Daily Devotions
John
John 19:17-42 "WOULD YOU BEAR THE CROSS FOR JESUS?"
Day 303 – John 19
WOULD YOU BEAR THE CROSS FOR JESUS?
Jesus had undergone a whole night of interrogation under Annas and Caiaphas, the latter was the high priest for the year! But that was not all that He had to endure. He was humiliated and roughed up by Herod Antipas and his soldiers. Pilate and his soldiers also added to the scorn and abuse already heaped upon Jesus.
On the physical side, Jesus must have been thoroughly exhausted! Mentally He must have been stretched to bear all the insults hurled at Him. Physically, He had to bear great pain from the fists and the lashes of the whips that curled around His body, each one tearing away flesh!
How He must have been covered with blood as He was forced to carry His own cross to Golgotha. Just how much physical pains can a person bear before He is forced to his knees? Jesus began the last walk of His life. He had walked throughout Galilee and Judea. He had even gone through parts of Samaria. He, who had walked and blessed everyone along the way, was now forced to walk His last mile to Calvary.
Along the way, Jesus collapsed! He could not bear the heavy cross on His own. His physical strength was exhausted. The Romans did what seemed the most natural thing to do. They ordered a passer-by to carry the cross of Jesus.
Matthew recorded this as a fact.
“Now as they came out, they found a man of
Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled
to bear His cross.”
Matthew 27:32
Mark also noted the same fact, but added further information concerning Simon.
“Then they compelled a certain man, Simon
a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and
Rufus, as he was coming out of the country
and passing by, to bear His cross.”
Mark 15:21
Luke also described Simon carrying the cross for Jesus.
“Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of
a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was
coming from the country, and on him they laid
the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.”
Luke 23:26
Simon of Cyrene was one of those who had come to visit Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Little did he know that he would be pressed to carry the cross of Jesus, and to walk behind Him. Simon did not know that Jesus had been asking people to take up their cross and to follow Him. His physical carrying of the cross was a graphic addition by the synoptic Gospel writers to portray what following Jesus and taking up the cross could mean, both literally and conceptually. Where were the Disciples of Jesus? Couldn’t any of them have borne the cross for Jesus? A stranger had borne the cross for Jesus!
It wasn’t so long ago when the Disciples were warned that they would stumble and flee from Jesus. Mark’s version is most noteworthy.
“Then Jesus said to them,
‘All of you will be made to stumble because
of Me this night, for it is written:“I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered.”
But after I have been raised, I will go before
you to Galilee.’
Peter said to Him,
‘Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.’ Jesus said to him,
‘Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night,
before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me
three times.’
But he spoke more vehemently,
‘If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’
And they all said likewise.”
Mark 14:27-31
Peter and the rest of his fellow Disciples realized that there was a huge difference between a pledge of loyal allegiance and actually adhering to it in the face of suffering! Pain and suffering as a concept may be accepted, but the human mind and body often break when under pressure! In circumstances far less than what Jesus had to endure, many have found themselves turning tail, and fleeing for their lives. How right Jesus was about the Disciples. He knew them far better than themselves. But He wasn’t just talking about them alone, was He? We dare not pass too harsh a judgment on the Disciples who stumbled. Who knows if we were to stumble in our following after Jesus one dark day?
IT IS NO EASY TASK TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS
The Disciples had given up much to follow Jesus. They had to sacrifice their careers. Some who had families had to give up family life to follow Jesus. For three years, they had followed Jesus, and from the human perspective, it appeared as if they were wandering all over Galilee and Judea.
And finally, it had all come to this! Their Master was condemned to die on the Cross of Calvary. All His disciples had stumbled. They had fled! One had even betrayed Him to the chief priests! It was no easy task to be a true and faithful disciple of Jesus!
SETTING THE EXAMPLE
Jesus had always taught by example. This was arguably the hardest lesson to teach of all! He had taught the Disciples to accept pain and suffering. He had taught them to be prepared to die for their faith! Those were easy words to teach. They were far harder to teach by example. Nevertheless, Jesus taught His Disciples this great truth – by His own personal suffering! How well have we learned this lesson of suffering?