Simon of Cyrene: What It Means to Carry the Cross and Follow Jesus (Luke 23:26)

When most people think about the crucifixion, they think about Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary. But in Luke 23:26, another man steps into the story—Simon of Cyrene. He didn’t volunteer. He wasn’t looking for attention. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time… or more accurately, the right place at the right time under God’s perfect providence. Simon was forced to carry the cross behind Jesus, and in doing so he became a powerful picture of discipleship. Jesus had already told His followers, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Simon didn’t just hear those words—he lived them. His moment of suffering, inconvenience, and humiliation teaches us what it really means to follow Christ when obedience is costly. In this message, we’ll look at why Simon was chosen, what his cross-bearing reveals about Jesus, and how this brief encounter challenges every believer to embrace the path of self-denial, surrender, and faithful discipleship. https://youtu.be/u1sd0r_TnF0 Table of contentsWhy Following Jesus Is DifferentJesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the CrossLesson 1: We Choose to Follow ChristLesson 2: Christ Also Chooses UsSimon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind JesusWe Don’t Always Choose the Cross We CarryLesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross MattersFive Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly)1) Submission vs. Resistance2) Faith vs. Unbelief3) Humility vs. Pride4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away5) Obedience vs. ExcusesLesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a PrivilegeConclusion: Look to Jesus Why Following Jesus Is Different Most people want the blessings of Christianity: Forgiveness of sins Eternal life Heaven Glorified bodies But when people learn that following Christ also involves self-denial and suffering, many decide they don’t want the cost. They want the crown—without the cross. And that’s why Jesus repeatedly gave strong, sobering words about discipleship. Jesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the Cross Jesus didn’t hide what it meant to follow Him: Luke 9:23 — “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 14:27 — “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” When crowds followed Him, Jesus didn’t try to entertain them. He challenged them—because He wanted true disciples, not casual spectators. Lesson 1: We Choose to Follow Christ In one sense, discipleship is a choice. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me…” That means we must respond. Following Christ means this: There is a cross for Jesus And there is a cross for every disciple If He suffered, we must be willing to suffer too A student is not above his teacher Jesus doesn’t promise comfort. He promises Himself—and He calls us to follow Him wherever that leads. Lesson 2: Christ Also Chooses Us Here’s what’s fascinating: while we must choose to follow Christ, Scripture also shows that Christ chooses His disciples. Think about the Twelve. They didn’t wake up one day and decide to become Jesus’ disciples. Jesus came to them. Matthew 4:19 — Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Follow Me.” Matthew 9:9 — Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow Me.” John 1:43 — Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow Me.” Luke 6:12–13 — Jesus prayed all night and then chose the twelve. John 15:16 — “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” So do we choose to follow Jesus, or does Jesus choose us? Yes. God is sovereign, and we are responsible. We willingly follow Christ, yet we do so only because He first chose and called us. Simon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind Jesus Now we come to Simon. Luke 23:26 says: “As they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene… and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.” Simon didn’t volunteer. He didn’t step forward to make a bold statement. He wasn’t trying to be heroic. He was seized. He was forced. He was drafted into a burden he never expected. Mark’s Gospel adds more detail: Simon was a “passerby” He was “coming in from the country” He was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21) Simon woke up expecting an ordinary day—but God had written him into the most extraordinary moment in human history. And that’s often how cross-bearing works. We Don’t Always Choose the Cross We Carry Simon pictures something important: discipleship often includes crosses we didn’t ask for. Many people think following Jesus means choosing a difficult life on purpose—like signing up for something painful. But often, discipleship looks like this: A burden is laid on your shoulders A trial shows up without warning You didn’t choose it But now you must carry it faithfully In other words, carrying the cross usually isn’t about choosing your suffering—it’s about accepting what God assigns and honoring Christ in it. Lesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross Matters Luke 23:26 says Simon carried the cross behind Jesus. That matters. Because the real question is not only what we carry, but how we carry it. Everyone suffers in this world—believers and unbelievers. Burdens don’t automatically produce spiritual growth. Some people are made better by suffering. Others are made bitter. So how do we carry our cross in a way that honors Christ? Five Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly) Two people can carry the same burden very differently. The cross reveals what’s happening in the heart. Here are five contrasts that show the difference between carrying the cross well and carrying it poorly: 1) Submission vs. Resistance “Lord, I don’t understand this, but I trust You,” instead of, “God, I’m not putting up with this.” 2) Faith vs. Unbelief “This wasn’t my plan, but it’s Your plan for me,” instead of, “God has lost control.” 3) Humility vs. Pride “Lord, I need Your help,” instead of, “I can handle this on my own.” 4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away Continuing to pray, worship, and stay in the Word, instead of withdrawing and growing cold toward God. 5) Obedience vs. Excuses Remaining faithful in hardship, instead of saying, “Because life is hard, I’m allowed to sin.” Carrying the cross well doesn’t mean the burden feels light. It means we carry it with Christ, not away from Him. Lesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a Privilege Simon didn’t want to do this—but it became the greatest privilege of his life. He served Christ in the final moments before the crucifixion. And Scripture teaches something that challenges us: suffering for Christ is an honor. Here are a few verses that make that unmistakably clear: Philippians 1:29 — “It has been granted to you… not only to believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.” Philippians 3:10 — Paul longed to share Christ’s sufferings. 1 Peter 4:13 — “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.” 2 Timothy 2:3 — “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:17 — We are heirs with Christ “provided we suffer with Him.” Suffering isn’t enjoyable—but it can be meaningful. Because when we suffer for Christ, we are walking the road our Savior walked. Acts 5 shows this clearly. After the apostles were beaten and warned not to preach, Scripture says: They left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41) Not rejoicing in pain—but rejoicing in the privilege of belonging to Jesus. Conclusion: Look to Jesus No matter what cross we carry, it will never compare to the cross Christ carried for us. Our burdens may be heavy—but His was crushing. He suffered as the sinless Son of God, carrying the weight of our guilt and shame so we could be forgiven and declared righteous. That’s why Scripture tells us where to fix our eyes: Hebrews 12:2–3 — “Looking to Jesus… who for the joy set before Him endured the cross… Consider Him… so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” So: When your cross feels too heavy, look to Jesus When it feels unfair, consider Him When you’re tempted to quit, fix your eyes on the Savior And because Christ carried His cross for us, we can carry ours behind Him—not with grumbling, but with faith. One day soon, the cross-bearing will end… and we will see the One who carried the cross in our place—face to face.