If you would, open your Bibles with me to Mark chapter 15 and verse 15. And as we read this account, let us not only meditate upon the death of Christ and upon his sufferings, but let us also be moved to action to enter into his sufferings. In Mark chapter 15, starting in verse 15, The Bible says, and so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus when he had scourged him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall called the auditorium, and they called together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and plaited a crown of thorns, and put it about his head and began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews. And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees, worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. The Bible is remarkable in its economy. In Mark chapter 15 and verse 15, we read that Pilate released Barabbas and delivered Jesus to be crucified. Within that brief account, we read these five words, when they had scourged him. For the original readers, the brevity of that statement would have done nothing to diminish the horror involved in those words. Andreas Kostenberger writes that Roman scourging was so brutal and violent that prisoners would occasionally die before the crucifixion. Even though Jesus survives this form of torture, the beating ensures he will die before sundown. During the scourging, he is tied to a post and beaten with a whip interwoven with bone and metal until his skin and tissue are shredded. Jesus is mocked by the soldiers and led away to be crucified. It is at this moment that Simon of Cyrene enters the account. Briefly stepping onto the stage, he fulfills his part and then he vanishes. never to be mentioned again in the Bible. We don't know much about him and we don't want to read too much into the details, but surely he plays a minor role in the significant events leading to Christ's death. And yet for such a brief mention, and keep in mind that in the Greek text of Mark, there are only 19 words, But for such a brief mention, it's remarkable that he would be mentioned by name in all three of the synoptic Gospels, in Matthew 27, in Mark 15, and in Luke 23. The Bible does not name all the people that were associated with Jesus in the Gospels. In fact, it is very, very selective. So the fact that it would name this particular man must be significant. Cyrene, from where Simeon was from, was a city in northern Libya near the Mediterranean Sea, about 115 miles east of a city that we heard a lot about in the news just a few years ago, and that is Benghazi. Apparently, Simon was a Jewish traveler who had journeyed a considerable distance to be in Jerusalem for the Passover. On that particular Friday morning, he mingled with the crowds navigating the narrow streets around the temple. It's not surprising that a Jew from Cyrene was present, considering the presence of Jews from that region in Jerusalem. And we know this according to Acts chapter 2 and verse 10. It was common for individuals from Cyrene to either permanently reside or to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. But there was nothing uncommon about the condemned man that Simon was to meet. Jesus has already endured horrendous physical torture. severe beatings and scourgings. He is physically drained from exhaustion, hunger, and thirst, and significant loss of blood. Each step to Golgotha, the place of the skull, is sheer agony. The weight of the cross beam alone, around 100 pounds, would have been overwhelming for someone in Jesus's condition. Every step is a torment, compounded by the crown of thorns piercing his brow, and the myriad injuries covering his battered face and body. The Romans were masters at prolonging death, and conscripting this man named Simon to bear Jesus's cross was most likely not an act of mercy. but was done to make sure that the condemned man made it to the place of execution. I believe that Simon's brief encounter with our Savior was life-changing. I believe this is why his name is recorded. And I believe there was a time when the Gospels were first written when you could go and you could talk to Simon But he would give firsthand witness to what he experienced. His life holds a couple of lessons for us this evening, and I want to share those with you. Number one, there was a price that only Jesus could pay. You see, my friends, that's why we're here tonight. We may well speak of bearing Jesus's cross, and our Lord himself said these words in Luke 9 and verse 23. And he said to them all, his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and hear the words and take up his cross daily and follow me. In Colossians chapter 1 and verse 24, when Paul spoke of how in his flesh, in his body, he was talking about his physical body. He was filling up what was lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church, the body of Christ. He was not saying that he or anyone else could ever add to the redemption that Christ accomplished on the cross. And my friend, if you are trusting in the merit of any other person, then you are deluded and deceived. In fact, the Bible says in Colossians 1 and verse 19 that it was Christ who made peace through the blood of his cross. The shed blood of Jesus Christ is completely adequate to deal with the sin problem. There is nothing that can be added, and there is nothing that can be taken away from what Jesus has done for us. And friends, that is why we are here tonight, to honor him. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Simon could carry the cross, but only Jesus could pay the price that God the Father demanded. C. H. Spurgeon says it this way, it was Christ's cross. And Simon carried it not before Christ, but after Christ. This is the order, Christ in front, bearing all our sin, and we behind, enduring shame and reproach for him, and counting it greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt. The scriptures declare in Hebrews 10 and verse 12, but this man talking about Jesus, our high priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, did you get that? There are not many, there is only one. After he made that one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. My friends, he did everything that needed to be done, and he himself said, it is finished, period. No one can add to his work, and no one can take away from it. Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption. Our service tonight is solemn, but it's not out of defeat. It's out of reverence for the one who is the victor. My friends, we celebrate a victory. It was Christ who was the victor at the cross and at the empty tomb. And one day He is coming to consummate that victory. But if you are here tonight without Him, let me implore you to come to Him. He is your only hope. This is something that we cannot do. We cannot earn salvation on our own, by our good works or by any other means. It is only through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be saved. You say, how do I take advantage of this wonderful gift that Christ has offered? How do I take advantage of his finished work? You simply accept it by faith. You take him at his word. But I want you to notice, friends, that number two, there is a cross for us to bear. and there is a price which we must pay. In John 15 and verse 20, Jesus said, remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. Our work is not redemptive, but our work is to proclaim his name, and that's going to bring us in conflict with this world. When the Apostle Peter speaks of God's people suffering righteously for the sake of the gospel, he says this in 1 Peter 2 and verse 21. For even here unto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps." Jesus' command to us is, take up your cross and follow me. It's a call to self-abasement and self-sacrifice. for his sake. One must be willing to die to self, to our dreams, to our ambitions in order to follow Jesus. Dying to self is absolute surrender to God. As we consider tonight the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, Let us first of all rejoice in the fact that he has redeemed all those who place their trust in him. Let me ask you this question. Are you leaning upon him tonight for salvation? Let us leave then here today with the words of Hebrews 13 and verse 12. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the cap, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Let us share the message of the gospel with others. Let us give praise and thanks to his name. After we pray, we'll have a closing hymn. and then you're dismissed, and I want to say thank you all for coming this evening. Let's pray. Father, we are thankful for the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, that on what was to many a terrible day, was actually a day of victory, when he defeated sin, death, and Satan once and for all. And on Sunday, we celebrate his resurrection, his victory over death. And Father, we also look forward to his return. I thank you that our faith is not vain. And so I pray that we would be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in your work. because we know that everything that we do for Christ will last, because He is a risen Savior. And we thank you for that great truth this evening. In Jesus' name.