Spurgeon: April AM
* 04/05/AM
"On Him they laid the cross, that He might bear it after Jesus."
--Luke 23:26
We see in Simon's carrying the cross a picture of the work of
the Church throughout all generations; she is the cross-bearer
after Jesus. Mark then, Christian, Jesus does not suffer so as
to exclude your suffering. He bears a cross, not that you may
escape it, but that you may endure it. Christ exempts you from
sin, but not from sorrow. Remember that, and expect to suffer.
But let us comfort ourselves with this thought, that in our
case, as in Simon's, it is not our cross , but Christ's cross
which we carry. When you are molested for your piety; when your
religion brings the trial of cruel mockings upon you, then
remember it is not your cross, it is Christ's cross; and how
delightful is it to carry the cross of our Lord Jesus!
You carry the cross after Him . You have blessed company;
your path is marked with the footprints of your Lord. The mark
of His blood-red shoulder is upon that heavy burden. 'Tis His
cross, and He goes before you as a shepherd goes before his
sheep. Take up your cross daily, and follow Him.
Do not forget, also, that you bear this cross in
partnership . It is the opinion of some that Simon only carried
one end of the cross, and not the whole of it. That is very
possible; Christ may have carried the heavier part, against the
transverse beam, and Simon may have borne the lighter end.
Certainly it is so with you; you do but carry the light end of
the cross, Christ bore the heavier end.
And remember, though Simon had to bear the cross for a very
little while, it gave him lasting honour . Even so the cross we
carry is only for a little while at most, and then we shall
receive the crown, the glory. Surely we should love the cross,
and, instead of shrinking from it, count it very dear , when it
works out for us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory."