10 Apr Why Me? Some afterthoughts
The Bible tells us that Simon of Cyrene was a real person involved with the real event of Jesus being crucified. What we know about Simon can be found in Matthew (27:32-ff), Mark (15:21-ff) and Luke (23:26-ff). When the verses start by saying, “And they”, the “they” is referring to Roman soldiers.
The Bible is clear that Simon did not volunteer for this. It was not a way to show his sons the importance of civic duty.
I have depicted Simon as feeling humiliated and angry at what happened to him. A victim; someone in the wrong place/wrong time. Simon may have clearly thought that LIFE SUCKS!
Many of us may wrestle with thoughts of “Life Sucks”, or have felt humiliated or actually have been a victim in some way. Some may feel anxious, depressed or in despair. To those that can relate, please know my heart genuinely aches for you. Please also know that I am not a mental health professional and would strongly encourage any of you to seek out help from a mental health professional if you struggle with any of the feelings or situations I’ve mentioned.
But as a Follower of Jesus Christ, I also believe that nothing is wasted in God’s loving and sovereign care. I am not here to attempt to theologically debate whether God is the cause of all evil and good, but I am here to share that God deeply and passionately cares for each of us, and is able to work through any – truly any – circumstance to bring healing, insight and glory to His Name.
So, with that, I offer the following:
- “’Truly this was the Son of God’. Can you believe it? I think I do”
Jesus is a historical person that has been mentioned in non-biblical sources as someone who was crucified. But it is important to remember that Jesus was killed not for what He did, but who He claimed to be. He is either a liar or LORD and Savior. I invite you to read, or reread, the Gospel of John to learn about what Jesus says about himself. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel or Evidence Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell can also be good resources for offering an evidence-based approach to conclude Jesus truly as the Son of God.
- Additional verses where demons, disciples, or Jesus Himself profess that He is Christ, Lord or God. Matthew 1:18-23, 3:16-17, 16:27-28, 17:1-8, 26:64-65, 28:18-20, Mark 1:23-26, 2:5-12, 3:11, 5:7, 8:29, 14:61-62, Luke 1:35, 2:49, 3:21-22, 4:3, 4:34-36, 8:28, 9:28-36, 21:33 (see Isaiah 40:8), 22:69-71, 24:26-27, 31, 24:44-49, John 1:1-3, 14, 49-51, 3:16-17, 5:17-18, 20-22, 25-27, 8:23, 58-59, 11:4, 27, 13:3, 20:28, 31, and many other verses throughout the rest of the New Testament.
- “I hated them! It was humiliation for me, in front of my boys too…”. How often do we justify our hatred, anger or need to defend ourselves? We have seen political or even religious leaders regularly defending themselves and/or counter attacking others. As Christians, do we think that it’s a nice character trait to be humble, but have concluded that God would never want us to be humiliated, therefore, we shouldn’t stand for it?
Please hear my heart as I am not suggesting any of us should go looking to be humiliated. And scripture is clear that we are not to avenge or speak ill of others (Consider Romans 12:16-21, Ephesian 4:29). But if Jesus is LORD, am I willing to be taught by Him? In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble (or lowly) of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”. Jesus instructs us to come to Him and to learn from Him. The word that is translated for “humble/Lowly of heart” actually is defined as humiliated in circumstance or disposition; cast down.
Might I suggest, Church, that our witness for God will be more powerful if we stopped trying to defend our honor or demand our rights, or determine what side of the political isle we think God is on and actually seek to be a witness simply for Jesus’ Gospel of forgiveness of sin through grace. You see the origin of the word for Martyr focuses more on being a witness than on being some victim to circumstance in Jesus’ name (consider Isaiah 53, Philippians 2).
But what of Simon being humiliated. Was that all for not? We don’t know anything else about him other than the passages in Matt, Mark and Luke, but it is interesting that Mark was inspired to list his sons. The only other time the name Rufus is mentioned in the Bible is in Romans 16:13. There it says, “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord…”. It is not certain, but some scholars suggest that this could be Simon of Cyrene’s son. Again, nothing is wasted in God’s loving and sovereign care (Romans 8:28).
Consider King David who said in Psalm 62, “my salvation and honor depend on God”. Even King David didn’t demand honor from others in God’s name, but entrusted his honor to God and allow it to come from Him.
Finally,
- Trusting in God may mean entrusting someone you care about to God.
If anyone would be susceptible to having a Messiah-complex, I would think it might be Jesus. What I mean by that is, if I knew my calling from God was to be the Savior of the World I’d be inclined to “pull myself up by my boot-straps” and keep carrying that cross myself rather than Simon. But I actually view the story of Simon of Cyrene as Jesus setting us an example of yielding and entrusting all to His Father. And we should also.
Remember Jesus’ words – after being falsely accused, beaten, shamed, humiliated – “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing”. Please Holy Spirit, fill us with Your Presence, so that we might be like John the Baptist who said about Jesus, “He must increase, and I must decrease”.
Here is a video version of what was written above.