Welcome to the second of three special Easter devotions focused on “Heavy Things” as they relate to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Today, we consider the “weight of the cross” Jesus carried on His way to Calvary. 

In John’s gospel account we are told Jesus carried “His own cross” (John 19:17).  This was a common practice which intensified the public humiliation and shame of those being crucified.  Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us, as Jesus was paraded through the city, a soldier enlisted Simon the Cyrene to carry His cross.  Luke provides the additional detail that Simon remained “behind” Jesus.  We can surmise the soldier recruited Simon because Jesus was struggling due to His weakened condition, and it is possible he was directed to walk behind Jesus to highlight our Lord’s humiliation.     

Some have attempted to explain why Simon, in particular, was chosen.  The answer may be no more complicated than the fact that he happened to be in the crowd at a moment when Jesus stumbled under the weight of the cross.  Perhaps the soldier, frustrated at the slow pace of the procession, grabbed the first person who appeared to be strong enough to do the job. 

The cross Jesus carried has also been the subject of speculation.  It was standard procedure for those being crucified to only bear the cross-beam or “patibulum”.  Once they arrived at their destination, the cross-beam was raised up on a pole (“stipe”), which was a permanent fixture.  I do not mean to be unkind to those who carry crosses to demonstrate their faith, but the props I see these pilgrims carry seem considerably smaller than the ones historians believe were used by the Romans.  Certainly, Roman crosses weren’t equipped with little coaster wheels to make them easier to carry.  The cross beam alone was incredibly heavy, and Jesus’ apparent inability to carry it on His own was not only proof of its weight, but also the state of His suffering. 

Understandably, the weight of the cross has become a metaphor for the seriousness of sin (described in the first installment of this devotional series), since it provides a vivid picture of the burden Jesus carried in our stead.  It is also associated with Jesus’ statement, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).  With this connection in mind, I would like to share a few reflections to remind us of the significance of the weight of Jesus’ cross.

Reflection #1: Jesus said His disciples are characterized by “self-denial”.  Just as Jesus took on the form of a servant to win our salvation, we must learn to sacrifice self in our daily lives.  We cannot accept Jesus as our Savior and refuse to surrender to this fundament principle.  Perhaps you have heard these words from a classic hymn by Thomas Shepherd: “Must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for every one; and there’s a cross for me.”

Please don’t misunderstand.  Jesus doesn’t want us to exercise our faith in misery.  He also doesn’t need us to demean and degrade ourselves to prove our devotion.  This is not biblical self-denial.  Self-denial presumes we have immeasurable value to God, and important gifts to be used for His glory.  Yet, because of our redemption we choose to make our will subject to God’s will, even if our discernment of His calling requires sacrifice.  Our sacrifices may take many forms depending on our circumstances, but they are a part of the discipleship path.  The weight of the cross compels us to consider our steps in light of Jesus suffering.

Reflection #2: As we have seen, Luke alone informs us Simon walked behind Jesus.  I have suggested, the purpose of this may have been to keep the attention on Jesus’ humiliation.  It also kept the cross in close proximity to as a deterrent to anyone else who might dare challenge the Roman authorities.

At the risk of making too much of a detail, I believe there is value in comparing Simon’s position to ours.  Just as he carried a cross behind Jesus, we live out our faith in His shadow.  Peter once wrote, “”For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:1).  The cross we have been asked to carry is not a status symbol.  Instead, it is an indication of our commitment to the One who saved us and our willingness to follow Him in every way.  How do we walk in Jesus’ shadow?  We do so when we fasten our eyes on Him daily in praise and adoration.  We walk in the shadow of His teaching and example as He holds the banner of our redemption and we move in His grace.  I love how the writer of Hebrews describes this relationship: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2).  Jesus marked our course, as He made His way to Calvary.  The pathway, stained with His own sweat and blood, is the same road we travel. 

Reflection #3: Finally, it is important to recognize, unlike other condemned individuals who carried their crosses, Jesus was not ultimately subject to His killers.  Just as He calmed the seas with a few simple words, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39), Jesus had the power to abort His march toward death.  He could have destroyed His enemies in a fashion that would have made the violent climax of a Hollywood action thriller look like child’s play.  But this didn’t happen because Jesus was committed to our salvation. 

We must never take the weight of the cross for granted.  Whether we are thinking about the cross beam Jesus and Simon carried or the full assembly of the cross at Calvary, we need to appreciate and honor our Lord’s sacrifice with every breath we take, including the occasions when we gather with the church to celebrate the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:26). 

Perhaps you have heard someone who was being unfairly treated say, “I don’t have to take this!” Nowhere has this statement ever been truer than in the case of Jesus’ crucifixion.  The only possible motivation behind Jesus’ willing sacrifice was His full and enduring love for us.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

How is God calling you to take up your cross today?  And what is your motivation?