From Bystander to Bearer: The Blessing of Bearing Another Brother’s Burden. Luke 23:26.

 

From Bystander to Bearer: The Blessing of Bearing Another Brother’s Burden. Luke 23:26

A Christian Sermon on Simon of Cyrene, the Black Brother Who Bore the Cross of Jesus

Luke 23:26 – “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.”

Introduction

My brothers and sisters, I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, we turn our attention to an often-overlooked figure in the story of the Passion—Simon of Cyrene. He did not come looking for a cross that day. He was not expecting to be part of the greatest story ever told. But when the moment came, God placed upon him a burden that would change his life forever.

Many of us, like Simon, have found ourselves carrying burdens we did not ask for. We were just passing by, minding our business, when life placed a heavy load on our backs. But I stand here today to tell you—there is a blessing in the burden.

Simon of Cyrene was a Black man from Africa who found himself bearing the cross of Jesus. And in his story, we find our story. His struggle is our struggle. His burden is our burden. But his blessing is our blessing too.

Today, I want to preach on this subject: “From Bystander to Bearer: The Blessing of Bearing Another Brother’s Burden.”

I. Simon of Cyrene: A Black Man in the Passion of Christ

1. Who Was Simon of Cyrene?

Luke tells us that Simon was from Cyrene, a city in North Africa—what is now modern-day Libya. It was home to a large Jewish community, and Simon was likely in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. But instead of participating in the feast, he was pulled into the suffering of Jesus.

Mark’s Gospel (Mark 15:21) tells us that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus, two men who were later known in the early church. This suggests that Simon’s encounter with Jesus was not just a moment—it was a turning point that changed his family for generations.

Somebody here today knows what it means to have an encounter with Jesus that changes not just you but your entire household!

2. The Burden of Black Men in History

Simon’s story is familiar to us because it mirrors the experience of Black people throughout history.

• He was forced into hard labor.

• He was made to carry a burden that was not his own.

• He suffered injustice, yet his suffering had divine purpose.

We, too, have carried crosses we did not create.

• From slavery to Jim Crow, from segregation to systemic injustice, we have been forced to carry heavy loads.

• We have carried the burden of racism, discrimination, and oppression.

• And yet, through it all, God has given us strength.

Like Simon, we have turned burdens into blessings.

• We built families when the world tried to tear them apart.

• We built churches when we were told we could not worship freely.

• We built schools when they refused to educate our children.

• We built businesses when they denied us economic opportunity.

Just as Simon carried Jesus’ cross, Black people have carried the moral weight of this nation on our backs.

But I stopped by to tell somebody today—there is a blessing in the burden!

II. Bearing Another Brother’s Burden: A Divine Assignment

1. Simon Did Not Choose the Cross—It Chose Him

Luke 23:26 says that Simon was “seized” and forced to carry the cross.

He didn’t volunteer for this assignment. He didn’t ask for it. But he was chosen for it.

Many of us are carrying burdens we didn’t ask for.

• Somebody here didn’t ask for the responsibility of raising children alone… but you are carrying it.

• Somebody here didn’t ask for sickness in your body… but you are carrying it.

• Somebody didn’t ask for financial struggles, racial discrimination, or heartbreak… but you are carrying it.

But let me remind you—God does not place a burden on you without a purpose.

2. Walking Behind Jesus: A Symbol of Discipleship

Notice that Simon walked behind Jesus as he carried the cross.

• This is a picture of discipleship.

• This is a reminder that if we follow Christ, we too must carry our cross.

• Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Sometimes following Jesus means carrying a heavy load.

But when we carry that load, we walk closer with Him.

3. The Law of Christ: Helping Our Brothers

Galatians 6:2 tells us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Simon carrying Jesus’ cross teaches us a lesson: even the strongest among us need help.

If Jesus—the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords—accepted help in His moment of suffering, then surely, we too must help our brothers and sisters in their time of need.

Who in your life needs you to help carry their cross today?

III. The Blessing in the Burden

1. The Cross Led Simon to Christ

At first, Simon carried the cross by force… but I believe that by the time he reached Calvary, he carried it by faith.

We know his sons, Alexander and Rufus, became leaders in the church (Mark 15:21). This tells us that Simon’s experience changed his family’s destiny.

Somebody here today—you are carrying a burden that you didn’t choose. But what if that burden is the very thing that will bring you closer to Jesus?

2. Carrying the Cross Brought Him Closer to Jesus

Philippians 3:10 says, “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

• The burden you are carrying is drawing you closer to Christ.

• The struggles you face are making you stronger in your faith.

3. Our Burdens Can Become Blessings

History proves that Black people have turned pain into power, struggle into strength, and burdens into blessings.

• The same way Simon’s story became part of the Gospel, your suffering is not in vain.

• What burdens are you carrying today that God may be using for a greater blessing?

Conclusion: There is a Blessing in the Burden

Simon of Cyrene, a Black man, bore the cross of Jesus. He did not ask for it, but God used it to draw him into the greatest story ever told.

His life teaches us that:

• The burdens we bear may bring us closer to Christ.

• Helping our brothers in struggle is fulfilling the law of Christ.

• What seems like suffering today may be the very thing that leads to a legacy of faith.

So my brothers and sisters, let us carry our burdens with faith. Let us lift one another up. And let us remember—there is always a blessing in the burden.

Amen.