Jesus' help. Because while Simon was bearing the cross, Jesus was bearing the weight of the worlds' sin. While Simon was enduring the weight of the cross, Jesus was enduring God's wrath. And in this incredible act of salvation being played out, Jesus showed His followers exactly what would be required of them. "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

 

Sometimes it feels like it is so hard to take up our cross and follow Him, but the thing is, we only carry the cross. He is the one who dies on it. Simon carried what rightfully should have been his punishment, our punishment, and yet Jesus is the one who took the nails for it. Jesus acted out the perfect example of grace on the trek to Golgotha by taking the cross back from Simon and dying on it to save him... to save us...so that we could have eternal, abundant, free life.

 

#766 - For the grace shown on the trek to Golgotha.

 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." - Hebrews 12:1-4