Easter and Its Effects
Together we had a bunch of 75 people out for sunrise service this morning. So he's our backup. He had a cup of coffee or two in between, it's good to gather a beautiful Easter morning. We're going to be in the gospel of Mark, this morning, chapter 15, a want to mention. As you turned. I want to give thanks to y'all for your generosity and giving towards the UK, crane relief. We've given / 17000 - 17300 $500 that the deacons of giving $5,000 out of the Deacon's fund and missions. Committee has given $5,000 out of their Surplus in this and y'all over $7,000 though. Thank you. It's going to rectally to Goods Food Supplies, baby, supplies going into Ukraine. So appreciate appreciate that. What's the weather next Sunday? After Sunday. School can have a picnic out back, so it'll be out in the back, 40 and games and they will be hamburgers and barbecue and so bring a chair or a blanket. And the the meat, the beverages that deserve to be provided to just bring a side dish and a bag of chips or vegetables. If you want. Just a chance for us to hang out as we're getting back together. After all the isolation of these last couple years. I want to mention for the kids at Camp the last week of June. So there's a colored card on the table for ages 5 to 13. You can learn more about that at all. So if there's something about it in the in the bulletin, But I wait until the announcement in the last couple of weeks. We've been looking at a couple of characters who were involved in the last week of the life of Jesus ever talk about Judas who betrayed Jesus. He's the one who was the cause of Jesus's death and that his action to that attitude a led directly to the crucifixion of Jesus, as that we saw how I do too. And then last week we looked at for rabbits. Who, of course, committed murder as he was trying to bring about Insurrection, but he was his, his place in execution for that murder was taken by execution, by crucifixion by Jesus in his place who was falsely accused of a resurrection of insurrection, through the resurrection falsely accused of insurrection. This morning. We're going to talk about Simon of Cyrene and like Barabbas. We don't know a whole lot about him, but we're going to get a whole lot from him about Easter. So let's listen. And I'm going to read verses 20 through 22 of Mark, chapter 15. You're the ward. and when they had mocked him, Soldiers. Mocking Jesus. They stripped him of the purple cloak. And they put his own clothes on him. And they let him out to crucify him. 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. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha, which means place of a skull. The person, the Lord I pray and ask God to help us understand Easter from that father. Become your word as you. You cause three different gospel writers to all include this man Simon of Cyrene. Teach us about you, teach us about Jesus, teaches by Easter, through him, your spirit included in your spirit, cause them to retain his name and to include. Saving to Jesus. Thank you for that. And pray. That's all it is named Jesus's name. Amen. That may sound like one of the stranger Easter passages if you've heard read, but I hope what you're going to see if it tells us a lot about Easter and especially the effect of what Easter do I did for us. The first thing he is mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke as the one who carry Jesus's cross at fascinating that he was Nate. I'm in a lot of ways, that's kind of an obscure role in their John tells us that Jesus carry the cross for the first part. So we don't know. We're not told exactly why the soldiers went and commandeered. They conscripted Simon. They just grab them out of the crowd and made him come and Carry the Cross. It might be That Jesus because he have been flogged. was too weak to go on the flogging was They would take straps of leather and they would have pieces of bone or or Nails in it and they would literally last ready to tear the flesh. The Jews had a limit that you could only lasts. Somebody Fox Ale 39 times with it. The Romans. However, they didn't put a cap on it, the flogging that they did kill somebody. If so, it was severe. And it could be the Jesus was just from the flogging he received from the soldiers and it was too much to carry. We don't know or maybe he was just too weak and he was too slow, carrying the the cross. And so the soldiers wanted to get things moving cuz they had to finish that day, regardless. They conscripted they grabbed this man site. Simon from the crowd and they pulled him out. The Simon from Cyrene. Cyrene was a city about 10 miles Inland from the Mediterranean Sea and what today is Libya pesos west of Egypt. And There was actually a Jewish Community, was it was a Greek city that have been established off of Mediterranean Sea and there was a Jewish synagogue in that City that we don't know. It may have been that Simon was the native North Africa. Who had become a worshipper of God, than in the join with the Jews. There may have been that he was one of the Jews in the dispersion who, who is scattered? His name is Jewish, Simon of a week. We don't know exactly. But regardless, he was coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. And he is walked into something that he didn't write just came up by the side of the road and the soldiers Psalm and maybe you look big and muscular and I thought I can carry this cross and so they grabbed him. He was called the particular. It was just a crossbar, vertical bar. Piece of wood would have already been placed in the ground and so he was carrying the cross bar. Use either an African Converse, organic may have been a displaced Jew. Also told that he brought two sons with it, Alexander and Rufus. They're probably at least 12 years old at that point and they are what first connects Simon with Easter. What what is Simon Cyrene? Teach us about Easter speculation, but it's pretty reasonable and reasonable speculation that because of the fact that Mark, introduces him as the father of Alexander and Rufus. Why would that be included? You wonder why they even named Simon of Cyrene at all. I got is just the guy that was pulled out of the crowd that carry the cross. It wasn't like it was it was a key piece of the story writers. There's something about his name, the fact that it's included in the fact that includes his son's name. It suggests to us the probably Mark expected that the people who read his gospel would know. Alexander and Rufus.
