I AM SECOND - Move Aside

I am Second is a movement that came about regarding people’s testimonies and their personal stories of brokenness, but how God transformed that. Saying I am Second is the same as saying God First.

Many Christians would agree with this statement and would say the same thing regarding it. Like hey, that’s me. I’m second and God’s first.

But do we really mean it? I mean let’s look at it and the words in that statement.

I = recognizing my OWN individuality and giving it up

AM = active state. Not in the past or probably going to happen in the future, but active NOW

SECOND = My thoughts are not my own and my actions are not my own. I belong to God. I am more than just a follower, I’m HIS CHILD

This month is the month of Easter. Many of us know about this and understand it’s about Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Okay, we get it. But i want us to dig in a little deeper around the events and people before and after this event. I want you to keep the statement of I AM SECOND in mind as we go through this.

SIMON of Cyrene

So during the time of the Crucifixion was the Passover. You know, in remembrance from Moses’ time and the freedom of the people out of Egypt.

So because of this, people came from all over the place. And now we get a man named Simon of Cyrene. This guy was from the area of Africa and travelled over 800 miles to be there for the Passover.

Now we see his name only appear three times in the Bible, and it’s in

Matthew 27:32 ESV

32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

Mark 15:21 ESV

21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Luke 23:26 ESV

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Three times, the same event, but a very big impact...not for the people there, but for us tonight.

You see, Jesus was awake the whole night before going to the cross. He was abused, beaten, flesh and muscle torn from his body and lost a lot of blood. He was weakened.

The process for being crucified is to be beaten badly and then you carry your cross to your death. Sometimes people died during the beating. The Roman soldiers didn’t want Jesus to die while walking up to where he would hang on the cross, but they had to hurry the procession along. Why? Well this was during right before the Passover and so the Jews didn’t want their precious religious day to be desecrated with Jesus’ death..

side note, this is what it looks like to have religion and not a relationship. It’s when you value your events, your status, yourself, over Jesus.

As Jesus was attempting to carry His cross...the roman soldiers recruited a man from the crowd. This is Simon from Cyrene. This is where we start tonight. I want you to walk through this moment with me.

Look at this from Simon’s Point of View

You’ve got to realize how embarrassing it was for Simon.

When you carry a cross, it means you’re guilty and that’s why you’re there.

THis man was there for the Passover, not to be in a position that assumed guilt

yes, we can say, “well they all knew that it was meant for Jesus”

Yeah, maybe so....but at the same time for those who saw Simon walking behind Jesus with the Cross, you can’t help but think they thought Simon was connected or associated with this guilty person named Jesus.

So he’s forced into this position of guilt...but can you imagine what he saw and felt as he carried that cross?

Not only the weight of the Cross...which would’ve been between 200-350lbs total...but the weight and views he saw as he walked.

imagine the sights and sound from being in the middle of it

He saw people on the sidelines. People who were probably heartbroken but did nothign

People who cursed and spat at Jesus. Who cheered on his pain and suffering.

People who couldn’t wait until he was hanging on the cross

ANd then imagine this...as he’s walking and carrying that cross, as he’s looking side to side at the people’s wide range of reactions

he looks in front of him He sees the bloodied and bruised and torn back of a man who did no wrong.

He looks and sees the blood stains on the ground

Simon of Cyrene recognizes that he is the closest to feeling what Jesus is going through and it’s nothing even close to the bigger picture.

This cross that he was forced to carry, is meant for that guy in front of him.

Suddenly all of the embarrassment he was experiencing had to have turned to remorse.

But then, as they get to where they’re supposed to go...he gets to stop. But not Jesus. Jesus has to keep going

Because at this moment, Jesus would take the cross and take the punishment and carry the burdens all the way to the end.

Simon only had to experience a small portion of this. Jesus had to go through it all.

Simon only had to experience the burden of the Cross...Jesus had to carry the burdens of our sins.

Because although this specific cross was meant for Jesus...The spiritual and eternal affects of it was meant for us.

Simon Carried a physical cross for Jesus, but Jesus carried the life eternal burdens for all of us.

The sins on that Cross was not meant for Jesus. The punishment because of those sins was not meant for Jesus

They were meant for us. But in the end...Jesus takes it.

You see, when we talk about I AM SECOND it’s more than just using the words and stating “God first”. It’s recognizing the actions behind.

I Am Second is to view our lives in the same way Simon viewed his trek. In Luke 9:23 it talks about how we must carry our cross and follow Jesus. Simon was the only person to do that. But just like Simon, we need to understand that when we proclaim to be a Christian, the view of us changes. When you surrender your life to Jesus...We are NOW associated with Jesus. We are NOW linked to Him.

Listen...YOU HAVE to be that person that is walking behind Jesus like Simon. You can’t BE on the sidelines watching things happen.

Taking up your cross is not an option...it’s the ONLY way to live as a Christian. That means going through life with eyes on you as a christian, but your eyes on Jesus.

It means life won’t be easy, burdens will be heavy, the trek won’t be clean...but just as Simon experienced it in the end....when you get to the right point that Jesus has for you, He’ll take the burden off you.

I AM SECOND means Jesus leads the way for you. It means that Jesus takes it all from you...FOR YOU.

You HAVE to be the person that says I AM SECOND as a Christian, and you can’t be doing that or living that way when your every day life speaks differently. We make assumptions about our lives or others, but when it boils down to it, you need to stop assuming and know that you’re a Christian. Others need to stop assuming and start to KNOW that you’re a Christian.

HOW do others know that you’re a Christian? Is it as easily visible as it was for Simon to carry the cross? Simon wasn’t a Christian, but there’s proof about his conversion because Mark refers to Simon’s sons in a way that shows they were prevelant in the church as Christians. So something happened...because he came there for Passover as a jew...and was transformed after meeting Jesus.

But as clearly as it was to see him out there carrying the cross behind Jesus...is that type of clarity visible to those around you that others see you as a Christian? Do they see you as someone who says I AM SECOND?

You see, some of you are on the sidelines, waiting, thinking you’re good, but you’re not. YOu’ve heard the stories of Jesus but it hasn’t fully clicked that the effects of sin, the punishment that was meant for you...Jesus said I got this. I Got It.

And he did that so you would have an opportunity, but you must take that opportunity. Otherwise it’s a life wasted when it’s a life that ends with an entrance to hell.

This month is a remembrance of Jesus dying for us and rising from the grave. But it’s also a reminder as to why we say I AM SECOND.

Make that decision tonight. If you haven’t made that decision...then why are you here?

Because the religious figures around Jesus wanted his death to hurry up so that they can go along with their pre-programmed lives and go through the motions of their religious ceremony that had no weight behind.

Is that what you’re doing tonight? HOping we hurry along so you can go back to your pre-programmed life?

I’m telling...there’s somethign far better waiting for you. But you’ve gotta commit to being second.