"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 NKJV)
An Unexpected Moment
The streets of Jerusalem were crowded that morning. Voices pressed together. Soldiers shouted. Feet stirred the dust. Somewhere in the confusion, women were weeping. And through the middle of it all walked a bleeding Man beneath a cross.
Jesus had been beaten almost beyond recognition. His back was torn. His face was bruised and bloodied beneath a crown of thorns. Again and again, He struggled beneath the weight of the timber. And somewhere in that crowd stood a man far from home.
The Man from Cyrene
His name was Simon. Mark tells us that he was from Cyrene, an ancient city in the region of modern-day Libya on the coast of North Africa.
Perhaps Simon had come to Jerusalem for Passover. Perhaps he had imagined what he would see in the holy city. But surely he never imagined this.
A Roman soldier looked into the crowd. Then came the command, "You." Simon was pulled from among the spectators. Suddenly the cross that had been resting upon Jesus was placed upon his shoulders.
Can you feel that moment—the rough wood, the blood already upon it, the confusion, the humiliation of being forced into a condemned Man's procession?
Simon Didn't Find the Cross, the Cross Found Simon
Simon had not volunteered. Scripture says they compelled him. And so, this man from Cyrene began walking behind Jesus.
Luke describes it beautifully: "And on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus" (Luke 23:26 NKJV). "After Jesus"... Simon may not have understood it, but he was living a picture of discipleship before the Church had even been born. Jesus had said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23 NKJV). And now, on the road to Calvary, a man from Cyrene was literally doing it. He carried a cross after Jesus.
I wonder what Simon saw as he walked. Did he see Jesus stumble? Did their eyes ever meet? Could he hear His breathing? Did Simon realize that the blood staining that cross belonged to the Lamb of God? We aren't told, but Scripture makes sure we know his name: Simon of Cyrene. (Photo via Picryl)
Cyrene and the Outpouring at Pentecost
Then Cyrene appeared again. Days had passed. Jesus had risen. The disciples were gathered in Jerusalem waiting, just as He commanded them. Then suddenly Heaven broke open. There came a sound "as of a rushing mighty wind" (Acts 2:2). Fire appeared. The Holy Spirit filled the room. Men and women spilled into the streets, declaring the wonderful works of God in languages they had never learned. People gathered from across the known world, bewildered by what they were hearing.
Luke named the nations represented in the crowd: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt... and then "the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene" (Acts 2:10 NKJV). There it was again: Cyrene. First, a man from Cyrene stood near Jesus beneath the shadow of the cross. Then people from the region of Cyrene stood beneath the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—the cross, then the fire—but God wasn't finished.
Cyrene Carried the Gospel
Persecution came against the young Church. Believers were driven from their homes. Families were scattered. What must have looked like disaster became one of God's great instruments for spreading the Gospel. The scattered Believers carried Jesus wherever they went. Some eventually reached the great city of Antioch. And Luke tells us something easy to read past:
"But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus." (Acts 11:20 NKJV)
Men from Cyrene again—but notice what changed. On the road to Calvary, a man from Cyrene had been compelled to carry the cross. Then men from Cyrene were willingly carrying the message of the cross. And Heaven responded:
"And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord." (Acts 11:21 NKJV)
I love that. The hand of the Lord was with them. We don't even know their names. They weren't apostles whose names filled the pages of Scripture. They were simply described as men from Cyrene, but they opened their mouths and told people about Jesus, and a city began to change. Perhaps that is how the Kingdom often moves—not through famous people, not through impressive platforms, but through ordinary men and women who have encountered Jesus and cannot keep Him to themselves.
Cyrene: A Place of Commissioning
And still, Cyrene appeared one more time. The church at Antioch was worshiping and fasting. The atmosphere was filled with the presence of God. Prophets and teachers were gathered there, waiting before the Lord. Acts gives us their names: Barnabas, Simeon, Manaen, Saul, and another man, Lucius of Cyrene (Acts 13:1).
As they ministered to the Lord, the Holy Spirit spoke: "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" (Acts 13:2 NKJV). They fasted. They prayed. They laid hands upon Barnabas and Saul, and they sent them away. (Photo via Pexels)
Soon the Gospel would travel farther and farther into the nations. Churches would be planted, lives would be transformed, and eventually the message of Jesus would reach toward the ends of the earth. And standing in that little gathering where the Spirit spoke was a man from Cyrene. Do you see the thread? At Calvary, Cyrene carried the cross. At Pentecost, Cyrene witnessed the fire. At Antioch, Cyrene carried the Gospel. And when missionaries were sent toward the nations, Cyrene was in the prayer room. (Photo via Pexels)
What We Are Carrying: God May Be Doing More than We Can See
There is something here for us. Sometimes what God places upon your shoulders is connected to something much larger than you can see. Simon could not have understood what was happening when that Roman soldier pulled him from the crowd. It probably felt like an interruption, an inconvenience, perhaps even an injustice. He didn't choose that cross, but that cross brought him close to Jesus.
Perhaps there are things you have carried that you never chose either: a disappointment, a loss, a season of suffering, a responsibility you never expected, a road you would never have selected for yourself. You asked, "Lord, why am I carrying this?" Maybe you still don't completely know, but don't assume that because you didn't choose the road God cannot make it holy.
Simon began that journey compelled by a Roman soldier, but somewhere along the way, the story became about Jesus. And this is the thought that grips my heart: The cross that was once placed upon the shoulders of a Cyrenian eventually became a message carried from the hearts of Cyrenians.
God can do the same with us. The suffering you once carried can become compassion for someone who is suffering. The wound you survived can become tenderness toward another wounded heart. The wilderness you endured can become wisdom for someone who has lost their way. The tears you cried can become the testimony that gives another person courage. What was once merely upon your shoulders can become something God places within your heart.
Dear friend, never despise the roads upon which you find yourself walking close to Jesus. You may not understand them today. Simon probably didn't either. Just keep walking behind Him.
Stay close enough to hear His voice. Stay close enough to recognize His presence. Stay close enough that what you are carrying doesn't merely make you weary; it makes you more like Him. Because sometimes a road begins with a cross and ends with a fire. Sometimes it begins with suffering and ends with a testimony. Sometimes it begins with one ordinary person carrying something they never asked for, and generations later, Jesus is still telling the story.
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Steve Porter
Refuge Ministries
Email:Â G524walk@yahoo.com
Website:Â www.findrefuge.tv
Steve and Diane Porter have dedicated their lives to helping others experience a deeper relationship with God. Through their work with Refuge Ministries and Deeper Life Press, they have created resources that touch lives all over the globe. Steve has a special anointing to bring forth the deep truths of the Spirit, and his books, articles, and videos have helped people draw closer to God. The Porters live near Rochester, NY, and their greatest joy is to share the incredible love of their wonderful Lord.
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