All the scholars are read this week. Say that marks audience. When Mark writes his gospel. He was specifically writing to people in Rome. And it's interesting in his letter to the Romans, the Apostle, Paul write this and chapter 16. He says greet Rufus. Chosen in the ward. And also his mother who has been a mother to me, as well. Now, it's just Rufus. Is Simon's son? A further tells us a sign, his wife is name. We don't know. She was critical in the early church even serving as you do as a mother to him and carry him so that these would have been prominent people, I would have to do what Easter is Simon's wife. As if Rufus Rufus, his mother and Rufus and stuff were notable members of the church in Rome. What it tells us. Is it Simon's Encounter With Jesus didn't stop when he dropped off the cross. He didn't just drop off the cross and taking it out here. We got to go eat lunch. You have to presume that as is he after he loved the crossbeam up. There was something that made him stay. I have to imagine it is pretty annoyed. Just got his two boys with him. He's from halfway across the world and then come to Jerusalem for the special time of Passover and it gets grabbed the crowd to come carry this. The soldiers forcing him to do enough. They didn't have rights. You did have a choice, you can put on, I'm good. It still it was ordered. And so we have to expect you lingers to see who is this Criminal?
And I love this whole event. You came away. Change, of course, Jesus died on the cross.
On Thursday, we talk to her Monday, Thursday service, but how he drank the cup of the Wrath, the cup of the wine of the wrath of God? as he hung on the cross and he said, it is finished before the Judgment, that was due to all the All the who would be his the full weight of our spin. In fact, we read last week and 1st Peter, as he summarized as he's a Christ, also suffered once for sins, the right, just for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God and put to Death In the Flesh. Being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit of Jesus is the righteous died for the unrighteous after. He said, he was put to death in The Flash and made alive in the spirit and watching him put to death, must have moved Simon. And then how much more a couple days later when he was in Jerusalem. He started hearing these stories. That they the disciples had found the to Mint.
Even Resurrected. Raintree vet.
Never again to die. Jesus bodily was Ray wasn't was not resuscitated. He died. If the Judgment, he took on the cross from the judgement from God, and then he laid dead, and then he was raised never to die and for all of us to trust in him. That. His death is sufficient pay for ourselves. If it got raises us up to life as well like you did for Simon. A wife, a boy's. I mean imagine. He's watched Jesus die.
Carrying the cross and he hears and he's come back a lot. but, This past week. I heard about a tweet of someone who had passed through the National Gallery of Art up in Washington DC and he has seven words. I've now realized what Western Art is about. He said there were a thousand years of crucifixion and then stripes. And literally, if you go and walk through the halls of the National Gallery, you see a thousand years of the classical art made a painting of the crucifixion.
We think about it.
Like torture. The Kmart. Play the crucifixion. Was so gorgeous. I was so ugly was just something nasty. Then in the Roman society. They didn't even say the word. Reply company.
