First Good Samaritan Baptist Church
The Caring Church, Preparing the world by Sharing the WORD!

WEEKLY WORD

THE CROSS WE BEAR
[MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE?]

21 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
New King James Version

A man by the name of Thomas Shepherd wrote a hymn that challenged us with a question that said, “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free?” This song was birthed out of this passage that speaks to Simon of Cyrene who was compelled to bear Jesus’ cross. It was Thomas Shepherd who reminds us that we all have a cross to bear but what Simon of Cyrene reminds us of the cross we share. We recognize that there is a cross that we must bear based on our call to discipleship. Luke records that we must, “…take up his cross daily…” There is a cross that we all must bear individually but also there is a cross that we share collectively.

First, there is the cross we share with Christ, in reference to this passage of Simon of Cyrene. He shared the cross of Jesus that has us mindful of His sufferings. Here are some scriptures to remind us of the Cross [suffering] we share with Christ.

• Philippians 3:10
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

• Romans 8
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Also, the bible speaks of us having fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering. As a Family of Faith, Paul informs us in Galatians that there are times where we must share in the sufferings/burdens of other believers.

Galatians 6:2

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Recognizing the cross means that there is a cross we must bear but there is also a cross we must share that speaks to the suffering of Christ and other Christians. The good news is that when we ENDURE the cross [suffering] then we can ENJOY THE CROWN [victory].

Dr. James A. Simmons, Senior Pastor