Carrying the Cross of Jesus

Friday, October 28, 2016

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.”

Luke 23:26–28

Though Rembrandt van Rijn is best known to us as a painter, it is his drypoint etching “The Three Crosses” that many art scholars consider his finest work. The work depicts the Lord on the cross with the thieves on either side. Light from Heaven shines in the center of the picture, but the edges are dark. At the very edge of the picture stands a figure in the shadows representing the artist himself—which apparently was Rembrandt’s recognition of the fact that his sin was responsible for the death of the Lord.

Under Roman law, soldiers could force anyone they encountered to carry burdens for them. When Jesus was unable to bear the weight of His cross because of the physical suffering He had already endured, a man named Simon was picked out of the crowd and compelled to carry the cross for Jesus. He became part of the crucifixion story simply because he was passing by at the moment Jesus was taken out of the city, but in a very real sense each one of us is also part of the story.

It was your sin and my sin that resulted in the necessity of the cross. Jesus died for the sins of the world, but He also died for me. Though the crucifixion happened centuries before we were born, we were part of the events of that day, as Jesus died for our sins, just as much as those who stood there physically when Jesus died.

Today's Growth Principle
If we see the cross without seeing ourselves in the picture, we have failed to grasp the point.

Old Testament Reading

Jeremiah 18-19

CHAPTER 18

¹ The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ² Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. ³ Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. ⁴ And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. ⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁶ O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. ⁷ At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; ⁸ If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. ⁹ And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; ¹⁰ If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

¹¹ Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. ¹² And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. ¹³ Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. ¹⁴ Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? ¹⁵ Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; ¹⁶ To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. ¹⁷ I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

¹⁸ Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. ¹⁹ Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. ²⁰ Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. ²¹ Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle. ²² Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. ²³ Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

CHAPTER 19

¹ Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; ² And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, ³ And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. ⁴ Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; ⁵ They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: ⁶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. ⁷ And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. ⁸ And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. ⁹ And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.

¹⁰ Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, ¹¹ And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. ¹² Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet: ¹³ And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods. ¹⁴ Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD'S house; and said to all the people, ¹⁵ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

New Testament Reading

2 Timothy 3

CHAPTER 3

¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. ⁹ But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

¹⁰ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, ¹¹ Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. ¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; ¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 29

¹ He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. ² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. ³ Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance. ⁴ The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. ⁵ A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet. ⁶ In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. ⁷ The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it. ⁸ Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath. ⁹ If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest. ¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul. ¹¹ A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. ¹² If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. ¹³ The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes. ¹⁴ The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever. ¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. ¹⁶ When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. ¹⁷ Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. ¹⁸ Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. ¹⁹ A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer. ²⁰ Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. ²¹ He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length. ²² An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. ²³ A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. ²⁴ Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. ²⁵ The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. ²⁶ Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD. ²⁷ An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.