You have heard of a “one-hit wonder” in music. Have you heard of a “one-scene wonder” in movies? The term refers to a moving or memorable cameo appearance, even though it is not central to the plot. There are many “one-scene wonders” in the story of Jesus. None stand out as much as Simon of Cyrene. He is only mentioned in three verses in the Bible: Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, and Luke 23:26. All three verses record the same incident. 

• Simon enters the story out of nowhere. 
• His screentime is minimal with no callbacks. 
• Yet you can’t forget him as the story moves on without him. 

It was Good Friday. The Jewish religious establishment and the Roman political machine condemned Jesus to death. He was beaten, mocked, and scourged. Roman soldiers led him away to be crucified outside of Jerusalem. John 19:16-17 says, “So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.” 

It was customary for the condemned to carry his cross to the place of execution. Most likely, Jesus only carried the patibulum or vertical beam that weighed more than a hundred pounds. As Jesus carried this crossbeam, his strength was spent. He moved too slowly for the soldiers’ liking. They threatened him to get going or else. Straining forward painfully, Jesus could carry the cross no farther. 

Mark 15:21 says, “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.” The verse emphasizes the historical authenticity and accuracy of this incident. The Gospels do not comment on the theological significance of this event. Yet there is much to learn from the cameo appearance of Simon the Cyrene. There is a timeless truth here: God wants to move you from a bystander to a cross-bearer.

 Matthew Henry wrote: “The cross was a very troublesome, unwieldy load. But he that carried it a few minutes, had the honor to have his name upon the record in the book of God, though otherwise an obscure person; so that, wherever this gospel is preached, there shall this be told for a memorial to him.”

What can we learn from this accidental disciple? 

There are No Accidents in Life.

Verse 21 says Simon “was coming in from the country.” This ambiguous detail leaves a lot of room for speculation. The language pictures Simon as ambling into Jerusalem. We do not know how far he has traveled to get there. But it seems clear that he had come to observe the Passover. He was one of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who descended on Jerusalem for the holy feast. We don’t know what route he took or why. But he walks right into the midst of Jesus’ death march to Calvary. 

• If he had chosen one route over the other, he would have missed it all. 
• If he arrived a few minutes earlier or later, he would have missed it all. 

Simon bumped into Jesus at this critical moment. There were others on the streets that day. We don’t know if the soldiers plucked Simon out of the crowd because of how he looked, dressed, or acted. From a human standpoint, the whole scene seems so random. In reality, there are no accidents in life. You may be asking why this or that his happening in your life. I don’t know. But I assure you that nothing happens by luck, fate, chance, accident, or happenstance. God has a plan and purpose for it all! Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Your Background Does Not Determine Your Usefulness.

Mark 15:21 tells us three details about this man. 

• His name was Simon.  
• His home was Cyrene. 
• His sons were Alexander and Rufus. 

Simon was the name of nine New Testament men. This Simon was from Cyrene. Cyrene was a Mediterranean city on the northern coast of Africa in modern-day Libya. The location of Cyrene raises questions about Simon’s ethnicity. Christian art typically depicts Simon as a Black man. But we do not know Simon’s race, background, or ethnicity. 

Acts 2:10 says there were people present from “parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene” on Pentecost. Acts 6:9 says the Cyrenians had a synagogue. They were either Jews who lived in Cyrene or Cyrenians who were Gentile God-fearers. We do not know if Simon was a Jew, Greek, or Roman. Yet he was cast for a key scene in the drama of redemption. His background did not determine his usefulness to God. Neither does yours!

• God blesses your belief, not your background.  
• God blesses your righteousness, not your race. 
• God blesses your obedience, not your ethnicity. 

Romans 2:11 says, “For God shows no partiality.” God is no respecter of persons. He does not look at your face to determine how he will treat you.

God Works Through Circumstances You Cannot Control.

Simon’s act is romanticized as a beautiful act of service, sacrifice, and suffering for Jesus. But Simon did not choose to do anything for Jesus that day. He responded to circumstances beyond his control. There are two verbs in Mark 15:21. The first one is the dominant one. He carried the cross of Jesus because they compelled him. “Compelled” means to take, press, or force. It is a civil or military requisition that constrains something or someone into service. The term is used three times in the New Testament. Matthew 27:32 and Mark 15:21 use it for the soldiers who compelled Simon to carry the cross. Jesus uses it in Matthew 5:41: “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

We do not know how far Simon carried the cross up the Via Dolorosa. It’s safe to say that he carried it all the way to Calvary. It ruined the plans that brought Simon to Jerusalem. He had come to observe the feast of Passover. But carrying the cross – an instrument of death – rendered him ceremonially unclean. Yet God was at work through these circumstances that he could not control. 

Can you relate to Simon? You have been forced into circumstances that you cannot control. It may be your health condition, financial challenges, family difficulties, job situation, or spiritual battles. I have good news: God works through circumstances you cannot control. The one who was in charge when the Savior died on the cross was in charge when Simon was compelled to carry the cross. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

The Cross is the Point of the Story of Everything.

As Jesus was being led to Golgotha, the religious leaders congratulated themselves for a job well done. Everything was going according to plan. Little did they know there was a larger plan at work. Their grand scheme was just a small part of a divine agenda. Simon being compelled to carry the cross for Jesus proves it. The religious leaders did not just want Jesus dead. They wanted him crucified. 

• They wanted Jesus crucified to prove him to be a fraud. 
• God wanted Jesus to be crucified to pay for our sins. 

Acts 2:23 says Jesus was crucified by “the hands of lawless men.” The Romans executed Jesus. A centurion and a squad of four soldiers would carry out the deed. They led Jesus to Golgotha. But he collapsed under the weight of his cross. They would not belittle themselves to help him. But they could not let him die before they crucified him. So they compelled Simon to carry his cross. This didn’t happen to get Simon’s name in the Bible. It happened so that Jesus could fulfill his redemption mission at the cross. Simon was drafted to help Jesus get to Calvary because the cross is the point of the story of everything. 

 After the resurrection, Jesus bumped into two disciples on the Emmaus road. Not knowing it was Jesus, they began to tell Jesus about Jesus. They thought he was the promised Messiah. But it was now the third day since he died on the cross. Luke 24:25-27 reads: “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” 

It was the greatest Easter Sermon ever preached! The Bible consists of two testaments and sixty-six books written on three different continents by some forty men over fifteen hundred years. Yet it is one grand story that integrates, progresses, and climaxes with Christ crucified. The cross is the point of the story of everything. Run to the cross! 

Cross-bearing is Essential to What it Means to Follow Jesus.

Luke 9:23 says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” That is how Jesus describes what it means to be a disciple.

• You must deny yourself to follow Jesus. 
• You must take up your cross daily to follow Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon said, “To bear the cross of Jesus is the office of the faithful.” Simon is a living parable of what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus. Luke 23:26 says, “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.” 

Note the unique language of Luke’s parallel verse: “to carry it behind Jesus.” Simon did not walk ahead or alongside Jesus. He carried the cross behind Jesus. The Savior led the way up Golgotha as Simon carried the cross behind him. As Simon carried the cross, some people assumed was the condemned one. As a cross-bearer, he shared in the shame, sorrow, and suffering of Jesus. 

Simon of Cyrene should be distinguished from another Simon: Peter. Simon Peter vowed that he would die with Jesus. Then he denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. He followed Jesus at a distance as they led Jesus to trial. He was not long gone and far gone when Jesus went to the cross. Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross for Jesus. Mark wrote this Gospel based on Peter’s eyewitness testimony. That Simon told Mark about this Simon, who carried the cross. 

David L. McKenna wrote: “One thing is sure. When the Roman Christians read Mark’s Gospel, they find encouragement to bear and to share the weight of the cross they are compelled to carry.” May it be so with you! Following Jesus is not about health, wealth, success, happiness, or prominence. It’s about following Jesus even when you are compelled to carry the cross.

Must Simon bear the cross alone, and all the world go free? 
No, there's a cross for everyone, and there's a cross for me. 

You Never Know Who What You Do for Jesus Will Influence.

The Bible gives scarce details about Simon of Cyrene. Tradition fills in the blanks to tell us how Simon’s experience influenced others. This passing reference to Simon is obscure. It is more obscure that Mark also mentions that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Who were Alexander and Rufus? Mark just tells us Simon was their dad. Scholars reason that Mark does not tell us anything about these brothers because his audience knew them. Romans 16:13 says, “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.” Could this Rufus be Simon’s son? If so, his mother was also a part of the church at Rome. She had been like a mother to the Apostle Paul. 

Can you imagine if these brothers were present when Mark was first read to the saints? The congregation asked the boys to tell them about their dad. Maybe they and their mom were with Simon the day he carried the cross. Or maybe he told them the story and led his family to faith in Christ. These are all speculations about which we cannot be dogmatic. But the evidence points in the same direction. What Simon did for Jesus had a direct influence on those in his life. 

Likewise, you are being watched. Whose watching? I don’t know. That’s why you must walk and talk right. You don’t know who’s watching you! Carry your cross with trust, hope, and joy. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

What You Do for Jesus is Nothing Compared to What Jesus Did for You.

 Mark 15:21 is about what Simon did for Jesus. The remainder of Mark’s Gospel is about what Jesus did for Simon. There is no way to compare the former to the latter. 

• Simon carried the cross for Jesus. 
• Jesus died on the cross for Simon. 

We are not saved by what we do for Jesus. We are saved by trusting what Jesus did for us at the cross. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Grace means that the Lord will always be operating in a deficit when it comes to us. We are prone to complain about the sacrifices we make for Jesus. If we truly understood what Jesus gave up for us in his incarnation and crucifixion, it would remove the word “sacrifice” from our vocabulary. 

2 Corinthians 8-9 calls the saints to generosity. The section ends climatically in 2 Corinthians 9:15: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” We should give thanks in every sphere and season of our Christian experience. You may give up a lot for Jesus. 

You can’t beat God giving, no matter how hard you try! What you do for Jesus is nothing compared to what Jesus has done for you!  There was a man who struggled to keep his restaurant open. Yet he was known for his generosity. He gave away more meals for free than he sold. Someone asked him how he was so generous when he was struggling to stay afloat. He opened his cash register and showed them a slot with rusty nails in it. He said every time I open this cash register and get anxious about money, I see the nails and remember what the Lord has done for me!