Yotes from a Sermon given by the Rev. Clifford M. Drury, Pastor of Community Church, who was invited to occupy the pulpit of Union Church on Sunday Evening, April 24
Mark 15:21 "And they compel one passing by, Simon of Gyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and fugue, to. g0 With them, that he might bear his cross."
Ott: of the many events of Passion Week, I invite your attention one scene in particular. Jesus. on the way to Golgotha, faint b eae of the beatings which He had rezsived, fell beneath the load -of: the heavy cross which He was being obliged to carry. His guard seeing that: He had reached the limit of Iiuzan endurance, looked about to, find. some one to assist. Tu the inner circle of the crowd of specta-for: was a big countryman by the name of Simon. He was chosen by the soldiers to help Jesus to carry the cross.
Lat us study Simon, Bach of the Sysiopties tell the story about Simon in one verse. And yet, so rich are these yerees in fact and suggestive-nees that we can reconstruct a considerable portion of his history. He was from Cyrene, a city in notre Africa which contained a large colony of Jews. He was evidently one who had come up to Jerusalem for the Passover. We readifurther that he was from the country. 'The meaning is not el 'Was ko a farmer? Or was he one of many who obliged to live outside of the city during the Passover season? Perhaps both thee' explanations are true, Drafted Into Service for the Romans, Perhaps Alexander and Rufus were in Rome and well known to Mark's audience there.
Harmonizing with this view is 3 clause in Paul's epistle to the Romans: "Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine" Paul also makes mention several times of an Alexander. Tradition says that this Rufus and this Alexander were Simon's sons, Could there have been such a devout Christian family unless the husband and father had himself been a Christian?
Simon the Christian realized what fa great privilege had been his. He had helped Jesus to carry the cross! The very angels of heaven bad jeoveted such an honour, Christians ever since that day would given their lives for such a privi fogo, The memory of the dark of the cross gradually faded away, A thousand times he must have repeated to himself: "I was actually permitted to bear the cross of Jesus, I held it for a few minutes and myself journeyed at pris of lessening His suffer-His side, To me was given the
ings." That day became the most precious day of his life. His former humiliation became his crowning honour. The dark clouds were turned inside out and he saw their Coming into the city on Friday morning he saw a crowd slowly moving outward, The crowd stopped its progress. The members of the crowd seemed to be inter in some person in the centre, Sian was curious, so he pushed ordered' him to" carry" the' cross:
dldn'e want to do that. He did ills heat to evade the task, Perhaps nan soldiers were obliged 10 tuse the sharp pointe of their spears, Anyway, of one thing we are certain. Simon was drafted into ser vee Ail three of the gospel writers who tell this. story emphasize this Point. He was drafted. He was ehiapelled, He was obliged to do Something he didn't want to do. Teas an insult, to carry a cross for a cidemned criminal. Simon couldn't go. into the city without iis friends and strangers. pointing Tit: out and. saying: "There goes the poor wretch who was. foreed to carry the eross for the etiminal who was eruelfed to-day out on Gatvaty's hill" Simon's heart. was obulllous as he struggling along at tha side of Jesus carrying the cro's, The Silver Lining the world war there was the boys) conta home, with the boys in uniform as it was the home folks. One verse of There's a silver ming, Through the dark clouds shining.
Turn the dark clods inside out, 'Til' the Goss. come hone.
We don't know exactly how it Happened, but of this can we be contident,—the dark clouds were Simon and he saw the silver: lining. At frst he aw only the dark side of the cross—he came to see the white side. That which was an insult and an outrage came to be considered as glorious experience.
TE our interpretation of seri is correct, Simon became a Christian, Perhaps he was converted at Calvary where he must have-witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. He must hava heard the words from the cross, the railings of His enemies, the words of wonder from rz, and the penitent ery of the thief. Pity. admiration, wonder, werd all mingled together. That was the beginning of faith, Bark, in the words of the text, says that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. If tradition Ye correct Mark was writing his gospel at Petor's dictation especially silver lining.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.