Easter 2021
Craig Smith
Luke 23:26
I. Introduction
II. Main Body
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
He didn't have enough strength to carry the cross all the way to the place of his crucifixion. Which makes sense, right? He's been beaten and mocked and paraded in front of a variety of people all night. He's exhausted and his body simply doesn't have enough physical strength to carry the beam they'd strapped to his back.
So it makes sense, but at the same time, it's a little strange to see that he didn't have enough strength, because this is Jesus. This is the Son of God himself... who healed the blind and the lame and the lepers, who called people out of graves...who walked on water and calmed storms...this same Jesus found that he didn't have enough strength to do this alone.
Which I think is powerful. Yes, as the Son of God he had more than enough strength. He had all the strength, but as one of us, as God incarnate in human flesh...he experienced what we all experience: not having enough strength. And it's because of this experience that the Bible says, We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses... (Hebrews 4:15). And maybe that's good news for you today. Maybe today you're feeling like you're just not enough in some way. And you need to hear that Jesus understands what that feels like. And he doesn't look at us and say ''you don't have enough...whatever? That's pathetic!'' No, he looks at us with empathy, with compassion, with understanding.
27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. (Luke 23:27)
It's interesting that Luke goes out of his way to say ''including women''. It seems like a little bit of a strange thing to do, but it's actually pretty powerful. See, throughout his ministry, Jesus consistently treated ...
Craig Smith
Luke 23:26
I. Introduction
II. Main Body
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
He didn't have enough strength to carry the cross all the way to the place of his crucifixion. Which makes sense, right? He's been beaten and mocked and paraded in front of a variety of people all night. He's exhausted and his body simply doesn't have enough physical strength to carry the beam they'd strapped to his back.
So it makes sense, but at the same time, it's a little strange to see that he didn't have enough strength, because this is Jesus. This is the Son of God himself... who healed the blind and the lame and the lepers, who called people out of graves...who walked on water and calmed storms...this same Jesus found that he didn't have enough strength to do this alone.
Which I think is powerful. Yes, as the Son of God he had more than enough strength. He had all the strength, but as one of us, as God incarnate in human flesh...he experienced what we all experience: not having enough strength. And it's because of this experience that the Bible says, We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses... (Hebrews 4:15). And maybe that's good news for you today. Maybe today you're feeling like you're just not enough in some way. And you need to hear that Jesus understands what that feels like. And he doesn't look at us and say ''you don't have enough...whatever? That's pathetic!'' No, he looks at us with empathy, with compassion, with understanding.
27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. (Luke 23:27)
It's interesting that Luke goes out of his way to say ''including women''. It seems like a little bit of a strange thing to do, but it's actually pretty powerful. See, throughout his ministry, Jesus consistently treated ...
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