Because it was just, I mean, a Roman citizen could not be crucified. It was only for the worst of the worst of the people that they just figured were throw away people. What writer called, Christianity isn't, the greatest Revolution, the most disruptive influential. Adoring and subversive movement in history, but it wasn't the death of Christ. All those, you hear him. And I Proclaim weekly, the death of Christ is precious and if found is foundational and it pays worse in but it was the resurrection of Christ that brought this change to Versa. That's what turned the world upside down or these last two thousand years, within a few centuries of the death of Jesus before. And after they were other Professor Messiahs Christ, people is called himself the Messiah. And they died two like Jesus, but there's only one only Jesus. How to followers? Keep following him and not just scatter The Wiz that just go fishing and his guys to go fishing for a little while till they realize he was on.
They did throw in the towel that the empty tomb that we read about on Easter morning is powerful. But you know, what's more powerful? This is a testimony that hundreds of people thousands of people in that first generation. Chose to continue. The fowl in the believe, the fact that Jesus was resurrected. They were following a movement. He started, okay, wasn't that they were just inspired by his teaching. If I was him. Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15, that Jesus appeared to 500 people. At one time. He says, most of them are still alive. Now, if you don't believe it can go talk to him. Nope, don't testify to, they saw him back alive and these people.
They? They trusted him. They believe they Peter himself would be crucified upside down. Because he kept following Jesus. He believed in Jesus. They were willing to Die, the evidence of the Resurrection, was the fact that these thousands and thousands of people. I don't read Jesus, they die for it in the first generation. Famous Charles Colson, who is the renowned hatchet man for Richard, Nixon and Watergate? I mean, he was a marine using his young 30s and one of the contemporaries of that time, that he's private, the brightest, young lawyer in Washington DC with there's a couple lighters. He was super sharp. He was tough. He was rugged. He was brutal use that. He was a hatchet man. Political hatchet, man. And yet when he was convicted and imprisoned because of Watergate. He became a born-again Believer, follower in Jesus Christ. Because he'd been involved in the biggest cover of the most famous cover up in our nation's history. He had a lot of the top men in our country who were part of that Administration and he want how, I mean, he was no Yahoo, but he participated in this color up and he saw how they couldn't keep it together. They couldn't. Sustain a cover up with the private people in this nation to history our day and age. They said, there's no way there's no way that the disciples. Could cover up. Just make up the fact that his resurrection happen. That's why he became a believer in. Jesus Christ, is risen coming through the Watergate guys weren't even threatened with that. every single one of the Apostle chapter John died. They were martyred. They were killed because they wouldn't renounce their belief. So it wasn't just that they were inspired. It was true. They stayed in their Easter. He's such a big deal cuz it's true because Jesus was resurrected and as an old Professor mine. Then still says the steak if if in fact he was resurrected. That means you have to listen to what he said. And you have to live it because it means he was God. He is God. And he's he said that he was going to be seated on the throne until we, we need to follow him that we weren't about Easter from, from Simon of Cyrene. Again, him being named a 30 me, makes sense, if he believes in the resurrection of Jesus and it passed down through his family in the end of their generation, but it also has about the effects of Easter. I take it. It's got to have significance because he's included my name. First the fact that we just discussed is fake. They believe this has got to be got to be true. In the butt, the face what? It looked like the way it manifests itself. Is Tina. What Simon did of course when he was carrying that crossbar that was before? The crucifixion obviously. Any idea who is Criminal was? And it was clearly before Simon became a disciple of Jesus.
It wasn't yet a follower who believes in Jesus as the Son of God and in the senior center and yet, Simon gives us the picture of what it means to follow Jesus. And what the effect with the take away, the fact that he's resurrected what you do with Easter. What are we supposed to do? He carried, Jesus's cross, that day, and subsequently, as a follower of Jesus. He carried his own cross. Everyday.
An example, this winter. Dreary day in 1943. There were 903 troops and four chaplains with Board of the s o s s Dorchester. Is right in the middle, of course 1943 right in the middle of World War II and as they were going across the North Atlantic. They were German U-boats working in the waters and it at noon on February 3rd. A German torpedo lift into the ship.
I started going down and they were shouting and they're all heading for the boat and they're grabbing their life vest and a young GI.
And the chaplain said here, take my took his off, and gave it to him before. The Dorchester went down. All four of the chaplain. Forgiven their life jackets. Soldiers. To save a life.
They were. They linked arms and as the ship was sinking, they lifted the voices to God, together. A prayer. If they believe in the resurrection.
They were awarded the distinguished service cross obviously after after their death, and they understood literally denying themselves. And carrying the cross of Christ. Who is the messiah in the same gospel, mark. Jesus told his disciples says and calling the crowd to him with his disciples. He said to them if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life, for my sake and the gospels will save it.
The suffering that Simon watch that day. Jesus sacrificially out of his love. Dying for what he knew were ungrateful. Rebellious spinners.
Jesus. That's that's our pattern as well. what he does is that we delete we love because He first loved us that we don't. Suffer in order to qualify to be a disciple that we don't suffer to pay for anybody else's so they don't suffer to atone for our own sin.
Can I get dye for somebody else?
Dying penalty for my own.
The, the suffering that he's talking about his, it's not about beating yourself up. It's not about feel bad. It's it's being so filled. And so thinking for you why he has done for you in your but you can't help what you mirror it. A reflector. To be like to reciprocate to other people is not looking for, credit is not posting it on your timeline, or may on your social media, trying to get license, because you needed to Jesus, because you're back to his spiritual, what to do. That's what it transforms us into that, like, read recently that are stunning to the gospel. John Rivers of living water flow, from the most being the people around you, that we deny ourselves. Serve others that were so. Filled with his grace. Blown Away by by the enormity of his love and the expanse of his goodness and in the undeniable, any of his humility. If you become wrapped up and you just want to be like him.
Scottish soldiers were forced by their Japanese captors during World War 2 to labor on the jungle Railroad. And Under the strain of captivity there, the relationships between the Scottish soldiers that Deidra generated so bad that they were pretty barbarous towards one another. One day, there was a shovel missing. And the the officer who's in charge of that was in rage, instead. You got it. Deliver this missing shovel. Or else and when nobody buys hikki got his gun and he threatened to kill all of them right there on the spot. The one of the men stepped forward to put away his gun and grab a shovel and feed him. Do that.
Someone was over that the survivors, the other. Pows picked him up to the back porch. So they took it and then went for a second tool. Check step this time. They found out there's no shovel missing.
and they realize that, An innocent man have been willing to lay down his life to save all the others. It had a profound effect because after this, they started to treat each other like brothers. And it when the when the Allies eventually came into to rescue them and to free them and if by this point, these prisoners were like skeletons and they were nothing to eat. So poorly treated, but if they faced their captors, They stood in for them. And they said no more hatred, no more killing. Now is the time for forgiveness. Sacrificial. Love as a transforming power, when you are the recipient of it. We don't know this, it says the impact of a committed life of sacrificial. Love what accomplishments and Easter tells you and me.
that if you, if you're a follower of Jesus, if you believe you, he has done it for you.
That's amazing. Love. How can it be?
The guy for me.
The most natural response to know what to get the guy for not. It's just that you feel like
We love. Because he first loved us now, ironically.
God's ten commandments is what I really just in the scripture of being like a the picture of quintessential love. And so having Easter Resurrection in your life and having its effect, you like me and you just got to love First wall of her Albania. What he says. Because of what he's done for you and that it spills over into wanting to know what he said, was he wanted to know that his word because he died for you. So you and I want to live For him. It's has been lost in his love. Captures is just like Simon of Cyrene and his wife. It's on Alexander and the sunroof. We're going to go to the awards table. And be nice to remind us. We're going to the table of a living Christ. Cake. We remember his death, but he's risen. He's inviting you to this table as your statement that you trust. What he did there to be the work. That's got your name. It's your opportunity to declare your face. Is that it's a covenant renewal. That's what he's done for me. I believe it in my stand in there and now I'm here. And then we go out from here and gives us an opportunity to reciprocate to the people. He's going to put around us but pray and ask the Lord to get us ready for that father.
we think of rulers, who can go over and you think of those Expecting to be served.
And yet you came to serve.
You or Jesus committed yourself to your father's. Commands in obedience, even to the point of death. Is that your father raised you up? And he's cheated at your right hand. You got the name above every name.
We give herself to you by. Maybe his poison. Have not done that. Previously, that we would do business with you. We would just run away thinking all week and I just because, As Resurrected. You have to deal with me one day. Elvis do business with you today. Where to talk to you.
Hey, man.